What I Ate Wednesday #123: Vegan. Week 2.

Sunday I had a really serious conversation with my nutritionist, Cyrus. As you may recall, he has me experimenting with a high-carb [70% carb, 15% fat, 15% protein], vegan diet for 14 days. At the start of week 2, I met with him and told him my main concern—I’m not eating the right foods for lunch to hold me over; especially when I’m out of the house all day at work. I just ended up being completely exhausted by late afternoon. I’m just not packing enough. His solution? Eat more. And eat starchy! Lose the greens at lunch; they’re just taking up valuable real estate in my stomach that I need for energizing carbs.

This past week, I’ve made a few adjustments to my meals, in particular, eating more. Lots more! Yesterday was the big test; I was working 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. with just two 1-hour breaks in between hitting all 3 jobs. I knew it was important to pack a lot and really take into account what Cyrus had to say. And let me tell you, I found a way to just. keep. eating.

Peas & Crayons What I Ate Wednesday WIAW

[Breakfast]
I’ve tried a couple breakfasts from Cyrus’ plan but this one was my staple.
Bananas Blueberries Papaya Cinnamon Chia Seeds

  • 2 bananas
  • 1/2 papaya
  • 1 mango OR a bunch of blueberries
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds + 2 tbsp hemp protein soaked 10+ mins in 1/2 cup almond milk

Adding in the protein powder definitely helped keep me full longer. And you’re welcome for snapping a picture pre-chia/protein mix.

[Morning Snack]
Garbanzo Beans Chickpeas
I went to barre after training my first client, but unfortunately could only stay for 30 minutes before heading onto my next job. That said, it was a killer 30 minutes! and I was famished. Chick peas. Because apparently that’s a normal snack? But clearly not enough to hold me over for too long.. Cashew Cookie Larabar to the rescue!
Cashew Cookie Larabar
Larabars have been great because they’re just fruit and nuts. No extra sweeteners, grains, etc.

[Lunch]
Sweet Potato
Admittedly, I’m still getting used to such a high starchy carb load, but eating a ton of sweet potatoes? I can’t really complain.. Seriously. Just straight roasted sweet potatoes. Twas delicious.

[Afternoon Snack……sssss]
Gingerbread Larabar
I had a hell of a time staying full. Must have been all of my running around! In between job 2 and 3, I snacked on an apple with 1 tbsp peanut butter. A couple hours later, my very last Gingerbread Larabar made an appearance. And finally, a blood orange. I told you, I was hungry!

[Dinner]
Collards Kale Spinach Mushrooms Lentils
A long day required an easy dinner. Same as the night before—mushrooms and lentils with mustard dressing over mixed greens.

[Evening Snack]
I must’ve really worked up an appetite because even after all of that, my stomach was still growling before bed. I reached for a banana.. might as well end the day in a similar fashion to how it started!

Damn. That’s a lot of carbs! Haha they are quite tasty, though, so it’s hard to argue. Just a few days left to finish off my 2 week experiment!

Food for Thought

Which meal would be your favorite?
Have you ever considered or tried a high carb diet?

What I Ate Wednesday #65: California Budget Living

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed a steady stream of pretty fabulous looking meals. And it’s true, we have found some really delicious food to try in all of our exploration.

What you don’t always see is my daily budget eats from the hotel. I mentioned before that the hotel includes breakfast everyday and dinner/drinks Monday-Thursday and we try to take advantage of that as much as we can. So in true WIAW fashion, let me show you how we do 😉

[Breakfast]

Oatmeal Granola Pecans TruNut

Oatmeal with banana, hard boiled egg whites, granola, & Tru-Nut

The hotel oatmeal isn’t the greatest, but I do love my morning oats! They have bananas here too so I mash up 1/2 banana and break up a couple egg whites to mix in. The granola is pretty tasty and I switch up my peanut butter options by the day. They have Skippy packets here which I use most of the time, but my treats are Tru-Nut, Justin’s packets, and now some PB & Co. too.. all winnings!

Morning Snack

Whole Foods 365 Fig Date Greek Yogurt

One of my favorites!

