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…

 

Samsung Galaxy Camera + WIAW

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Once in a blue moon I surprise myself…

 

Get it?  Last night was a blue moon…

I’ve always lamented having to take pictures of food.  I just want to make it and chow down.  My inner fat kid doesn’t like to wait for a photo shoot.  

Then there’s the transfer of pics to the computer.  Then editing.  That is less painful than I build it up to be, but it doesn’t stop me from some serious procrastination.  In short, I’m lazy and I’d rather do everything on my iPhone via Instagram.

But a new toy has come into my life and saved the day.  Thanks to Verizon and the Fitfluential Ambassador program, I was given a Samsung Galaxy Camera with Verizon 4G LTE network to try.  ***As always, all opinions are my own.***

camera

I was entertained on the drive to the mountains by taking pics of my iPhone and posting them to IG from my camera… while playing with IG on my iPhone too.  Simple minds, simple pleasures…

 

The Samsung Galaxy is basically a iPhone in camera form.  It even has a preloaded Instagram app to make over sharing stupid easy.  Sharing is done quickly, directly from the camera over Verizon’s 4G LTE network.

Instant gratification, for the win. 😉

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Foggy Blue Ridge Mountains

 

Some of you camera enthusiasts might appreciate that fact that it’s a 16 megapixel and 1080p HD video camera that features a 21x optical zoom lens.  I appreciate that there are pre-set modes allowing a total novice to take decent pics – even at night.  (Never fear for the camera geeks – there’s also an Expert Control mode to manually adjust shutter speed.)

Check out the blue moon last night:

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Taken using the “Night” setting

 

The large HD LCD touch screen makes it convenient to edit photos and videos right from the camera.  You can share it on any number of social networks, add it to your Dropbox, and even email it to yourself!

Mind = blown

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This WIAW was a bit disorganized.  Deciding to stay an extra day in the mountains meant I missed my farmer’s market run (Worth.  It.).  Most of this was obtained from the freezer or from a 15 min sprint 2 the local grocery chain. 😉

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Read on for my odd-ball 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…

It was an egg-y morning.  I made a quick omelette seasoned with cumin, cayenne, and cilantro.  It was stuffed with avocado and turkey.  That was followed up with a side of grapefruit.

eggs and grapefruit

 

Mid-Morning Snack:

This was my post-workout refuel.  I made a Zucchini Bread Protein Smoothie , only I subbed 1.5 oz of tofu for the cottage cheese and left out the spinach (I’m all out!).  I topped it with my custom granola from last week.  Really, really loving it!

And a cherry on top (followed by a few more on the side).

Zucchini Bread Smoothie

 

Lunch:

Swordfish (surprisingly good from the freezer) with red bell pepper, zucchini, and a slice of Ezekial bread.

Steak of the Sea

Afternoon Snack:

Another lazy man’s turkey salad.  I ripped up some no salt added turkey meat from the deli and mixed it with celery, red pepper flakes, cumin, nutritional yeast, and apple cider vinegar.

I ate my Dora edamame on the side.  Kid food is 100% acceptable as a single adult, no?

dora edamame

 

There was also a new gum involved.  I really liked the Pomegranate flavor, and I appreciate the crew at Pur Gum sending me these samples … but I wish the flavor had lasted more than 5 mins. 🙁

pur gum

 

Dinner:

Sea Bass (also surprisingly good from the freezer) with some hard-core roasted brussels and Injera (Ethiopian bread made of teff flour and water).

injera and sea bass

“Dessert” was what I was really excited for… roasted kabocha!  I topped it with peanut flour sauce and more of my custom granola.

cocoa roasted kabocha

 

Dessert:

Still struggling to hit my carbs, I added a little extra yum to my Carrot Cake Protein Batter.  I stirred in oats and topped it with my custom granola (again) and a cocoa powder sauce.  And cherries. I’m still a little low, but it was close!

Taken and shared on IG via my Samsung Galaxy camera!

Taken and shared on IG via my Samsung Galaxy camera!

***

You know I’m excited about a camera when I go wandering through the park after dark to take pics of the moon.  I’m a little shocked I didn’t get mugged…

Have you ever even heard of a smart camera like this?  How long until cameras and phones are always one in the same? 

Do you like “real” pictures or are you an iPhone photographer?

 

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?

 

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!

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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 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.

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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?

Back to Reality + WIAW

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A smart blogger would have posted a “What I Ate on Vacation” today.

I got too excited and posted my favorites on Monday.

There are a few things I didn’t yet share from Napa (besides the wine – that post is coming!).

