Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

PB & J Topped French Toast + WIAW

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My favorite porn is #yolkporn.

 

I can only imagine the search terms I’m going to get from this…

When I saw this video on Lifehack yesterday I couldn’t wait to share it with you guys.  It’s (allegedly) a fool-proof way to cook a sunny side up egg.

In case you need the definition a perfect sunny side up egg should have the whites just cooked through, but the bright yellow yolky deliciousness should remain runny.  Like a silky syrup for your toast or oats or salad or jicama nachos… anything!

Warning: this video will make you crave butter.  And egg, obv.

The guy’s name is Mr. Breakfast.  He must be an expert.

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In other news, I failed and didn’t have a runny egg on WIAW.  I did win at food prep though!  After a few weeks of being less than planned, I was happy to have my meals ready for me today!WIAWbutton

Read on for my prepared food, and then check out Jenn’s blog.  I don’t know if she’s doing the link up though… because she had her bagel baby!!!!!!!

♥ Congratulations and welcome to baby Mia! ♥

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Breakfast:

Of course I had my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos) to start my day out right.

I was feeling like something decadent for breakfast in honor of the short work week.  That only means one thing: french toast.  My protein-filled toast tasted like a treat with the peanut flour sauce and strawberries.

Note: I order peanut flour from iHerb – use discount code USO924 for $5-10 off your order.

PB & J Topped French Toast

PB & J Topped French Toast

  • 1/4 C egg whites
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 4-5 drops liquid Stevia
  • 1 large slice of bread (I used p28 High Protein)
  • 1 T peanut flour
  • 1 tsp sugar-free syrup
  • 1/8 tsp butter extract
  • Almond milk (adjust to desired consistency)
  • Strawberries and granola (to top)

 

Beat together first 5 ingredients in a shallow bowl.  Soak bread slice in the mix, flipping once to coat.

Cook in greased pan over med-high heat until browned.

Meanwhile, mix together peanut flour, syrup, butter extract, and almond milk.  I used 2 T almond milk; add it slowly and adjust to your desired consistency.

Plate toast and top with syrup, berries, and granola.

 

Lunch:

Things got busy and I missed my mid-morning snack so I had an early-ish lunch.  I packed up the chicken, tabbouleh, and celery sticks from my food prep, and added to that some hummus and a piece of Ezekial bread.

Chicken and tabbouleh

 

Mid-Afternoon Snack:

No need to eat boring food just because you’re sitting in an office.  This snack was incredible: salmon sashimi, lavar, edamame, and kabocha.

Totally normal work eats, no?

edamame, lavar, and salmon sashimi

 

Late-Afternoon Snack:

My schedule was thrown off and I had to busy out an emergency bar to power through my workout before dinner.

Note: I don’t actually like these.  It was a freebie. 

Detour neapolitan bar

 

Dinner:

I was going to eat the snapper from my food prep… but after I workout all I want is a smoothie bowl.  Eating solid food after a workout just doesn’t appeal to me.

My new staple is this Chocolate Beet variety.  Last night I wolfed it down with oats, fig, and a bar I made as part of meal prep (side note: I want to make some adjustments before I share – sorry!).  Extra spinach.

chocolate-beet protein shake

 

Dessert:

Smoothie bowls are like dessert to me, but that didn’t stop me from having a second dessert.  The post-Labor Day fall mood struck and I made a Sweet Potato Pie Protein Bowl as my midnight snack.  I’ve been adding coconut flour to everything lately – it makes everything deliciously cake-y.

With all the toppings I had to take a bite shot for you to even see the pie!

Pumpkin Pie Protein Bowl

Pumpkin Pie Protein Bowl

  •  1/2 C sweet potato, mashed
  • 1/2 C no-salt cottage cheese
  • 1 T coconut flour
  • 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • Liquid Stevia, to taste
  • Almond milk (adjust to desired thickness)
  • Optional toppings: popcorn, figs, cacao nibs, breakfast bar crumbles

 

Mix it all together and devour!

