Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Mango-Coconut TVP Oatmeal + WIAW

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Can there be too much of a good thing?

I’m not sure I could tire of dark chocolate.

How about Nutella?  Can you imagine having 5.5 tons of it?  Thieves in Bad Hersfeld, Germany have made away with a trailer loaded up with just that much of the hazelnut-chocolate-y crack spread.  According to this report, that’s about $20,700 of Nutella.

nutella stolen

Seriously.  What would you do with all that nutella?  What are they going to do with it?!  More importantly… will this cause a shortage? 😉

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On to healthier, less-alaming things.  It’s WIAW time!  This is probably the last day of normal (for me) eats pre-competition.  Cheat days are gone and I’m back to being super-strict.  How do people do this for 16+ weeks?!

WIAWbutton

Check out my 7 low-sodium, protein-filled meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how more normal people are eating!

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Meal 1:

This morning I woke up SORE.  After getting my workout mojo back, I’ve been hitting the gym hard.  After my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos) I talked myself  into an include treadmill walk.  I promised myself I’d only go for 20 mins to work out the soreness.  Well, once I got started I realized I was feeling MUCH better and did 40 mins!

That’s not to say that I didn’t spend the entire walk thinking about breakfast.  I was dreaming up something tropical and full of flavor.  Mango-Coconut TVP Oats.  I added coconut and butter extracts, then imagined I was on an island.

Mango-Coconut TVP Oatmeal

I can’t remember who suggested it, but adding a little baking powder to the original recipe made these nearly double in size.  I’m a volume eater, so I was in heaven.  Recipe at the bottom.

Meal 2:

This was so awkwardly timed.  I had posing practice so I didn’t wan to do that on a full tummy, but I was doing a leg day after which I refuse to do on an empty tummy.  So I scarfed this down between the two.  I’d recommend a little more time for digestion before 4 sets of 25 ass-to-the-grass barbell squats.

Shredded chicken with raspberries and pepitas.  And black pepper.  It’s good.  Really.

Chicken and raspberry salad

Meal 3:

I’ve seen Sarena do this for so long, I finally had to try it.  Cinnamon-roasted kabocha squash topped with vanilla protein powder “sauce.”  OF course, I had to #strangebutgood-ify mine up by making the protein green.  I blended it with spinach and maple extract.

You can’t taste the spinach… I don’t think my trainer believed me.  Whatever.  It was just the thing to take for a quick protein + carb shot after a killer leg day.

Kabocha squash and green protein sauce

Meal 4:

Is it weird to crave chicken?  I did.  Shredded chicken with green onion and diced cucumber.  I tossed it in a quick nutritional yeast dressing (nooch + apple cider vinegar + cumin + red pepper flakes).

Chicken + Cucumber Salad with nutritional yeast dressing

Meal 5:

I have “tested” this dish more than any recipe I’ve posted on this blog.  I think I finally got it right tonight!!!  And I took pics.  Recipe will come verrrry soon (read: as soon as I can motivate to edit said pics).

It’s an Indian curry.  I shared it with a friend, who gave it her stamp of approval. 🙂

Indian Curry

Meal 6:

I missed my salmon today!  Normally I like it with fruit for meal 2, but I definitely couldn’t do seafood right before squats (trust me – that is less-than-pleasent if it burps back up… TMI?).  Anyway, I decided to have evening salmon.

Sautéed portabello mushroom, red pepper, nutritional yeast, and salmon (pre-cooked during the Sunday food-prep with lemon and dill).

Salmon with mushrooms and red pepper

Meal 7:

I was conflicted tonight.  I needed more carbs, so it was a good night to try the baked chocolate chip Quest bar I’ve been seeing everywhere.  But I also wanted cottage cheese.  So I went half and half.  Turns out that was brilliant because I still have the other half of that bar to eat – it was AMAZING!

My cottage cheese was mixed with cocoa powder, vanilla, a little stevia, and cinnamon.  Topped with strawberries.

Cocoa cottage cheese and baked Quest bar

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Mango-Coconut TVP Oatmeal

Mango-Coconut TVP Oatmeal

  • 1/3 C Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)
  • 3/4 C water
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp coconut extract
  • 1/4 tsp butter extract
  • Stevia (or other sweetener), to taste
  • 1/4 C egg whites
  • 1/8 tsp no-sodium baking powder
  • 1/2 mango
  • Unsweetened coconut, toasted

Add TVP, water, cinnamon, extracts, and stevia to a small pot.  Stir, and bring to a boil over med-high heat.  Cook about 5-6 mins, or until liquid is mostly absorbed.

Reduce heat to medium.  Pour in egg whites and baking powder.  Allow to cook for 2-3 more mins, stirring frequently so that the egg doesn’t form chunks.  The mixture will become voluminous.

Scoop into bowl and add mango and toasted coconut (I toasted mine in a pan with a bit of coconut oil).

Note: For a vegan option, add a flax egg or simply leave the egg out.

***

Diet changes come tomorrow.  No more cheat days.  Reality has set in… I will be walking across a stage in stripper heels and a bikini in a month.  Ack!

What would you like to have 5.5 TONS of?

What have you learned not to eat before a workout?

Economic Woes + WIAW

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Today I am going to complain about an improving economy.

