Turkey & Ricotta Pasta Bake + WIAW

August 14, 2013 By Laura

I am a blogger and I am NOT a Trader Joe’s addict.

Please don’t pelt me with stones.

I realize that just last week I posted about chicken I like to get a TJ’s; however, I rarely buy anything else there. Why? I try to limit modified/packaged foods in my life (have you seen the sodium content in all those nifty frozen foods?!), and I don’t think they have the best produce.

Many of you have already seen this article warning about the GMOs (genetically modified organisms) in products from the store. Trader Joe’s buys many of their products in bulk from suppliers. This keeps the price down, but it means you don’t know who is making your food. They won’t disclose that info because the companies they work with would rather not advertise that you can buy Product X cheaper at Trader Joe’s vs. the name brand from another grocer. The article goes into more detail, but check out their list of items considered “safe” to buy and those to avoid (step away from the 2 buck chuck).

Trader Joe’s isn’t the source of the problem – this is an issue with all major grocers. They have a place, and I 100% get that sometimes you must have quick and easy food around. No one is perfect. Ain’t nobody got time for that!

All I am proposing is that you know the facts and can make an educated choice about the food you fuel with. 🙂

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This WIAW is my first one back on the competition diet. I’m trying something new and amping up my carbs to gain more size. What I’ve learned in the 3 days I’ve been on the plan is that it’s HARD to eat a ton of carbs. Next week I’m just going to make a massive pot of grains and shovel it in.

Read on for my traveling food, and then check out Jenn’s link up for everyone else’s delicious days.

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Breakfast:

My favorite addiction, my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos) started my day out productively… if you know what I mean…

Pancakes have been on my mind lately. I tried this odd combo a couple of weeks ago, failed, and set it aside. This morning I felt inspired to try it again. And it worked.

The recipe? Check back Friday – I’m saving this for #strangebutgood!!!

Mid-Morning Snack:

It is a fishy week for me. Morning snack was cod I baked during my Sunday prep with Ethiopian spices. To take to work, I shredded it up and tossed it with fresh red bell pepper.

Eaten with a side of hummus, Ezekial bread, and a rare purchase – Starbucks green tea.

Lunch:

I love it when meals feel like treats. Sea Bass is always like that for me. I brought a piece for lunch today and ate it with an arugula (it was ridiculously fresh and flavorful at the market this week), cauliflower, and beet salad. My yummy carbs were a tortilla and (unpictured) hummus.

Afternoon Snack:

This shirataki pasta bake was based on a favorite Vegan Ricotta Pasta Bake I’d forgotten about. I took the idea and make it un-vegan. #sorryimnotsorry

I made it for dinner and then brought the leftovers to work. It was a great reheated with a slice of Ezekial bread.

I followed the baking instructions in the link above, but sautéed the onion and garlic, adding the turkey to cook through before baking. These were the ingredient modifications I used:

Turkey & Ricotta Pasta Bake

1/4 C red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 lb ground turkey, sautéed
2 T fresh rosemary, minced

1/2 tsp ground oregano
1/2 C marinara sauce (I used low sodium)
1/4 C fat-free ricotta
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Pinch of cinnamon
Pepper, to taste
1 package Shirataki noodles (I used spinach Skinny Noodles, you could use regular pasta too)

I finished that off with a vegan Granola Cookie. I was making them for the winner of last week’s bake sale… I had to have one for quality control purposes. They are low sugar and vegan! Practically a health food.

Dinner:

Dinner was eaten in the form of a hearty smoothie bowl post-workout. I made my Carrot Cake Batter Protein Shake, but added a TON of spinach. It IS easy being green. 😉

The toppings were kabocha, peanut flour sauce, and a really cool new granola. I was contacted by Klara who started a company called Mix My Own.

Mix My Own is a custom website that allows you design your own granola and I jumped at her offer to try it out. I ordered 1 for me and one for my mom (who gave it a glowing review).

