Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Travel Meals, Roasted Wins, + Jillian Michaels

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Traveling to pretty locations is fabulous.

 

And then you come home…

Last week I was in Arizona at the Camel Back Inn with my mom.  You guys saw part of my travel meals Wednesday.  I made it – and I ate pretty well!  In fact, often I was more happy to be eating my food than the resort food!  That, the fact that I didn’t give in to the temptation of a tasty margarita in the desert sun… the overall sense of accomplishment… is carrying over today to make my Monday Marvelous.

Marvelous Monday

 

Breakfast was easy – oatmeal all doctored up with my delicious Growing Naturals protein and berries and cinnamon from the hotel.  I also asked for lots of lemon.

Best eaten with beautiful patio view!

Arizona breakfast

 

Some of my other meals are below: I took lots of fresh veggies, sweet potatoes, bison burgers, no-salt deli turkey, and baked chicken.  And my delicious greek yogurt dessert creations.

I was able to get plain salmon and brown rice from the hotel, which helped a lot.  I brought my own nutritional yeast, but remember you can always ask for seasonings – lemon, vinegar, red pepper flakes are my standard requests.

Travel meals

travel meals 2

Two favorites:  the cucumber-mint “mocktail” on the bottom right above was a fantastic refresher at the spa restaurant (See my mom in the background?  She was Instagramming her carrot-apple juice!).  My last meal (on the bottom right above) was on the airplane.  Sweet potato, turkey, and a fresh salad purchased at Wendy’s (surprisingly fresh and tasty!) in the airport before take off.

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Despite all the fun, it was nice to be home in my kitchen.  Saturday I got up and went to posing practice, followed by a killer leg day (seriously – SO SORE today).  After all my travels there was NO food at my house so I had a great time reloading at the farmer’s market.  Sea Bass must be in season because this was some of the best I’ve ever had.  Buttery, moist (sorry), and not at all fishy.

Served with sautéed shiitake mushrooms, spinach, eggplant, and edamame.

Sea Bass

 

I also roasted a kabocha squash with cocoa powder, cinnamon, and cayenne.  It sounds strange, but it is GOOD!

No real measurements… I just sprayed my squash with some coconut oil and tossed it together.  I roasted it at 350 until tender.

Kabocha Squash

 

Sunday was softball day.  We won the game… I slid into 2nd base at one point.  Maybe not the best decision 2 weeks before a competition because my knee got a little scraped up.

BUT I was safe.  And then I scored.

scraped up

 

That didn’t hurt nearly as bad as the split I did off 1st base to catch a ball.  Note to self: splits are not a good idea the day after heavy leg day.

I missed the second game because I had to shower off in order to meet a friend to see Jillian Michaels!!!  I still had to run my sprints, so I just ran them on the way to the show (about 2 miles away) instead of driving.  Haha.

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Jillian was good… but a lot of what she said I already knew.  Don’t eat crap.  If you want to lose weight, burn more calories than you eat.  It was refreshing to hear someone talk about the basics though.  No “special” diets.

The secret to being in shape is that there is NO SECRET!  Eat good, clean food.  Eat it in moderation.  Exercise.  Why can’t I get paid millions to tell people this?!

The best exercise

 

My favorite part was when she talked about exercise.  She called people out of their half-assed elliptical-while-reading-a-magazine workouts.

Raise your heart rate.  If it’s not high enough, move your ass faster.

Jillian Michaels in Atlanta

I also loved that she wore flip flops.

 

What really got me was what happened in the audience in front of us.  These two (obviously drunk) girls were there… which was funny at first that they were drunk at a fitness event.  It became un-funny when one of the girls PUKED.  I can’t even make this shit up.  

They were clearly old enough to know better.  They even looked pretty fit.  I was embarrassed for them.  Cheers to not being that girl.  Not that I ever puked in a nice theatre (or anywhere in public), but I have had my moments.  What I am grateful for – what is marvelous – is that I’ve gotten past that in my journey and am in a happy, healthy place.  one where I know I’ll wake up tomorrow without a headache and sore only from my workouts.