Yes, I’m finding a dark cloud despite the fact that my condo value may actually one day recover.

As the economy got worse and worse, I noticed a positive.  The service at restaurants was improving!  Servers were more polished and professional, and they were able to speak intelligently about the menu.

Recently this pleasant restaurant experience has come to a halt.  Read more for an (extreme) example and my theory.

An Example:

Kat (my good friend and frequent guest post-er here) and I went to dinner for her birthday at the nicest restaurant in Atlanta, Bacchanalia.  If my meal is going to be over $100, it damn well better be flawless.

bacchanalia bar

The bartender was clueless about the wine program.  To his credit, he sent another – presumably more knowledgable – employee over to speak with us.  That would have been fine is the second guy had been knowledgable.

Server #2 didn’t know several of the bottles I inquired about, and then I had to correct their menu.  They had listed an Amarone as being from Barolo.  It’s from Valpolicella.  I’ve been there.  Amarones are my favorite.  At first he tried to tell me I was wrong, but he did come back over to admit the mistake.  Don’t challenge me on that one.

bacchanalia cheese cart

We ordered cheese; however, it took at least half an hour (and 2 inquiries) for the cart to be brought out.  We were waiting to order after our cheese course, but apparently almost missed dinner service… which the bartender acted like it was OUR fault when we would have been ordering much sooner had our cheese come out in a timely manner (we told him when we first sat down we would be having dinner).

When our food began to came out, we were rushed AND I had to send a dish back (over cooked Halibut).  They did replace it with a phenomenal snapper dish, and I was already done.

 

I realize this is a silly rant where there are starving children in Africa.  But really.  If I’m at a special occasion dinner and paying that much money… I expect the performance to be superior.  I’ve had (much cheaper) meals at chain restaurants with better service.

My Theory:

When the downturn occurred, many educated individuals were not able to find jobs in corporate America, and turned to the service industry for employment.  Their advanced capacity/skill levels resulted in a higher level of service.  Now that companies are beginning to hire again, the service industry is losing that talent.

bad service negative tip

My Plea:

Restaurants, know the value of having educated, capable staff!  Customers appreciate them, and will likely spend more money as a result of having a server with the knowledge and skills to sell.  Consider the ROI when you talk salary and benefits with potential hires!

It’s WIAW time!  I’m still trying to keep it green with my protein-filled meals.

WIAW GOES GREEN

Check out my 7 green-ish, protein-filled meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how everyone else is green-ing up their food this month!

Meal 1:

I – as always – enjoyed my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos).  I headed to the treadmill for a quick incline walk.  It’s a rest day, but I knew I’d be glued to a conference room chair all day so I wanted to get some movement in… and I like to watch GMA.

Post-walk I was starving and VERY glad to have made overnight oats.  And coffee.  There’s something about drinking out of a “Be the Change” mug first thing in the morning that’s motivating (thank you to The Universe Knows and FitFluential for sending this!).

My “oats” were a bit #strangebutgood.  They were TVP overnight oats!  The cinnamon and extracts in these make you feel like you’re eating cookie dough!  I know some people dislike cold oats – overnight oats are also fantastic warmed in the microwave too.  I heated these for 45 seconds before eating.

TVP Overnight Oats

Greek TVP Overnight Oats

  • 1/2 C Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 C TVP
  • 2 T raw oatmeal
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 1/4 tsp butter extract
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/8 tsp freshly grate nutmeg
  • Stevia (or other sweetener), to taste
  • ~1/2 C Liquid of choice (you may need to adjust amount depending to the yogurt thickness)

Mix it all together and allow to soak overnight in the fridge.

In the morning, stir, adjust liquid as needed.  Add fruit if desired (I added fresh blood orange and blackberry juice).

Meal 2:

Despite being #strangebutgood, I’m also a creature of habit.  I ate salmon and fruit again.  It was lemon-dill salmon mixed with blueberries and pepitas… but I forgot to take a pic so you’re getting a recycled one made with grapes… but grapes kind of look like blueberries… 😉

Salmon and Grape Salad

Meal 3:

I have a new favorite veggie creation.  BBQ Cauliflower Bites.  It was awesome tossed with purple sweet potato!  I used my healthy (no sodium or sugar) BBQ sauce and added some nooch to cheese it up.

Tangy and creamy, this sauce was meant to be used for roasted things (in the original I roasted with tempeh)!  Recipe is at the end of this post.

BBQ Cauliflower Bites

For my protein, I enjoyed the Turbot fish I made last night – for that prep check out this FB post.  Lauren introduced me to this delicious fish – it’s incredibly light and buttery.

This is also a recycled pic from last night… It’s much prettier than the Tupperware I ate out of today at work.

Turbot

Meal 4:

I am back on the salt-free deli turkey this week.  I love the Plainville brand from Whole Foods.  Today I mixed it with red pepper, broccoli, red onion, and a quick nutritional yeast dressing (nooch + apple cider vinegar + cayenne)

salt-free deli turkey

Meal 5:

One of my favorite local spots is a order-at-the-counter spot called Metro Fresh.  They change their menu daily based on the ingredients they have.  Everything is fresh and healthy.  Perfect for a non-cheat meal out with a friend!  And it’s walkable from my house!