In My “All Mine” Mix:

Gluten-Free Oats
Organic Millet
Organic Kamut puffs
Dried Pomegranate
Organic Coconut
Pecans
Organic Ground Cinnamon
Organic Cacao Nibs

You can choose from a 1 or 2 pound bag. The one pound bag it huge – it has about 15 servings (1/2 C each). I had a blast creating my own custom combo. Definitely worth checking out!

Disclosure: I was provided a coupon for a free trial. As always, my opinions are all my own.

Dessert:

I made an kickin’ combo in effort to hit my carbs. I was still low… but this was a tasty effort. I made my Zucchini Bread Protein Batter, but added 1T of cocoa powder and eliminated the protein powder in favor of more cottage cheese.

That deliciousness was topped with 1/2 a baked brownie-flavored Quest bar (350 degrees for 10 mins), a dollop of TruWhip, and cherry on top. Some days just deserve a cherry, ya know?

***

It feels like it should be Friday… but it’s all good.

Do you try to avoid GMOs?

What would be in your custom blend of granola?

Work It Out: FAQ

August 13, 2013 By Laura

Does anyone ever look at the Fitness tab?

(Look up. There. On the menu bar.)

Recently I’ve had a few questions that I’ve addressed at one point or another. While I would loooove to think everyone has my Fitness page memorized ~~(I don’t even know what’s there)~~, I realize that’s a lot to look at.

Today for Work It Out I thought I’d highlight a few of the posts that answer some frequently asked questions, and some of my favorites.

Click each title below to link to the detailed post…

1. The Ab Edition

So how do you get abs? I hate to say it… it’s true what they say – abs are made in the kitchen. This post has some specific diet tips to get your abs poppin’.

2. Top 5 Core Exercises

While abs ARE made in the kitchen, a strong core can make daily activities easier, reduces risk of injury, helps your posture, and protects your back. This post has my top 5 favorite moves.

3. No Excuses NOT to Work It out

Think you don’t have time to workout? Think again! No one has time… you have to make time to workout. This post includes ways around barriers, and a few workouts you can squeeze in quickly at home.

4. Tips for Improving Workout Focus

Eliminating wandering thoughts, gym distractions, and general rushing is important to getting the most out of your workout. My tips for purposeful lifting.

5. Work It Out with Supplements

Supplements are an area of mystery for many people. This post details the 5 supplements I take to help keep up my energy, reach fitness goals (i.e. build muscle), and maintain a healthier lifestyle.

6. Healthy Eating on the Road

I travel a lot for my job. This post is how I survived on the road 3 weeks out from my competition, eating 7 meals per day while navigating airport security, conference rooms, and clients. It’s my Top 10 Survival Tips.

7. Attack of the Killer Sodium

This is a soap box for me. Before I needed to start tracking my sodium pre-competition, I had NO idea how much sodium is added to foods – breads, protein powders… even spice blends! A little education, and some idea for making your own spice blends for use on protein, veggies, and beans.

8. Vegan Protein Sources

If you are new-ish to this blog, you may not know that I went vegetarian and then vegan for a hot minute. It made me a lot more creative in the kitchen, and allowed me to answer the common question: “How do vegans get protein?” (Click through for an awesome pin-able grocery guide.)

9. 15 Detox Foods

Many detox “diets” focus on elimination. Rather cutting out foods, I decided to focus on what I needed to ADD to my diet to boost energy and help my body get back on track. This post includes the foods I make sure to add to in when I need a reset.

10. The “No Shit” Diet

This is my favorite post ever. My take on diet (hint: it’s about common sense), Diet 101, my weekly food buys (the most FAQ), flavors adds, and where I shop (you know you wan that peanut flour 😉 ).

***

This is one of those posts where I wonder if anyone will read it… those always feel like a little leap of faith. Seems to be a common theme lately…

Do you have a Fitness question/area of interest? I need post ideas!

What is your #1 fitness tip? It can be about food, workouts, motivation… anything!

