Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Back to Reality + WIAW

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A smart blogger would have posted a “What I Ate on Vacation” today.

I got too excited and posted my favorites on Monday.

There are a few things I didn’t yet share from Napa (besides the wine – that post is coming!).

The thing that earned me the strangest look from Lisa was probably my extreme excitement over seeing GT’s Classic in the CalMart (not to be confused with Wal-Mart).  The Classic is the version GT’s was forced to quit selling at many major markets due to the alcohol content.  This is silly.  Kombucha is fermented tea… but there’s not even enough booze for a buzz!  I chose the Gingerberry and didn’t get drunk in the least.

GT's Classic Kombucha

This next item DID pack a punch.  A Maple Bacon Manhattan from JoLe.  It was bacon-infused rye, Carpano Antica, and maple syrup… with a side of candied bacon.

I was only going to have a taste… but holy yum.

Maple Bacon Manhattan

Lunch somehow was missed in my Monday food post.  Our driver in Napa recommended that we try a new concept called R+D Kitchen.  It’s owned by Hillstone, which makes it a chain (I’m morally opposed to eating at chains)… but we bit the bullet and tried it out.  So very glad we did!

As with Houston’s, the food and service were top-notch.  We shared toasts to start – one with hummus and one with goat cheese and figs.  The hummus was very good – heavy on the tahini, which is ideal in my book!

R+D Kitchen toasts

For my meal I ordered a omelette with spinach and goat cheese.  It may look funny, but the omelette was fantastic.  It was done french-style.  It’s difficult to find a good one, but they executed it flawlessly!

It also came with roasted tomatoes and a side salad.  Those tomatoes made the meal!

R+D Kitchen omeltte

I know this is getting long… but one more!!!  Remember the “scenic” walk to dinner I took my friends on?  I think this view at Sol Bar was worth it:

Sol Bar

Most of the meal was too dark to take pics of and we were in such a night place I felt wrong using a flash (*gasp* I do have some shame).  The entire meal was mind-blowingly delcious, and our server couldn’t have been more fabulous.

I did get one decent shot of my birthday dessert.  Chocolate Decadence with Ortiz Farms raspberries, soft cream, and cocoa nib dentelle. Words cannot describe.  It’s the last (30th) birthday cake I’ll have, I swear.

Sol Bar birthday cake

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This day of WIAW eats was fun for me!  Monday morning I woke up to find that my fridge and freezer were not working.  After a brief panic, I managed to get a handyman out and have the thing fixed for less than $150.  It was also the perfect excuse to clean out my food stash and restock!  Restocking is the best – the farmer’s market didn’t know what hit it!  I was SO excited that I got home and did my food prep right then.  Snapper, cod, gazpacho, roasted kabocha, and bison burgers.  At 9pm.  🙂

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Read on for my fresh fridge eats, 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) is still going strong.  I am now so addicted that I brough the Fitmixer to Napa and purchased a bottle of ACV from the market there.

Something lit a fire under my butt, because I woke up in the mood to run sprints.  I can’t explain it.  Anyway, after the humid 30 minute run I couldn’t think of anything but a smoothie bowl.  Cold and now chewing required.  Does anyone else have a hard time chewing foods after workout?

Wheatgrass protein smoothie bowl

In my smoothie:

  • Vanilla protein powder
  • Wheatgrass
  • Spinach
  • Cinnamon
  • Fresh ginger
  • Lemon liquid Stevia
  • Cardamom
  • Toppings: plum and raw oats

Lunch:

I was so excited for this meal that I didn’t bother with my usual mid-morning snack.  During my Monday night food prep I roasted snapper with cilantro, fresh ginger, lime juice, pepper, and cherry tomatoes.  That was eaten for lunch along side a cup of gazpacho and a bag of veggie Pirate’s Booty.

Red Snapper and gazpacho

Afternoon Snack:

Despite having had a hearty lunch, I was still unnaturally excited for my afternoon snack.  Bison burgers!  I’ve been craving them for a long time.  This burger was so easy – I just mixed each patty with steak sauce and added red pepper flakes before cooking them in a pan.

I don’t use pre-made sauces often, but I did find this Robbie’s Naturals brand a Whole Foods that I love.  It’s low-sodium, low-sugar steak sauce.  (I also dig their BBQ sauce.)

Bison burger with Robbie's sauce

The side salad was also delish – red spinach, zucchini, asparagus (it’s been long enough to bring it back), shiitake mushrooms, thyme, lemon juice, and black pepper.

Dinner:

I’d been thinking of this all day long.  Sea Bass.  I think it’s passed swordfish as my favorite fish.  I ran home from my workout, coated it in thyme, rosemary, garlic, black pepper, and lemon juice before putting it in the oven for 12 mins (400 degrees on convection roast).