Note: you could blend it to smooth… I was too impatient. 😉

***

How awesome that it’s already Wednesday?! 

Do you have a hard time eating solids after a workout?

Do you ever eat something you don’t love just because it’s free?  I don’t know why I’m so compelled…

 

Peanut Flour Love + WIAW

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What’s more exciting than packages?

Chocolate cake.

I came home last night to a delivery from iHerb.  After a massage and a trip to Whole Foods, it was the icing on the chocolate cake.

Use discount code USO924 for $5-10 off your order!

iHerb order

Many of these are new to me – toffee stevia, Walden Farms caramel, and the peanut butter protein powder.  I have been out of tahini and coconut flour for a while, so I’m excited to use those again.  I bet I can use it all together!

Do you think I got enough peanut flour?  I love that stuff.  It’s better than the other stuff (ahem… PB2) because it’s just the de-fatted nuts.  No added sodium or sugar.

What should you do with your peanut flour?  Allow me to help…

Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Ice CreamSP ice cream

Tofu Noodle Stir Fry with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Tofu noodles with peanut sauce

Rum Butter Kabocha Bowl

Rum Butter Kabocha Bowl

Sweet Potato Scramble with Spiced Maple-Peanut Sauce

SP Scramble with PB Sauce

Sweet Potato Pan-lette

SP Eggs

French Elvis Toast

P28 Bread French Toast

There’s a lot more where that came from… check out my Recipage.  I may or may not have an addiction…

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This WIAW was a good one.  I was much more prepared this week to stick to my plan.  I’m using more quinoa to help me hit my carbs.  This time I made extra to keep in the freezer for quick access next week too.

WIAWbutton

Read on for my food, and then check out Jenn’s link up for everyone else’s tasty eats.

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Breakfast:

Of course I had my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos) to start my day out right.

Then it was on to the #yolkporn.  I made Toad in a Hole with my P28 bread and local eggs.  I ate it with a side of kiwi and cottage cheese mixed with cinnamon.

Toad in a Hole with P28 bread

Mid-Morning Snack:

This was my post-workout refuel.  I made a Chocolate-Beet Protein Smoothie with extra spinach.  Topped with my custom granola and blueberries.

Side note: It drives me insane when people call them “bloobs.”  Is that silly?  #sorryimnotsorry

Chocolate Beet green protein smoothie

Lunch:

Cod that I baked in marinara sauce and mushrooms with a side of quinoa mixed with hummus, white bell pepper, and broccoli slaw.

It was pungent, so I also had one of the office soft mints. 😉

Cod

Afternoon Snack:

Sandwiches aren’t a staple in my life, but I’m really liking them lately!  This was turkey made at the local farmer’s market on Ezekial bread with local greens and hummus.

The salad was a Quinoa Tabbouleh.  The recipe will come tomorrow!

Turkey sandwich and quinoa tabbouleh

 This is when the day got awesome.  I left work to get a massage… where I realized exactly how badly I need to get them regularly.  My back was a knot forest.

Kombucha is good for muscle recovery, so naturally I headed to Whole Paycheck Foods to get a one on tap.  And a few other things I didn’t really need.

Buchi Fire

Shamelessly staged a photo shoot in the parking lot.

Dinner:

Ripped Recipes shared my Cheese-less Cauliflower Crust recipe on Instagram last night… which sparked a craving.  Pizza time!

I topped mine with marinara, broccoli slaw, baked tofu, and a slice of Daiya Provolone.  I eat cheese, but I actually love Daiya.  I do not; however, think it tastes like real cheese.

Cheese-less cauliflower crust

I am finally getting smart about making this pizza – I make a few crusts at a time to keep in the freezer for quick week night dinners.  MUCH better than pizza from the freezer section!

Side note: I recently discovered and really like Ripped Recipes as a resource for creative, protein-rich ideas.  Have you guys ever heard of them?

