This obviously looks different from my regular nutrition + recipe posts, but the magnitude of everything that has happened in the year and these past few weeks pushed me to gather up all my thoughts in a way that reminded me of why I initially wanted to start blogging almost 8 years ago – to share a perspective from my own lived experiences that might be different from you, in hopes that it serves you in some way. You can take or leave what you need from this. I don’t believe we all need to agree on the same things. Perspective is a beautiful thing and so is having the respect to acknowledge somebody different from you. The election brought something up that I felt like I needed to share – the topic of representation in the media.
Today I’m sharing 6 lunch ideas of mine from the past few weeks – sad desk lunch no more! I like to bring my lunch to work because a) it saves money b) it gives me the flexibility of having healthy options that I actually want to eat. Also, it’s fun for me – there’s something about an incredibly organized lunchbox that gives my OCD mindset all the feels.
Fun fact: I brought my lunch to school every single day all through elementary, middle, and high school. Needless to say, I’ve got some experience under my belt. However, gone are the days of Lunchables and Capri Suns – the current brown bag situation is SO much better (healthier, tastier, and overall more kick-ass.)
Each of these lunches are as easy as the title says – prep them the night before and grab and go in the morning!
FRIENDS.
The great Nutrition Happens computer/iPhone crash is (semi) over. I’m still working on recovering a few lost files, but the struggle was real being away from my computer – first world problems, for sure.
Moral of the story: back up your computer + phone often – especially if you hoard photos like me. Those 12,000 photos will thank you later! I know you probably heard this a million times before, but it truly saves so much heartbreak (and a few tears) in the end. Sounds a terrible break-up, doesn’t it? Dark chocolate and cabernet was totally consumed in the process. And retail therapy happened. Always the cure all.
Truth be told, it was nice to have a little media break for a bit. I took it as a sign to step away from my computer and rest (literally, sleep!). I’ve gotten into a terrible habit of staying up too late (which, if you know me at all, is very unlike me!) working on a few upcoming projects for the blog. I can’t wait to share some new content with you soon!
In the meantime, it’s Wednesday, and it’s been forever since I’ve shown you a full day of eats – so you know the drill!
Breakfast.
Went for a 4 mile tempo run that morning and then ate this 2% Fage (wayyyyy better than fat-free!) with mango + strawberries + chia seeds.
Lunch.
Packed lunch: Baby kale + mixed bell peppers + grape tomatoes + cucumbers + fresh pico salsa + Trader Joe’s albacore tuna + a dollop of hummus, tossed with black pepper and apple cider vinegar.
Afternoon Snacks/ Pre-Yoga.
A few bites before an afternoon yoga class: a carrot + Trader Joe’s Mediterranean hummus + a piece of almond cheese.
And a few pieces of the garlic parmesan crackers from Uncle Kracker. They were on sale a few weeks ago at Whole Foods – I love the crunchy texture, it’s great with hummus! Plus, it’s made with a pretty good ingredient list:
Parmesan cheese + whole wheat flour + water + garlic + potato starch + sweet potatoes + oats + organic palm oil + sea salt + yeast.
Dinner.
Fact: I’ve had a brown box from Whole Foods 3 times in the past five days. Their garlicky kale is everything. In this box, I also had a base of arugula + dijion roasted cauliflower + a piece of egg plant parm + tofu + roasted butternut squash under all that kale. And a few brussels. OH, and no self control at the hot bar. Story of ALL our lives.
After Dinner.
This white chocolate mocha tea. I added a few drops of liquid stevia and it was the perfect comfort cup to wrap up my day.
Linking up with Jenn today for a virtual foodie party – go check out some of the other food inspirations!
I hope you haven’t gotten tired of me boasting about all things spring-y around here…the spring produce love is REAL. I’m digging my daily greens (as usual) and the warmer weather definitely help sets the spring time mood – can’t wait for berry season soon!
Breakfast.
Post-workout. A 2% mango and jalapeno Siggi’s with coconut chips.
Mid-Morning Drinks/Snacks.
Iced coffee via Kudu’s and a blueberry Bai5.
I also had some raw carrots for a snack with hummus…which I never got a picture of. But I am giving you this picture, which shows a little bit of what I prepared for the week – including the carrots! I guess the theme of the week is orange…oh wait that’s every week. (Go Tigers! And Vitamin A!)
Lunch.
Made a batch of this cucumber. radish, and mango mix for the week – with a squeeze of lime and drizzle of honey.
Which got mixed into this salad – with a bed of arugula + avocado + smoked salmon and a little bit of goat cheese.
Which you can see in action here…work lunch.