Have you ever had this yogurt before? It’s so tasty and I love that the fig & date is separate from the yogurt so I can add as much or as little as I want.

Lunch

Whole Foods Roasted Butternut Squash Avocado Dressing Brussels Sprouts Chipotle Seitan

Salad bar greens, tomatoes, & carrots +
Whole Foods roasted veggies, chipotle seitan & avocado dressing

The salad bar is one of the best parts of the dinner buffet and I brought back some mixed greens, baby carrots, and tomatoes. When it was lunch time, I dressed it up with my goodies from Whole Foods and had a wonderful lunch!

Afternoon Snack

Coconut Health Warrior Chia Bar

Microwave this baby for 10 seconds and you have yourself a tasty treat!

Levs Original Nutrigreen Kombucha

One of my new favorite kombuchas!

Call me crazy, but I packed up my stash of bars and brought them with me to the hotel. I always love having them on hand and usually have a few in my purse with me wherever I go. I’ve also been treating myself to a kombucha a little more often recently. Love trying all of the new-to-me brands and flavors!

Dinner

Salad Bar Red Wine

Huge salad plate from the salad bar, mixed veggies, & red wine

Teriyaki Chicken Rice Pilaf

Teriyaki chicken & rice pilaf

We almost always take advantage of the salad bar and drinks [the red wine and IPA are darn tasty!] and sometimes they even have a decent veggie side too. I’m really not picky when it comes to the veggies, so the frozen mixed veggies are perfectly fine by me!

Monday night we had planned on having dinner at the hotel—teriyaki chicken and rice pilaf—but we had a change of plans. We did, however, make it back to the hotel before they stopped serving dinner so I ran downstairs and packed up a couple of plates for us for Tuesday night [no shame]. I ended up filling up on so much salad and veggies that I only had some of the chicken and left my rice for Nathan. I even got enough chicken for 3 meals 😉

Evening Snack

Baltimore Maryland MD Farmers Market Fuji Apple

Fuji apples!

Fuji apples are my fave and they have them available at the hotel. It’s my perfect night time snack.. and one less thing to buy!

So at the end of the day, I’ve really only purchased some veggies and protein for lunch, a bar, and a kombucha. I’d say it’s not a bad way to get by for a month! [Especially with the free wine..]

Food for Thought

Would you take advantage of the freebies at the hotel?

What I Ate Wednesday #42: My Current Loves

When I suddenly realized that it was time for another edition of WIAW, I also realized that I have unfortunately not been doing a great job of taking pictures of my food and also of switching up what I’m eating. So because I’ve been eating so much of the same, I thought I’d share the favorites that continue to reoccur on my plate.

Barr & Table What I Ate Wednesday WIAW Micheles Granola Pistachio Lemon Seasonal Fresh Beet Juice Avocado Tomatillo Salsa Protein Oatmeal Proats

[Breakfast]
I’m on an oatmeal kick again and I just can’t shake it [not that I’m trying to..] Here’s my favorite recipe as of late..

– 2 egg whites
– 1/2 cup oats
– 1/2 cup lite coconut or almond milk
– 1/2 cup water
– 1/2 banana
– Cinnamon. All of it. I love cinnamon

Toppings
– 1 tbsp nut butters [I usually do 3 tsps of different nut butters!]
– Sprinkling of granola; my go-to right now is Michele’s Pistachio Lemon.. it’s a seasonal flavor and SO good!

Cook the egg whites separately with a sprinkle of cinnamon and set aside. Add milk, water, banana, and cinnamon to the pot and mash the banana until it melts in. Add oats and bring to a boil, then simmer until almost cooked through. Add egg whites back in and combine. Pour into a bowl and top with nut butter, granola, and a little more cinnamon. I told you, I love cinnamon!

[Lunch]
Spinach and cabbage salads with tons of fresh veggies, turkey quinoa burger

, and the easiest guacamole in the world. I take 1/4 avocado and mash it up with whatever salsa I have on hand. Right now I’m using tomatillo salsa and it’s crazy good!

