Cantaloupe is now in *Season*!!

Hello!

I am not very good about knowing when fruit is in season...but I did realize that over the winter, the cantaloupe that I got from my local grocery store was BLEH!

I decided to try to buy some this week and MMMMMM the difference!

I wanted a little snack today and even though my cantaloupe had gotten a little ripe when I was out of town over the Memorial Day weekend...it was still sweet and juicy and deeelightfully summery!

Check out my salty-sweet-cool snack!  Cantaloupe and cottage cheese on a corn chip! :-)



Sweet: cantaloupe.  It is best from May to October but it is BEST July 30th...can't wait :-)

 Cantaloupe Fact Source


Since I am almost certain I had no fruit over the weekend, this was an extra treat.  Does anyone else get this excited about fruit?? 



Salty: I always put chips in some type of container instead of
eating out of the bag...otherwise I'd eat the whole thing!



Just enough cottage cheese!  1/4 cup is one serving..only 80 calories and 13 grams of protein!!



Need to re-paint the nails...



Just cottage cheese on the chip is yummy too!!


Like I said, this was a welcome healthy snack after this weekend...I tried to eat healthy but sometimes out at the BF's farm...healthy eats aren't really available.  It was still a lovely relaxing weekend and I even got a walk in along the cornfields which was definitely a change of pace.

Well I am off to do my back exercises!  My back is definitely improving which is AWESOME to say the least.  I strongly dislike only working once a week...although I have been somehow keeping busy with various summer activities.

Then I get to celebrate me and the BF's 3 YEAR anniversary!

Have a fantastic evening!

How's your summer going?

What did you do for Memorial Day?

"Like" Semi-Healthnut on ~*FaCeBoOk*~

Quick note and hello!

I was just checking facebook doing homework when I thought I should let peeps on here know that I have a Facebook page and you should "like" it!  It's pretty simple...just look up Semi-Health Nut on Facebook OR Click HERE.  I keep it updated on new posts and random healthy facts and pictures so "like" it! :-)

Have a great weekend! :-)

Delish Amish Cookies

Greetings,

A couple of years ago I took a World Religions class and did a report on the Amish culture...not sure if that is really a religion...but I did a report on it and it was awesome.  ;-)

I printed out a bunch of Amish recipes and stuck them in my sweets recipe binder and got this one out a couple of weeks ago.

Amish Peanutbutter Cookies
(Somehow I managed to find the website on Google that I went to two years ago...nice)

 The recipe is in the link above and I make it the same only I sub one cup wheat flour for the white flour.

It's really Amish peanutbutter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies...yummy AND semi-healthy ;-)



Getting good with the camera...although I desperately need a newer, better one..
Any suggestions??






You know that feeling when you bite into a delicious, chewy, warm cookie
that YOU baked and it's perfect?..here is the pic of MY feeling.

 In other news...here goes the diary part of the blog...
Why do I get so depressed when I get injured or sick?  Oh yea because then I can't workout and run!

Hurt my back again at work....3 weeks ago...only this time it didn't just go away.  It just stuck around like that cold that stays all winter long.

I hurt my back lifting at work and I've been semi-to-pretty-darn-depressed ever since. 

First of all, I tried to go back to work after taking a week off and hurt my back again (not as badly, but still).  I had to AWKWARDLY AND PAINFULLY file for worker's comp because at my job there is no paid vacation/sick time AND I had to go to the doctors and am now doing physical therapy (more on that in another post). 

It is still super awkward at work because now I can only work events when there are people there to help me lift the heavy items for my coffee catering job...heavy items like coolers, 75 pound espresso machine, hundred pound cart that we have to throw up into the van.  I do not do well with other people having to help me...can anyone relate?  At least I can admit it right?  And with a hurt back it's not like I have a cast or a mark to prove that I hurt my back...I feel like my boss is watching me to see if I am faking it...she even tried to get me to quit (I think)...awkward awkward awkward. 

I am on a restriction of not lifting over 40 pounds right now (last week it was 20) and it is sooooo painfullllll.  (Drama queen alert) 

Second of all, I couldn't sleep for like two weeks because my back was so sore...I took some sleeping meds/advil most nights.  I like my sleep.  I need my sleep.  I get cranky and emotionally off when I don't get my sleep for a couple of days.

AAAND here's the kicker: I can't run.  I am not allowed to run at this time which means that I missed the 10K run on Sunday.  The one that I signed up for immediately after I found out the other run I wanted to do was full.  Awesomeness.

