Coca Cola’s Super Bowl + WIAW

February 5, 2014 By Laura

Sometimes I am oblivious.

Ok, a lot of the time…

I’m not one to get too riled up over political issues. At least not in the “the world is going to hell in a handbasket!” way. I DO get fired up over discrimination and stupid political moves. When Coca-Cola’s Super Bowl ad aired, it didn’t cross my mind that it was controversial. I actually tweeted that it was too long and boring. My attention span only wants short, funny ads, dammit!

So why were people fired up? They thought it was offensive that “America the Beautiful” was sung in different languages, featured many cultures, and *gasp* included a gay couple.

Really?! Last I checked the English language didn’t originate in America. Next year they should air the song being sung in a Native American language with all dark-skinned people.

I’m proud of my hometown’s company for embracing our melting pot country. ~~Even if it was a boring commercial.~~

This WIAW was decidedly uncontroversial. Someone at work even told me my fish smelled good. And she was sincere!

Read on for my eats, and then check out Jenn’s blog for everyone else’s delicious creations!

Breakfast:

The usual apple cider morning cocktail was followed by a new-to-me oatmeal. I got Purely Elizabeth Ancient Grain Oatmeal as part of a deal when I ordered more Nuttzo a couple of weeks ago. I will definitely be buying more! I use it to make cinnamon-vanilla egg white oats and topped it with blueberries and Nuttzo.

Mid-Morning Snack:

This week I prepped a big batch of Chili Nutty Tofu. I followed my original recipe, except I used sriracha and made a peanut flour sauce rather than the Valencia PB. It was awesome with an Asian-inspired Napa cabbage, mushroom, and red bell pepper stir-fry (also a part of Sunday’s food prep).

Lunch:

Rotisserie chicken, carrots, and celery dressed with homemade BBQ sauce. My “dessert” was a Korean sweet potato topped with cinnamon. Pretty food tastes better, no?

Mid-Afternoon Snack:

Cod with a side of asparagus, zucchini, and parsley mixed with my wasabi-blue cheese dressing.

Dinner:

Trout has become a new staple thanks to SizzleFish. I broiled it for 7 mins with pepper and lemon juice. Meanwhile, I sautéed Napa cabbage and mushrooms in the juice from a jar of kimchi. Quick and easy!

Of course, I needed something sweet, so I made a pre-dessert dessert of my favorite cocoa-roasted kabocha topped with peanut flour sauce (I get my peanut flour on iHerb – use discount code USO924 for $5-10 off your order) and cacao nibs.

It was so good that I didn’t remember a pic until I was almost done. #sorryimnotsorry

Dessert:

I stopped on my way home from work for a little treat. The Cookies & Cream Quest bar. I can’t believe I had the restraint to wait until almost midnight to eat this.

Mine was broiled for about a minute with the intent of using it to scoop up a Zucchini Batter Protein bowl. The bowl was forgotten based on the favor of the bar. Best. Flavor. Yet.

(Don’t worry – I still finished the zucchini bowl.)

***

I am going back for a case of those bars.

Did you have any reaction to Coke’s Super Bowl ad?

Are you a Quest bar fan? What’s your favorite flavor?

3 Surprisingly Quick Meals

February 3, 2014 By Laura

A little prep can go a long way.

This is why Sundays are sacred.

If I do my weekly shopping and prep right, I don’t need a detailed meal plan. My preference is to make a bunch of stuff and then figure out what flavors I want to add and how to mix and match it throughout the week. Variety is the best way I know to stay on track. If I’m not interested in what I’m eating, I’m not content.

Here are three meals that I threw together quickly when what I had on hand. They look fancy-ish, but in reality they were incredibly easy (and fun) to make. Who doesn’t think quickies are marvelous? 😉

The incredible, edible egg is one of my favorite breakfasts. This wrap was inspired by a french toast craving on an icy morning, and the fact that I was out of bread.

I kept the stuffing simple with cottage cheese, but you could use Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and any number of spices. Adapt it to your preference, and what you have on hand.

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Strange But Good: Peanut Butter Cake in a Squash

January 31, 2014 By Laura

Cake can be an acceptable breakfast.

It’s cooked in a squash, so it’s practically a vegetable dish.

Microwaves are the greatest invention since sliced bread. Or sliced squash?

The idea of a freshly baked breakfast was particularly appealing in Atlanta’s ice/snow disaster. I was eyeing Kierston’s bites, but was having a hunger problem. It takes too long to pre-heat the oven and wait for something to bake!

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Spaghetti Squash & Cauliflower Gratin

January 30, 2014 By Laura

Today’s recipe takes a minute.

About 50 minutes, actually.

Getting home from work on Tuesday during Atlanta’s “big” snow storm took a minute too. Here’s how I meandered my way home:

Leave work when snow starts. Sit in traffic for an hour. Enjoy a snack.
Abandon car in a parking deck and take public transport (MARTA).
Arrive at station by house, thankful for my boots with the fur.
Detour through the gym for a shoulder workout.
5 hours later, get home.

Even after a long commute, I promise that this gratin is worth the minute it takes to put together. It makes 9 servings, so it’s like the gift that keeps on giving….

Skinny Limits Juice Cleanse Review

January 27, 2014 By Laura

I eat a lot of protein.

It’s my thing.

For my goals, I need to eat all the protein. It’s muscle fuel while I’m trying to build. It’s also hard on the body to digest that much protein continuously (it’s been months and months of packing it in). When Skinny Limits reached out and offered a 3-day juice cleanse for review I decided it was the perfect time to… well, be cleansed.

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Strange But Good Recipe Trials

January 24, 2014 By Laura

The fact that I’ve been drinking juice for 3 days is strange.

Not interesting though.

In lieu of a recipe this week, I want to highlight some strangeness others have braved. Some of them weren’t from the link up… but “normal” people think most of my food is strange so I’m counting it.

Robin shared her version of my Grilled Protein PB&J on Instagram. What’s so strange? The secret’s in the peanut butter…

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Eating All My Food + WIAW

January 22, 2014 By Laura

My fridge is (almost) empty.

I’m in panic mode.

This was my fridge after dinner last night:

The yogurt and kombucha are gone now too.

Why so void of food? Well, it’s now filled with juices. I’m doing a cleanse. The awesome people at Skinny Limits reached out to me to try their 3 day cleanse… normally I’d balk at the idea, but after an indulgent holiday season and a year (or more) of packing in protein, I decided to give my body a rest.

For the next 3 days, 6 times a day, these are my meals:

There will be a full review coming, but if you’d like to follow along in real-time check out my Instagram.

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This WIAW I made sure to thoroughly enjoy my last day of solids til Saturday. I relished every last morsel.

Read on for my eats, and then check out Jenn’s blog for everyone else’s delicious creations!…

Work It Out: Counting Is Hard

January 21, 2014 By Laura

I have popcorn stuck in my teeth.

I need to work that out with some floss.

Popcorn. Good carbs when you pop it fresh at home. Why do I need carbs? Because I’ve been working hard! And I just like popcorn.

It’s been a while since I posted a Work It Out, but I’m sharing an especially good one today to make up for it.

sprint2table-workitout …