Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

French Elvis Toast

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My love affair with breakfast continues.

I couldn’t choose between something peanut butter-y and French toast.  Like a true healthy-living blogger I want nut butter at every meal, but I’d been thinking about french toast ever since receiving a loaf of P28 Bread.

French toast was my favorite childhood breakfast.  Mom used to make it on challah bread with lots of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey.  She would then warm syrup with butter to pour over the decadent toast.

Obviously that’s not on my training diet, and I had not attempted to make a healthy version due to my protein requirements.  There’s no way French toast would pack 20g of protein… until I received high protein bread.

You may have seen me mention P28 bread in previous posts.  I absolutely love it.  One slice packs 14g of protein!  Count me in.

P28 bread is chewier than regular bread.  Some people (Lee‘s husband) like that.  I don’t mind it, but prefer the bread toasted.  The toasting turns it perfectly soft with a nice crunchy exterior.  Note: Due to the whey, it toasts faster than regular bread, so keep an eye on it.

Now about the french toast…

Peanut butter-coated and topped with caramelized bananas, I had to name it after The King.

You know how good warm, runny nut butter is?  Imagine that, but soaked into bread.  A little vanilla and cinnamon makes it almost like eating dessert for breakfast.  Dessefast?  Deckfast?

For my topping, I sliced the bananas and let them briefly caramelize in the pan.  Arranged atop of the peanut-y toast and drizzled with cinnamon-lace syrup, those bananas added just the right amount of richness and creamy texture.

No peanut flour?  No problem!  Just use regular peanut butter.  (It will be easier to mix if you warm it just a bit.)

But really, you should order this peanut flour via iHerb.  Use coupon code USO924 for $5 off your first order.  It’s awesome, and it’s made in Georgia. 😉

Let’s pretend I didn’t lick my plate clean like a little kid…

Recipe at the end.

And now for the fun part.  P28 has offered an opportunity for 3 readers to try their bread!

P28 is made with 100% Whole Wheat, Whey Protein Isolate, Oats, Flaxseed, Sunflower Seed and Millet.  It’s 100% Natural, and is a great source of Omega 3s and 8 essential Amino Acids needed for growth, energy, and vibrant health.

Want a loaf of your very own?  Receive up to 4 entries by:

  1. Follow me on Twitter or Subscribe to the Sprint 2 the Table RSS feed or email
  2. Tweet: You could say something like: I’ve entered to win a loaf of high protein bread from @P28bread with @sprint2thetable http://wp.me/p16jDn-1uR #giveaway
  3. Be Social: Twitter Follow P28, Pinterest Follow Me and/or Pin Something of Mine, Instagram Follow Me
  4. Comment: What would you make first with your bread?

Please leave a *separate comment* for each entry!

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST Thursday night,  August 9th.  The winner will be announced here on Friday, August 10th!

Open to US Residents only.  If you’d like to try these bars but didn’t win, check out their website to find a local retailer, or to order your a sample pack.

French Elvis Toast

  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 C egg whites
  • 2-3 T milk (I used unsweetened almond)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 4 drops liquid stevia
  • 1slice P28 Bread (or bread of choice)
  • 1/2 banana, sliced

For Syrup:

  • 2 T sugar-free maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp butter extract

For the Toast:

Combine all ingredients in wide bowl.  Dip bread in mixture until saturated.

Cook in pan over med-high heat until golden brown on each side.

When almost done, place banana slices in pan and allow to caramelize slightly (they will turn a bit brown on top).

For the Syrup:

Pour syrup in small bowl.  Mix in cinnamon and butter extract.  Microwave for ~20 secs, until warm.

Plate your toast and top with caramelized bananas and syrup.

Makes 1 serving.

Note: If using regular bread, you may need 2 slices.  P28 slices are large and more dense than a standard slice.

Vegan Option: First, use a vegan bread source.  Second, replace the eggs with more almond milk and add a tablespoon of flax.  Let it sit for 10 mins to thicken before dipping your bread.  Proceed to cook.

Approximate Nutritionals (without syrup or bananas): 223 calories, 5.9g fat, 342.5mg sodium, 16.2 carbohydrates, 4.1g fiber, 4g sugar, 28.8g protein

***

I’m have a double serving for breakfast today.  Last night was leg day with my trainger and I sort of want to die after  those hack squats.

My trainer posing with his torture tool: the hack squat machine.

What was your favorite breakfast as a child?

Have you even done hack squats?

Finding the Bright Spots

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I’m going to go ahead and admit it.

 

I’ve had a shitty week.  Work was frustrating, I didn’t sleep enough, my hamstring is pulled a bit, and I’m just grouchy.  Last night I showed up at the gym out of habit rather than desire.