This gave me time to prep my salad: red spinach (nothing like spinach – it has a thick stem and is a little spicy), cherry tomatoes, and Persian cucumber.

Sea Bass and red spinach

Obviously I needed carbs after leg day, but I saved it for a little dessert…

Kabocha squash!  I roasted it as instructed in Friday’s #strangebutgood post and topped it with Peanut Butter Cannoli.

Cocoa Kabocha roast with peanut sauce

Dessert:

Nothing wrong with two desserts!  I almost had more roasted squash but decided to aim for variety.  And #strangebutgood-ness.

Shredded carrot, no salt cottage cheese, cinnamon, stevia, ginger, and vanilla topped with chocolate protein fluff made from vanilla protein powder, cocoa, beet powder, and stevia. Topped with massive blackberries and cacao nibs.  Just trust me.  It’s good.

***

Sorry for the picture-heavy post.  This was a lot… but I’m so excited about ALL the foods!  #lovemyinnerfatkid

Are there restaurants so nice you won’t take pictures?

If you could try anything in this post, what would it be?  I don’t think anything was terribly odd…

What I Ate On My 30th Birthday

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Birthdays should be drawn out.

 

I’m celebrating mine for a solid week.

Today I leave for a fabulous birthday trip with two of my best wine-os friend: Lisa and Heather.  At 21 we celebrated with cheap shots and beer, at 30 we spend too much money on fine wine and taking mud baths.  I choose 30.

The celebration have been on going though!  Later in the post are some birthday eats, but I wanted to share my favorite treats first.  My actual birth DAY was fabulous – I was totally overwhelmed by the comments on this post and on Instagram.  If you get a chance, look back at everyone’s “lessons learned” in the post comments.  So much wisdom!

I had a wonderful dinner with my family, including my best friend who is basically my sister.  We missed my Portland sister though!

Mallory, me, Mom, and Madison

Mallory, me, Mom, and Madison

 

Mom nailed the gift department – I told her not to buy clothes or anything.  There’s not much I need… but I wouldn’t turn down a little Napa spending money.  She made that happen in a rockstar way.

Nothing says “I love you” like cash credit!

 

Just when I thought the night couldn’t get better, I received this gem from Lauren.  Lauren’s fur babies, to be more precise.

Does it get any cuter?!

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This WIAW is actually what I ate on my birthday.  I had some favorites, and some indulgences.  It was exactly as it should be on one’s 30th  birthday.

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Read on for my celebration eats, 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) was served martini-style in honor of my birthday.  Who doesn’t want to start their 30th year out with a draaaank?

Morning-tini

Morning-tini

 

This is an old favorite.  I don’t know why it’s been so long since I’ve made PB & Ceggs, but it’s what I wanted for my birthday.  This is the perfect time of year to make it because the carrots are so sweet and juicy!

This is the version with an egg scramble, not the tofu in the linked recipe.  It’s good both ways though!  Even better with sprinkles:

PB & Ceggs

 

Lunch:

This was a desperation meal.  I leave for Napa today and I knew I’d be eating out for a couple of meals due to birthday celebrations so I didn’t do my usual grocery trip.  Bring on the canned tuna!

This mix is tuna, nutritional yeast, cayenne, cumin, pepper, herbs de provence, turmeric, and balsamic vinegar.  I tossed it with the end of a bag of spinach and ate it with a slice of P28 protein bread… on a ZooPals plate to preserve my youthfulness. 😉

Dinner:

Finally time for my birthday meal!  My mom treated baby sister, my best friend, and me to dinner at Seed Kitchen & Bar.  I was really excited because I got to try a new-to-me fish: Wreckfish.  Wreckfish is like a cross between Sea Bass (my favorite!) and Halibut.

Wreckfish at Seed

We did have to send my dish back (wayyyy overcooked), but on the second round it was perfection.  Our server was nice enough to give me the sides from another special, so I was able to have caramelized brussels and roasted cauliflower on my birthday.  It was a giant plate of my favorite things!

 

Dessert:

Simple and delicious.  As my “cake,” I ordered a fresh-baked and slightly undercooked chocolate chunk skillet cookie a la mode.  Mom and baby sis were allowed one bite each. 😉

Birthday skillet cookie

***

I forgot to take a picture of the 3 cards I received at dinner.  All were related to boobs.  Way to go, Family! 😉

Have you ever tried Wreckfish?

What is your favorite thing to eat on your birthday?  

 

Strange But Good: Orange Cardamom TVP Overnight Oats

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The strange breakfasts have continued.

 

This week was necessity.

