Lunch rut averted
Hi everyone! Happy Friday!!! Hope you’re having a wonderful day 😀
I woke up and took the puppies on walk #1, then met Ashley at the gym for some back, biceps and abs.
Here’s what we did:
Warm up | Elliptical | 5 minutes |
Hammer curls | 8 lbs each | 3 sets of 12 |
Bent-over flys | 5 lbs each | 3 sets of 12 |
Assisted pull up | 95 lbs counterweight | 3 sets of 10 |
Bent over row | 12 lbs each | 3 sets of 12 |
Stability ball back extension | Body weight | 3 sets of 12 |
Bicycle to boat | Body weight | 3 sets of 10 on each side |
Supine side reaches | Body weight | 3 sets of 12 on each side |
Total time: 50 minutes |
It was awesome 😀
When I got back to the casa, I was hankering for oats and eggs, so I had both.
1/3 cup oat bran cooked in water (I’m out of almond milk), with mesquite, cinnamon, vanilla extract, pinch of sea salt, a smashed banana and 1/2 T almond butter
And perfect fluffy eggs with cayenne and sea salt
With some green tea to fight these sniffles.
I spent the morning being insanely productive by making phone calls, cleaning the casa (downstairs is done! hollerrrrrrrrr), working on the new website (the goal is to launch it by my birthday!), and planning out girl’s night.
It’s been over a month since I’ve had a dinner party(!) so some friends are coming over Tuesday night for a feast 😀
Here’s what we’re having:
Smoked paprika hummus and crudités
Cheese plate with herbed olives, persimmon and whole grain pita
Artichoke heart and sundried tomato Belgian endive boats
Smoky marinara, butternut squash and goat cheese lasagna
Autumn salad (baby greens, radicchio, endive, candied walnuts, red pear and a sherry vinaigrette)
Raw Malted Chocolate Tart on Coconut-Almond Macaroon crust (recipe from the restaurant) topped with chocolate mousse
POMtinis
Sounds good, no? 😉
So the plan is to make and freeze the lasagna and dessert this weekend and do all of the fresh stuff and prep on Monday. Girl’s night, how I love thee 😀
After my productivity whirlwind, I got snacky and decided to make some lonchi. My grocery stash is dwindling and I had NO CLUE what I wanted to make for lunch.. that is, until I saw HEABy’s post today. Sweet potato curly fries?????!!!! I was all over that 😀
While I waited for the sweet potatoes to cook, I had some wilted spinach. 1/2 bag added to a sautéed shallot on medium heat, and seasoned with sea salt, chili powder, cayenne and lemon juice.
And for the curly fries, I spiralized a medium sweet potato and seasoned it with sea salt, EVOO, chili powder and cayenne. Then baked at 375 for 30 minutes.
Topped with goat jack cheese and fresh parsley:
A-freaking-mazing.
Well I’m off to walk these puppies, train a client, hit up the health food store and then chill for the rest of the night. I want to feel 100% for tomorrow’s 5k!
Be back later with pictures of the puppies in their Halloween costumes 😀
xoxo,
G
Something to talk about: Do you ever find yourself in a lunch rut?? What foods do you tend to stick with? Are you someone who always needs to have something new, or could you, like me, eat the same things every day??? I just don’t because ya’ll would be bored with me 😉
Yeah I think we ALL want to try HEAB’s ‘curly fries’! I know I’m dying, too. 🙂 I have GOT to get some of this mesquite.
Looks delish! I totally get in food ruts. I ate PB on wheat sandwiches for MONTHS, and now I am on a Kashi meal kick. I wish I could vary it more, it’s just easier on Sunday when I do the grocery shopping!
Does anyone have a particular spiralizer they would recommend? I’d like to get one but I want to make sure I get a good one 😀
neeed need need a spiralizer!!!
and i’ve been putting my scrambled eggs in my oats–sooo good!
Um look at my blog obviously I have no issue eating the same things! I get into a food rut and try to eat my leftovers so I don’t waste food. I need a spiralizer though would make my sweet potato addiction much easier.
YUM!
Love the sweet potato pictures!
ttp://katiechangesforkatie.blogspot.com/
I love your simple spinach dish, that is something I make all the time. Well, whenever I can get my hands on spinach, that is. It is my favorite green but it is a rare treat in this part of the world. It is amazing because it pairs SO well with two of my favorite things: garlic and red pepper flakes. 🙂
Your lunch seriously looks amazing. 🙂
The lasagna you are cooking for the girls night sounds just as amazing too. I can’t wait to hear how it turns out!
As for the lunch rut. I could eat the same thing every single day. But again, I don’t due to readers getting bored.
I signed up for the halfffffffffffffffffffff! Hooray I am so excited to run it! Good luck at the 5k tomorrow. I hope you feel much much better for it. That menu for next Tuesdays dinner sounds incredible. I saw HEABs curly “fries” this am and have been wanting them ever since. Great lunchy
YES YES YESSSSS!!! ahhh i’m so excited to finally meet you! it will be a blasty 😀
Another reason why I need a spiralizer! Looks amazing 🙂
Lovely meal presentations; and I can’t WAIT to see the costume photos! 😀
that menu looks great!
jenna
I try to change up my lunches or I get really bored and will go out because what I have no longer looks good. The more I change it up the more excited I am to eat it!
Mmm, curly fries. So glad you liked. 🙂
I must come to one of your dinner parties someday – that menu sounds incredible.
