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Mex-Fast Tortilla Stack + WIAW

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Everyone is a critic.

I have had to be talked off a ledge over bad service and/or food at a restaurant.

The Washington Post food editor Joe Yonan “came out” as a recently converted vegetarian.  This has sparked reactions from ‘we love you no matter what” statements of acceptance (Yonan compares it to when he came out as gay), to the expected accusations of not being a serious critic.

Vegetarian pie chart

Yonan admits to taking the occasional taste of meat out of curiosity or for his line of work, but in his daily life he’s keeping it meat-free.

I’ve said it over and over again, but diet is personal.  To be honest, I’d probably still eat more of a vegetarian diet if I wasn’t competing (I went vegan once too… but that wasn’t for me).  I think it’s great that Yonan is opening up about his choice.  Hopefully it will help more people realize that vegetables can be prepared just as decadently and be just as pleasing to eat as a piece of meat.

That food critic would certainly give 5 stars to this month’s green WIAW theme!  While I did eat bacon (among other meat), I do have a fruit or veggie with every meal.  No matter your dietary practice, eating your greens is always important.

WIAW GOES GREEN

Check out my 7 veggie-laced, protein-filled meals below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how everyone else is green-ing up their food this month!

Meal 1:

My morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Aminos) brought a smile to may face today.  I bought a new brand of glutamine (they were out of my usual), and it came with the cutest mini scooper!

Glutamine

 

Like last week’s Mexican Spaghetti Pie, I was once again craving a savory Mexican breakfast.  Apparently I was also craving some healthy fats, because this Mex-Fast Tortilla Stack included avocado, a runny egg, and bacon.

It may look fancy, but if you approach it from a semi-homemade angle (see recipe at the bottom of this post), this breakfast can come together in 10 mins or less.  Mex-FAST.  Get it? 😉

Mexican Breakfast Tortilla

This would make even the most anti-morning person smile.  And I did.

Does life get any better than a runny egg in the morning?

Mexi-fast Tortilla

Meal 2:

The salmon and fruit obsession is back with a #strangebutgood combo: salmon, beets, cilantro, walnuts and… watermelon.  It’s really good.  I promise.

Watermelon Beet Salmon Salad

Meal 3:

Lunch was a post-workout meal.  I braved the cold jog there (in snow flurries!) and back, so despite a good burn I was freezing again and wanted a hot treat.

I used my french vanilla Designer Whey to make a new microwave bake!  I’ve tried this combo once before and it needed work.  I think I have it down now, but want to try it one more time before sharing to be sure.

Meal 4:

I got the most perfect rotisserie chicken ever from Whole Foods this week.  It was fresh out of the oven and perfectly cooked.  Their Naked chicken is my favorite because they don’t add all the salt the others have.  I shredded it on Sunday for a quick meal during the week.

Today I mixed it with red pepper, celery, hummus dressing (hummus + apple cider vinegar), and freshly ground pepper.

Chicken Salad

Meal 5:

This was one of the most successful days for kitchen experiments ever.  For dinner I decided to try my hand at lamb meatballs and a cucumber yogurt dip.

Big.  Win.  I’ll share it when it’s warm light enough to take pics.

Lamb Meatballs

Served atop a spinach salad with red pepper and cauliflower.

There were also eggplant chips (I forgot them in the oven) and half a Carb Master cookie dough bar (dessert – it had to happen).

Meal 6:

I really wanted dessert, but instead I was good and had mahi mahi.  I baked it during my Sunday food prep with a Greek yogurt, rosemary, and lemon sauce.

For my veggies I had a side of carrot and celery sticks.  I love both veggies with peanut butter, so I made a quick sauce from peanut flour, sriracha, and unsweetened almond milk.

Mahi Mahi and Sriracha Peanut Dip

Meal 7:

Finally, time for dessert.  If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I ate the same thing last night.  It was sooooo good though!

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bowl

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bowl

  • 1/2 C Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 C pumpkin puree
  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 1/4 C unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 1/4 tsp butter extract
  • Stevia, to taste
  • Optional topping: whole wheat rice crispies, blueberries, and cacao nibs

Mexi-fast Tortilla

Mex-Fast Tortilla Stack

  • 3 T tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp garlic
  • Shredded chicken (I used a rotisserie from Whole Foods)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 C spinach
  • 1 corn tortilla
  • Optional toppings: avocado, cilantro, freshly ground pepper and bacon sprinkles. 