Without air conditioning, I became and overnight oat junkie.  Hot food made me nauseous.  “Regular” overnight oats seem too boring… and I was getting sick of oatmeal… so I brought back an old favorite.  TVP!

I also got to try a strange new nut milk (no, I couldn’t type that with a straight face): Almond-Cashew-Hazelnut Milk.

almond cashew hazelnut milk

 

It received mixed reviews when I posted the pic on Instagram, but I really liked it!  Almond milk is still my favorite, but this milk from Dream Blends is a good way to change it up.  I’ve tried coconut, hemp, rice, soy, and sunflower milks, not of which I like as well.

Back to the “oats.”

 

This concoction was a TVP overnight bowl.  Cardamom and orange is one of the best flavor combos… in fact, I remembered after I made this dish that I’d actually done a similar hot version here.

Be careful with the cardamom – a little goes a long way – but a pinch adds an sweet-ish spiciness to dishes.  Perfect with the citrus and the meaty, rich coconut. #thatswhatshesaid

orange cardamom overnight oats

I also used some cacao nibs to top it… because what’s not better with chocolate?!

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 Orange Cardamom TVP Overnight Oats

Orange Cardamom TVP Overnight Oats

  • 1/4 C TVP
  • 1/2 scoop (1T) vanilla protein powder
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/8 tsp cardamom
  • 1/2-3/4 C milk or water
  • 1/2 orange, sectioned
  • 1/2 tsp coconut extract
  • Stevia, to taste
  • Optional toppings: coconut shreds, cacao nibs, more orange

 

In a small bowl, mix together dry ingredients.  Add wet ingredients, stirring to combine.  Fold in orange sections.

Cover and place in fridge overnight.  Remove from fridge in the morning, stir, and add additional liquid if needed.

Top as desired and enjoy!

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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.

Sprint 2 the Table

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


***

A/C Update: it's FIXEDDDDDDD!!! Thank the sweet baby Jesus.  Best birthday present ever.

Have you tried TVP oats yet?

What is your favorite way to make oatmeal?

 

Weekend Update + WIAW

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I get behind in my over-sharing.

Thank god for Instagram!

There has been a lot going on lately that I’ve just run out of time to blog about!  Hump Day seems the perfect time for a download.

I’ve been getting some good runs in (between all the summer storms).  This is taken on the GA Tech campus.  Saturday marked 5 years since my dad died.  Without intention, I found myself heading to his alma mater for a run.

It was nice to run by all the places we used to walk past on game days and relive some of my own memories from grad school.  The rain didn’t hold off for long – about 5 mins after I took this pic the sky turned black and it started pouring.

GA Tech

Sunday I met some of my favorite Atlanta bloggers for lunch at Dough Bakery, my favorite local vegan spot.  That’s (very pregnant) Alayna, Tina, Lee, me, and Heather.  Heather is former Atlanta blogger… she left us for Colorado. 😛

I always have so much fun with these ladies.  We talked and ate for a long time before I had to run back home to get ready for dinner.  That’s right  – I said run.  I ran a total of 6.65 miles there and back thanks to Atlanta’s new Beltline trail!  I’m lucky my friends would be seen with me sweaty and dressed like a bum.

Atlanta Bloggers

The dinner I was running home to was at one of Atlanta’s best new restaurants: King + Duke.  I’m too lazy to write  full review, but let me just say… if you are in ATL or are coming to visit make a reservation.  So.  Good.

Their wine program is excellent, which you know makes me happy, and the food is even better.  Don’t skip the roasted beet and carrots with feta and harissa, the roasted bone marrow with smoked mushrooms, blackberries, and short rib marmalade, and the “Dates & Ale” (a fantastic sticky toffee pudding with Sweetwater IPA cream).

Marrow at King + Duke ATL

Meat butter

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This WIAW was less indulgent than this weekend.  Thank god.  I love going out to eat, but whoa.  I was dragging on Monday after eating half my meals out over the weekend.  I jumped back on the healthy eating train with reckless abandon.

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Read on for my eats, 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) was of course the start to my day.

If you follow me on Instagram you saw that I have a mini crisis: my air conditioning quit working.  I live in the South.  It is HOT.  I was really glad I thought ahead and made a nice, cool breakfast: overnight oats!

This bowl is a little different because I combined a few protein sources.  The oats, cottage cheese, and protein powder made for the most deliciously creamy bowl of cheesecake-like oats I’ve ever had!

Blueberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats

Blueberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats

  • 1/4 C oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill GF)
  • 1/4 C cottage cheese
  • 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1 T peanut flour
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Blueberries
  • Stevia, to taste
  • 1/2 C almond milk (or other liquid)

Combine everything in a bowl, cover, and place in fridge overnight.

