My Figure Delay + WIAW

February 20, 2013 By Laura

Knowing when to hold off is important.

But I really hate it.

Yesterday I did a leg session with my trainer (I am walking like a granny today). I was going to do my next figure competition in March, just 4 weeks from now. We talked about my progress and decided to delay .

This is why:

My upper body has filled out a lot. Shoulders are wider, back more developed… he actually said my upper body is competition-ready now. BUT do you see my butt? It’s not catching up. ~~Why, oh why doesn’t chocolate cake go straight to my butt and legs?~~

So we made the call to hold off until May to give me more time to grow so that I can present better in a couple more months. We’ll be going super heavy, making some TBD diet changes, and focusing more on my rear. The diets changes I had made (mostly more fat) have been good, but the gains haven’t been quite to the point we need.

I’m disappointed. My bum bums me out… but I know my trainer is right. 🙁

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In happier news, I finally have a WIAW post where I got to eat at home! I don’t really mind being on the road, but not eating out of a baggie is a welcome change.

Check out my 7 home-cooked meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how others dined this week!

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Meal 1:

I’m still loving my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos).

30 mins later I made my new favorite breakfast: toasted Ezekial English muffin with some warmed no-salt deli turkey, nutritional yeast sauce, and a runny egg. I ate it with a side of sweet lime. Sweet lime = Strange But Good.

Savory Nooch Sauce

1 T nutritional yeast
Apple cider vinegar
Cumin
Cayenne
Liquid smoke
Pinch of xanthan gum (to thicken)

Meal 2:

I really love having salmon with fruit for meal 2. Today I ate it with my sweet lime, raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds), basil, and a little cayenne. Sweet lime really is amazing – like a mild orange.

Meal 3:

Lunch was post-workout, so it was a Carrot Cake Whey creation. This is one of my go-tos. I love carrots.

Carrot Cake Whey

1 scoop vanilla whey protein
1 carrot, grated
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 C greek yogurt
1/4 C raw oatmeal
Enough water to mix

Then I decided I deserved a little treat – kombucha! I drank it in the car with the moon roof open. I’m loving being home where it’s 60 degrees and sunny by lunch! I re-set my HRM post-workout to catch the leg day after-burn. 125 cals in the hour following my workout!

Meal 4:

After talking to my trainer, we are going to be looking at keeping the fats high. This way I can shovel in more calories without being too stuffed to want to eat (which is what happened when we tried to drastically increase carbs). This is the fun part! I made bison burgers… cooked with bacon.

The bottle in the background is Robbie’s sugar-free, low-sodium BBQ sauce I found at Whole Foods. I’d made my own before my first competition, but when I saw this I had to try it. I like mine better, but this wasn’t bad!

Eaten with cucumber slices and some unpictured hummus

Meal 5-7:

That’s not a typo – this was like 3 meals in one. I had dinner at Lure with local bloggers and friends, Beth and Amy. I love these girls – we laughed through the entire meal.

When we sat down we were gifted with a giant punch bowl from the owner. It was some sort of apple cider and rum concoction, and it was absolutely fabulous. ~~We must be getting old, because we actually couldn’t finish it all.~~

For my app I ordered brussels. It’s actually a side item, but it sounded so good. Roasted brussels with grapes, pumpkin seeds, and lemon aioli. I loved the flavor together, but the aioli was so rich that I only finished half (it was a HUGE serving!). There was some (unpictured) sesame bread involved too.

Dinner was a delicious grilled Arctic Char fillet coated in berbere spice served with young carrots and farro verde. I almost licked my plate… but saved a little room for dessert. A chocolate and peanut butter mousse cake. It was so good I forgot to take a pic until we’d eaten all but 2 bites of the slice. Bad blogger.

***

The protein count for the day: 150.1g. I think… you never know with restaurant meals. Either way, I sufficiently refueled after a brutal leg day.

Have you ever had to take a step back to perform even better in the long run?

Do you enjoy traditionally savory foods with a pop of sweet from fruit? It’s a favorite Strange But Good in my kitchen!