[Dinner]
We’ve been crazy busy lately [oh, weddings..] so dinners have been out a lot. Or just the usual roasted vegetables and whatever protein I can get my hands on!

[Snacks]
Pink lady beet juice [out of old coconut oil jars.. it’s normal]
– Apples
– Yogurt [Chobani.. duh]
KIND bars

Food for Thought

What are you current go-to foods or meals?

What I Ate Wednesday #34: Asian Fusion

If you gathered from my Valentine’s Day recipe roundup, Nathan and I happen to love Asian cuisine. And we really don’t discriminate either.. Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Korean.. you name it, we love it! I would say we have a problem, but in reality, it makes for some fun road trips.

Barr & Table What I Ate Wednesday WIAW Peas and Crayons Sweet Breakfast Scramble Tone It Up TIU Love Your Body Challenge Honeypig Korean

[Breakfast]
Post 7 mile run [mentioned simply because it’s my longest ever!], I had my slimmed down sweet scramble topped with nut butters and Love Grown Raisin Almond Crunch granola. Have you tried their products yet? So good!

Also, every time I tweet a picture of this scramble, people ask me for the recipe! I’ve happily linked it up but always want to make sure to give credit where credit is due. Tina at Carrots ‘N’ Cake is the mastermind behind my daily breakfast and I thank her 🙂

[Lunch]
Pleased that we didn’t have a very far road trip on Sunday, we made our way to Honey Pig, a Korean restaurant where the food is cooked at your table. At your table, they give you a few sides to share: steamed broccoli, egg, pickled daikon, jalapenos, garlic, sweet potatoes [like sticky sweet potatoes.. not like regular orange sweet potatoes], plus a small salad and bowl of rice for each person.

This wasn’t our first rodeo so we knew what we wanted.. Beef Bulgogi and Spicy Chicken. We’ve had both before and they were great. This time, however, the waitress decided we could use a little extra spice. It was absolutely amazing and we devoured every last bite. Extra spicy is the way to go.

*Picture stolen from Mary.

[Dinner]
We were absolutely stuffed from lunch so I opted for a late dinner of coconut oil roasted broccoli and sweet potato with Kasey’s tahini nooch sauce. It’s definitely a favorite dinner of mine! And the picture was so terrible that I decided to spare you. Seriously, I’ve never seen such a terrible picture from a phone!

[Snacks]
Clementine
Apple

Food for Thought

What is your favorite kind of cuisine?

What I Ate Wednesday #31: A Working Holiday

Somehow it seems like the weekends fly by and then all of the sudden it’s time for another WIAW! I tell ya, it sneaks up on me every week.

Monday was MLK Jr. Day and I know many of you were lucky enough to have off of work, including Nathan. I, however, was not, but I definitely took advantage of his day off as much as I could.

Barr & Table What I Ate Wednesday WIAW Peas and Crayons Carrots N Cake Sweet Breakfast Scramble Peanut Butter Co Mongolian Beef Powercakes Black Bean Powerbake Grapefruit Ten Ten Baltimore Maryland MD[Breakfast]
Back to the norm for me. My lightened up sweet breakfast scramble topped with some White Chocolate Wonderful and a little Love Grown Foods apple walnut delight granola. My fave!

[Lunch]
Since Nathan wasn’t working, we got to have lunch together which is extremely rare on weekdays! And not only that, but his sister came too. It was a family affair 🙂

We decided to try a new-to-us restaurant, Ten Ten, and it was definitely a hit. I got the Roasted Vegetable Powerhouse sandwich which consisted of greens, avocado, and white bean hummus on house-baked multigrain bread. Yum! The hummus had so much flavor and the veggies were so packed in there that they were falling off!

[Dinner]
Like I said, taking advantage of Nathan’s day off is what I did best. I convinced him that he should make dinner so I was treated to a delicious dish of homemade Mongolian beef and stir-fry veggies over spinach. [There are 2 pictures of it because it was that tasty!] He done good 😉

[Snacks]
Mid-morning: Grapefruit
Mid-afternoon: Cashew and ginger spice KIND bar [if you haven’t tried this, do it!]
Dessert: Looks funny, tastes awesome!