Remove from fridge in morning.  You may need to add additional liquid, especially if you choose to heat it.

Top as desired and enjoy!

Note: I order my peanut flour from iHerb – I like it better than PB2 because it is less processed and doesn’t have the added sugar and sodium.  Use my discount code – USO924 – for $5-10 off your order!

Mid-Morning Snack:

I love making random mixes with no salt deli turkey.  Often I do fruit, but today I had some celery to use up.  I broke up the turkey and mixed it with nutritional yeast, cayenne, pepper, herbs de provence, and apple cider vinegar.  Then I chopped up my celery (and some of the celery leaves) and stirred that in.

Deli turkey salad

Lunch:

I’m getting low on groceries, so I had to bust out the emergency veggie burger.  If you’re going to eat frozen food, the Lightlife burgers are pretty tasty.

Eaten with spinach salad, celery, kabocha, and a quick dressing made from spinach hummus, apple cider vinegar, cumin, and red pepper flakes.  Yes, I spent time “plating” this at work.  People stared.

Lightlife veggie burger salad

Mid-Afternoon Snack:

This was fancy-looking, but I’d made it the day before.  Baked swordfish in a foil pocket with veggies and Indian spices.  It was fast and the clean up was easy – just throw away the foil!

I posted the recipe here on Facebook if you’re interested.

Indian Baked Swordfish

Dinner:

Did I mention my A/C is broken?  It was 85 degrees and humid in my condo.  I couldn’t think of a single thing to eat for dinner because I was SO hot.  So I got creative.

Egg pizza.  The idea was to cook the egg in a big pan so it would be thin like a pizza crust, then top it and finish in the oven under the broiler.  It would have been perfect had a greased the middle of the pan a little better.  It stuck.  No worries… I just ate it out of the pan.  Less dishes to wash!

egg pizza

My toppings: broccolini, edamame, tomato, spinach, and ricotta salata.  It was really good!  Will try it again, this time properly greased to get onto a plate.

Midnight Snack:

I ate some snacks at my mom’s… she made a quiche and had these yummy chocolate-salted nut things from Trader Joes… but it was just bites and when I got home I still needed a little something.

Despite the heat, I wanted cake (when do I NOT want cake?).  I made my favorite 150 Calorie Chocolate Microwave Cake, topped it with a peanut flour “icing,” and served it with a side of cookies and cream Arctic Zero.  And a little Stevia-sweetened Smuckers strawberry jam… it went really well with the peanut butter icing!

150 calorie chocolate cake

***

In less than I week I turn 30.  And I identify with just about all of these 30 Signs You’re Almost 30.  My mom likes to remind me of #19.

What do you eat when it’s too hot to eat?

Do you make and effort to have your food look pretty at work?  It’s so much nicer than eating out of tupperware!  This should probably be added to the signs you’re almost 30…

Starting Out Strange But Good

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Don’t you hate feeling repetitive?

Don’t you hate feeling repetitive?

Yes, I do amuse myself… hahaha! 🙂  Seriously though.  I’ve done quite a few #strangebutgood breakfast posts.  It’s just so easy to be strange in the morning!  Maybe I dream about it since I typically fall asleep thinking about breakfast?

I have a few (more) atypical breakfast ideas for you today… but they could double as dinners or even a dessert!

1. Griddled Crab Mexican Pizza

This was inspired by my Griddled Chicken and Grapefruit Pizza.  I told you I’m being repetitive.  #sorryimnotsorry

I’ve been eating more savory breakfasts lately.  My sweet tooth is legendary, and I find if I don’t start the day off with a sweet meal it helps keep it in check.  At least until lunch.  

I prepared this just like in this post, except my toppings were crab, kale, salsa, and avocado.

Griddled Crab Mexican Pizza

2. French Toast with #yolkporn Syrup

For some reason I think it’s more acceptable for me to use the word “porn” if I hashtag it.  Hmmm…

You may remember this from Wednesday (again with the repetition!), but I wanted to go into more detail.  Because it was that good.  I wanted french toast and a runny egg… so I just combined the two!  That delicious local egg yolk made of a fantastic savory syrup on my toast.

Adding the blueberries on top with a touch of toasted coconut added the slightest sweetness, completing each delectable bite.

Frech Toast with egg yolk syrup

I prepared a healthy french toast just like in this PB&J French Toast recipe, using P28 Protein Bread for extra protein.  When I cooked my egg, I just added blueberries and the coconut to the other side of the pan to be warming.  Looks fancy, but it was quick and easy!

3. Peanut Butter Shirataki “Rice” Pudding

My last repetitive meal was created from Wednesday’s dinner leftovers.  I had tried the Skinny Noodle Shirataki “Rice” for the first time.  I loved the Israeli couscous-like texture!  Perfect for breakfast, no?

