WIAW – Still Have A Thing For Oatmeal

 

I would tell you all about the six miles I ran on the treadmill yesterday but today is Wednesday and that means we talk food.

Did you celebrate National Pancake Day yesterday?

I much prefer oatmeal over pancakes but the other morning I randomly decided to go back to my two-ingredient pancake (well, really three ingredient since I added blueberries).

My flipping skills are clearly getting rusty. 

The little boy was quick to remind me when he woke up yesterday of the pancake holiday.

I felt bad because we really didn’t have the time for whipping up fresh pancakes but he hounded me relentlessly before getting himself in the shower that even though he gave up and agreed to eggs, I made the quick decision to use my Kodiak Cakes mix and surprise him.

Mother of the year, right? I thought so too until he came out of the shower questioning why there was a big pancake topped with Mighty Maple peanut butter, chocolate chips, strawberries and syrup instead of a plate of eggs.

“Didn’t you hear me when I said I wanted eggs? Why didn’t you make eggs?”

Is he for real? Did he not just make me insane because he wanted pancakes?

Boys… Boys growing to be men….. Men… No further comment.

He ate the pancake plate but complained throughout the process. I could have ignored him but I just couldn’t let it go.

“One day you will appreciate me.  That’s right. One day you will call me on the phone to tell me how your wife doesn’t bake from scratch, doesn’t serve vegetables on a daily basis and rarely makes a home-cooked meal. You may even question why she can’t whip up pancakes in a moments notice. And when this happens, I promise to tell you I told you so.”

Thankfully I had already eaten or I would have really told him off. Considering he is my son, telling him off would not be the motherly thing to do.

I always eat breakfast bright and early, and sometimes, lunch occurs bright and early too.

I eat when I am hungry, even if that means lunch is happening when the clock barely reads 11:00 am.

Black beans, sweet potatoes, avocado and who knows what else but it looks like a lot of green.

I am a firm believer in eating according to your own internal clock versus the time displayed on your cell phone.

Does anyone even wear a watch anymore? And if you do, which clock do you look at first, the phone or your wrist?

Having lunch at 11:00 am the other morning made me happy. I was full and satisfied throughout the day, making no difference later on to my appetite. In fact, at 3:00 pm, I had forgotten how early I ate lunch, feeling no different than if I ate lunch at 1:00 pm.

I am also a firm believer in eating what you crave so when I craved oatmeal for lunch yesterday, even after having it pre and post run for breakfast, I listened to my body.

I made a few servings so I would have extra bowls waiting for me in the refrigerator.

Blueberries cooked into oatmeal = genius. Except when the genius decides to pick all of the berries out to eat them before they even reach their respective bowls.

After lunch yesterday I stopped at Trader Joe’s to pick up a couple of necessities.

While everyone else is busy buying the new Oreo varieties, I am sticking with Joe-Joe’s.

My son was looking for the box of these Oreo-like cookies in the pantry the other night after surfing my Pinterest boards and locating a recipe that required crushed Oreos for dessert. Now that I have restocked us in the cookie department, maybe we will attempt the recipe this evening.

I also picked up another bag of the Sweet Potato Tots.

He won’t eat a true sweet potato but he will eat it in tot form. Baby steps.

I got a bit creative the other night and made him a barbeque chicken quesadilla using Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Tortillas, plain chicken, shredded cheese and a touch of barbeque sauce served with sweet potato tots on the side.

So easy to throw together, super quick to cook and most importantly, he loved it. I think I will post the actual recipe soon.

I am all about sweet potatoes lately, which really isn’t a new trend although they have been happening at both lunch and dinner more often than normal.

Throwing everything into a big bowl makes me happy. Your guess is as good as mine in terms of what is in there besides the bright orange potatoes. Avocado for sure; I love avocado with sweet potatoes. Actually, I love avocado with just about everything.

If you didn’t already know, I really look forward to dessert.

Since my kitchen is stocked with a wide variety of fresh fruit these days, I find myself picking at it straight from the refrigerator as well as adding it to meals, including dessert, whenever I can.

Last night for dessert I went with diced pink lady apple, cantaloupe and strawberries mixed with greek yogurt and a peanut butter variety show of Chocolate PB2, Mighty Maple and Crunch Time.

And chocolate chips. Lots of chocolate chips.