***

Before you think I didn’t rest at all, I did stay home Saturday night at watch Life of Pi.  It was ok… I liked Argo better.

Does anyone have a magic trick for healing a knee scrape quickly?

What is your favorite part about where you are right now in your journey?

 

Yes, I Got Through Security + WIAW

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Traveling doesn’t have to be hard.

 

Step 1: Choose your companions wisely.

I’m 3 weeks out from my next competition.  And I’m in Arizona this week.  Trying to get in 7 lean meals a day is NOT an easy thing to do on the road.  As I’ve described (in greater detail) before, I simply bring my own.

Healthy food to go

 

My diet changes this week mean no fat, no sodium, and a more limited list of fruits and veggies (to avoid bloating).  I packed enough food to eat 6 meals per day, and I carried it ALL on.  No checked bags.  The unplanned meal is one I can get at the spa restaurant where we’re staying (I called ahead).

And yes, you can make it through security with a lot of unmarked powders. 😉

Traveling with supplements

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We left after Meal 2 today, so 5 of my 7 WIAW meals were all eaten on the road.   It was actually fun!  This trip I rocked the desserts.  Hard core.

WIAWbutton

Check out my 7 low fast, 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:

My morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos).  This is the one thing I haven’t figured out on the road since ACV is a liquid and that won’t fly.  I savored my last one for the week.

Then I rocked a workout in one of my favorite race t-shirts in honor of Boston.  I was a sweaty mess for breakfast, which was a cherry PB & Jeggs… on top of a corn tortilla.  Not gonna lie, it would have been better on an english muffin.

Race tee for Boston + PB & Jeggs

 

Meal 2:

My last meal at home.  This was straight up awesome – the best sea bass I’ve ever made.  I don’t think it was my preparation so much as it was the freshness of the fish.  I guess they’re in season?!

For my side I had a quick salad of cherry tomatoes, raw zucchini, basil, red pepper flakes, and rice vinegar.

Sea Bass with tomato zucchini basil salad

 

Meal 3:

Lunch on a plane.  I packed up my version of a chopped salad – chicken baked in Ethiopian spices,  cauliflower, celery, celery leaves, and cubed sweet potato.

Chopped salad

 

Meal 4:

Bison on a plane!  With cauliflower and snow peas by the light of my laptop.

My mom was staring at me in disbelief.  She even said “I can’t believe you were the kid who wouldn’t eat anything but bologna every day.”  My, how times have changed… and she was jealous because all she’d had time for that day was a shake and a bar.  Bwhahaha!

Bison on a plane

 

Meal 5:

We were both famished when we reached the hotel.  Our room wasn’t ready, so we enjoyed dinner on the patio looking out at the mountains.

Arizona

 

I ordered a simple salad (that dressing wasn’t used) and then added my own no-salt turkey and a side of sweet potato.  I wanted to leave the ‘tater on the foil… I thought it was funny… but Mom got embarrassed and told me to put it on the plate.  LOL!

Bring your own protein and sweet potato to restaurants!

 

Meal 6:

We went for a long walk and checked out the spa (where I’ll be all day – OMG their gym is NICE).  On the way back we swung by one of the restaurants at the property where I obtained a plate and silverware.  Eating out of a baggie isn’t the end of the world, but if you can have a real plate… well, that’s just better.

Mexican baked chicken with cauliflower and snow peas.  I had cauliflower to use, can you tell? 😉

Baked chicken

 

Meal 7:

This is part of my dessert creation success.  I took individual containers of non-fat Greek yogurt and mixed them with oats, a fruit, and various flavors.  Then I cover them in foil and place them in the freezer.  This way, when I pack them, they also act as an ice pack for my other food.

Fro-yo to go

 

Tonight’s selection was mashed blackberries, cinnamon, stevia, and cocoa powder.

Just as good as the creations I make at home, my friends!

Cocoa-Blackberry Healthy Fro-yo

***

Sitting on that patio at dinner in that dessert spa atmosphere I wanted a margarita so bad.  I texted my trainer to beg.  He said no and that I would appreciate it on competition day.  He’s right… but damn.

