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by lindsaymwright

creamy smokehouse chicken dip

January 28, 2015 in Blog, Blue Diamond, Food, Recipe, Review, Snack by lindsaymwright

This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds.  For more Game Changing Snacks, visit Blue Diamond Almonds on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Happy Wednesday!

Since the big game is this coming Sunday, let’s talk football today, shall we?  Or rather, let me tell you how little I actually know about the sport.

Lindsay’s Football Facts

1)  Football was invented in 1609 when two dueling countries decided to fight over an actual pig.  Hence the name, “pigskin” when we’re talking about the football*.

2)  The quarterback on every team must meet the following criteria or be kicked out of the league:  1) be “Nebraska-handsome”, 2) must date a super-model or actress and 3) must use the phrase “my hands are my work” in at least one conversation a day*.

Two.

Two facts.

*I actually have no idea how football got started or if “Nebraska-handsome” is a thing…(but it should be).  My mother uses the phrase, “My hands are my work!” when she doesn’t want to do manual labor.  She’s a dental hygienist so I guess it kinda makes sense.

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Blue Diamond Almond recently sent me some of their Wasabi & Soy Sauce and Smokehouse almonds to try out.  Umm…YUM to both flavors!!  Then they challenged me to come up with a GAME DAY snack in preparation for the big game on Sunday.  True to my core, I chose the easiest recipe I could and made some fun substitutions.  After playing around for at least 5 minutes in the kitchen, Creamy Smokehouse Chicken Dip was born.  It’s PERFECT for your football crowd – tangy, creamy and packed with protein!  The finely chopped almonds add flavor and a little bit of texture.  We ate our dip with Blue Diamond Nut Thins and celery sticks.

Give it a go (and then get over here and fill me in on this football stuff).

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Creamy Smokehouse Chicken Dip

Ingredients

  • 1 rotisserie chicken breast, shredded
  • 1/2 can of Blue Diamond Almond Smokehouse almonds, finely chopped
  • 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (I love using greek cream cheese – higher protein content)
  • 3/4 cup light ranch dressing
  • 3/4 cup pepper sauce (such as Texas Pete)
  • 1/2 cup barbeque sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through.  Stir in chopped almonds, cream cheese, ranch dressing and bbq sauce.  Cook, stirring until well blended and warm.  Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture into an 8×8 pan.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 12-15 minutes.  Before serving, top with any remaining almonds you have.  Serve with celery sticks and/or chips.  <-Blue Diamond happens to make a SMOKEHOUSE Nut Thin but I couldn’t find it at the store I went to so I used their Sea Salt flavor – still great!

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QUESTION:  Will you be watching the big game on Sunday?  What are you making as far as food goes (and can we come over?)?

splendid…lindsay

travis63 Comments »

by lindsaymwright

the asics gel-fit sana: a review

January 5, 2015 in Blog, Fitfluential, Review by lindsaymwright

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As part of my ambassadorship with Fitfluential, I recently got to try out the new Asics Gel-Fit Sana shoes.  I was immediately drawn to this shoe because the last five (?) pairs of shoes that I’ve reviewed have been RUNNING shoes.  The Gel-Fit Sana is different – it’s meant for cross-training, not running.  Specifically, they’re PERFECT for lateral movements and jumping movements.  What do you think we do in Trackstars the most???  We sprint, we jump, we pivot.  A lot of my training is speed and agility in the gymnasium so I was excited to see how the Gel-Fit Sana performed.  I love my running shoes but sometimes my toes slide around when we perform drills or they feel loose around the ankle when I’m changing direction.

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To test out the shoe, I’ve been wearing them for the last week or so at Trackstars and on a couple of walks….oh and we obviously went down to the track and played around for this photoshoot (Travis had a little too much fun with that camera and I had too much fun jumping on around). Here’s what I love best about the Asics Gel-Fit Sana:

  • They are VERY lightweight.  I like that my feet feel “springy” and not bogged down by heavy shoes.
  • The fit is snug, almost like a water shoe.  I was telling Travis that these shoes feel like “foot gloves.”  They just move WITH your feet instead of wearing something ON your feet.
  • They’re just pretty!  Yes, I’ll admit it – the color and style of shoes make a difference when I’m purchasing.  I love the blue and aqua colors and the lacing up the side!