Looking back over this post, I realize how many nibbles, extra servings and snacks really aren’t captured. Apple slices with peanut butter, cantaloupe and pineapple while I cut it up (more lands in my mouth than in the pyrex container), vegetables dipped in hummus and second servings at each meal happen each day.

Basically, I eat when I am hungry. No point in waiting for the next meal if your appetite is calling.

Be sure to check out the rest of the What I Ate Wednesday fun!

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Ever eat lunch super early?

Do you like the Chocolate PB2? I do, but I prefer the regular.

Favorite fruit to mix into your oatmeal?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WIAW – I Really Like Oatmeal And Ezekiel Bread

 

Can we briefly discuss planks? I am no expert when it come strength training and core work but I have been working on it. In fact, I have been holding that plank position longer and longer each time. I think I am getting good at it. Or so I thought.

Anyone else feel like their upper back/shoulders may ache/hurt just a bit later in the day or the day after? Maybe I just need a massage.  It’s been a while.

It wouldn’t surprise me if I have been doing the plank with incorrect form. I am not perfect. I know, I know, it sometimes seems as though as I am, but alas, I am not. I mean, I run more days in a row than I probably should and I like to eat the same things over and over again even though they tell me it’s not the best idea for the body and digestion and who knows why else.

I can’t get enough oatmeal these days. I am well aware that it appears as though I  am always on an oatmeal kick but lately, I take kick to a new level.

Aside from dinner time, I have to fight not making oatmeal my choice for breakfast, lunch and dessert. I have compromised with myself and allowed for oatmeal to happen at two meals – breakfast and dessert. Two out of three ain’t bad…please tell me I am not dating myself with this song reference…

I was on that two-ingredient pancake for a while but now it is all about oatmeal, before and after I run.

You know you want to have breakfast over at my house. I mean, who wouldn’t want a Hello Kitty mug of French toast coffee and an ice cream bowl of oatmeal with greek yogurt, fresh berries and peanut butter?

The strawberries were on sale this week so the plan is to buy two containers at a time every other day. And mandarin oranges. The little boy likes his berries and oranges and you know what? I kind of like those cuties too.

Post-run oatmeal happened in a just about empty greek yogurt container yesterday with more strawberries, fresh pineapple (yes, I cut it up myself) and peanut butter. Nothing is complete without peanut butter.

Lately I have been buying the Trader Joe’s tubs of plain greek yogurt. I like it, it’s good, not as good as my favorite Stonyfield but price-wise, it works on a regular basis.

I will be trying out Brown Cow’s new line of greek yogurt shortly. Stay tuned.

While I am stuck on oatmeal, the little boy is stuck on eggs with cinnamon raisin Ezekiel Bread.

You like how I slip the fruit on his plate, don’t you.

See that cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread? Toasting that up for him in the morning is the only thing that has been stopping me from oatmeal at lunch…I love this bread.

Lunch as of late has been a big salad loaded with roasted vegetables and avocado plus a slice (or two) of cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread topped off with sliced plum tomatoes and  melted mozzarella cheese.

And sometimes, I break up the grilled cheese and throw it into the salad. Just call it cheesy croutons.

If I have yet to convince you that you need Ezekiel Bread in your life, click here to read Food Babe’s recent post about the healthiest bread on the market. A wonderful, in-depth article all about the hidden ingredients in popular breads and why you should avoid them.

Just in case you don’t know Food Babe, she is the woman responsible for taking on Kraft regarding their questionable ingredients (which are banned in other countries)  in the blue box of macaroni and cheese.

On a random food note, I have been back to Peach Salsa:

On top of salads, potatoes, eggs…you get the idea. And sometimes, when I am feeling super crazy, I add barbeque sauce to the same dish already topped with the peach salsa. Don’t question it, just try it.

Now, if this were a bowl, I would be able to tell you that I have been loving Plant-Based Power Bowls on repeat for dinner like nobodies business.

Instead I will just say I keep eating Plant-Based Power Plates.

I made another quinoa/lentil one-pot mix; combined with sweet potatoes, roasted vegetables and avocado. It really doesn’t get easier or better…or more powerful.

The sauce you see is Carolina Gold Barbeque, no peach salsa included.

