Friday finds

It's almost the weekend. Put your party hat on!

Sorry - that was just a shameless introduction to use this photo of Miles. Deal.

So this morning I had planned to go to Piloxing since the Train Like A Mother plan had me doing a fun workout. And Piloxing is definitely fun. When I showed up to the studio, though, I learned that it was on spring break. Well, not Piloxing itself but the instructor or the people who run the studio - either way, I wasn't going to get in my planned workout.

Womp, womp.

I was slightly disappointed but I had packed clothes to runch (fun workout = fun workout + 3 miles for Kim). I was fine. And, Fresh market was next door so I could pick up an apple for a mid-morning snack and freshly ground almond butter ... and whatever else caught my eye.

Hint Fizz in watermelon. I've been avoiding this stuff, thinking it had sweetener, but low and behold it's just a calorie-free sparkling water. Huzzah! The sparkles reminded me of nuun and it had a sharpness in flavor (because it's unsweetened) but I really liked it. Not get a "blow the grocery budget and buy out the store" like it but "could get again for funsies" like it.

Snapea Crisps. I decided to look for kale chips and then stopped looking for them when I realized they were $7.99. On the shelf right below, though, were Snapea Crisps. They looked interesting enough, have 130 calories per serving and were a mere $1.99. I'm hoping they can fill a snack void during the #sugardetox.

Seapoint Farms Dry-Roasted Edamame. My favorite snack disappeared from my diet when the nearby Marshall's closed, and it's been missed to say the least. As luck would have it, I found it right next to the Snapea Crisps. Also 130 calories per serving. Also $1.99.

Red Curry Paste. OK, this probably isn't unusual but they definitely don't have it Aldi. I was impressed with myself that I thought to look for it while I was there as I have a Thai Sweet Potato Soup on the books for next week.

Smart & Delicious Soft Wrap Minis - Three Seed. Also on the menu books next week? Curry tuna salad. It would be delicious on a mini bagel but I thought it might be smart and delicious on these wraps. Ha. I made a funny. Anyway, no sugar plus 50 calories each makes it a winner ... assuming it doesn't taste like my sweaty sports bras.

Any good food finds to share?

Food Friday: Eating, lately

I've done something magical: I've trained (nearly) for a marathon, and I haven't gained weight. In fact, I've even dropped a couple pounds.

OK, it's really not all that magical. Weight loss is about calories in and calories out. Simple as that. There's plenty of calories out during training but there's also the tendency to put a lot calories in. The trick is to make the calories good stuff as the gorgeous Kim (the other one) pointed out.

Van's Lite Waffles with Razzle Dazzle PB Crave and blackberry jam. Love Van's. Love PB Crave.

Taco Lentils with Garden of Eatin' Sweet Potato Corn Tortilla chips, red onion and just a sprinkle of cheese - it's like nachos gone healthy. The chips were sent to me for review, and I am loving them. I like them more as just a snack, a few in the afternoon to quell the salt fix, but there are nice with both my lentils and black bean chili.

Unreal candy. Have you guys seen this in the store? They have it at my CVS (yes, it's mine), and it's candy without the "junk" or so they say. There's no corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, artificial ingredients, GMOs or preservatives. So, obviously, it is healthy. Duh. OK, maybe not but it is better for you and the varieties I've tried (UN 54, UN 5, UN 8, UN 77) all tend to have fewer calories than their "junked" counterparts.

Pad Kai Mao. I had a rare evening by myself last night, and I decided to treat myself to dinner. I couldn't decide what I wanted, though, and I randomly found myself at Ma Hnin Asia Restaurant, a local place that serves Burmese and Thai food.

Fun fact: Fort Wayne has one of the largest, if not largest, populations of Burmese people outside of Myanmar.

I've always wanted to try Ma Hnin but the place is a bit suspect looking. Then again, all the best places are. I got a chicken-noodle dish that featured fresh, handmade noodles and lots of veggies. I got just a little bit spicy, which was more than enough (especially after I bit right into a pepper). It was delicious and I loved ... all the bites I could eat. It's all about portion control, my friends.

Ice cream. So I skip dairy ... most days. On long run days, though, once the miles are logged, I have a treat or two.

I'm apparently unable to enjoy time by myself because after I painted my nails and watched two episodes of "Grey's Anatomy," I called Mark to see if he and Miles wanted to meet me for ice cream before coming home. It was probably the last warm night of the year and the last time we'll visit for the season. Baby cone for Miles, black raspberry shake for Mark and chocolate sundae for me.

It's hard to believe that Miles couldn't hold the cone or sit on the bench like a big boy for our first trip this year.

What have you been eating lately?

Food Friday: Snack finds

I've been snacking. A lot lately, so it seems. And while I have my go-to snacks - sliced cucumbers, fresh fruit, 100-calorie packs of almonds - I've come across some new (to me) things that I thought I'd share.

