Dear diary I have a confession to make…

Posted on June 18, 2014 by Malin

This year so far I have met so many new people who have touch me in so many different ways. Some I have lived near by for years, others I got to know better and some I have randomly met because our paths has crossed. What they all have in common is that they are all unique, I think if we are open to the fact we are all different from one another because of our upbringing, experience, religion or what ever it might we have one thing in common. We do all share that we are “peculiar” to one another and if you can embrace that and listen to their stories I think we become a happier person.

So one of my sweet, sweet Swedish friends and her family are moving back to Sweden so last night we had a girls night out and we had a blast. With great food and a lot of laughters the girls was ready for a sleep in this morning so we canceled this morning class which also meant a sleep in for me, yeah right!

Although I had the house to myself (I think for the first time ever) I still woke up bright and early and made it out for a 3 mile run just before the thunder rolled in over us. It was really humid and I had decided in my head not to go all out because I was going to an “invasion” yoga class afterwards but that was not happening. You know when you start and you feel pretty good and you push it, it is hard to stop! It was far from my greatest run but yet I fought all the way and as I walked trough the door the rain started pouring down as did the sweat at the back of my back.

I hurried to change clothes and ran off to the yoga studio for an 1 1/2 prep for handstands. I thought I knew how to get on to my hands but not so much, I guess because when my teacher Jodi Ryan told me what to do it totally made sense. She told me to lift my shoulders through the ribs and engage my core (she probably would describe it in a different way) it was like a “aha” moment and I became an addict. There you go, I am and addict! It is an amazing feeling when you figure out your body and you are able to take it to a new level, you just want more and more. So when I got home I was doing stuff around the house I kept on practicing handstand just so I could get that rush again. I guess this is what yoga does to you…haha. So to sum my day up I have had a great day and I am absolutely knackered and looking forward to get my family back!

Jodi and I playing around after the evening class…like i said I am an addict 😉

Suck it up and keep on pushing!

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Malin

How crazy can life be, really…

…so what is going on? Well let me tell you, one of my dearest friends are moving to Switzerland. This is a family that came to the States at the same time as us and our kids are like sibling so it is with a sad heart I see them leave but we will send them off with a party to be remembered . So with this coming up this weekend there is a lot of things that need to be organized and this is at the same weekend as i have my mid-term exam for my NASM PT-Certification. I am not doing this by myself as we (everyone that is coming) all chipping in and I am also asking for help from the professionals. So last night me and Freddie had a wine/sushi tasting with some fabulous wines that my good friend picked for us…I know life is hard, right?!

So while this is happening life is flying by my window, just like it does when having kids as well as keeping up with my own fitness, classes and studying. So this morning I went for my run before teaching my 10am class and yes I am finally back to running after months of a knee issue but l will confess it is not a walk in the park. As I am was coming into my final leg of my 3 mile run this morning everything is hurting and that is when I am thinking of Knut (my son) who got up at 5.20 this morning to go skating before school. I was thinking about the girls I train every day and when they leave the gym you can tell they haven’t participated in a fashion show. So how am I suppose to justify to anyone to keep on going if I would give up? So there I am, at my final leg and I am thinking to myself “suck it up and keep on pushing” and as I am coming up on my driveway I not feeling so great. I have done it before and learned from my mistake and this time I went to the side of the house where I almost barfed….but just almost 🙂

…but all this it’s a “good” crazy and even though it stresses me out I would not want to change a single thing because the people that surrounds me are truly amazing and keep on inspiring me every day.

This is Anna and Ellie who kicked ass earlier on this week…way to go girls!

Pizza Date Night

Posted on September 7, 2013 by Malin

Earlier this week I went to Costco and could not believe my eyes when I saw they already brought out the Christmas decoration and what I thought was even more weird was that there were people putting the stuff in their carts!

Anyhow at my house the summer is far from over so last night me and Freddie had a “Pizza Date Night” on the patio before Laura and her crew came to join us for a glass of wine.

Low-Carb Pizza Dough

4 eggs

100 grams Parmesan Cheese

2 tablespoons Phyllium Husk

0.75 Deciliter Water

Tomato sauce

1 can Tomato Sauce

Fresh Chopped Tarragon

Garlic Powder

Salt and Pepper

Topping

Mushrooms, olives, marinated garlic, ham, cheese

Whisk all the ingredients together and let it “rest” for 5 minutes. Spread it put on parchment paper and bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes or until it as a nice surface to it.