Tonight I ordered the seared salmon and a mixed greens with peaches, blackberries and goat cheese with a whole grain roll.

metrofresh salmon

Unpictured was wine and a cinnamon roll.  It was housemade and they gave it to us for free (I should add that the service here was fabulous)… we split it and it was divine.  After that extravaganza… there was no room for meals 6 and 7.

BBQ Cauliflower

BBQ Cauliflower Bites

  • 2 T BBQ sauce
  • 1 T nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tsp Herbs de Provence
  • 1 C cauliflower

Pre-heat oven 400 degrees.

Mix together BBQ sauce, nutritional yeast, and herbs.  Toss with cauliflower to coat.

Place on foil-lined pan and bake for 15 mins, tossing once half way through.

Enjoy!

***

The protein count for the day: not sure with the meal out, but I’d say I probably hit 140g of fuel. 🙂

Have you noticed a decline in service at restaurants?  Other services?

What is the best thing you’ve eaten this week? 

Baked Lamb Meatballs & Cucumber Raita

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Certain meats are associated with major holidays.

 

Do we do this with veggies?  Other than pumpkin at Halloween?

Thanksgiving is turkey, Christmas is often ham, the 4th of July is for burgers… and Easter is all about the lamb.

I really, really love lamb.  It’s probably my favorite meat.  Rich without being too fatty, it’s more decadent than a steak to me.  It’s especially delicious with paired with my favorite herb – rosemary.

Lamb Meatballs and Cucumber Raita

 

This year I decided to get with the theme and create a meatball with this Easter meat.  I used a blend of ground lamb and pork.  While I love lamb, it can be heavy.  Pork is often used in beef-based meatballs.  When I saw Gabby make her lamb balls, I couldn’t believe I did think of it first!  (Thank you, Gabby!)  The addition of a little pork gave the flavor of the meatballs more dimension.

 

Another fun ingredient was ricotta cheese.  With this addition, it is almost impossible to dry the meatballs out during baking.  The ricotta gave the meatballs a perfectly tender, almost silky quality!

One other note: when you make these, be sure to mince/finely chop rosemary, onion, and garlic.  This way their flavor distributes evenly throughout.

Lamb Meatballs and Cucumber Raita

 

Finally, I needed a sauce!  Lamb always make me think Greek food, so I thought a Greek yogurt-based concoction was in order.  Fresh cilantro pairs with the classic Mediterranean flavors of lemon, garlic, and coriander to liven up the heavier lamb, and compliment the cumin and cinnamon used in the meatballs.

The dip can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge.  It’s also delicious as a veggie dip, or used in place of mayo in chicken or salmon salad.

Cucumber Raita

In conclusion, you should try my tasty (lamb) balls.

Did you really think I could get through a whole post without a ball joke?!  Puh-lease.

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Lamb Meatballs and Cucumber Raita

Baked Lamb Meatballs with Cucumber Raita

For the Balls:

  • 3/4 lb ground lamb
  • 1/4 lb ground pork
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/4 C fat-free ricotta
  • 1/4 C red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 T fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste)

 

For the Cucumber Raita:

  • 1/2 small cucumber, finely chopped or grated
  • 1/2 C Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 C fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 T fresh lemon juice
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste

 

For the Balls:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick foil or parchment.

In a mixing bowl, combine the ground lamb, pork, egg, ricotta, onion, garlic, lemon, rosemary, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, and black pepper until the spices are all well incorporated into the meat.

Form the meat into balls  (1 heaping tablespoon each), taking care not to pack too tightly.  Arrange on lined pan.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the meatballs are just slightly pink in the center (150 degrees).

Makes 22 meatballs.

 

For the Cucumber Raita:

Grate cucumber with the skin on.

Squeeze out excess water from grated cucumber and place in a medium bowl.

Add remaining the ingredients and mix well.

Makes ~1 cup.

***

Unrelated, but have you guys seen this video of what 2000 calories looks like?  50 slices of bacon.  Or 18.2 beers.  Or 60 carrots.  

For those of you who sacrificed something for Lent, what are you most looking forward to being reunited with?

Do you have lamb on Easter?  Or do you associate with another meat or vegetable?

 

Mex-Fast Tortilla Stack + WIAW

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Everyone is a critic.

I have had to be talked off a ledge over bad service and/or food at a restaurant.

The Washington Post food editor Joe Yonan “came out” as a recently converted vegetarian.  This has sparked reactions from ‘we love you no matter what” statements of acceptance (Yonan compares it to when he came out as gay), to the expected accusations of not being a serious critic.

Vegetarian pie chart

Yonan admits to taking the occasional taste of meat out of curiosity or for his line of work, but in his daily life he’s keeping it meat-free.

I’ve said it over and over again, but diet is personal.  To be honest, I’d probably still eat more of a vegetarian diet if I wasn’t competing (I went vegan once too… but that wasn’t for me).  I think it’s great that Yonan is opening up about his choice.  Hopefully it will help more people realize that vegetables can be prepared just as decadently and be just as pleasing to eat as a piece of meat.

