What I Ate Wednesday #127: The Calm Before the Storm

Have you entered my giveaways? Enter my Peanut Butter & Co. giveaway here and my Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts giveaway here!

Yesterday was our last day of eating in before Nathan’s mom gets into town and we start all over again! I can’t complain, really. It is nice to have another few days off of cooking. Remind me I said that when I can’t wait for a home-cooked meal again! I’ve been killing it in the kitchen this week, though. Those restaurants will have a lot to compete with 😉

[Pre-Workout]

I’ve rationed these babies out pretty darn well! Once I sliced them up, I put them in the freezer and they’re the perfect size for a little pre-workout snack.

[Breakfast]

It really doesn’t get any better in my eyes. And I’m finally back to having a minimum of 2 jars of homemade nut butters. That’s clutch.

[Lunch]

Monday night I made 4 lbs worth of Vietnamese grilled pork butt. Most of the time when I’m cooking dinner, I’ll make enough for about 4 servings so we can have it for dinner and then lunches/leftover dinner. This pork, however, is one of Nathan’s favorite things that I make so now, I’m always making huge batches of it for all kinds of leftovers! Another item to go in the freezer for future snackage.

This salad was special though. I had to figure out a way to carefully scarf it down after getting 2 fillings. The entire right side of my face was still numb so I definitely considered eating to be a rather difficult [and messy] skill at the time. Ha!

[Afternoon Snack]

Like I said, these super power bites aren’t going to last long in this house! I only grabbed one [this time] and supplemented the rest of my snack with some roasted russets and sweet potatoes that I cooked up early for dinner.

[Dinner]

I’m 3 for 3 with dinners this week! I’m always excited when Nathan takes a couple of bites and says “add this one to the list!” The chicken souvlaki was light and flavorful and if you ask me, brussels and sweet potatoes are the best sides of all time. Am I right?

And the brussels deserved their own picture. You bet your butt I snacked on those before and after dinner. None made it out alive.. that’s pretty normal over here though.

[Evening Snack]
The daily apple. Nuf said.

Food for Thought

Do you make lots of extra servings with dinner to have leftovers throughout the week?

Foodie Friday: Proscuitto-Wrapped Cheesy Brussels Sprouts #Sponsored

I received free samples of Cabot Cheese mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe challenge sponsored by Cabot Creamery and am eligible to win prizes. I was not additionally compensated for my time.

Superbowl Sunday must be one of the biggest snacking days of the year. All of the chips, dips, wings, pizza, beer, and then some.. it’s amazing to see just how many calories people can consume in a short 4-hour game!

As a part of Recipe ReDux, I took on the challenge of creating a lighter snack for the big game. As I thought about what kind of poppables I love to snack on [whether it’s weird or not..], brussels sprouts came to mind. I could eat a whole tray of roasted brussels right out of the oven without giving it a second thought! And cheesy brussels? Oh yes!

I received a shipment of a variety of Cabot Creamery cheeses but knew that I wanted a bold cheddar to stand up to the flavor of the proscuitto and brussels. Seriously Sharp sounds about right, yes?

Proscuitto-Wrapped Cheesy Brussels Sprouts

Makes 48 bites

Ingredients
– 24 brussels sprouts; halved
– 4 oz. Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese; sliced
– 4 oz. proscuitto
– 3-4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
– EVOO
– Black pepper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the brussels sprouts with EVOO and black pepper, place sliced side down on a sheet pan and into the oven. Roast the brussels for 15-20 minutes until they begin to crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool enough to handle.

Turn the oven down to 350°F. Once cooled, place a small slice of cheese on the sprout and wrap with a slice of proscuitto. Place the wrapped brussels onto a baking wrap on top of the sheet pan. Bake for another 20 minutes or until the proscuitto crisps up.

Remove the brussels sprouts from the oven, skewer with a toothpick, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. If you’d like, add a little more shredded cheese to the top of the brussels sprouts and serve!

Food for Thought

What’s your favorite game day snack?

Don’t forget to enter my She’s Losing It! giveaway!

Sunshine, Group Asses, & Red Thai Curry

Oh man, Monday already, huh? We had absolutely beautiful weather this past weekend and even though we had a ton of packing to do, we also wanted to take full advantage of the sunshine. Saturday we went into San Francisco. It had been almost a month since the last time we spent time in the city; we didn’t go in with much of a plan but to just walk around and enjoy our time outside.

One of the first things we passed was this fabulous sign. Take note.. always be careful of where you place your specials.

Would you like a $99 special on some group asses?

