Girl vs. Alarm, Winner Makes Soup aka Day 3

Day 3!!  I knew the true challenge would be the dreaded Monday morning fight between the alarm and this girl.  That alarm didn't know what hit it, I was prepared to fight and win.  The morning went a little something like this..

5:20am: Alarm screeching at me...snooze (you didn't think I could give up snooze cold turkey, did you??)

5:30am: UP!  haha alarm, you lose!  sucker.   followed by a quick fruit punch spark and sculpt 1 on the 24 day workout.  My calves are still pretty sore so I was actually quite thankful that there was quite a bit of ab work and the dreaded push ups (I will learn to love them...) 

6:00am: breakfast, wake the kid up, who must have picked up on my perky vibes and got dressed without a fight (small victory!)  off for another day.

7:30am:  water water water. work work work. I kind of miss my morning coffee routine, might have to bring some tea to work to have something nice and warm to sip on.  or warm spark perhaps?? hmmm...

I even made sure I took a walk at lunch to get out of the office and get some extra calorie burn on.

4:30pm off, pick up the kid, drop off the friend that came home with the kid, homework, dinner, hangout time with kid, book, bed.  Side note, we started a new one tonight, Matilda.  

ok, ok, I didn't get to the gym but I did my workout in the am and took a 45 minute walk at lunch.  baby steps, people!!

As an added bonus I whipped up a new recipe and I'll even share it with you, its your lucky day.  This is loosely based on my sister, Melissa's recipe.  mostly from memory swapped the pasta for quinoa and added a few extras, asparagus, spinach and a little heat.

  

Quinoa Asparagus Minestrone

• 5 cups water                                                          
• 1Tbsp vegetable broth seasoning                                
• 10 oz frozen spinach
• 6 stalks asparagus (about 1/2 bunch)
• 1 can dark red kidney beans
• 1 can white kidney (cannelli) beans
• 2 cans petite diced tomatoes
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 1 med onion (yellow or red)
• 2 clove garlic
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup quinoa (dry) 
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
• 1/2 tsp white pepper

1. Sautee garlic, onion in olive oil until golden brown
2. Add carrots and continue to sautee until slightly caramelized
3. Add water, and broth seasoning, bring to boil
4. Add quinoa and reduce to simmer
5. Add all other ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes

Makes Six 2 cup servings, these are hearty servings and you could half the serving easily  and have with a nice salad or sandwich.   

Nutrition:  Calories: 295  Fat: 3.8  Carbs: 51  Fiber 13.5  Protein 15