You should know that the avocado atop this power plate was simply divine. A perfectly ripe avocado is so delicious that I kick myself for being a picky stubborn child who assumed she hated avocado just because she didn’t like the word avocado. I have a lot of avocado to make up for in my adult life.

Since breakfast has basically been making an appearance at dessert time, rather than show you the same picture, I have decided to share a few links to the desserts I have on my list to bake:

These five chip cookies which need no further explanation as to why I want to make them.

Baked Chocolate Donuts with Chocolate Ganache and Sprinkles because I keep forgetting I own a donut pan.

And, even though I never understood why people love soup, this milk chocolate soup with cake croutons has the potential to make me a believer.

Make sure you check out what everyone else is eating for What I Ate Wednesday!

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Plank position – talk to me about it

What have you been eating on repeat this week?

Soup – love it or hate it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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?

 

Always Room For Cold Stone

 

Monday morning already? Seriously?

Oh well. No time to think about it since I have quite a busy week ahead of me, beginning this morning with an important meeting in Manhattan.

At least it isn’t frigid today. Wait, let me correct that – At least it isn’t frigid this morning.

It is rainy yet “warm” with temperatures scheduled to drop from 50 degrees now down to 8 degrees tonight. Uh huh.

I can’t control the weather but I can control what I eat so let’s back up a bit to where we left off on Saturday.

I did my usual Trader Joe’s stock-up thing. I have meaning to ask you – do you remember the Trader Joe’s crunchy peanut butter with the flax seeds? I know they recalled it well over a year ago (or was it two years ago?) but they never brought it back and I really liked it.

I also made a pit stop at Fairway for PB2. Still loving the PB2.

Fage was on sale for 88 cents – how do you pass that up?

Of course yesterday morning as I went through the Sunday circular coupons (or Qpons as I like to pronounce the word) I discovered two coupons for my most favorite Stonyfield Greek Yogurt.

Little savings like this excite me. If you don’t clip your coupons, you need to start.

You know what else excites me? All-You-Can-Eat Sushi.

Ever do the All-You-Can-Eat Sushi (from a good place of course, not just some random icky hole-in-the-wall) where they give you the little menus and a pencil and you get to keep checking off what you want so that they just keep bringing you food over and over and over again?

So fun. SO SO SO FUN!

We got all giddy about this and just checked off everything – my favorite is the broccoli teriyaki plates. I think we went with five of those but who is counting.

Of course we ordered more rolls than this. How could you not when they just keep bringing it to you?

Were we full? Never too full for dessert.

I know I said I would have birthday cake for Saturday’s birthday girls but Cold Stone was calling my name. Actually, the chocolate dipped waffle bowls were looking for me.

Is it good or bad that the owner of Cold Stone saw me and made sure to point out their supply of chocolate dipped waffle bowls? I think I made him uncomfortable one too many times on the occasions his store was lacking in the waffle bowl department.

As amazing as this looks, the best part about it is that I wasn’t the only one in my party to order it.

Why was someone else’s sundae a good thing for me? Well, I just knew part of their waffle bowl would end up mine.

The trick is to always dine with someone not only willing to share but someone who gets full easily.

No one understands where I put all of this dessert but after a lengthy discussion on the topic, I explained that my stomach just has an extra compartment for sweet stuff.

There is always room. If you don’t believe me, I challenge you to dinner followed by dessert. Bring it on.

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I NEED TO KNOW:

How is the weather by you?

Do you always have room for dessert?

Would you share your waffle bowl with me or would you be able to finish it on your own?

Ever experience All-You-Can-Eat Sushi?

Do you remember the TJ peanut butter I am talking about?

 

Winter Apple Recipe And A KINDAWESOME Giveaway

You just don’t know what you got until it’s gone.

I have been without paper towels all week. Why haven’t I bought a new role? I don’t know.

All I know is that I am reaching the point where this can’t continue.

Hanukkah isn’t continuing anymore either.

Please note the melted wax on my counter that I have yet to scrub off because I am without a paper towel that I would have normally wet and used to clean it.

Last night was the eighth and final night of Hanukkah which is just fine with me because I wouldn’t have been able to come up with another gift for a child who needed nothing in the first place.

I realized that I didn’t even catch Adam Sandler’s Hanukkah songs this year. Did anyone else hear them played on the radio? I don’t know how I missed it considering how often I am in the car at all different random times of the day.

