What I Ate Wednesday #132: Time For a Change

Heyooo! Look at me posting twice this week! Pretty exciting, huh? I’ve recently starting making a couple changes to my diet, so I figured a good WIAW post was in order.

I mentioned recently that I’ve had a bit of weight gain. Frustrating? You betcha! So I decided that I was going to make some changes to my workouts. I set a goal for myself; I wanted to lose 5 lbs by my anniversary. I know it’s not all about the number, but sometimes I find it helpful to have that goal.

I tried increasing my cardio, as that was what worked for me a couple years ago, but unfortunately, not this time. My next attempt was to go in the complete opposite direction. I started the 30 Day Kettlebell Challenge and while I’ve loved these workouts, I still haven’t seen the change I’m searching for.

Next change is diet. I reached out to my good blogger friend, Lindsay Cotter, who happens to be a fitness nutrition specialist. She’s been so helpful and I’m looking forward to seeing how her suggestions work out for me.

[Pre-Workout]
Half of a banana with almond butter and a cup of coffee is the perfect fuel for me these days. The workouts I’ve been doing are less than 30 minutes and this snack is just enough to tide me over.

[Breakfast]

Dude. Dude. You have to try these microwave grain-free english muffins! I don’t have any raisins, but these have been so good with some almond butter schmeer and have proven to be a great vessel for my sweet eggs. I also tried replacing half of the almond flour with protein powder on Tuesday and it turned out wonderfully!

[Morning Snack]
I had a busy morning so I wasn’t able to snap a picture of my smoothie, but it was lean, green, and protein-packed.. err mean? I used 1 scoop whey protein, 1 scoop Skoop Sweetgreens A Game, 10 cherries, 1 tbsp coconut oil, cucumber, ice, and a little almond milk to get things moving. The coconut oil in a smoothie was new for me but Lindsay said more fats, so I gave it a go and it was DEELISH.

[Lunch]

I was starved by the time I got home from work so I threw some kale, chicken, frozen butternut squash, and sugar snap peas into a pan with a little buffalo sauce and topped with avocado and ketchup.

[Afternoon Snack]
More fats? You got it. I went for an over-medium egg, a few almonds, and a carrot. A little #StrangeButGood action. And definitely not photo-worthy. You’re welcome.

[Dinner]

Coconut honey lime Filipino chicken with roasted red pepper and zucchini. All the protein and nice and light. I devoured it in between my evening clients.

[Evening Snack]

Oh heyyy, almond butter! I was happy to see it multiple times throughout the day. And apples and nut butters go together like.. well, nut butters go with everything.

The biggest changes I have here are breakfast and snacks. I definitely thought I’d miss my daily bowl of oats a little more than I do. I’m still getting used to the snacks, though; I’ve never been a big smoothie drinker and tend to grab a bar for convenience, but you have to make changes to see changes, yes? So far, so good this week; I’ll report back!

Food for Thought

What are your favorite protein-packed, grain-free breakfasts and snacks?

Almond Butter STUFFED Brownie Bites {Recipe ReDux}

Happy Mother’s Day!

I have a chocolate-y treat for you today that you won’t want to pass up. They’re gluten-free, paleo, and sweetened with fruit! Dried plums, to be specific. But don’t go running!

When was the last time you tried a dried plum? They’re delicious! A little sweet, a little tart, and chewy like candy. Not to mention, each serving is just 100 calories, provides 3g of fiber, 293mg of potassium, 16mg of magnesium, and more vitamin K than any other fresh or dried fruit. And in honor of May’s National Osteoporosis Month, why not give them a try?

