What I Ate Wednesday: Cape Cod Home-Cooking Edition

I eat out A LOT. From the time I was younger, I was used to eating in restaurants at least once or twice a week. In fact, I used to cry that I didn’t want to go out because I just wanted to stay home reading!

Now, I obviously appreciate and LOVE restaurants. But there are still times when I need a break – some good home cooked meals or simple things thrown together to detox from restaurant’s not-so-healthy preparation techniques and serving sizes.

And sometimes it’s nice to just dance around a kitchen and eat in your shorts and t-shirt and immediately flop on the couch after eating.

Oh, and save some money.

So – for all of the above reasons, I was so excited for our trip to Cape Cod this summer where we looked forward to a big grocery shopping trip in a suburban Stop & Shop and a long weekend full of fresh meals prepared in a giant kitchen!

Here’s what we ate (and drank) on the Cape!

Road-Trip

Gotan

None of us were about to eat truck-stop food for dinner – McHellNo!

Before leaving the city, I stopped at my all-time favorite spot Gotan, to load up! At this point, I’ve tried almost everything on the menu. I ordered the Beet, Sauteed Greens & Grains salad for the first time and was BLOWN AWAY. I think it’s definitely my favorite! Just look at it, and you’ll see why – beautiful!

Filled with freekeh, grapes, cilantro citrus yogurt, herb vinaigrette and pistachio dust. I felt like a queen eating this in the back of the car. And for dessert?

PB&J with homemade jam and banana dust, duhhhh.

Breakfasts

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes With Berries

Not only did we make lemon ricotta pancakes, they were topped with whipped (and heavily sugared) Ricotta – no syrup necessary when your pancakes are smothered in this deliciousness!

Veggies, Eggs and Fruit

The other mornings we had a smorgasbord of fresh fruit and eggs scrambled with delicious veggies like spinach, peppers and onions. One morning we made a sweet potato hash too!

Snacks

Most days our “lunch” consisted of snacking on the beach. Veggies and hummus, apples, popcorn and Terra chips – we were perfectly content.

Appetizers 

Caprese

Kayla, Queen of Caprese. She whipped this up like it was no big thang.

Clams On the Halfshell

I was so excited to witness Kayla try her first raw clam! We headed out for a low-key happy hour at a local restaurant that advertised “Fresh Music, Live Seafood.” I was equally excited that they had my absolute favorite beer – Long Trail Brewery’s Limbo IPA.

Drinks

Other than our happy hour out, we stuck to making our own drinks using New Amsterdam Mango Vodka. 5 FOR YOUR NEW AMSTERDAM MANGO VODKA, YOU GO MANGO VODKA! Despite drinking a fairly significant quantity each day, we had ZERO hangover and most importantly, every drink tasted like a tropical island in our mouths.

Frose (Frozen Rose)

This has been the “it” drink this summer and isn’t it obvious why? Frozen rose ice cubes + fresh watermelon + mango vodka (many shots more than the recipe called for) = a phenomenal summer beverage. After taking a picture of your frose, you should definitely let any fruit garnishes soak up the alcohol before eating it when you finish your drink.

Frozen Mango Lemonade

If you ever find yourself on Cape Cod, you should go to the little beach snack bar we found and you should most definitely ask for a “small cup’s worth of frozen lemonade in a medium cup” and you should most definitely pour New Amsterdam Frozen Vodka into it. It sounds #basic, but it might just well have been the most enjoyable drink I ever did drank.

Dinners

Fish Tacos

Our first day on the Cape we made delicious fish tacos that went undocumented due to many glasses of the aforementioned Frose cocktails. It was accompanied by corn on the cob! We discussed the genetic implications of how you eat your corn (in a circle, in rows or like Kayla – completely haphazardly).

Seared Scallops with Pesto Zoodles

We took a trip to the fish market in town and while we were getting fish for the tacos, decided to go rogue and get some scallops too.