 

 

On top of all that, it was the dreaded leg day.  I look forward to it because I love training with my coach, but I would honestly would rather work any other body part than my legs.  It was raining and thundering when I left the house.  I almost cancelled.  Habit prevailed.

Coach said I’d have a revelation at the end of the workout.  After squatting 2x my body weight and a set of leg presses with 8 plates on each side, I did have that revelation.  Sometimes the worst days produce the best workouts.  Mood = lifted.

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Bad weeks can also product some amazing food.  It’s not on purpose, but I tend to eat “fun” food when I’m having a bad day.  Like it’s my bright spot.

There has been a whole lot of mood-lifting deliciousness in blog-land lately.  My three latest addictions are thanks to fellow bloggers:

 

This Cauliflower Pizza Crust inspired by Gluten Free Happy Tummy.  It’s the only cauliflower crust I’ve been able to pick up and eat like a slice of pizza.  Also, the egg I included in round 2 was sinfully good.  I heart runny eggs.

 

 

Kristen’s “Stuft”which – I do mine on P28 Protein Bread with sugar-free strawberry jam… sometimes I add a little Diaya and spinach.  It’s the jam.  😉

 

 

My Protein Breakfast Tart based on Tessa’s recipe has become a staple in my kitchen.  This one topped with “melted” blackberries (berries microwaved for 20-30 secs with 2-3 drops liquid stevia).

 

 

I have an ever-growing list of recipes to try.  Look for these on Instagram and #WIAW next week:

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A bright spot in my week was the photos you guys shared with me of your takes on some recent recipes I’ve posted.  I always wonder if people actually try anything I make… so please do share when you do.  Unless you hate it.  😉

 

Meg tried her hand at the previously mentioned Cauliflower Pizza Crust:

 

Heather made some gorgeous Paleo Oat-less Oatmeal, subbing coconut flour for the protein powder:

 

Allie enjoyed the Oatmeal Cookie Protein Shake I made per her request:

 

Min tried my PB & Jeggs the DAY I posted it… and vouched for its odd deliciousness:

 

Heather (miss you!!!) made my Mexican Vegan Crustless Quiche, but did it in mini springforms and added smokey hot sauce:

 

Soben rocked a Tiramisu Parfait, adding chia seeds:

I swear I drafted this post before I saw Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli‘s post today… it’s titled “Sprinting with Broccoli.”  This girl – my prom date – wrote an entire POST about recipes of mine she’s tried.  I’m so flattered… I’m speechless and I could cry happy tears.

Thanks for making my week 100x better, Heather. 🙂

 ***

The only thing I have left to say is TGIF.

What blogger recipes have you been loving lately?

What brightens your mood after a hard week?

 

Easy Weekend

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There’s not much I’d rather do than see live music.

 

 

The weekend began Friday at 6pm when my friend picked me for the Brandi Carlile concert.  I adore Brandi, but I was especially excited to get to see her play at on of my favorite venues – Chastain Park.  Chastain is an outdoor amphitheater in Atlanta.  You can buy a table for 6 and bring dinner to enjoy during the show.  People get really in to it – they have tablecloths, candles, and flowers to decorate their tables.  We were a little more low-key, but I did bring my special protein-filled dinner.

 

 

It was a great show.  Brandi played a good mix of new and old.  she did a cover of Johnny Cash’s Sunday Morning Coming Down, introducing it by saying that she felt is was an appropriate song because she no long drinks tequila and she no longer eats Chick-fli-a (the song references a hangover and fried chicken).   My favorite part was her cover of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.

 

 

Saturday was another concert!  This time I trekked to Tennessee to see the Indigo Girls play with the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra.  I have a friend that lives in Chattanooga, so she got the tickets for us and chose an excellent place for dinner – Easy Bistro and Bar.

I was really impressed with the restaurant!  We decided to spit a couple of appetizers and a main dish.

 

We began with the Heirloom Tomato and Watermelon Salad.  After a hot walk to the restaurant, the light salad hit the spot.  It included a few types of heirlooms and cucumelon. I’d never heard of cucmelon before, but t was fantastic!  It was topped with shaved pecorino cheese and basil live oil.

 

We also enjoyed a rich Crawfish and Artichoke Dip with toasted flatbread.  It’s been years since I’ve had a cheesy artichoke dip.  The cream cheese-based dish was very, very rich… and it was just as good as I’d remembered.

 

The entrée was the highlight of the meal – swordfish.  It had just been added to the menu that morning, so it was incredibly fresh.  The meaty fish was grilled, which gave it a great char taste.  It was plated atop a summer squash salad and simply garnished with olive oil, cherry tomatoes, and Marcona almonds.

 

We walked to the Tivoli Theatre where the Indigo Girls were performing with the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra.  It was such a neat show!  The theatre itself was beautiful; it reminded me a lot of The Fox Theatre in Atlanta.  The Indigo Girls are known for their acoustic, singer-songwriter tunes, and to hear those redone with the string and horns behind them… it gave me chills more than once.