Almond Butter STUFFED Brownie Bites

Makes 16 brownie bites

Ingredients

• 3oz. California Dried Plums [about 12-15 dried plums]
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp milk [I used cashew milk]
• 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tbsp coconut oil; melted
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp almomd butter; divided
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the Frosting

• 1/4 cup chocolate nut butter*
• 2-4 tbsp milk

*If you don’t have chocolate nut butter, you can sub regular nut butter and add cocoa powder. You will need to increase the amount of milk if you do this.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place the dried plums in a food processor and process into a paste. You may need to stop and scrape the sides down a few times.
3. Add the vanilla, milk, applesauce, coconut oil, and 1/4 cup almond butter to the bowl and process until smooth.
4. Add in the egg and pulse a few times until just incorporated.
5. Add the remaining dry ingredients to the bowl, pulse a few times to get it started, and finish incorporating completely by hand.
6. Using a 1/2 tbsp, scoop the mix into 16 mini muffin tins.
7. With a 1/2 tsp, scoop almond butter on top of the brownie bite base.
8. Finish off with another 1/2 tbsp of the mix to cover the almond butter and place in the oven for 8-9 minutes.
9. While baking, make your frosting. Add the ingredients to a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir together until smooth.
10. Remove the bites from the oven and let cool completely before frosting.

Nutritional Information
75 Calories / 5g Fat / 6g Carbs / 2g Fiber / 3g Sugar / 2g Protein

Now who wouldn’t want to snack on that today?! And because I can’t make these for my mom today, you should!

Don’t miss out an all of the California Dried Plum recipes from all of the other ReDux-ers!

And, of course, happy mother’s day to my mom! I wish I could be with you today to celebrate how awesome you’ve always been and always are for me. But hey, if you want to come out here again, I have some brownie bites waiting for you!

Food for Thought

Are you a dried plum fan?
How are you celebrating your mother’s day?

Disclosure: I received free samples of California Dried Plums mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by California Dried Plum Board and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

Winter Vegetable & Quinoa Soup {Recipe ReDux}

I love cookbooks. Especially when they have wonderful pictures to go with the recipes. Although, I guess that’s why I love food blogs so much too, huh? Unfortunately, since my love affair with food blogs and Pinterest has grown, my cookbook collection has grown a bit of dust. This month’s Recipe Redux made me wipe off that dust and flip through so real pages.

It’s the end of the year and we’ll taking a moment to reflect: ReDux has been around for 42 months! (Can you believe some of you have ReDux-ed 42 recipes?) To celebrate, we’re playing a little party game this month: Grab your nearest cookbook and ReDux the recipe on page 42 or 142. We can’t wait to see the books you’re cooking from these days – and how you make that recipe healthier.

I found my way to this bad boy..

There are some really fun recipes in there, like cashew energy quinoa bites, that I will definitely be trying soon. In the meantime, I was quite pleased when I flipped to page 142.

Even in California, it’s been getting a little chilly lately so I couldn’t wait to make a nice, creamy soup. I had also just picked up a Butterkin Squash from Trader Joe’s that I wanted to break into. Side note: I was telling my mom it tastes like a combo of butternut squash and pumpkin.. and subsequently figured out the name, Butterkin. Genius! She and Nathan were both laughing at me. Anywho, into the pot it went!

Winter Vegetable & Quinoa Soup

Makes eleven 1-cup servings

Ingredients
– 1 medium Butterkin Squash; about 2-3 cups [Can use butternut squash or sugar pumpkin instead]
– 2 tbsp EVOO; divided
– 1 medium yellow onion; diced
– 1 large sweet potato; diced
– 1 medium golden beet; diced
– 1/2 – 1 tsp red pepper flake
– 3 – 4 cups chicken stock [Make it vegetarian/vegan by swapping out for vegetable stock!]
– 1/2 cup quinoa flakes
– 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
– 12 oz. beer; I used Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, but a lesser hopped beer would be good too
– Salt & pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Cut your squash in half, scoop out the seeds, drizzle with 1 tbsp EVOO and place in the oven. Roast until you can easily scoop the flesh out; about 30 minutes.

Heat a large pot over medium heat and drizzle with the remaining tbsp EVOO. Add in the diced onion and cook 5-7 minutes until translucent. Sprinkle in the red pepper flake and cook another minute until it becomes fragrant. Add in the diced sweet potato, beet, and 3 cups of chicken stock. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until the sweet potato and beet are tender.