The thing that earned me the strangest look from Lisa was probably my extreme excitement over seeing GT’s Classic in the CalMart (not to be confused with Wal-Mart).  The Classic is the version GT’s was forced to quit selling at many major markets due to the alcohol content.  This is silly.  Kombucha is fermented tea… but there’s not even enough booze for a buzz!  I chose the Gingerberry and didn’t get drunk in the least.

GT's Classic Kombucha

This next item DID pack a punch.  A Maple Bacon Manhattan from JoLe.  It was bacon-infused rye, Carpano Antica, and maple syrup… with a side of candied bacon.

I was only going to have a taste… but holy yum.

Maple Bacon Manhattan

Lunch somehow was missed in my Monday food post.  Our driver in Napa recommended that we try a new concept called R+D Kitchen.  It’s owned by Hillstone, which makes it a chain (I’m morally opposed to eating at chains)… but we bit the bullet and tried it out.  So very glad we did!

As with Houston’s, the food and service were top-notch.  We shared toasts to start – one with hummus and one with goat cheese and figs.  The hummus was very good – heavy on the tahini, which is ideal in my book!

R+D Kitchen toasts

For my meal I ordered a omelette with spinach and goat cheese.  It may look funny, but the omelette was fantastic.  It was done french-style.  It’s difficult to find a good one, but they executed it flawlessly!

It also came with roasted tomatoes and a side salad.  Those tomatoes made the meal!

R+D Kitchen omeltte

I know this is getting long… but one more!!!  Remember the “scenic” walk to dinner I took my friends on?  I think this view at Sol Bar was worth it:

Sol Bar

Most of the meal was too dark to take pics of and we were in such a night place I felt wrong using a flash (*gasp* I do have some shame).  The entire meal was mind-blowingly delcious, and our server couldn’t have been more fabulous.

I did get one decent shot of my birthday dessert.  Chocolate Decadence with Ortiz Farms raspberries, soft cream, and cocoa nib dentelle. Words cannot describe.  It’s the last (30th) birthday cake I’ll have, I swear.

Sol Bar birthday cake

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This day of WIAW eats was fun for me!  Monday morning I woke up to find that my fridge and freezer were not working.  After a brief panic, I managed to get a handyman out and have the thing fixed for less than $150.  It was also the perfect excuse to clean out my food stash and restock!  Restocking is the best – the farmer’s market didn’t know what hit it!  I was SO excited that I got home and did my food prep right then.  Snapper, cod, gazpacho, roasted kabocha, and bison burgers.  At 9pm.  🙂

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Read on for my fresh fridge 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) is still going strong.  I am now so addicted that I brough the Fitmixer to Napa and purchased a bottle of ACV from the market there.

Something lit a fire under my butt, because I woke up in the mood to run sprints.  I can’t explain it.  Anyway, after the humid 30 minute run I couldn’t think of anything but a smoothie bowl.  Cold and now chewing required.  Does anyone else have a hard time chewing foods after workout?

Wheatgrass protein smoothie bowl

In my smoothie:

  • Vanilla protein powder
  • Wheatgrass
  • Spinach
  • Cinnamon
  • Fresh ginger
  • Lemon liquid Stevia
  • Cardamom
  • Toppings: plum and raw oats

Lunch:

I was so excited for this meal that I didn’t bother with my usual mid-morning snack.  During my Monday night food prep I roasted snapper with cilantro, fresh ginger, lime juice, pepper, and cherry tomatoes.  That was eaten for lunch along side a cup of gazpacho and a bag of veggie Pirate’s Booty.

Red Snapper and gazpacho

Afternoon Snack:

Despite having had a hearty lunch, I was still unnaturally excited for my afternoon snack.  Bison burgers!  I’ve been craving them for a long time.  This burger was so easy – I just mixed each patty with steak sauce and added red pepper flakes before cooking them in a pan.

I don’t use pre-made sauces often, but I did find this Robbie’s Naturals brand a Whole Foods that I love.  It’s low-sodium, low-sugar steak sauce.  (I also dig their BBQ sauce.)

Bison burger with Robbie's sauce

The side salad was also delish – red spinach, zucchini, asparagus (it’s been long enough to bring it back), shiitake mushrooms, thyme, lemon juice, and black pepper.

Dinner:

I’d been thinking of this all day long.  Sea Bass.  I think it’s passed swordfish as my favorite fish.  I ran home from my workout, coated it in thyme, rosemary, garlic, black pepper, and lemon juice before putting it in the oven for 12 mins (400 degrees on convection roast).

This gave me time to prep my salad: red spinach (nothing like spinach – it has a thick stem and is a little spicy), cherry tomatoes, and Persian cucumber.

Sea Bass and red spinach

Obviously I needed carbs after leg day, but I saved it for a little dessert…

Kabocha squash!  I roasted it as instructed in Friday’s #strangebutgood post and topped it with Peanut Butter Cannoli.