I love having an apple every night for dessert and sometimes I prefer to dip it. I microwaved a piece of my black bean powerbake with a touch of Mighty Maple Peanut Butter and added a splash of almond milk. It was the perfect chocolately dip for my apple!

Food for Thought

Did you have off of work for the holiday? How do you make the most of your time off?

What I Ate Wednesday #25 – Healthy Holiday Recipes

Have you entered my Hail Merry Macaroon giveaway? Only 2 more days!

I can’t lie, my meals have been pretty less-than-interesting over the last week. I’m a creature of habit and when I do a lot of food prep on Sundays, I tend to eat a lot of the same meals during the week. But I’ve been having fun in the kitchen and am happy to be sharing a couple healthy Hannuka recipes just in time for the holiday!

Barr & Table Peas and Crayons What I Ate Wednesday WIAW Carrots N Cake Sweet Breakfast Scramble Peanut Butter Co Tone It Up Carrot Ginger Soup TIU Jamie Eason Turkey Meatloaf Muffin Sushi

[Breakfast]
Like I said, creature of habit. I’m still going strong in my Sweet Breakfast Scramble obsession!

[Lunch]
Tone It Up‘s Carrot & Pumpkin Soup and a Jamie Eason turkey meatloaf muffin. This was seriously the easiest lunch and so delicious. I didn’t mind having it almost everyday.. in fact, I enjoyed it!

[Dinner]
Sushi! It was a nice night for a date so we hit up a happy hour for a glass of wine (or beer) and some delicious sushi.  I didn’t snap pictures of the edamame and pork shumai but they were delicious, as always. Salmon and avocado wrapped in cucumber is also always a great choice, but my treat roll was the crab stick, cucumber, and avocado topped with more avocado, salmon, tuna, and a little eel sauce. SO yum! Nathan got pork yakisoba and it was equally as wonderful. If you’re in Baltimore and looking for good sushi, I highly recommend Naname Cafe!

[Snacks] not pictured
Apple, Madagascar Vanilla KIND Bar, and 1/2 of a blueberry ricotta muffin. I love having 1/2 muffin in the afternoon to help hold me over.. so tasty!

Onto the fun stuff!

I’m so glad we’re sharing healthy holiday recipes because I just tested a few for Hannuka!

Sweet Potato & Zucchini Latkes

Barr & Table Sweet Potato Zucchini Latkes Cinnamon Nutmeg Hannuka Chanukah

Makes 18 latkes

Ingredients
1/2 cup zucchini, shredded and drained
2 cups sweet potato, shredded
2 large egg whites
2 tbsp coconut flour* [I use Bob’s Red Mill, but you can sub other flour if you don’t have coconut!]
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp xylitol* + extra for sprinkling [You can sub regular sugar or other sugar substitutes]
1/2 tsp salt

Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, shape into 18 equal balls, and flatten into pancakes. Bake about 1 hour, flipping half way through.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack. Sprinkle with a little extra xylitol and cinnamon and enjoy!

Nutritional Stats
Per pancake without toppings

21 Calories  /  0g Fat  /  4g Carbs  /  1g Fiber  /  0g Sugar  /  1g Protein

Baked Sufganiyot

Baked Sufganiyot Hannuka Chanukah Jelly Donuts

Makes 12 minis

If you’re not familiar with sufganiyot, they are jelly-filled donuts that are a staple during Hannuka. But of course jelly-filled donuts are not exactly on the healthy treats list, so I wanted to create a more figure-friendly way to enjoy these tasty treats.

Ingredients
1/4 cup unbleached white flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 large egg white
1/4 cup xylitol* + extra for sprinkling [You can sub regular sugar or other sugar substitutes]
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk [I use Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk]
4 tbsp your favorite jam [I used blackberry preserves]
~1/2 – 1 tbsp agave nectar*
~1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease mini muffin pan. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients from flour through milk until just incorporated.

Fill each muffin tin with about 1/2 tbsp of mix to just cover the bottom. Place about 1 tsp of jam in the middle of each “donut” and then top with the rest of the mix. Bake for about 12 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean (minus the jam!), turning half way through.