Dessert:

I really, really love carrots.  Hence – once again – my Carrot Cake Protein Batter.  I added some of the protein powder from my iHerb box and used a tiny bit of the Walden Farms caramel.  Both were a little fake.  The custom granola crack and the figs were good!

peanut butter carrot cake protein batter

***

The peanut flour farmers should really pay me.  Or I should at least get a break on my state taxes (it’s made here in GA).

Have you ever ordered from iHerb?  What are some of your go-tos?

What are some of your favorite carbs?  Oatmeal?  Quinoa?  Others?

Turkey & Ricotta Pasta Bake + WIAW

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I am a blogger and I am NOT a Trader Joe’s addict.

 

Please don’t pelt me with stones.

I realize that just last week I posted about chicken I like to get a TJ’s; however, I rarely buy anything else there.  Why?  I try to limit modified/packaged foods in my life (have you seen the sodium content in all those nifty frozen foods?!), and I don’t think they have the best produce.

Many of you have already seen this article warning about the GMOs (genetically modified organisms) in products from the store.  Trader Joe’s buys many of their products in bulk from suppliers.  This keeps the price down, but it means you don’t know who is making your food.  They won’t disclose that info because the companies they work with would rather not advertise that you can buy Product X cheaper at Trader Joe’s vs. the name brand from another grocer.  The article goes into more detail, but check out their list of items considered “safe” to buy and those to avoid (step away from the 2 buck chuck).

GMOs

 

Trader Joe’s isn’t the source of the problem – this is an issue with all major grocers.  They have a place, and I 100% get that sometimes you must have quick and easy food around.  No one is perfect.  Ain’t nobody got time for that!

All I am proposing is that you know the facts and can make an educated choice about the food you fuel with. 🙂

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This WIAW is my first one back on the competition diet.  I’m trying something new and amping up my carbs to gain more size.  What I’ve learned in the 3 days I’ve been on the plan is that it’s HARD to eat a ton of carbs.  Next week I’m just going to make a massive pot of grains and shovel it in.

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Read on for my traveling food, and then check out Jenn’s link up for everyone else’s delicious days.

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Breakfast:

My favorite addiction, my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and  Fitmixer Aminos) started my day out productively… if you know what I mean…

Pancakes have been on my mind lately.  I tried this odd combo a couple of weeks ago, failed, and set it aside.  This morning I felt inspired to try it again.  And it worked.

Strange But Good pancakes

The recipe?  Check back Friday – I’m saving this for #strangebutgood!!!

 

Mid-Morning Snack:

It is a fishy week for me.  Morning snack was cod I baked during my Sunday prep with Ethiopian spices.  To take to work, I shredded it up and tossed it with fresh red bell pepper.

Eaten with a side of hummus, Ezekial bread, and a rare purchase – Starbucks green tea.

Cod and red pepper

 

Lunch:

I love it when meals feel like treats.  Sea Bass is always like that for me.  I brought a piece for lunch today and ate it with an arugula (it was ridiculously fresh and flavorful at the market this week), cauliflower, and beet salad.  My yummy carbs were a tortilla and (unpictured) hummus.

Sea Bass and salad

 

Afternoon Snack:

This shirataki pasta bake was based on a favorite Vegan Ricotta Pasta Bake I’d forgotten about.  I took the idea and make it un-vegan. #sorryimnotsorry

I made it for dinner and then brought the leftovers to work.  It was a great reheated with a slice of Ezekial bread.

Pasta Bake

 

I followed the baking instructions in the link above, but sautéed the onion and garlic, adding the turkey to cook through before baking.  These were the ingredient modifications I used:

Turkey & Ricotta Pasta Bake

  • 1/4 C red onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 lb ground turkey, sautéed
  • 2 T fresh rosemary, minced
  • 1/2 tsp ground oregano
  • 1/2 C marinara sauce (I used low sodium)
  • 1/4 C fat-free ricotta
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • Pinch of cinnamon
  • Pepper, to taste
  • 1 package Shirataki noodles (I used spinach Skinny Noodles, you could use regular pasta too)

 

I finished that off with a vegan Granola Cookie.  I was making them for the winner of last week’s bake sale… I had to have one for quality control purposes.  They are low sugar and vegan!  Practically a health food.