Marvelous Smoothie Crack: Mocha Beet Frappuccino

August 12, 2013 By Laura

Crack is whack.

Thank you, Whitney Houston for that insightful quote.

After a long hiatus, I am jumping back into Heather‘s Meatless Monday link up!

I would never expose you to something whack, so this post isn’t actually about crack. It is a super-energizing smoothie though!

This week’s MMAZ link up is about making someone else’s recipe. Unfortunately, I am unable to follow recipes (or directions). Rather, I took inspiration from someone’s recipe.

Sarah created this vegan Mocha Chip Mousse last week. I loved how she used tofu to create a protein-rich healthy-ish dessert. It made me remember my favorite Carrot Cake Batter Shake, where I used tofu to get a milk shake consistency. Why hadn’t I done it with chocolate?! And coffee… this was a frapp waiting to happen! There may have been some strangeness too… I’ve been loving chocolate-beet smoothies lately and I carried that idea over to make this a Mocha Beet Frappuccino. 🙂

Recipe for this crack-like creation at the bottom…

First I have to share some marvelous!!! I had the pleasure of dining with one of my favorite ladies: Sarena! She invited me over for dinner with her family. I’d never met her crew before, but felt like I already knew them thanks to social media. Tony (her husband) said he felt like Instragram was coming to life. 🙂

If you’ve never tried any of Sarena’s gluten-free baked goods before, let me assure you this stuff is the jam. She made a loaf of gluten-free bread that was better than most of the “real” bread I’ve had.

We started with a salad, then for dinner enjoyed succotash, grilled pork, and homemade bread. And more bread. I wish I’d gotten a pic of the Pavlova Sarena made for dessert too. It was fantastic!

Also marvelous was a sunny Sunday run up Stone Mountain. Remember those booty building incline sprints? I’m back at it. 🙂

While we’re talking about booty, I finally picked up a pair of the Nike Pro booty shorts I see everyone on Instagram wearing. They are actually amazing – comfy and breathable.

I shamelessly wore them all day long. Including to 2 grocery stores.

Killer bicep/tricep workout, followed up with more crack.

Check out what else is marvelous in blog land this week in Katie’s link up!

Mocha Beet Frappuccino

1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1/2 serving (1.5 oz) tofu
1/4 C roasted beet (or 1 tsp beet powder)
1 T instant coffee granules
1/2 T cocoa powder
1/4 inch piece fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick (or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon)
5-6 drops vanilla liquid stevia
Pinch of xanthan and guar gums (optional)
Ice and water (adjust according to thickness preference)

Toss it all in the blender and mix until smooth.

Inhale. Bounce off the walls.

***

Why don’t I ever remember that it’s a bad idea to run up mountains the day before leg day?! Doh.

Do you run around in your gym clothes all day?

Do you even gluten-free products even though you don’t have an allergy? I like trying all the foods!

Strange But Good: Peach Sweet Potato Scramble

August 9, 2013 By Laura

The Peach State isn’t actually the largest peach producer in the US.*

Not that it stops me from eating copious amounts while they’re in season.

You may remember my love of PB & Jeggs. Or Aggs. Or (vegan) Ceggs. Or Zeggs. I could go on forever, but all this is to say that I was actually thinking of my PB & Peggs when I came up with the combo.

Now that I type this, I realize I should have added peanut flour too! Tomorrow is another day…

One of the slightly strange adds was sweet potato. I cubed it and sautéed it quickly before making the scramble. It was so easy! Adding the peaches at the end was just enough to warm and caramelize the natural sugars a bit. Then there was the basil, which was a nice, herb-y accent to give the dish a bit more “pop.”

And bacon… because everything is better with bacon. Really, the savory-salty bacon sprinkles made every bite fun. Sounds strange, but trust me. It was good.

*In case you were wondering, California is the largest peach producer in the U.S. South Carolina is the largest in the East.