Awareness in the Long Run + Sweet Potato-Pecan Mac N Cheese

February 7, 2013 By Laura

I know I’ve already complained…

But it’s really flippin’ cold.

Honestly, it isn’t TERRIBLE. I have a lot to be happy about. I made it through security with my questionable stash, had a productive day at my client’s office, and had a bangin’ workout.

Hotel workout

Not too shabby for a hotel gym that only had dumbbells, eh? I sure was happy to have a homemade chicken burger, celery, and snow peas waiting for me in the room after that burn.

I was also happy to have my Pop Snax. You can find these in the children’s food aisle at Whole Foods. Don’t judge! Kid food travels well and is typically low in sodium and sugar!

Pop Snax

Even better? When I asked an employee if she’d tried them before, she said she hadn’t but that I could try them for FREE. She game me the whole container. Yet another reason I ♥ that place.

Enough about me and my random foods. Kat is back this week with an amazing San Fran trip recap, and some serious mac ‘n cheese food porn.

Heeeeere’s Kat!

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There are so many ways to be self-aware. I think it’s increasingly natural for many of us to be aware of our food and what we put into our bodies, and we are generally aware of our basic needs and desires. For example… You could be aware of whether or not you are cat person or if you are more like a cat. Laura and I both feel that the following photo describes both of us (Editor’s note: Me? Never… HA!):

Okay, okay, really I was trying to find a way to fit this in!

But I’m talking about a different kind of awareness…the kind where you have to pay attention… to yourself.

Instead of looking at what others are doing or saying and judging them, looking at yourself and wondering why you feel that way about something said or done or the situation you are in. Then, don’t judge it or try to change it. Just accept it. Whether you’re happy, sad, or in pain from a work out (or something in life), it’s okay to accept it.

I started another 30-day yoga challenge on Saturday. It was a spur of the moment decision, but I’m ready to make some changes. What changes, you ask!? Well, I’m not even sure I know. I just know that I feel ready to change even more for the better, keeping with my New Year’s theme of taking crap off my plate to enhance the quality of what I do take on.

Yoga makes me run smoother, love better, and enjoy life.

I want to be more aware of the way I respond to other people and situations and why. I want to be more aware of my stressors and triggers that throw me into a mood, a frenzy, or some other state of discomfort. I want to listen to my body’s needs and desires in a new way. Yoga really helps me to concentrate on feelings that flow naturally and become more aware of them.

My goal in all this is to learn to love myself and my life more. I think my new “awareness” will help me to be more understanding, forgiving, and loving – of myself and others – in a unique new way. In the physical long runs and in the long run of life, awareness leads to growth – physical, mental, emotional. My theory? This is how to live a long and fulfilling life.

Now… onto some PHYSICAL and FOOD! Because I also personally think a good life is also when you get to spend as much time as possible outside being active and enjoying good food! (Editor’s note; AMEN to that!)

Recap 1!

RECAP!

I had some good times with old friends and acquaintances, we went to Napa and I got to visit Sullivan Vineyards (that Laura recommended) and joined the wine club, saw the Golden Gate from the overlook in Sausalito at night, explored the whole city on foot, did a trail race, had a picnic at Cowgirl Creamery (Editor’s note: No you didn’t! Lucky!!!), did more exploring, and rode on an old school cable car. The trail run was the most beautiful, and the steepest I have ever done.

The SteepRavine was the steepest and hardest, but also the most beautiful trail run I have ever done! It was a HUGE race. I chose the 25K distance. But… well…. as I told Laura and some other bloggers last week, I went off course, and ended up running an extra couple of miles. Oops!! But you can’t really be upset about that when it was THAT beautiful! (Editor’s note: You probably did it on purpose ;))

CHECK OUT THE VIEWS!!!!!!

Some of the most inspiring moments in the race showed up when you least expected them. I really paid attention to my body. I had to stop and adjust my food. It was freezing, and then hot, and then freezing. But I got to meet a lot of cool people out there, one of whom told me that you usually can’t see so far because it’s too foggy. Boy did I luck out!