Granola Cookies

 

Dinner:

Dinner was eaten in the form of a hearty smoothie bowl post-workout.  I made my Carrot Cake Batter Protein Shake, but added a TON of spinach.  It IS easy being green. 😉

Smoothie bowl

 

The toppings were kabocha, peanut flour sauce, and a really cool new granola.  I was contacted by Klara who started a company called Mix My Own.

Mix My Own is a custom website that allows you design your own granola and I jumped at her offer to try it out.  I ordered 1 for me and one for my mom (who gave it a glowing review).

Mix My Own

In My “All Mine” Mix:

  • Gluten-Free Oats
  • Organic Millet
  • Organic Kamut puffs
  • Dried Pomegranate
  • Organic Coconut
  • Pecans
  • Organic Ground Cinnamon
  • Organic Cacao Nibs

 

You can choose from a 1 or 2 pound bag.  The one pound bag it huge – it has about 15 servings (1/2 C each). I had a blast creating my own custom combo.  Definitely worth checking out!

Disclosure: I was provided a coupon for a free trial.  As always, my opinions are all my own.

 

Dessert:

I made an kickin’ combo in effort to hit my carbs.  I was still low… but this was a tasty effort.  I made my Zucchini Bread Protein Batter, but added 1T of cocoa powder and eliminated the protein powder in favor of more cottage cheese.

That deliciousness was topped with 1/2 a baked brownie-flavored Quest bar (350 degrees for 10 mins), a dollop of TruWhip, and cherry on top.  Some days just deserve a cherry, ya know?

Chocolate Zucchini bowl with baked Quest bar

***

It feels like it should be Friday… but it’s all good.

Do you try to avoid GMOs? 

What would be in your custom blend of granola?

 

Marvelous Smoothie Crack: Mocha Beet Frappuccino

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Crack is whack.

Thank you, Whitney Houston for that insightful quote. 

After a long hiatus, I am jumping back into Heather‘s Meatless Monday link up!

MMAZ

I would never expose you to something whack, so this post isn’t actually about crack.  It is a super-energizing smoothie though!

This week’s MMAZ link up is about making someone else’s recipe.  Unfortunately, I am unable to follow recipes (or directions).  Rather, I took inspiration from someone’s recipe.

Sarah created this vegan Mocha Chip Mousse last week.  I loved how she used tofu to create a protein-rich healthy-ish dessert.  It made me remember my favorite Carrot Cake Batter Shake, where I used tofu to get a milk shake consistency.  Why hadn’t I done it with chocolate?!  And coffee… this was a frapp waiting to happen!  There may have been some strangeness too… I’ve been loving chocolate-beet smoothies lately and I carried that idea over to make this a Mocha Beet Frappuccino. 🙂

Mocha Beet Frapp

Recipe for this crack-like creation at the bottom…

First I have to share some marvelous!!!  I had the pleasure of dining with one of my favorite ladies: Sarena!  She invited me over for dinner with her family.  I’d never met her crew before, but felt like I already knew them thanks to social media.  Tony (her husband) said he felt like Instragram was coming to life.  🙂

Sarena dinner

If you’ve never tried any of Sarena’s gluten-free baked goods before, let me assure you this stuff is the jam.  She made a loaf of gluten-free bread that was better than most of the “real” bread I’ve had.

We started with a salad, then for dinner enjoyed succotash, grilled pork, and homemade bread.  And more bread.  I wish I’d gotten a pic of the Pavlova Sarena made for dessert too.  It was fantastic!

