>On the menu

>Hi kiddos. Happy Friday!!!! DCers, how amazing is this weather today? This week has been N-U-T-S! Work-wise (three 13-hr shifts), workouts, hanging with friends – I’ve been quite the busy bee. Despite the chaos, I’ve still been fueling myself pretty fabulously.

In an attempt to lower our grocery bill(s) and prevent throwing away uneaten veggies (nothing makes me more sad than throwing out uneaten produce. Such a shame.), we’ve decided to choose 3-4 meals at the beginning of the week and buy specifically for the recipes, creating our own pre-set menu. I would like to do this for all 7 days per week, but unfortunately I eat a lot of meals at work.

Enter meal #1:

Sesame-crusted tilapia & sauteed green beans

(15 min prep and cook. Adapted from Clean Eating magazine)

Ingredients:

1 lb tilapia (3-4 fillets)

fresh green beans (12 oz)

1/3 cup low-sodium veg/chic broth

2 T minced fresh ginger

1 T fresh lime juice

2 T soy sauce

2 t honey

4 tsp olive oil

1 T sesame oil

2 T sesame seeds

sea salt, to taste

pepper, 1/2 t

Directions (15 min meal):

Preheat oven to 425F. In a small bowl, whisk lime juice, soy sauce, 2 t ginger, 1/2 t sesame oil, 1 t honey. 2 tsp olive oil. Place fish on tinfoil lined baking pan and pour lime juice mixture over top, turning fillets to coat. Sprinkle sesame seeds (~1.5 T) evenly over top and bake for 8 mins or until fish flakes easily with fork.

Meanwhile, heat 2 t olive oil in a nonstick pan on medium. Add ginger and cook for ~1min or until fragrant. Add broth, beans, 1 t honey, salt, pepper, cover and cook for 5 mins or until beans are bright green and tender-crisp. Remove from heat, and 1/2 t sesame seeds.

Drizzle with pan juices and additional honey (~1/2 t) to taste (I added a teeeeny bit more honey plus sea salt to mine and it was perfect)

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Other blog worthy (easy!) meals have included:

Blueberry Muffin overnight oats w/ coconut chia topping

(Night before)

1/2 c cooked oats (cooked in 1 cup H20)

1/2 mashed banana

1/2 c frozen blueberries

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (SunWarrior brand)

stevia, 1 serving

sea salt, pinch

cinnamon, nutmeg, pinch each

splash milk (I used ~1/8 cup almond milk)

Chill overnight

Then add 1/4 c Light Coconut milk (I buy Whole Foods brand canned coconut milk) + 1 tsp chia seeds…

Love.

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Blueberry pancakes made from garbanzo bean flour!

(Topped with stevia-sweetened fat-free Greek yogurt, crushed walnuts, and teeny drizzle maple syrup)

Pancakes (makes 2 medium sized pancakes):

1/2 c garbanzo bean flour

1/4 c egg whites

1/2 mashed banana

1/2 c frozen blueberries

1 t vanilla extract (all natural version)

stevia, 1 serving

cinnamon, nutmeg, ~1/4 t each

sea salt, pinch

Spray non-stick a pan with cooking spray and cook over light/medium heat until bottom is browned and bubbles appear (~3-5 mins). Flip, cook an additional 2-3 mins and enjoy! Top with fruit, yogurt, nut butter or maple syrup.

^These are to.die. for. It’s crazy how the consistency is exactly like traditional (restaurant style) ones!

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Salad monsters w/ hummus salad dressing

Seriously people….

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Beans, tofu, nutritional yeast, cilantro (optional), and balsamic vinegar

Yields the most incredible salad

And even better?

Protein-packed Garbanzo bean flatbread (socca) alongside..

Ingredients:
(Makes 3 small flatbreads)

3/4 c garbanzo bean flour

1 c water (Can add more if desired. Should resemble pancake batter consistency)

1 T olive oil

1 garlic clove, finely diced

small hand full fresh basil, finely chopped

1/2 t sea salt

 1/4 t black pepper

Directions:

Whisk ingredients, spray pan with cooking spray and cook over medium heat (~3 mins). Flip when bottom is browned and small bubbles appear. Cook an additional 2-3 mins.

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I just realized I have two races coming up! The National Half Marathon and Cherry Blossom Ten-Miler – both here in DC!

Anyone else running? It’s funny because last year I ran the same half on a whim. I’m especially excited since my legs are feeling great due to more lifting and yoga and less repetitive cardio.

Speaking of yoga, I just purchased a promo package at a new studio ($35 for 5 classes!). I think heated vinyasa and power yoga are becoming my new favorites.

Q’s

Running any spring/summer races?

Do you also choose meals at the beginning of the week? Has this helped budgeting?

*Recipes coming up*

Buffalo chicken salad

Quinoa stuffed peppers