That food critic would certainly give 5 stars to this month’s green WIAW theme!  While I did eat bacon (among other meat), I do have a fruit or veggie with every meal.  No matter your dietary practice, eating your greens is always important.

WIAW GOES GREEN

Check out my 7 veggie-laced, protein-filled meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how everyone else is green-ing up their food this month!

Meal 1:

My morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Aminos) brought a smile to may face today.  I bought a new brand of glutamine (they were out of my usual), and it came with the cutest mini scooper!

Glutamine

 

Like last week’s Mexican Spaghetti Pie, I was once again craving a savory Mexican breakfast.  Apparently I was also craving some healthy fats, because this Mex-Fast Tortilla Stack included avocado, a runny egg, and bacon.

It may look fancy, but if you approach it from a semi-homemade angle (see recipe at the bottom of this post), this breakfast can come together in 10 mins or less.  Mex-FAST.  Get it? 😉

Mexican Breakfast Tortilla

This would make even the most anti-morning person smile.  And I did.

Does life get any better than a runny egg in the morning?

Mexi-fast Tortilla

Meal 2:

The salmon and fruit obsession is back with a #strangebutgood combo: salmon, beets, cilantro, walnuts and… watermelon.  It’s really good.  I promise.

Watermelon Beet Salmon Salad

Meal 3:

Lunch was a post-workout meal.  I braved the cold jog there (in snow flurries!) and back, so despite a good burn I was freezing again and wanted a hot treat.

I used my french vanilla Designer Whey to make a new microwave bake!  I’ve tried this combo once before and it needed work.  I think I have it down now, but want to try it one more time before sharing to be sure.

Meal 4:

I got the most perfect rotisserie chicken ever from Whole Foods this week.  It was fresh out of the oven and perfectly cooked.  Their Naked chicken is my favorite because they don’t add all the salt the others have.  I shredded it on Sunday for a quick meal during the week.

Today I mixed it with red pepper, celery, hummus dressing (hummus + apple cider vinegar), and freshly ground pepper.

Chicken Salad

Meal 5:

This was one of the most successful days for kitchen experiments ever.  For dinner I decided to try my hand at lamb meatballs and a cucumber yogurt dip.

Big.  Win.  I’ll share it when it’s warm light enough to take pics.

Lamb Meatballs

Served atop a spinach salad with red pepper and cauliflower.

There were also eggplant chips (I forgot them in the oven) and half a Carb Master cookie dough bar (dessert – it had to happen).

Meal 6:

I really wanted dessert, but instead I was good and had mahi mahi.  I baked it during my Sunday food prep with a Greek yogurt, rosemary, and lemon sauce.

For my veggies I had a side of carrot and celery sticks.  I love both veggies with peanut butter, so I made a quick sauce from peanut flour, sriracha, and unsweetened almond milk.

Mahi Mahi and Sriracha Peanut Dip

Meal 7:

Finally, time for dessert.  If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I ate the same thing last night.  It was sooooo good though!

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bowl

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bowl

  • 1/2 C Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 C pumpkin puree
  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 1/4 C unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 1/4 tsp butter extract
  • Stevia, to taste
  • Optional topping: whole wheat rice crispies, blueberries, and cacao nibs

Mexi-fast Tortilla

Mex-Fast Tortilla Stack

  • 3 T tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp garlic
  • Shredded chicken (I used a rotisserie from Whole Foods)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 C spinach
  • 1 corn tortilla
  • Optional toppings: avocado, cilantro, freshly ground pepper and bacon sprinkles. 

Mix together tomato sauce and spices (you could also just use salsa here).  Add chicken, stirring to combine.  Microwave ~12 seconds, until warmed.  Set aside.

Cook egg in lightly greased pan, until cooked to desired level.

Add spinach to pan to lightly saute.

Place tortilla on plate between 2 moist paper towels.  Microwave ~10 seconds to soften.

Top tortilla with spinach, chicken, and egg.  Add any additional toppings.  Devour.

***

The protein count for the day: 169.3

Do you think an “official” food critic can be vegetarian?

What’s for breakfast?  Do you shake things up at breakfast or have the same things? 

Marvelous in My Random Monday

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Warning: This post is totally random.

Making it reflective of the thoughts that run through my head.

I’m really loving the idea of focusing on why life is good on my (former) least favorite day of the week.  Katie’s Marvelous in My Monday link up is a great reminder to keep the good weekend-vibes up!

Marvelous Monday

There was a lot of awesome this weekend.  Most of it is completely unrelated… if you aren’t a fan of unfocused posts this will drive you nuts. #sorryimnotsorry 😉

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At the end of last week I was inspired by a FitFluential twitter chat to make my own standing desk at work.  I’ve long been a fan of sitting on a stability ball at work, but I still dislike sitting ALL day.  In a big company it’s hard to get approval for a fancy standing desk, so I did a little improv:

Homemade standing desk

Much better use of those Girls Scout cookies, no?

Side note: I made it through cookie season only having eaten 1/2 of a Samoa.  I would have eaten a Tagalong, but never did find a box of those lying around.  No one wanted to share the best flavor ever?!

 

Saturday morning called for pancakes.  I finally got around to trying out the Strange But Good pancake recipe Alina shared a couple of weeks ago.  Her Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes were inspired by my Oatmeal Cookie Shake!  I loved the creativity.  Please overlook my inability to make brown food look appetizing.  These were amazing.