The city was hopping and by the time we made it to Blue Barn Gourmet for lunch, it was packed! We ordered our lunches to-go but snagged a table by the window while we were waiting. I’d been to Blue Barn by myself when we first moved out to California but had never taken Nathan. It was so good!

Winter salad with brussels, roasted squash, grated parm, pomegranate arils, pine nuts, and smoked salmon.

We continued our hike through the city and made our way over to the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a pretty clear day and the scenes were awfully nice!

You’d think by now we’d be better at taking selfies..

The Palace of Fine Arts was looking pretty wonderful too. We laid out a blanket and as soon as my my head hit the blanket, I was out cold! Clearly I needed a nap.. ha!

We stayed in for dinner; I made a chicken and broccoli stir fry with red Thai curry sauce over spaghetti squash and it was delish. I added some sriracha to the sauce and it gave it a nice kick. I will definitely be stashing this recipe away to make again soon!

We did a bunch of cooking over the weekend in hopes of keeping this week super easy. We don’t have a specific meal plan for this week because we’re moving Saturday and are trying to keep our dishes to a minimum without going out a ton. It’s going to be a crazy nuts week but we’ll be in a new place soon and we’re definitely ready for another new experience! And on that note, let’s do this thing!

Food for Thought

Did you do anything fun over the weekend?

What I Ate Wednesday #119: Lunch Date at BJ’s Brewhouse

On Monday, I mentioned going out to lunch with Nathan over the weekend. While we’re trying to stick within a little more strict than usual budget because of our upcoming move, we wanted to get out of the house for a bit. Luckily, I was recently contacted by BJ’s Brewhouse to visit one of their nearby restaurants and check out the Enlightened Menu. Obviously anytime someone offers me food and beer, I can’t say no!

The Enlightened menu is great for everyone in the crowd and, especially when we’re all trying to lighten the load a bit after the holidays, it’s a great option when you’re going out. Everything on this portion of the menu is 795 calories or less and offers much more than just a plain old salad.

Not to mention, the lighter calories leaves room for a little beverage 😉

And even though they do show quite a nice beer list, you could always go with a lighter option and tap into the fully-stocked bar.

For our entrees, I went with the Kale and Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad with flame-broiled salmon.

Baby kale, herb-roasted brussels sprouts, romaine, blueberries, red grapes, dried cranberries, goat cheese, cucumber, candied pecans, toasted pepitas and red onions tossed in strawberry vinaigrette.

The salmon was cooked perfectly and all of the elements of the salad came together really nicely. I especially liked the candied pecans, brussels [obviously..], and the crispy crunch on the salmon. It was a great option to choose instead of the typical house salad with chicken and I’d definitely recommend this dish.

Nathan ordered the Mediterranean Chicken Pita Tacos.

Grilled chicken breast seasoned with Big Poppa Smokers’ Desert Gold Rub, cucumber, Roma tomatoes, red onions, feta and fresh cilantro tossed in red wine vinaigrette and drizzled with Greek yogurt crema in a chargrilled pita. With Greek yogurt crema for dipping and seasonal bistro grains.

In comparison, I’d say his portion was a bit smaller than mine, mostly due to the huge hunk of salmon on my plate. Nathan enjoyed the tacos, though felt like he would have preferred some sort of veggie side dish over the couscous because there was already pita with the main part of the meal. That said, he did enjoy the couscous salad as well.

Seeing as how we were enjoying meals from the Enlightened menu, we opted to skip dessert. However, going back with friends, you bet we’ll have to try the Pizookie Trio! Those things look AMAZING!

If you have a BJ’s in your area, definitely go check out their Enlightened menu [and awesome beer list] when you get a chance.

Food for Thought

What would you order off of the Enlightened menu?

Disclaimer: BJ’s Brewhouse provided our meal complimentary but as always, all opinions are my own.

Foodie Friday: Baked Cajun Haddock & Veggies with Sizzlefish

One thing I love about going out to eat is getting seafood. I rarely cook it at home because Nathan doesn’t eat it so it’s a big treat for me. That said, sometimes I just crave a nice piece of fish at home. That’s where Sizzlefish comes in. A few weeks ago, I was sent a beautiful shipment from Sizzlefish that will surely satisfy all of my seafood dreams!

Aside from being downright delicious, fish has so many important health benefits—one of the biggest being the Omega-3s that it provides. Straight from the Sizzlefish website:

Think of Omega-3 fats as Nature’s best performance enhancers. They give cardio-pulmonary and anti-inflammatory benefits to athletes, while actually improving long-term health. They can help you manage weight.

In addition, Omega-3s can provide great benefits to athletes such as muscle recovery and joint health. But enough about the health benefits, let’s get to the cooking!