Remove from the oven and let cool about 5-10 minutes. Drizzle with agave nectar and sprinkle with cinnamon and xylitol. Enjoy guilt-free!

Nutritional Stats
Per mini “donut”

52 Calories  /  0g Fat  /  14g Carbs  /  1g Fiber  /  5g Sugar  /  1g Protein

*These ingredients can be found on iHerb.com. Use code ZAF482 to receive $5 off of your first order.

Food for Thought

What are some of your favorite holiday recipes? Do you go towards the healthy options or the unhealthy treats?

What I Ate Wednesday #24 – Thanksgiving Feast

This year might have been my most successful Thanksgiving ever. For the first time, probably ever in my life, I didn’t overeat and it was amazing! It also left me wanting more. Usually I’m all Thanksgiving-food’ed out after we have our 2 dinners, but this year I feel like I could eat Thanksgiving dinner a few more times.

One of the biggest tips I’ve always heard on not overeating is to eat all of your meals as you would normally. So that’s what I attempted to do.

Thanksgiving Dinner Deep Fried Turkey Cranberry Relish Sausage Stuffing Sweet Potato Scramble Peanut Butter Butternut Squash Brussel Sprouts Asparagus Barr & Table Peas and Crayons What I Ate Wednesday WIAW

[Breakfast]
Tina from Carrots ‘N’ Cake said it perfectly..

“…a good breakfast sets the tone for my day.”

Since I’ve tried her Sweet Breakfast Scramble, I haven’t turned back. It’s amazing.. my favorites are with spaghetti squash and pumpkin, topped with 1 tbsp peanut butter. Usually two different kinds of peanut butter to mix it up 🙂

[Lunch]
Peanut butter cup protein shake.

[Snacks]
Carrots and an apple.

[Dinner]
Thank goodness for Thanksgiving! I loved the menu this year; of course we had our staples, but some new side dishes popped up too.

  • Deep fried turkey
  • Sausage stuffing (secret recipe!)
  • Roasted sweet potatoes
  • Roasted broccoli
  • Roasted asparagus
  • Winter panzanella salad
  • Cranberry relish

Check out my plate above.. I definitely had a little extra of a few things, but I couldn’t believe I walked away with white space on my plate!

This year I jumped at the opportunity to make a few items for the night, partially in an attempt to have a few healthier items on the table.

Smitten Kitchen Michael Chiarello Panzanella Salad Homemade Reeses Peanut Butter Cups Jif KIND Snacks Granola Apple Crisp

I brought one of my favorite winter salads; winter panzanella from smitten kitchen. I also wanted to bring a healthy dessert so I made my Kind Apple Crisp. And then the healthy options ended. My homemade peanut butter cups are an absolute must ever year. I’ve been making them since I was a kid and have perfected them in the last few years. Nathan said they were the best this year, but I think he tells me that every year! I’ll keep him around.. 😉

Thanksgiving Dinner Deep Fried Turkey Slicing

Mom slicing the turkey!

My brother deep fries the turkeys outside and as soon as they come in, everyone starts swarming the kitchen.

“Oh, this piece is going to fall off. I should grab it before it falls..”

And as soon as my mom starts slicing, you’d think we were a bunch of vultures that hadn’t eaten in days! Who knows, maybe some of us haven’t eaten in days in preparation? It’s well worth the wait!

[Dessert]

Thanksgiving Dessert Pumpkin Roll Pie Whipped Cream Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Along with my peanut butter cups and apple crisp, there was also a deconstructed pumpkin pie in the cutest little cups, chocolate chip banana bread courtesy of my brother’s girlfriend, and a pumpkin roll. My aunt makes this roll special for Nathan every year, so you can imagine our panic when we saw her facebook status in the early afternoon..

“First attempt at pumpkin roll a failure and dumped in trash. Helper off to the Giant for more sugar. I know Nathan is counting on me!”

I’m pleased to report that her second attempt was a success! Luckily, I convinced Nathan ahead of time to split the desserts with me so I was able to try a little bit of everything. And boy can my family bake! Seriously. We’re good!

