>Catch up

>Good Morning Blogworld, let’s get this week kicked off right! Mmmmm K? I stared my day off with Starbucks (it was sooo nice out I haaaad to go for a walk rather than make one myself) and enjoyed a filling bowl of overnight chocolate-pumpkin oats when I returned. As the warmer months approach, I crave cold/refreshing breakfasts. Think green smoothies, fruit and yogurt, and chilled oat mixes.

Today’s breakfast is an all-time favorite. I never did understand why pumpkin is a fall thing. If they sell it in March, I will buy.

Pumpkin spiced latte chilled overnight oats

Night before, combine and mix:

1/3 c oats

1/2 c pumpkin (pure canned pumpkin, not pie filling)

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (SunWarrior brand)

3/4 c almond milk

1 tsp instant espresso

stevia, 1-2 servings

pinch sea salt

Next morning: 

Add splash almond milk (if too thick)

 1 tsp chia seeds (for crunch) 

 Devour!

* * *

In my lack of weekend posting, I have a few recipes to share with y’alllllz. I wish I could say I was out living it up, but sadly I was workkkkkking. Hospital shifts from 7am-8pm leave little brain power and I generally choose this over my computer. 

(Saturday night post 13 hrs on feet. So good, btw.)

You understand, right?

OK, onto some weekend eats!

Breakfasts

Greek Yogurt, fruit, & chia

3/4 c fat-free Greek yogurt (sweetened with thawed strawberries and 1 serving stevia)

partially-thawed mangoes

1 tsp chia seeds

1/3 c Go Lean Crunch cereal

Green smoothies

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (SunWarrior brand)

frozen banana

frozen strawberries

frozen blueberries

hand full fresh spinach

 1 tsp spirulina (probiotic)

almond milk

ice

Lunch/snacks

Madeshift Indian food!

1/5 block firm tofu, cubed

hand full frozen spinach

1 c steamed veggies

1/2 package eggplant punjab 

Kale chips

Kale misted with olive oil

Dusted with sea salt, pepper

Roasted at 425F for ~15 mins (flipping once)

Dinner

(inspired by UneVieSaine)

Steamed veggies (brussels, zucchini, butternut squash, green beans)

ground Quorn (meat-free crumbles)

1 T sunflower seeds

Lite honey mustard dressing

Homemade pizza!

Crust made from veggies, flax, egg & spices. 

Recipe coming soon! (almost perfected)

* * *

I’m off to BodyPump then work for my last shift before a few days off! 

How are you getting your week off on the right foot? 

>What’s cookin good lookin?

>For today’s post I thought I’d take you on a tour of [what’s in] my kitchen. As I was putting together pictures, I thought about what my kitchen looked like 5 years ago. In my former college kitchen you would find:

– (Preservative loaded) Lean Cuisines and other diet-y frozen dinners

– Huge bag of frozen raw antibiotic-loaded chicken

– Frozen pancakes (no idea why I loved these so much)

– Fat-free yogurt sweetened with splenda

– Diet energy drinks (Tab Energy Drink was my vice. Any else?)

– Diet soda (Diet Coke for days and Diet Sprite/Ginger Ale for mixers on weekends)

– Sugar-loaded granola bars 

– Fat-free Kraft Singles (how disgusting! Why did I enjoy eating plastic??)

– Fat-free/sugar-free  Jell-O and pudding

– Deli meats (never opted preservative/filler free versions)

– Lots of ready-made dressings, marinades, toppings

Do you get the picture? If it was”diet” I was all over it (well, except maybe the frozen pancakes, ha). I was never full, suffered from constant headaches, and constantly obsessed about my diet. Since switching to a lifestyle of eating real, whole, and clean foods, my life has dramatically improved in the following ways:

1) Bye-bye migraines (went from 1-2 per week to maaaybe 1 every other month)

2) Feel full, for much longer

3) No longer obsessing over diet foods

4) Huge energy boost

5) Ironically, when I stopped “dieting” I got into the best shape of my life

So here’s a look in my current kitchen. Keep in mind, this is not all my food (I have roomies). Y’all know I have a cheese allergy. I might dream I could divulge in the smoked Gouda deliciousness you will see, but sadly that is not the case.