Baked Cajun Haddock & Veggies

Serves 2
Adapted from Half Baked Harvest

Ingredients
– 2 Sizzlefish Haddock filets
– 1 tbsp cajun seasoning
– 1/4 tbsp raw sugar [sub brown sugar]
– 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
– 1/2 tsp black pepper
– 1/4 tsp cayenne
– 1/4 tsp dried thyme
– 1 lb brussels sprouts; halved
– 1 tbsp lite soy sauce [sub tamari for gluten-free]
– 1 red bell peppers; chopped
– 1/2 onion; chopped
– 2 cloves garlic; minced
– 1 14 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
– EVOO

Directions
Preheat your oven to 425°F. In a small bowl, mix seasonings from cajun through thyme. Place the brussels sprouts on a baking sheet with a drizzle of EVOO and a sprinkling of the seasoning mix and put the baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven.

In the meantime, heat a large skillet on medium high heat and add 1 tbsp EVOO. Add the pepper and onion to the skillet and saute 5-10 minutes, or until the onions are soft. While that is cooking, coat the haddock filets in the spice mix and place the filets on another lined baking sheet. Place the fish in the oven.

When the veggies are soft, stir in the garlic, and add 1 tbsp soy sauce. Add the diced tomatoes and simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Remove the brussels sprouts from the oven [try not to eat all of them straight from the sheet pan..] and toss them with the rest of the veggies. At this point, the haddock should be fully cooked through; it only takes about 10 minutes! Spoon a scoop of veggies on a plate, place the fish on top, and spoon a little more of the veggies on top.

Serving Suggestions

I served my portion over spiralized beet noodles and Nathan’s [with chicken] over brown rice. It would also be good over pasta, other veggie noodles, or just on its own. Additionally, you could swap out the haddock for another white, flaky fish like Atlantic Cod, Sablefish, Rainbow Trout, or even shrimp!

Food for Thought

Have you tried Sizzlefish yet?

What I Ate Wednesday #115: Happy Hannuka!

Or Chanukah.. Chanukkah.. Hanukkah? I don’t know, you choose your favorite. Regardless of how it’s spelled, last night it began and I had fun making a traditional-style dinner and lighting the menorah. It was actually the first time using our new menorah that we got as an engagement gift!

But before we get to our Hannuka dinner, there was a lot more food!

[Pre-Workout & Breakfast]

Skoop bites, oatmeal, and nut butters. All day, everyday.

[Mid-Morning Snack]

I was running out the door but wanted a little snack so I decided to give this chia energy drink from Mamma Chia a try. I received 4 flavors to try as part of a FitFluential campaign and the blackberry sounded the best to me. I loved that it wasn’t overly sweet at all. If it were just based on flavor, I’d definitely get it again; unfortunately, as I’m not a big fan of chia pudding because of the texture, this drink didn’t quite do it for me. I’m thinking it would be pretty tasty added to a smoothie though! More on this later.. wheels are turning!

[Lunch]

I was pretty hungry when I got home, despite a couple samples I tried at the grocery store, so I grabbed some leftovers from the fridge and threw ’em all in a bowl. Butternut squash soup with smokey chicken wing chili and toasted pine nuts on top.

[Afternoon Snack]

I think I was craving a crunch after soup for lunch so I attacked that bag of sugar snap peas! A celery stalk also made its way into the almond butter too 😉

[Dinner]

If you know the Hannuka story, you know that there is a lot of frying going on [oh hey, 8 days of oil!] I opted for a healthier option with crispy baked chicken tenders, regular & sweet potato latkes [made with a fraction of the oil!], crockpot applesauce, and some leftover brussels. It was awesome. Even husband-approved and he’s picky when it comes to baked tenders! Not to mention I’d never made latkes or applesauce before. Success!

[Evening Snack]
I’m on a cottage cheese kick lately [you’re welcome for sparing you that picture.] I mixed in a little NuStevia cocoa syrup and cinnamon. Delish.

Food for Thought

What holiday do you celebrate?
What’s your favorite holiday meal?

Link Love #61

Have you entered my WIN Detergent giveaway yet?

Yesterday was a really special day. It was my grandfather’s 93rd birthday! And once again, skype came to the rescue! My family went over to my grandparents’ house for dessert and my mom setup the iPad so I could “be there” with them.