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Since the majority of my training these days would be described as speed and agility (I do throw strength training, balance and flexibility training in to every workout, but Trackstars is extremely agility-focused), the Asics Gel-Fit Sana really is the perfect addition.

Big thanks to Asics and Fitfluential for allowing me to review the shoe!  I encourage you to get your own pair here!

QUESTION:  What type of shoe do you train in?  What type of training do you primarily focus on?

splendid…lindsay

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of ASICS.

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by lindsaymwright

training with the mizuno #waverider18

October 24, 2014 in Blog, Fitfluential, Review by lindsaymwright

The following post is sponsored by Fitfluential LLC on behalf of Mizuno.  All opinions are my own.

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Last Saturday we hosted another Bootcamp Bash.  I say “we” because it really takes a small village for me to pull these things off.  Travis loads his truck with the tires (with help from his brothers), my niece serves as babysitter for the older two kids, my mama comes and pushes Porter and Charlie Ruth in the double stroller and I…well I stand around and look pretty while blowing my whistle at people.

The face of the company if you will. 

(maybe it’s Maybelline…)

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The kind people at Mizuno recently sent me their newest shoe – the Wave Rider 18 – and I wore them last Saturday.  I’m kinda bummed because they’re now covered in grass and dirt.  I guess you could say they’re now “broken in.”   If you’ve been a Lindsay’s List reader for a while, you know my LOVE/PASSION/OBSESSION with this running shoe.  Over the past three years, I’ve actually been blessed with the chance to review the Wave Rider 16, the 17 and now the 18.  Even if the company weren’t so generous (and I’m happy that they are), I’d spend my money on these shoes any day of the week.  They’re fabulous!  And they’re the only running shoe that I’ve consistently recommended to clients and friends.

The Mizuno Wave Rider 18 is the running shoe for most everyone.  They boast Mizuno’s patented Wave Technology which provides runners with a stable ride and just enough support and responsiveness.  The fit is perfect and true to size (I wear a 9.5).  Best of all, you don’t feel like you’re tied down to heavy shoes (the worst for me!!).  These shoes are light (7.8 ounces) yet provide plenty of support.  They’re very similar to the previous models – the only real difference I see is that the tongue doesn’t seem to come up as high (I like that).  Like I said, I’ve had three pairs now and they’ve proven to be just an all-around great running shoe.  The shoe retails for $119 – go here to read all about them!

Thanks again, Mizuno!

QUESTION:  Ever had a pair of Wave Riders?  Mizunos?  What’s your favorite running shoe?

splendid…lindsay

travis67 Comments »

by lindsaymwright

sizzlefish and cooking lindsay-ish style

October 14, 2014 in BLEND 2014, Blog, Dinner, Food, Review by lindsaymwright

I gotta tell you about this fish.

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And not only because I’ve met the owner, Rob and fell in love with him and his cedar-plank salmon at Blend 2014.  And not because one of my best friends works as the Social Media Coordinator for the company.  And also not because when you go to price this fish out, you’ll find that each filet comes out to about $5 – much less than if you ordered it at a restaurant – AND that’s including the shipping cost!

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I actually really just LOVE fish.

Good fish.

And having it once a year when we’re down in Destin, Florida just isn’t enough.

Sizzlefish offers perfectly portioned, frozen seafood right to your door!  If you’re like me and live at least 7 hours away from the nearest ocean, you’ll understand the hesitation that comes with ordering fish in the mountains.  My mind just doesn’t go there.  If I saw items like “Coho Salmon” or “Sablefish” on a local eatery’s menu, I’d probably make a “ehhhhh-face” and skip right to the cheeseburger (mmmm…cheeseburger….).

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Honestly, when I received a sampler pack of some of their filets, I panicked a little. I don’t cook fish (read the paragraph above).  My friend Katie told me to do something simple.  Something Lindsay-ish, she said.  Hmmm…Lindsay-ish.

So I plopped down on the couch and googled “Crockpot Salmon.”

Yes.  Yes, I seriously did.

To my great surprise, turns out there are like 600,000+ recipes out there for cooking salmon in a crockpot.  Go figure.  I almost went there but decided not to.  This fish is special and deserves better than a 2 hour soak in that little appliance.  Chili, yes.  Coho Salmon, no.