What a great holiday! I’m so thankful for my wonderful family, especially since they’re such great cooks and bakers 😉

Food for Thought

What are you thankful for this year?

What I Ate Wednesday #23 – Catching Up & Thanksgiving Brews

Holy slacker, it’s been a while since we’ve chatted! It’s been a crazy week and a half that unfortunately included a back injury. I subsequently dubbed last week the week of eating everything in site, which makes this week the week of getting back on track. I must be crazy thinking now is a good time to plan on getting back on track with Thanksgiving being Thursday, but hey, no time like the present, right?!

And speaking of Thanksgiving, as the resident “beer snobs” of the family, Nathan and I are always asked for beer pairings. We’ve been doing our Thanksgiving beer pairing research and I’m happy to share with you our top 5 finds! But first.. the eats.

Barr & Table What I Ate Wednesday WIAW Tone It Up TIU Pumpkin Protein Pancake Spaghetti Squash Powercakes Tahini Nooch Sauce Premier Protein Plus Peanut Fluff

[Breakfast]
Back to basics. My Tone It Up pumpkin protein pancake with banana slices and peanut fluff [2 tbsp peanut flour*, 1 packet stevia, & water to reach desired consistency]

[Lunch]
Kale salad with spaghetti squash, lots of veggies, and Powercakes Tahini Nooch sauce. This has been my favorite go-to dressing as of late. It’s packed with tons of protein and flavor.. think garlicky kale from Whole Foods. YUM!

[Dinner]
Roasted salmon with honey almond spaghetti squash. Simple but full of flavor!

[Snacks]
Grapefruit. (Not pictured)
Green Protein Piña Colada.. a Greeña Colada, if you will 😉

Quick recipe! Protein Greeña Colada
– 1 Premier Protein vanilla shake
– 1/2 frozen banana
– 1/4 cup pineapple chunks
– 2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
– 1 cup spinach
– 2-4 ice cubes

Throw everything in your blender and froth up! This baby packs a 32g protein punch! Perfect for your workout days.

Apple and peanut fluff*.

*Peanut flour can be found on iHerb.com. Use code ZAF482 to receive $5 off of your first order.

Thanksgiving Brews

When pairing beverages with food, most people immediately consider wine. Beer is often an afterthought, but not in our house! I’ve been researching the top beers to pair with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner and I think I’ve found the list that’ll make even your pickiest beer-drinker happy!

  1. Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen
    Ayinger Oktoberfest-Marzen Thanksgiving Beer

    Ayinger Oktoberfest-Marzen

    This is an easy-drinking, copper-colored beer that isn’t overpowering. It will compliment everything on your table from sweet potatoes to a hearty sausage stuffing, with its notes of caramel and smooth, subtle hops. At 5.8% ABV, this will be an all-around crowd-pleaser.

    Can’t find Ayinger? Look for Paulaner or Sam Adams!

  2. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
    Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Thanksgiving Beer

    Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

    If you’re looking for a beer with a little more punch to stand up to your stuffing, SNPA is the way to go. A touch of citrus flavor and a slightly bitter, but balanced, taste provides a crisp, clean finish.

    Can’t find Sierra Nevada? Look for Flying Dog or Lagunitas!

  3. Sierra Nevada Kellerweis
    Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Hefeweizen Thanksgiving Beer

    Sierra Nevada Kellerweis

    A beer that’s always found in our house, Kellerweis will satisfy any drinker’s taste. This fresh, crisp beer is a great way to start the evening paired with a creamy goat cheese or brie (which should definitely be on any list of appetizers!) It’s also the perfect way to end the night; with its subtle notes of banana and clove, you have the perfect companion to spiced desserts like pumpkin pie.

    Can’t find Sierra Nevada? Look for Paulaner or Victory!

  4. Ommegang Abbey Ale
    Ommegang Abbey Ale Dubbel Thanksgiving Beer

    Ommegang Abbey Ale

    You can’t go wrong with a Belgian-style beer; especially if you’re talking Ommegang Abbey Dubbel. Another beer that can stand up to the lighter dishes as well as heavier, this well-balanced beer with notes of fruits and molasses will pack a punch at 8.2% ABV.