Also, being all depressed and sleepy and hurty made me just want to sit around and watch movies...and ignore my French homework for a good two weeks.  Okay, maybe I would have procrastinated anyways (like I am now), but now I have to cram 3 weeks worth of work into one week.  You're right, I should probably get back to my homework, huh?

Well thanks for listening to my rant.  :-)  And if you just came for the recipe for those delicious peanutbutter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies...you got a little more than you bargained for huh?

Wish me luck in physical therapy tomorrow!

Go on a run for me too!  Because you can!!  ;-)

~from the diary of a semi-health nut~

For more info on healthy treats see my post:
Making cookies and other sweet treats

Time to break out the grill!!

Hello there,

It is FINALLY getting nice out here!!  It's about time!!

My BF and his roommate decided to host a last-minute grill-out party!  They provided the grill and everyone brought their own items to throw on it.  There was the usual...hot dogs, burgers, steak (my BF made the BEST steak by the way)

...but there were other things I am not used to grilling such as corn, asparagus, some colorful peppers, potatoes and carrots...deeeeelish!




Carrots: Vitamin A, Fiber, Delish

 

We actually took the colorful peppers and cut them up with some sirloin and made grilled FAJITAS!! 




Pretty peppers!

 

Did you know that the more colorful your meal, the more satisfying it is?




We put a little butter on the bottom of the aluminum foil
then some parsley on top and closed it all up to let it steam in the bag.

 




You can see my fajita and in the background are the potatoes and carrots
as well as the peppers in aluminum foil.  Also, my BF took this pic
with the camera upside down...goof

 

We sprinkled chipolte seasoning on my sirloin and then marinated it in sangria for about 20 minutes in a plastic bag....YUM!  It was super tender and flavorful even without the pretty peppers we put on top!

I hope we have one of these grill-out parties again soon!!

 What should we try grilling next?  Any ideas?

What's your fav item to grill?

Thanks for stopping by!  Happy grilling everyone!!

Love me some SALADS!!!

Hello friends,

There's a book that I actually want to read called, Skinny Chicks Don't Eat Salads.  Okay, I get what you are saying.  We should not JUST eat salads, but come on!  There are so many benefits to eating salads!

I like to order a side salad to come out before a meal at a restaurant.  So not only do I get my healthy greens (order sans crutons and cheese to go healthier), but I am a little fuller by the time my burger and fries arrive at my table.  :-)  Try it!

Usually I get the bags of plain romaine lettuce because it is a bit healthier than iceberg (and I love it), but recently I bought some baby romaine...and it was delish!  I could seriously just eat it plain but I am weird like that.

I looked up romaine on google and found a cool site I may start using!  It's Self Magazine's Nutrition Data.  Romaine Lettuce Info

I always knew that romaine was low in calories, but a huge benefit is the amount of vitamins!  Especially Vitamin B6 (energy), Calcium, and Fiber (feel-full goodness). 




Chef Salad (Yep, that's the remote... eating in front of the t.v.  Don't judge!)

 



Texas-Style Salad

 

A lot of my salads that I make at home have a protein such as chicken, turkey, eggs.  They also usually have cottage cheese because I loooove cottage cheese, plus it sort of has the cool taste that I associate with ranch so it's like a dressing...only way way healthier.  (If that makes sense?)

The Chef Salad above is pretty basic with turkey, egg, mixed cheese and on the side is ranch and wing sauce! 

I use the dip-the-fork technique with any type of dressing.  In other words, I don't pour the dressing over the salad to drench it because let's face it, dressing is not great for you.  It does, however, add flavor to the salad so that's why I still use a little bit, dipping the fork in the dressing before every couple of bites.  As for the wing sauce on the side...try it!  It adds a little spice and flavor.  :-)

The Texas-Style Salad I actually found a salad that came with tortilla strips (don't use all of them at once), sour cream (I substituted healthful, yummy cottage cheese), and some excellent salsa-ranch!  I actually made some of my own salsa ranch after I used up what was in the bag because it was soooo delicious.  It's exactly as it sounds..salsa and ranch and you can make it spicy or mild depending on the combo.  Just another way to mix up your salads.  :-)

Since I eat salads quite frequently...does anyone else have any recipes they want to share?  I have not been too creative with my salads lately and need to try something new!

What is your favorite salad starter?  Romaine?  Iceberg?  Spinnach?  And why?

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful day! :-)