At the point, the squash should be ready to come out of the oven and cool. After the squash has cooled for a couple of minutes, scoop the flesh out and add it to the pot in addition to the quinoa flakes and nutmeg. Using an immersion blender [a regular blender would work as well, in a few batches], blend until the soup is smooth and creamy. If needed, add the 4th cup of chicken stock, but remember you’re also adding beer at the end!

Add salt and pepper to taste and pour in the beer, stirring slowly to incorporate. Scoop out a big bowl and enjoy!

Nutritional Information

98 Calories / 3g Fat / 14g Carbs / 2g Fiber / 3g Sugar / 3g Protein

Weekly Meal Plan

Sunday – Leftovers with winter veggie & quinoa soup
Monday – Roast turkey breast with roasted potatoes & carrots
Tuesday – Pomegranate sesame chicken with ginger rice
Wednesday – Leftovers
Thursday – Moroccan lemon & cardamom meatballs, naan, & side salad
Friday – Out!
Saturday – Leftovers

Food for Thought

Have you ever tried quinoa flakes?

Link Love #55

Hi friends! I hope your week is going well so far. I was able to have a nice, relaxing Monday without having to run off to work. It was great to take my time at the gym in the morning, eat my breakfast at a reasonable pace, prep some extra food for the week, and get myself ready for a conference call in the afternoon. Quiet weekdays are sometimes a necessary and welcome change of pace.

I’ve had a project in mind over the past couple months and am trying to workout the details, but in the meantime, I’m going to be adding an extra page to the blog [<– accountability!] for personal training. I’m hoping in the coming months to unveil an online training program for purchase! Until then, I want to offer customized personal training plans. If you’re interested, shoot me an email and let’s get chatting! And of course, if you’re in the bay area and are looking for a trainer [or know someone who is!], I’d love to work with you.

Health

Science Proves Gluten Sensitivity Isn’t Real, People Are Just Whiners – Buzzworthy

Science Proves Gluten Sensitivity Isn’t Real, People Are Just Whiners – Buzzworthy [Possibly a little controversial, but an interesting read!]
Foods You Thought Were Bad But Aren’t: Rice – Lifting Revolution
Gluten Free Food Ideas To Eat Before Your Long Run – Cotter Crunch
12 Unexpected Ways to Transform Your Relationship with Food & Yourself – Corinne Dobbas
Taryn Brumfitt’s 10 Tips to Embracing Your Body – To Live & Diet in L.A.

Fitness

Sexy Shoulder Workout – The Almond Eater

Sexy Shoulder Workout – The Almond Eater
4 Exercises You Don’t Expect To Work Your Core – Slim Sanity
Lifting Weights to Failure | Why You Don’t Need To – FitKnitChick
Booty Burner Workout – Fit Foodie Finds
Full Body Cable Workout – Fine Fit Day

Food

Autumn Acai Bowls with Vanilla Bean Cashew Butter – How Sweet It Is

Autumn Acai Bowls with Vanilla Bean Cashew Butter – How Sweet It Is
Baked Apples Stuffed with Spiced Butternut Squash and Gingersnap Crumble – Heart Beet Kitchen
Fudgy Paleo Avocado Brownies – Peachy Palate
Grain Free Almond Butter Pumpkin Bars – The Roasted Root
Balsamic Brussels Sprouts Bacon Feta Pizza – The Law Student’s Wife

Food for Thought

What are your thoughts on the gluten sensitivity post?
What are some of your favorite posts from the past week?

Foodie Friday: Sesame Carrot Noodles with Beef, Broccoli, & Asparagus

Do you ever look quickly at a recipe and think it says one thing and when you go back and take another look, realize it’s actually something else? And then sometimes what you originally think turns out to be an even better idea.

Ok, let me break it down for you. When I was meal planning last week, I chose this sesame carrot noodles with grilled asparagus recipe. Any kind of Asian-style recipe is always a go in this house, so a sesame sauce on carrot noodles sounded like an awesome idea, right? I lie. It was actually soba noodles with a sesame carrot sauce. Still sounds awesome [and honestly, something that Nathan would go for over carrot noodles] but I was totally stuck on the carrot noodle idea. My version of this recipe was born.