Cabinets

A lot of my lunches and dinners are eaten at work. I love doctoring up healthy soups and sauces. 

Protein bars, natural condiments (dressings, ketchup) quinoa, oyster crackers (love these!), brownie mix 

 [Some of] my spices. Definitely needs some organization.

Oatmeal and smoothie mix-ins. I keep this eye-level cabinet stocked with items I regularly use (raw honey, almond oil, apple cider vinegar, mesquite, maca powder, spirulina, oats, nutritional yeast).

 

Baking essentials. Newest favorites: Coconut flour and flaxseed meal.

Refrigerator

Top shelf

Low-fat cottage cheese

white wine

PB (can you guess which are mine?)

Fruit (strawberries and golden(!) raspberries)

Off-limits cheese (dang belly)

Deli stuff

Deli turkey (think we know who that’s for)

Tempeh

light shredded cheese

Light Laughing Cow cheese

Whole grain bread

vegetables (tomatoes, kale, peppers, zucchini)

lean ground turkey breast

OJ varieties (Mafriend is obsessed)

Soy (or almond milk), for me

1% milk, for them 

hummus

Greek yogurt

egg whites

Fruit/Veg draws

Spinach

cucumbers

butternut squash

brussel sprouts

cauliflower

broccoli

more peppers

apples

 Freezer

Frozen veggies

lean turkey burgers

Tip: We organize opened bags of frozen veggies in large freezer bags. Convenient for throwing into soups, egg scrambles, stirfryes when crunched for time

Bread and bananas

 

I don’t eat bread every day so keep mine in the freezer. I also always have a large bin of peeled bananas for easy usage in smoothies, oatmeal, etc.

Meat

Frozen shrimp

organic free-range chicken

Meatless meatballs (Quorn, soy)

Fruit shelf

Super convenient for smoothies, oats, protein pancake mix-ins, or late-night snacking

Top of fridge

We keep a big clear bowl of unrefrigerated veggies handy for easy viewing. Tip: If you can see your produce you’re more likely to use it!

And quite possibly my favorite part…

Krups + Keurig

 Coffee varieties

hand frother

caramel syrup (for ma sistah, I hate the stuff)

Truvia packets 

Not pictured
Protein Powders (SunWarrior!)
Cooking oils and vinegars
Tofu

* * *

How has your kitchen changed over the years?

What’s most random item you have in yours?

>Weekend perfection

>Hi all, hope you had a wonderful weekend! Mine was splendid. I had quite the busy work week, so 2 days off (in a row, rather than throughout the week) was greatly appreciated.

Friday after work, I was spent. I was on the floor (hospital lingo) at 7am. I had a planned a fun drinks and dinner night with friends buuuut I was trying to peel my eyes open at 6pm. Big problemo. I tried taking a nap, unsuccessfully. Tried drinking a massive mug of coffee, also unsuccessful. I knew the only thing that would save me was a run. 

I snacked on a protein bar that the nice people at Think Thin send me to test (review coming soon).

Problemo #2: It was 27F and windy. Buuut, I went for it. 3 miles later I was back in action and cooked up dinner.

Lauren joined us for Magic Soup (!) 

(Recipe here. Side note: this version had butternut squash thrown in and was so good!)

…Followed by cocktails and good-ole girl time. Our friend Bryan was also in town and stopped over which was hilarious in itself (he is quite possibly one of the most amusing people I know).

I rolled with frozen [skinny] strawberry margaritas while the rest had what my sister has named “Crussians” (Crush + Russians). They are basically black Russians with a splash of milk. In other words, one of them will knock your socks off.

* * *

Saturday was amazing. We slept in, made brunch and watched movies and feasted on Mexican until about 4pm. I haven’t relaxed on the couch that long in a looooong time. And it was glorious. 

Feeling quite rested, I hit the pavement for a refreshing 7-mile run around Georgetown and the White House before heading to a wine party with friends. Don’t you just love weekends where you spend 100% of the time doing what you love? Nothing makes me happier than sleeping in, good food, running and spending time with the Manfriend, sister, and friends. Makes the weekend seem so much longer ❤

Before heading to the wine party, Kelsey (sister) requested I make turkey meatloaf and sweet potato fries. This meal is quite the staple in our apartment. So filling, healthy, easy, and delicious!