Though I had never cooked scallops before, my dad coached me through it, and I must say – these came out realllllll pretty.

Scallops are up there on my list of favorite seafood. They are just so sweet, tender and rich! The zoodles with pesto helped keep things light.

Desserts

Forget Ben & Jerry. It’s all about Tate’s & Talenti. All night, every night.

Homeward Bound

Red 36

We decided to break up our car ride home with a stop in Mystic, Connecticut for a beautiful lunch on the water. I did lots of research during the first half of the trip, looking for the perfect spot. We ended up at Red 36 and couldn’t stop squealing about how beautiful it was.

This was definitely a game-changing move and felt like we got to take a little mini-vacation on the way home from vacation!

We started with the summer flatbread special that was deeeelish and loaded with roasted veggies.

I ordered the Ahi-Tuna Kokuho Stick Rice Salad which came with avocado, grapefruit (my favorite combo), Thai vegetables and Nuoc Cham (a sauce made with lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, garlic and chilies). It was a stunner, and full of flavor.

Jess and Kayla split one of the salads and these beautiful Crab Cakes just bursting with crab meat! They were even topped with a lobster chive sauce.

We also got a side of French fries with a special request for the truffle cream that was listed with the seared scallop appetizer. We are so needy. But it was such a good call, even as someone who isn’t a big truffle fan.

Not only was the food delicious, but it was a dining experience made even better by a wonderful server and an incredible view! 

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What I Ate Wednesday: Pudding, Pierogi, Panera

Once again I have failed to document an entire day of food. Yet once again, my phone's camera roll is filled with pictures of food.

So I again present a hodge podge What I Ate Wednesday with some of the delicious things I've enjoyed in these final days of summer (SAY IT ISN'T SO!)

Pesto Zoodles with Mint & Lemon Salmon

Whenever I see my parents, I steal some of their fresh basil and mint from the garden. Is there anything that tastes better than fresh pesto? Is there anything more expensive in a grocery store than pine nuts? These are the questions I ask myself.

This time, I was out of pine nuts and feeling a little broke. So I whipped up pesto using basil, kale and walnuts! Tossed with zoodles, it was lean and green! I baked my salmon with mint and lemon which was a good summer flavor combo.

Pierogi & Shashlik

Steamed and fried cheese pierogis with a Russian beef shashlik and sour cream

I recently attended a press conference and they made some passed h'ordeuvres that were pretty divine. This one was definitely my favorite! 

Swedish Meatball Fondue

Sweet Swedish Meatballs, Cranberry Glaze, Gruyere Fondue

There were also served at the press conference and I couldn't resist giving them a try! Is there anything that ISN'T made instantly better when it's dipped in cheese? 

A Smorgasbord of Thai Food

On the same work trip, we FEASTED on Thai takeout during a loooong night of meetings. Thai isn't something I typically order or eat, because I'm not much of a takeout gal, but this Thai food was SO FRESH looking and tasting. It was full of flavor, not super oily and greasy, and tasted light and delicious. I am definitely going to need to get more Thai food while I'm in Toronto next month! 

Panera Party

The next day the office we were working in catered lunch - tons of options from Panera! I had about 283942 helpings of the watermelon feta salad because my arugula addiction is SO REAL. But I also went to town on the apple chips that were on top of the Fuji Apple Salad with Chicken. 

Also, can we talk about how every time I eat Panera I'm impressed with how fresh and delicious it is? It's definitely underrated, in my humble opinion. 

I also had a little bit of the Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich which is ridiculously flavorful. 

Peaches + Green Smoothie 

One of my favorite discoveries in Toronto has been iQ Food Co. I love their smoothies in the morning! This was my first time trying the Peaches + Green - peaches, cashews, kale, spinach, banana organic agave, lemon juice and coconut water. 

I will say that smoothies are just never satisfying enough for me in the morning. I need to chew something! But this was delicious and I'm always happy when I stay at a hotel close to an iQ Food Co. 