(Shameless plug: Go back and check out last Friday’s link up – it was the biggest one yet!!!)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes

My only modifications were to replace the 2 T of banana with more pumpkin puree and to use carob chips instead of chocolate chips.  The nutritional yeast in these (and the shake) may sound strange, but it makes the recipe!

I topped them with sugar-free syrup, but they honestly didn’t need it.  Next time I’m eating them plain like a cookie.

 

After my workout, I did a little shopping.  I don’t know what happened, but over the past couple of years I have totally lost interested in clothes shopping.  I’d rather buy workout clothes and fun groceries!  Saturday’s goal was to buy new clothes for work, but instead I found a jacket and some lip plump.

This jacket was on sale and then an addition 40% off at Banana Republic – $180 jacket for $90.  Score.

Banana jacket

Photo from bananarepublic.com

And the lip plump… that was an impulse buy at Sephora.  It added a little more pout to lips, but it tingled more than anything!

Soap & Glory lip plump

I’m pretty sure I bought this for the name alone.

Saturday night I had a date with my best friend for the first time in MONTHS.  I really missed her!  We had a fabulous meal at Miller Union.  One of my favorite ways to eat is to order a bunch of small plates and a single entrée to share.  I have to try everything!

This is round 1 of the small plates.  A kale salad with pecans, fennel, and orange and grapefruit segments, massaged with creme fraiche dressing.  In the middle is a feta cheese dip with fresh veggies.  And wine.

Miller Union kale salad

Sunday was going to be a rest day… but I got restless.  And I had some wine to sweat out.

I popped in my old DVD standby – P90X Plyo.  After all that bouncing I had to get a calf shot.  My trainer has had me doing weighted calf raises 3x a week to elongate my calves… but I never really believed it was possible.  Now I think it actually worked!

P90X burn and Carrot Cake Smoothie Bowl

I refueling with an old favorite: my Carrot Cake Protein Smoothie.  Xanthan Gum is one I’ve used for a long time to thicken smoothies up, but after this Butternut Banana Shake post I took several of your suggestions and bought Guar Gum to use too.  What resulted was a creamy concoction so thick I ate it from a bowl with a spoon.

Xanthan was great for getting smoothie thick, but that Guar really amped up the creaminess.  Definitely worth a try if you don’t already use it!

 

After my workout I heard a massive thud.  I wasn’t sure what it was, but I live in a city.  I have become accustomed to tuning out noise.  I’d totally forgotten about it until I left for the farmer’s market.  That noise was this happening:

Tree down in Midtown Atlanta

After days of rain storms, this huge old tree split at the base.  The marvelous part?  That building is abandoned and no one was hurt!

 

Finally, one of my favorite activities.  Kombucha brewing!  I love kombucha, but it does get pricey.  Months ago I purchased a Brooklyn Kombucha home-brew kit on Open Sky and I brew my own stash every week.  It’s unbelievably easy.  Click here to head over to Open Sky if you’re interested in starting!

Kombucha home brew

Recycled ACV bottles are perfect to store it in!

This week’s flavors:

  • Blood orange with cinnamon and ginger
  • Rosemary with cinnamon and ginger
  • Chili pepper and ginger

***

One more marvelous: today is leg day with my trainer. #hurtssogood  

Does sitting at a desk drive you nuts?  How do you stay active at your job?

Do you like kombucha?  What flavor would you like to brew?

Mexican Spaghetti Squash Pie + WIAW

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People will eat anything.

I know I’m all #strangebutgood, but some take it way to far.  To the point of #strangebutnasty.

Pizza seems to be the most common canvas for strangeness.  Sometimes it works – I love a runny egg on my socca (it’s also delish on my cauliflower pizza crust).

However, some things just shouldn’t happen.  Like insane stuffed crusts.  I ran across this article listing the “12 Craziest Things Mankind Has Stuffed Into Pizza Crusts.”

cheeseburger crust

That is a cheese burger crust.  A.K.A. Heart attack waiting to happen.

This next one I must admit is creative.  But come on.  Do you reallllly need buffalo wings in your crust?

buffalo wing crust

Moving on to something less nauseating… it’s another green WIAW!  Eating a high protein diet doesn’t mean sacrificing veggies!  I have a fruit or veggie with every meal, so I’m especially glad Jenn decided to rock out with her green out this month.

WIAW GOES GREEN

Check out my 7 veggie-laced, protein-filled meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how everyone else is green-ing up their food this month!

Meal 1:

Predictably, I began my day with a cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos).

This morning I went savory.  Remember this Spaghetti Squash Pie?  Today I made it Mexican and ate it for breakfast.  I prepped the meat and squash the night before, so it was easy to compose and throw in the oven first thing in the morning.  #strangebutgood Mexican Spaghetti Squash Pie 1

I LOVE this combo.  It’s not so weird to have eggs, cheese, and salsa in the morning… so why not add some ground chicken and squash and call it a pie?

I used salsa in this version and added bulk using black beans.  After it cooked, I added fresh avocado to the top – I wouldn’t recommend skipping this step.