One package is 2 servings.  Since I’d already prepped the whole package (you MUST rinse and warm to avoid the funky flavor), I used the second half to pre-make breakfast.  What resulted was reminiscent a thick, creamy bowl of peanut butter rice pudding.  Incredible.  I sampled a bite before bed and it was all I could do not to house the whole thing right then and there.

Mine was topped with a fresh Georgia peach, but I think any fruit would be good here.  Like banana… mmmm… breakfast tomorrow…

Peanut Butter Shirataki Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

  • 1 serving Skinny Noodle Shirataki “Rice”
  • 1/2 C unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or other liquid)
  • 1/4 C peanut flour
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • Vanilla liquid Stevia, to taste

Mix together all ingredients. Cover and place in the fridge at least one hour, or overnight.  

In the morning, remove from fridge and stir.  You may need to add additional liquid to thin it out to your preference.

Top as desired and enjoy!

Note: I order my peanut flour from iHerb – I like it better than PB2 because it is less processed and doesn’t have the added sugar and sodium.  Use my discount code – USO924 – for $5-10 off your order!

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 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.

Sprint 2 the Table

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

***

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!!!  We got drenched but made the very best of it.

When was the last time you felt repetitive?

Does a more savory start to the day help curb your sweet tooth?

Back to the Gym + WIAW

By

Patience is a virtue.  

 

That’s what I keep trying to tell myself.

Monday I was cleared by my surgeon to begin light exercise.  Good thing because I had already scheduled an appointment with my trainer for that night.  😉

Going back to working out after surgery (or any long break) is humbling.  I started with a leg extension weight 100 lbs lighter than I did 3 weeks ago.

first workout

 

We did a lot of lower body – mostly body weight stuff – and then 2 isolated bicep and 2 isolated tricep exercises.  It was really light, but I realized I’d have to go slow… especially when the twins got hot and swelled up.  It was crazy!

I’m going to do something similar on my own today.  Being careful.  It’s really hard knowing what I could do before, and seeing how much I lost in my arms in such a short time.  BUT it’s not forever.  I got there before, and I can do it again.  *deep breaths*

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This WIAW was fun for me because I was actually hungry from working out!  It’s a totally different feeling than regular hunger, one I didn’t fully appreciate before!

wiaw sensible snacking button

Read on for my eats, 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) was of course the start to my day.

For my meal I wanted something sweet… but I also wanted a runny egg.  Remembering my favorite Waffle House meal, I decided to try something similar (but much healthier) at home – french toast topped with a runny egg!  I also added some warmed blueberries and toasted coconut.

Who needs syrup when you have #yolkporn?

French toast with runny egg syrup

 

Mid-Morning Snack:

No Salt deli turkey and an orange.  I ate these with my fingers while I bottled my latest batch of kombucha.  I was trying to get out the door for my first run post-surgery… ain’t nobody got time for silverware!

The curry leaves in the background went into a kombucha bottle with some of the orange.

 

I was running to get my race number for Thursday’s Peachtree Road Race.  It’s the world’s largest 10K and I was cleared by the doctor to run/walk it since it’s actually going to be cool outside thanks to the deluge of rain we’re getting.  The expo is only 2.5 miles from my place, so it was an easy jog, followed by a long break to browse the expo and buy new shoes before 2.5 miles back (shoes in hand).

Newton running shoes

New Newtons!

 

Lunch:

It was NOT cool yesterday.  Boob sweat is a whole new thing… whoa.

By the time I got back all I wanted for lunch was a smoothie bowl.  Big, green, and topped with muesli, this hit the spot while I sat on the couch icing the twins.  Almost remembered the pic too late!

Banana-Butterscotch Green Protein Smoothie Bowl

In my bowl:

  • Protein powder
  • Spinach
  • Zucchini
  • Butterscotch extract
  • Banana extract
  • Stevia
  • Ice + Water

 

Mid-Afternoon Snack:

Does anyone else have to think before they type kabocha vs. kombucha?  Kabocha is what I had for snack.  I have pre-roasted it in cubes, but I like to do a second roast to re-heat and crisp it up.  Before the 2nd roast I tossed it in cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne (my favorite flavor combo).

cocoa-cinnamon roasted kabocha with peanut sauce

 

The sauce is my go-to: peanut flour, unsweetened almond milk, cinnamon, a couple drops of vanilla liquid stevia, and a splash of almond extract.

Note: I order my peanut flour from iHerb – I like it better than PB2 because it is less processed and doesn’t have the added sugar and sodium.  Use my discount code – USO924 – for $5-10 off your order!