He was completely baffled by the whole thing and it was pretty funny to see his reaction when he realized that I was actually there and my mom wasn’t just showing him a picture! Having that opportunity totally made my day. Technology is a hell of a thing! What’s the count now.. 6 days? 🙂

Health

I Had the “Perfect Body” & I Still Wasn’t Happy – Mind Body Green

I Had the “Perfect Body” & I Still Wasn’t Happy – Mind Body Musings via Mind Body Green
What 10 Pounds Taught Me – The Real Life RD
Exercise Guilt? It’s Time for an Intervention – Lifting Revolution
Mental Rest Days – Wildly Fit
3 Ways to REINVENT Yourself – Cotter Crunch
Lighten Up On Yourself – Almost Getting It Together

Fitness

10 Bodyweight Exercises to Do Anywhere – Happy Fit Mama

10 Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do Anywhere – Happy Fit Mama
The 20 Minute Mom Workout – Veva Health via The Lean Green Bean
5 Minute Stability Ball Ab Workout – Peanut Butter Runner
Perfecting the Lunge – Enjoy Your Healthy Life
Does Fasted Cardio Really Burn More Fat? – Hello Healthy

Food

Incredibly Gooey Collapsing Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Custard Cake – Half Baked Harvest

Incredibly Gooey Collapsing Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Custard Cake – Half Baked Harvest
Chocolate Pudding Slab Pie with Peanut Butter Mascarpone Whipped Cream – Eats Well With Others
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Reduction, Goat Cheese and Almonds {Gluten Free, Low Carb + Super Simple} – Food Faith Fitness
Autumn Acorn Squash Pita “Nachos” with Pomegranates & Blue Cheese – Climbing Grier Mountain
Spicy Sriracha Cornbread Sausage Stuffing – The Law Student’s Wife

Food for Thought

What’s one of your favorite posts from the past week?

What I Ate Wednesday #109: Fueling for Opening Day

Friends, today is a big day. It’s not just Wednesday. It’s opening day for Truve! It has certainly been a long process [and I wasn’t even around for much of it!] but that’s part of what makes opening so exciting. I can’t wait to work with my clients at a brand new facility with lots of new equipment that I haven’t had much of a chance to play with.. like kettlebells! Oooh my clients are going to hate me 😉

Anywho, clearly yesterday I had to properly fuel myself for the occasion. You know, all that excitement really drains me. Ha!

[Breakfast]

Tired of seeing this yet? Well, I’m certainly not tired of eating it! My new favorite thing, however, is to prep it the night before. Toss in a little extra almond milk in the morning and throw in the microwave for a few minutes and I’m good to go. I’m also loving sprinkling a little salt on top. Try it. Trust me.

[Mid-Morning Snack]

All I wanted was peanut butter and chocolate. And thank goodness for my ThinkThin bars! So good.

[Lunch]

Sunny day lunch outside is the best. A 20 lb [ok, that’s an exaggeration..] kale salad with Monday night’s turkey burger, sweet potato, snow peas, cucumber, and persimmon. A wonderful combo. Topped it off with a dark chocolate pretzel. I only bring 1 with me to work because I know if I bring more, I’ll eat ’em all!

[Afternoon Snack]
Unpictured: homemade ginger kombucha and peanut butter. Right outta the jar. Give me a spoon and I’m a dangerous gal!

Still feeling snacky though, I went for some popcorn drizzled with buffalo sauce. Dang, that was a good choice.

[Dinner]

Pomegranate chicken, bacon pom brussels, and roasted red kuri squash. Use your imagination to double the brussels and squash and that’s probably closer to what I actually ate 😉 This was my first time having red kuri squash and it’s fabulous! So creamy and sweet. My last kabocha was dryer than dry so this definitely more than made up for that.

[Evening Snack]
Apple and 2 dark chocolate salted cashews. Again, if I don’t close the bag after 1 or 2 cashews, I’ll eat ’em all. Kind of like my spoon and PB jar issue.. or non-issue, depending on who you ask.

I think I’m properly fueled for tonight’s opening.. but just in case, you can expect more oatmeal, nut butters, and salad on the menu today 😉

Food for Thought

What food is your weakness?
Have you ever salted your oatmeal?

Link Love #59

Whoooaaa baby, what a Monday! Sunday night I was asked to come into work at 7:30 instead of 10 a.m. No problem, just put a little damper on my workout plans. I’ve said it before, but I swear, I don’t know how I used to keep up with my old workout schedule. Every morning was 45 minutes of cardio and twice a week I went back to the gym after work for 20 more minutes of cardio + strength work. Now I’m lucky if I get in 20 minutes of cardio.. ever. Ha!

I’m also such a morning workout-er. That said, because I give myself 3 hours to get through my workout, get myself ready, and sit down to eat breakfast, if I have to get into work earlier than 8, there’s a good chance I won’t get a workout in that day. I consider 6-7 hours on my feet tiring enough. And a mid-week rest day is fine and dandy, but I have another early one today at work and I was not about to take 2 days off.. I need the workout release and I’m so glad I pushed myself to go after work yesterday. Not to mention it wore me out even more. Just what we need for a great night’s rest, yes?