Cocoa Kabocha roast with peanut sauce

Dessert:

Nothing wrong with two desserts!  I almost had more roasted squash but decided to aim for variety.  And #strangebutgood-ness.

Shredded carrot, no salt cottage cheese, cinnamon, stevia, ginger, and vanilla topped with chocolate protein fluff made from vanilla protein powder, cocoa, beet powder, and stevia. Topped with massive blackberries and cacao nibs.  Just trust me.  It’s good.

***

Sorry for the picture-heavy post.  This was a lot… but I’m so excited about ALL the foods!  #lovemyinnerfatkid

Are there restaurants so nice you won’t take pictures?

If you could try anything in this post, what would it be?  I don’t think anything was terribly odd…

What I Ate On My 30th Birthday

By

Birthdays should be drawn out.

 

I’m celebrating mine for a solid week.

Today I leave for a fabulous birthday trip with two of my best wine-os friend: Lisa and Heather.  At 21 we celebrated with cheap shots and beer, at 30 we spend too much money on fine wine and taking mud baths.  I choose 30.

The celebration have been on going though!  Later in the post are some birthday eats, but I wanted to share my favorite treats first.  My actual birth DAY was fabulous – I was totally overwhelmed by the comments on this post and on Instagram.  If you get a chance, look back at everyone’s “lessons learned” in the post comments.  So much wisdom!

I had a wonderful dinner with my family, including my best friend who is basically my sister.  We missed my Portland sister though!

Mallory, me, Mom, and Madison

Mallory, me, Mom, and Madison

 

Mom nailed the gift department – I told her not to buy clothes or anything.  There’s not much I need… but I wouldn’t turn down a little Napa spending money.  She made that happen in a rockstar way.

Nothing says “I love you” like cash credit!

 

Just when I thought the night couldn’t get better, I received this gem from Lauren.  Lauren’s fur babies, to be more precise.

Does it get any cuter?!

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This WIAW is actually what I ate on my birthday.  I had some favorites, and some indulgences.  It was exactly as it should be on one’s 30th  birthday.

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Read on for my celebration 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 served martini-style in honor of my birthday.  Who doesn’t want to start their 30th year out with a draaaank?

Morning-tini

Morning-tini

 

This is an old favorite.  I don’t know why it’s been so long since I’ve made PB & Ceggs, but it’s what I wanted for my birthday.  This is the perfect time of year to make it because the carrots are so sweet and juicy!

This is the version with an egg scramble, not the tofu in the linked recipe.  It’s good both ways though!  Even better with sprinkles:

PB & Ceggs

 

Lunch:

This was a desperation meal.  I leave for Napa today and I knew I’d be eating out for a couple of meals due to birthday celebrations so I didn’t do my usual grocery trip.  Bring on the canned tuna!

This mix is tuna, nutritional yeast, cayenne, cumin, pepper, herbs de provence, turmeric, and balsamic vinegar.  I tossed it with the end of a bag of spinach and ate it with a slice of P28 protein bread… on a ZooPals plate to preserve my youthfulness. 😉

Dinner:

Finally time for my birthday meal!  My mom treated baby sister, my best friend, and me to dinner at Seed Kitchen & Bar.  I was really excited because I got to try a new-to-me fish: Wreckfish.  Wreckfish is like a cross between Sea Bass (my favorite!) and Halibut.

Wreckfish at Seed

We did have to send my dish back (wayyyy overcooked), but on the second round it was perfection.  Our server was nice enough to give me the sides from another special, so I was able to have caramelized brussels and roasted cauliflower on my birthday.  It was a giant plate of my favorite things!

 

Dessert:

Simple and delicious.  As my “cake,” I ordered a fresh-baked and slightly undercooked chocolate chunk skillet cookie a la mode.  Mom and baby sis were allowed one bite each. 😉

Birthday skillet cookie

***

I forgot to take a picture of the 3 cards I received at dinner.  All were related to boobs.  Way to go, Family! 😉

Have you ever tried Wreckfish?

What is your favorite thing to eat on your birthday?  

 

Weekend Update + WIAW

By

I get behind in my over-sharing.

Thank god for Instagram!

There has been a lot going on lately that I’ve just run out of time to blog about!  Hump Day seems the perfect time for a download.

I’ve been getting some good runs in (between all the summer storms).  This is taken on the GA Tech campus.  Saturday marked 5 years since my dad died.  Without intention, I found myself heading to his alma mater for a run.

It was nice to run by all the places we used to walk past on game days and relive some of my own memories from grad school.  The rain didn’t hold off for long – about 5 mins after I took this pic the sky turned black and it started pouring.

