Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Golden Beet and Tempeh Stuffed Poblano Pepper

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I’m beet up and ‘choked up this Monday!

 

It’s the second installment of Heather’s Meatless Mondays from A-Z challenge!

 

 

Last week the ingredient we were to use was artichokes, and I submitted this Quinoa Stuffed Artichoke.  Without thinking, I incorporated this week’s ingredient – beets – into the recipe by soaking my quinoa in beet juice.

 

 

This week… Oops, I did it again.

My submission is a Golden Beet and Tempeh Stuffed Poblano Pepper, and in my tempeh stuffing I incorporated both beets AND artichoke hearts.

 

 

If you are someone who doesn’t do well with red beets, I encourage you to try the golden variety.  Golden beets tend to have less of an “earthy” taste, and are slightly sweeter than red beets.  I loved that sweetness in this dish balanced with the mild heat of the poblano pepper.

Don’t be scared of the poblano.  It rates a 4 out of 10 on the Scoville Scale (compared to a habanero which is 9 out of 10).  A poblano’s heat is more of an accent than a punch.  They are perfect for those who like just a touch of spiciness.  FYI – the reddish-brown poblanos are more ripe, and are sweeter than the true green ones.

 

 

Poblanos are commonly used in Mexican dishes, but I took this in a more Indian direction by coating my sautéed stuffing ingredients in a quick sauce made of curry and nutritional yeast.  Curry is an excellent pairing with the nutty tempeh and nutritional yeast flavors, and the sweetness of the beets added a fun twist to the stronger flavors.

Admittedly, I’d never roasted a pepper before.  It seemed like a complex task for some reason.  Rest assured it was stupid-easy, and definitely worth a shot.  This recipe can be easily multiplied and customized to fit the needs of a crowd!

 Next week’s ingredient is caperberries… should I purposefully aim for artichokes, beets, and capers?  😉

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Workout recap before food though!  This week was a weird one.  I traveled on Wed/Thursday so I had to take a rest day midweek.  Being on an airplane makes my body really tired/weak-feeling, making Friday’s workout was a hard one.  I also had a weird pain in my heel on Friday morning.  It feels bruised, but I didn’t do anything that would bruise it.  It happened before I workout – almost immediately as I got out of bed.  It still hurts today… I’ve been resting and icing, and I skipped past leg day Saturday to give it a rest and instead focused on upper body.  Like my triceps:

 

Last week I mentioned being frustrated that while I have seen increase in weight I can move, my weight is the same.  This week will bring some adjustments to my diet, adding more fats, protein from “real” sources (not powder), and a small increase in carbs and veggies (woo hoo!).  Candidly, I am a little nervous.  That’s a LOT of food, and I often struggle to get in all  7 meals with the smaller portions.  If anyone wants to come shovel food in with me, I could use the encouragement! LOL!

 

Workout Recap (8/6 – 8/12):

  • Monday – Legs (w/ trainer)
  • Tuesday – Back/Triceps, Calf raises, 2 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Shoulders/Butt
  • Thursday – Rest, 1.5 mile walk
  • Friday – Chest/Biceps, Calf raises
  • Saturday – Back/Triceps, Calf raises
  • Sunday – Shoulders/Butt
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Golden Beet and Tempeh Stuffed Poblano Pepper

  • 1 large poblano
  • 1/2 tsp avocado oil
  • 2 T red onion, chopped
  • 1/3 C golden beet, diced
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1 serving tempeh
  • 1/4 C chopped artichoke hearts
  • 1 T apple cider vinegar
  • 1 T nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 tsp curry
  • Shake of cumin
  • ~2T water

 

Preheat oven to 475.

Place the pepper on a baking sheet, and place in oven.  Roast for 30 mins, turning pepper every ~10 mins.  The goal is to char it on all sides.

Once charred, place in a bowl and cover with a towel to steam for ~10 mins.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet and begin to saute onions and beets.  Once onion begins to turn translucent, add garlic, tempeh, and artichokes.  Add apple cider vinegar (or other white vinegar), and stir to combine.  Cook until warmed through, and garlic becomes fragrant (~2 mins).

Mix nutritional yeast, curry, and cumin with water and pour over saute.  Stir to combine and remove from heat.  

Remove pepper from bowl and begin peeling.  The skin with come off easily when they’re cooked like this.

Make a small slit down the length of one side of the pepper, being careful not to cut through to the other side. Carefully remove seeds, leaving stem intact.  Spoon tempeh mixture into the pepper to fill.

Transfer stuffed peppers to baking sheet dish.  Place in oven and bake until golden, 5-8 mins. Cool for a moment before transferring to a plate.  Sprinkle with chopped mint, lime juice, and additional nooch sauce if desired.

