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Foodie Loves Fitness

Sharing my passion for living a healthy & happy life

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Labor Day Snapshots & National Yoga Month

Happy Labor Day & September!

Besides getting some freelance work done, the past 3 days have been all about relaxation and fun for me. Here are some snapshots from my weekend:

Food

appetizer dinner night: oven baked zucchini fries (more on these later this week!) + heirloom tomato & avocado bruschetta

zucchini-fries

whole wheat apple cinnamon pancakes drizzled with honey:

apple-pancakes

quinoa brown rice bowl with feta, avocado, zucchini & tomatoes:

quinoa-bowl

Chipotle veggie burrito bowl (the closest I get to fast food dining!):

chipotle

Fun

Yesterday we wanted to go somewhere to enjoy the sun, but also wanted to take Harley girl with us. We decided to go to a nearby spot we’ve visited a few times this year, called Uvas Reservoir.

lake-1

my puppy pondering life

I really like the reservoir because it’s pretty, dogs are allowed, and it’s a quiet spot with not many people at all. We walked/hiked about 25 minutes to find a nice little secluded spot (It’s always great to unleash the pup and not have to worry about her bothering other people!) to hang out for a few hours.

lake-7

lake-3

The majority of our time at the reservoir was spent trying to get Harley to go swimming. She loves running around fetching sticks near/in the water, but only when there are no waves (so, she’ll go nowhere near the ocean) and when she can touch the ground. Sometimes she has more cat-like tendencies than most dogs!

lake-4

lake-5

lake-6

 She’s definitely a nut, but I love her.

lake-8

Last night there was the most beautiful sunset – anyone else catch it?! Unfortunately we were driving and I couldn’t get a good shot from the car, but it was seriously one of the prettiest skies I’ve ever seen, with gorgeous hues of orange and pink.

sunset

After proclaiming that I felt like playing Scrabble, we bought it this weekend and had a game night. It was a close one, and I beat Adam by FOUR points! I love game nights. 🙂

scrabble-2

Workouts

Even though I’m too early in the process of rehabbing my foot injury to go mountain biking just yet, I felt like taking my bike out for a spin, so we biked around nearby neighbors to check out some cool houses and get a low-impact workout in.

biking-HRM

Every day over this long weekend I practiced yoga. My hubby even joined me for 2 of my workouts, which was fun and different. And speaking of yoga, September is National Yoga Month! The purpose of the month is to to educate about the health benefits of yoga and to inspire a healthy lifestyle. If you’ve been wanting to try yoga, now is the time to do it, because there are over 2,200 locations around the country who are allowing newbies to participate in ONE FREE WEEK OF YOGA. To check out locations near you and sign up to try a week of free yoga, check this site out.

yoga mat

In the spirit of the month and because I’ve been wanting to practice yoga more often, I’ve decided to commit myself to practicing yoga daily this month. So whether I dedicate 10 or 90 minutes in my day to doing yoga, I’m going to do it every single day. There are so many videos and studios out there to try out, and I want to keep expanding on what I’m capable of in yoga (and in life in general for that matter!). I hope that you all take this pledge too, because yoga is awesome!

Questions for you: 

Do you do yoga? If not, what has prevented you from trying it? 

Are you a fan of game night? If so, what’s your favorite game? 

Spread the love

September 2, 2013 7:20 pm foodielovesfitness 8 Comments Filed Under: Bay Area, Dogs, Harley, Health

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amy says

    September 3, 2013 at 3:44 am

    I need to start taking yoga again! Especially now that I’m running again and lifting regularly.

    My sister and I love to play Scrabble when we get together on holidays 🙂

    Reply
    • foodielovesfitness says

      September 3, 2013 at 9:53 am

      You should, there are so many yoga videos out there geared towards runners!
      I <3 Scrabble!

      Reply
  2. Davida @ The Healthy Maven says

    September 3, 2013 at 4:32 am

    As per usual your eats are insanely delicious!! Yay for yoga month! I try to get in a yoga sesh once or twice a week. I’m pretty picky about my yoga classes though so I usually do them at home and which case I always skip out on shevasana at the end…I’m a bad little yogi disciple!

    Reply
    • foodielovesfitness says

      September 3, 2013 at 9:54 am

      Thanks Davida!
      Haha. I’m more of an at-home yogi as well. I know what you mean!

      Reply
  3. FitBritt@MyOwnBalance says

    September 3, 2013 at 5:50 am

    Oh my gosh! Where to begin! First, your photos are gorgeous and I am extremely jealous! Second, I just got Women’s Health magazine yesterday to read! Third, I think our hubbies have the same bathing suit! LOL! Fourth, I am super excited for National Yoga Month and actually have a little somethin’ somethin’ planned for Wednesday (aka tomorrow!). Fifth, love game night and Scrabble but I pretty much always cheat by looking stuff up in the dictionary. Luckily the hubs doesn’t mind! 🙂

    Reply
    • foodielovesfitness says

      September 3, 2013 at 9:56 am

      Your comments made me laugh out loud! Ooooh well I’m looking forward to your yoga post! Haha, my hubby and I totally both cheat and look up words pretty much the entire game on my little baby Jesus (aka my iPhone) 🙂

      Reply
  4. Jennifer says

    September 3, 2013 at 12:39 pm

    Thanks so much for sharing the free yoga week link! I’m going to sign up for a studio around me ASAP!