Peach Sweet Potato Scramble

Coconut (or other) oil to grease pan
1/2 C diced sweet potato
1/2 egg whites
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
Shake of cayenne (optional)
1 Peach, chopped
Basil
Bacon, crumbled (optional)

In a lightly oiled skillet, sautee sweet potato until tender. Set aside.

Scramble together egg whites, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne with a spoash of water (the water helps them “fluff”).

Transfer to a lightly oiled skillet and cook over medium heat until half way done (~1-2 mins). Add sweet potato, peaches, and basil. Mix and cook through.

Plate your scramble and top with additional basil and bacon sprinkles, if desired.

Note: Feta or goat cheese would also be good here to add a pop of saltiness.

How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week?

The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above. In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends!

Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂

***

And now I have to brag. I get to have dinner at Sarena‘s house tonight. Her food makes me drool.

Is there anything bacon (or vegan bacon bits) isn’t good with? It’s like peanut butter!

What are you looking forward to this weekend?

Easy Meal Ideas + Bar Recovery

August 8, 2013 By Laura

Stress does funny things to people.

Or it makes you find odd things funny…

I’ve been traveling this week and with the possibility of more travel looming and a bunch of personal stuff on the horizon, the stress level is high.

So I looked for the humor. Turns out, all I needed to do was look down… and then coin my new favorite hashtag: #meetingfeet.

You know you’re in Florida when an exec rocks the sock-less loafer look.

Those would be beer mugs on this business leader’s socks.

Speaking of stress, my friend Kat is stress-free after the Bar Exam!!! I am so proud of her – I can’t even imagine having the discipline to get through all that.

Today she’s sharing her relaxation strategy and a couple of quick-yet-awesome recipes. I cannot WAIT to try her Thai Coconut Hummus! But I’ll let her tell you about it…

Easy Meal Ideas + Bar Recovery

Thank god the bar is over!!!! It was not fun, and I hope I never have to take it again. Unfortunately, bar results don’t come in until October 28 or so. Yeah, that seems like a LONG time. But, “patience is a virtue,” and I guess it gives us some time to get over the trauma of a two-day, four-session, exhausting marathon of a test. (Editor’s note: It is downright cruel for them to leave you hanging so long!)

One text I got in the middle of the first day was, “You’re 25 miles into the ultramarathon,” and that’s how it felt… taking it a few steps at a time, leaving whatever happened in the first parts of the test behind to focus on success in the future.

After the Ultramarathon (the Bar Exam), it was time to start letting go of the built-up stress, tension, and the parts of me that really aren’t so pretty when I feel so overwhelmed.

Two days after the exam, I took off to the beach for a long weekend! It was wonderful to get away, and not study! I got to read for fun on the beach, meditate, collect seashells and just let go anything weighing me down. (Editor’s note: Most deserved trip ever.)

Reading on the beach at sunset. Heaven!

It was also fun! We found a dog beach, where our newest rescue, Scout, was able to go swimming and play with all the other dogs!

I had never seen anything like it. There were probably over 50 dogs that I saw, all playing, swimming, rolling in sand, and enjoying the day.

By the end of our first day at the beach, I may have had 1^st or 2^nd degree burns on my butt and back. No, this is not a joke. (Editor’s note: Ummm… why did the sun see your arse?!) My back-side has not had a lucky summer…. between poison ivy and now not being able to sit due to a sun ~~bum~~ burn! But I was still so happy to get away.

In my bar recovery regimen, I also need to give a shout out to the cuddle bugs, the animals in my life. They are the most wonderful beings who help ground me, and who love me unconditionally, and I do not know how I could have survived the bar without them! Scarlett and Echo are my kitties (Echo turned 5 on Saturday). And then Gracie the golden, Murphy, and Scout the lab.

I love them!

Before I took the bar, I had no time for any fancy meals or kitchen projects, so I kept it super simple. Here are two super easy, fun recipes that allow you to enjoy delicious food, when time is not on your side.