Seapoint Farms Dry-Roasted Edamame,  Spicy Wasabi flavor. I first discovered dry-roasted edamame in a Go Picnic! pack but have since seen it at Marshall's and niche grocers. I love it as a salty snack alternative to nuts or crackers with a punch of protein. A quarter-cup serving has 130 calories, 4.5 grams of fat and 14 grams of protein. And if you get the Spicy Wasabi flavor, I promise you that it has enough POW! that you won't be going back for seconds. I am a wasabi lover - it's a good part of the reason I like sushi - and this did not disappoint. Some pieces can have more wasabi powder than others so if you have a sensitive tummy, I would go with the traditional flavor.

Yoplait Greek 100. Greek yogurt for a dairy free gal? I know, I know. The company had contacted me before my decision to limit my dairy so when it came to my door, I thought I should at least give it a try.

{what I love about it} It's only 100 calories, still thick like fuller fat Greek yogurts and just 2 Points Plus if you are following Weight Watchers. I had a hard time finding plan-friendly yogurts when I was regularly attending WW and it's even tougher with Points Plus. It's also a bit more affordable than some of the other brands such as Chobani and Fage.

{what I didn't like about it} It is sweet. Almost sickeningly sweet. So much so that I felt an insane sense of mother's guilt giving Miles bites of it. I will say that I had been accustomed to eating Fage 0%, which I get ridiculously cheap at my butcher, and has about 16 grams of sugar from fruit. Yoplait Greek 100 is sweetened with sucralose (brand name Splenda), which explains the sweetness.

Earl Grey Latte with soy. OK, it's not so much a snack as a beverage - sue me. I picked up one of these the other day at Starbucks, and I fell in love.

Since I got my Keurig Vue, I've been obsessed (to say the least) with coffee, and I'm trying to balance it with something I can pretend is a bit better for me. The tea latte is just that. I got mine unsweetened (later added stevia) and was singing its praises for the three-block drive to work as I listened to a podcast of "This American Life" (also an obsession). It is a bit of a calorie-buster at 140 for a tall but it's a nice treat.

Snack drawer. I made a pit stop at Target this week to replenish my snack drawer (that's my reason, and I'm sticking to it), and I picked up a few things for the afternoon munchies - mandarin oranges in light syrup, 100-calorie packs of raisins and Fiber One Strawberry PB&J bars.

And maybe some fun-size Snickers Almond. Maybe ...

Anything else you would add to the drawer? I may or may not need another reason to hit up the Target.

Food Friday: Take flight

180 calories and 39 grams of sugar.

That's how much a grande Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino Light will cost you. Well, 180 calories, 39 grams of sugar and about $5.

But you don't have to spend so much.

5 Sparrows, a Montana-based company, offers sugar-free drink mixes that include Snow Ghost Frappe (vanilla), white hot chocolate, hot chocolate and chai. Sweetened with stevia, the mixes have between 35 (frappe) and 110 calories (chai). They are also gluten- and dairy-free.

When the company offered me the chance to try them, I couldn't resist.

About the company:

For us, coffee is as much a way of life as an occupation. For eight years, we owned and operated a specialty espresso business on the beautiful west shore of Flathead Lake in Northwest Montana. We evolved into devoted baristas. We found great pleasure in working with our hearts, our minds and our hands as a means to connect with people. It was out of this earnest dedication that 5 Sparrows was born. 5 Sparrows is the result of passion, a manifestation of our desire to offer an experience over a product. Our skills as baristas have allowed us to design our formulas specifically for handcrafted beverages. Furthermore, our café products line is comprised of superior ingredients, methodically prepared and routinely tested to ensure perfection. At 5 Sparrows, you will find a family of individuals invested in our vision and ready to help you achieve yours. From product application to marketing, sales or shipping we are committed to finding new ways to defy convention and bring you an unparalleled experience.

Sounds pretty awesome, right? If you aren't so sure, I can assure you that it is.

Over the past few weeks, I've tried all four varieties and have been nothing but pleasantly surprised. We all know that sugar-free products often taste, well, sugar free. And while the 5 Sparrows products don't taste like getting a hot chocolate with whole milk from Starbucks, they don't taste like the diet Swiss Miss that I have to doctor just to drink. I found the Snow Ghost Frappe to be very creamy and the only thing that could have made it better was for me to use strongly brewed coffee rather than the day old coffee I had. The white hot chocolate was rich and tasty, especially made with half coffee, half almond milk.

My favorite, though, had to be the chai.

Chai is a favorite indulgence of mine, and I don't often drink it because the low-sugar varieties don't taste good and I don't think the Starbucks Tazo is worth the calories. The 5 Sparrows chai, made with soy, was spicy and sweet but not overly so. And rich. Definitely rich.