Also marvelous was a sunny Sunday run up Stone Mountain.  Remember those booty building incline sprints?  I’m back at it. 🙂

While we’re talking about booty, I finally picked up a pair of the Nike Pro booty shorts I see everyone on Instagram wearing.  They are actually amazing – comfy and breathable.

I shamelessly wore them all day long.  Including to 2 grocery stores.

New Nike Pro shorts

Killer bicep/tricep workout, followed up with more crack.

Check out what else is marvelous in blog land this week in Katie’s link up!

Mocha Beet Frappuccino

Mocha Beet Frappuccino

  • 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
  • 1/2 serving (1.5 oz) tofu
  • 1/4 C roasted beet (or 1 tsp beet powder)
  • 1 T instant coffee granules
  • 1/2 T cocoa powder
  • 1/4 inch piece fresh ginger
  • 1 cinnamon stick (or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon)
  • 5-6 drops vanilla liquid stevia
  • Pinch of xanthan and guar gums (optional)
  • Ice and water (adjust according to thickness preference)

Toss it all in the blender and mix until smooth.

Inhale.  Bounce off the walls.

***

Why don’t I ever remember that it’s a bad idea to run up mountains the day before leg day?!  Doh.

Do you run around in your gym clothes all day?

Do you even gluten-free products even though you don’t have an allergy?  I like trying all the foods! 

Bake Sale for Kids + WIAW

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Bake sales are the best.

 

Homemade baked goods are the most “worth it” treat.

Amanda @ Run to the Finish has teamed up with Women’s Health and will be running and fundraising for the FEED Project, which seeks to feed hungry US kids.  Their RUN 10 FEED 10 program is really cool – you run a 10K and 10 children in your community are fed with the proceeds.  (Amanda has a discount code you may use here.)

But you don’t HAVE to run!  You can opt to just eat. 🙂  Amanda is hosting an online blogger bake sale where 100% of the donations will towards feeding these kids.

feed 10

Bidding began yesterday (I’m behind – sorry!), and bids will be accepted until August 7th 9AM EST.  Winners will be contacted and asked to donate the specific amount via CrowdRise.

Hurry over and bid on your auction deliciousness here.  There are tons be homemade items from bloggers (and products from several sponsors) available for bidding.  A batch of my vegan, no-sugar added Chewy Granola Cookies are up for grabs… you might even get a little something extra. 😉

granola-cookie

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These WIAW meals were half eaten at work and half on the road.  I didn’t do the most elaborate job of planning, as I am enjoying my final week of “freedom” before I start competition prep in earnest!

WIAWbutton

Read on for my traveling food, and then check out Jenn’s link up for everyone else’s delicious days.

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Breakfast:

My morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos) happened, as usual.  I swear this is the biggest addiction in my life.

I had an early morning meeting, so I made sure my breakfast was ready to grab a go.  Overnight oats in a cottage cheese container!  Almost as good as a PB jar… 

This raspberry and maple-laced concoction was really good!  And easy to eat from my lap on the way to work.

Raspberry Maple Overnight Cottage Cheese Oats

Raspberry-Maple Overnight Oats

  • 1/4 C cottage cheese
  • 1/4 C oatmeal
  • 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp maple extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 C almond milk

 

Mid-Morning Snack:

Like I mentioned last week, I have been into the Trader Joe’s Balsamic Chicken.  It’s one of the few packaged things I buy, but when I’m traveling a lot this is a great (low sodium) item to keep on hand.

Eaten with veggies I pre-roasted on Sunday with some marinara sauce and nutritional yeast.

TJs Balsamic chicken

 

Lunch:

I was running out of my office to get my stuff ready for the airport (and squeeze in a workout… shhhh!), so this almost didn’t even get pictured.  A mix of no salt deli turkey, celery, hummus, and cayenne.

It was so quick I called it the lazy girl’s turkey salad. 😉

lazy turkey salad

 

Afternoon Snack:

I have become obsessed with post-workout Chocolate + Beet Protein Smoothie Bowls.  I used this recipe again, but added spinach and topped it with muesli and kabocha squash.