 

 

Did you think it was strange we didn’t have dessert with dinner?  I mean, it WAS cheat day.

Don’t worry.  I didn’t get possessed by aliens; we were just in a hurry to get to the show.  Post-show we hit local for-yo shop, Top It Off.  The Red Velvet, Double Chocolate, and Peanut Butter flavors were all just as good as they sound… but the show-stopper was the Salted Caramel Pretzel.  I’ll be dreaming of that stuff for weeks.

 

 

This is my friend’s yogurt.  We have a friendly wager that her bowl would get more likes on Instagram than mine would.  She won… and since I’m a good sport I’m posting the pic of her pretty cup ‘o yogurt.

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Last week was a good week for workouts.  I felt especially focused at the gym.  We all know that you need to concentrate on the body part you are working out… but sometimes my mind wanders.  My goal last week was to be more focused, and I think it paid off.  Especially on back day… I was SORE after that one.

Leg day on Tuesday was fantastic with my trainer.  I was able to squat more than ever!  Leg day by myself on Saturday left something to be desired… I find it much harder to max out on legs alone.  I know it’s mental…

 

 

Workout Recap (7/24 – 7/29):

  • Monday – Chest/Biceps, Calf raises, 2 mile walk
  • Tuesday – Legs (with trainer), 2.5 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Back/Triceps, Calf raises, 2 mile walk
  • Thursday – Shoulders/Glutes, 1 mile walk
  • Friday – Chest/Biceps, Calf raises, 2 mile walk
  • Saturday – Legs, 150 push-ups
  • Sunday – *rest day* … easy 4 mile walk

***

The icing on the cake of the weekend was not having to wake up to an alarm Sunday.  I stayed in bed until 10, and it was glorious. 

What was the last concert you went to?

Do you find certain body parts harder to work out on your own?

 

Peanut Butter & Jeggs + WIAW

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Two things make me euphoric: good food and hard workouts.

Yesterday I was on the receiving end of both.  My spreadsheet delivered today!

Breakfast was mind-blowing.  Meal 2 is a new go-to protein source.  Lunch – although it was inhaled – was delish. Meal 4 wasn’t exciting, but the GNC Vanilla Whey tastes cake batter-ish when mixed with water.  Dinner… well, if it was legal to marry pizza I would.  Meal 6 was fun and close to being a new staple.  Dessert was a new (to me) recipe from one of my fav bloggers.

On the training front, I had a GREAT workout with my trainer.  I squatted 1.5x my body weight.  That’s a HUGE jump in just over a month of training.

Click for source

During a workout it can be overwhelming to push and go all-in.   That’s when you know you’re doing it right – when you are out of your comfort zone and breathing hard (provided you are using a good form and common sense).  I hit that point during my 4th drop sets of horizontal leg presses.

I looked up at my trainer and said “I don’t know how I’m going to do this.”  Then, with his encouragement, I just kept going.

Click for source

It was HARD, both physically and mentally.  I was careful not to say “can’t,” but I won’t say the thought didn’t cross my mind.  I shoved it out of my mind, and after the workout was incredibly proud of myself.

Which leads me to the 4th installment of the Fitness-themed What I Ate Wednesday.  If you’ve been following, I’m aiming to get ~150g of protein each day as I train for a figure competition (hopefully in NOVEMBER!!!).

In an effort to vary my protein sources, I try not to repeat meals throughout the day (ex: I don’t want to have 7 protein shakes, or 4 servings of scrambled egg whites).  Today’s eats included a whopping 5 different sources of protein!

Check out my vegetarian protein-loaded day below; then click here to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to see everyone else’s fitness foods!

 

Meal 1:

Like I do every morning, I enjoyed a glass of my aminos mixed with ~2T of apple cider vinegar and water. I swear it gives me more energy than a cup of coffee… in fact, I no longer make coffee in the morning.

30 mins later I did enjoy a coffee-laced breakfast parfait:

It was a fabulous as it looks.  No joke.  Recipe tomorrow because I cannot hold this one in much longer.

Meal 2:

A new go-to: Peanut Butter & Jeggs.   I do enjoy savory eggs, but sometimes you just want a PB&J.  Meal 2 doesn’t get a carb, and PB&J doesn’t pack 20g of protein (the minimum I need at each meal)… so I got creative.

Egg whites, peanut flour, berries… it’s not as weird as it sounds.  Really.  Recipe at the bottom.

This might be weird: dose anyone else like the little crunchies left over from scrambles?  They’re especially good when they are laced with PB.

Meal 3:

Lunch was wolfed down.  I was slammed at work and running out the door for a lunchtime appointment with my trainer for the afore mentioned leg day.