Add the topping and bake it again until the cheese has melted.

I served this with home made coleslaw and a nice glass of Cabernet Sauvignon…

Homemade Coleslaw

Cabbage

Red onion

Garlic

Mayonnaise (recipe https://mrsmalin.com/2013/04/29/alabama-drumsticks-so-easy-and-fool-proof/ )

Dijon mustard

Vinegar

Salt and pepper

I have awesome friends and thank you for a great night!

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Malin

So me and my gals went downtown to NoMi on Saturday Night so celebrate my birthday and we had an absolutely fabulous time not to mention the food. MrsT had arranged a table next to the panorama windows with a fantastic view over Michigan Avenue and the Lake. I just love sitting and watch the pulse of the city while sipping on a cocktail and chatting away with my friends and I was so happy when they had elk carpaccio because I think this is the only time I actually have had anything close to game meat….haha this is the true swede in me speaking 😉

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We finished the off the evening in the bar I kept on feeling how my throat was pounding which was not a great sign. When I woke up on Sunday morning I had this crazy head cold and I knew I had to take it easy so I rested out yesterday and went to bed early with the kids. I’m not in the greatest shape today but I am feeling better and I will make it in to see Jonathan because I have gone two days without a workout and it really starts to bother me…

Dinner with great friends is unbeatable!

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Yesterday Freddie and I went to met up with a few friends in Logan Square to celebrate my 35th birthday but before we met up with them we found a bar that had seating outside and enjoyed the first cocktail in the sun. We had made reservations at 5pm at the Telegraph, a very trendy and cool wine bar with really different and interesting food and some fascinating wine parings to go with.

We had a really great time but as always not enough of it as we had to rush through the last course (it was the best one) as we had tickets to a show in the Loop. We literally shoved the food down our thoughts and rushed over to the theater was still about 10 minutes late. It was not too bad though because the show was very easy to get a hang of and it as we walked to our seats the crowd was in stitches. I laughed so much I thought I would pee my pants and I thoroughly would recommend it unless you are easily offended or don’t like crude humor ;). With that being said I had a fabulous evening and could not have spent my birthday in a better way!

Smoked Salmon and Prawns with a warm asparagus salad

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Malin

I was supposed to meet Elise over at Old Orchard Shopping Mall for lunch yesterday but because I have not updated our calendar for March I’ve totally put the entire family out of balance. So instead she came to my house and Mira could have her friend over at the same time while we enjoyed a very delicious lunch.

Smoked Salmon

Cooked prawns

1 boiled egg (per person)

Fish Roe (I bought mine at IKEA but you can find it at sushi places)

Lemon

Capers

Salad

Dill

Avocado

Asparagus

Olive Oil

Champagne Lemon Vinegar

Pepper

Aioli (4-6 servings)

2 Egg Yolks

1 tablespoon Vinegar

1 minced Garlic Clove

2 Deciliter/less than 1cup Canola Oil

Chili Flakes

Salt

How to: Start by separate the yolk from the egg white and mix in all the ingredients except the Canola Oil that will be added slowly while using a mixer. Taste the aioli to see if you need more garlic or salt.

Cut the Asparagus and boil in light salted water for about 3-4 minutes. Mix in a splash of olive oil and the vinegar.

Cut the vegetables and arrange them neatly on a plate. Peel of the shell from the egg and cut it in half add a tablespoon of the aioli on the egg halves and top of with the fish roe. Roll the salmon sprinkle some lemon over it and finish off with freshly grounded pepper.

Staying in the fast lane

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Malin

So the day has come, we are invited over to spend the evening with our fabulous friends in Evanston and the rest of our Swedish crew that lives on the north shore. We got the invitation about a month ago and yesterday the beautiful Anna sends me a message giving me the menu for the evening and it is right up my alley. Once again my friends goes out of their way to support me and my ideas, I guess they know me so well by now and also that I am crazy enough to bring my own food.

This also means that I am drinking my first glass of wine this evening in over five weeks and the thing to remember is that wine has a different effect on you when you are low-carb. One glass of wine can have the same effect on you as if you have had an entire bottle by yourself and that is not always a pretty sight. So with that in mind I am putting on my fancy pants and my high heels and I am going to stand awfully close to that bottle of water.