A Great Love Affair

Heaven on Earth.

My love affair with Trader Joe's began four years ago in Cincinnati. I was completely heartbroken when I moved back to KC and found out they didn't have ANY locations in Kansas. Luckily, Trader Joe's got their act together just a few short months after I moved back and opened TWO different locations (one in Kansas and one in Missouri - score! This means they sell alcohol). It's like they knew I was back here!

I sing Trader Joe's praises quite frequently, and people are always asking which products I buy so I thought I would go ahead and compile a list of my most favorite things. Lets get one thing straight. Everything there is amazing. The list could go on and on and on forever, but these are the things that I can't live without. I will make special trips just to buy these items.

Ok so I'm not great at using Photoshop just yet, and I'm also feeling way too lazy to try to number the pics so we'll just start in the top left corner and go row by row.

1. Reduced Guilt Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Shells and Mac & Cheese - Lean Cuisines and SmartOnes don't stand a chance compared to TJ's reduced guilt frozen meals. I try not to eat frozen meals too often, but when I do these are my go to's! Apparently their regular mac & cheese is to die for, but I haven't tried it because I'm scared I would never go back to the reduced guilt version! I guess if you are lucky enough to not be watching your girlish figure you should check it out! ;)
2. Organic Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Soup and Latin Style Black Bean Soup - I've literally had one of these soups for dinner every night for probably the last three weeks. I just can't get enough! I'd say the tomato & roasted red pepper soup ranks up there with Nordstrom's Tomato Basil soup, and is a MUCH healthier option with 100 calories per 1 cup serving. The black bean soup is equally tasty and also pretty spicy. It clocks in at 70 calories per 1 cup serving.
3. Reduced Guilt Pita Chips - I'm pretty sure I've mentioned it before, but I'll say it again. Hi, my name is Jenny and I'm a pita chip addict. Only 100 calories for 7 chips. Not too shabby.
4. Boysenberry, Apricot, Strawberry, and Raspberry Dried Fruit Bars - These are perfect to throw in your bag if you are out and about during the day or for a mid-morning snack at work. They are made from 100% dried fruit and have no added sugar so you can snack guilt free at only 50 calories per bar.
5. Gone Bananas - My life has been forever changed since I discovered these last year. It is no secret I have a serious sweet tooth, and these bite size chocolate covered bananas slices save my life every night around 8:00 p.m. when I'm craving something sweet. 4 pieces have 130 calories, but usually one or two slices do the trick!
6. Premium Salmon Burgers - These are great for a quick weeknight meal served on a bed of spinach with some chopped bell peppers and balsamic vinaigrette. The salmon patties have 110 calories and 15 grams of protein.
7. Lite Kettle Corn - By far my favorite snack of all time. Salty and sweet are covered, and it is a pretty generous serving for 110 calories.
8. Two Buck Chuck -  No list of what to buy at TJ's is complete without Two Buck Chuck obviously. This wine comes in just about every variety (Cabernet Sauvignon, White Zin, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Shiraz). My personal fave is the Pinot Grigio, but at $3 a bottle I'll drink any of them! ;)
9. Reduced Guilt Brownie Mix - This stuff is ah-maze-ing. It even has cooking instructions for a single serving microwave brownie. 2 tablespoons of brownie mix plus 1 tablespoon of non-fat vanilla yogurt zapped for 30-45 seconds and you've got heaven in a bowl for 130 calories. To really take it up a notch add a few drops of vanilla extract. Yum.
10. 12 Grain Mini Snack Crackers and Reduced Guilt Spinach & Kale Greek Yogurt Dip - I guess this is technically two items, but whatever. A two tbsp serving of this dip clocks in at only 30 calories. It's made from Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and is packed with kale, spinach, water chestnuts, red peppers, carrots, and green onions. Pair it with mini snack crackers (22 crackers for 140 calories) and you've got the perfect snack! The dip is also great on turkey sandwiches!
11. Speculoos Cookie Butter - If you've heard of Trader Joe's, I'm guessing you've probably heard of Cookie Butter. It is legendary. It has a consistency like peanut butter only it is made of ground up cookies and tastes like spreadable gingerbread. 1 tbsp is 90 calories and so so worth it. Forewarning - it is ridiculously addictive.
12. Powerberries - These acai, pomegranate, cranberry, and blueberry juices covered in dark chocolate are like crack. I only rarely allow myself to buy them because give me a day, and they'll be gone. It's hard to pretend you didn't eat the entire bag yourself when you live with a cat. 

So there's my list. I'm sure that I'll keep discovering new amazing products and might eventually update this post, but until then, if you've never set foot into a Trader Joe's before and this post has convinced that you need to go right now this list should get you started!

To Rock or Not to Rock the Parkway?

I haven't participated in The Domestic Wannabe's Move it Monday in awhile so I'm hopping back on the bandwagon this week. I've been debating on whether or not to run the Rock the Parkway half marathon for weeks now, and I'm still undecided. Decisiveness definitely isn't one of my strong suits. I know that I want to run at least one half marathon this year since I didn't get one in last year, but I really hate running outside in the cold. I'm such a baby.

If I decide to run this race, I think I am going to use Hal Higdon's Intermediate Program, but change it up slightly. Hal has strength & stretch days on Mondays, but there is a 5:30 a.m. Strictly Strength class at Lifetime that I usually go to on Tuesday's so I would flip flop those days. He also has long runs planned for Sunday, but I don't like to have them hanging over my head all weekend (and would like the option to go out on Saturday nights if I so choose) so I think I would get the long runs out of the way first thing Saturday morning. My 12 week training program would be something like this:

I used his Novice 1 and Novice 2 programs for my last two half marathons and actually ran slower than my first half marathon so I'm on mission to PR this race (if I run it). Otherwise what is the point?!? Here are my times from my three half marathons:

Flying Pig Half Marathon Cincinnati, OH - 1.56.28
Waddell & Reed Half Marathon Kansas City, MO - 1.59.00
Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon St. Louis, MO - 1.57.05

The first half marathon I ran was by far the hardest and had the absolute worst weather conditions (pouring rain, thunder, lightening). I had sopping wet shoes before I even started running and had quarter sized blisters on both feet after the first mile. It also probably didn't help that I was running in Nike Shox. Whoops! I guess the miserable conditions and bad shoes really motivated me to finish. I also think the fact that I lived on the race course and was training on a good portion of the hills day in and day out probably helped.

I definitely skimped on the training for my second half (and didn't sign up until the day before the race), and my time clearly shows that. I started training in Cincinnati, but ended up moving back to Kansas midway through the 12 week program and kind of just stopped following it altogether. I ran here and there in the weeks leading up to the race, but usually just on the treadmill.

For the St. Louis Rock 'n' Roll half marathon I trained with my best friend Dani, and we ended up running almost the entire race together. We started and finished together and that is all that matters :) I was close to beating my PR this race, but no cigar. I attribute my slowness in this race to the few extra lbs I was carrying around this time. I had just gotten into a new relationship, and all the cocktails and eating out really caught up to me. I've got the pictures to prove it. Yikes. Note to self - do NOT under any circumstance let yourself gain 5-8 pounds the next time you get into a new relationship.

Here is where I need all of you. Does anyone have any tips for running outside when it is freezing? Honestly, I really haven't even given it a shot, but running from my apartment to the car in the mornings is about all I can take. What type of work out gear do you wear? Looks like I might be forced to make a trip to lululemon in the next few weeks :) Also, is anyone in KC planning on running this race and do you want to train together some days? I'm going to need some motivation (if I actually sign up)!