My friends Sara and Jenny were kind enough to drive me out there and wait on me while I finished. And then we had an amazing little picnic afterwards. They really made my trip enjoyable. They were spectacular hosts who made me feel at home. The way they made me feel comfortable, made me feel calm, safe, and happy. Definitely good! They also helped me with my itinerary for my last day, where I got to visit the Ferry Building! CHECK OUT ALL THESE COOL LOCAL SAN FRANCISCO GOODS!

Cowgirl Creamery after the Race!

Ferry Building

I came back feeling extremely food inspired. Jenny and Sara took me to a place called Homeroom Mac and Cheese. Yes, that’s what they make! They specialize in Mac N Cheese!!!! Check out their menu! It’s inventive and awesome. I took a spin on it and created two of my own last Friday. I made a Sweet Potato Pecan Baked Mac n Cheese and a Tomato Basil Pesto Baked Mac n Cheese.

I personally liked the sweet potato better, so I HAVE to share this recipe. ~~Let’s pretend I actually measured most of this!~~

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Sweet Potato-Pecan Baked Mac ‘n Cheese

1 egg (tofu would work)
1 ½ C milk or milk substitute (I used coconut milk!)
¼ C fat-free sour cream (or substitute)
~2 T brown rice flour
~2 T butter
8-10 oz of Gluten Free Elbow Macaroni Noodles
CHEESE – LOTS OF GRATED CHEESE! (please grate your own… it DOES make a difference) – I used 1 C Cheddar, ¼ cup fontina, and ¼ cup smoked gouda
1 sweet potato
Pecans to top
Salt and pepper to taste (and a little cayenne)

Pre-heat oven to 375. Prepare an 8×8 pan for the mac.

Cube your sweet potato into roughly ¾ inch cubes and spread out on a baking sheet. Place in oven. I did not season or oil – plenty of seasoning and oils from the rest of the meal!

Boil noodles according to package instructions. Make them al dente; don’t over-cook. Strain, rinse with cold water. Strain again. Set aside.

Now the yummy part! Take your butter and flour and mix together in a sauce pan over medium heat. USE A WHISK! This makes a delicious roux. Don’t let it get TOO brown, but you want to do this for a good base flavor.

Reduce the heat to medium low, add milk, and mix until combined. Wait a minute for the temperature to drop because you don’t want your egg to cook! Keep whisking.

Start slowly adding your cheese. You could add even more than I recommended. Add all but ¼ cup of the cheddar (reserve that for the topping).

Once all the cheese is good and mixed in, you should begin to feel excited, very excited about the creamy delectableness. Add salt and pepper and a bit of cayenne, if desired. Paprika or cinnamon would also be good here. Taste it. Make sure it tastes good. This is an important step people – do NOT skip it! Whisk again.

Pull the sweet potatoes out of the oven. You want them to still be pretty firm, like the texture of an apple. Add the sweet potatoes AND the noodles to the sauce deliciousness. Mix up. Put in 8×8 baking dish.

Sprinkle the reserved cheddar on top and about ¼ to ½ cup of pecans – however many you like!

Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes.

Note: When you pull it out, it WILL BE JIGGLY! That’s okay – it’s because it’s creamy. Wait 5-10 minutes then serve and devour!

Please be sure to invite friends. (Editor’s note: I didn’t receive an invite. I demand an invite. De-Mand.) This will keep you from eating the whole pan in one sitting by yourself. Your friends will never forgive you for making them the best mac n cheese of their lives. Also serve with veggies.

I didn’t get many good pictures because I had people over and we dove in too fast… SORRY!

-Kat

***

Oh Kat… why must she make me drool from my hotel room? Whatever. I have more fro-yo for dessert. 24 degree temps, be damned.

Have you ever been inspired by something you ate at a restaurant, and then liked yours better?

How often do you pay attention to YOURSELF?

Blends, Friends, and Food

November 16, 2012 By Laura

Regular people don’t think about food pairings all day.

This still baffles me.

When you find those friends who understand you, it’s like the skies part and angels descended from heaven on golden beams. Mmmm… angel food cake with caramel…

Last weekend Allie was coming back ATL to train, and Heather decided to come along for the ride. I was MORE than excited to have weekend pancakes straight from the Pancake Queen herself (I swear that’s not the only reason I invited her).