This was a tasty combo… but I spent the drive to the gym wondering if eating all this so close to a workout would make me hurl.

On my plate:

  • Thai baked tofu
  • Spinach
  • Sweet potato
  • 3 bean mix 

Thankfully, I didn’t vom during my workout.

Meal 4:

This is what eating for fuel looks like:

GNC Whey Vanilla Protein I received as part of this Fitfluential protein powder review, mixed with water to form a “pudding.”

Followed by a giant carrot when I got home.

Meal 5:

I’m still swooning over this meal.  It’s one of the best I’ve had in recent memory… and that’s saying a lot.

Cauliflower pizza perfection (recipe here).

Topped with baby bellas, red onion, garlic, red pepper, French sorrel, and purple basil, and drizzled with nooch “sauce” (1 T nutritional yeast + 1 T water) before placing back in the oven for 15 mins.

Once cooked, I topped it with a balsamic reduction, red pepper flakes, and this KASS vegan grated parm (which is actually really good!):

Meal 6:

After being corrected by Coach last week (seriously… he busted me in the comments section), I did NOT skip meal 6.  This is a new creation… one I’m still working on.  As soon as it’s 100% I’ll share. 🙂

No coach, these aren’t protein macaroons. 

Served with celery sticks and “honey” mustard.  I say “honey” because it’s just Dijon with a drop of lemon Stevia.

I read this one someone’s blog but now I can’t remember where… please claim it if it’s your idea.  Sorry!

Meal 7:

Dessert was this Blueberry Protein Microwave Cake I’ve had bookmarked from my friend Sarena @ The Non-Dairy Queen.

Just a couple of modifications: I left out the oats, reduced the egg whites to 1/4 C, and used just 1/8 tsp  of baking soda.  I added 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and used lemon stevia in the coconut “frosting.”  Mine only needed 4 mins in the microwave.

It was friggin’ fantastic.

 

Peanut Butter & Jeggs

  • 1/2 C egg whites
  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 2 T water
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 5-6 drops liquid stevia
  • 1/2 C berries

In a greased pan on med heat, scramble egg whites until 3/4 done (still a bit runny, ~2-3 mins).  

Meanwhile, mix together peanut flour, water, cinnamon, and stevia to form your peanut butter (note: you could always use 2 T of your favorite nut butter here).

Add peanut butter and fruit to the eggs.  Scramble together and allow egg whites to complete cooking (~1-2 mins).

Plate and enjoy!

Serves 1.

***

This day of eats was entirely vegetarian, and I managed 156g of protein.  And it included 2 of the best meals ever.  OMG.

Have you made a cauliflower pizza?

Any guesses about what meal 6 is?

Lure Me Into the Weekend

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Like I ever need any luring into the weekend…

 

However, I was excited for the events of this past weekend.  I’ve recapped the best parts below, including purple basil, watermelon salad, my BFF’s baby’s 1st birthday (remember when he was born?), and dinner at the latest #ATL seafood hot spot.

 

First I want to take a moment to express my condolences to the people of Aurora, CO.  It is beyond me how anyone could do such an evil thing.  Furthermore, I don’t understand why it’s legal to buy those guns.  I know some people consider shooting to be a hobby, but we as a society have proven to ourselves over and over that assault rifles bring nothing but harm.

On to brighter things…

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1. Purple Basil

I found this delicious herb at my local Saturday farmer’s market:

 

 

Purple Basil is not quite as sweet as the green variety, and a bit heartier. Much closer to a romaine lettuce leaf in texture.  I loved it on a P28 Protein Bagel with some Greek yogurt and an heirloom tomato (also from the market).  served with a side of these Indian Roasted Chickpeas – an old recipe, but one I return to often!

 

 

 

2. Baby Jackson Turned 1

My nest friend’s little boy, Jackson, had his 1st birthday this weekend.  I’m sure he won’t remember any of it, but we have a fantastic time celebrating with him!  Doesn’t he look just like his daddy (pic below)?

 

 

We had a some tasty eats compliments of the baby’s grandmother.  I brought a new take on this cotija-watermelon salad that I made for his mamma’s baby shower a little over a year ago.

This new twist contained:

  • Watermelon
  • Cucumber
  • Blueberries
  • Jalapeno
  • Feta cheese
  • Mint
  • Fresh lime juice
  • Light drizzle of olive oil
  • Pepper

 

 

Of course there was cake.  Ever the gentleman, Jackson wasn’t about to face-plant into that baby cake like his Aunt Laura would have.

 

 

3. Dinner at Lure

My friend Keith and I headed to the latest restaurant concept by Fifth Group (an Atlanta restaurant group), Lure.  This group is one of the best in Atlanta, due largely in part to their staff.  The serve and attention to detail is always top-notch, and Lure upholds that tradition.