 

Dinner:

This is what happens when I get bored.  I made a dinner requiring more thought than usual.  People comment that sometimes my meals seem elaborate or strange… but they typically don’t take very long and I prepare certain foods similarly.  Last night I tried something new-ish and inspired by a treat in the mail from Skinny Noodles (soy-free shirataki):

Skinny Noodle

 

The item I couldn’t wait to try was the rice.  I dislike rice… but non-rice?  That I can get on board with!  I never said I was normal.  The “rice” is really more like Israeli couscous… but that’s a plus in my book.

Tip when using shirataki: make sure you rinse it really, really well and follow the instructions to heat it in the microwave to get rid of the funk (it smells fishy when you open the package).

What I came up with was a herbed rice with veggies, which I topped with salmon.  It was really, really good.  One of those meals you make for yourself and then get a little sad there’s no one else there to taste it!

Salmon and rosemary shirataki noodles

There’s not real recipe – I didn’t measure anything – but here are the ingredients:

Cardamom Salmon

  • Salmon
  • Cardamom (just a little)
  • Cayenne
  • Black pepper
  • Lemon
  • Rice Vinegar
  • Red onion
  • Garlic
  • 1 drop orange liquid stevia
  • Fresh rosemary
  • Baked at 450 for 12 mins
  • Fresh curry leaves

 

Shirataki Rice

  • Red onion
  • Garlic
  • Fresh rosemary
  • Lemon juice
  • Red pepper
  • Zucchini
  • Cayenne
  • Ground ginger
  • Black pepper
  • Ginger
  • 1 serving “rice” (added after veggies sautéed)
  • 2 tsp nutritional yeast (added at end to thicken)

 

Dessert:

This is one of my all-time favorites to end the day – Carrot Cake Protein Batter.  I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve had one of these.  After surgery I couldn’t use the grater for the carrots, so making my favorite batter wasn’t possible!

Carrot Cake Batter with muesli

I was starving so I loaded up on the toppings: muesli, walnuts, and cacao nibs.  There was also a unpictured scoop of PB. 😉

***

Thank you all so much for the supportive comments on my Instagram and Facebook posts about being able to get back in the gym.  The encouragement means a lot as I (patiently) work my way back.

Don’t forget – one more day to enter the Designer Whey Sustained Energy giveaway!

Have you ever made something so good you were sad not to share it?  What was it?

Are you a victim of the kabocha craze? I propose we rename it Crack Squash.

 

Red Velvet Chia Cheesecake + WIAW

By

Summer is here in earnest.

Convenient since I’m not supposed to get hot.

I am a sun baby, so not being able to be outside playing makes me sad.  The follow-up with the surgeon is July 1st… I have a leg day scheduled with my trainer that night.  If the Dr. doesn’t clear me to do it, I may cry.  Restlessness is in FULL force.  I do take walks, but have to be careful to keep them to the early morning or late evening when it’s (supposedly) cooler.

On my walks I have learned it’s impossible to “act natural” while taking pics of yourself along a busy street.

A few (more) fun post-augmentation updates:

  1. Shaving your armpits is really, really hard when the girls are in the way.  Hopefully this will get easier as they drop… there was a forest growing there until yesterday morning.  Gross, I know.
  2. I can now drive a car comfortably – at first I knew that if I had to make a fast maneuver I was a goner.  I was very, very careful.
  3. A lady at the mall looked right at the twins.  Their first stare.  Awwww!
  4. Getting dressed is interesting.  At time its frustrating because don’t look right while I’m still “settling,” but this weekend I was really excited to be able to wear 3 tops I (stupidly) bought and never wore because I lacked the chest to keep the tops from sliding down and showing my bra.
  5. Insomnia has returned.  I had it bad in my younger days, but once I started working out that changed.  I guess I wore myself out!  Now that I’m “resting” I’m just NOT sleepy.  Also, I can no longer sleep on my stomach which makes it harder to fall asleep.

This WIAW marks my first day back in the office post-surgery.  I actually was working last Monday, but there was NO was I could get dressed and be in an office all day.  Thankfully, being a consultant means it’s really easy to do your job from anywhere – including the couch.

wiaw sensible snacking button

Read on for my post-surgery eats, and then check out Jenn’s link up for everyone else’s snack-y ideas.

 

Breakfast:

My morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos) remains a staple.  I’ve taken to adding a shake of cayenne too.  Because I’m hard-core.

I took my walk in the early morning coolness.  Walking should be relaxing, but really all I could think about was breakfast.  Inspired by Kammie’s guest post last week, I decided to turn Red Velvet Cake into a breakfast item.  In the form of a cheesecake bowl.

