If you can believe it, I’m coming at you with my last weekly workout recap of the month of April! This month felt like it was going by slower than the first few of the year while it was happening. Then spring finally settled in for good late enough that it feels like we’re heading straight into summer and I don’t know where the time went. Which is what I always say.
Yesterday, I ran my third half marathon of 2016 at the MORE Women’s Half Marathon in Central Park. I’ll share my weekly workouts and then get to the race recap and other scenes from the weekend. Actually, first I’m going to show you all this beautiful creature I spotted on my walk home from work on Tuesday, because puppies are priorities. But after that!
This WIAW is all about the eats I’ve been showcasing on Instagram lately, and telling you the stories behind the Instagram of mouthwatering photos. Like this one of a typical at-the-office breakfast for me, a Baked Quinoa Flax Cake with chocolate chips and peanut butter. I tend to enjoy this alongside a cup or three of decaf coffee, with some fruit to follow. I’ve always enjoyed dessert for breakfast, and now that I’m off oats I thought I’d be trying all my oatmeal cake flavors out with quinoa flakes, but I’m still not tired of the PB&C combination.
I’m coming at you a little later than usual this Monday with my weekly workouts and weekend updates. Having my office closed on President’s Day means I get to work from home and squeeze in some baking and blogging. It’s been a long week, and a cozy but absolutely arctic weekend, but there were some shorter runs and a lot of food to fuel them.
It’s been awhile since I posted a Five Things I’m Loving This Friday, and I figured it was about time to start again. The topic that came to mind this week? Snack ideas. As I mentioned in last week’s and this week’s WIAW posts, while on my elimination I’ve been hungrier than usual, and that’s saying something considering I’m generally in run-eat-repeat mode. And without my usual go-to snacks like Greek yogurt, I’ve been figuring out where else to turn. The fruits of my labor can be found in the five healthy snack ideas I’m sharing today. Pun totally intended 🙂
I’ve been looking forward to this WIAW for several days, because it’s a chance to show some creativity with Thanksgiving leftovers. On Friday, also known as “the morning after” the big feast, I kicked things off with a double dose of leftover dessert. A slice each of grain free Pumpkin Pouffle and Pumpkin Apple Spice Loaf. One topped with peanut butter, both dotted with chocolate chips. I figured the time to start my lower sugar attempt was not the same time I cut out most grains. One step at a time! You may have seen photos from this morning on Instagram…
What’s eggy and veggie and delicious all over? This Turkey Kale Frittata! Simple and easy to whip up and bake, this dish will serve you well as a make ahead breakfast or the centerpiece of a brunch party. It’s also a perfect way to use up the leftovers of your Thanksgiving turkey…
I’m sharing my WIAW eats from my first Wednesday at work last week. It was a big change for me to be eating most, if not all, of my food for the day outside my house, or at least somebody’s house, because even during all my travels this summer I was usually staying with friends (and their kitchens) and was only in hotels for a few nights. If I learned anything, it’s that I need to start taking meal prepping seriously, and devote several hours on Sundays to ensuring that I’ve got my breakfasts, lunches, and even dinners – not to mention snacks – set up for the week ahead. Anyway, on to the food!
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of the incredible egg. Eaten unadorned or atop other delicious and nutritious foods, eggs are tasty, packed with protein and healthy fats, and pretty much make a complete meal in their neat little shell packages. Keep eggs simple with a scramble or sunny side up preparation, or poach them right up. Those all work when you’re cooking for just one or a few. But if you’re entertaining for brunch, need to feed a family, or just want to feel a little fancier, a frittata is the way to go. You get 4-8 slices that present beautifully on a plate, with colorful veggies, a little cheese, some breakfast sausage or tofu, and a crust that holds it all together (or not – just eggs will do that as well!) One of my favorite preparations is this Veggie Feta Frittata.
I hosted my first dinner party back in February, and for the main course I served two gluten free quiches. One was a Savory Goat Cheese & Vegetable suitable for vegetarian guests, and the other was a Smoked Salmon & Quinoa Quiche suitable for the dairy free among them. All of my friends loved them, and I whipped up lots of different frittata and quiche recipes as make-ahead meals for the week throughout the spring, but I put all that on hold throughout the summer while studying for the bar five feet away from the kitchen and not cooking so much as constantly snacking 🙂 Now that it’s autumn and I’m getting ready to start my new job, I’m back to experimenting with recipes for meals I can make ahead and eat during the workweek. This gluten free Broccoli Cheddar Quiche definitely fits the bill. It’s perfect to bring to the office for breakfast or lunch, or to re-heat at home for dinner and enjoy along with a side salad.
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