Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Easy Meal Ideas + Bar Recovery

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Stress does funny things to people.

Or it makes you find odd things funny…

I’ve been traveling this week and with the possibility of more travel looming and a bunch of personal stuff on the horizon, the stress level is high.

So I looked for the humor.  Turns out, all I needed to do was look down… and then coin my new favorite hashtag: #meetingfeet.

You know you’re in Florida when an exec rocks the sock-less loafer look.

Those would be beer mugs on this business leader’s socks.

Speaking of stress, my friend Kat is stress-free after the Bar Exam!!!  I am so proud of her – I can’t even imagine having the discipline to get through all that.

Today she’s sharing her relaxation strategy and a couple of quick-yet-awesome recipes.  I cannot WAIT to try her Thai Coconut Hummus!  But I’ll let her tell you about it…

 

Easy Meal Ideas + Bar Recovery

Thank god the bar is over!!!!  It was not fun, and I hope I never have to take it again.  Unfortunately, bar results don’t come in until October 28 or so.  Yeah, that seems like a LONG time.  But, “patience is a virtue,” and I guess it gives us some time to get over the trauma of a two-day, four-session, exhausting marathon of a test.  (Editor’s note: It is downright cruel for them to leave you hanging so long!)

One text I got in the middle of the first day was, “You’re 25 miles into the ultramarathon,” and that’s how it felt… taking it a few steps at a time, leaving whatever happened in the first parts of the test behind to focus on success in the future.

Hard to Fly

After the Ultramarathon (the Bar Exam), it was time to start letting go of the built-up stress, tension, and the parts of me that really aren’t so pretty when I feel so overwhelmed.

Two days after the exam, I took off to the beach for a long weekend!  It was wonderful to get away, and not study!  I got to read for fun on the beach, meditate, collect seashells and just let go anything weighing me down.  (Editor’s note: Most deserved trip ever.)

Reading on the beach at sunset. Heaven!

Reading on the beach at sunset. Heaven!

It was also fun!  We found a dog beach, where our newest rescue, Scout, was able to go swimming and play with all the other dogs!

I had never seen anything like it.  There were probably over 50 dogs that I saw, all playing, swimming, rolling in sand, and enjoying the day.

Dog Beach

By the end of our first day at the beach, I may have had 1st or 2nd degree burns on my butt and back.  No, this is not a joke.  (Editor’s note: Ummm… why did the sun see your arse?!)  My back-side has not had a lucky summer…. between poison ivy and now not being able to sit due to a sun bum burn!  But I was still so happy to get away.

In my bar recovery regimen, I also need to give a shout out to the cuddle bugs, the animals in my life.  They are the most wonderful beings who help ground me, and who love me unconditionally, and I do not know how I could have survived the bar without them!  Scarlett and Echo are my kitties (Echo turned 5 on Saturday).  And then Gracie the golden, Murphy, and Scout the lab.

Fur Babies

I love them!

Before I took the bar, I had no time for any fancy meals or kitchen projects, so I kept it super simple.  Here are two super easy, fun recipes that allow you to enjoy delicious food, when time is not on your side.

Pizza

Gluten-Free Tortilla Pizza

  • 1 Rudi’s Gluten-Free tortilla, thawed
  • Handful of spinach
  • Tomato paste, spread thinly
  • Olive oil, lightly drizzled over the spinach, before the cheese
  • ¼ sautéed onion, sliced
  • 3 baby bella mushrooms, sautéed and sliced
  • 1 oz honey goats cheese, crumbled
  • 1-2 oz drunken goats cheese, sliced
  • Any other toppings of your choice

 Preheat oven to 425.

Top pizza and bake ~15 minutes, or until your cheese begins to brown a little. 

Devour.

This is a meal I had several times while studying through dinner.

Thai Coconut Hummus

Thai Coconut Hummus

  • ½ C plain hummus
  • 3 T coconut cream
  • Thai Curry Almond Seasoning (found at Whole Foods) 

Mix the ingredients together in a bowl and eat! 

I’ve been snacking on this with raw beets, carrots, chips, gluten-free tortillas, and anything under the sun!  It’s light and flavorful.  A new staple.

thai Coconut Hummus

And now that I’m done, it’s time for more adventures!