Gluten-Free Tortilla Pizza

1 Rudi’s Gluten-Free tortilla, thawed
Handful of spinach
Tomato paste, spread thinly
Olive oil, lightly drizzled over the spinach, before the cheese
¼ sautéed onion, sliced
3 baby bella mushrooms, sautéed and sliced
1 oz honey goats cheese, crumbled
1-2 oz drunken goats cheese, sliced
Any other toppings of your choice

Preheat oven to 425.

Top pizza and bake ~15 minutes, or until your cheese begins to brown a little.

Devour.

This is a meal I had several times while studying through dinner.

Thai Coconut Hummus

½ C plain hummus
3 T coconut cream
Thai Curry Almond Seasoning (found at Whole Foods)

Mix the ingredients together in a bowl and eat!

I’ve been snacking on this with raw beets, carrots, chips, gluten-free tortillas, and anything under the sun! It’s light and flavorful. A new staple.

And now that I’m done, it’s time for more adventures!

I have a few trail runs in California in the coming weeks, and some adventures to wrangle (Editor’s note: What adventures?! I want to wrangle…) before I really get serious about working full-time! 🙂

***

No, I didn’t crawl under the table for the sock shots. I just casually held my phone down. 😉

How do you recoup after a long stretch of go-go-go?

What’s your favorite quickie meal when you’re too busy for a big-deal meal?

Bake Sale for Kids + WIAW

August 7, 2013 By Laura

Bake sales are the best.

Homemade baked goods are the most “worth it” treat.

Amanda @ Run to the Finish has teamed up with Women’s Health and will be running and fundraising for the FEED Project, which seeks to feed hungry US kids. Their RUN 10 FEED 10 program is really cool – you run a 10K and 10 children in your community are fed with the proceeds. (Amanda has a discount code you may use here.)

But you don’t HAVE to run! You can opt to just eat. 🙂 Amanda is hosting an online blogger bake sale where 100% of the donations will towards feeding these kids.

Bidding began yesterday (I’m behind – sorry!), and bids will be accepted until August 7th 9AM EST. Winners will be contacted and asked to donate the specific amount via CrowdRise.

Hurry over and bid on your auction deliciousness here. There are tons be homemade items from bloggers (and products from several sponsors) available for bidding. A batch of my vegan, no-sugar added Chewy Granola Cookies are up for grabs… you might even get a little something extra. 😉

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These WIAW meals were half eaten at work and half on the road. I didn’t do the most elaborate job of planning, as I am enjoying my final week of “freedom” before I start competition prep in earnest!

Read on for my traveling food, and then check out Jenn’s link up for everyone else’s delicious days.

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Breakfast:

My morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos) happened, as usual. I swear this is the biggest addiction in my life.

I had an early morning meeting, so I made sure my breakfast was ready to grab a go. Overnight oats in a cottage cheese container! Almost as good as a PB jar…

This raspberry and maple-laced concoction was really good! And easy to eat from my lap on the way to work.

Raspberry-Maple Overnight Oats

1/4 C cottage cheese
1/4 C oatmeal
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tsp chia seeds
1/2 tsp maple extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 C almond milk

Mid-Morning Snack:

Like I mentioned last week, I have been into the Trader Joe’s Balsamic Chicken. It’s one of the few packaged things I buy, but when I’m traveling a lot this is a great (low sodium) item to keep on hand.

Eaten with veggies I pre-roasted on Sunday with some marinara sauce and nutritional yeast.

Lunch:

I was running out of my office to get my stuff ready for the airport (and squeeze in a workout… shhhh!), so this almost didn’t even get pictured. A mix of no salt deli turkey, celery, hummus, and cayenne.

It was so quick I called it the lazy girl’s turkey salad. 😉

Afternoon Snack:

I have become obsessed with post-workout Chocolate + Beet Protein Smoothie Bowls. I used this recipe again, but added spinach and topped it with muesli and kabocha squash.

No exaggeration, I could eat this every meal.

