Technology gets me excited.
Clearly I need to get out more.
Being a figure competitor means my food scale is my most-used kitchen tool. I need to weigh my proteins to make sure I have enough, and I can more easily get accurate serving sizes for other items. Even if you don’t eat like a crazy person, scales are a HUGE help in baking. I no longer use measuring cups!
I read about this Countertop + Prep Pad with glee. This device can determine the exact nutritional content of whatever you’re making and track your eating habits. Beyond the traditional accurate weighing of ingredients, it has a BlueTooth connection and an app which displays your data. You place food on the scales, indicate what it is, and the app shows the nutritional data (with macros, micros, and ingredients). It even tracks goals for you!
It’s available to pre-order now for $149.95 (delivery in November). I’m soooooo tempted…
(I randomly ran across this… they didn’t pay me or anything. It’s just cool.)
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This is WIAW I am back to “normal.” I food prepped well this week, and was able to keep on track through back to back meetings. It’s a fun busy though. 🙂
Read on for my 4 weeks out eats, and then check out Jenn’s blog. for some more “normal” days of food.
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Breakfast:
Ever the creature of habit, a had my Aminos and ACV morning cocktail. Sam posted she’s been starting her day with ACV for a year… made me realize I’m at about 2 years. Whoa.
My meal was a win. Normally I go to bed thinking about breakfast, but last night I didn’t have an clear vision. It came in the morning though! Pear. Cardamom. Eggs. Peanut sauce. Totally normal.
Cardamom is one of those “a little goes a long way” spices, but just a pinch can make a dish something spectacular. Especially when that dish involves pear.
I plated this for a pic before pouring it into a solo cup to-go. See bottom of post for the prettier pic and full recipe.
Mid-Morning Snack:
Crab salad with arugula, cherry tomatoes, hummus, and pepper. I love crab. I really love crab that is 20% off.
Lunch:
Dijon Baked Chicken (so glad I made a TON of froze it), roasted bok choy, and yuca fries with salsa. I am newly obsessed with yucca fries.
Yuca (also known as Cassava) is a thick, starchy tuber. It’s sort of like a potato, but a little sweeter and drier. It’s also really hard to slice… but, like kabocha, it’s worth the effort. I sliced mine into fries and roasted it on 425 til it was crispy (maybe 25 mins?).
For a funny story about my lunch here.
Mid-Afternoon Snack:
I make a lot of food… which means sometimes I forget about recipes. This week I remembered one I really loved: BBQ Cauliflower Bites. Yesterday I ate it at work with asparagus and a veggie burger with beer mustard. Happy girl, I was.
Dinner:
Dinner was a pleasant surprise. I was SO SORE after leg day that I decided to take a rest day and detoured to Whole Paycheck Foods on the way home for some fresh fish. I ended up with flounder, a fish I’d never prepared at home before.
I baked my flounder for 10 mins at 425 with fresh lemon, pepper, and lemon-thyme a co-worker brought me from her garden (thanks Allison!). Eaten with half a roasted yellow acorn squash and broccoli slaw over a bed of arugula.
Dessert:
It’s finally feeling like fall in Atlanta, so a warm dessert was in order. I Made my 150 Calorie Microwave Chocolate Cake (using pumpkin puree instead of applesauce) and topped it with berries and pumpkin fluff.
Pumpkin fluff is amazing. It’s just equal parts pumpkin puree, Tru Whip (cleaner cool whip from WF), cinnamon, and butter extract. Just do it.
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PB & Peaggs
- 2/3 C egg whites
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- Pinch of cardamom
For the Sauce
- 1 T peanut flour (or nut butter)
- 1 T unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 3-4 drops liquid Stevia
- 1 small pear, chopped
Scramble together then first 4 ingredients. Cook over medium heat until almost done. Meanwhile, mix together peanut sauce.
Add the peanut sauce and pear, stirring to combine. Cook just long enough to warm through.
Devour.
***
Let’s revisit my leg day. I am so sore. So very sore. GROW LEGS!
Do you use a food scale? Would you buy this hard-core one?