    Can’t find Ommegang? Look for New Belgium or Chimay!

  5. Rogue Chocolate Stout

    Rogue Chocolate Stout Thanksgiving Beer

    Rogue Chocolate Stout

    For those guests looking to go to the dark side, this chocolate stout is the way to go! It’s a silky, smooth beer with notes of chocolate and espresso. It is a perfect compliment to dessert, but can also stand up to the heavier dishes.

    Can’t find Rogue? Look for Evolution or Sam Adams!

Food for Thought

What is your favorite part of Thanksgiving? Do you prefer beer or wine paired with your dinner? What is your favorite beer?

What I Ate Wednesday #17 – Holiday Recovery

I love getting together with my entire family for meals. It’s great to see everyone, catch up, and eat good food. Ooooh, the food!

Jewish holiday meals always include brisket, some sort of poultry, whether it’s chicken or turkey, often there is fish, usually salmon, matzah ball soup, vegetables, kugel, an assortment of desserts, and the list could go on and on. To say I overeat at these dinners would be an understatement.

I always tell myself, “1 piece of this, 1 piece of that, a couple little bites of this, a couple little pieces of that… you can always go back for more.” And I do. I take a little bit of everything and always go back for more. What can I say? My family knows how to cook and I’m going to take advantage of it when I can!

So after two Rosh Hashana dinners, I find myself trying to recover and pick up the pieces of my “has-been” healthy eating habits.

Barr & Table What I Ate Wednesday WIAW Peas and & Crayons Tone It Up TIU Pumpkin Protein Pancake Peanut Fluff Bombshell Spell Premier Protein Salmon Salad Chipotle Honey Lime Chicken Coconut Oil Roasted Brussel Sprouts Broccoli Chobani Apple Cinnamon

[Breakfast]
Tone It Up pumpkin protein pancake topped with peanut fluff and, with all of the benefits of ACV (courtesy of Brittany at Eating Bird Food), I knew I had to have my bombshell spell. Steering clear from the grains for a day or two will definitely help, so I put the oatmeal on the back burner. Get it?! 😉

[Snack] Not Pictured
I found out that I’m not a huge fan of vanilla Greek yogurt without any fruit or granola in it. And unfortunately I had no fruit or granola in sight, so I went for the next best thing. I mixed in a tablespoon of no sugar added Swiss Miss. What, you don’t have a container of Swiss Miss at your desk?!

[Lunch]
The only good picture of the day. Salad topped with veggies and roasted salmon. The salmon was leftover from Rosh Hashana dinner and man, my mom did an awesome job! It’s a little smokey and a little sweet. And luckily I have some more leftovers to hold me over through the week!

[Snack]
It was a sad, sad day as I finished my very last Premier Protein shake. The vanilla is awesome and I will definitely be making my way over to Sam’s Club as soon as I can to get more!

[Dinner]
Chipotle honey lime chicken with coconut oil roasted brussel sprouts and broccoli. This chicken was so good! Nathan tasted the sauce and I got an “oh yea!” in approval and that’s when I knew I’d have to share the recipe with all of you! You know what that means.. check it out this Foodie Friday! 🙂

[Snack]
I just feel the need to apologize for this picture. It’s not a pretty one, but it was so tasty and hit the spot after a hard interval workout, courtesy of Julie at PBFingers! I mixed 1/4 cup Chobani vanilla Greek yogurt with 1 tbsp peanut flour, 1 packet stevia, and 1/2 tbsp vegan carob chips. Then I mixed in a chopped up apple and sprinkled a little cinnamon on top. Yum!

[Goals]
In the spirit of continuing with my previous goal of beating my 5K time of 26:08, I ran my second 5K on Sunday. Unfortunately, this one didn’t have a chip time, only a gun time. But according to MapMyRun on my phone, I had the exact same time and pace as my first 5K. And I have to say, that while I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t beat my time, I’m still pretty pleased that I did just as well. Next up, 5K on September 29th. It’s on!

Speak Up!

What is your favorite holiday meal and what are your favorite foods that go along with that meal?