Politically Speaking...

Hello ladies and gents.  I'm typically not a politically-inclined person.  In fact, I've never voted in a major election.  Not that I don't have some interest, I'm just painfully uneducated in the subject.  However, I know 2(well, 3) things that are REALLY bothering me right now.  1. Gas prices are absolutely ridiculous and if there isn't a cap put on the increasing price, it will absolutely cripple this country.  2. If the Congress isn't able to agree on a budget by midnight tonight, there will be a government shutdown.  3. The military cost of life pay increase was cut this year, but Congress got a nice 13% pay increase.  Now, the #2 is the part that has me up in arms today, due in large part to the fact that it hits particularly close to home.  My brother is in the Navy.  He works incredibly hard at his job and actually was deployed to Haiti after the big earthquake(s) to provide aid to a dilapidated country.  He studies hard and just received a big medal that basically says he "knows his shit".  I find it INCREDIBLY troubling that his financial stability and, potentially the well-being of his family, is dependant upon this group of individuals that can't make an agreement.  It's almost laughable to me that in this time of governmental turmoil, the Congress will continue to receive their paychecks - even though they're the ones responsible for the shutdown (if it does happen)!

Okay, I'm finished ranting now - I just needed to get that off of my chest!

NOW on to the business at hand...
I went to the gym with Lauren this morning and had a..well, less than inspiring workout.  I was absolutely exhausted (Miss Nora has a sinus infection and is NOT sleeping well - which means mommy is not sleeping well).  However, I did get there and we did the Friday workout without any additional cardio.  We did go to a 60minute Zumba class last night so hopefully that will help makeup for the lacking calorie burn this morning!

I made a Whole Wheat Pizza for dinner last night.. I only ate one little piece and had a protein shake for dinner b/c it was pretty late.  Branden actually ate pizza that my parents ordered from Jets Pizza.. so I went ahead and made the healthy pizza so we could take for lunches today :)
Recipe as follows:
Prepared WW Pizza Crust (already cooked)
Chicken (marinated overnight in FF Italian dressing and cooked George Foreman)
2 tbs Pesto plus 1 tbs
2tbs EVOO, plus 1 tbs
1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 Onion, diced
Banana Peppers
Cherry Tomatoes, chopped in small pieces
Part-Skim/Low Fat Mozzarella Cheese

While chicken is cooking on the George Foreman, saute bell pepper and onion in 1tbs EVOO w/ 1tbs garlic and 1tbs pesto.
Allow chicken to cool to room temp, dice.

Drizzle 2 tbs EVOO on pizza crust, spread w/ pastry brush.
Spoon Pesto onto pizza crust, spread w/ pastry brush.
Next, sprinkle chicken over pesto and then bell pepper/onion mixture.
Sprinkle diced tomatoes and banana peppers over bell pepper/onion mixture and then sprinkle cheese over top.  Drizzle a little EVOO over top and bake in the oven at 415 for 5 minutes, then lower to 350 for an additional 5 (or so).  Just keep an eye on it to make sure cheese doesn't burn!

Let it cool and eat!  This recipe is totally flexible, I use the same basic principles but interchange ingredients all the time!  Sundried tomatoes and spinach are commonly found on my pizzas as well :)

Today I'll be eating:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk
Few Strawberry Slices
1 piece dry WW Toast

Snack:
Lite Vanilla Yogurt w/ berries and crushed grahams

Lunch:
2 small pieces WW Pizza
1 100 Calorie pack of Choc Chip Cookies (3g fat, 7g sugar.. I can live with it)

Snack:
1 Weight Watchers String Cheese
Organic Raw Almonds (just discovered that I love these!)

Dinner:
Undecided?  Groceries are pretty sparse so I may need to go shopping tonight!

Yesterday for lunch I mentioned that I had to run out to get something so I went to Kroger (the fancy one in Newport) and got a mixed spring green salad w/ red onion, cucumber, diced tomatoes, carrots, slivered almonds and balsamic vinaigrette.  I got a 3-part container and had the salad in the larger part with some fruit in one of the smaller ones (grapes, 3 raspberries, 2 slices of strawberries) and just a little pasta salad in the other compartment.

I bought the new edition of Oxygen magazine and I'm going to attempt to put a workout together for myself!  Wish me luck!
I probably won't make it to the gym tomorrow but I will be shopping with my cousin Jordan all day (looking for her senior prom dress! I think I'm more excited than she is!) so I'm bound to burn a few calories! :)

Toot-a-loo!