Mix together tomato sauce and spices (you could also just use salsa here).  Add chicken, stirring to combine.  Microwave ~12 seconds, until warmed.  Set aside.

Cook egg in lightly greased pan, until cooked to desired level.

Add spinach to pan to lightly saute.

Place tortilla on plate between 2 moist paper towels.  Microwave ~10 seconds to soften.

Top tortilla with spinach, chicken, and egg.  Add any additional toppings.  Devour.

***

The protein count for the day: 169.3

Do you think an “official” food critic can be vegetarian?

What’s for breakfast?  Do you shake things up at breakfast or have the same things? 

Comments

  1. You have far too many recipes I have saved to try out! Ha, all these Mexican dishes are killing me slightly. Mexican is the best.
    I really need to get to the grocery store and re-stock!
    And that peanut butter pumpkin bowl looks amazing!
    I typically eat mostly the same things for Breakfast – I mean, I have about 4 different “favorites” that I alternate throughout the week, that’s about as creative as I get unless it’s the weekend or something. Or I discover a new obsession.
    Happy Wednesday!

  2. that is a good question. I often wish I had the cajones to try out for one of those cooking competitions, but I know I’d either be passed over or kicked off quickly for not eating meat (I wouldn’t mind cooking it for competition sake – I used to for Dad – but I suck at it because I have zero experience).

    I shake things up for breakfast – today I had a new flavor of chick-quin I am developing, served warm over hummus and spinach. I am way too in my Auto-Zombie-Pilot at 5am to remember to capture photos for Strange But Good… *sigh* one of these days! 😉

    • Did you see the one that had a vegetarian chef? She lasted for a few rounds! I’d vote for you. 🙂

      New chickn??? I can’t wait for this one!

  5. I definitely go through breakfast grooves i.e. eat the same thing for about a month and then switch it up! Right now I am loving oatmeal with a side of egg whites…classic yet delicious :)!

  8. I am always so intrigued by the meals you put together. Some may be out of this world crazy, but you make it look good!! Basically, you are just awesome & should put together a cook book and title it #strangebutgood 🙂

  10. Interesting info about the food critic. I think he can be a vegetarian for sure. Hey he could do reviews for all those awesome vegetarian and vegan restaurants! There might be some bias with meat dishes though…

  11. A vegetarian food critic? Awesome! The world needs more people like him! *stepsoffsoapbox*
    My breakfasts are quite repetitive, always some kind of sandwich. But this week I made a tofu scramble. Go me! I always need a savory breakfast, though.

    • It’s been WAY too long since I did a tofu scramble! That’s actually the base for my carrot version of PB & Jeggs. Time to revist that one!

  12. I definitely do the breakfast kick thing…except mine last for several months-year at a time. Right now, I’m all about eggs and oatmeal. Love a drippy egg in the morning!

    I think it’s difficult to be an official food critic and a vegetarian, but it’s possible. It helps that he’ll eat the occasional bite of meat, because I think you can judge a restaurant based on how well they can cook a steak to your liking. If he was the type who won’t eat anything that comes into contact with a meat product, than yes, there would be issues with his job.

    • It would be funny if they did a dueling critics thing – one vegetarian and one meat-eating.

  13. I think it would be difficult to be a vegetarian food critic unless you were willing, like yours apparently is, to taste meat occasionally. Maybe like an alcoholic being a wine critic? Taste and spit. 🙂

    We had a critic at our local paper try to go veg a few years back (I actually commented on his column about it, a rarity for me). The reaction was typical, probably similar to what Joe Yonan got. I’m not sure if he still is vegetarian, I do see him review meat dishes, so even if he is he must still taste meat too.

    • I never thought about it, but you’re right! My palate definitely changed after going veggie.

  17. I am SO boring with breakfast. I really never cared much for breakfast foods ever though. So I just stick with my same oatmeal loaded with PB2, cinnamon, stevia, protein powder and topped with cinnamon apples. Boring, but good.

  18. You know I think a lot people react weird to being a vegetarian because they really don’t understand what it is people get to eat and what they don’t get to eat. They always look at it as being deprived or something. I eat a mostly vegetarian diet and I have people ask me questions all the time about what I eat, why I don’t eat things, etc. I don’t think that some people realize it is a CHOICE, just like you pick out what kind of clothes to wear in the morning.