Makes 1 (easily doubled or quadrupled). 

***

I didn’t want to clutter the post with all of my cheat day treats, but this happened (among other things):

 

Have you ever had an odd heel pain?  Any advice?

Do you like beets?  What is your favorite way to eat them?

 

Indecisive Love

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It’s a travel week at work

That means a quiz post is on order.  I always do these when I’m short on time, thinking it will be a quick post.

The joke’s on me.  These almost take me longer than a regular post because I debate so much over the choices.  Indecisiveness prevails.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MORE?(Copied from a bazillion other bloggers.)

1. Strength training or cardio?

Strength training all th way.  Which is convenient since I’m going to do a figure competition. 😉

I do hate this machine though:

My Nemesis: Hack Squats

2. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

Brinner!  (That’s breakfast for dinner.)  I’d eat breakfast for any meal.  PB & Jeggs, anyone?

3. Dress up or workout clothes?

Workout clothes.  Getting me to wear “real” clothes is like pulling teeth.  If you really think about it, it’s pretty stupid that we have to dress uncomfortably to go sit behind a desk all day.

4. Wine or beer?

Hi, have we met?  I love wine.  I traveled to Italy to drink it.  If I could, I’d live on a vineyard.  Or in a wine glass.

5. Peanut butter or almond butter?

I love all nut butters.  Especially these Nutty Butters.  If forces to choose… I’d have to go with my childhood classic: peanut butter.  Preferably in the form of a simple, grilled PB & J.

6. Heels or flats?

I’ll get even more specific than that.  Flip flops.

Please ignore the ugly feet, but these are a must-have. (Click for source.)

More terrifying than wearing a bikini on stage for my competition is the though of having to walk across that stage in stripper heels.

7. The actual cake or the frosting?

20 years ago (wow… that make me feel old), I would have said icing.  Now I’m all about the cake.  Unless it’s cream cheese-pecan icing on carrot cake.  That required equal parts of both. 🙂

8.  Spring, summer, fall, or winter?

Either spring or fall.  Maybe a little more fall because I love trips to the mountains to get apples and see the leaves change.  But spring is so fresh and full of possibility.

Ohhhh… just remembered that fall also means college football season.  FALL.  Go Jackets!

9.   Real animal or stuffed animal?

Stuffed. I love the idea of a real animal.  I’m a cat lover.  However, I am terribly selfish.

My boss and I were actually just talking about this and she said I’m centered around self right now.  Not self-centered, but focused on accomplishing specific goals.  So much so that it’s all I can do to keep my house plant alive.  Is that a terrible thing to admit?  

10.  Bright or light?

Errrrr… black?  If you look in my closet, it’s all black.  To me, it’s comfy like workout clothes.  Black workout clothes, that is. 🙂

Black with accents of gray.

***

I’m in Texas selling (I hope) some work today.  I forgot my cowboy hat, but the dude on the plane next to me let me borrow his.  (Not really, but he was wearing one.)

Don’t forget: click here to enter my giveaway for a loaf of high protein bread from P28 High Protein Bread – ends tonight at 11:59p!

Are you/have you ever been centered around self?

How about you?  Pick a couple and tell me your loves!

Banana Creme Brownie Parfait + WIAW

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Bad smells piss me off.

You know when you’re in the gym and someone has offensively bad body odor?  That makes me insane.

I think I was that girl.  With garlic, not BO.  During leg day on Monday with my trainer, he asked what I had eaten that day.  I sheepishly had to admit to have excessive garlic.  He could smell it on my skin!  Is that weird?  I’ve never noticed that… have you?

On the flip side, there was a guy in the weight room yesterday morning that smelled really good.  I was going to thank him, but I thought maybe that would be creepy.

Speaking of training… no changes in my nutrition plan to report this week.  Yet.  

While I’ve been obviously gaining muscle, I haven’t actually gained weight.I think we’re increasing carbs a bit, and adding some addition little more fat.  I’m excited about the increase in fats – I’ve been craving avocados!  I also get to start doing some sprints.  Apparently sprinters have nice bums… I have no bum.  That asset is an important one in figure competitions.  😉

Lolo may not have earned a medal, but I will admit her body is bootylicious.

I’m going to assume you didn’t come here to talk about BO and butts… let’s move on to the What I Ate Wednesday  goodies.

Check out my summertime appropriate eats below, then click here to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to see everyone else’s summer eats!

Meal 1:

This is an old pic; I now use Optimum Nutrition Orange Amino Energy mixed with ~2T of apple cider vinegar and water.  Enjoy this first thing, about 30 mins prior to meal one for its benefits related to energy, digestion, and skin.  I don’t even drink coffee anymore thanks to this.

I added another treat to my digestive system this week too: Good Belly.

