>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.
(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.
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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
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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.
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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! ❤
Biochemista 