Heather, Me, and Allie (photo courtesy Heather)

We lived it up! After they arrived ~~and I burned homemade pop-tarts in the oven~~, we headed to my favorite underground supper club, Push Start Kitchen. If you are ever anywhere near Atlanta, try to get a seat at Zach and Christina’s table (literally – the dinner’s are in their home). It will be a meal you’ll never forget.

We started with masa sticks and tomato aioli, and a warming beverage of dark rum, lemon, simple syrup, and black tea. Normally I’m not a masa fan. It is often dry and flavorless Of course, Zach is a champion masa-maker. These were perfectly crisp on the outside while remaining moist inside.

The Menu (Photo courtesy Heather)

Then we took seat at the table and were fed like royalty. The first course – bacon-apple fritters – was my favorite. Their richness was perfectly balanced by the pickled apple and licorice-y fennel. I could eat this all-day every day.

Everything was incredible, but I have to take my hat off to Zach’s baking skills. The coffee tres leches was the best I’ve ever had. It even tops the plain tres leches he makes. Served with Evan Williams ice cream, candies macadamias, and chili-laced chocolate sauce… I was a bit weepy when it was gone. I managed to keep it classy. ~~I blame the wine pairings.~~

With eating adventure #1 completed, I went to bed full… but had dreams of breakfast. Pancakes. Even though she was my guest, I asked Heather to make breakfast. How could I not when she makes my tummy rumble every week with her giant stacks?

Heather keeping the ‘cakes warmed in the oven

Snickerdoodle Pancakes. With an array of topping options, from syrups to NuttZo.

Here’s the recipe on Heather’s blog. I’d advise you to make a double batch. They are THAT good.

Having filled up on bacon and steak the night before, the obvious next move was to hit up Atlanta Veg Fest, a vegan festival. We came, we saw, we sampled. Basically, I ate vegan deli meat (Dough Bakery, you rock!), chips, vegan cheese, and an amazing peanut butter ice cream for lunch:

Are you full yet? We walked it out all afternoon in one of my favorite neighborhoods followed by a trip to the legendary giant farmer’s market. By dinnertime I was hungry again! Allie was feeling in a funk so she opted to rest up at my place while Heather and I hung out in at Barcelona Wine Bar.

Clockwise from the top left: Grilled okra in chorizo oil (I found a way to like okra!), Red Snapper and shrimp ceviche, caramelized brussel sprouts (bacon, shallots, and thyme… SO good) and grilled hangar steak with black truffle sauce (perfectly rare), and Idiazabal cheese with grapes and quince jam.

(There was also a complimentary flan involved, thanks to the bartender having a teensy crush on Heather. You can read all about that in her review. 🙂 )

Once again happy and full, we returned to my place where we stayed up too late chatting and ogling desserts on Pinterest. Typical bloggers… LOL!

You’d think we were done eating, but we had one more stop on the way out of town: Dulce Vegan.

It was a momentous occasion: Heather fell in love with Cholula sauce. It was the perfect amount of heat added to their creamy butternut squash soup. I must have the heat to balance the sweet… which is why I developed my Butternut-Apple Soup recipe.

We also split a TLT (tempeh, lettuce, and tomato) sandwich and a fennel-apple slaw. The slaw wasn’t my favorite, but the way they spiced up the tempeh on that sandwich hit the spot.

We were so sad to say good-bye. The whole weekend was a blast. I even learned new tricks! Heather taught me about whisking eggs to make pancakes fluffier, and about the glories of Pic Monkey (which I employed in Monday’s post). I wish we lived closer so we could do this every weekend!

BUT – speaking of every weekend – I’m doing it again this weekend! I’m hopping a plane for Colorado to visit former Georgian Heather and her hubby. They are graciously letting my crash their new place and tag a long for a Turkey Week ski trip. And a 5K. In the cold. How did I get roped into this? 😉

The icing on the cake is that Lauren and her hubby will be there for some of the visit too! It’s going to be a mini Blend reunion! (Lauren, why don’t I have a pic of us?!)