Sesame Carrot Noodles with Beef, Broccoli, & Asparagus

Adapted from Clean Wellness
Serves 4

Ingredients

Carrot Dressing
– 1 cup carrots; chopped
– 1 tbsp fresh ginger; chopped
– 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
– 2 tbsp soy sauce [can sub tamari, liquid aminos, or coconut aminos to make gluten-free]
– 2 tbsp tahini
– 1 tbsp maple syrup
– 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
– 1/4 tsp chili flakes

Noodle Bowl
– 1 lbs asparagus
– 1 bunch broccoli
– 2-3 medium carrots; spiralized
– 2 oz. black bean noodles [can sub soba noodles]
– 1 lb london broil; sliced thinly
– 2 tbsp soy sauce
– 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
– 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
– 2 green onions; chopped
– Toasted sesame seeds [Optional for serving]

Directions
Combine all dressing ingredients in a high-powered blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and set aside.

Cook your noodles according to the directions, drain, and set aside.

While your noodles are cooking, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Toss the sliced beef with the soy sauce and sesame oil, then add to the hot pan. Quickly sear on each side, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add 1/2 tbsp EVOO to the pan and toss the carrot noodles in. Cook them until soft, about 5-7 minutes, and add the broccoli. Saute for 2-3 minutes before adding the asparagus. Cook for another 2-3 minutes and add the black bean noodles into the pan.

Toss about 2/3 of the carrot dressing into the pan and mix the noodles together with the veggies. Once everything comes together, add in the beef and most of the rest of the dressing, saving about 1 tbsp per serving to drizzle on top. When the beef is warmed through, divide between 4 bowls, sprinkle with green onion and sesame seeds, and serve!

Nutritional Information
Per 1/4 recipe

390 Calories / 15g Fat / 22g Carbs / 6g Fiber / 10g Sugar / 34g Protein

The best part of this recipe is that it is equally as delicious without the added beef and because we’re using black bean pasta, it has a whopping 17g protein before adding any extra protein on top! I’m kind of in love with the black bean pasta; it really doesn’t have any distinct flavor so it’s perfect for adding any kind of delicious sauces. And it turns out it’s husband-approved too 😉

Food for Thought

Have you ever tried black bean pasta before?
Would you swap the beef for another protein?

Link Love #47

Back to normal! Nathan’s home and I have to admit, it was really strange to be here without him for 4 days [we’re not actually attached at the hip ;)]. I certainly kept busy but it’s nice to have him back!

Tonight I’m headed into the city for a free Barry’s Bootcamp class thanks to ClassPass [. I’ve never been to Barry’s Bootcamp but I’m psyched; I’m thinking that’s definitely my kind of workout. I’ve heard really great things and I’m really glad I have the opportunity to check it out with ClassPass but I’m a little scared the workout might kill me ha! I’ll report back though.. it’ll be good to mix it up.

Your turn to mix it up with some of these posts! 😉

Health

An Important PSA: Your Body on Lazy – Lifting Revolution

An Important PSA: Your Body on Lazy – Lifting Revolution
Focus On: Carb Cycling (what is it and how does it work?) – Fitnessista
5 Proven Techniques to Beat Stress Eating – Thrive Personal Fitness
Ripped And Miserable: How Neghar Fonooni Gained Body Fat And Got Her Life Back – Neghar Fonooni via Molly Galbraith
8 Easy Nutritional Switches That Prevent You From Binging – JillFit

Fitness

3 Best Exercises to Work the Lower Abs – Trainer Paige

3 Best Exercises to Work the Lower Abs – Trainer Paige
My Workouts + Another NEW Workout – She Rocks Fitness
The Importance of Cross Training – Nut Butter Runner
Resistance Band Core Workout – Pumps & Iron
Locked and Loaded Purely Training #72 Workout – Purely Twins

Food

Blueberry Lemon Cake with Lemon Glaze – Averie Cooks

Blueberry Lemon Cake with Lemon Glaze – Averie Cooks
Gluten-Free Cherry Crumble – The Healthy Maven
Sweet Balsamic Strawberries w/Whipped Ricotta Cream and Maple Glazed Seeded Nuts – Half Baked Harvest
Vietnamese Springs Rolls with Crispy Tofu – Minimalist Baker
Grilled Romaine Salad with Quinoa, Apples, Corn, & Dijon Vinaigrette – Climbing Grier Mountain
Coconut Vanilla Latte Protein Bites (Healthy Bites giveaway!) – Cotter Crunch

Food for Thought

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

Link Love #44

Have you entered my Bob’s Red Mill giveaway?