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All I did was pull out my Calphalon sauté pan, defrost two salmon filets (10 minutes in warm water) and then pan-sear them.  Just to get a little bit fancy (and because I’m 4 and like to dip my food into sauces and stuff), I whipped up a quick dijon topping (equal parts spicy dijon mustard and plain greek yogurt).  I served it all up with a side of my spaghetti squash/hummus/spinach creation and Travis and I sat down to a meal in less than 20 minutes.  We “mmmmm-ed” and “ahhhh-ed” through each flaky bite.

I was at the beach, you guys.  Except in my pjs and at my house.

Thanks, Sizzlefish!

**For the month of October, Sizzlefish is offering $10 off all orders. Use the code “OCTBONUS” at checkout.  Shipping is included in the price!**

QUESTION:  Do you like fish?  What’s your favorite kind?

splendid…lindsay

**Disclaimer: I received this product free for review but was not compensated for my time.  All opinions are my own!**

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by lindsaymwright

tips for surviving your first mud run

September 22, 2014 in Blog, Goals, Inspiration, Marriage, Races, Review, Saturday Fun by lindsaymwright

Last Saturday, Travis and I ran the Building Bridges Mud Run in Waynesville, North Carolina!  We had a muddy good time!  A FIT DATE, if you will.  Before I get into my tips for surviving your first mud run (this was actually our second), I’ll review a little bit about the actual race in case anyone might want to run it next year (you should!  with ME!).

Building Bridges Mud Run – My Thoughts

PROS:

Organization

This race was VERY well organized!  All parts, from registration to chip timing to swag bags and the finish-line organization were on point.  Since this was the inaugural year, I was very surprised with how smoothly everything ran (it’s hard planning for 300 people).  There was even a guarded place for personal belongings (which was how I was able to take some of the pictures that I got on my phone!).

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Hard obstacles

If you’re going to sign up for a mud run, you expect two things: MUD and obstacles.  Travis and I were VERY happy with the difficulty of the obstacles.  There was a good variety that challenged us in various ways.  I believe this course had 13 (?) obstacles.  My favorite? The Monkey Bars!  (even though I fell crossing them because they were SO wet…landed with a huge splash in a mud pit!)

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Finish line perks

Not only did the finish line have a fun slip n’ slide to end the course with but we were also blessed with custom soap from the Hazelwood Soap Company, free water, free bananas and complimentary towels.  Perhaps the best part: being sprayed off with the fire truck hose!  My entire bottom half was caked with mud but the fire truck hose helped take almost all of that off (which made driving home much cleaner).

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CONS:

Course Distance

We were told that the course would be 3.5 miles long.  It actually ended up being right around 2.25.  Travis didn’t mind a bit.  While the hills and obstacles made it hard, I did feel a little shorted on the distance.

Course Obstacle Clumping

Nearly all of the obstacles were clumped together in one location.  I’m sure this had something to do with the land owner (they had to create a lot of mud pits on someone’s land) so it wasn’t really a big deal.  The race would have been better had the obstacles been better dispersed throughout the run.

Those were my only two complaints!

Overall, I highly recommend any locals to run this race (the 2015 date has yet to be released).  I know that Travis and I will come back for it! Smile  A big thank you to my mother-in-law for watching the kids while we ran!

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Now for some tips on running your first mud run!  Like I said, this was actually our second mud run.  The first was the 2011 Warrior Dash in Mountain City, GA.  Travis, Katy and I ran that race and had a great time.  A mud run is simply a race (usually 5k, but there are some longer distances) that involves obstacles and a muddy course.  People usually don’t race them for time but rather come for the atmosphere and energy that surrounds the race.  They’re just REALLY fun!  Here are seven tips that you should know before getting muddy!

7 Tips for Surviving Your First Mud Run

1.  Wear TIGHT fitting clothing!

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See those sweatpants.  Don’t wear those.  Worst idea ever.

One of the first “obstacles” was fording a river.  That part was easy.  Getting out of the water and then running with super soggy, non-wicking pants was the tricky part.  It literally felt like I was wearing 20 pound ankle weights (and if calf weights were a thing…those too).  Next time I’ll wear long pants or capris that fit snuggly!  A tight fitting top would probably be best as well – you don’t want it to get snagged on anything.