These kind people sent me coupon to try out their probiotic shots.  I was pleased to see that there is a no-sugar-added option!  The taste was good – fairly neutral actually.  Probiotics are known to help keep your body’s bacteria in balance, and help the digestive system.  Nothing yet to report on the digestive end (get it?  end?  tee hee!), but I am a believer in the benefits of probiotics.

Isn’t the smiley face cute?

As I mentioned last week, I’m doing some meal-order-swapping around my workouts.  Since I went to the gym early, I swapped meals 1 and 2, meaning I need a fruit and a protein first thing and my post-workout meal would include my carb.

I’m on a PB & Feggs (fruit + eggs) bender.  Remember these PB & Jeggs?  Or these PB & Aggs?  This week it’s PB & Peggs!

I knew it would be good since I liked the others, but I didn’t remember exactly how awesome warm peaches are.  I used the now in season donut peaches to make what might be my favorite Feggs creation to date!

PB & Peggs:

  • 1/2 C egg whites
  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 2 T unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 donut peach, cut into ~1/2 in pieces

See this post for detailed instructions.

Meal 2:

Post-workout I felt like a little treat.  I’ve had Brittany’s Sweet Potato Pancakes bookmarked for a while, and had just mashed some sweet potatoes.  Perfect timing.  I followed her recipe closely.  My sweet potato mash was about 1/2 C.  I used just 1/2 a scoop of protein powder and added 2 tsp of chia seeds.  I only needed 1 T of the milk.  Oh, and I was verrrry generous with the cinnamon.

For my topping, I mixed equal parts Sunbutter and coconut flour with enough water to form a paste.  I also threw on some caramelized bananas, using the same method from my French Elvis Toast.

Meal 3:

This lunch packed some color!  I made Lauren’s Beet Burgers earlier in the week… only I got too creative with the recipe and they won’t hold together.  They did taste fantastic (especially with the extra garlic I added… sorry again to my trainer)!  I used my burger crumbles to top a spinach salad sprinkled with nooch.

My carb and additional protein was a slice of my favorite P28 High Protein Bread with a schemer of artichoke spread sprinkled with red pepper flakes.

Meal 4:

I pride myself in making different meal constantly.  Repeats don’t happen often in my kitchen… until recently.  I’m absolutely obsessed with the Capella Cake Batter Flavor Drops I shared here last week.  This and the Carrot Cake Batter Shake happened at least 2x a week these days.  Good thing carrots are so sweet and flavorful this season!

Meal 5:

I was inspired by Heather’s field trip to the Asian market to make my own tofu Tofu Spring Rolls.  Heather even sent me this handy tutorial on how to roll them.  Seems easy enough…

Apparently I am not as skilled as my broccoli kissing friend because mine didn’t exactly hold together.

I'll keep working on it...

At least the sauce was good.  It was a simple spicy peanut sauce made from peanut flour, water, lime juice, and sriracha.

Served with a side of quinoa that I tossed in a very small amount of miso tamari, rice vinegar, avocado oil, and red pepper flakes.  It was healthy fried rice!

Meal 6:

I happened to see on Pinterest that someone pinned my parsnip fries.  It was a great reminder to make them again!

Of course, I couldn’t do it the same way twice.  And when I ate this it was 9:30pm, which to me = dessert time.

Cinnamon sticks with a protein frosting dipper.  Holy yum.  I simply tossed my parsnips in a teeny bit of coconut oil and a ton of cinnamon before roasting.  The dip was vanilla protein powder, stevia, a splash of vanilla, and water to mix.  I also added a few drops of the Capella Cake Batter Flavor Drops. Easy and OMG good.

Meal 7:

They say that everyone has a twin somewhere.  I don’t know about that, but I certainly have a food twin.  Meg @ A Dash of Meg and I share the same palate.  I’ve made several of her dishes and am always blown away.  She is a HUGE source of inspiration not only for healthy eating, but also for pushing harder in the gym.

It was her recipe for a Chocolate Brownie and Raspberry Parfait that inspired this lovely creation that I downed like a fat kid at recess.

 

This Banana Creme Brownie Parfait rocked my socks off.  A couple of my favorite summertime potluck desserts are banana pudding and brownies.  This killed two cravings with one stone.  As I slowly worked my way through the wine glass (that’s right – I eat wine parfaits), the creme was soaking into the brownies leaving a decadent, spongy, slightly gooey bedtime snack of champions.


Banana Creme Brownie Parfait

For the Brownie:

For the Creme:

  • 1 C plain greek yogurt
  • 1/4 tsp banana extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • Bananas

 Mix the brownie ingredients in a small bowl.  Microwave until just done, ~ 1 min.  

Meanwhile, stir together the yogurt ingredients.

To assemble: layer yogurt, brownie pieces, and bananas in a pretty glass (yes, it must be pretty), alternating until you’re out of each.

Enjoy!

***

Are you keeping track?  I managed 158.5g of protein – all vegetarian!

Does body odor make you mad?

What is your favorite way to eat eggs?  Have you tried the PB & Feggs?  Or do you think I’m insane?

French Elvis Toast

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My love affair with breakfast continues.

I couldn’t choose between something peanut butter-y and French toast.  Like a true healthy-living blogger I want nut butter at every meal, but I’d been thinking about french toast ever since receiving a loaf of P28 Bread.

French toast was my favorite childhood breakfast.  Mom used to make it on challah bread with lots of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey.  She would then warm syrup with butter to pour over the decadent toast.

Obviously that’s not on my training diet, and I had not attempted to make a healthy version due to my protein requirements.  There’s no way French toast would pack 20g of protein… until I received high protein bread.

You may have seen me mention P28 bread in previous posts.  I absolutely love it.  One slice packs 14g of protein!  Count me in.

P28 bread is chewier than regular bread.  Some people (Lee‘s husband) like that.  I don’t mind it, but prefer the bread toasted.  The toasting turns it perfectly soft with a nice crunchy exterior.  Note: Due to the whey, it toasts faster than regular bread, so keep an eye on it.

Now about the french toast…

Peanut butter-coated and topped with caramelized bananas, I had to name it after The King.

You know how good warm, runny nut butter is?  Imagine that, but soaked into bread.  A little vanilla and cinnamon makes it almost like eating dessert for breakfast.  Dessefast?  Deckfast?

For my topping, I sliced the bananas and let them briefly caramelize in the pan.  Arranged atop of the peanut-y toast and drizzled with cinnamon-lace syrup, those bananas added just the right amount of richness and creamy texture.

No peanut flour?  No problem!  Just use regular peanut butter.  (It will be easier to mix if you warm it just a bit.)

But really, you should order this peanut flour via iHerb.  Use coupon code USO924 for $5 off your first order.  It’s awesome, and it’s made in Georgia. 😉

Let’s pretend I didn’t lick my plate clean like a little kid…

Recipe at the end.

And now for the fun part.  P28 has offered an opportunity for 3 readers to try their bread!

P28 is made with 100% Whole Wheat, Whey Protein Isolate, Oats, Flaxseed, Sunflower Seed and Millet.  It’s 100% Natural, and is a great source of Omega 3s and 8 essential Amino Acids needed for growth, energy, and vibrant health.

Want a loaf of your very own?  Receive up to 4 entries by:

  1. Follow me on Twitter or Subscribe to the Sprint 2 the Table RSS feed or email
  2. Tweet: You could say something like: I’ve entered to win a loaf of high protein bread from @P28bread with @sprint2thetable http://wp.me/p16jDn-1uR #giveaway
  3. Be Social: Twitter Follow P28, Pinterest Follow Me and/or Pin Something of Mine, Instagram Follow Me
  4. Comment: What would you make first with your bread?

Please leave a *separate comment* for each entry!

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST Thursday night,  August 9th.  The winner will be announced here on Friday, August 10th!

Open to US Residents only.  If you’d like to try these bars but didn’t win, check out their website to find a local retailer, or to order your a sample pack.

French Elvis Toast

  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 C egg whites
  • 2-3 T milk (I used unsweetened almond)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 4 drops liquid stevia
  • 1slice P28 Bread (or bread of choice)
  • 1/2 banana, sliced

For Syrup:

  • 2 T sugar-free maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp butter extract

For the Toast:

Combine all ingredients in wide bowl.  Dip bread in mixture until saturated.

Cook in pan over med-high heat until golden brown on each side.

When almost done, place banana slices in pan and allow to caramelize slightly (they will turn a bit brown on top).

For the Syrup:

Pour syrup in small bowl.  Mix in cinnamon and butter extract.  Microwave for ~20 secs, until warm.

Plate your toast and top with caramelized bananas and syrup.

Makes 1 serving.

Note: If using regular bread, you may need 2 slices.  P28 slices are large and more dense than a standard slice.

Vegan Option: First, use a vegan bread source.  Second, replace the eggs with more almond milk and add a tablespoon of flax.  Let it sit for 10 mins to thicken before dipping your bread.  Proceed to cook.

Approximate Nutritionals (without syrup or bananas): 223 calories, 5.9g fat, 342.5mg sodium, 16.2 carbohydrates, 4.1g fiber, 4g sugar, 28.8g protein

***

I’m have a double serving for breakfast today.  Last night was leg day with my trainger and I sort of want to die after  those hack squats.

My trainer posing with his torture tool: the hack squat machine.

What was your favorite breakfast as a child?

Have you even done hack squats?

Finding the Bright Spots

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I’m going to go ahead and admit it.

 

I’ve had a shitty week.  Work was frustrating, I didn’t sleep enough, my hamstring is pulled a bit, and I’m just grouchy.  Last night I showed up at the gym out of habit rather than desire.

 

 

On top of all that, it was the dreaded leg day.  I look forward to it because I love training with my coach, but I would honestly would rather work any other body part than my legs.  It was raining and thundering when I left the house.  I almost cancelled.  Habit prevailed.

Coach said I’d have a revelation at the end of the workout.  After squatting 2x my body weight and a set of leg presses with 8 plates on each side, I did have that revelation.  Sometimes the worst days produce the best workouts.  Mood = lifted.

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Bad weeks can also product some amazing food.  It’s not on purpose, but I tend to eat “fun” food when I’m having a bad day.  Like it’s my bright spot.

There has been a whole lot of mood-lifting deliciousness in blog-land lately.  My three latest addictions are thanks to fellow bloggers:

 

This Cauliflower Pizza Crust inspired by Gluten Free Happy Tummy.  It’s the only cauliflower crust I’ve been able to pick up and eat like a slice of pizza.  Also, the egg I included in round 2 was sinfully good.  I heart runny eggs.

 

 

Kristen’s “Stuft”which – I do mine on P28 Protein Bread with sugar-free strawberry jam… sometimes I add a little Diaya and spinach.  It’s the jam.  😉

 

 

My Protein Breakfast Tart based on Tessa’s recipe has become a staple in my kitchen.  This one topped with “melted” blackberries (berries microwaved for 20-30 secs with 2-3 drops liquid stevia).

 

 

I have an ever-growing list of recipes to try.  Look for these on Instagram and #WIAW next week:

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A bright spot in my week was the photos you guys shared with me of your takes on some recent recipes I’ve posted.  I always wonder if people actually try anything I make… so please do share when you do.  Unless you hate it.  😉

 

Meg tried her hand at the previously mentioned Cauliflower Pizza Crust:

 

Heather made some gorgeous Paleo Oat-less Oatmeal, subbing coconut flour for the protein powder:

 

Allie enjoyed the Oatmeal Cookie Protein Shake I made per her request:

 

Min tried my PB & Jeggs the DAY I posted it… and vouched for its odd deliciousness:

 

Heather (miss you!!!) made my Mexican Vegan Crustless Quiche, but did it in mini springforms and added smokey hot sauce:

 

Soben rocked a Tiramisu Parfait, adding chia seeds:

I swear I drafted this post before I saw Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli‘s post today… it’s titled “Sprinting with Broccoli.”  This girl – my prom date – wrote an entire POST about recipes of mine she’s tried.  I’m so flattered… I’m speechless and I could cry happy tears.

Thanks for making my week 100x better, Heather. 🙂

 ***

The only thing I have left to say is TGIF.

What blogger recipes have you been loving lately?

What brightens your mood after a hard week?

 

Easy Weekend

By

There’s not much I’d rather do than see live music.

 

 

The weekend began Friday at 6pm when my friend picked me for the Brandi Carlile concert.  I adore Brandi, but I was especially excited to get to see her play at on of my favorite venues – Chastain Park.  Chastain is an outdoor amphitheater in Atlanta.  You can buy a table for 6 and bring dinner to enjoy during the show.  People get really in to it – they have tablecloths, candles, and flowers to decorate their tables.  We were a little more low-key, but I did bring my special protein-filled dinner.

 

 

It was a great show.  Brandi played a good mix of new and old.  she did a cover of Johnny Cash’s Sunday Morning Coming Down, introducing it by saying that she felt is was an appropriate song because she no long drinks tequila and she no longer eats Chick-fli-a (the song references a hangover and fried chicken).   My favorite part was her cover of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.

 

 

Saturday was another concert!  This time I trekked to Tennessee to see the Indigo Girls play with the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra.  I have a friend that lives in Chattanooga, so she got the tickets for us and chose an excellent place for dinner – Easy Bistro and Bar.

I was really impressed with the restaurant!  We decided to spit a couple of appetizers and a main dish.

 

We began with the Heirloom Tomato and Watermelon Salad.  After a hot walk to the restaurant, the light salad hit the spot.  It included a few types of heirlooms and cucumelon. I’d never heard of cucmelon before, but t was fantastic!  It was topped with shaved pecorino cheese and basil live oil.

 

We also enjoyed a rich Crawfish and Artichoke Dip with toasted flatbread.  It’s been years since I’ve had a cheesy artichoke dip.  The cream cheese-based dish was very, very rich… and it was just as good as I’d remembered.

 

The entrée was the highlight of the meal – swordfish.  It had just been added to the menu that morning, so it was incredibly fresh.  The meaty fish was grilled, which gave it a great char taste.  It was plated atop a summer squash salad and simply garnished with olive oil, cherry tomatoes, and Marcona almonds.

 

We walked to the Tivoli Theatre where the Indigo Girls were performing with the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra.  It was such a neat show!  The theatre itself was beautiful; it reminded me a lot of The Fox Theatre in Atlanta.  The Indigo Girls are known for their acoustic, singer-songwriter tunes, and to hear those redone with the string and horns behind them… it gave me chills more than once.

 

 

Did you think it was strange we didn’t have dessert with dinner?  I mean, it WAS cheat day.

Don’t worry.  I didn’t get possessed by aliens; we were just in a hurry to get to the show.  Post-show we hit local for-yo shop, Top It Off.  The Red Velvet, Double Chocolate, and Peanut Butter flavors were all just as good as they sound… but the show-stopper was the Salted Caramel Pretzel.  I’ll be dreaming of that stuff for weeks.

 

 

This is my friend’s yogurt.  We have a friendly wager that her bowl would get more likes on Instagram than mine would.  She won… and since I’m a good sport I’m posting the pic of her pretty cup ‘o yogurt.

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Last week was a good week for workouts.  I felt especially focused at the gym.  We all know that you need to concentrate on the body part you are working out… but sometimes my mind wanders.  My goal last week was to be more focused, and I think it paid off.  Especially on back day… I was SORE after that one.

Leg day on Tuesday was fantastic with my trainer.  I was able to squat more than ever!  Leg day by myself on Saturday left something to be desired… I find it much harder to max out on legs alone.  I know it’s mental…

 

 

Workout Recap (7/24 – 7/29):

  • Monday – Chest/Biceps, Calf raises, 2 mile walk
  • Tuesday – Legs (with trainer), 2.5 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Back/Triceps, Calf raises, 2 mile walk
  • Thursday – Shoulders/Glutes, 1 mile walk
  • Friday – Chest/Biceps, Calf raises, 2 mile walk
  • Saturday – Legs, 150 push-ups
  • Sunday – *rest day* … easy 4 mile walk

***

The icing on the cake of the weekend was not having to wake up to an alarm Sunday.  I stayed in bed until 10, and it was glorious. 

What was the last concert you went to?

Do you find certain body parts harder to work out on your own?

 

Peanut Butter & Jeggs + WIAW

By

Two things make me euphoric: good food and hard workouts.

Yesterday I was on the receiving end of both.  My spreadsheet delivered today!

Breakfast was mind-blowing.  Meal 2 is a new go-to protein source.  Lunch – although it was inhaled – was delish. Meal 4 wasn’t exciting, but the GNC Vanilla Whey tastes cake batter-ish when mixed with water.  Dinner… well, if it was legal to marry pizza I would.  Meal 6 was fun and close to being a new staple.  Dessert was a new (to me) recipe from one of my fav bloggers.

On the training front, I had a GREAT workout with my trainer.  I squatted 1.5x my body weight.  That’s a HUGE jump in just over a month of training.

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During a workout it can be overwhelming to push and go all-in.   That’s when you know you’re doing it right – when you are out of your comfort zone and breathing hard (provided you are using a good form and common sense).  I hit that point during my 4th drop sets of horizontal leg presses.

I looked up at my trainer and said “I don’t know how I’m going to do this.”  Then, with his encouragement, I just kept going.

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It was HARD, both physically and mentally.  I was careful not to say “can’t,” but I won’t say the thought didn’t cross my mind.  I shoved it out of my mind, and after the workout was incredibly proud of myself.

Which leads me to the 4th installment of the Fitness-themed What I Ate Wednesday.  If you’ve been following, I’m aiming to get ~150g of protein each day as I train for a figure competition (hopefully in NOVEMBER!!!).

In an effort to vary my protein sources, I try not to repeat meals throughout the day (ex: I don’t want to have 7 protein shakes, or 4 servings of scrambled egg whites).  Today’s eats included a whopping 5 different sources of protein!

Check out my vegetarian protein-loaded day below; then click here to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to see everyone else’s fitness foods!

 

Meal 1:

Like I do every morning, I enjoyed a glass of my aminos mixed with ~2T of apple cider vinegar and water. I swear it gives me more energy than a cup of coffee… in fact, I no longer make coffee in the morning.

30 mins later I did enjoy a coffee-laced breakfast parfait:

It was a fabulous as it looks.  No joke.  Recipe tomorrow because I cannot hold this one in much longer.

Meal 2:

A new go-to: Peanut Butter & Jeggs.   I do enjoy savory eggs, but sometimes you just want a PB&J.  Meal 2 doesn’t get a carb, and PB&J doesn’t pack 20g of protein (the minimum I need at each meal)… so I got creative.

Egg whites, peanut flour, berries… it’s not as weird as it sounds.  Really.  Recipe at the bottom.

This might be weird: dose anyone else like the little crunchies left over from scrambles?  They’re especially good when they are laced with PB.

Meal 3:

Lunch was wolfed down.  I was slammed at work and running out the door for a lunchtime appointment with my trainer for the afore mentioned leg day.

This was a tasty combo… but I spent the drive to the gym wondering if eating all this so close to a workout would make me hurl.

On my plate:

  • Thai baked tofu
  • Spinach
  • Sweet potato
  • 3 bean mix 

Thankfully, I didn’t vom during my workout.

Meal 4:

This is what eating for fuel looks like:

GNC Whey Vanilla Protein I received as part of this Fitfluential protein powder review, mixed with water to form a “pudding.”

Followed by a giant carrot when I got home.

Meal 5:

I’m still swooning over this meal.  It’s one of the best I’ve had in recent memory… and that’s saying a lot.

Cauliflower pizza perfection (recipe here).

Topped with baby bellas, red onion, garlic, red pepper, French sorrel, and purple basil, and drizzled with nooch “sauce” (1 T nutritional yeast + 1 T water) before placing back in the oven for 15 mins.

Once cooked, I topped it with a balsamic reduction, red pepper flakes, and this KASS vegan grated parm (which is actually really good!):

Meal 6:

After being corrected by Coach last week (seriously… he busted me in the comments section), I did NOT skip meal 6.  This is a new creation… one I’m still working on.  As soon as it’s 100% I’ll share. 🙂

No coach, these aren’t protein macaroons. 

Served with celery sticks and “honey” mustard.  I say “honey” because it’s just Dijon with a drop of lemon Stevia.

I read this one someone’s blog but now I can’t remember where… please claim it if it’s your idea.  Sorry!

Meal 7:

Dessert was this Blueberry Protein Microwave Cake I’ve had bookmarked from my friend Sarena @ The Non-Dairy Queen.

Just a couple of modifications: I left out the oats, reduced the egg whites to 1/4 C, and used just 1/8 tsp  of baking soda.  I added 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and used lemon stevia in the coconut “frosting.”  Mine only needed 4 mins in the microwave.

It was friggin’ fantastic.

 

Peanut Butter & Jeggs

  • 1/2 C egg whites
  • 2 T peanut flour
  • 2 T water
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 5-6 drops liquid stevia
  • 1/2 C berries

In a greased pan on med heat, scramble egg whites until 3/4 done (still a bit runny, ~2-3 mins).  

Meanwhile, mix together peanut flour, water, cinnamon, and stevia to form your peanut butter (note: you could always use 2 T of your favorite nut butter here).

Add peanut butter and fruit to the eggs.  Scramble together and allow egg whites to complete cooking (~1-2 mins).

Plate and enjoy!

Serves 1.

***

This day of eats was entirely vegetarian, and I managed 156g of protein.  And it included 2 of the best meals ever.  OMG.

Have you made a cauliflower pizza?

Any guesses about what meal 6 is?

Lure Me Into the Weekend

By

Like I ever need any luring into the weekend…

 

However, I was excited for the events of this past weekend.  I’ve recapped the best parts below, including purple basil, watermelon salad, my BFF’s baby’s 1st birthday (remember when he was born?), and dinner at the latest #ATL seafood hot spot.

 

First I want to take a moment to express my condolences to the people of Aurora, CO.  It is beyond me how anyone could do such an evil thing.  Furthermore, I don’t understand why it’s legal to buy those guns.  I know some people consider shooting to be a hobby, but we as a society have proven to ourselves over and over that assault rifles bring nothing but harm.

On to brighter things…

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1. Purple Basil

I found this delicious herb at my local Saturday farmer’s market:

 

 

Purple Basil is not quite as sweet as the green variety, and a bit heartier. Much closer to a romaine lettuce leaf in texture.  I loved it on a P28 Protein Bagel with some Greek yogurt and an heirloom tomato (also from the market).  served with a side of these Indian Roasted Chickpeas – an old recipe, but one I return to often!

 

 

 

2. Baby Jackson Turned 1

My nest friend’s little boy, Jackson, had his 1st birthday this weekend.  I’m sure he won’t remember any of it, but we have a fantastic time celebrating with him!  Doesn’t he look just like his daddy (pic below)?

 

 

We had a some tasty eats compliments of the baby’s grandmother.  I brought a new take on this cotija-watermelon salad that I made for his mamma’s baby shower a little over a year ago.

This new twist contained:

  • Watermelon
  • Cucumber
  • Blueberries
  • Jalapeno
  • Feta cheese
  • Mint
  • Fresh lime juice
  • Light drizzle of olive oil
  • Pepper

 

 

Of course there was cake.  Ever the gentleman, Jackson wasn’t about to face-plant into that baby cake like his Aunt Laura would have.

 

 

3. Dinner at Lure

My friend Keith and I headed to the latest restaurant concept by Fifth Group (an Atlanta restaurant group), Lure.  This group is one of the best in Atlanta, due largely in part to their staff.  The serve and attention to detail is always top-notch, and Lure upholds that tradition.

 

We began the meal with a couple of small plates:

The seared scallop crudo with sugar snap peas and horseradish was a huge win.  I can’t recall ever having a more fresh piece of seafood.  The slightly sweet, crisp snap peas was the perfect light pairing with the scallop, and the dollops of horseradish gave a nice kick to the dish.  This was my favorite dish of the night – love at first bite.

 

The next dish was a plate of French Horn mushrooms with baba ghannouj, chickpeas, and a parsley salad.  I loved the mushrooms, and the bright lemon juice the dressed the parsley.  I found the baba ghannouj to be a bit salty (I’m sensitive to salt, so you may think it’s perfect).

 

For round two, we ordered one more small plate and a main.  We were absorbed in conversation, so we didn’t notice our second dishes were taking a while to come out.  That didn’t stop a manager from coming out to apologize and off us free soup!  I didn’t get a pic of the Tom Yum Shrimp Bisque, but we very much appreciated the gesture.

Our entrees did arrive, and they were beautiful:

The small plate we chose was grilled octopus & pork lettuce wraps with basil, cilantro, red onion, rice noodles, and spicy Vietnamese sauce.  I loved the heat in the sauce.  The octopus was good, not too chewy… but I barely remember the pork.

 

My main was a sautéed black grouper served atop silver queen corn, curry, yogurt sauce, and a spicy lime pickle.  I was surprised at how well the strong flavors worked with the flaky fish.  It was perfectly executed.  The spice from the curry was excellent with the sweetness of the worn and the slightly sour citrus of the lime pickle.  It didn’t top the scallops, but it was close!

 

We were comfortably full… but it was my cheat day… how could I pass up dessert?  After polling everyone via Instagram, I selected the guava and coconut bread pudding.

This deliciousness was served with a creme anglaise and toasted hazelnuts.  We loved the bread – a brioche from the famed H&F Bread Co.  The toasted hazelnuts we like the icing on this cake.  Ever the texture lover, I enjoyed their nutty crunch with the chewy toasted coconut that coated the soft bread pudding.  It was also the perfect size and sweet-level.  Just enough to hit the spot without regrets.

 

Overall, this 5-day old restaurant impressed me.  As I said, the service was perfect.  The food was solid as well; it has a distinct “Fifth-Group” feel.  In comparison to The Optimist (the other new Atlanta seafood restaurant I wrote up last week), it is different.  The Optimist is more “farm-to-table” seafood; it uses few ingredients and allows the main ingredient to speak for itself.  Lure focuses more on spices and offers many dishes with of an “ethic” twist.  Both good in their own way.

Side note: Lure’s wine list is much better, another signature of this restaurant group.

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I didn’t just eat my way through the entire weekend!  I stuck to my workout plan and was very good about getting in my 7 meals after admitted last Wednesday to not being excited about eating anything.  This week’s workouts were pretty exciting to me – I’m starting to notice bigger gains in my arms.  I was able to do preacher curls with an EZ curl bar that I couldn’t think about curling a month ago!

The real boost happened Saturday at the farmer’s market.  I was walking around, eating free samples (it was cheat day!), and one of the women working looked at me and said “flex.”  I said “excuse me?” and she repeated herself.  I thought she was kidding, but she was serious!  I blushed hard… but obliged.  LOL!  It made my day.  Thank you, free sample lady. 🙂

 

 

Workout Recap (7/16- 7/23):

  • Monday – Back/Triceps, calf raises
  • Tuesday – Shoulders/Glutes, 2 mile walk
  • Wednesday – Chest/Biceps, calf raises, 1 mile walk
  • Thursday – Legs (w/ trainer), 2 mile walk
  • Friday – Back/Triceps, calf raises, 100 push-ups, 2 mile walk
  • Saturday – Shoulders/Glutes, 3 mile walk
  • Sunday – *rest day* … easy 3 mile walk

***

I also cooked a lot this weekend.  I cannot wait to share some new recipes this week, including one reader request! 🙂

What was the best part of your weekend?

What new item have you tried recently?  Have you ever had purple basil?

 

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