Feeling generous, I offered some samples to my co-workers who had nothing but praise for the drink. Even the ones who don't drink sugar-free products. They said that you could tell it wasn't from a barista but didn't mind. It was hot and satisfying - perfect with fall around the corner.

A big thanks to 5 Sparrows for letting me try the products - be sure to check them out.

And speaking of checking things out ... hello, 98 Degrees on "The Today Show."

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The sound quality sucked and the dance moves seemed a bit ridiculous for men nearing middle age but I grew up in Cincinnati, where Nick and Drew Lachey call home, so I've always had a soft spot in my heart for them.

Friday love

Pre-workout breakfast: Cinnamon raisin English muffin with apple butter

Workout: Ran 5 miles; average pace, 8:48.

I have to be honest. I haven’t found my love of winter running.

In the mornings, I sit around on the couch and see how long I can wait before I absolutely have to leave. I resent later sun rises and wind chills. I dread the cold air in my lungs, the heavy feeling of so many layers, the 22 degrees outside.

And then, as it always is, something running happens. I find myself feeling hot after a mile. I get into a rhythm. I even laugh (out loud, sadly, at stop lights) at the sweat turning my hair into little icicle daggers.

Then I come home, take a nice bath and flip through the J. Crew catalog and decide that winter is awesome because you need a flannel shirtdress because flannel is warm; a bonfire cardigan for all those bonfires you’re not invited to; an orange Coletta coat for funsies; and a pair of black boots because you only have one pair.

And now that we’ve all sufficiently drooled, let’s get to some Friday love.

Food. Carrot cake is yummy. Especially with gobs of cream cheese frosting. Unfortunately, it’s more of a treat kind of thing as opposed to an “eat for breakfast” kind of thing. Sad, really. And all though there’s no substitute for that frosting, I did get a flavor similar to the cake in Kroger’s store brand Carrot Cake yogurt. It was creamy, spicy and had just a bit of an aftertaste but I’ve come to expect that with some of the lower-sugar yogurts. I wouldn’t eat it all the time but I do think I’d buy it from time to time.

Fitness. For a good two months, maybe more, I was all about following someone else’s routine for strength training – OnDemand instructors, Jillian Michaels, Jackie Warner. And while I’m not abandoning them, I have enjoyed doing my own thing this week, usually as a supplement to one of those routines. It gives me the chance to focus on my favorite muscles (bis and tris) and use heavier weights.

Life. Our refrigerator was a sad state of affairs yesterday. Our milk was spoiled, eggs were gone, orange juice was low, the bread was down to the heels that I never eat and usually give to Denali. Mark was out of cookies, cereal bars and ice cream, and he was down to one beer. Rather than tough it out till the weekend, we opted to go to TCBY after dinner and head over to the Kroger in the same shopping center. I wouldn’t advocate Thursday night shopping but it was nice. Nice to have some fro-yo. Nice to have a helper at the store. Nice to have the shopping done before the weekend.

After all, you have to have time for those big plans. We’re going to do some holiday shopping, maybe stop by a party (if I can stay up past 9 p.m.) and try to see a movie. Who’s doing something fun?

Heavenly bites

I have a new love. Loves, I should say. I met them both this weekend, and though they couldn't be more opposite, I love them just the same.

First, let me introduce to you a little piece of heaven ... the Kashi TLC Pumpkin Pecan Fruit & Grain Bar.

Kashi says:

Pie lovers will enjoy the sweet blend of pumpkin, real soft fruit and warm pie spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger - all sprinkled with crunchy pecans. ... And with 4g of Fiber, 4g of Protein and real fruit, they're as nourishing as they are tasty.

I picked up these bad boys during a Target run prompted by a need for vitamins and a healthy snack to munch on while visiting my family in Ohio. I was instantly drawn to them because they said "Pumpkin." Hello, I love pumpkin! The box also bragged that there was no high fructose corn syrup, and I liked that each bar has just 120 calories.

I have to admit that I didn't have the highest of hopes for these bars. I have tried Kashi Chewy Granola Bars and found them to be a bit dry and not as tasty as the high fructose corn syrup ones. The pumpkin bars, on the other hand ... just AWESOME. The pumpkin top was sweet and moist, and the granola part wasn't too dry.

The other love? Laughing Cow Light Mozzarella , Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil.

What Laughing Cow says:

Rich and creamy mozzarella infused with real sun-dried tomatoes and a savory hint of basil makes a mouthwatering combination. With only 35 calories, this light cheese adds a little Mediterranean pizzazz to your daily snacking.

I had heard from Hungry Girl that these were going to be hitting the shelves this summer, and I was excited to find them at Meijer ... with a $1 off coupon.

I wasted no time in trying the wedges, spreading one on a whole-wheat tortilla and topping it with leftover rotisserie chicken breast and chopped raw veggies (zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes and red onion). Eaten as a wrap, I definitely found it to be creamy and rich with sun-dried tomato flavor. It was a definite winner as far as lunch goes!