***

Next week I have some amazing guest posts lined up… and there will be a break for Thanksgiving. I hope everyone takes some time to unplug and appreciate the world out from behind the computer screen. 🙂

Do you ever get to hang out with bloggers in “real life?”

Do you have your Thanksgiving menu planned yet? I have no idea what we’ll be eating… but it better be warm after that 5K!

My Last Supper

October 22, 2012 By Laura

I can be so predictable.

If only my life could be predictable…

Allie was in town this weekend for a training session with my trainer… excuse me… OUR trainer. 🙂

She came in Friday night and since we are on the same nutrition plan (minus the sodium restriction for her) so I volunteered to make dinner. Obviously, I made cauliflower crust pizza.

We had a little pizza-topping party. Allie’s (in the back) had a veggie burger and asparagus. Mine (in the front) had tomato sauce, sauteed kale and red pepper, butternut squash, and chicken.

And then we went to Whole ~~paycheck~~ Foods where we bought pumpkin hummus. I also got a kombucha on tap. Typical bloggers.

When we got back home I made PB & Ceggs (Peanut Butter & Carrot Eggs – the vegan tofu version). I won’t bore you with yet another pic of those.

The next day we woke up and I had what will probably be my last runny egg before my competition before we headed to the gym for a leg session and posing practice. Obviously, we were armed with a cooler of smoothies, proteins, and veggies.

This was the most predictable 24 hours 2 bloggers could have. And it was a BLAST.

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The unpredictable was just as fun. We trekked up the highway to my hair stylist, Karen at Lava Hair Studio (I drive an hour to see her – that’s dedication). Allie got a trim too – how cute are those blunt edges?! Karen decided brown with red undertones were the way to go for the show – I have NO vision; I always ask her to do whatever she think would be cool. I think she made the perfect color choice!

Annnnnd… then we had my last supper. Last cheat supper, that is. Allie and I met new guest blogger Kat at STG Trattoria,

We started with a bruschetta of butternut squash, ricotta, and arugula. It was supposed to have cashews but they didn’t make it on our plate. It was good… but the added crunch and richness of cashews would have made it better.

For our main, Allie and I split a pizza. Yes, more pizza. This was an Italian-style crust and was topped with ricotta salatta, sweet onion, mint, and lamb sausage (Allie ordered her half sans lamb). The lamb sausage was was flavorful without being over-powering or greasy. I loved the char on the crust; however, the middle was a big soggy. It was a solid effort. You better believe there wasn’t a crumb left!

Of course, I couldn’t pass up one last dessert. Our chocolate mousse was topped with whipped ricotta, macerated strawberries, sea salt, and olive oil. This may have been my favorite part of the meal – the mousse was dark, letting the strawberries provide much of the sweetness. The olive oil and sea salt on top was absolutely perfection. I love a dessert that is rich without being painfully sweet.

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Workout Recap

I’m starting to freak out ~~a little~~. Watching other people prep, I never understood why they were so obsessive and worrying over every little detail… and then I woke up Sunday morning feeling guilty about the last cheat meal and began reading every body building forum I could find. My abs are not wonderful. They have always been my most-hated body part. I blame genetics and a really short torso.

After talking myself off the ledge, I went to the gym and had a great workout. Apparently 100 daily (assisted) pull-ups develop the muscle under your arms as well as your back. Excuse the bewildered look. It was a tough arm day.

Workout Recap (10/15 – 10/19):

Monday – Shoulders/Glutes, 1 mile incline walk 100 pull ups
Tuesday – Chest/Bis, 100 pull ups, Calf raises, 1.25 mile incline walk
Wednesday – Shoulders/Glutes, 1 mile walk 100 pull ups
Thursday – REST, 100 push ups
Friday – Back/Tris, (180 pull-ups were part of the workout), Calf raises
Saturday – Legs (with trainer)
Sunday – Chest/Bis, 100 pull ups, Calf raises

***

OMGOMGOMG… less than 2 weeks!!! I bought my bling this weekend too. 🙂

Are you loyal to a hair stylist?

What would your last cheat meal be?

A Taste of Atlanta

October 8, 2012 By Laura

Bloggers make the best house guests.