It’s only Tuesday but I’m already glad we had such a low key weekend. I can tell this week is going to be crazy nuts so I’m trying to make the most of every free second I have. I’m not usually one for making lunches the night before but I’m so glad I have been this week.. helloooooo extra sleep! Even if it is only 30 minutes extra.. Take what you can get, right? Now if I had a post below about how imperative sleep is, that would be a perfect transition. But I don’t. So here ya go 😉

Health

Should You Count Calories to Lose Weight? – Trainer Paige

Should You Count Calories to Lose Weight? – Trainer Paige
Orthorexia: The Fine Line Between Eating Clean & Eating Disorder – To Live & Diet in L.A.
4 Tips for Taking Citicism Without Falling Apart – Carla Birnberg
4 Reasons to Eat Fermented Food – Mommy Run Faster
Tips for Overcoming Excuses & Getting the Best Out of Exercise – Zen and Spice

Fitness

Hydration and Race Day Tactics – Cotter Crunch

Hydration and Race Day Tactics – Cotter Crunch
The Women’s Guide To Increasing Strength Without Increasing Bulk – Lifting Revolution
Secrets to Success: Arm Strengthening – Tina Muir
High Intensity Workout in 12 Minutes – Fit2Flex
Fit Friday: Top 4 Back Exercises for Women – Monica Nelson via Eating Bird Food

Food

Roasted Vegetable Tacos with Cumin Cashew Crema – The Roasted Root via Hummusapien

Roasted Vegetable Tacos with Cumin Cashew Crema – The Roasted Root via The Hummusapien
Grilled Cherry Milkshakes – Edible Perspective
Salmon Fig Pesto Pizza {Gluten Free} – Health, Love, & Chocolate
100-Calorie Peanut Butter Swirl Buckwheat Brownies – Fit Foodie Finds
Toasted Walnut Pesto and Caramelized Nectarine Pizza w/ Spicy Balsamic Drizzle – Half Baked Harvest

Food for Thought

What was one of your favorite posts from the past week?

Link Love #30

The Orioles won yesterday! And that’s not an April Fools joke 😉 Excuse me while I bask in the glow of of a perfect record right now. I’m also super excited because Nathan decided to surprise me with tickets to the A’s game this Sunday. I think watching the Orioles game yesterday really got us extra pumped for baseball season. We have a couple fun things planned for the weekend so I’m already psyched for the next few days to fly by. In the meantime, let’s play a little catch up.

Health

Benefits of Strength Training – Slim Sanity

Benefits of Strength Training – Slim Sanity
8 Tips to Have a Positive Body Image and Stop Obsessive Eating Habits – Trainer Paige
My Addiction to Exercise Permanently Damaged My Body. But It Also Taught Me How to Love Myself – Tara Fuller via Greatist
Antioxidants 101 – Nutritious Eats
How Rigid Diets Threaten True Digestive Healing – Mind Body Green

Fitness

A Core Workout for Runners – Crazy Running Girl

A Core Workout for Runners – Crazy Running Girl
30-Minute Bodyweight AMRAP Workout – Pumps & Iron
10 Advanced Ab Exercises for the Summer – Lifting Revolution
7 Boredom Busting Treadmill Workouts – Run to the Finish
Leg Burnout Workout – Blonde Ponytail

Food

Sushi Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing – The Healthy Maven

Sushi Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing – The Healthy Maven
3 Gluten-Free Recovery Snacks for Coffee Lovers – Cotter Crunch
Lemon Vanilla Brown Rice Pudding with Berries – Edible Perspective
Microwave Breakfast Berry Crumble – 24 Carrot Life
Black Pepper Rub Chicken Fingers with Greek Yogurt Ranch – Half Baked Harvest

Food for Thought

What was one of your favorite posts from the past week?