2.  Wear shoes & clothes that you can throw away.

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If you’re like me, you’ll want to wear items that you can easily TRASH or DONTATE when the race is over!  Sure, you could try to clean everything off and salvage the pieces but I don’t like putting mud into the washing machine.  We went to the thrift store and spent $4 total on our race outfits.  Buy items that you won’t mind getting muddy.  Wear the oldest pair of shoes you have too– many races actually collect the used shoes at the finish line and donate them!

3.  Be prepared to get muddy.

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Seems like a no brainer since you just paid money to play in the mud but you’d be surprised how many people tried taking the “non-dirty” route through some of the obstacles or on the race path.  Travis and I laughed at the start line as people were stopping in front of us to avoid some mud puddles.  Umm….you’re about to spend 30 minutes in the mud but you’re freaking out about your shoes a minute before the gun goes off.  It was funny.  The race will be WAY better if you get as dirty as possible! Trust me!

4.  Bring a full change of clothes + a towel for the ride home!

Even if you choose to keep your muddy race clothes, you’re still going to want a fresh change of clothes for the ride home.  We traveled 45 minutes to the race and I was so thankful for a new outfit (shirt, pants, undies, bra) and a pair of flip flops for the return home.

5.  Don’t wear jewelry.

Travis’ tip.  He wore his wedding band (didn’t want the ladies to get any ideas) and it nearly fell off when it got wet and muddy.  Leave your jewelry/keys/phones at the starting line!

6.  Do it with someone!

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If you can possibly avoid it, don’t race alone!!  The best part of running over tires, jumping over hay bales and crawling through tunnels is doing it WITH someone else!  You laugh, you cry, you get mud in your eyes and then there’s someone there to wipe it out.  Since you’re not concerned with keeping a certain pace or hitting a finish time, you can have fun out there.  Do it with someone else!  <-this is my philosophy on ALL fitness but that’s a different blog post.

7.  Come up with a team name/outfit!

In the same vein, come up with a creative outfit and team name for the race!  Building Bridges actually gave away prizes for the most creative team name and the most creative costumes (we didn’t win – I’m not really sure what our costume theme was.  Maybe ”Sweatpant-astic”?!?  Yeah that works).

Like I said, we went to the thrift store in search of a costume to wear.  It was slim pickins, my friends.  I think if you lived in a larger city it would be much easier to find cohesive pieces for a team costume but all we found were ratty shirts, old pajamas and sweatpants.  We just went with it and took some scissors to everything to “customize.”  Wish I’d had a Bedazzler…..

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Our team name??

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8.  HAVE FUN!

My last and most important tip:  HAVE FUN!!  You paid money to go run in the mud.  Have fun with yourself and your team.  Be silly.  Make up a song or team chant.  Do whatever you wanna do for 3 miles.  I PROMISE – you won’t be the most obnoxious person there.

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QUESTION:  Ever done a MUD RUN???  Any tips to add??

splendid…lindsay

travis612 Comments »

by lindsaymwright

smart coaching with the polar FT60

September 3, 2014 in Blog, Fitfluential, Goals, Review, Workout by lindsaymwright

The following post is sponsored by Fitfluential LLC on behalf of Polar.  All opinions expressed are my own.

“I just don’t have time.”

I hear this the most. 

TIME.

We have none.

It’s probably one of the biggest hurdles we encounter when it comes to exercising.  I totally get it.  Honestly, there’s just too many things that we’ve crammed into our day and when it comes down to finally finding a few minutes for ourselves…well…the couch looks way better than the stairmaster.  I’d rather exercise than do most anything else but even I have days where the hours have slipped by and I’ve yet to get that (veryneeded) sweat in.  I’ve learned that I have to MAKE the time (actually write it in my planner)…but it isn’t always easy.

So HOW do we maximize our efforts while reducing the amount of time we spend at the gym??

I personally use three tactics:  1) utilize high intensity interval training, 2) incorporate compound movements & complexes and 3) train with numbers, which is what I want to talk about today.

