Workin' those gams.

Alright, before I get into visual food stuff, let me just say, that for the first time (ever?), I'm noticing some kick-ass legs! Especially my thighs. The culprit? Pretty sure it's the 24Cycle class. I'm sure running, zumba and general strength training are helping too, but I think all of those speed intervals and hill climbs on the bike are really making a difference. Still lovin' that class, even though it damn near kills me every time. I'm even, dare I say it, thinking of taking it on twice a week! That's gonna take some balls though, so we'll see if I follow through, heh.

Quick Fitness Side Note: Did Jackie Warner's Power Circuit Training DVD this morning and seriously, am I the only one who STILL struggles with those damn Tummy Tucks (see: Lower Abs segment)?! I was relatively comfortable with my lower ab strength until this move came along. I CANNOT do more than 3 in a row and even then, I'm usually letting my heels tap the ground. Ugh. Sorry. Just needed to bitch. Still totally in love with that DVD though. I increased my weight on some of the moves today and it definitely made a difference.

FOOD!

Last night's dinner and today's lunch were the results of some freestylin' (why do I always wanna say "free-ballin"? Oh wait, because I'm a total perv). I had some ricotta cheese sitting in the fridge that I had been wanting to use for a while, but I didn't want to do traditional lasagna or stuffed shells...

I also wanted to incorporate a decent amount of veggies and some ground turkey, but wanted to leave out starchy noodles to keep it from feeling too heavy...So I went with lasagna, but with veggie "noodles."

Pre-oven:



No recipe, but I had a general idea of how to go about assembling this dish. Within the above mess is some roasted zucchini (x3) and roasted yellow squash, which I tossed in olive oil, salt/pepper and Italian seasoning. Thinly grated and roasted in the oven for, I dunno, 20-30 minutes?

Then there's the cheese/meat mixture: Took some lean ground turkey and cooked it with a small chopped onion and minced garlic. While that cooled, I mixed 1 and 1/4 cups of ricotta, couple tablespoons of grated parmesan, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella and garlic powder in a bowl. I then added the meat mixture, a large handful of cooked [frozen] spinach, 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of bread crumbs. (Just call me Ol' Cheesy Meat Hands. Or don't. Too scandalous, I reckon.)

I removed the roasted veggies from the oven and began layering everything, including some sauce:



Ended with sauce on top and sprinkled on a bit more cheese:



Baked at a little over 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. Doug turned on the broiler during the last few minutes to rush the browning of the cheese.



Doug made some garlic toast on the side:



Friggin' yum, dude. It was one of those meals that got kinda stressful as I went along and ended up taking a bit more time since I wasn't following a recipe, so I was worried that it would end up being only kinda "meh." But it wasn't meh at all. It was damn tasty! Doug enjoyed it as well and agreed that next time, we can add in mushrooms and eggplant, which I've seen done quite a bit on other blogs/recipes.

This of course yielded leftovers, to which I added some crushed red pepper and promptly inhaled for lunch. Such a filling, flavorful dish. And you easily leave out the turkey, should you prefer a meatless version (which I may do next time, and just replace the turkey with the aforementioned mushrooms and eggplant).

That's all for food stuff. Still debating on going to quiz tonight. I have the urge to buy a hula-hoop and just wreck that shit all evening. And maybe play some Wii Boxing, for old time's sake (used to have Wii Fit & the balance board, but gave it to my mom). And maybe some yoga... And maybe some baking... (Seriously? I usually HATE baking, but have totally done it like 4 times in the last week. Weird.) Love geeking it out every week with friends, but I'd also thoroughly enjoy some solo time tonight, shaking and baking it, if you will.