Red Velvet Chia Cheesecake bowl

I found beet powder at Whole Foods which gave this its red tint.  If you can’t find that, you can use beet puree or simply omit it (Red Velvet cake is just cocoa cake with red food coloring anyway).

This high-protein, low carb, sugar-free bowl of cheesy cake is guaranteed to put a smile on your face to start the day.  I’ve had it 2 days in a row.  I used cottage cheese to cream it up, but Greek yogurt would work too.  Make it vegan by using almond or coconut yogurt!

Mid-Morning Snack:

I love my seafood and fruit combos.  This was salmon baked with lemon juice and fresh rosemary, then mixed with blueberries and red pepper flakes.  Sweet with a little heat and hint of citrus.

Salmon and blueberries

Lunch:

Meal prep Sundays make it possible to bring food that my coworkers openly stare at.  I was asked to explain what everything on my plate was, and then was told I bring “elaborate” foods.  I was flattered.

Doesn’t everyone eat spinach shirataki noodles topped with ground turkey, broccoli slaw, and a sauce of nutritional yeast, spices, and apple cider vinegar?  No?

Shirataki, turkey, and broccoli slaw

Mid-Afternoon Snack:

I ordered these Keto Slim bars from iHerb.com after reading the good reviews they received.  I’m pretty pleased!  the sodium is a bit high (200mg), but the sugar is low (2g) and it contains 21g of protein!

It does have sugar alcohols.  I don’t watch that too closely (it’s pretty rare I eat processed foods), but if you have problems with them you won’t want this bar.  It also has fun stuff like almonds, spirulina, kelp, and beets greens!

KETOSlim

Note: iHerb is also where I get my peanut flour and a lot of fun extracts/vitamins/random other things.  Use my discount code – USO924 – for $5-10 off your order!

Dinner:

It was a long day at work.  I struggle with one co-worker in particular and it was a major source of stress today.  I wanted a drink.  To sooth my nerves, I made pizza and took a twilight walk. 

Crab Cauliflower Crust Pizza

The pizza crust was my cheese-less cauliflower recipe.  For a sauce I mixed together beer mustard, nutritional yeast, cayenne, and liquid smoke.

To top it, I sautéed onion and garlic, and wilted some arugula briefly at the end.  I put than on the crust with crab and my sauce.  Back in the oven to warm before adding cilantro and a drizzle of fig balsamic glaze to finish it.

Gluten free cheeseless cauliflower pizza crust

You can pick it up and eat it by the slice!

It looks like a lot of effort, but I had dinner on the table in under 30 mins.  AND I made a second crust to keep in the freezer.  Who needs store-bought frozen pizza?!

Dessert:

Still wanting to treat my nerves, I broke out my Quest bar stash!  I cut half a Chocolate Brownie bar into squares and baked it on a piece of parchment paper at 350 for 12 mins.  I added a schmear of peanut butter to each bite before adding them to part 2 of my dessert.

Part 2 was a bowl of cinnamon–raspberry cottage cheese.  I mixed no salt cottage cheese, cinnamon, almond extract, vanilla Stevia, and mashed raspberries together in a bowl.  Then I microwaved it for ~15 seconds to warm it a bit.

cinnamon-raspberry cottage cheese bowl with baked quest bar

Yes, I’m on a cottage cheese bender.

Red Velvet Chia Cheesecake

Red Velvet Chia Cheesecake

  • 1/2 C no salt cottage cheese
  • 1/4 C almond milk
  • 1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder
  • 1 T chia seeds
  • 1 T cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp beet powder
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 8-10 drops vanilla stevia

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together.  Cover and place in the fridge overnight (or at least an hour).

In the morning, remove from fridge and stir again.  If too thick, you may add more milk.

Enjoy!

***

Don’t forget! Click here to enter the giveaway for a FRS Healthy Energy trial kit.  Winner announced tomorrow. 🙂

Do you have to wear yourself out in order to go to sleep?

What is your favorite protein bar?  Did you try Kammie’s Red Velvet Bars from last week?

Post-Surgery Surprises + WIAW

By

I’m baaaack!

You missed me, right?!

Just over a week after surgery, I’m feeling more “normal” (in my own, #strangebutgood way) and the swelling is starting to go down.  They say some people freak out at first, but – thanks to many of you and some good friends – I had a good idea of what to expect post-surgery.

That’s not to say there weren’t some surprises…

5 Post-Surgery Surprises

1. All modesty will go out the window.  You will not care that you are naked in the shower at your mom’s house and she is (gently) scrubbing the surgeon’s pen marks off of your chest.

Proof that mamma doesn’t mind – she gifted me with a little boobie prize. 🙂

Victoria's Secret

2. Using a knife is impossible.  I can cut most* things now, but at first I couldn’t apply enough pressure to cut a pear.