Dinner:

Dinner was eaten in Florida. I hopped a plane, ate some unpictured pretzels, and went right to dinner with my co-worker. We hit up Columbia, a famous Cuban spot and Florida’s oldest restaurant. It was delicious!

We started with giant warm, crusty loaves of Cuban bread and the 1905 Salad. The bread was amazing… the salad… I’d say it’s basically a Chef’s salad with no egg and a ton of dressing. I also enjoyed a margarita – one of the best I’ve ever had!

Terrible pics… it was dark!

My main was massive. The server highly recommended the Camarones Rellenos “Jesse Gonzalez.”

I thought shrimp would be light-ish… I learned that it’s not when it’s stuffed with lump crab and a generous helping of butter. Did I mention it was served with rice, beans, and roasted veggies? And that my co-worker ordered sides of yucca and fried plantains?

Call me happy and roll me home.

Dessert:

You know I’m full when I can’t even imagine eating dessert. ~~Hell froze over.~~

***

Tomorrow I fly back home and Thursday I drive to South Carolina. Despite the craziness all I can think about is 1) When do I get to go to the farmer’s market to get “my” food and 2) How am I going to fit a workout in Thursday and Friday?

Have you checked out the bake sale? What item is catching your eye?

Does the combo of beets and chocolate sound #strangebutgood to you? I thought it was normal until I told my co-worker about it…

Work It Out: Is Fruit Bad?

August 6, 2013 By Laura

Why do people become scared of certain foods?

Butter. Carbs. Egg yolks. Milk. Meat.

If you remember my No Shit Diet, you know I think these fads are… well, a load of shit. 😉

There are so many schools of thought, you really have to find something that works for you and your body. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Play with your food! Create your own nutrition philosophy; one that makes you feel good. And don’t ban foods for no reason.

Today’s Work It Out is about fruit. One of the most asked questions I get about my figure competition prep is “why are you still eating fruit?!”

I’m still eating fruit because I like fruit. Fruit is good for you. Love your fruit.

Is fruit bad? NO! Fruit does have sugar. This is why it often gets slammed by the fitness community. Not all sugars are created equally! Eating a piece of fruit is NOT the same as eating a bowl if ice cream. ~~Mmmm… ice cream..~~.

This doesn’t mean it’s a free-for-all. It does have fructose, a type of sugar that cannot be directly utilized by the muscles. The liver must convert fructose into glycogen (carbs). When the liver glycogen levels are full fructose gets converted to fat and that helps to increase the size of the fat cells. Which is why fruit gets a bad rap.

You can’t know when the liver is full, but you can be smarter about your fruit.

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1. Eat fruit in the morning

Because you’re fasting while you sleep, the liver burns all that glycogen. When liver glycogen levels get low, your body begins breaking down muscle protein to convert amino acids into glucose for the brain. All that means is that first thing in the morning your body is straight up burning muscle and you NEED to replenish some of that fructose. At this point the fructose is used for good – restocking the liver glycogen levels and switching off the signal to burn muscle protein.

One of my favorites is this Blueberry-Basil Egg Bake. Lots of protein a fruit to fuel your morning!

2. Fuel your workout with fruit

Eaten before a workout, the fructose helps to prevent muscle fatigue that usually comes on strong as muscle glycogen levels begin to fall. Eaten after workout, fruit is used to replenish glycogen levels in your muscles and your liver.

3. Use fruit to your advantage

Fruits offer many health benefits beyond fuel. Here are a few of my favorites:

Grapefruit – High in enzymes that burn fats and has high water, a combination that makes it a perfect food for increasing metabolism. It also contains a dietary fiber called pectin, which is good for digestion.

Oranges – High in Vitamin C, oranges are a great pre- and post-workout snack because the vitamin C helps protect nitric oxide (NO) from being broken down by free radicals.

Apples – Polyphenols have been proven to increase strength and fat loss.

Cherries – Perfect for post-workout, as it reduces inflammation and enhances recovery (which is why I concocted this Cherry Ginger Protein Smoothie).