Did you #workitout for Boston yesterday?

Have you ever whipped out your own food at a restaurant?  I’m shameless.

 

Strange But Good: Indian Spiced Bison Burgers

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My sister is vacationing in India.

 

She won’t let any of us forget it.  I’m not jealous.  I don’t need a vaca…

I would say I made the burgers I’m sharing today in her honor… but really I was inspired after seeing Madelyn’s recipe.  Before I start, a note: I realize this is a meat-centric post and many of you don’t eat meat… these flavors/ideas would also work well with tempeh, lentils, beans, or soy meat crumbles.

The burgers themselves aren’t so strange (other than the fact that I’m confident there are no bison in India), but I think what I did with them might qualify.  I wanted pizza.  Bison is sort of like sausage.  Bison for breakfast… why not?  Sometimes I feel like this in the morning:

bison

 

He doesn’t look so nice, but I wanted a hit of sweetness (read: fruit) with this creation.  I decided mango was a perfectly acceptable topping.  It works really well with Indian spices and provided a little cooling effect against all the extra red pepper flakes I added.

A corn tortilla made for a delicious, crispy crust.  And it’s fast – there is no way I’m making dough before noon!

 

Mango Bison Pizza

Mango Bison Breakfast Pizza

  • 1 corn tortilla
  • Tomato sauce*
  • Bison burger
  • Spinach, steamed
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Mango
  • Basil

 

Spread the sauce across your tortilla and add toppings.  Place under broil for 5-7 mins, watching closely.

Remove and enjoy!

 

*The sauce might be the strangest part to some of you.  I mixed fire-roasted tomatoes with nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and cinnamon.  Yes cinnamon.  It’s awesome with tomatoes.

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Or how about crumbling a perfectly good, already cooked bison burger and using it to stuff a kabocha squash?  With coconut milk.  And curry leaves.

Curry leaves do not taste like curry powder.  They are actually a little bitter and have a hint of lime to them.  More on that when I post the curry recipe I promised on Instagram Tuesday. 😉

Indian bison stuffed squash

 

I roasted half a kabocha while I prepped my green stuffings.  This was an important distraction step for me because I am normally way to impatient to wait for a squash to roast.

I had to add the coconut and some Indian spices to go with the burger.  So glad I did because this won the prize for meal of the week!

 

indian bison stuffed squash

Indian Bison Stuffed Squash

  • 1/2 kabocha squash
  • 1/4 in pieces fresh ginger, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • 1 C broccolini
  • 3 Brussels sprouts
  • 1/2 carrot
  • 8 curry leaves (optional)
  • 1 T coconut milk
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala
  • Red pepper flakes and pepper, to taste
  • 1 bison burger (recipe below)

 

Place the kabocha in the oven to roast at 400 degrees for about 20 mins, or until tender.

Meanwhile, saute the veggies, adding the coconut milk, ACV, and spices at the end to preserve the moisture.

Crumble the burger and toss with the veggies.  Remove squash from over and stuff with your mixture.

Place the stuffed squash back in the over to bake for 10 mins.

Devour.

 

At the end of the day… I wonder to myself why I make burgers if I’m just going to crumble them.  It is a little strange.  Then I remember and important lesson: don’t question a good thing.

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Indian Spiced Bison Burgers

Indian Spiced Bison Burgers

  • 1/2 lb ground bison (or sub in your protein of choice)
  • 2 T cilantro, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp dry mustard

 

Mix everything together and divide into patties.

Cook in a pan over medium heat for 3-4 mins on each side, or until desired temperature is reached.

Allow to cool slightly so the juices soak in before you dig in.

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Who else has enjoyed making co-workers, friend, 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 got lazy this week and took all my pics with my iPhone. #sorryimnotsorry

Have you ever eaten bison?  Do you like it or ground beef better?

Do you prefer using a smart phone or a "real" camera?

 

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? 

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? 

Mexican Spaghetti Squash Pie + WIAW

By

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?

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.

________________________________________________________________________________________

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!

________________________________________________________________________________________

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?!

_______________________________________________________________________________________

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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