 

We began the meal with a couple of small plates:

The seared scallop crudo with sugar snap peas and horseradish was a huge win.  I can’t recall ever having a more fresh piece of seafood.  The slightly sweet, crisp snap peas was the perfect light pairing with the scallop, and the dollops of horseradish gave a nice kick to the dish.  This was my favorite dish of the night – love at first bite.

 

The next dish was a plate of French Horn mushrooms with baba ghannouj, chickpeas, and a parsley salad.  I loved the mushrooms, and the bright lemon juice the dressed the parsley.  I found the baba ghannouj to be a bit salty (I’m sensitive to salt, so you may think it’s perfect).

 

For round two, we ordered one more small plate and a main.  We were absorbed in conversation, so we didn’t notice our second dishes were taking a while to come out.  That didn’t stop a manager from coming out to apologize and off us free soup!  I didn’t get a pic of the Tom Yum Shrimp Bisque, but we very much appreciated the gesture.

Our entrees did arrive, and they were beautiful:

The small plate we chose was grilled octopus & pork lettuce wraps with basil, cilantro, red onion, rice noodles, and spicy Vietnamese sauce.  I loved the heat in the sauce.  The octopus was good, not too chewy… but I barely remember the pork.

 

My main was a sautéed black grouper served atop silver queen corn, curry, yogurt sauce, and a spicy lime pickle.  I was surprised at how well the strong flavors worked with the flaky fish.  It was perfectly executed.  The spice from the curry was excellent with the sweetness of the worn and the slightly sour citrus of the lime pickle.  It didn’t top the scallops, but it was close!

 

We were comfortably full… but it was my cheat day… how could I pass up dessert?  After polling everyone via Instagram, I selected the guava and coconut bread pudding.

This deliciousness was served with a creme anglaise and toasted hazelnuts.  We loved the bread – a brioche from the famed H&F Bread Co.  The toasted hazelnuts we like the icing on this cake.  Ever the texture lover, I enjoyed their nutty crunch with the chewy toasted coconut that coated the soft bread pudding.  It was also the perfect size and sweet-level.  Just enough to hit the spot without regrets.

 

Overall, this 5-day old restaurant impressed me.  As I said, the service was perfect.  The food was solid as well; it has a distinct “Fifth-Group” feel.  In comparison to The Optimist (the other new Atlanta seafood restaurant I wrote up last week), it is different.  The Optimist is more “farm-to-table” seafood; it uses few ingredients and allows the main ingredient to speak for itself.  Lure focuses more on spices and offers many dishes with of an “ethic” twist.  Both good in their own way.

Side note: Lure’s wine list is much better, another signature of this restaurant group.

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I didn’t just eat my way through the entire weekend!  I stuck to my workout plan and was very good about getting in my 7 meals after admitted last Wednesday to not being excited about eating anything.  This week’s workouts were pretty exciting to me – I’m starting to notice bigger gains in my arms.  I was able to do preacher curls with an EZ curl bar that I couldn’t think about curling a month ago!

The real boost happened Saturday at the farmer’s market.  I was walking around, eating free samples (it was cheat day!), and one of the women working looked at me and said “flex.”  I said “excuse me?” and she repeated herself.  I thought she was kidding, but she was serious!  I blushed hard… but obliged.  LOL!  It made my day.  Thank you, free sample lady. 🙂

 

 

Workout Recap (7/16- 7/23):

  • Monday – Back/Triceps, calf raises
  • Tuesday – Shoulders/Glutes, 2 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Chest/Biceps, calf raises, 1 mile walk
  • Thursday – Legs (w/ trainer), 2 mile walk
  • Friday – Back/Triceps, calf raises, 100 push-ups, 2 mile walk
  • Saturday – Shoulders/Glutes, 3 mile walk
  • Sunday – *rest day* … easy 3 mile walk

***

I also cooked a lot this weekend.  I cannot wait to share some new recipes this week, including one reader request! 🙂

What was the best part of your weekend?

What new item have you tried recently?  Have you ever had purple basil?

 

The Optimist

By

Birthday dinners are key.

 

Every year I think long and hard about what restaurant to try on my birthday.  It’s a big deal!  You have to start out the next year of your life with a happy stomach.  It sets the stage for the next year’s eats!

This year I was excited to try out a new concept by Chef Ford Fry (of JCT Kitchen and No. 246 fame).  The Optimist (914 Howell Mill Rd,. Atlanta, GA 30318, 404-477-6260) opened just a couple of months ago.  After being reviewed by some of the pissiest critics in Atlanta, I have not seen a bad write-up.  My mom, baby sister, best friend, and her husband all came out to celebrate and eat.

Mom, me and Baby Sis

 

Despite having a broken air conditioner (sorry about my butt sweat on the seat…), the kitchen cranked out some phenomenal food.