    Anyways, love all your green things! I love my greens 🙂

    • That is true… which blows my mind. It seems simple to me. But then again, I think many strange things are totally normal… 😉

  19. You have such great ideas on here! I would have never thought of the salmon with the watermelon! I’m going to be trying that soon!

  20. Well that breakfast just looks incredible 😀 When I saw it on IG I almost diiiiied OMG 😀 <3 Soooooo amazing! NOOOOOOO nothing can beat a runny yolk for breakfast! Or an egg for that matter – eggs just make me REALLY happy 😀 I had two this morning with toast to dip 😀 <3

  21. To each their own with food. I doubt I could go vegan or vegetarian unless a doc said I had too – too lazy & lots of that stuff gives me the toots! 😉

    Always loving your pics & food combos!

    I have to check that chicken out at WF – I keep forgetting although I may not be able to afford it! 😉

    • Just reading the word “toot” cracks me up. 😉

      The chicken is a little splurge… but I do love them!!

  23. That graph cracks me up!! Except it also needs to say, “but where do you get your protein??” I hear that one ALLLL the time!!

    That tortilla stack looks amazing!! I would love to try that without the chicken. And you are right, it does not get much better than a runny dippy egg in the morning! 🙂

    • YES! I posted a vegan protein chart a while ago… I just send that to people. 🙂

      The tortilla stack would be great with beans or lentils for a veggie option!

  24. The salmon with fruit combo sounds like a good one. I’ll have to experiment with that. I’ve never cooked with lamb before . . . in fact, I can’t remember the last time I tasted lamb. Hmmm. Wonder if I like it . . .

    I definitely think a food critic can be vegetarian. Why not? Can a meat eater judge vegetarian dishes? 🙂

    • I posted the recipe today… let me know if you try it out! Lamb is one of my favorites!

  26. That pie chart sums up the reactions I got when becoming a vegetarian almost 3 years ago. After the chicken question comes fish and then dairy. I don’t know why people care so much about OTHER PEOPLE’s diets. Ha!

    And I’m making TVP spaghetti squash pie again this week – it’s official, I’m addicted!!

  27. I am intrigued by any & all food critics & their opinions. I mean- we are all different & read to learn anyways so keep up the strange & bring on the food eats 🙂 I can take or leave meat so vegetarian doesn’t matter but reading this blog always makes me A) want to work out more- you are inspiring! and B) Hungry for good eats!
    I am hooked on TVP pumpkin proatmeal for my first meal of the day this week (I meal prep Sundays so food is weekly @ this house)- the mason jars of it are somehow disappearing before breakfast….salmon was my go-to lunch last week though- sounds yum with fruit! I must find me some melon & grapefruit stat…

      • next week I am going to “mix it up” by using some pear chia jam in place of the pumpkin- going for a pear crumble jar to go with my AM coffee. these jars just work so well- @ the gym or @ the desk its all good!

  28. hooked on TVP proatmeal with pumpkin this week (I meal prep weekly so food is week themed @ our house) mason jars of it are disappearing before the first meal of the day! last week salmon was the lunch favorite, now I will be on the hunt for some good melon & grapefruit to go with 🙂
    food critics- I read them for the entertainment value as it is mostly all opinion so I can take or leave the meat part- just good reading up on new things!

  29. Glad I’m not the only one who thinks carrots taste good with peanut butter. So do bell peppers. In case you were wondering. 🙂

    And I feel like I probably have more to say. But my mind has drawn a blank. Forgive me.

  31. I love the Mex-Fast! Looks good–but I am such a creature of habit with breakfast. I either have a protein shake OR eggs and cabbage. It is always with an apple and coffee… Boring!!

  33. I think a vegetarian can be a food critic so long as they aren’t critiquing dishes they don’t try. Why not, right.

    I love the Mex-Fast. It is right up my alley, and watermelon and cilantro go fabulously together. Same with watermelon and mint too, so I think it sounds strange, but good winner.

  36. The peanut butter pumpkin bowl sounds wonderful and if I just leave the chicken out of the Mex-Fast Tortilla…It would be perfect. Some beans would do it, I think. Then again…beans Always do it for me. Have a great day, Laura!