Salmon Salad

Airport food can be scary - luckily, I found this delicious salad in Toronto and it hit the spot before my journey home! 

Steak?!

I am not a big steak eater, but when the craving for meat hits me, I know it's because my body needs it. This was my first time cooking steak by myself and it actually turned out to be pretty tasty! With some salad, sweet potato and veggies - it was the perfect meal before heading home for my triathlon! 

Sorghum and Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers 

There's nothing I love more than a night in with friends cooking, talking and drinking. My friend Rebecca developed this delicious veggie burger recipe that we recreated over Labor Day Weekend - along with some St. Germain, Gin & Watermelon/Ginger/Lime cocktails (using this new Califia Farms product as a mixer)! 

We wrapped our veggie burgers in collard greens and added avocado, heirloom tomato, ketchup and mustard! 

Baegels

When I was home for my triathlon, I obviously needed to get a bagel to eat on the beach. What's better than an egg everything bagel? An egg everything bagel loaded with egg salad.

Homemade Brunch 

 A Monday morning off means a chance to cook myself a real breakfast - complete with toast, eggs and fruit! I really just took this picture to show off my new mug that a friend surprised me with - I'M IN LOVE it makes every morning better. The other side says MMM DONUTS!

New Favorite Lunch

I've been making this a ton! A can of tuna salad mixed with plain Greek yogurt and some mustard + avocado and cucumber served over zoodles! I usually top it with some crunchy chickpeas!

Magnolia PEANUT BUTTER Banana Pudding 

My amazing friend surprised me with a container of the 1-week-only PEANUT BUTTER version of the famous Magnolia pudding as a good luck gift for my tri. 

If you haven't tried their banana pudding yet, I cannot recommend it enough. My mom is not a dessert person, yet this blew her away and she asks about it whenever she's in the city! 

I'll never forget the first time my friend Roseanna took me to Magnolia - I thought we were getting cookies or cupcakes but she told me I HAD to order the banana pudding. I had no clue what to expect, but fell in love immediately. 

It's full of full chunks of banana but my most favorite part is the layer of Nilla wafers. 

The peanut butter version was SUPER peanut buttery and I especially loved the chunks of full peanuts. I'm shocked to say, however, that I think I prefer their regular banana pudding! 

So happy I got to try it though since it was flooding my Instagram feed. 

Pro tip: You need to just eat it all in one day - don't try saving it. The bananas turn and get a little too sweet the longer they sit. I don't think you'll have any problems finishing it in one sitting though...it's THAT good. 

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What I Ate Wednesday: Fourth of July Weekend

This Wednesday I’m sharing all of my Fourth of July Weekend eats! One day was full of veggies while the other was heavy on the m#eeeeeats! But it was all seriously delicious and indulgent.

Friday Dinner #1 – Local’s Cafe

Friday night I got off the train and headed to Port Jefferson for a review of a new fast-casual coffee joint called Local’s Café. I can’t wait to share the story on Peanut Butter Is My Boyfriend – it was so nice learning about the owner’s story while enjoying small-batch kombucha and avocado toast!

I left with a beautiful vegan doughnut and a hunk of banana bread to go because my parent’s still wanted to go out to dinner.

Friday Dinner #2 – Spiro’s

We sat at the bar at a local restaurant, Spiro’s, and split a few incredible dishes. The lighting was super unfriendly so there’s no pictures, but we ordered the Athenian Chicken Meatballs (stuffed with feta and spinach) served atop a chickpea salad, the Grilled Shrimp & Eggplant dish (covered with feta AND blue cheese) and the Pastrami Rueben with French fries!

Friday Dessert – Local’s Café

We devoured the vegan donut at home and I finished up a pint of Halo Top chocolate ice cream. Can we talk about how great Halo Top is? Never buying Arctic Zero AGAIN.

Saturday Brunch – Better On A Bagel

Egg whites, American Cheese, Bacon, Avocado on an Egg Everything Bagel. THE only way to go when you’re on Long Island. 