Anyway, please forgive me for not posting the hummus recipe yesterday. I do intend to share it after we make one more batch – I just want to confirm the amounts for each ingredient.

I can though share with you today the recipe for my bowl of winter apples.

I refer to them as my winter apples because when the weather starts changing for the colder, I want something warm.

My taste buds however are stubborn and loyal so no matter how I try to deviate from my favorite nighttime dessert, I still crave an apple.

I needed to find a compromise. Warm cinnamon apples, covered with melty peanut butter and KIND Healthy Grains Clusters for crunch is working out rather well.

So simple (and healthy) yet so tasty you will feel as though you are eating some sort of decadent apple cobbler.

Sort of like these cute little apple pies from Pie Face.

If you aren’t familiar with Pie Face, it is an Australian bakery café that has made its way to Manhattan over the last few years.

We have a super special connection over there in Pie Face land and received a bunch of the apple pies the other day for the little boy to bring to his Hanukkah party at Hebrew School.

While Pie Face makes a seriously good and cute little apple pie, I must admit that the flavors of my winter apples rival the baker’s abilities at Pie Face. Sorry Mr. Pie Face baker but it is the truth. I am one heck of a sweet genius if I do say so myself.

And, all I need to create my winter apple bowls of goodness is an apple, some cinnamon and KIND Healthy Grains Clusters. And peanut butter. Peanut butter is always needed.

You can easily cook up a big batch of winter apples for the week all at one time. The only problem with doing so is that you will end up eating most of it in one sitting, leaving you nothing for the rest of the week.

Going to town with a bushel of apples is not a bad thing; it is only a bad thing when it comes to the stomach ache it produces.

Trust me, I know this from experience.

Winter Apple Bowls (serves 2)

• 2 decent sized apples of your choice
• 1/2 cup of water
• Cinnamon
• KIND Healthy Grains Clusters – Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds is my favorite!

Options:

• PB2
• Peanut Butter (or almond butter if that is what you prefer. I can’t relate if almond butter is your thing but I can accept it)
• Dark chocolate chips
• Greek Yogurt

Slice and dice your apples straight into a pot.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and add about 1/2 cup of water to the pot and let it simmer on medium heat. As the apples cook, mix them around and add more cinnamon.

The longer you are able to let the apples cook, the better. Due to my lack of impatience, they can totally be ready in 6 minutes but if you cook them longer, they will get even softer.

Once they are soft, which is only after a few minutes, I sometimes add in a spoonful of PB2 which absorbs some of the liquid and coats the apples all nice with peanut butter flavor.

While you can certainly eat them plain, may I ask why you would want to?

Top your winter apples with KIND Healthy Grains Clusters.

Of course mix in your peanut butter and watch it get all melty.

Please don’t let me stop you from adding greek yogurt.

Or, drop in a few chocolate chips (literally, all you need is a few) with your peanut butter and create peanut butter cup apples.

Pictures just cannot do the varieties of my winter apple bowls justice.

Pie Face totally wins in the aesthetics departments as they should. They are a bakery.

All I am, as my son once called me, “just some runner who likes ice cream”.

Ice cream is nice. But so are my winter apples.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

The KIND people over at KIND are really #KINDAWESOME.

I spend so much time raving about my KIND Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds that I add not only to my apple bowls but to my yogurt, oatmeal and well, eat straight from the package.

What I love about KIND Healthy Grains Clusters is that they are better kind of granola since they are made from a blend of 100% whole grains including amaranth, quinoa, oats, millet and buckwheat and oh, gluten free too!

It really is amazing how a little handful of their Healthy Grain Clusters can spruce up a bowl of just about anything.

Not to mention, all of their products are made with ingredients you can see and pronounce.

There is always a KIND Plus Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew + Antioxidants in my bag for emergencies.

KIND is letting me run this giveaway where you could score an entire box (12 bars) of my favorite KIND PLUS Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew + Antioxidants AND a bag of my all-time favorite Healthy Grain Clusters – KIND Healthy Grains Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js

 

Kindawesome, yes? Good luck!

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I NEED TO KNOW:

Do you ever let yourself run out of paper towels?

Do you carry an emergency snack in your bag? I always have a KIND bar in my bag, along with gum, lollipops and sometimes an apple.