Afternoon Snack.
An minneola orange. Hauled last week
Dinner.
An everything but the kitchen sink salad – my favorite! A base of kale and arugula + shrimp + sweet potatoes + roasted tricolor carrots + peas + sundried tomatoes + peas all tossed in lemon juice and tahini.
Dessert.
A piece of this kick ass chocolate I got in the mail from the Easter bunny. They sure do know me well – coconut and dark chocolate and all!
Head on over to Jenn’s linkup for more food inspirations – she’s talking all about her CHARLESTON eat’s today – yay!
Showing you a grocery haul over multiple trips on this Tuesday – aka sharing with you one of my favorite hobbies! I love browsing grocery stores. Just ask any one of my friends and they’ll tell you it’s slightly a problem. I like to think of it as partially staying on top of my field – so it’s sort of like a part time job (or at least how I like to justify it!)
I usually pick up groceries on Sundays to prepare for the week but most of the time it’s just to fill in, since I most likely have items leftover from previous trips. I get pretty indecisive and love to include a variety of fresh produce in my meals so I tend to pick up extra vegetables and batch cook so meals are ready for me when I get home late. Plus, I love to experiment with new recipes in the kitchen so being well stocked is something that’s a norm for me.
From Trader Joe’s: Organic carrots, asparagus, crumbled goat cheese, beet hummus, cowboy caviar – that pairs really well with the quinoa and black bean tortilla chips, rainbow peppercorn, tomato paste in a tube, brussels sprouts, cut butternut squash, chili chicken lime burgers, greek yogurt, baking powder, chocolate & peanut butter chips.
Can you believe you can pick up organic carrots from Trader Joe’s for 89 cents? I mean, really. You can totally make this recipe while you’re at it. I love snacking on whole carrots – I usually cut them up and eat them with hummus. Currently loving the beet hummus pictured above, but I can’t really pick a favorite hummus from TJ! If I don’t finish them before they’re on the verge of going bad, I’ll roast them or toss them into salads and stir-frys.
Tempeh and asparagus are on my weekly essentials list. I also re-stocked on some black pepper, cowboy caviar salsa, and crumbled goat cheese. Goat cheese is my favorite out of all the cheeses. Other cheeses never seem to appeal to me – but I love the creaminess and flavor of goat cheese, so I like to keep that on hand for salads and toast. And it totally reminds me of my rockstar future veterinarian bestie (hi, Alexis!) We use to go visit the goat farms in our glory days back in Clemson…..you’re going to be a hell of a vet, friend!
I also picked up a tube of tomato paste, which to be perfectly honest, I added to my basket for the packaging…just being real. That and I want to experiment a little with tomato paste in the kitchen – something I don’t usually reach for!
The pre-cut butternut squash is truly a time saver in the kitchen – I’m sure you’re familiar with it if you’re a Trader Joe’s junkie! I can roast a batch early in the week and eat it as is with some cinnamon as a snack or a side dish part of my meals. It’s also awesome to puree into soups, since it’s pre-cut!
I added a box of chili chicken lime burgers into my cart again this week. My body has been craving it – I tend to be pretty intuitive about cravings and listening to them. Protein wise, I tend to choose fish, seafood, eggs or plant-based proteins, but these chili chicken lime burgers are delicious and definitely hits the spot this week. I love them with a squeeze of fresh lime juice on top!
PS the cowboy caviar pairs perfectly with this quinoa and black bean tortilla chips. Just saying!
Stocked up on some chocolate & peanut butter chips for a special something upcoming project for you…and (surprise!) it contains both!
So I completely goofed and picked up full-fat greek yogurt this week when I really meant to pick up a non-fat one for a recipe I was making this week. Turned out to be more of a blessing really because full fat greek yogurt has more of a creamy texture and flavor. I’m testing a few recipes that uses greek yogurt lately which is why I picked up a container – and it’s looking to be a good one!
From Whole Foods: Mini Pocket Pita Bread, tahini, raspberries, The 365 Protein and Fiber cereal, and soap…ha!
Whole Foods has the best price on organic tahini I’ve seen so far – I LOVE tahini based dishes and dressings, so I always have it in stock in my pantry.
These mini pita pockets have replaced my spelt english muffins for the week – best part besides the fact that they are the perfect mini size? Only 4 ingredients – whole wheat flour, water, honey, yeast and salt. And they are mighty tasty. I have approximately 34093043902 meal ideas using these bad boys. Can someone hire me a personal assistant to organize my thoughts? K, thanks.
Whole Foods bakes their own bread so quality wise, it’s the next best thing to local bakeries. The fresh-ness is real!