Something else exciting about Saturday morning? I ran for the first time in 31 days! It was a slow 2 miles but it felt GREAT to get out there! 

Saturday Lunch – Yacht Club

Can you say liquid lunch? This is a summer tradition – rum buckets at the yacht club!

Saturday Dinner – #MealsByMitch

My dad is probably a better chef than half the chefs heading restaurant kitchens across America. I'm not complaining that the only kitchen he’s cookin’ out of is mine!

He made our all-time favorite meal – grilled vegetable platter with Italian bread. Can you just look at this? The amount of olive oil and garlic is unreal. My favorite is making a little open face sandwich with mozzarella, tomato, eggplant, roasted red peppers, onion and drizzled with balsamic.

Saturday Dessert - #MealsByMitch

So spoiled – Long Island strawberries macerated in sugar overnight and served atop Angel Food Cake with Cool Whip. I was made fun of because I request Cool Whip as opposed to my dad offering to make homemade whipped cream.

Sunday Breakfast

I woke up bright and early and went to boot camp at a local gym and enjoyed a giant bowl of Special K with unsweetened vanilla almond milk afterwards. Is it weird that I LOVE almond milk in my cereal?

Sunday Lunch/Dinner – Boat Tie-Up Extravaganza

The amount of food served during Sunday’s Fourth of July boat tie-up was absolutely unreal. 7 boats filled with people who love to eat meant non-stop food and drinks for 8+ hours straight.

Here’s a run-down:

1.       Shrimp Cocktail

2.       Raw Clams

3.       Watermelon + Mint

4.       Fritos/Sun Chips

5.       Pinwheel sausage

6.       Ribs

7.       Kielbasa Sliders with Sauerkraut

8.       Pork, Pepper and Onion Sausage

9.       Chicken Tenders in BBQ Sauce

10.   Pepperoni and Cheese

11.   Chicken Gyros in Pita Pockets with homemade Tzatziki

12.   Marinated Mako Shark

13.   Oreos and Chocolate Chip Muffins

14.   Dark Hershey Kisses + Raspberries

I decided yesterday that I need to become a shark-specific fisher-woman so that I can eat mako shark every day for the rest of my life. I knew I loved mako, but I hadn’t had it in a few years and this completely renewed my obsession. It was the most tender, meaty fish in the entire world and so full of flavor.

The chicken gyros were also incredible with a Greek salad, chicken and tzatziki layered in a pita pocket.

Food For the Soul

One of my absolute favorite things about Long Island are the sunsets – I frequently drive down to the beach just to snap a picture of the sunset when I’m home.

Fourth of July weekend provided two of the most stunning sunsets I’ve seen in a while and I was so content to take pictures for an hour + on Sunday night. It seemed that every minute the sky changed completely and I needed to take another 50 pictures.

I’m going to throw a slideshow up here with the disclaimer that not even these pictures do it justice. It was truly breathtaking to be out on the water with the sky putting on a show around us. No fireworks necessary (although we got those too!)

Sunday Dessert

Ain’t no shame in my game – eat for 8+ hours, get home, make a bowl of Talenti with Cool Whip.

Monday Breakfast

Another boot camp kicked my booty even earlier Monday morning followed by another glorious bowl of Special K with berries (with some raisins and Long Island strawberries thrown in the mix).

I also treated myself to a $4 cold brew with coconut milk from Starbucks because after an hour workout in the sweltering sun nothing sounded better!

Monday Lunch

As the sadness of a weekend home coming to an end set in, I eased the pain with leftover grilled vegetable platter.

Monday Dinner 

I wrapped up the weekend with a laid back rooftop-BBQ in NYC before the rain chased us indoors. 