What makes your day kindawesome? I know that a good run in the morning certainly puts my day on the right track!

*KIND sent me a variety of KIND bars plus a few bags of Healthy Grains Clusters. All thoughts and opinions in this post or any other post where I mention my love for KIND products are my own. No further compensation was provided. Giveaway open only to residents of the United States- sorry Canadian and other foreign friends!

 

 

What I Ate Wednesday – My Usual Plus Dinner at The Smith NYC

Hello and Happy Wednesday! I am still all giddy after running yesterday morning. That’s right, I ran a little over 5 miles and while I felt some sort of very slight twinge in my left foot, overall I was really fine.

I actually read through some of my past posts and realized that this shin splinty feeling on the tops of my feet is nothing new for me. Isn’t it amazing how blogging helps you to remember things about yourself that you may have otherwise forgotten?

It seems that every so often, I experience some sort of discomfort on the tops of my feet. Why, we don’t really know for sure, but I have come to the conclusion that for me, when I up my mileage or don’t take enough rest days, the tops of my feet are the first to call me out on my rigorous routine.

While going through my posts, I also noticed A TON of repetitive meals or at least repetitive ingredients. What can I say, I am a creature of habit.

I am happy to be able to check in with you on this What I Ate Wednesday to share not just my usual eats but a great dinner from last night.

Let’s take a look!

BREAKFAST:

With each morning that passes, my pancake flipping skills just keep getting better and better. Please note the abundance of peanut butter and jelly on top – winning combination.

I may eat the same breakfast every day but I DO VARY the peanut butter – sometimes I go with Mighty Maple, sometimes Crunch Time, sometimes PB2 and sometimes any combination of all three.

I love this egg/banana pancake. It is filling, delicious and satisfying.

Sometimes I make a second pancake midmorning – all depends upon the day, my appetite and what I am in the mood for come stomach rumbling time.

LUNCH:

Lunch has still been my version of overnight oats. Cooked oatmeal (served cold) mixed with plain greek yogurt, lots of berries and lots of peanut butter. Topped off with KIND granola.

I could easily eat this combo for every meal.

I always cook a big pot of oatmeal in advance and just keep it stored in the refrigerator in servings. I went crazy this week and cooked a mix of steel-cut oats and old-fashioned rolled oats to get a blend of the textures. I love having oatmeal on hand for lunch as well as for those mornings when the little boy requests a bowl of oats for breakfast.

I also made another batch of my no bake trail-mix bites this week.

My son loves them and they are the perfect anytime snack to grab.

After grabbing a Quest Bar for myself yesterday afternoon, I headed into Manhattan for a weeknight treat. There is something so fun about escaping the routine of the week for a night out on the town.

Over the last few weeks, I started noticing a trend of various bloggers on Instagram checking in and posting awesome looking meals at a Manhattan restaurant that I had never dined at before…The Smith.

You would head into the city on a random Tuesday night for house made hot potato chips too, wouldn’t you?

They were amazing. Simply amazing. I don’t often eat chips but I cannot resist the fresh, hot from the oven variety.

We also shared the Tuna Tartare.

The menu at The Smith had so much to choose from but I was super excited to see Vegetarian Bibimbap listed. So many bloggers post this dish and I had never tried it…until last night.

I need to search for some bibimbap recipes so I can try making this at home! It was beyond delicious and filling to the point where even I couldn’t finish my bowl. I actually brought home leftovers. Perhaps eating the giant bowl of chips had something to do with this. Or the side of brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes and I think we ordered grits too.

Not to worry, I always have room for dessert.

See the candle? No, it was not my birthday but I ordered the birthday cake which comes with a candle plus a lollipop that says Happy Birthday!

I love a good hunk of chocolate cake…

I can’t wait to go back to The Smith again. Who wants to meet me there for brunch? Or lunch? Or Breakfast? Or OK, dinner?

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I NEED TO KNOW:

 Have you ever had bibimbap? Do you have a recipe for a vegetarian version to share with me? If so, please post the link in the comments!

Ever been to The Smith?

Favorite birthday cake? Chocolate Fudge cake all the way. Never ever ice cream cake unless it is the Cold Stone Creamery variety that includes layers of fudge cake with the ice cream.