    Reply
    • foodielovesfitness says

      September 3, 2013 at 8:59 pm

      Awesome!!

      Reply

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Welcome to my blog!

I'm Nicole, and I’m passionate about all things food, fitness and healthy living. I'm a toddler mom, certified health coach, freelance writer, and long-time health nut. Here I share my vegetarian recipes, workouts, fitness trends, travel adventures, and motherhood & health musings. Read more about me…

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📍The Living Desert Zoo in Palm Springs is such a charming place to spend an afternoon! At this conservation-focused zoo, we loved all of their animatronic displays & children’s play + learning spaces — and a highlight of the day was definitely getting to feed the giraffes! 🦒 #palmsprings #animallovers #giraffes #kidswhoexplore #familytravel #roadtrip #californiatravel
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Last weekend we got to ride on the world’s largest rotating aerial tram car, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway 🌴⛰️ Guests travel 6,000 feet up in just 10 minutes! Once we reached the top, we hiked a couple miles of trails in Mount San Jacinto State Park - where it was only 37 degrees and windy, brr! - and took in the beautiful views. Here are a few tips for optimizing a Palm Springs Aerial Tramway adventure: ✨Show up early. We didn’t realize how big of a production this excursion would be, and when we arrived at 11 am, the wait time was 2 hours to ride the tramway. If I could do it over, I would show up at opening time. ✨Bring breakfast. While they do have food options while you wait for your tram ride, it’s stereotypical not very healthy American food. Pick up food at a local cafe and bring it with you to enjoy outside. We love @palmgreenscafe! ✨ Bring extra clothes. The temperature at 8,500 ft elevation varies from 20-40 degrees colder, so make sure to pack a jacket, sweatshirt, hat, even gloves. #californiatravel #palmsprings #makingmemories #familytravel #roadtrip #adventure #kidswhoexplore #views #desert
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You’ll need: 
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✨Permanent markers (we used black + red) 
✨A variety of pebbles 
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1️⃣ Spread foil across your baking sheet. Draw the starting line on 1 side and a small circle inside a large circle on the other side. 

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3️⃣ Time to play! Each player picks 3 pebbles. Take turns using a finger to push your pebble towards the target. 

🥌 Pebbles that land in the inner circle = 3 points each 
🥌 Pebbles that land in the outer circle = 1 point each
🥌 3 rounds = 1 game 

❗️Players can hit other pebbles & knock them out of the circles, which is fun! 

❗️Once all players use their pebbles, that’s the end of round 1. Tally the scores as you go! 

✨Idea from @kiwico_inc’s Winter Wonders experiment book 

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Who else is pumped for the Olympics to start?! 🇺🇸 This curling competition experiment is a hit with my kiddo! Here’s how to make it: You’ll need: ✨A rimmed baking sheet ✨Aluminum foil ✨Permanent markers (we used black + red) ✨A variety of pebbles ✨Optional: buttons, craft pom-poms and other objects to experiment playing with 1️⃣ Spread foil across your baking sheet. Draw the starting line on 1 side and a small circle inside a large circle on the other side. 2️⃣ Place your “rink” in the freezer, then fill it with water halfway up the sides. Chill until it’s totally frozen. 3️⃣ Time to play! Each player picks 3 pebbles. Take turns using a finger to push your pebble towards the target. 🥌 Pebbles that land in the inner circle = 3 points each 🥌 Pebbles that land in the outer circle = 1 point each 🥌 3 rounds = 1 game ❗️Players can hit other pebbles & knock them out of the circles, which is fun! ❗️Once all players use their pebbles, that’s the end of round 1. Tally the scores as you go! ✨Idea from @kiwico_inc’s Winter Wonders experiment book #kidactivities #olympics #funathome #momsofinstagram #curling #letkidsbekids
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Welcome to my new series, Easy Plant-Based Meals, where I share simple, nutritious meals that I make for my family on the regular. 🥦🥕🥬🧅🧄🫘🫑
 
Today I’m making Garlic Pearled Couscous with Roasted Chickpeas & Veggies. 

Here are the ingredients you need to serve 4: 

1️⃣ 2-3 boxes of Near East Pearled Couscous with Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil (I find that 3 boxes yield about 4.5 cups; you can also use a plain pearled couscous)
2️⃣ 1 can garbanzo beans 
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4️⃣ 1 zucchini 
5️⃣ 1 bell pepper
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7️⃣ Salt, pepper & paprika to taste 

Directions:
1️⃣ Preheat oven to 375. Drain & rinse chickpeas, then add to a baking dish. Add 2 TSP of avocado oil, and a nice sprinkle of salt, pepper, and paprika to taste. Mix it up, then cook for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. 