To start they bring out what are the BEST dinner rolls I’ve ever eaten.  I normally wouldn’t rave about bread, but these was exceptional.  The fluffy, light rolls were just the right amount of sweet to complement the flaked salt sprinkled on top.  I wish Blais should serve these at The Spence.

 

We also ordered East and West coast oysters (I did not partake, but am told they were delish), tempura-fried long beans with a buttermilk dill sauce, and corn hushpuppies.

The beans were good, especially with the dill sauce.  My best friend’s husband even tried one.  He doesn’t eat vegetables, but gave these a thumbs up.  More proof that anything fried is delicious.

 

The hushpuppies were the favorite of the night.  Done “beignet-style,” these were not your mamma’s heavy puppies.  They doughnut-like balls of sweet, corn-filled bread were sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with a side of sweet creamy butter.  The butter proved to be totally unnecessary; these puppies stand alone in their perfection as they melt your mouth.

 

One (minor) complaint – if you don’t eat shell-fish and aren’t a huge fan of fried, there aren’t many starter options beyond a salad.  I’d love to see a couple, lighter easy-to-share items.

Choosing a main dish was difficult for me.  The entrees read like a fine list of food porn.  Eventually I selected the Alaskan Halibut.  The fish was possibly the best quality I’ve experienced.  It was earthy and almost meaty, complimented flawlessly by hen of the woods mushrooms and the rich red wine bordelaise sauce.

 

Mom selected the trout served with marcona almonds and greens.  It was an excellent dish; much lighter in flavor than the halibut, but offered a nice contrast of flavors between the flaky fish and the crunch of the almonds.

 

My friends both selected the skirt steak with romesco sauce and beef jus.  At a seafood restaurant.  I silently judged them until I tried a little bite.  That steak could rival some of the better steak houses in town.  Sadly, my pics didn’t turn out from this point on due to lighting and laziness.

Sides are not included with the entrees.  We ordered an heirloom tomato salad, roasted beets with apple, and lightly roasted carrots with ginger vinaigrette.  Each was alight and refreshing, allowing the farm-fresh flavors to shine.  If you are vegetarian or vegan, you could easily create a satisfying veggie plate from the side selections on the menu.

 

The desserts were surprisingly good as well.  We were treated to a peach cobbler with a rich side of beer cream sauce and a graham cake that was soaked in a fantastic syrupy sauce and topped with a toasted layer of house-made marshmallow creme.  I’d eat bother again.  And again.  Little did I know that I had a bigger surprise coming…

 

My mom and baby sis had baked my grandmother’s carrot cake, then cut out circles of it to form a 29!  It was delicious.  Despite having lapped up too much of the other 2 desserts, I manages to eat my share of this carrot cake.  This is a special cake in my family.  It’s the cake that my dad requested every year for his birthday.  I had an extra few bites for him. 🙂

We left the restaurant comfortably stuffed and a bit sweaty from the sauna A/C-less dining room.

Me, Greg, and Mallory

Our poor server was sweet, but painfully new.  And sweaty.  Service was spotty – cocktails were slow, I had to ask for water on multiple occasions, and we were nearly done with our entrees before she managed to bring out the bottle of wine Mom brought.

While mildly annoying, the service issue won’t stop me from returning.  The new girl will learn, and the food was so good I wasn’t irked enough to complain.  I have a new go-to spot in Atlanta.

 

This has nothing to do with food, but I have to share.  On the way home I paused to take a picture of a parked car:

This dude’s friends are awesome.

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My birthday weekend started out with a session with my trainer.  After he killed my legs, I had a deep tissue massage, which I credit for my ability to wear heels to dinner.  It was exactly how I wanted to spend the day.  Figure competition training is hard, but rewarding.  This week I realized that I’m able to increase the weight I left in my solo sessions, and that my arms are coming along!

I look forward to my daily trek to the gym… in part because I never know what fun sights I’ll see…

Workout Recap (7/9- 7/15):

  • Monday – Chest/Biceps
  • Tuesday – Legs (w/ trainer), 1.65 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Back/Triceps, 1.5 mile walk
  • Thursday – Shoulders/Glutes
  • Friday – Chest/Biceps, 2 mile walk
  • Saturday – Legs
  • Sunday – 2 softball games, 100 push-ups

***

Thank you all so, so much for your kind words on Friday’s post.  I LOVED hearing about all of the goals you WILL accomplish.  If you haven’t already, click here to check out the post and enter to win The Simply Bar sample pack in my birthday giveaway. 🙂

Is food an important part of celebrations in your family?  Any cake-traditions?

What is the craziest thing you have seen in the gym?

Planning to Eat Healthy + WIAW

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Eating healthy on the go takes planning.

I’m sure this isn’t news to any of you.  It’s become particularly evident to make lately as I’ve changed my habits to incorporate more protein and begun eating 7 small meals a day.  Serious training goals take serious planning.