There was

·          Blue cheese, raisin & walnut crostini

·         Carrots and hummus

·         Tortilla chips 

·         Watermelon 

·         Omaha Steak burgers with all the fixings - grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, pickles and even BACON 

Every year I'm reminded of the fact that the Fourth of July solidly remains my favorite holiday. Even though this year my plans came together late in the game - I got to lay out at the beach, spend 8+ hours on a boat with my parents, and wrap up the weekend on a rooftop in the greatest city on earth - stuffing my face with a burger and beer. Can you say perfection. 

Monday Dessert 

Is there any other way we could have ended a perfect weekend? S'MORES! 

YOUR TURN: 
WHAT DID YOU DO FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY? 
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY? 
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SUMMER FOODS? 

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What I Ate Wednesday: Exciting News!

Welcome to another What I Ate Wednesday! 

I have some exciting news on the topic of what I'm eating. I'm happy to announce that I've been selected as an ambassador for The Athlete's Palate and have started my initial assessments with Julie, a holistic nutritionist (and IRONMAN!)

My motivation behind this is to find the best way for me to fuel and get on board this triathlon train! No, I still haven't signed up for a race. But I feel it getting closer and closer to commitment time. 

My first impression of working with a nutritionist? A lot less awkward than expected, considering we were talking about some pretty personal things. Pre, mid and post-race bowel movements aren't what I typically chat about with strangers, but Julie was extremely professional while still remaining personable and I cannot wait to hear her ideas of how I can use nutrition as a way to fuel my fitness goals. 

For now, my #eeeeeats have been pretty standard, though I've been doing my best to keep things healthy and wholesome after a week-long vacation in Denver full of tacos, ice cream and craft brews.  

Pre-Work 

For a week, I've been starting every morning with some apple cider vinegar and water. To make it a little easier to get down, I add one packet of Nektar Naturals crystallized honey which quickly dissolves given the high acidity of the vinegar. 

Who the heck knows if this is doing anything at all - but I actually find myself enjoying the taste and the ritual, so why the hell not? 

Breakfast 

I've always been a sweet breakfast fan - opting for fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, protein pancakes, etc. But as I continue to cut back on dairy, I'm slowly seeing the appeal of savory breakfasts. 

These stuffed breakfast peppers with spinach, sausage and eggs have become a staple and last week I experiment with egg white muffins filled with sausage and spinach. I really liked these - but need to work on having half of them stuck to the muffin tin (silicone muffin cups perhaps?) 

Snacks

Snacks these days are pretty simple - a grapefruit, an apple, some rice cakes if I'm craving a little crunch. 

I also couldn't help but pick up a bag of these while in line at Marshall's last week. You know, all those tchotchkes they leave out and you try to convince yourself not to throw in your basket. 

But I've had these before while traveling and they are the real-deal delicious so I happily snacked on them for the whole two days the package lasted at my desk. 

Lunch 

Lunch for the past two weeks has been a pretty bizarre combination that I'm really loving. Tuna fish + salad greens + mustard + blueberries!

Last week it was arugula and this week it's with coleslaw mix and red cabbage - adding avocado to it really makes it next level. I know the blueberries sound weird, but I swear it's good (also, blueberries have been on sale at the grocery store, so...) 

It's also just super easy to throw it all in a tupperware which might secretly be the main reason I haven't made anything else lately. 

I know, I know - I should cut back on the canned tuna because of the mercury. I'll switch it up next week. Maybe. 

This beauty of an avocado came to my from California by way of my roommate and it really made my salad even better last week. 

Dinner

I finally bit the bullet and invested in some SHRIMP last week since I've been really wanting shrimp stir-fry. 

I whipped this up using the stir-fry veggie mix from Trader Joe's with some ginger and amino acids. I paired it with zoodles and spinach sauteed in coconut oil because greens are good. 

This week for dinner I'll be enjoying salmon, thanks to a trip home to Long Island and generous parents who gave me some pre-packaged 6 oz. filets. 

Again with the zoodles (and also swoodles - sweet potato noodles) and topped with a Greek  yogurt - lemon - olive oil - dill dressing that I was quite proud of! And roasted broccoli with lots and lots of garlic!