2️⃣ Cook the couscous according to the box directions. 

3️⃣ Heat 2 tsp avocado oil in a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Chop the zucchini and bell pepper, add a sprinkle of salt & pepper, then cook until tender. 

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5️⃣ Plate the couscous, add the roasted chickpeas & veggies on top, & sprinkles pine nuts onto each plate. Enjoy! 

Get a printable version of the recipe on foodielovesfitness.com #linkinbio or comment RECIPE for a direct link. 

If you like this new Easy Plant-Based Meals series, let me know what kind of recipe you’d like to see next 👩‍🍳

#healthyeating #easyrecipes #eatrealfood #veganfood #plantbased #healthylifestyle #recipereel
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Welcome to my new series, Easy Plant-Based Meals, where I share simple, nutritious meals that I make for my family on the regular. 🥦🥕🥬🧅🧄🫘🫑 Today I’m making Garlic Pearled Couscous with Roasted Chickpeas & Veggies. Here are the ingredients you need to serve 4: 1️⃣ 2-3 boxes of Near East Pearled Couscous with Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil (I find that 3 boxes yield about 4.5 cups; you can also use a plain pearled couscous) 2️⃣ 1 can garbanzo beans 3️⃣ 4 TSP avocado oil 4️⃣ 1 zucchini 5️⃣ 1 bell pepper 6️⃣ 2T-1/4 cup pine nuts, optional but I like the added heart-healthy crunch 7️⃣ Salt, pepper & paprika to taste Directions: 1️⃣ Preheat oven to 375. Drain & rinse chickpeas, then add to a baking dish. Add 2 TSP of avocado oil, and a nice sprinkle of salt, pepper, and paprika to taste. Mix it up, then cook for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. 2️⃣ Cook the couscous according to the box directions. 3️⃣ Heat 2 tsp avocado oil in a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Chop the zucchini and bell pepper, add a sprinkle of salt & pepper, then cook until tender. 4️⃣ Lightly toast the pine nuts. 5️⃣ Plate the couscous, add the roasted chickpeas & veggies on top, & sprinkles pine nuts onto each plate. Enjoy! Get a printable version of the recipe on foodielovesfitness.com #linkinbio or comment RECIPE for a direct link. If you like this new Easy Plant-Based Meals series, let me know what kind of recipe you’d like to see next 👩‍🍳 #healthyeating #easyrecipes #eatrealfood #veganfood #plantbased #healthylifestyle #recipereel
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California has it all, & I love this area that I get to call home! Last weekend’s fun included: 

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California has it all, & I love this area that I get to call home! Last weekend’s fun included: 🌊 Soaking up the sun at Carlsbad State Beach, where my daughter tried surfing for the first time 🏄‍♀️ 🥾 Hiking in Wildomar 🍷 Wine sipping in Temecula #californialove #weekendfun #sandiego #temeculaca #hiking #getoutside #mywinter #adventure #socal
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📍Explore the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
🛷Go sledding down the dunes! 
🥾Hike Mosaic Canyon Trail ~ a 3.5-mile out & back trail with 974 ft elevation gain. This trail was so much fun & the rock formations are gorgeous! My daughter loved climbing & bouldering around. It features some cool slot canyons and difficult rock scrambling - our kinda speed! 
🚰 Refuel at Stovepipe Wells Village ~ Nearby pitstop within the park for gas, restrooms, a general store & restaurants 

#roadtrip #california #travelgram #familytravel #kidswhoexplore #momsofinstagram #hikingadventures #deathvalleynationalpark #nationalparks #wanderlust #adventureseekers #hikingtrails
foodielovesfitness
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🌎 The largest National Park in the contiguous U.S. - 3.4 million acres! - did not disappoint 🔥 Here’s what we had on our agenda for Day 2️⃣ of exploring Death Valley National Park: 📍Explore the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes 🛷Go sledding down the dunes! 🥾Hike Mosaic Canyon Trail ~ a 3.5-mile out & back trail with 974 ft elevation gain. This trail was so much fun & the rock formations are gorgeous! My daughter loved climbing & bouldering around. It features some cool slot canyons and difficult rock scrambling - our kinda speed! 🚰 Refuel at Stovepipe Wells Village ~ Nearby pitstop within the park for gas, restrooms, a general store & restaurants #roadtrip #california #travelgram #familytravel #kidswhoexplore #momsofinstagram #hikingadventures #deathvalleynationalpark #nationalparks #wanderlust #adventureseekers #hikingtrails
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That thing you always talk about & think about doing but haven’t gotten the guts/energy/time to do? Make 2026 the year you freaking GO FOR IT. 

#livemoreworryless #2026goals #goalgetters #entreprenuermindset #sunset #chasingsunsets #viewoftheday #windowseatview
foodielovesfitness
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That thing you always talk about & think about doing but haven’t gotten the guts/energy/time to do? Make 2026 the year you freaking GO FOR IT. #livemoreworryless #2026goals #goalgetters #entreprenuermindset #sunset #chasingsunsets #viewoftheday #windowseatview
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