Mexican Spaghetti Squash Pie

Recipe at the bottom.

Meal 2:

Spicy baked chicken had become something of an addiction.  I baked this with a TON of Indian spices – ginger, dry mustard, cinnamon, garlic, onion, coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, cayenne, and fenugreek.

Eaten with perfectly ripe mango.  Sweet + Spicy = Addiction  Strange but good?

Indian chicken and mango

Meal 3:

Lunch was a post-leg workout meal.  Let’s pretend I was more creative… but no.  I brought my old favorite to the gym.  Carrot Cake Protein Batter.  Made with french vanilla Designer Whey and topped with brown rice crispies.  After 100 hack squats, I would have eaten my first.  But this probably tasted better. 😉

 Leg day refuel

Meal 4:

The salt-free deli turkey addiction continues.  Today I made little cucumber open-face sandwiches and topped them with avocado, red pepper flakes, and freshly ground pepper.

Turkey cucumber sandwiches

I mayyyyy have also done a little quality control for a cake I was baking.  This is my first attempt at gluten-free baking, so it had to be tested.  I made a mini confetti cake:

mini confetti cake

Meal 5:

You guys know my friend Kat who guest posts here every Thursday?  It was Kat’s birthday yesterday!  She had a potluck dinner at her place, so I enjoyed everyone’s home cooked dishes at dinner.  We had kale salad, roasted sweet potatoes, beet and orange salad, nuts, hummus, GF chips, and peanut M&Ms.  All the basic food groups.  And wine… heart health is important, you know. 😉

Plus cake.  Kat is gluten-free and requested a GF confetti cake.  I happily obliged and made a cake based on this recipe, plus some boozy hazelnut icing.

The flavor of the cake was awesome; it was just enough vanilla to have a distinct flavor.  I was especially happy that it remained moist.  However, the texture was a bit gummy.  Anyone know how to fix that?  Or is that just common in a GF cake? 

The icing was a win.  Nutty and creamy, it was just the thing against the vanilla cake.

Gluten Free Confetti Cake with Frangelico Frosting

Frangelico (Hazelnut) Frosting

  • 3 C confections sugar
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, room temperature
  • 4 T Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur)

Whip butter with electric (or hand) mixer until light and fluffy (~3-4 mins). Slowly add powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time  (adding slowly means it’s less grainy and requires less sugar to thicken).

When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, drizzle in the Frangelico and whip it until combined.  If this makes frosting too thin, add another tablespoon of powdered sugar.

Meal 6:

Ha!  There were no more meals.  I ate 5-7 at the party, and enjoyed celebrating with Kat!

How awesome are the photo bombers?!

Kat is guest posting again tomorrow – don’t forget to come back by and wish her a happy belated!  Teaser: I think her post is going to be related to the Ultra Marathon she ran last weekend!

Mexican Spaghetti Squash Pie

Mexican Spaghetti Squash Pie

  • 1 small spaghetti squash, pre-cooked (about 3.5 cups, easy microwave instructions here)
  • 1/2 C egg whites
  • 1/2 C fat-free ricotta cheese
  • 1 tsp dried cilantro 
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 8 oz. ground chicken
  • 1/4 C red onion, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 C salsa
  • 1/2 C black beans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and prepare a pie dish.

Stir together the spaghetti squash and egg whites.  Pour evenly into the pie dish as the crust (note: this will look too runny, but it isn’t – the egg will solidify in the oven).

Mix together the ricotta cheese, cilantro, cumin, and garlic powder.  Arrange evenly over the spaghetti mixture, leaving ~1/4 in space around the edge to preserve the “pie” look.

In a large pan, brown ground chicken with onion, jalapeno and garlic (can also use olive oil).  Add salsa and beans, allowing to cook over medium until warmed (~6-7 mins).

Evenly pour the chicken and sauce mixture on top of the ricotta layer in your pie dish.

Bake uncovered for ~45 mins, or until most of the “jiggle” is gone.

***

The protein count for the day: I don’t know… I definitely did well but I wasn’t about to measure everything at a birthday party.  Let’s just say my leg day was fueled.

We all like brinner (breakfast for dinner), but do you ever eat dinner for breakfast?

Do you ever make a “tester” when you try new recipes?

Marvelous Monday Meals

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Rainy Mondays can be hard.

 

Ok, always.  Rainy Mondays are always hard…

A few weeks ago I committed to making an effort to be more positive on this most glorious day of the week and joined the diva-licious Katie in her Marvelous in My Monday link up.  This week I need to get back on that train.

Marvelous Monday

What a better way to do it than recap some tasty food?  I’ve been eating good this past week, and I have a LOT to share.  This is a long one.  That’s what shai said.  Sorry… but not really. 😉

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To start it off, last Sunday my friend Kathleen and I went to an underground supper club hosted by Souper Jenny. she does these once or twice a year; the secret location and chef is announced the day before the event.

Our surprise chef was Omar Powell!  He is the Chef de Cuisine at my favorite Indian Restaurant, Cardamom Hill (a James Beard nominee!), yet he is Jamaican with a French culinary training.  I was beyond excited to see what he came up with!

Souper Jenny Underground Supper Club - Omar Powell

 

We arrived at the secret location (a local pasta shop, Storico Fresco) and were immediately blown away by the stunning table setting!