I have a few trail runs in California in the coming weeks, and some adventures to wrangle (Editor’s note: What adventures?!  I want to wrangle…) before I really get serious about working full-time! 🙂

All Great Things

***

No, I didn’t crawl under the table for the sock shots.  I just casually held my phone down.  😉

How do you recoup after a long stretch of go-go-go?

What’s your favorite quickie meal when you’re too busy for a big-deal meal?

Comments

  1. My bestie in college, graduated in 3 years, went off to law school the following year after taking the bar and of course PASSING with flying colors. I swear that girl could have walked in there wasted and on SHROOMS and she would have aced it! Now she is almost in her lawyer shoes. I have no doubt in my mind that you ROCKED THAT BAR’S SOCKS OFF!!!

    Imagine if the bar had legs and feet! It would wear some cute little knee socks and penny loafers. Okay, perhaps I am the one on shrooms right now! LMFAO!

    • Don’t you just HATE people like that??? Is she living in a Beverly Hills mansion now?

    • Thanks so much for your confidence in me! I just hope I never have to take it again! 😉 I, on the other hand, worked my tail off studying. boo! 😉

    • Lol! I can’t wait to do that one day. There was a guy sockless, wearing dress shoes and a suit, sitting near me during the bar exam.. I couldn’t help but be a little tiny bit …. not judgy, but curious!

  4. Wow! Congrats! That’s definitely an accomplishment.
    You’re too inspiring! I’m wondering what your take on this is:
    When you’re serious about cutting, what macros do you suggest for cutting (on rest and workout days)? Also, What percentages of calorie intake do you suggest for losing weight/cutting?
    I always try to follow the “listen to your body, only eat when you’re hungry” but that doesn’t work for me. I tend to over eat like crazy. I need a solid plan. I would really appreciate your input! Thanks Laura!

    • I don’t do macros, so I don’t know what to tell you there other than do what makes you feel good! On rest days, I just eat like I normally do. Your body is still recouping and building muscle. I also don’t count calories… but make SURE you don’t eat too little. That will actually make you gain.

    • I agree with Laura. If you are trying to gain or lose, just do balanced meals and make sure to eat almost the same on rest and work out days. The calories will balance themselves out in your body!

    • I am so sorry for you, that he is in his last year. The bar exam time will not be easy, for either of you, but I’m sure your love and understanding will help you both through it. My friends and family couldn’t wait for it to be over. Tell him to keep as calm as possible, trust himself, do the work, and try to keep a balanced life. If you don’t freak out with him, it will be good for both of you! I was surprised at how much it affected everyone around me.

    • Thanks! I am so excited to transition into life without studying. This weekend was incredible!

  9. You are hilarious – meeting feet!! OK, I do hope all this stress ahead is nothing bad!!!

    Kat, wonderful post as always & so deserved for you to take time for you!!!! Always love the quotes you chose to share!

    • Thanks! I always love using the interwebs for inspiration when I need some reframing and centering!

  10. Congrats on making it through the bar Kat! A beach trip was much deserved, and even better that you managed to find a dog beach. I’m hoping to take my dog to his first beach the weekend after next!

    Laura – I love the idea of the meeting feet…you must have been sneaky to snap the pictures!

    • Thanks so much! Let me know what dog beach you find! We were at Fort DeSoto in St. Pete… there are also dog-friendly beaches in the pan-handle.

  16. Kat – you need to go celebrate because you are done!!! Congratulations on surviving; the bar exam is no joke. Maybe if you’re lucky, Laura will share her chocolate chocolate edge brownies with you. Have fun wrangling.

  18. Congrats on surviving the bar exam! I feel like I’m about to start a SUPER ultramarathon right now, as I’ve begun the path of a PhD student…

    Coconut cream + hummus = GREAT idea. There was a That Curry Hummus I used to love when I lived in Austin, but it was only made locally. I can’t believe I haven’t tried to make it yet.

  19. Lol! I can’t wait to do that one day. There was a guy sockless, wearing dress shoes and a suit, sitting near me during the bar exam.. I couldn’t help but be a little tiny bit …. not judgy, but curious!

  20. Lol!. There was a guy sockless, wearing dress shoes and a suit, sitting near me during the bar exam.. I couldn’t help but be a little tiny bit

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