This weekend my girl Allie @ Forgotten Beast came to Atlanta for a visit and to train with my trainer, Steve, at House of Payne. Allie is also training for a figure competition. She definitely lives up to her blog name – girl is a BEAST!

Steve made us strike a pose for a post-training mug shot:

We trained, we had posing practice… and then we ate our way through Atlanta.

Allie eats a plant-based diet, so I knew I had to take her to one of my favorite vegan places in town, Dough Bakery. We split the “egg and bacon” biscuit above along with some vegan soft-serve before walking around one of Atlanta’s funkier neighborhoods (Little 5 Points).

For dinner we hit up Cakes & Ale where we split basically half of the menu ~~and took pictures of it~~. All tasty, but our favorite was the brie, and marinated greens with walnut croutons. Our second favorite was the absolutely fabulous staff (Hi William!). We rounded out the night with a craft beer from Brick Store Pub. Allie is a fan of the craft, and this place has a beer menu that reads like fine dining restaurant’s wine list.

We stayed up too late chatting and eating the remainder of my S’more Bars. It was awesome. ~~And I begged her to move to ATL.~~

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The next day we continued to eat our way through Atlanta. It was the day of my cooking demo at Taste of Atlanta!

I was terrified, but SO glad to have Allie there for moral support. My friend Kathleen also came; it means so much to have friends there when you jump so far outside your comfort zone. You guys were also so great with the encouraging comments and tweets this weekend!

There wasn’t a huge crowd, but there were spectators that weren’t my friends. I thought when they said they’d provide 2 burners that it would be little stop top… notssomuch. It was a Bunsen burner. Between that and the wind, the Butternut Squash-Apple Soup took what felt like forever to make. Just browning the garlic took 10 mins.

The view from the stage during set up

Overall, it did go well. The burner eventually warmed up (thank you to the amazing volunteers who helped get it going), and I was able to prove that this is a soup you could make on a campsite. 🙂

I did have an amateur fail: I was so flustered by the end that I forgot to add the turmeric. Thank god Sweetwater Growers’ infused olive oil and fresh herbs were so flavorful the soup still tasted good.

Thank you to Scott and Sweetwater Growers for asking me to demo my recipe using their Red Pepper-infused olive oil.

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Workout Recap

Last week I mentioned we added 100 pull ups (assisted ) to my daily routine. I did them most days… travel and long workouts threw me off a little. My goal this week is to buy a pull up bar so it’s easier for me to get them done each and every day.

But that’s not as exciting as posing pics, right? Yes, I asked permission before plastering Allie’s ass on the internet.

Workout Recap (10/1 – 10/7):

Monday – Shoulders/Glutes, Calf raises, 100 pull-ups, 1 mile walk
Tuesday – Chest/Bis, 100 pull ups, 2 mile walk
Wednesday – Legs (w/ trainer), 2 mile walk
Thursday – Back/Tris, 100 pull-ups
Friday – Rest, 100 PUs, 1.5 mile walk
Saturday – Legs (with Trainer), 2 mile walk
Sunday – Rest, 2 mile walk

***

I’m 4 weeks out from my competition… the diet is getting crazier. More on that and a new fitness feature tomorrow!

When was the last time you had to go outside your comfort zone?

Have you ever met your “online” friends in real life?

Maple Bacon Pancake Cookies

September 10, 2012 By Laura

Cheating gets a bad wrap.

Cheat day, that is. That cheatin’ man doesn’t deserve a second look.

This cheat day weekend was a little spread out… but I had trainer-blessings in my quest to gain more weight.

Saturday was Take Your Mom to the Gym Day. This Saturday Mom joined me at my gym for a workout, and scheduled time with my trainer to being a program of her own. Mother-Daughter Beast Mode = ON.

Mamma has gotten on pain relief (she was sidelined for a long time after a bad surgery), and has decided to refocus on fitness and building muscle. I am SO proud of her!

After out workout we headed to Buford Highway, Atlanta’s ethnic food mecca, for a refuel. Korean BBQ at Hae Woon Dae (5805 Buford Hwy., Doraville, GA 30340, 770-451-7957). If you’re in ATL, I highly recommend it – don’t be scared by the fact that you practically have to turn into a “Gentleman’s Club” to get there.