All-natural (gluten-free) Turkey meatloaf 

Meatloaf ingredients:

Ground lean turkey breast, 1 package

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

3/4 cup oatmeal (use gluten-free oats if necessary)

1/2 cup Ketchup

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 T Wocheschire sauce

1/2 t sea salt

1/4 t black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F

2. Combine and mix ingredients (with hands)

3. Spray baking pan (I use glass) with non-stick spray

4. Spoon-in mixture, spread evenly

5. Cover with tinfoil and bake for 40 mins

6. Remove foil, top with a thin layer of ketchup, and bake for 5-10 mins

Meatloaf pairs incredibly well with baked sweet potato fries…

Simple baked Sweet potatoes

1. Peel sweet potatoes, and cut into discs (shown below) or fries

1. Line baking sheet with tinfoil

2. Spray foil with non-stick spray

3. Place fries on foil, spray with more non-stick spray

4. Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper

5. Bake for 15 mins at 425F or until bottoms are brown and spotted

6. Flip fries, spray tops, and sprinkle with more sea salt and pepper

7. Bake 15 mins or until other side becomes browned

* * *

This morning I woke after 11 hours of sleep (I told you I had an exhausting week) to a breakfast cookie

Combine ingredients, spread onto plate, and chill in fridge overnight

1/3 cup oats

1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder

1/2 mashed banana

1 t peanut butter

1/8 cup almond milk

pinch cinnamon, nutmeg

stevia (1 serving)

teeeny pinch sea salt

raisins, 1 T

Then headed to the gym with the Manfriend for 15 mins of treadmill sprints and BodyPump class. Muscles are still shaking!

I refueled with this new find on sale at Whole Foods this week…

110 calories for 22g protein! It tasted like a creamier version of Greek yogurt.

(I added stevia and a drizzle of organic honey to sweeten)

Have you found any new gems in the grocery store?? Lately I’m loving the ThinkThin bars, Skyr.is yogurt, Quorn meatless chicken burgers, and Zico coconut water.

* * *

The rest of the day I’m planning to relax, clean up a bit, then it’s date night with the Manfriend for Restaurant Week! ow-ow

Enjoy the rest of your day! ❤

>Be thankful

>TGIF! I’m laying on the couch a little sore after a long trip to the dentist’s office. I recently cracked my tooth eating a wasabi pea (ouch!) and had a temporary crown put on. Don’t you just love trips to the dentist?? Joking aside, I have a fantastic dentist if anyone in the DC area is looking.

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Here are some recent foods I’ve been enjoying over the last few days:

Veggie burger pizzas

Morningstar pizza burgers (grilled) on top of a grilled whole grain wrap, with organic marinara, laughing cow cheese, oregano, basil, garlic powder

Coffee soy milk

The first two ingredients are coffee and water (for you caffeine lovers)! I scored this from the Foodbuzz Festival tasting pavilion.

My beloved SunWarrior arrived!

Protein pasta

Carba nada protein pasta topped with “meat” sauce (quorn, marinara, nutritional yeast, oregano, basil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes)

—————-

I’ve also been enjoying spending time with this handsome young man..

Not sure why but he’s been extra cuddly lately. I’ll take it ❤

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On the workout front, my hip is still hurting. My PT gave me the a-ok to run 5-6 miles a few times per week but I’m being even more cautious than that. From my experience, it’s better to be safe than sorry. I’ve been doing lots more spinning classes, BodyPump and even tried out some new exercise classes (lots of circuit training, which I’m LOVING). As much as I miss running, I’m trying my best to stay positive. Sometimes you have to just be thankful that you still can exercise at all. Sometimes I take that for granted.

Stay tuned around Thanksgiving, when my brother (studying to be a strength and conditioning coach for pro athletes) is going to put me through a 4-day workout series. Think women + heavy lifting!

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Have a great weekend!

Questions:

Have you tried any new workouts?

DVDs? Classes?

Any suggestions for someone with two left feet??

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* An interesting article: Why teens are more susceptible to long-term drug and alcohol induced brain damage compared to adults