For starters, I keep track of my meals in a spreadsheet.  This way I’m never stuck searching for ideas and/or desperate and hangry for food.  By keeping it on Google Docs, I can easily edit and make additions as I get ideas throughout the day.

It also makes for easy grocery shopping – I can make my list in record time now!  (P.S. check out yesterday’s post for a chart to navigate grocery store.) 

Last week I mentioned that I was struggling to find a wider variety of vegetarian protein sources.  The resulting increase in dairy resulted in my skin is breaking out.  Since then I’ve reduced my dairy to 1-2 servings a day, and my skin has magically cleared up!

One way I’ve kept up my protein intake without the dairy is to incorporate fish into my diet.  If you’ve been reading for a bit, you know that I’ve dabbled with being vegetarian and even vegan.  For me, it was about how much better I felt without meat in my diet.

Mom and I learned together how to bake fish in parchment last Friday evening!

While I do intend to keep my diet as plant-based as possible, I am enjoying experimenting with seafood (something I only started to like a few months ago), and haven’t noticed it dragging me down like I did with meats.

July is becoming my favorite months for a few reasons:

  1. It’s my birthday month  (4 more days!)
  2. The fruits and veggies we’ve been getting at local markets have been particularly delicious
  3. Jenn’s What I Ate Wednesday theme for July is of “Food, Fun, and Fitness.”  You guys know that’s perfect for me these days!

Check out my latest adventures in protein-loading below; then click here to the WIAW round-up on Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to see everyone else’s fitness foods!

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Pre-Game:

I woke up early, but my weights workout isn’t until late tonight since I have a date with my trainer.  I’ve grown accustomed to  moving in the morning, so I decided to jump on the treadmill for a power walk while watching a little GMA.  Not wanting breakfast yet, but needing energy I drank down a glass of my Fitmixer Aminos. mixed with ~2T of apple cider vinegar (great way to start the day for energy and errr… digestion…).

Meal 1:

Anytime I have an appointment with my trainer, I try to eat a little heartier throughout the day.  Not stuffing myself, but I want to be sure I have adequate energy because he pushes me to the limit and then some.

I don’t repeat many meals, but last week’s Blueberry Protein Tart was so delicious that I couldn’t wait to eat it again.

Same tart base and peanut butter icing, but I this time used peaches rather than blueberries and sprinkled the top with ground flax and cinnamon.

Meal 2:

Did you know eggs can be cooked in the microwave?  It sounded weird to me at first, but it worked out perfectly.

I microwaved 3/4 C egg whites mixed with black pepper and ~1T water (to make them fluffier) for 2 mins.  Then I stirred it up with some tomato and basil before popping it back in for 15 secs.

 

Topped with pumpkin seeds and red pepper flakes.  I’m positive the work microwaves have never been used for such a creation. 🙂

Meal 3:

Lunch was last night’s leftovers.  Here’s where the fish comes in.  I baked a halibut in parchment with rainbow chard, shiitake mushrooms, Chinese 5-Spice, and a little coconut oil.  It was pretty tasty.  Even though my boss said it smelled… that is a problem with seafood.

Enjoyed with some sesame Wasa crackers. 

Meal 4:

Here’s my serving of dairy – a mixture of no salt added cottage cheese, peanut flour (a.k.a.: my crack), and a bit of liquid Stevia.  Side of cucumber sticks.  This is literally the tastiest cucumber I’ve ever had.  Unbelievable amount of flavor. 

Meal 5:

Remember yesterday’s vegan Protein-Packed Ancho Bean Burgers?  I took one to work for dinner!  Yup – I ate dinner at work.  My trainer appointment was at 9p and I had a Genius Bar appointment at 7p… no point in going home.

All wrapped up in a giant piece of chard with artichoke spread and radishes.

Meal 6:

This was a post-workout shake to cure my leg shakes.

I received a couple of protein powder samples from JBT Labs.  This was a chocolate flavor.  My first reaction was that it was ok… I decided to add chocolate extract to the mix, as well as some Stevia.  There was also 1/2 a zucchini, spinach, and ice in the mix.

At first I was worried because the blender made it frothy. Some people like that… I prefer creamy.

I stored it in the freezer most of the day, but it thawed a good bit between my errand and the workout.  Lo and behold, after it had sat all day the mix and de-frothed and was DELICIOUS.  It seems obvious now, but when faced with frothier powders I will let the mixture have time to rest and settle post-blend.

Meal 7:

Last meal = dessert.  I almost didn’t eat this one because I was so tired from the gym.  But… I knew my muscles would thank me.  Especially when I have an early morning workout planned.

Mashed up strawberries, vanilla protein powder, cinnamon, and almond milk.  Let chill in fridge for 30 mins or so.  Devour.  Go to bed.