I get the most bang for my workout buck when I train with numbers.  Knowing my heart rate, my distance, my rate of intensity – all of those things push me just a little harder, which maximizes what little time I have.  I was recently sent the Polar FT60 Heart Rate Monitor to test out as part of a Fitfluential campaign.  I actually already own the FT40 and LOVE that model so I was excited to upgrade.  Polar heart rate monitors are more than just a watch and a band – Polar uses what they call, “Smart Coaching” to help interpret training intensity and add more dynamic to your ho-hum heart rate monitor.

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If you’re unfamiliar with the benefits of using a heart rate monitor for training, let me key you in on some of the cool features of the Polar FT60 (this won’t be a “how to” guide for use by the way – I’m going to tell you WHY you should buy this HRM).

Some of the “Smart Coaching” features for the FT60:

I’ll break these up into THREE parts:  pre-training, intra-training and post-training.

Pre-Training:

All you have to do before you start using the FT60 is enter a few parameters:  age, height, weight.  The setup takes only a few minutes and helps with calculating the number of calories expended during a training session.

Intra-training:

  • STAR Training Program – Shows users how hard and how much they need to train to reach their long-term goals.  It’s designed to keep users motivated all week and every week by using a personal guidance program that’s no further away than their wrist.  <-I geeked out at this because it’s like having your own cheerleader/personal trainer!
  • OwnZone: Knowing the right intensity to improve fitness can be a challenge.  OwnZone adjusts a user’s heart rate training zone to perfectly match their body’s current physiological condition.  By using OwnZone, users can be sure they’re training at an intensity that improves their aerobic fitness.
  • Smart Calories:  Calculates the number of calories expended during a training session based on weight, height, age, gender, individual maximum heart rate (HRmax) and how hard a user is training.  <-far more accurate than any piece of gym equipment (most of these OVERestimate that number of calories burned).

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Post-training:

  • Training Load:  This feature within polarpersonaltrainer.com displays a color-coded graph of a user’s cumulative training load, notifying a person when he or she has recovered enough for the next session, and accurately predicting training developments to prevent overtraining.  This data also provides intelligence to modify training sessions as necessary.
  • Fitness Test:  This feature gets a measure of users’ current fitness level in just five minutes.  By regularly comparing test results, users can see what progress they are making and how their fitness is improving over time.  <-SO easy to take this test!  I’ve done it twice now.
  • Polarpersonaltrainer.com:  An online exercise journal and social sharing community that provides guidance, tracks progress and set goals.
    • Create a custom training plan or individual personalized program using the built-in planning feature
    • Join the millions of people in the Polar community with Polar Challenges – based on miles, calories and more
    • Manipulate custom reports on Training Load, training volume and intensity
    • Share your exercise, and route map with your friends on Facebook, Twitter or Google+

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After your workout is finished, you simply place the Polar FT60 on the FlowLink and all your data uploads to your computer!

A few more observations:

  • If you participate in Crossfit, group fitness classes, bootcamps or even go to the gym and zone out on the eliptical, the FT60 is a great training tool!  If you’re an outdoor runner, you may want to also purchase the G1 GPS sensor and S1 foot pod to track speed and distance.  You don’t really need these additions if you’re staying in a building.
  • The chest strap cannot transmit through a baby.  I tried to track a hike we did on Sunday and Porter’s body keep messing up the transmission from strap to wrist.  Too much blubber. Smile
  • In using this HRM, I’m again HAPPY that my mind doesn’t connect exercise and food (i.e. “I burned this many calories so I can eat this donut” or “I ate this donut so I need to burn off this many calories.”).  I’m thankful for that!!
  • You can use this watch in the POOL!  I’d be interested to see how this works.

The price point on the FT60 is $179.99.  You can purchase your own FT60 here!  BONUS –> Use the code “FitPolarFT60” and get 10% off your monitor (expires October 11, 2014!)!

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In summary, I simply don’t have the time to dedicate to exercising like I once did.  (And thank goodness!  Exercise should enrich our lives…not BE our lives.)  Training with the Polar FT60 helps me get in, do the work and get home….all while wearing a super cute purple watch.

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QUESTION:  Ever trained with a heart rate monitor?  Thoughts?  What are some of the ways you “get in and get out”?

splendid…lindsay

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