Oh my gosh, when is your birthday? Please email me with details and your address…must send Oaties. I’m serious!
Good luck in your 5K tomorrow. Oh, and I could totally eat the same thing everyday. I swear I’d be happy with oat bran and almond butter for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Now I must-must get the spiralizer! simply love sweet potatoes…yumm, yumm! The menu list for your girl’s night sounds delish, hope you post pics and recipes 🙂
Always welcome new healthy recipe ideas, hence the lunch rut.
GOOOOOOO 5K! Knock’m dead! :O)~
I’m dying to come to one of your dinner parties! I hope that you feel better for the race tomorrow.
My lunches always vary, but I can safely say that they’re never as creative as yours are! 🙂
Hi Gina,
Love your menu! Any chance you would share the recipe for the lasagna?
I’ve been looking for something like this but a healthified version and I figured your recipe would fit the bill! Thanks, Jonna
i’ll definitely share the recipe when i make it 😀
Your menu sounds amazing! Can you share all the recipes? All the dishes sound seriously good!
hey lucy,
on tuesday, i’ll post all of the recipes except for the malted chocolate tart one since it’s from 105degrees 😀
I could eat the same thing everyday and be happy!! As long as I get my veggies, fruit, and nuts/snackies I’m a happy camper.
NEED spiralizer..mmm sweet potato curlies :):)
I’m in a lunch rut right now! This looks great! I put spiralizer on my Xmas list
Can I please come to your dinner party? PUHLEEEEEZZZ???? I’ll bring a nice bottle of “cough syrup.” 🙂
hahah of course! you’re welcome to join us for girls night anytime 😀
All the food looks amazing! 🙂
I tend to make the same foods mostly because I’m a horrible cook. But I do get bored sometimes, which is probably not a good thing. 😛
Good luck on your 5k!
I sooo want to come to your dinner party on Tuesday. Everything sounds amazing!!
I, like you, could eat the same thing everyday for lunch but I try to switch things up for the blog. This week however I have eaten soup everyday.
Hope you have a great weekend Gina!
PS I’m planning to do the leg workout that you posted a few days ago this afternoon. I hope I will be able to walk tomorrow 🙂
you’re totally invited- come on over!!
let me know how that leg workout goes 😀
You made those curly fries in short order and if I had any sweet potatoes in my pantry, I would have to!
Your menu looks wonderful!
And when’s your bday, I would love to send you something! Serious!
New website? Dang girl, you just did this one and it looks awesome!!!! Web stuff is a serious undertaking so hope it’s going well for you and not driving you too bonkers b/c tech stuff and me kinda do the bonkers thing 🙂
hahah techie stuff is not for me either. but i’m trying!
my bday is november 12 and i would LOVE some goodies from you! thank you!!!!!! <3
Love the Halloween decorations! I can’t wait to see the pupperoons in their costumes!! Keep fighting those icky germs – show them whose boss 🙂
I just got the Paderno World Cuisine spiral slicer from Amazon. Eh, it’s ok, awfully big and plasticy.
Don’t your spiral taters come real mushy? Mine do, unless they’re pretty thick and cooked high and long.
I’m more of a leftovers for lunch person, so I get a good variety. I do get in mini-ruts, though, where I eat something particular daily for a month or more. I’ve just gotten off a green smoothie jag and am now eating popcorn and quinoa (not together) practically daily.
they weren’t mushy at all- kinda crunchy and glorious.
popcorn and quinoa are soooo good!
just got off the green smoothie boat too- it’s too cold right now!
those sweet potato curly fries look so good!
Your pumpkin mug is so cute!!
I do tend to find myself in food ruts haha mostly bc I get in food “moods” and crave the same thing for weeks at a time sometimes… For example, sweet potatoes are pretty standard for me at lunch. Sometimes I wonder if I’m going to start turning orange soon. 😉
haha i’ve wondered that myself.. they’re so good though!
Add me to the group who wants to know where you got your spiralizer and if you’d recommend it or a different one. There seems to be a huge price difference between the cheap and the “upscale” models.
I totally get into food ruts, but I don’t mind now that I’m getting stuck with healthier things. Pacific Naturals soups? I went through nearly 4 quarts this week.
hey girl,
here’s the one i use: http://www.amazon.com/Joyce-Chen-Saladacco-Spiral-Slicer/dp/B0000DDVYE
it was very inexpensive but i’ve never had a problem with it (*knock on wood*)
I was just about to ask how you spiralize things, it always looks gorgeous, and seems like a great way to cook things, and then I saw you anwsered right above 🙂 haha
Hope you’re feeling better!
Oh what a coincidence, I make some sweet potato fries as well today!!! Next time I can try out your version – looks really fancy:)
As for lunch rut – well, I’m a variety seeking person, same thing consecutively for two meals is just too much for me. but I can eat same thing every other day, no problem!! 😀 but I think the food blog like yours gives me great inspirations of different lunch options, it will take a while for me to exhaust all these new exciting lunches!!
I love Sweet Tates – very pretty 🙂 What will the new website be for? Just a facelift for this site? Enjoy your Friday evening!
hi kris,
nope, it’s an entirely different website 😀
During the colder months I could eat soup every single day! I especially love thick creamy soups with lots of vegetables. My favorite ever is nutty sweet potato soup which you can find on the Food Network site.
that sounds wonderful- i’ll have to find that recipe!
Love the pumpkin mug. Very festive! Happy Halloween. Your dogs look adorable!