If you’ve never experienced an authentic Korean BBQ meal, I cannot recommend it enough. They cook the meat over charcoal at your table (they also have tofu), and serve it with a boat-load of tasty sides like cabbage kimchi, cucumber kimchi, pickled radishes, sprouts, lettuce, and soy bean paste. Also, don’t skip the Korean pancakes. The egg and flour-based pancakes are traditionally laced with scallions, but often include other add-ins. Ours also contained carrots, zucchini, and kimchi.

Sunday my friends Summer and Annette had a baby shower celebrating the impending arrival of TWINS!

I had the honor of creating a few desserts… I may have gotten a little carried away with the baking, but it is fun to cut loose and get creative with the full-fat sugar-loaded treats every once in a while.

If you follow me on Instragram, you may have seen this shot of my grocery basket on Friday night:

You may have also seen the following scene as I cooked. This is what happens when you’re frying bacon, creaming ~~an obscene amount of~~ butter and sugar, and it’s time for your 20g of protein (yup – that’s salmon).

The bacon and the creamed deliciousness were for 2 things that I could eat 24×7 and never tire of (though my waist line may say otherwise): Maple Bacon Pancake Cookies and Banana S’More Nut Bars.

These S’more Bars are the best I’ve ever had. I only wish I could take credit for the recipe! They are the ingenious work of Eric Wolitzky from Cake & Ale in Decatur, GA.

The restaurant serves some of the best food in Atlanta (they are responsible for getting me to like seafood), but their bakery was recently recognized by Bon Appetite as one of the best in America.

The only liberties I took were to replace the milk chocolate with dark, use plain peanuts instead of salted, and toast the marshmallows before mixing them into the fudge-y chocolate-banana-peanut butter fudge. Next time you have the occasion to go all-out with a dessert, MAKE THIS. Click here for the full recipe.

Creation #2 was my own. A pancake in cookie form. It’s like breakfast for dessert. I cooked bacon for the first time in years (I’m not actually a bacon fanatic as this post would indicate). The only downside is that my condo STILL smells like bacon. 🙂

Maple syrup is a must with pancakes, so I added extract to mine to acheive that deep sweetness. I wasn’t sure I’d want to add anything else, as bacon is potent stuff… but I decided to stir in some dark chocolate chips. What’s better that chocolate chip pancakes?

Sweet, salty and indulgently amazing, these chewy cookies are fit for any cheat day. I’d say my trainer agrees since his sample were gone almost as fast as I could hand him the baggie.

Recipe at the bottom.

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First we need to recap what I did to EARN that incredible day of cheats! No huge news to recap this week. It was a good week of workouts, and I’m excited to keep seeing gains as I keep pushing and amp up the protein.

I don’t ever get to see my back, so I recruited Mom to take a pic while we were at the gym this weekend:

Workout Recap (9/4 – 9/9):

Tuesday – Shoulders/Butt, 1.5 mile walk
Wednesday – Chest/Biceps, Calf raises, 100 push-ups
Thursday – Legs (with trainer), 2 mile walk
Friday – Back/Triceps, Calf raises
Saturday – Shoulders/Butt
Sunday – Chest/Biceps, Calves

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Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancake Cookies

1/2 C butter, softened
1 1/3 C granulated sugar
2 Large eggs
2 C pancake mix
1 tsp maple extract
12 oz bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/3 C dark chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar together in large mixing bowl. Beat in egg and maple extract, mixing well.

Slowly stir in pancake mix. Fold in the crumbled bacon and chocolate chips.

Drop by the spoonful (~1.5 T) onto parchment-lined cookie sheets and bake for 12 mins.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

***

Back on track! I’m determined to make this the cleanest week ever, and to keep increasing my weight.

What is your favorite “cheat?”

Have you ever had Korean BBQ?

The Lawrence + P28 Giveaway Winner

August 10, 2012 By Laura

Last Saturday’s cheat day adventures didn’t end with vegan soft serve.