4. Know the GI score

The glycemic index (GI) ranks carbs based on their effect on blood sugar levels. Those with a lower GI score, the more steadily its burned throughout the day giving you lasting energy. Higher GI foods are more quickly transported to fat cells if you don’t burn them right away (these are the ones you may want to eat surrounding a workout).

***

I’m happy to see cherries are low GI and good for recovery. They are my favorite!

Have you ever gotten “scared” of a certain food?

What is your favorite fruit?

Sweet Potato Ribbons + Other Marvelous Things

August 5, 2013 By Laura

Sometimes you need a hug.

Other times you need to punch ~~someone~~ something.

This weekend I needed a hug. Lately I’ve been feeling like I’m chasing my tail. I’m frustrated with where I am and I need to ACT. Marvelous is being honest about needing a hug and getting a bunch of love from Facebook land. Marvelous is unplugging with a movie and popcorn on the couch. Marvelous is a wise friend telling you what you needed to hear:

“You have everything you want right in front of you.”

Here are a few more marvelous weekend highlights… be sure to check out the beautiful Diva-Mamma Katie’s Marvelous Monday link up. 🙂

Other things that are marvelous:

A full hour of booty building with a killer butt workout… and camera filters that make you look tan.

Free 2oz tastes of Buchi Fire sorbet at Whole Foods. Its good… but I still like the actual kombucha best.

Brewing your own kombucha at home.

Having dinner with a good friend…

And Instagramming pic from said dinner and receving multiple compliments on my boobs.

Farm fresh local eggs from the farmer’s market.

Branching out. I’ve taken a brief break from kabocha.

Sweet potato may not be an earth-shattering ingredient, but this dish stopped me in my tracks. Let’s put it this way, there was Sea Bass on my plate and I still saved the sweet potato ribbon as my last bite. The privilege of being the last bite is a serious thing.

I have no idea why I don’t cook with coconut oil more. I tend to reach for olive oil… but definitely go the coconut route in the recipe. It’s absolutely delicious with the sweet potato and softens the slight bitterness of the greens.

I enjoyed this with a side of roasted beet that was a great compliment to the sweetness of the potato. The beet was topped with a Greek yogurt curry sauce that I threw together. Just 2 T Greek yogurt, 1/2 tsp curry powder, and a wedge of lime juice.

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Sweet Potato Ribbons

1 small sweet potato
1/4 tsp coconut oil
1 T fresh rosemary
1 C greens (I used red spinach)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Juice of 1/2 lime
Pepper, to taste

With a very sharp knife or a mandoline, carefully slice sweet potato lengthwise into thin strips.

Once sliced, use a knife and cut them to about 1/4-1/2 inch thickness and set aside.

Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat, grease with a bit of oil, and add in sweet potato ribbons. Continually stir until cooked through to desired doneness (~6-7 mins).

Add coconut oil, rosemary, and greens. Stir and cook until greens are just wilted. Sprinkle in cinnamo nand lime juice to finish.

Plate and top with freshly ground pepper (if desired).

Enjoy!

***

And then I roasted another kabocha squash.

What was marvelous about your weekend?

Do you ever feel like you’re chasing your tail? How do you break the cycle?

Breakfast:

Mid-Morning Snack:

Lunch:

Afternoon Snack:

Turkey & Ricotta Pasta Bake

Dinner:

Dessert:

Click each title below to link to the detailed post…

Mocha Beet Frappuccino

Peach Sweet Potato Scramble

Easy Meal Ideas + Bar Recovery

Gluten-Free Tortilla Pizza

Thai Coconut Hummus

Breakfast:

Raspberry-Maple Overnight Oats

Mid-Morning Snack:

Lunch:

Afternoon Snack:

Dinner:

Dessert:

1. Eat fruit in the morning

2. Fuel your workout with fruit

3. Use fruit to your advantage

4. Know the GI score

“You have everything you want right in front of you.”

Other things that are marvelous:

Sweet Potato Ribbons

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