***

This day of eats contained 6 different protein sources, and I managed 157g of protein.

Do you bring seafood for lunch?  How do you deal with the fishy smell?

How do you keep track of your weekly meals?

Eating with a Top Chef

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OK, maybe not with…

 

 

I did eat AT Richard Blais’ new Atlanta restaurant, The Spence.  God bless cheat day.  Chef Blais was the runner-up in season 4 of Top Chef, and then went on to win Top Chef All-Star season 8.  He’s famous for his use of molecular gastronomy and ambitious flavor combinations.

His fearless approach to food was evident throughout The Spence’s menu:

 

Even the Parker rolls were presented with pizzaz (good thing, because I’ve always found their taste to be blah).

Dinner Rolls with a schemer of butter sprinkled with sea salt

 

For my appetizer, I couldn’t resist the gazpacho.  It was listed on the menu as “Canned Soup of Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho.”  I’d take this over Campbell’s any day.  It was served atop radishes, smoky-toasted croutons, and what I think was a horseradish granita.

The presentation alone was worth the choice:

 

My friend and dining mate, Kathleen, chose the beet salad.  It was a mix of roasted and raw beets, blue cheese, soft-boiled egg, and wasabi.  The textures were perfection, though I could have gone for more heat… but you guys know how I am about fire.

 

On the to main event.  I need to preface this by saying there are dishes the menu that were much more ambitious that what we ordered.  The menu needs some explanation and – oddly enough – our server wasn’t recommending the more unusual items, even when asked.  Did she not trust our pedestrian palates?

If I go back, I’m throwing caution to the wind and ordering the pork belly.  It is brought to the table under a glass dome of rich smoke and unleashed for your viewing (and smelling) pleasure.  The people next to us were over-the-moon about this dish.  It smelled so good I almost jumped into the guy’s lap when they removed his lid.

 

I selected the Cobia (a mild white fish).  It was cooked to perfection – done sous-vide and finished on the grill to give it a nice crust. It was topped with a salsa of kaffir lime, pineapple, capers, and crisp green beans.  Even better was the pine nut cream – it was like dinner-appropriate nutty whipped cream.

 

Kathleen ordered the Spatchcock chicken with asparagus and sea beans.  The chicken itself was ho-hum (again, we should have ordered better), but the sea beans and a peanut dust served alongside the chicken were fantastic.

 

Last but not least: dessert.  I had been looking forward to the carrot cake and peas, but it wasn’t available that evening (they change the menu weekly).

No matter, one bite into my selection and I forget the cake. I chose the Burnt Banana Ice Cream served with chocolate mousse mixed with lightly candied peanuts and drizzled with caramel.  I could have licked the plate.  The ice cream was just as good as it sounds, and the mousse was thick yet not too sweet.  The well-balanced dessert that left me feeling satisfied rather than gluttonous.

 

Kathleen was craving cheesecake.  She ordered what was listed on the menu as “Ricotta Cheesecake, Blackberry, and Graham.”  This looked NOTHING like a cheesecake, but was impressive, nonetheless. It was incredibly light and was easily the most creative cheesecake interpretation I’ve seen.

 

The bill was presented with an old-fashioned key resembling the restaurant’s logo.  I wonder how long before all of those are stolen?

It was quite pricey, but you will leave with a smile on your face once you eat the gift from the kitchen – a tiny creme-filled spiced cookie sandwich.

 

You’ll leave with an even bigger smile if you man-up boldly interrupt Chef in the middle of dinner service for a quick photo-op.  In all seriousness he was very gracious, stopping to chat with several tables and patiently posing for photographs.

 

He asked if I was a “good blogger or a bad blogger.”

I think I’m good… I’m certainly not mean.  Most of the time.

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I almost forgot the workout recap time!   Figure competition training is still ON and I am loving it.  It is taking a massive amount of discipline, but I know the reward will be well-worth it.  Ever try doing barbell squats with a heinous sunburn on your shoulders?  I don’t recommend it.

I think there are a few noticeable changes in muscle-size.  Or at lease that what my mom and my BFF tell me.

 

Workout Recap (7/2- 7/8):

  • Monday – Back/Triceps, 2 mile walk
  • Tuesday – Shoulders/Glutes (w/ trainer), 3 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Chest/Biceps, 3 mile walk, jet-skiing
  • Thursday – Legs, 2 mile walk
  • Friday – Back/Triceps
  • Saturday – Shoulders/Glutes, 2 mi walk
  • Sunday – 15 min bike ride, 2 softball games

***

Thanks to everyone for their positive thoughts, comments, messages, and tweets after Friday’s post.  It was a tough day, but you all put a smile on my face. 🙂

Have you ever eaten at a “celebrity” chef’s restaurant?  Did it live up to expectations?

What was the best thing you ate this weekend?

 

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