No exaggeration, I could eat this every meal.

chocolate-beet protein shake

 

Dinner:

Dinner was eaten in Florida.  I hopped a plane, ate some unpictured pretzels, and went right to dinner with my co-worker.  We hit up Columbia, a famous Cuban spot and Florida’s oldest restaurant.  It was delicious!

We started with giant warm, crusty loaves of Cuban bread and the 1905 Salad.  The bread was amazing… the salad… I’d say it’s basically a Chef’s salad with no egg and a ton of dressing.  I also enjoyed a margarita – one of the best I’ve ever had!

Columbia restaurant stuffed shrimp

Terrible pics… it was dark!

My main was massive.  The server highly recommended the Camarones Rellenos “Jesse Gonzalez.”

I thought shrimp would be light-ish… I learned that it’s not when it’s stuffed with lump crab and a generous helping of butter.  Did I mention it was served with rice, beans, and roasted veggies?  And that my co-worker ordered sides of yucca and fried plantains?

Call me happy and roll me home.

 

Dessert:

You know I’m full when I can’t even imagine eating dessert.  Hell froze over.

***

Tomorrow I fly back home and Thursday I drive to South Carolina.  Despite the craziness all I can think about is 1) When do I get to go to the farmer’s market to get “my” food and 2) How am I going to fit a workout in Thursday and Friday?

Have you checked out the bake sale?  What item is catching your eye? 

Does the combo of beets and chocolate sound #strangebutgood to you?  I thought it was normal until I told my co-worker about it…

 

Obnoxious Orders + WIAW

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Lately there seems to be a streak of obnoxious.

Or maybe I’m having a streak of impatience?

We’ve become a nation of “have it your way.”  But has it done nothing more than turn us into entitled, bourgeois consumers?  We can have virtually anything we want almost instantly.

Take Starbucks.  Yesterday I ran across this article filled with the most obnoxious Starbucks orders.  At first I thought they weren’t SO bad… but keep reading.

Starbucks

My favorites:*

  • Decaf, Soy Latte With An Extra Shot And Cream → Soy, decaf… with CREAM?  And an extra SHOT?  I’m naming this “The Oxymoron”
  • Quad Grande, Non Fat, Extra Hot Caramel Macchiato Upside Down → Upside down?  This is coffee.  Not a cake.  And why bother with the non-fat after all the damn sugar you’re drinking?!
  • Caramel Macchiato, Venti, Skim, Extra Shot, Extra-Hot, Extra-Whip, Sugar-Free → You are aware that whip isn’t sugar-free, right?
  • Grande Chai Tea Latte, 3 Pump, Skim Milk, Lite Water, No Foam, Extra Hot → If you have a pump number specification, you miiiiight be high-maintenence.  And lite water?  As opposed to full-fat?

*All of this is in good fun… I’m sure people (read: my boss) think the way I order in restaurants is obnoxious.

 

It is rare that I buy coffee.  It’s rare that I even drink coffee.  That said, I do dig this Mocha Protein Frapp.  I know, I know, leave it to me to prefer a protein drink…

Mocha Protein Frapp

Who needs Starbucks when you can have a homemade protein mocha frapp with a fraction of the sugar?  Make this and save yourself $6 and 20g of sugar.

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This day of WIAW eats was odd… there were some semi-fails and a wave of nausea… but  let’s face it, eating is always the best part of my day.

WIAWbutton

Read on for my eats, and then check out Jenn’s link up for everyone else’s delicious days.

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Breakfast:

My morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos) happened, as usual.  I swear this is the biggest addiction in my life.

Breakfast was a pancake experiment… it’s not there yet.  Will keep working.  That said, everything is better when topped with bacon and peanut butter sauce.