Dessert

When I saw that Skinny Cow was on sale at the store, I couldn't help myself. Buying a box of these is a guarantee that I'll be eating them on 4 consecutive nights. 

I swear they gently call to me from the freezer. 

But today is National Chocolate Ice Cream Day so I will thoroughly enjoy my mint chocolate cone! 

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WIAW: Some Successful Cooking Experiments

Back at it for What I Ate Wednesday!

After a long, gluttonous weekend home - I needed a slight detox from processed, sugar-laden foods. I've been having bad indigestion for a week or so, and I have no idea what's causing it. This week I'm attempting to focus on eating more protein and less dairy. I've completely switched up my typical meals and experimented with some new ideas for breakfast, lunch AND dinner. 

 Here's what I ate on Tuesday to get back in the swing of things.

Breakfast

Trail Mix

On my way out the door I grabbed a handful of some super delicious trail mix that a friend discovered at Costco. It's packed with dried fruits like cherries, golden berries (crack!), strawberries, raisins and mulberries along with coconut chips and pepitas.

Stuffed Peppers

I typically start every morning with a Greek yogurt and half a banana with honey. I struggled to come up with a dairy-free alternative since I looove my yogurt.

I stumbled upon the idea of breakfast stuffed peppers while browsing some Paleo websites and made it my own. I added frozen spinach, a chopped up chicken and apple sausage, and sautéed veggies (pepper, onion, tomato, mushroom) into the bottom of the pepper and topped it with an egg. Popped it into the oven for about 40 minutes and VOILA. This was a really satisfying breakfast and something I'll definitely be adding to my rotation!

Snack 

Fruit Salad, Yummy Yummy 

Casual "The Wiggles" reference. 

Near my office, there is a magical fruit stand where you can buy a "small" fruit salad for $4 that's bursting with whatever fruit your heart desires. This includes pineapple, watermelon, mango, kiwi, strawberries, grapes, apples, grapefruit, orange, cantaloupe, honeydew, banana and papaya. 

I try to limit myself to buying this once a week ("Fruit Stand Fridays") but I'm not always successful. I also try to limit myself to eating only half in a day because it's a lot of servings of fruit but - also unsuccessful on that front! 

Lunch 

Tuna Salad 

I always forget how great a can of tuna is. 22 grams of protein and 100 calories? Obviously, slathering it in mayonnaise is not ideal. So even though I'm trying to add dairy, I mixed a dollop of plain yogurt into my tuna, mashed 1/4 of an avocado and added a hint of mustard and black pepper. Then, I chopped up some romaine hearts and voila - protein packed salad! 

Snack 

Hummus and Carrots 

Classic combo. I'm a big lover of carrots. I used to eat precisely 9 of them every day before field hockey practice in high school. OCD much? Now, I can eat more or less than 9. But I still eat them almost every day! 

Dinner 

Turkey & Asian Veggie Tacos 

I impressed myself with this dinner - inspired by my scrolling through more paleo recipes. I sauteed a bunch of Asian-themed veggies with amino acids (tastes like soy sauce), ginger and garlic powder. I used peppers, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, snap peas and broccoli. 

Next, I cooked lean turkey meat in the same mixture of amino acids, ginger & garlic powder. Then, mixed the meat with the veggies and served in romaine lettuce heart "taco shells" with some all-natural ginger peanut sauce from The Ginger People. 

When I took a bite, I was blown away by the flavors! So satisfying. 

Dessert

Apple Slices

Nature's dessert? I topped some apple slices with a little bit of plain yogurt + honey and PB + coconut flakes before crawling contentedly into bed. 

YOUR TURN: 
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE FRUIT? 
DO YOU EAT DAIRY? 
HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO YOU AIM FOR EVERY DAY? 