And speaking of great, this list of posts came together in absolutely no time at all. There were so many amazing posts last week so I know you’ll like what I have for you today. Enjoy!

Health

How in the Heck Do I Listen to My Body – Your Trainer Paige

How in the Heck Do I Listen to My Body?! – Trainer Paige
5 Ways to Stay Active Outdoors in the Winter – Running to the Kitchen
Should You Eat Organic? – Food & Nonsense
Post-Marathon: A Guide to Physical and Mental Recovery – Run to the Finish
Are You a Slave to Striving? – Cotter Crunch
The One About the Baby Weight – Meals & Moves [Added by popular demand.. and for good reason!]

Fitness

The “I Dont Want to Workout” Workout – Fitnessista

The “I Don’t Want to Workout” Workout – Fitnessista
How to Workout With Kettlebells – Lifting Revolution via The Lean Green Bean
5 Kettlebell Workouts for Outdoor Athletes – Onnit
It’s Time to Break Up with Sugar + A New WAHM Workout – MusselFIT
30 Minute Lower Body Dumbbell Tabata – The Almond Eater

Food

Skinny Tandoori Butter Sweet Potato Fries with Creamy Baked Harissa Feta – Half Baked Harvest

Skinny Tandoori Butter Sweet Potato Fries with Creamy Baked Harissa Feta – Half Baked Harvest
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting – Peas & Crayons
Layered Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Bread – Yeah…immaeatthat
Fall Veg + Lentil Bowl with Goji Ginger Tahini Cream – The First Mess
Curried Brussels Sprouts Salad – The Hummusapien

Food for Thought

What’s one of your favorite posts from the past week?

What I Ate Wednesday #107: Herbes de Provence Roast Chicken {Recipe ReDux}

If you’ve followed my recent WIAW posts, you’ve probably noticed that I’m a creature of habit. Oatmeal with nut butters for breakfast? Daily. Salads for lunch? You can count on it. But dinner is where I like to have my fun. Plus, I have a husband to feed and he’s very much not a creature of habit when it comes to his food. That said, he does love his chicken! I thought this month’s recipe redux would be a good one for him.

You know they are lurking there: Way in the back of your spice drawer. There lie the herbs, spices, or rubs that are getting dusty because you’re afraid to use them… you simply don’t know what to do with them! Well, pull them out and show us a recipe you created to deliciously conquer that fearful spice. (Or maybe the recipe was a flop – and the spice still give you nightmares?!)

We bought some herbes de provence over a year ago for a lamb stew and it’s sat in the pantry since then. How could that be bad on a roast chicken?!

I’ll admit, I enlisted Nathan’s assistance for this one; roast chicken is mostly his domain around here. And it’s always fun to cook dinner together.

Herbes de Provence Roast Chicken with Apricot Orange Gastrique

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

For the Chicken:
– 5-6 lb chicken; butchered into quarters [can sub bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces]
– 2-3 tsp sea salt
– Herbes de Provence
– Garlic powder
– Black pepper
– Extra virgin olive oil

Hardware for the chicken:
– Cast iron skillet [stainless steel would work too]
– Another large, heavy pan

For the Apricot Orange Gastrique:
– 2 tbsp apricot preserves
– 4 dried, unsulphered apricots; minced
– 1 orange; zested and juiced
– 2 tbsp water
– 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

Directions

For the Chicken:
Place the chicken pieces on a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Pat dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt. Cover with foil and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

When you’re ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 425°F and heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken liberally with herbes de provence, garlic powder, and black pepper. When your pan is hot, coat with EVOO and place the chicken in the pan, skin side down. Place the extra pan on top of the chicken, pressing it into the pan. This will really give your chicken a delicious, crispy skin.

Let the chicken sit for about 15 minutes before flipping. The chicken should lift up easily but if the skin is sticking, give it another couple of minutes before trying to flip again. After the chicken is flipped place it in the oven to finish cooking—about 20-25 minutes.

While the chicken is in the oven, in a small pot, add all of the ingredients for the gastrique. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer; the sauce should thicken up nicely, but keep an eye to be sure it doesn’t get too thick.

When the chicken is cooked through, remove from the oven and let rest for about 5 minutes. Plate it up with your sides, drizzle the gastrique, and enjoy!

I served our chicken with smashed gouda potatoes and roasted brussels sprouts. It was the perfect Sunday dinner [with lots of leftovers for the week!]

Food for Thought

Which spice would you choose from your pantry?