I almost always get distracted by the cosmetic section at Whole Foods. And I always pick up soap. The pineapple coconut Alaffia soap though? Smells heavenly. I like to reach for more natural products as far as soaps and shampoos goes – these soaps have become a favorite of mine!
Remember how I was telling you last week that I was trying to branch out a little for breakfast? The Engine 2 Tripe Berry Walnut was good, but this week I tried the Whole Foods 365 Brand Protein and Fiber cereal. Per serving, it has 10 grams of fiber and 13 grams of protein at 6 grams of sugar. It’s a mix of spelt, oats, rye, barley and other grains. It’s definitely a nice alternative for days you feel like changing up your breakfast.
What really gets me is the perfectly crunchy texture – doesn’t get soggy and it’s lightly sweetened!
And pairs PERFECTLY with this cashew milk…which I’m currently loving. Cashew milk is more creamy than almond milk in my opinion…obsessed!
From Whole Foods: Clover sprouts, bulk bin raw pistachios, raspberries…again (#sale), virgin unrefined coconut oil.
Whole Foods has the best sprout selection in my opinion – my go to place when I’m buying them. I also love a good bulk bin, it’s where I typically buy my baking flours, raw nuts, and oats.
From Trader Joe’s: Wild Caught Coho salmon, Dark Chocolate Honey Mints (only 3 ingredients – chocolate liquor, honey, and mint extract – love them!), avocado, egg whites, Fage greek yogurt, organic spinach, and an organic spinach and ricotta pizza.
Trader Joe’s tends to have the best price I’ve seen around for wild caught smoked salmon – I love pairing smoked salmon with avocado either as a breakfast (in a sandwich) or for lunch (on top of a salad). It’s versatile and delicious! I also picked up a spinach and ricotta pizza I’ve never tried before since my foodie senses were tingling….good to have stocked in the freezer just in case! I love the dark chocolate honey mints – they’re perfect for an after dinner bite. And like I said, just 3 ingredients – the honey really compliments the bitterness of the chocolate and mint.
Produce: strawberries, yellow squash, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, grapefruit. You know, just all the essentials. I’ll cut up my produce early in the week and store them like so in zip-lock bags. Sometimes I throw them in the freezer if I have extra that I will use for a later recipe. I know, not the most eco-friendly, but truthfully, it’s just so easy for me to store and clean up!
What was on your grocery list this week? Tried any of these items before?
March is finally here! Warm weather totally happened this week and so did running outside in shorts. Such a spring weather tease, since I’m currently back in pants (it’s a high of 40’s today, seriously?)…so not cool (not literally.)
However, Sunday is Daylight Savings Time and I’m so excited to have extra sunlight. I’m 100% a summer kinda person – the beach and warm weather are more of my scene.
Hope you are having the best of Fridays. Enjoy a few favorites of my favorite link-ups and shenanigans of the week and I’ll catch you back here Sunday!
1) Salads at Verde. I went 3 times this week for lunch. Sorry not sorry. It’s their March Madness….gotta support the locals! #thechickpeaismylife
2) I’m sorry, but I just found the cutest umbrella ever. If it’s going to rain…I want this to match my rainboots, because let’s be real, the best part about rain is wearing your rainboots.
3) Fun fact: I am obsessed with the show Modern Family. Can’t even put to words how I felt when they filmed this episode with the use of just iPhones and iPads. Week made.
4) These car snacks of the week: (mini) Go Macro bars and handcrafted peanuts via Lush Gourmet.
4) This article from Thrillest. The most popular Instagram-ed food items on social media – interesting, right? I mean, cake is fun and all..but really? Maybe I’m a little (or very) bias but seriously, how is avocado NOT on this list? Or the fact that avocado is STILL not an emoji? #emojilife #wherestheavocado
4) This handcreme. I took another shopping lunch break the other day and strolled over to L’Occitane and convinced myself that my dry hands needed some help. So glad I instigated myself to treat myself – cause this smells deeevine! It’s made with almond milk and has a slight almond-y fragrance. Love.
5) This Buzzfeed article that made me literally LOL – 25 Things We Took for Granted in the 00’s. Number 8 though. AOL away messages were my life.
6) Mid-day coffee breaks via Collective Coffee Company. Iced coffee is has no seasons.
7) These portion marked zip-lock bags from Target. So CUTE. Basic girl problems…I know, but okay when was the last time you walked out of Target buying only one thing? Yeah, okay. Long live Target and impulsive buys! #whatissavings
8). Friday Throwback: This situation right here happening. Seriously, when my pool opens again….no joke I will be the first person there!