Before the meal, we had the chance to walk around a bit and I got in the professional photographer’s way snuck behind the counter to grab a shot of Chef Powell and Chef-Owner Asha Gomez discussing a dish.

 

The first course was a small treat that left me way too excited for the rest of the evening.  Soft farm eggs with ackee, cod, scallions, and bacon.  The flavors could have easily over-taken the egg, but they were perfectly balanced in the delicate shell.  There is nothing more fabulous than a perfectly cooked egg.

Soft Farm Eggs from Omar Powell

Next we were presented with a brown stewed chicken served over tun cornmeal, pickled onions, and fin herbs.

We questioned whether it was really chicken – I’ve never had a more rich, flavorful piece of chicken in my life.  This could have easily passed as a tender piece of red meat.  It doesn’t even look like chicken, does it?

I almost asked for seconds… and I did ask for the recipe!

Omar Powell's Brown Stewed Chicken

The third dish was a Jerked Pork served with yellow yam augratin, mango, papaya jam, and all spice oil.

The flavor combination in this dish was perfection.  The jerk was just the right amount of heat against the sweet fruit, and the creamy augratin.  Augratin can often be too rich for me, but this yam was restrained and didn’t take away from the other components.

Omar Powell Jerked Pork

This next dish was my favorite of the night.  I think… it’s hard to choose!  It was a oxtail agnolotii (agnolotii is a stuffed pasta, like ravioli) in a pumpkin soup laced with all spice and black pepper tulie.

I’m a huge oxtail fan, and the agnolotii did not disappoint.  However, what made this dish for me was the soup.  I admired his use of all spice here because it is one I’m timid with.  A little bit can go a long way.  The burst of it here gave a depth of flavor to the soup, allowing it to stand out against a big flavor like oxtail.

Oxtail Agnolotti by Omar Powell

Lastly, we enjoyed a sweet and savory dessert.  This was a cornmeal pone with comte cheese, “drops,” and thyme honey.

I had not heard of drops before.  Apparently they are a Jamaican street food candy.  It’s a sugar-glazed, chewy piece of coconut.  That sweetness with the thyme honey and the more savory pone and cheese was a storybook end to a memorable meal.  I’d like to say I was too stuffed to eat it all… but I ate mine and half of Kathleen’s.

#sorryimnotsorry

Cornmeal Pone by Omar Powell

Yes, I ate the flower too.

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I had another awesome meal with my mom last friday night.  We went to a family favorite, Everybody’s Pizza.

This place is one that will forever have a place in my heart.  They have been open since 1971 and this coming Tuesday is their last day in business.  My parents used to go on dates there in college, and later my dad would take me as a treat on Friday nights.

He’d tell me stories about what it was like “back on the day” when then had communal seating and tables of strangers would share pies and pitchers of beers.  We would eat an entire pizza and then polish off a giant order of bread pudding.  There are staving kids in Africa, right?

Everybody's Pizza

In honor of my dad, my mom and I had one last meal there.  We toasted my dad’s memory with beers and shared a  giant pizza.  Half cheeseless veggie, and half with extra feta cheese, portabello mushrooms, jalapenos, and meatballs.  And then a bread pudding.  We were only going to eat half… but you know that didn’t happen.  🙂

It was a great night sharing stories and eating one last meal at a local haunt.  Everybody’s, you will be sorely missed.

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What do you do the morning after carb-loading?  You take a trip up Stone Mountain!  Mom and I met up with my friend Kathleen the next morning for a hike up the mountain in the gorgeous spring weather.

They were great sports, cheering me on as I ran my sprints up the steep part.  They even joined in for a couple of rounds!

Where’s Waldo?

 

The refuel was classic.  Fro-yo from Yoforia for lunch!  Fruit, dairy, protein… I got chocolate and Irish cream flavors with kiwi, strawberries, pretzels and a Reese’s egg.  Is that not the BEST topping offering?!

This deliciousness fueled my trip to the gym for a killer shoulder and glute workout.  Sprints + glutes in the gym = one tired butt.

Yoforia

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Finally, on Sunday, I rounded out the marvelous with a day of softball.  My women’s softball team beat both male teams we played!

I think it was the lucky socks.

 

After the game we had a social, and I brough a St. Patrick’s Day treat for the team: Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes!!  These cupcakes are an annual request… they don’t have to twist my arm too hard to oblige. 😉

Irish Car Bomb

This is a fantastically indulgent cupcake.  The base is Guinness chocolate cake.  I fill them with Irish whiskey ganache and then ice them with an Irish cream frosting.

I’m too late to post a recipe for the holiday… but if you’re interested I may do a post later this week.  Let me know!

***

It was a bit of a gluttonous weekend, but coupled with a LOT of activity.  No regrets, but I’m really looking forward to getting back to normalcy this week!

Does your family have a nostalgia restaurant?  Is it still there?

What is making YOUR Monday marvelous today?

 

Quick Breakfast Bread Pudding + WIAW

By

Restaurants are banning food photography.

 

I’d leave if they told me I couldn’t take pics!