Have you tried anything new lately that you’re loving? I’m a flounder fan now!
Mmm…all your eats look tasty.
Even though you’re getting competition ready – still looks good to me!
I do have a kitchen scale, but don’t use it too often. And not sure I could ever pay that much for a kitchen scale…no matter how good it is;)
I love eggs scrambled with fruit. It sound so wrong but it’s so right!!!
People eat eggs with a side of fruit all the time… why NOT mix it? 🙂
I have a food scale but I haven’t used it in 18 months, except for a few weeks ago when I thought it would be fun to weigh my dinner (pasta and meat sauce). 800g, baby! Nothing like eating almost a kilo of food in one sitting haha
I ate a kilo of bistecca in Florence in one sitting. Impressed? That was in addition to pasta and wine!
You’re so experimental with fish it makes me jealous I don’t live life on the edge more!
I stick to salmon and barramundi because they’re all I know how to prepare safely (and it’s usually baked).
That and the added bonus they’re freaking delicious.
No matter how many times I see your plates, they still make me giggle 😛
Thanks! I find you can just bake pretty much any fish – its so easy and the clean up is too if you line the pan with foil.
I’ve started broiling mine instead of regular baking – had a big bag of frozen tilapia fillets and I’ve had 3 this week! I love how it stays juicy in the center and gets the crispy edges. And it’s super fast! Tonight I threw in some blanched green beans before broiling – oh my!! I definitely recommend it, Laura.
I do that too! Most often with salmon because I like it a bit undercooked. 🙂
I’ve never used a food scale but now you have me thinking about it especially for baking. Holy fancy with blue tooth and all!
Your roasted bok choy looks so cute and mini!
I feel you. I am desperately sore from my chest workout yesterday. YES, my tits hurt! Haha. Sorry.
I need to make that chocolate mugcake tonight, it looks so cute and yummy!
I love flounder too, but I am even more in love with catfish (we call it Pangasius, don’t know if this is a word in English). Especially roasted with some onions, garlic and parsley plus a little burnt 🙂
LOL! Mine KILLED last week. I was just cleared to do chest. Whoa.
only time i used a food scale was for measuring healthy bites ingredients. i hated it! LOL! but that flounder, that is something i love!
I didn’t like it at first (creature of habit), but now that I’m used to it I can’t go back.
OOOH WE MUST PROCURE YOU THAT SCALE TO REVIEW!!!!!
I wish!!!
I know how you feel about your leg day! I just started the burn phase of my training this week and my trainer killed me. Pretty sure I’m half dead. Super sore all over, especially arms. He really had me moving. Thanks for sharing all the tasty treats for WIAW!
I feel your pain! Are you taking magnesium at night? That helps with recovery… a little.
pears are so good – one of my students’ parents made me homemade pear butter – awesome!
You know I’m a big fan of those PB & (anything)eggs!
Loving that scale! I have an OXO that I use faithfully but that one could cause me to “break up” with it.
Time to stock up on my peanut flour! Good thing I’m going to the states this weekend and can get it for wayyyyy cheaper!
Have you found a store to buy it in??? I have to order online and it’s made in my state!
I don’t have a food scale, but I’ve thought about getting one for baking. I don’t think I’d need one quiiiiite that fancy. Maybe on my Christmas list though.
And yaaay ACV! I always forget to include it in my WIAW posts, but that’s probably because I’m still half asleep when I make it!
You can get one on the cheap at Bed Bath & Beyond – that’s what I have now.
it’s crazy how much we make and then forget about our delicious older recipes! so sad! i really have to go back to my old ones at some point, but i have so many new ones I want to try, too!!!!
I do use a food scale and it’s super helpful for baking and also portion control.
I do not use a food scale, but I’m sure it’s really helpful. I do, however, LOVE cardamom! It’s my secret ingredient in many baked items.
Isn’t it the best? Just a hint of “what IS that flavor?”
Never used a food scale before. I want to back up to that beer mustard though! Um, yum.
It’s by Sierra Nevada – Found it at Fresh Market. 🙂
All of your eats look great, especially dinner! I don’t use a food scale but sometimes try to ‘measure’ things based on the visual scale. Like if something looks baseball or golfball sized.