I met up with Lee @ In My Tummy and her husband, Jason for dinner. Lee and I have been talking about checking out The Lawrence (905 Juniper St., Atlanta, GA 30309, 404.961.717) since it opened. A few months later… we finally made it!

We studied the menu, strategizing our order. The menu is separated into small, medium, and larger plates. The smalls are tapas-sized, mediums contain 3-4 ounces of a protein, and the larges are 6-7 ounces of protein. We settled on sharing a few small and medium plates.

First, a gift from the kitchen:

Our amuse bouche was a spoon of sweet corn soup with a bit of smoked trout and parsley. This may sound weird, but I really appreciated the touch of green to balance the sweet and smoky flavors. Maybe I’m just a big fan of greens.

Our first small plate was actually quite large. This plate of grilled summer squash was served with tarragon, maldon salt, and garlic oil. The squashes were cut into thick wedges, which meant that there was still a good crunch to the center.

My favorite of the smalls was this Salt & Pepper Tofu. Lee’s husband commented that it tasted a little lick chicken. The chef had soaked it in a rice vinegar and coated it in rice flour to dry fry. It was served with spicy radish slices, cilantro, and Serrano pepper. I would go back for this dish alone.

Have you ever heard of dry frying? I wasn’t familiar with the term so I googled it and found this article. Exactly how it sounds! I’ll be recreating this delicious meal soon.

The last small was good, but somewhat unremarkable. Thin slices of Cremini mushrooms were tossed with artichokes, arugula, and a herb-lemon vinaigrette. It wasn’t bad, just not special. I’d try something different next time.

Our mediums were excellent. We had the seared Black Bass. It was served with baby eggplant, confit potato, carrot, and tomato compote – a sort of deconstructed ratatouille. I never think to serve a rich tomato sauce with fish, but I loved the flavors together. Black Bass is on the meatier side of the fish spectrum, which the sauce complimented well.

Last was the Speckled Trout Sashimi. I’ve never seen trout served sashimi-style before, so of course I had to try this out. It was beautifully plated with a schemer of black garlic mayo, edamame, and pickled maitake mushrooms. Much to my surprise, the trout wasn’t too fishy! I wish I had asked where it was sourced from because it was perfectly fresh, making it palatable for this new sushi eater.

I sort of wanted dessert, but no one else seemed passionate about it. That turned out to be a good thing because a plate of mini-citrus Madelines and strawberry jelly bites (like thick fruit roll-ups) were delivered along with our check. Jelly candies aren’t my favorite; however, I could have eaten the entire plate of cookies. It was just the thing to end the meal. I’m trying the butter cake next time though.

Service is a big selling point for me. The staff at The Lawrence was fantastic. The hostess’ were friendly, our server was knowledgeable about the menu and the (too small) wine list, and my water was kept full by the entire team.

Overall, The Lawrence is another win for the Dinner Party group. But please expand the wine list.

Check out Lee’s review from earlier in the week!

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Don’t worry!!! I didn’t forget the P28 Bread Giveaway winners!

*drum roll*

Laura @ Mommy Run Fast
Alysha @ She’s On the Run
Lindsay @ The Lean Green Bean

Congratulations!

Winners: Please send me your addresses. 🙂

***

My site was down over night and early this morning. I apologize for this post being late… thank you guys for checking back and a BIG thank you for BlueHost customer support!

Do you freak out when you have technical problem that you have NO idea how to fix? I admit… freaked more than a little this morning.

Do you like to order small plates to share, or have your own to hoard?

Easy Weekend

July 30, 2012 By Laura

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Workout Recap (7/24 – 7/29):

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

***

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

What was the last concert you went to?

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

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My Figure Delay + WIAW

Meal 1:

Savory Nooch Sauce

Meal 2:

Meal 3:

Carrot Cake Whey

Meal 4:

Meal 5-7:

Awareness in the Long Run + Sweet Potato-Pecan Mac N Cheese

Sweet Potato-Pecan Baked Mac ‘n Cheese

Blends, Friends, and Food

My Last Supper

A Taste of Atlanta

Maple Bacon Pancake Cookies

Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancake Cookies

The Lawrence + P28 Giveaway Winner

Congratulations!

Easy Weekend

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