  37. As much as I love runny eggs, I have to admit that life is better with a pimped out yogurt bowl in the morning 😛 Give me cereal, fruit, AB, and yogurt, and I’ll start the day with a smile on my face. Eggs don’t usually come into the picture until lunch or dinner.

  38. Woah, you jogged in snow?! You are hard core!! Especially for a Georgia gal!

    Breakfast… I usually have cereal or oats. I like my carbs 😉

  39. I think of food critics as being foodies who eat anything! Ya know?? But, to each their own I say!
    I went vegan once and I feel much better eating eggs and fish. So, it’s decided… I’m coming to your place for breakfast. Put you and Heather together and we would be in foodie heaven!

    • The hardest thing for me about going vegan was eggs! I was really suprised.

      Come on over!! 🙂

  40. runny eggs are the best 🙂
    too funny about the – what about chicken—> as we got that question the most while we were doing our 30 day gut healing cleanse, seriously we got asked the most – why we are not eating chicken haha

  41. Of course an “official” food critic can be vegetarian! WTHeck?? I personally don’t understand the controversy over it…of course, I’m biased, being veggie myself, but I don’t think a choice as personal as this should have to influence your whole dang career! There are PLENTY of AMAZING vegetarian foods out there ready for the critiquing…this guy is just filling more of a niche rather than eating everything. Maybe it’ll refine his pallet or something! 😉
    Yay for peanut butter and pumpkin together! It’s not a common combination, but like peanut butter and ANYTHING, it should be! Peanut butter, I’m convinced, is the stuff of the gods.

  42. Yum I just got pumpkin puree at the market to make some muffins but your bowl looks way more enticing! My breakfast is either a protein shake or egg + egg whites and a grapefruit and of course the AM detox before all of that. I am thinking of adding some glutamine to my supplements as well as BCAA next month to see how I recover because lately I have been DYING, hot baths + foam rolling every night! Thanks for sharing 🙂 Love + Shine CourtStar

  43. I’m an oatmeal girl for breakfast. I am religious about it…I try to change it up, but I just like my oats with protein powder and chia in the morning. I love the question of if I eat fish when I say I don’t eat meat. I try to not label myself as a vegetarian because there may be a time that I eat meat and I really don’t want the judgement. I also hate labels. I don’t know that I think he’s actually a “vegetarian” if he eats meat for his job. Sure, he can eat a veggie based diet on his own time, but if he’s consuming meat, then that’s not a vegetarian…in my opinion. However, I do applaud him for making healthier choices! I think that is awesome.

    • My boss and I actually googled whether or not fish is technically meat. We condluded that it is.

  44. Ahhh… I love the intro to this post!! I’m with you on the diet being a personal thing. It’s like when people get weirded out by me not really liking chocolate. I’m like, so? I’m sure there’s stuff I like that you don’t like (ex: spinach in my smoothies) so back off! 😀 And the post itself… bacon?! yes please! I had some yesterday. So yummy! These recipes you included are amazing! Your posts make me happy!

    • I’m weirded out by you not liking chocolate. 😉 What if it’s bacon dipped in chocolate?

  45. Mexican is the best ever! I never get sick of it! Just made your Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bowl —sooooo yummy!!!! THANK YOU! 🙂

  46. Sure a food critic can be a veggie…just keep your nose out of my whole pig I’m roasting out back.

    And of course as part of my healthy gluttonous lifestyle I do eat a ton of vegs, fruit, etc. The body needs it, just as much as a rack of lamb (or at least mine does). 😉

  47. As soon as I find me a watermelon, that combo is definitely happening! Damn, where’s Baby when you need her?! 😉

    And seriously…too funny…when I bought my thing of glutamine it came with a teeny tiny scoop and I totally took a picture and Instagrammed it! Lol

    Totally diggin’ the colors of that breakfast…so vibrant! And that my friend has GOT to be one of the best #yolkporn shots I’ve seen in a while!

    You know me, I’ve got to have my variety…especially lately since I’m not working on pancake recipes as much…I’ll admit, I’ve enjoyed mixing it up more and not worrying about creating/tweaking recipes all day every day! Yesterday I had eggs and fruit…today I had sushi! Haha! <- I woke up, had coffee and an hour later met my sis for "lunch" Lol

    • Dude. That yolk porn compliments means a LOT coming for you. 😉

      Sushi for breakfast?! I guess it WAS lunch. I have yet to be able to eat seafood as my first meal though. I’m a wuss.

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