I used that in restaurants. Love the visuals!
HOLY COOL on that scale! Knowing me, I would not be able to figure out how to use it! 😉
Every time I read your blog on food, I feel like I am watching a food show – you should try out!!! 🙂 It all looks amazing!
HA! Can you put in a good word on the Food Network for me? 🙂 Thank you!!!
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/food_coach&id=9281582
Check out this story I just posed on my FB page – I know nothing about it but might be fun!
Very cool! You know how you are with complicated recipes? That’s me with vlogs. LOL
I think you need to invest in some reusable plates and cups. All this disposable crap is just sad. How hard is is to wash a dish?
Thank you for reminding me that I have a kitchen scale! I think that it’s shoved in the back of a cabinet. I really should pull it out and make use of it. You eats do look really tasty and you always have such varied and interesting combos. I’ve been stuck in a rut lately and needed the inspiration!
Thank you!!! I get in ruts too… and then challenge myself to use up pantry items or to join a food-themed link up. Forced creativity… LOL!
I love my kitchen scale! I don’t know what I would do without it!
I’ve been wanting a food scale for some time now, and now I must have this fancy pants one! I try to track all my food data, but this one would do the work for me!?? SCORE! I. Must. Get. It.
Next I want one that will cook for me. 😉
Love how you added pear slices. I’ve been loving PB2 on my egg whites 🙂
I’ve never used a food scale.
You did all that prep with out weighing your proteins?! I am impressed.
For that price, I demand it cook for me! I use a food scale for baking so that I don’t have to dirty up additional measuring tools, but it doesn’t come near my meals. That’s a Pandora’s box that I would rather not open again 😯
If I wasn’t competing I wouldn’t do it with meals… but gotta get ‘dem proteins. 🙂 Baking it’s SUCH a game changer.
we are cardamom fans 🙂 love it with just about anything.
we are boring right now and have not tried anything new :/
You guys are NEVER boring! Your dinner last night looked awesome on IG.
I don’t own a food scale but I’ve been wanting one. Not sure how often I’d really use it… so many delicious eats. I love re-discovering old recipes!
You should get one! You can get a cheap version so if you don’t use it, no biggie. 😉
What’s the bet you get sent this for free now? 😉
I wish America would get more on the weights-for-baking-in-recipes bandwagon. I honestly think that’s a large reason why Americans so often proclaim that they “can’t bake”. Accuracy is key and a cup measure of flour or brown sugar can vary SO much depending on how you scoop it. Grams FTW. (Plus less dishes when you can weigh/tare into the one bowl 😛 )
I wish… I’m not quite that cool.
I don’t understand why more people don’t weight. It’s easier and your food is better. And you realize how much the packaging people are screwing you. They short change me on beans all the time!
I use our food scale whenever all of our measuring cups are dirty and I’m too lazy to clean them. Haha. I also use it whenever I’m making something that I’m allergic to. So, for example, I know that flour weighs 30 grams per 1/4 cup and peanut butter is 16 grams per tbsp. Among chocolate chips, oatmeal, etc. which I still know all of the masses for. 😉 It makes it super easy to make cookies for my brother without the usual way where I use my fingers for evening off the almond flour, or scooping out the honey if there is some leftover at the bottom.
I used to use the scale for every single thing I ate and while it’s great for portions as in fat especially, I got a *tad* obsessive. Still– I’ve heard of that nutrition calculating scale before and I would still love to have one! 😀
The pear breakfast sounds great! My mom’s gotten tired of the french toast egg scramble from Carrots N Cake that I got her onto a while ago… So I think one of your fruit versions may be just the switch she needs! I will have to try one out during my fall break and see what she thinks.
That’s really smart! I never thought of that…. but what a great way to avoid contact with those foods!
Let me know if you do try it – I’d love to hear how you guys like it!
