No Room For the Blues + WIAW

July 30, 2014 By Laura

Coming home is hard.

Some might say it’s downright depressing…

I fell in love with Colorado last week. I will move there one day. Atlanta is getting older by the minute. I love my city – we have gorgeous parks, amazing food, and my friend and family are here. But I was born here. While I’ve been lucky to travel a lot, the time for a change of scenery is growing near. Since I can’t exactly pick up and move to Switzerland, Colorado is a good second.

I think the goats miss me too. More on this adventure to come!

In lieu of an after work hike, I got my nails done. Nothing like a little pampering to soothe the travel blues.

Speaking of blues… my toes are now No Room For the Blues! The nail color is Wooden Shoe Like to Know. Gotta love OPI! They were totally talking about my nasty feet after all the Colorado adventuring. Not that I’m paranoid…

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This WIAW I’m back from Colorado but OUT of groceries. Desperation has set in…

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

The Best Sea Bass Ever

July 25, 2014 By Laura

Sea Bass is a pork belly of the sea.

Who wants chicken when you can have pork?!

It especially appropriate that Heather, Kirk and I had pork belly of the sea together rather than the chicken. Heather hates chicken. All poultry, really. But I digress.

First, a strange wine. This Abraxas Vin de Terroir from Robert Sinskey had a glass cork! (And can we all agree that cheese is awesome?)

The the pièce de résistance – Kirk’s Miso Glazed Sea Bass. I saw this recipe on Heather’s blog nearly a year ago and never forgot it. It struck me as strange because I always prepare my sea bass simply, with lemon, pepper, and maybe a few herbs.

When Kirk suggested it for dinner, I was beyond thrilled. It did not disappoint! Talk about #strangebutgood… look at this thing of beauty:

I took one bite and sat in stunned silence. It was unreal how buttery and delicious this was! It literally melted in my mouth.

The soy and miso combined with mirin and a little brown sugar created the perfect balance of sweet and salty. After it was over I went back to the serving plate to drag some veggies through the left over glaze. In hindsight, I probably should have licked the plate.

In conclusion… you should head on over to Heather’s blog for the recipe and make this.

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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.

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

An InLinkz Link-up

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I can’t believe I have to go home soon… I’m so sad!

Are you a sea bass fan? How about chicken of the sea (tuna)?

What is the strangest thing you ate this week?

Colorado Livin’ + WIAW

July 23, 2014 By Laura

Colorado is stunning.

Whether it be a WBFF fitness show or a sunset…

I’ve been enjoying some incredible views in Colorado!

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This WIAW I’m in Colorado camping out at Heather’s house. It’s been so much fun being here and in her kitchen!

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

Starbucks Record & Illegal Birthday Eats

July 16, 2014 By Laura

Nothing says ‘I love you’ like free.

Or cold, hard cash. Either way.

By now we are all aware of the free Starbucks drink on your birthday. Even though I didn’t get an offer this year – wtf?! People like to make a game of how much they can get – whether its a birthday freebie or just to pay too much for already over-priced coffee. The previous record for ONE drink was $54.74. Child’s play!

A Florida woman managed to order a $60.58 Frappuccino. According to Consumerist, the drink consisted of 60 shots of espresso, matcha powder (gotta stay healthy!), and caramel, white mocha, and hazelnut syrups. She even brought along a jug for the barista so it would all fit! I’m assuming she didn’t drink it all… I didn’t see any follow up reports about her having a caffeine-induced heart attack.

Yet another way to order obnoxiously at Starbucks. You’re welcome.

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This WIAW is a birth-day east celebration! Actually, it was pretty mundane until dinner… I was busy at work and I knew what was coming to me for dinner!

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

BBQ Mustard Chicken + WIAW

July 9, 2014 By Laura

I view food as a source of entertainment.

What do you expect from a person who goes to Whole Foods when she’s bored?

Sometimes food prep gets a bit mundane. When you’re packing up 3-4 meals a day to take to work, there are only so many options. I wonder if we could get an oven in the office…

This past Sunday marked 6 years since my dad died. As per tradition, my sister and I spent the day with mom at the house we grew up in. We grilled out and had a great time eating (my mom has a similar Whole Foods problem – soooo much delicious food!). It was fun to reminisce and enjoy the gorgeous pool day. And I got to cook with my mom, which I love!

It was also a good opportunity to food prep in a different way. I stopped by the farmer’s market on the way to the house and loaded up on chicken, fish, and veggies. I live in a condo, which means we can’t have grills. Mom, on the other hand, has a gas grill AND a Big Green Egg. It’s been the perfect way to add more variety to my prep!

This week I’ve been especially loving the BBQ chicken I made. It was a really quick marinade, and it packed a punch! I used smoked paprika and my healthy homemade BBQ sauce (I keep a batch on hand all summer) to heat it up. They were a great compliment to the tangy mustard.