Pancake experiment

Mid-Morning Snack:

I don’t buy packaged proteins very often, but I do like the Trader Joe’s Balsamic Chicken.  Its full of flavor and high in protein.  Perfect for busy weeks!  I ate it with raw corn and riced cauliflower mixed with hummus.

That sounds odd after typing it out loud… hmmm…

Chicken and cauliflower rice

Lunch:

My favorite: Sea Bass.  I prepare it during my Sunday food prep.  It’s simply coated with fresh thyme, rosemary, garlic, black pepper, and lemon, then I bake it on foil in the oven for 12 mins (400 degrees on convection roast).

I ate it with a side of veggies I pre-roasted on Sunday.  To reheat them, I just place them in the oven under broil so they get nice a crispy.

Sea bass and roasted veggies

Afternoon Snack:

The smoothie love continues.  After my workout this afternoon I made a strange… but strange… smoothie bowl.  I think it would have been fine if I hadn’t added so much wheatgrass. strange smoothie

In my smoothie:

  • Chocolate protein powder
  • Wheatgrass
  • Spinach
  • Broccoli slaw
  • Maple extract
  • Cinnamon
  • Fresh ginger
  • Liquid Stevia
  • Toppings: TruWhip, cacao nibs and raw oats

I had an awkwardly timed hair appointment after work, so I had a second snack to tide me over.  My favorite thing.

Kabocha squash!  I roasted it like I did in  this #strangebutgood post and topped it with a quick sauce of peanut flour, almond milk, almond extract, cinnamon, and a couple drops of stevia.  And cacao nibs (I think I’m addicted).

Cocoa Kabocha roast with peanut sauce

Dinner:

I went to get my mane tamed, and while I was in the stylist’s chair I got oddly nauseous.  It was so weird!  Suddenly I just felt like I might have to run to the bathroom.  I drank water, breathed calmly, and made it through the cut.

After I got home I wasn’t hungry, but I knew it was time to eat.  Cheese toast sounded good, so I made that with some Ezekial bread and sample packet of Dubliner cheese I found in the fridge (hope that wasn’t too old…).  Then I added a bunch of stuff.  Swordfish (just a bit for protein – seafood isn’t appealing when feeling puke-y), sugar peas, hummus, and roasted tomatoes with basil.

odd dinner

Dessert:

I still felt a little off, so I went with Greek yogurt hoping the good bacteria would work some magic.  A bit ‘o #strangebutgood always makes me feel better. 🙂

Popcorn is an awesome dessert topper.  I buy mine in the bulk bins and pop it in brown paper bags in the microwave.  This was topped with melted cherries.  The underbelly of this deliciousness was Greek yogurt mixed with 1/2 scoop of protein powder, carob powder, cinnamon, a little cayenne, and a few drops of Stevia.

popcorn protein geek bowl

***

After leg day on Monday, I am so sore today that just the thought of walking hurts.  Can that cause nausea??? 😉

What is the most obnoxious thing you order?  Mine is salad.  Basically I want to build my own.  I don’t want the cheese if it’s the crappy shredded stuff, I do want to add red pepper flakes, the dressing must be on the side, and – for the love of god – don’t salt anything.  Is that so hard?!

What do you eat when your stomach doesn’t feel right?

Raw Tomato and Corn Salad + Weekend Marvels

By

Merry Marvelous!

Are you ever so cheerful you annoy yourself?

It’s false cheer.  Sort of.  I’m not in a bad mood… but does anyone really look forward to a Monday like they do a Saturday?  Yet another reason to love Katie’s Marvelous Monday link up. 🙂

Marvelous Monday

First up in the world of marvelous is this #vitamixporn.  That’s a legit hash tag, no?

This deliciousness is a Chocolate-Beet protein smoothie.  It was so thick and creamy I ate it with a spoon… like I do with just about every smoothie.  It’s the only way to go after a hot, sweaty romp in the gym. 😉

chocolate beet protein smoothie

You can make this in a regular blender, it just might not be quite as ice cream-like.  I posted the recipe here on Facebook.