It seems like a weird thing to me.  I understand banning flash photography – that could be distracting to other diners – but a simple phone pic?  Instagram can HELP restaurants grow business.  If I post something tasty-looking and tag the restaurant, that’s free advertising for them!

I do think that if your dining companions are annoyed by your pics and having to wait to eat while you document everyone’s meal you should refrain.  Luckily, my friends are usually reminding me to take pics! 🙂

I would have hated to miss this pic from an underground dinner last Sunday… recap coming soon!

 

A restaurant group in Spain gets it.  According to this article, the group is actually hosting classes to teach patrons to take better iPhone pics.

The theory is that good pics make their food look better.  If they can get customers to post more delicious-looking pics, it only helps them.  Duh.

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We all know I can’t help but take pics of my meals.  It’s why I love WIAW.  This month Jenn is going green!

WIAW GOES GREEN

Check out my 7 veggie-laced, protein-filled meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how everyone else is green-ing up their food this month!

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Meal 1:

Predictably, I began my day with a cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos).

I wanted something different this morning.  Something with bread and eggs.  A little sweet, a little savory.  Something that felt fancy, but prepared quickly – I woke up hungry!  So I just started putting stuff together.

Breakfast Bread Pudding

 

It may not look pretty (brown food is IMPOSSIBLE!), but the result was pretty good, if I may say so!  It was a bread pudding, done in the microwave.  I used a bit of stevia, lots of cinnamon, and crumbled bacon to hit the sweet-savory craving.  Full recipe at the bottom of this post.

On the side I had a broiled grapefruit, which is incredibly easy but has a juicy, decadent feel.

Breakfast Bread Pudding and Broiled Grapefruit

 

Meal 2:

Today I have a surprise.  For once I did NOT eat salmon.  During my Sunday food prep, I baked a bunch of chicken with various spices.  This piece was coated in a Mexican spice blend.  I cut it into strips to heat, then topped it with avocado and strawberries.  Love the sweet and spicy combo!  Strange but good?

Mexican chicken, avocado, and strawberries

 

Meal 3:

Lunch was a post-workout meal.  I wanted to be festive, so I made my protein Shamrock Shake… with a twist.  Since I’d just had avocado at Meal 2, I used sweet potato to cream up my smoothie instead.  I also added cinnamon… because I put it in everything. 😉

Shamrock Smoothie Bowl

This thing was SO massive that I had to eat it in two rounds.  It wouldn’t all fit in my largest bowl!  Topped with Special K Popcorn Chips.  I am so glad they are now gone. I couldn’t stop eating them!

 

Meal 4:

I completely forgot I  had a whole pound of salt-free deli turkey!  This made for a happy snacker, as I had no idea what I was going to make.  In a bowl I shredded up the turkey and tossed it with beets and broccoli slaw.  Then I poured a quick sauce over it.

The sauce was just nutritional yeast, no-salt mustard, smoked paprika, coconut vinegar, and pepper.  I didn’t bother to measure.

Turkey Salad

 

Meal 5:

If I told you I hadn’t been thinking about this meal all day long, I’d be lying.  A tempeh-stuffed baked artichoke.  I crumbled the tempeh and mixed it with marinara sauce, fresh rosemary, and minced garlic.

Topped with a runny egg.  It took longer to bake than I’d hoped.  I should have started earlier, because I didn’t eat dinner until 8:45p.  And it could have baked a bit longer.  Whatever.  It was still good.  

Tempeh-stuffed Baked Artichoke

Leave it to me to take a vegan dish and top it with egg. 😉

 

Meal 6:

I was forcing this down.  After my late dinner I didn’t want meal 6, so I kept it light with some turkey and celery slices.  Yawn.

Turkey and celery

 

Meal 7:

Dessert is always my favorite meal… yet I have the HARDEST time figuring out what I want to eat sometimes!  I finally settled on my 150 Calorie Chocolate Microwave Cake, made with my Growing Naturals chocolate protein powder (purchased from iHerb – use code USO924 for a discount) and using carob powder in place of the cocoa powder.

Microwave protein cake and strawberries

This was  topped with warmed strawberries.  I heated the berries in the micro, mashed them up, and added a little ginger.  Also a scoop of cottage cheese, cacao nibs, and cinnamon.

It’s a bit early for strawberries… but oh-so-good to have them back in my life.  Is it spring yet?!

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Breakfast Bread Pudding

Breakfast Bread Pudding

  • 1 Ezekial english muffin (or other bread)
  • 1/4 piece bacon, crumbled
  • 1/2 C egg whites
  • 1/4 C unsweetened almond milk (or other liquid)
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp butter extract
  • 3-4 drops orange liquid stevia (or other sweetneer, to taste)
  • 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

 

Prepare a coffee mug (I coated mine with coconut oil).

Tear English muffin into bits and place in mug.  Crumble bacon over top.

In a small bowl, whisk or beat together egg whites, milk, chia seeds, spices, extracts, and sweetener until combined and a bit frothy.

Pour egg mixture over bread in mug, pressing down so bread is coated.

Microwave for 2:30-3 mins, until egg is cooked.

Enjoy!

***

The protein count for the day: 167.5g.  Rawr.

What are your thoughts on food picture-taking in restaurants?

Do you have a “dessert” every night?  What is your favorite?

 

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