January Indoor Workout

I have to start today with a killer workout from yesterday. Best part? No equipment required, entirely indoors, and we finished within a rerun of Friends.

Terry and I busted out this tough one at the end of the day, when we weren't even sure whether we wanted to work out. But we never regret a workout, and this one got us good and tired. I love timed workouts--they keep me moving! Often I'll rest too long between sets and then get a little lazy toward the end because it's taken so long. But when I use my HIIT timer (an app that allows me to set the time for seconds of work, seconds of rest, and number of rounds), the clock forces me to keep going.

Another thing that kept me going? My new workout top!

I got it at Marshall's. For $14.99.

I love the ruffles at the collar/sleeve, and the color is SUPER bright (difficult to see in the photos). Plus the fabric makes it comfy for indoor or outdoor workouts (not too hot, not too cool).

And thumb holes!!!

Moral of the story: If you're looking for new workout gear, check Marshall's and TJ Maxx before you spend $98 on those lululemon pants. I've found almost all of my workout clothes at those two stores, and they all fit great, feel comfortable, look good, and cost about a quarter (or less!) of what I would have to pay elsewhere.

Thank goodness, too, because we have been spending all our money on some awesome foods this weekend! (<--Raise your hand if you like that transition.) (No one?) (Fine.)

After Thursday's minestrone, apparently I felt inspired to whip up several other new-to-us recipes. I started with some pea soup--again a la Ina Garten. I'm not a huge fan of peas, and I still don't LOVE soup, but my husband appreciates both. So I made a big batch, and I even enjoyed a bowl myself. The crispy ham (baked prosciutto) made a lovely accompaniment! (Honestly, though, I wouldn't have it again. Terry is looking forward to eating all the leftovers.)

Next up: dinner. We agreed to make salmon, and I was excited when Terry found a way to prepare it with our cast iron pan. Two minutes on each side, two minutes in the oven, ten minutes resting wrapped in foil. So easy!

We topped it with some homemade pesto, which I do believe I've finally perfected (sadly, I didn't measure anything, so next time I make it I'll post the recipe), and served it all with spinach and half of a baked sweet potato.

Another exciting adventure: our first batch of homemade ice cream! We stuck to simple vanilla this time, but we were thrilled with the results. It was delicious! We're already stoked to add other ingredients and try other flavors.

And finally, I made a blackberry pie using this all-butter recipe for the crust. I'm still working on finding that perfect crust, though - it's not quite flaky enough for me. Sigh...I suppose I'll just have to keep making pies. Damn!

And after all that, we're spending the rest of the evening simply relaxing. My workout today was just 20 minutes of much-needed stretching (I'm still sore from that hike!), and it felt amaaaaazing. So now it's all about Downton Abbey, leftovers, and ignoring that voice in my head that's warning me about how little time I have left before work starts again.