Marvelous item #2 involves one of my favorite movies – Grease!  Saturday it was playing it on the big screen at a the Fox Theatre… it was done like a sing-along!  The words to every song were scrolled across the bottom of the screen and they handed out little props for people to use throughout the movie.

They had a costume contest before the movie started!

The less-then-marvelous part is that I was supposed to go with my best friend, but at the last minute she got the stomach flu!  So I went by myself.  It was a little awkward due to the interactive nature, but I sat back and enjoyed the show and the people watching.  It was rich – the over 50 crowed came out in full-force dressed like Pink Ladies and T-Birds.

In the end, I was happy.  I was in a loner mood for some reason anyway.  When I got home there was more marvelous = clean sheets!  I put myself to bed with a book and a handmade mason jar candle.

candle

This next item is more hilarious than marvelous.  I was in the gym, minding my business, when I came upon a full spread of beauty supplies in the locker room.

The pic doesn’t even show it all.  I couldn’t fit in the towel wrap, 2 pairs of shoes, flip-flops, bobby pins, comb… and dirty clothes on the floor.  I chuckled… and then I Instagrammed.  (She was in the shower… I’m not quite that ballsy.)

gym mess

Yes, that is a hair weave on the counter.

I had to take a picture.*  If I had to bring THAT much crap to shower at the gym, I’d just go home.  (I have never showered at a gym, actually.)  If I hadn’t been in a hurry, I would have waited to see what she looked like after getting all dolled up.

*Nothing shocks me anymore at my gym – last week there was a girl there carrying a dog around in her purse.  In the weightroom.  While using the leg extension machine.

 

Lastly, I have to include food in the weekend marvelousness.  This happened before I made it to the market.  you can always tell when it’s the end of the week because I’m eating a random hodge podge of protein.  There are 3 types of fish on that plate.

The real marvelous part was the salad.  I managed to end the week with a lot of veggie goodies left over, and throw together a fresh, raw salad.

Fish and raw salad

If you haven’t had corn raw before, check out this #strangebutgood Berry Corny Salad too.  It fabulously sweet and crunchy!

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Raw Tomato Corn Thyme Salad

Raw Tomato Corn Thyme Salad

  • 1/4 C sweet corn kernels
  • 1/4 C cherry tomatoes, sliced
  • 1/2 C raw asparagus, sliced
  • 1 T diced shallot
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme
  • Drizzle champagne vinegar (or other vinegar)
  • Freshly ground black pepper 

Mix together veggies and drizzle of vinegar.  Finish with fresh black pepper.

Note: You could also add olive oil, nuts, or other herbs!

***

It must be the crazy humidity, but I’m craving raw foods lately… which simply means I’m (re)learning you can put just about anything in a blender. 🙂

What is the strangest thing you’ve ever seen in the gym?

Would you go to a show at a theatre by yourself?  What is your favorite character from Grease?  Mine’s Rizzo!

Back to the Gym + WIAW

By

Patience is a virtue.  

 

That’s what I keep trying to tell myself.

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

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

first workout

 

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

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

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

wiaw sensible snacking button

Read on for my eats, and then check out Jenn’s link up for everyone else’s delicious days.

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Breakfast:

My morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos) was of course the start to my day.

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

Who needs syrup when you have #yolkporn?

French toast with runny egg syrup

 

Mid-Morning Snack:

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

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

 

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

Newton running shoes

New Newtons!

 

Lunch:

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

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

Banana-Butterscotch Green Protein Smoothie Bowl

In my bowl:

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

 

Mid-Afternoon Snack:

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

cocoa-cinnamon roasted kabocha with peanut sauce

 

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

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

 

Dinner:

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

Skinny Noodle

 

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

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

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

Salmon and rosemary shirataki noodles

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

Cardamom Salmon

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

 

Shirataki Rice

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

 

Dessert:

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

Carrot Cake Batter with muesli

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

***

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

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

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

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

 

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