 

 

 

 

Three Tip Tuesday – Vegetarian Diet Plateau

I was so glad and amused to hear yesterday just how many of us neglect our printers. I was starting to think I was just lazy  but as it turns out, most of us fail to replace the ink, fix paper jams or figure out why our silly printers stop functioning.

Like my new Tuesday design? Look at me getting all techy with Pic Monkey.

Anyway, today’s tips are going to be a bit more subtle than usual. I don’t know that I have three specific tips for you to take away from this post. Rather, I have been wanting to discuss my recent “vegetarian diet plateau” and from my experiences, I am hoping that you can take away some diet/nutrition/lifestyle tips to apply to your own little worlds.

So what exactly is a Vegetarian Diet Plateau? I am not sure it is even a legit term; it is just the phrase I have been using to refer to what has been going on in my life these days.

Plateaus happen. Be it a weight loss plateau, a fitness plateau or, as I have decided, a vegetarian diet plateau, sometimes we reach a point in our routine where we are no longer experiencing the positive effects of a “plan” we have been following.

Becoming a vegetarian was never something I considered, thought about or entertained.

For 33 years, I lived on chicken and turkey as my main protein sources to the point where I wondered if I would begin to cluck instead of speak.

I loved a great medium rare steak (a delicious skirt steak or sharing a steak for two) and I couldn’t get enough of my favorite chinese boneless ribs.

Yet after I came down with a horrendous stomach virus almost two years ago, I gave it all up.

I opted for stomach friendly comfort type foods and realized about 7 days later that I had yet to eat my usual protein sources.

And I had never felt better.

A diet that was heavier on complex carbs and plant-based protein offered me immediate positive effects.

My muscles felt fueled and always ready for a run. Not only were they ready, they allowed me to move faster for longer periods of time and recovered quickly.

My stomach was satisfied without feeling weighed down. I hate the full stomach feeling.

I decided to stick with this new-found diet change indefinitely. I continued to feel benefits:

• PMS? Completely gone. Not one symptom.
• Reduced length of period
• Reduction in cramps…It was as if I didn’t have it even though I did.
• Seasonal allergies all GONE.
• Slight eczema at different times of the year GONE.
• Lingering shingles nerve pain? GONE!

I began reading up on the subject and learned that my experience is well documented.

It was all making sense.

Lately though, I have been noticing a change. And not for the better.

Like anything else, the body learns to adjust and adapt to the foods we eat, gets all too comfortable and reaches the dreaded plateau.

Over the last few months, some PMS symptoms and menstrual cramps have made a return. While not as severe, they are there and I really got used to having none.

My muscles are still thriving but my appetite? Well, sometimes I am just too ravenous all of the time and I attribute it to a lack in protein.

So many times I would eat bowl after bowl of veggie laden, plant-based meals feeling as though my stomach may explode yet my brain still wanted more.

Most of my diet consists of plant-based proteins with the occasional dairy product and fish thrown in; not enough satisfying protein at the moment if you ask my opinion.

Remember last week when I said I was shaking things up a bit? How I stopped eating as many vegetables?

No no, don’t get any ideas in your head – I am not saying that I have or will start eating meat and poultry again. I haven’t craved it at all since giving it up therefore I have no intention of introducing it back into my diet.

What I have done is changed things around a bit, making protein more of a focus in my diet by increasing my intake of eggs and dairy products.

Right now, just increasing my consumption of eggs, greek yogurt and cheese (hormone/antibiotic free of course) is working quite well for me. Will it continue to work? Who knows.

Interestingly, through my research over the last few years, I have read the positives and negatives associated with dairy consumption.

One of the major NEGATIVES, besides the claims that dairy is a major stress on our system, involves the terrible effect of dairy on PMS and the menstrual cycle.

And, on the other hand, I have read several articles stating that consuming dairy has a POSITIVE effect on alleviating PMS symptoms and mitigating cramps.

So how the heck do we figure out which foods to avoid, which study to listen to what type of meal plan to follow?

I don’t have the answer  because no one person, research study or diet plan in a book can tell YOU exactly what YOU should eat everyday for the rest of your life.

My best advice is that like anything else in our lives, it is all trial and error.

Tomorrow I will give you a closer look at what I have been eating.

I crack myself up with these ecards.

Have you ever reached a “plateau” in your daily diet?

What are your main sources of protein?

