sweat and sweet

Yesterday was just one of the many weekend days I spend just hanging out and doing whatever comes to mind. No schedule, no limiting obligations, no commitments… it is so nice to have days and weekends like that. This is my last weekend to have such an agenda–rather lack of agenda since classes resume on Tuesday to kick off the spring semester. As my last free weekend, I decided to do a home workout and make sweet potato chips to enjoy.

For my workout yesterday, I set up a yoga mat next to the treadmill in the basement and did the following:

♦ 10 minute warm-up

♦ 30 jumping jacks

♦ 10 push-ups

♦ 30 crunches

♦ 10 burpees

♦ 30 second side plank hold on each side

♦ 20 minutes of cardio (I ran on the treadmill)

Repeat the above circuit (minus the warm-up, you should be sweating already) and then cool down and stretch for 10 minutes.

Afterwards, to help my “cool” down, I decided to make a smoothie (surprise!). I love love love smoothies–no matter the temperature outside. Since I have been craving pineapple more so than usual, and craving the hot summer sun and tropical climates, I made a Pineapple Tropical Tango Smoothie.

Ingredients

♦ ½ scoop Vega Tropical Tango smoothie powder

♦ ½ frozen banana

♦ 5-6 frozen pineapple chunks (I was smart and froze my left over pineapple from October)

♦ 5 oz water

Just blend and enjoy! I know I did. I have a crazy obsession with pineapples–pineapples to eat, to drink, to look at–the whole shebang. This tasted so good that I might cave a purchase the out-of-season fruit of the heavens haha. I know they are “always” in season coming from Hawaii, but that just makes them too expensive for me in the dead of winter… but I might buy one, or two, today…

While I was enjoying my smoothie, I make some Sweet Potato Chips as a healthy snack for later.

Ingredients

♦ 1 sweet potato

♦ coconut oil spray

♦ cinnamon

Begin by pre-heating the oven to 425°F. Take the potato and slice off the ends.

Thinly slice the rest of the potato into equally thick slices. The more similar sized they are, they better they bake!

Spread the slices evenly on a baking sheet and lightly coat with a mist of coconut oil spray.

Cover with cinnamon or brown sugar or both depending on your preferences. Bake in the oven for 15-25 minutes depending on your oven and sizes of your slices.