Link Love #28

On Sunday I made some big plans and I can’t believe I forgot to mention them yesterday. I made reservations for our first anniversary getaway!

Nathan and I had been talking about a wine country getaway and when a deal popped up on Travelzoo for the same place we stayed back in 2012, we jumped. This place is an “Inn” as opposed to a hotel so it had a much more cozy feeling. Their food was fabulous—breakfast, happy hour, and dinner—and it also doesn’t hurt that they give you a bottle of wine in the room, winery tours, tastings, & pairings included, and a discount on dinner at their restaurant. Wine country won’t know what hit ’em! Only 8 weeks to go..

Health

5 Ways I Improved My Metabolism – Weed Em & Reap

5 Ways I Improved My Metabolism – Weed Em & Reap
Tips for preventing workout-related injuries – fitknitchick
Everything You Need to Know about Nutrition for Runners – Run Lady Like
All about Fats – which ones to eat and which ones to avoid – It’s Progression
When You Work (and Eat) From Home: 7 Healthy Tips – Babble

Fitness

Quick She ROCKS Workout – She Rocks Fitness

Quick She ROCKS Workout – She Rocks Fitness
12-Minute Kettlebell Blast Workout – Pumps & Iron
The Best Ab Workout Routine – Tone It Up
Back Attack – Slim Sanity
Quick Workouts: Thirty Minute Thursday – Cotter Crunch

Food

Sweet Thai Chili Salmon Quesadillas with Spicy Mango – Half Baked Harvest

Sweet Thai Chili Salmon Quesadillas with Spicy Mango – Half Baked Harvest
5 Ways To Transform Desserts To Healthy Sweet Treats Without Sacrificing Flavor + Taylor’s Mint Ice Cream Cups – Lifting Revolution
Japanese Ramen Eggs – Rasa Malaysia
Creamy Cheesy Avocado Pasta (GF, Vegan) – To Live & Diet in L.A.
One-Bowl Fudge Brownies (Gluten-Free and Vegan) – The Fit Cookie

And speaking of recipes, I have a new recipe for you tomorrow along with a giveaway that you don’t want to miss!

Food for Thought

What is one of your favorite posts from the past week?

Link Love #14

Congrats to the giveaway winner, Lauren! Please email me at Brittany@BarrAndTable.com with your mailing address to claim your prize!

Now it’s time for some more link love.. the internet is a wonderful place, yes? 🙂

Health

4 Reasons Your Gluten-Free Diet is Keeping You Miserable – Sarah Kay Hoffman

4 Reasons Your Gluten-Free Diet is Keeping You Miserable – Sarah Kay Hoffman
I Need Five Wake Up Calls Daily – Olive to Run
One Thing at a Time – Wellness Today
I Got Six-Pack Abs in Six Weeks. Here’s How I Feel One Year Later. – Derek Flanzraich via Greatist
10 Reasons Why You’re Not Getting Results in the Gym – FitKnitChick

Fitness

Work It Out: 15 Minutes Is All It Takes – Sprint 2 the Table

Work It Out: 15 Minutes Is All It Takes – Sprint 2 the Table
Swing It WOD – Blonde Ponytail
5 Workouts to Help Increase Speed – Tina Reale
Slow Ascent Workout: Negatives In November – Lifting Revolution

Food

Creamy Eggplant & Caramelized Onion Dip – Minimalist Baker

Creamy Eggplant & Caramelized Onion Dip – Minimalist Baker
Toasted Brazil & Coconut Butter – The Smart Kitchen
Brussels Sprout & Sunchoke Salad – Love & Lemons
Quinoa, Kale, and Bacon Stuffed Butternut Squash – Rachel Cooks
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lentil Blondies – Ambitious Kitchen

Food for Thought

What was your favorite post from the past week?