 

 

 

Peanut Butter And Jelly Apples- Recipe!

It always seems that my breakfast the morning after a long run tends to be served on a plate rather than in a bowl.

Sometimes I have trouble recognizing the plate in front of me.

I don’t understand the correlation between running lots of miles and craving eggs but it happens to me often. This egg craving was extreme and intense and hit me well before breakfast even occurred. The craving set in late Saturday night after dinner so I knew a plate of eggs and toast would be happening first thing yesterday morning.

To my surprise, I actually really enjoyed this breakfast beyond just a satisfied-craving feeling so I am hoping to crave this plate again soon.

My only issue is that I don’t think eggs are proper pre-run fuel for me on a regular basis.

Key words here – FOR ME.

Everyone is different. What I eat and when I eat it may be different from what you choose for your meals. What works for me before and after a run, may not be what works for you.

You know what doesn’t work for me before a run?

Crazy, right? I love my apples dearly but I cannot eat them before running. They just don’t sit well in my stomach before a run nor do I find that I have the same energy as I do when I consume a banana or oatmeal mixed with berries.

But I love apples. And I eat AT LEAST one a day.

Do you eat apples? OK, but do you eat them on a regular basis? Well, you should.

Apples are loaded with quercetin, a flavonoid that is rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and heart protecting properties and regular consumption can help decrease the risk of cancers and chronic diseases.

If this isn’t enough reason to eat your apple a day, according to a recent article in Runner’s World, apples have been linked to improving running performance.

Click here to read how quercetin may affect the oxidation process in muscles which may lead to fitness gains as well as the possibility of reducing muscle damage and soreness and improving strength and neuromuscular function.

I certainly didn’t need any influence in the apple eating department but this article is all the more reason to keep up my daily habit.

Lately though I have gotten creative and have taken my favorite apple with peanut butter to the next level.

Meet my newest anytime meal – peanut butter and jelly apples.

Oh yes.

This snack is so good and packed with nutrients that it can pass as a snack, dessert, breakfast, lunch or any meal you wish to call it.

Remember my Very Cherry Berry blend of frozen berries? The sweet and healthy genius that I am decided to mix in some Chocolate PB2 once the berries defrosted a bit.

A tablespoon of Chocolate PB2 simply mixed into the slightly defrosted berries created a thickened sweet sauce that was so decadent and delicious (YET COMPLETELY GUILT-FREE) that I didn’t know what to do with myself.

It isn’t very pretty but who cares? Your stomach doesn’t have eyes.

Once I regained my composure, I came up with a plan.

I used my will power to hold off  eating the mixture with a spoon while I diced up an apple, sprinkled it with cinnamon, warmed it in the microwave for one minute and then, topped off the apple with the berry blend.

Uh huh.

And then, to sweeten the plate some more, added Crunch Time peanut butter to various spots around the plate.

Voila. Peanut butter and jelly apples.

You can easily stop here and dig in, or, you can add a dollop of greek yogurt on top. Or granola. Or both.

Fruit, protein, healthy fats, complex carbs and a dose of calcium (if you add the yogurt).

I don’t plan on stopping at just peanut butter and jelly apples now that I have discovered this guilt-free and delicious berry/PB2 mixture.

I think the berry mixture would be great loaded into a pie crust, used as a base for a fruit crisp, on top of frozen yogurt, mixed into brownies, muffins, on top of waffles, pancakes, french toast, breads….THE POSSBILTIES ARE ENDLESS.

Shouldn’t everything in life be this simple and guilt-free?

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I NEED TO KNOW:

What do you crave after running or after a hard workout?

What do you like to eat before you run?

Do you eat apples on a regular basis?

Favorite healthy dessert?

 

 

 

13.1 Miles and Red Mango News

Good morning and Happy Sunday to you! I hope that you are enjoying your weekend and that the weather in your area is feeling like fall.

I love all of the seasons for different reasons but come on, fall is the best. Especially when you can run in conditions that look like this.

Do you notice that fresh strip of black top behind the pretty tree? That would be my path! To my surprise, they basically finished the entire path!

Except for certain little sections where I need to run under some yellow tape (I am so daring, I know), I was able to run most my 13.1 miles yesterday all on my routine route.

It was a gorgeous morning for a run; crisp and cool with a bit of sun and leaves crunching under my feet. It even smelled like fall. Perfect.