You could use your favorite store brought BBQ sauce if you don’t have any homemade. If you’re grill-less like I usually am, this would be fine on a grill pan or baked in the oven.

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This WIAW I wanted to eat each meal consecutively. Between leg day and the excitement of grilled food I was entertained alllll day!

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

I’m a Big Dill + WIAW

July 2, 2014 By Laura

I’m a big dill.

In my head.

Really though. I posted the pic below on Instagram heading into leg day on Monday, but there’s a reason other than humor. Legs days with my trainer always kick my butt. He’s brutal… in a good way though. One of the reasons I love training with him is that he pushes me to do more than I even imagine to be possible.

When I walk into a session with him, I psych myself UP. So much of lifting is mental. If you tell yourself you can and approach the weights with confidence, you’ll be amazed by what you can do. That’s also a good example of how I #MoveHappy. 😉

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This WIAW I was STARVING from leg day. I wanted a little bit of everything, so that’s what I had!

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

Peach Salsa Tortilla Pie

June 27, 2014 By Laura

It’s not my birthday yet…

But pass me the sombrero!

I brought my sweet and salty tooth beyond just breakfast and dessert this week. Fruit and salsa are one of the best combos. Tomatoes are technically a fruit. Strangely enough, they are legally a vegetable.

If you haven’t tried fruity salsa, I especially recommend experimenting with mango, strawberry, and pineapple. It’s easy enough to make yourself (make salsa, add fruit), but I fell victim ~~once again~~ to Whole ~~Paycheck~~ Foods. Sunday I trotted home with a jar of the good stuff and an idea for the fresh corn tortillas I bought at the farmer’s market.

Originally these were going to be enchiladas, but I broke the tortillas. Instead, I decided to layer the pieces and call it pie! Pie always wins.

The tortillas I used were small (~8-inch) corn tortillas made fresh at the farmer’s market. This mean they were gluten-free, for those that care. You can use anything you like; sprouted tortillas would be great in this too!

The strangest part to some of you may not be the fruity salsa, but the cod. If you think that’s too weird (it really is good!), you could add any protein here. Try chicken, shrimp, ground beef… or even tempeh to make it vegan!

Peach Salsa Tortilla Pie

2 pieces of cod (~12 ounces)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
6 corn tortillas
1/2 C peach salsa
2 green onions, diced
1 C kale, chopped
1/2 C mushrooms, chopped
1/2 C red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeño, diced (optional – I love heat)
Avocado, to top

Preheat oven to 375. Place cod on a pan, top with lemon juice, and cook until barely done (~7-8 mis). Remove from oven and allow to cool before breaking into smaller pieces.

Place 2 tortillas in the bottom of a pyrex (I lined mine with foil for easier clean up). Layer with 1/4 C salsa, 1 onion, 1/2 C kale, 1/4 C mushrooms, 1/4 C bell pepper, and 1/2 the jalapeño (if using). Repeat layer, and top with remaining tortillas (2). Top with additional salsa.

Cover and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, then remove cover and bake an additional 5-10 mins to crisp the top. You could also top with cheese here. Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly to solidify. Cut into wedges, top with avocado slices, and enjoy!

Makes 6 servings.

If you’re not a blogger, you can still share your recipes on Instagram with the #strangebutgood hashtag.

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

An InLinkz Link-up

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With all these peach recipes, I’m going to have to quit getting annoyed by the Georgia Peach nickname.

Have you ever had a fruit-laced salsa? What is your favorite fruit to add?

What kind of tortillas do you prefer? I love the weight that corn tortillas have.

Fridge Meditation + WIAW

June 25, 2014 By Laura

My intentions are good.

Most of the time anyway.

I start off strong with an epic trip to the farmer’s market, intending to do a fantastic food prep that evening. Then I opt to go out for Mexican and margaritas, telling myself it can wait one day. The next day I did do a great food prep… but still ate a smoothie for dinner after a particularly hot workout.

There is also the problem of breakfast. First thing every morning and last thing every evening, I spend a solid 5 minutes meditating. By meditating, I mean staring into fridge.

And I wonder why I can’t leave the house on time…

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This WIAW is was a valiant attempt and following my prep plan. Except for breakfast. And dinner. And dessert. But I killed it at work, which – let’s be real – is the whole reason I bother prepping.

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

No Room For the Blues + WIAW

The Best Sea Bass Ever

Colorado Livin’ + WIAW

Starbucks Record & Illegal Birthday Eats

BBQ Mustard Chicken + WIAW

I’m a Big Dill + WIAW

Peach Salsa Tortilla Pie

Peach Salsa Tortilla Pie

Fridge Meditation + WIAW

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