GA Tech

Sunday I met some of my favorite Atlanta bloggers for lunch at Dough Bakery, my favorite local vegan spot.  That’s (very pregnant) Alayna, Tina, Lee, me, and Heather.  Heather is former Atlanta blogger… she left us for Colorado. 😛

I always have so much fun with these ladies.  We talked and ate for a long time before I had to run back home to get ready for dinner.  That’s right  – I said run.  I ran a total of 6.65 miles there and back thanks to Atlanta’s new Beltline trail!  I’m lucky my friends would be seen with me sweaty and dressed like a bum.

Atlanta Bloggers

The dinner I was running home to was at one of Atlanta’s best new restaurants: King + Duke.  I’m too lazy to write  full review, but let me just say… if you are in ATL or are coming to visit make a reservation.  So.  Good.

Their wine program is excellent, which you know makes me happy, and the food is even better.  Don’t skip the roasted beet and carrots with feta and harissa, the roasted bone marrow with smoked mushrooms, blackberries, and short rib marmalade, and the “Dates & Ale” (a fantastic sticky toffee pudding with Sweetwater IPA cream).

Marrow at King + Duke ATL

Meat butter

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This WIAW was less indulgent than this weekend.  Thank god.  I love going out to eat, but whoa.  I was dragging on Monday after eating half my meals out over the weekend.  I jumped back on the healthy eating train with reckless abandon.

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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.

If you follow me on Instagram you saw that I have a mini crisis: my air conditioning quit working.  I live in the South.  It is HOT.  I was really glad I thought ahead and made a nice, cool breakfast: overnight oats!

This bowl is a little different because I combined a few protein sources.  The oats, cottage cheese, and protein powder made for the most deliciously creamy bowl of cheesecake-like oats I’ve ever had!

Blueberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats

Blueberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats

  • 1/4 C oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill GF)
  • 1/4 C cottage cheese
  • 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1 T peanut flour
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Blueberries
  • Stevia, to taste
  • 1/2 C almond milk (or other liquid)

Combine everything in a bowl, cover, and place in fridge overnight.

Remove from fridge in morning.  You may need to add additional liquid, especially if you choose to heat it.

Top as desired and enjoy!

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!

Mid-Morning Snack:

I love making random mixes with no salt deli turkey.  Often I do fruit, but today I had some celery to use up.  I broke up the turkey and mixed it with nutritional yeast, cayenne, pepper, herbs de provence, and apple cider vinegar.  Then I chopped up my celery (and some of the celery leaves) and stirred that in.

Deli turkey salad

Lunch:

I’m getting low on groceries, so I had to bust out the emergency veggie burger.  If you’re going to eat frozen food, the Lightlife burgers are pretty tasty.

Eaten with spinach salad, celery, kabocha, and a quick dressing made from spinach hummus, apple cider vinegar, cumin, and red pepper flakes.  Yes, I spent time “plating” this at work.  People stared.

Lightlife veggie burger salad

Mid-Afternoon Snack:

This was fancy-looking, but I’d made it the day before.  Baked swordfish in a foil pocket with veggies and Indian spices.  It was fast and the clean up was easy – just throw away the foil!

I posted the recipe here on Facebook if you’re interested.

Indian Baked Swordfish

Dinner:

Did I mention my A/C is broken?  It was 85 degrees and humid in my condo.  I couldn’t think of a single thing to eat for dinner because I was SO hot.  So I got creative.

Egg pizza.  The idea was to cook the egg in a big pan so it would be thin like a pizza crust, then top it and finish in the oven under the broiler.  It would have been perfect had a greased the middle of the pan a little better.  It stuck.  No worries… I just ate it out of the pan.  Less dishes to wash!

egg pizza

My toppings: broccolini, edamame, tomato, spinach, and ricotta salata.  It was really good!  Will try it again, this time properly greased to get onto a plate.

Midnight Snack:

I ate some snacks at my mom’s… she made a quiche and had these yummy chocolate-salted nut things from Trader Joes… but it was just bites and when I got home I still needed a little something.

Despite the heat, I wanted cake (when do I NOT want cake?).  I made my favorite 150 Calorie Chocolate Microwave Cake, topped it with a peanut flour “icing,” and served it with a side of cookies and cream Arctic Zero.  And a little Stevia-sweetened Smuckers strawberry jam… it went really well with the peanut butter icing!

150 calorie chocolate cake

***

In less than I week I turn 30.  And I identify with just about all of these 30 Signs You’re Almost 30.  My mom likes to remind me of #19.

What do you eat when it’s too hot to eat?

Do you make and effort to have your food look pretty at work?  It’s so much nicer than eating out of tupperware!  This should probably be added to the signs you’re almost 30…

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