My run? It was fine. Nothing spectacular, my pace is still a bit off although I don’t really get nutty about it when I go long. I may attempt some speed work runs this week to work on the issue.

I also may be saying goodbye to MapMyRun for my run tracking. The new Fit Friend app is on my mind and may be downloaded to my phone shortly. Stay tuned.

You know I am feeling the after effects of a run when I spend the day out and about in sneakers whiling looking like I just rolled out of bed. Running errands and shopping after a morning of 13.1 miles is not exactly ideal but I took it slow and tried not to let my pocketbook slow me down. Anyone else find that their pocketbooks weigh more than them even when very little is inside?

RED MANGO NEWS ALERT: I spotted promotional material for the new Nonfat Greek Yogurt. It is about time.

I still don’t have the exact nutrition info but what we do know is that it is nonfat, contains 50% more protein than their regular frozen yogurt plus 25% of the daily value of calcium.

Perfect for my second post run meal and mid shopping fuel.

I have a busy Sunday ahead so it is time for me to get moving.

If you have Red Mango near you, please go and see if they have the Greek Yogurt yet and let me know what you think!

 

 

 

The Important Stuff- Run, Food and Emojis

Good Monday morning! I know you have been patiently waiting to hear how many miles I ran on Saturday. I wish I could tell you exactly. But I can’t.

While my run was divine, at some point around the 7 mile mark I accidentally hit pause on my phone which froze MapMyRun for easily half a mile if not more. That incident combined with the fact that as my phone battery starts to die, the app starts to track mileage/pace wrong and we have a run not calculated accurately.

But, I do have a feeling I came in around 12 miles.

I came home to my favorite post- long run breakfast that is always eaten out of a jar. I must admit though, my taste buds are slowly changing.

While I have been on an oatmeal-free kick all week, I didn’t want to mess with the long run routine so I did what I normally do:

I always always have oatmeal – usually I eat a little bit of oatmeal before my run mixed with banana and some peanut butter.

Post-Run eats are the rest of the oatmeal mixed with plain greek yogurt, loaded with berries and more peanut butter in a jar.

Would you believe the first half of my run I was feeling eh from the peanut butter?

I think my world is off its axis.

I was so turned off by the peanut butter that when I came back, I added granola into my oatmeal jar instead of my usual additional spoonfuls of peanut butter.

Rather than question myself, I have decided to go where my taste buds lead me.

My taste buds these days are leading me to Andrea’s 25, which has become my new favorite restaurant.

Saturday night I felt the need to test out the Woodbury location.

Say hello to zucchini marinara topped with grilled shrimp. The dish comes with chicken but they will customize any dish for you so I went with the shrimp in place of the chicken and was in heaven.

I really need to make zucchini into “pasta” at home but I am too lazy to use a spiralizer. Which is just fine – I can save some deliciousness for dining out.

Burnt string beans on the side- can you blame me for loving this restaurant?

I think the Woodbury location will be my favorite – did I mention it is next to Crumbs and a self-serve yogurt store?

I actually walked into Crumbs and left without a cupcake choosing to go to Yogurt Crazy for a cup of toppings topped with yogurt. Sign number two that my world is slightly off axis.

Anyone else load their yogurt cup with more toppings than yogurt?

No picture of the yogurt cup because I was enjoying it too much and too quickly to get you a picture.

But I did get you a picture of this bag:

In my never-ending quest for a new handbag, I came across an Emoji inspired tote – how funny?

Emojis seem to be everywhere these days.

For my Australian readers, you may recognize these cute Emoji-looking faces from your local Pie Face location. For my local and US readers, in case you aren’t familiar, Pie Face is an Australian bakery café chain that opened in the New York City area within the last two years.

They make cute little pies – both savory and sweet.

The little boy and I spent the day yesterday in Manhattan. More on our spontaneous little adventure a bit later in the week.

School doesn’t start for another two weeks…let’s not even talk about.

I am off to get the day going with a run. Have a great Monday!

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I NEED TO KNOW:

What was the best thing you ate this weekend?

Do you prefer the toppings over the frozen yogurt like I do? It’s all about the crunchies, hot fudge and whipped cream for me.

Ever been to Pie Face? If so, which is your favorite pie?

Do you text with Emojis?