You guys, this week has been cray. I have been one giant ball of stress studying for my NASM Personal Training exam for recertification. BUT I PASSED! Me walking out of the testing center-
That means I can finally take a deep breath and enjoy my weekend! Shawn is not working for once (HOORAY), so the world is our freaking oyster. We could do ANYTHING. It will probably involve champagne, good food and some fitness. Will report back later. In the meantime, I will break the week down with some faves:
1. Venti coffees at Starbucks. Literally gave me life this week. Without this fave, I'm not sure I would have made it. I do not miss school for this reason. At the very least, I feel like I'm not good at it anymore. Maybe, in some ways, it's a good thing that I believe that I can never be too prepared for things, but MAN, is it stressful. The good news is that it's over, and I am officially re-certified.
My brain feels like a bowl of mush....BUT, extremely smart mush ;).
2. Overnight Oats. I took a long break from this delicious breakfast treat after eating it every single day for about a year. It made an appearance at breakfast this week, and you could say we're back on again. Plus, it's such a versatile morning carb, that you could literally make it a totally different flavor for each day of the week.
3. A new chicken thigh recipe! I'm sharing it at the end of this post because you really need to make this one ASAP. It was a nice variation from my typical chicken thigh recipe, and it was super easy to make. The marinate is sort of like a honey mustard sauce. It is legit. It paired really well with yellow rice and steamed broccoli. I'm thinking this one might become a dinner staple for the next few weeks.
4. Atlanta United Games. I know the team isn't crushing it like they did last year, but that doesn't mean the games aren't still fun. It's a nice flashback into my high school soccer days, and the atmosphere in Mercedes-Benz Stadium is pretty awesome. I can't wait to meet up with friends for the game this Sunday.
5. Sundresses: I am so pumped that the warm weather is here to stay. In celebration, I will be buying up all the new Spring and Summer dresses.
6. Champagne. Need I really say more? It's perfect for celebrations (like passing your PT exam)....or a Tuesday night...I mean whatever?
7. This lower body workout from a post earlier this week. My legs were super sore the day after doing this one! It's a great lower body burn using just a set of dumbbells! If you haven't checked it out yet, give it a try this weekend.
Here's that chicken thigh recipe I promised!
Maple Dijon Chicken Thighs
Ingredients:
5-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 TBSP maple syrup
1 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP coconut aminos or soy sauce
1 TBSP minced garlic
2 tsp dried rosemary
sea salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Grease a medium baking dish, and place thighs in the bottom. The thighs should not overlap.
3. Lightly sprinkle sea salt over the thighs.
4. Mix all other ingredients in a small bowl.
5. Pour the marinade over the chicken thighs.
6. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes, or until cooked through.
7. Spoon some of the liquid over the cooked thighs, turn the oven to broil, and continue baking for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until it starts to brown the tops of the thighs.
8. Remove from oven, and enjoy!
I hope you all have the most perfect weekend. Let me know what you have going on and hit me with your Friday Faves in the comments!