*I still cannot cut the kabocha squash taunting me on the counter

3. Surgery and/or anesthesia does a number on your digestive system.  My muscles were so tight it took an effort to pee.  And let’s not even talk about the issues with going #2.

stopped up

4. Not being able to stretch your arms is torture, particularly after being propped up on a couch for days.

5.  The boobs will not be a normal shape.  I knew this and didn’t really freak out (thanks in part to the pain meds).  They have to settle.  No matter who warns you of this, it’s still bizarre the first time you see them.

This snack-themed WIAW is dedicated to post-surgery eats.  Another observation to add would be my appetite.  I have NEVER experienced a loss of interest in food.  When I’m happy, I eat.  When I’m depressed, I eat.  When I’m bored, I eat.  When I have surgery… I don’t care to eat.  Instead, I snacked.

wiaw sensible snacking button

Read on for my post-surgery eats, and then check out Jenn’s link up for everyone else’s snack-y ideas.

Morning Snacks:

This was eaten just because I had to take my medicine.  Bribe me with pain pills the day after surgery and I’ll find something to eat!  I mixed almond milk with half a scoop of vanilla protein powder and cinnamon, added multi-grain Cheerios, and topped with sliced peach.

protein cereal

Greek yogurt did taste good to me.  I finished off a container of Fage mixed with cinnamon and vanilla liquid stevia.  Topped with delicious spring blueberries and cereal crumbles.

Fage greek yogurt bowl

When you are stir crazy and just can’t get excited for breakfast, a good alternative is to walk to your local coffee shop (relax Mom, it was only 2 blocks) for an Americano and some light-hearted Wall Street Journal reading.

Coffee and newspaper

Later in the Day Snacks:

Greens are good for you.  I tried to get my fill of the fresh stuff, and add protein where I could!

This salad was baby kale topped with no-salt deli turkey and nutritional yeast.  Side of heirloom tomato and basil, shredded butternut squash salad (thank you, Whole Paycheck), and blackberries.

fresh veggies

More salad with kale, turkey, butternut, and tomato.  This time I added avocado and pineapple (good for inflammation!).

I also sprinkled lemon juice, pepper, red pepper flakes, and cumin on top for flavor.

salad with pineapple

That thing about not wanting food?  I take that back.  I always want #yolkporn.

On my first day home I grabbed a Tempeh Mole Muffin from the freezer and topped it with a delicious local egg.  Eaten with a side if cucumber slices.

Tempeh Mole Muffin and egg yolk porn

The nice people The Good Bean at sent me some roasted chickpeas to try out.  I sampled them all… most were a bit salty  (I prefer to make my own roasted chickpeas), but I really liked the cinnamon flavor!  They also sent a few of their fruit and no-nut bars, of which I loved the chocolate (surprise, surprise).

The Good Bean

Actual Meals:

I was really proud of myself on Sunday night – I cooked dinner for Mom and me all by myself!  I started rattling off my meal idea to Mom and her reaction was “Have you ever made that before?”  I said no… but doesn’t it sound GOOD?  #strangebutgood

What resulted was a sort of fried rice.  Except I used spaghetti squash instead of the rice, and topped the whole thing with sea bass (that wasn’t exactly cooked by me… it was leftovers).  I started by sautéing some pre-cut veggies – red pepper, leeks, asparagus, and zucchini.  Then I added the spaghetti squash, and then the eggs.  Mix it together, plate, and top with sea bass!  Easy. 🙂

Fried spaghetti squash

The other “real” meal I ate was on my first night home.  Kat (who blogs here every other Thursday), came over and made me a delicious meal!  She made perfect shrimp and served it over a fresh salad of mache lettuce, avocado, raw corn, and cherry tomatoes.

It was all great, but The real star was her baked goat cheese balls (balls!).  She simply formed a ball of soft goat cheese, rolled it in a mix of hazelnut flour and curry spice, and baked it.  I don’t know if she’ll post her exact recipe next week (Kat???), but I’m going to have her write it out for me at least!

shrimp salad

We also enjoyed it with a shared bottle of rosè.  My first wine in over a week.  Sweet nectar of the gods.

A Treat:

Mom surprised me with fro-yo!  Chocolate and strawberry topped with coconut shreds… we added the blueberries and cacao nibs at home.  Holla at being cheap saving money!

Pinkberry yogurt

***

I seriously considered posting a pic that shows how swollen and high the twins were… everything was covered… but that mayyyy be too far even for me.  More appropriate pics will come when things calm down.  😉

Have you ever lost interest in food?

Do you ever bring your fro-yo home to add toppings yourself?  I thought this was a brilliant move by my mom!

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