I have no desire to buy a food scale. I don’t bake and I just otherwise don’t have a need for it. Nothing new exciting that I have found lately…I still cannot get enough of burnt kabocha right now. Goodness I am obsessed and could literally just eat it a whole one, but don’t think my stomach would agree…PS: I tagged you in my latest post. Hope you have time! 🙂
I have never used a food scale, but I have considered it for baking. But I don’t bake any thing toooo serious (like yeast breads) often, so I’m usually good with measuring cups!
I love that you woke up with an idea of what flavors you wanted for breakfast. I think you’re like an artist with food and flavors and inspiration surrounding food. And I think that’s totally awesome 🙂
As much as you bake, I bet you’d love it! Especially if you cookie-cater another wedding. 🙂
Allie, that is such a nice thing of you to day!!! I tell people a lot that I’m not artistic, but that cooking is my creative outlet.
I hate bloglovin, they keep deleting/delaying blogs on my reader- fail whale.
I use a food scale when baking because I hate the washing up of cups lol. And also the recipes I follow are all American and Australian measurements are so whack- An Aus TBS is 20 ml.
Currently cannot get enough of curry spices- I chuck it in anything and everything!
Feedly is the way to go! 😉 I didn’t like them at first, but they worked out some kinks and it’s seemless now.
Conversions kill me. I never know how much you guys are lifting over there. I have to covert all of Tara’s posts.
Omg, I can’t believe your coworker THINKS his breakfast on a stick came from plants! Wtf?! I seriously don’t understand people sometimes. All it takes is a different perspective to eat clean…and you feel 652929 times better! I remember the days I used to eat crap and I felt like crap! Gahhh…ending rant now before my blood pressure goes up!
Flounder, yucca, pears, pumpkin fluff…ok, that’s better! I’ve seriously got to get in on this fluff! I LOVE truwhip…though I confess that most of the time I just end up eating it straight out of the container with a spoon! Haha!
Sorry, can’t do the scale. You know why. But I DO still use it for baking and measuring ingredients for pancakes! 🙂
LOL! He meant plant as in factory. He’s a smart ass. 😉
Dude. You would LOVE the fluff. It’s like pumpkin icing. But yeah, Tru Whip is delish right from the container. With the freezer door open. And a jar of Nuttzo. Not that I would know.
Pear and cardamom go so well together. I love when ingredients speak to you or maybe I’m just hallucinating.
I recently acquired a simple little scale from Bed, Bath & Beyond and I use it for baking: think muffins, pizza dough and soon to be pasta…Oh yes, fresh pasta is going to happen now that it’s fall.
I think knowing the macro breakdown of my food would be interesting, and yet at the same time, I don’t think I really want to know. I don’t have time to plug all the ingredients of my dishes, especially since I don’t measure much, into some app. I’d be there all day. Instead I ask my doctor to check all those things (protein, iron, etc) at my annual physicals. Last go around, she told me to keep doing what I’m doing, so I’m going to stick with that. Still, it would be interesting to see how much protein this vegetarian actually eats on a daily basis. Just for shits and giggles.
You’re only hallucinating if you start responding to the voices in your head.
I don’t think I’d be so into macros if it weren’t for lifting. Actually, I know I wouldn’t be. I think the obsessively-athletic and the weightloss worlds are where their targets will be.
OO share your leg day! Is it already on here? I love soreness 🙂
I also really need to try your egg dishes, I’m a bit obsessed with oatmeal and warm grain cereals and tend to eat like5 servings at a time haha. I have nothinga against carbs obviously but I checked out my macros and really need more protein! do you think they’d work with scrambled tofu? I’m like 99 percent vegan with an occasional egg if I’m traveling out of the country or if I buy them from my local farmer but I hate wasting the yolk and not sure about where those egg white cartons get their eggs.
ps. I know this is out of order because I’m catching up on your blog and working backwards lol, but thanks so much for sharing your history! Really inspiring!
I have a ton of workouts posted on my Fitness tab – lots of legs and glutes. 🙂
You could definitely try this with tofu! Have you seen my PB & Ceggs? https://www.sprint2thetable.com/2012/10/attack-of-the-killer-sodium/
I used to be vegetarian, so I try to have alternatives to most recipes. I make a lot of TVP oatmeal for extra protein. Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting!