WIAW- Don’t Let Me Down And Red Mango At Home

 

I don’t know what it up with the stars this week but it seems every day I have a quotable phrase to share from my horoscope:

“The best way to avoid disappointment is to lower your expectations.”

While this may be great advice, it does not hold true for all situations, especially at meal time.

I expect a lot from my food. There is absolutely nothing worse than a bad meal or unsatisfying dish that leaves you wondering what’s next.

Truth: I have ordered the exact same salad at The Cheesecake Factory for the last 14 years. One disappointing night back in the year 2000, I made the mistake of ordering something different and was extremely disappointed. It was terrible, unsatisfying and made me want to redo dinner. Lesson learned.

Since today is What I Ate Wednesday, I thought I would show you some of the meals that have yet to let me down.

Pre-Run Breakfast:

I wake up super hungry every day. Since I work out in the morning, I typically eat before AND directly after my runs making breakfast more like a two-part event.

Before a long run, I always start with the same breakfast — oatmeal.

I try not to overload my stomach before heading out the door but refuse to leave hungry so if for some reason this sized bowl doesn’t fill me, I add more.

Nothing worse for me than running on empty, or even feeling like empty. 

Post-Run Breakfast:

I daydream about this bowl throughout my run. Happiness= Oats mixed with plain greek yogurt, fruit and loads of peanut butter.

I know people love overnight oats but I am a lover of cooking the oats and then eating them cold with everything mixed in. I really should do a recipe post for this method.

Lunch:

Lunch is the one meal out of the day that can lead to disappointment since I never know what I want.

On Sunday I had an appointment smack in the middle of the day which totally affected when I would eat.

I wanted to make sure I ate before I left the house even though I wasn’t super hungry and certainly didn’t know what I was in the mood for.

Since I had French toast on the mind, I went with a slice of cinnamon raisin French toast as a sandwich for eggs, banana and peanut butter with a side of fruit.

I was more than satisfied with this mini meal for a few hours which worked well for the people I interacted with since I remained calm and focused rather than ravenous and mean.

Dinner:

In the event that I am unsure as to what I am in the mood for, I start with sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes can’t let you down.

I switch up my seasonings and flavors every day. This bowl from the other night includes sweet potatoes roasted with a cumin/paprika combo with roasted vegetables, chick peas, quinoa and avocado.

If you are looking for a how-to for your sweet potato fries, click here. Michelle from Peachy Palate recently did a post dedicated to the topic.

Dessert:

The whole purpose of a nighttime dessert is to a give you a great end to the day. It must satisfy the sweet tooth, the mind, the craving and the appetite.

I require a lot from my dessert and you should too.

Remember the Red Mango offer from last weekend? You better believe I got my BOGO for my freezer.

Look what I made myself at home!

Red Mango frozen yogurt topped with strawberries, chocolate chips and peanut butter.

I could get used to eating Red Mango every night in the comforts of my own home.

So rumor has it the temperature this morning is above freezing. Heat wave.

To be honest, the thought of layering and wearing the scarf that covers my mouth to protect myself from the cold air doesn’t sound all that appealing.

I think I have adjusted to being able to breathe comfortably inside the gym and may wait a few more days before venturing outdoors.

Have a great Wednesday! Be sure to check out what everyone else is eating for WIAW!

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What is your favorite pre-run meal? Post-run meal?

Favorite way to eat sweet potatoes?