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What I Ate Wednesday: Eat When You're Hungry, Don't When You're Full

WOW! I really loved all the comments on my last What I Ate Wednesday so I'm once again joining the link up with Sprint 2 The Table. 

Eat when you're hungry, don't eat when you're full. It's a pretty simple concept, yet one that I struggle with on the daily. I don't need to be hungry to find myself reaching for snacks that I keep at my desk. Or to grab a Jolly Rancher as I pass a coworker's candy bowl. Or to pop a Hershey's kiss in my mouth every time I leave the physical therapy office just because they're sitting there. 

I'm not going for mid-afternoon McFlurry's and fries - but I still think I should make a more concerted effort to listen to what my stomach is telling me. And if it's saying, "I'm still full from lunch," then I probably don't need to reach for the handful of granola just because I'm bored. 

Similarly, if I hadn't planned on eating anything between lunch and dinner but find my tummy rumblin', you better believe I'm going to make myself a snack. 

Ever since reading Dan Harris' book 10% Happier, I've hopped on board the "mindfulness" bandwagon. Embracing this concept has encouraged me to stop and check in with myself before making decisions, including decisions about what I eat. 

But let's be real - if I'm full and someone wants to go get fro-yo, I probably won't say no-no. 

Anyway, let's get into it shall we? 

Breakfast

Fage 0% Plain Yogurt + 1/2 Banana + Honey + Back To The Roots Whole Wheat Cereal 

Confession: If there is a bag of granola or a box of cereal at my desk, that sucker doesn't stand a chance. I'm constantly snacking on it mindlessly and then kicking myself when an 11 serving box is finished within 3 days. 

So I was hesitant to pick up this box of Back to the Roots cereal when I sampled it in Whole Foods. But 1 cup is only 160 calories with 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber! This stuff fills ya right up! 

And, life hack: instead of bringing in the whole box, I've been bringing in 1 serving in a ziplock bag per day. 

Morning Coffee 

I mainly drink coffee in the morning because it's something to do. I'm not hard to please when it comes to a cup of joe. But the free coffee in our offices? Yucko. I suck it up and drink it though, because it's free, and a $3 per day is over $20 a week. No thanks. I got donuts to buy. 

Snacks

Throughout the day I snacked on the rest of my cup of Back to the Roots cereal and, on my way out to meet a friend during my lunch hour, grabbed a butterscotch hard candy (ok, 2) from my coworkers desk. Gets me every time - especially when she's got Werther's out! 

Lunch

My go-to lunch is a big big bowl of oatmeal. Most people's reaction is, "that's all you have for lunch?" But trust me - I load those oats up and it gets me good and full! 

Today's oatmeal consisted of 1/2 Cup Oats + 1/2 Banana + Walnuts + Raisins + Cinnamon + Shredded Coconut + a generous drizzle of honey!

It's so easy to throw all of the dry ingredients in a ziplock bag to keep at my desk throughout the week. Then, when it's time to eat, I simply slice up a banana and drizzle with honey (which I keep at my desk!

Lunch Dessert 

Because there's lunch-dessert and dinner-dessert, right? 

As usual, I wrapped up lunch with a handful of 5 deliciously decadent Dutch Cocoa Somersaults. 

Pre-Pilates Snack 

Rice Cake + Hummus + Cucumber

I am freaking out you guys - I think I am allergic to cucumbers! This was the second day in a row I felt awful after eating a cucumber. I'm hoping it's just because I didn't peel them, because I LOVE cucumbers! 

The pilates class ended up being so disappointing. We barely did anything. I would have been better off taking a nap - probably would have been better for my body! 

Islanders Game Snacking

When the Islanders are in the second round of playoffs for the first time in 23 years - YOU MAKE SURE YOU'RE WATCHING! 

I found someone to cover my shift at the running store so I could watch at The Overlook with a friend. Apparently, NYC finally has an Islander's bar. It's great watching here - everyone is super into the game, the sound is on, there are chants happening AND the Islanders wives and girlfriends even join in the festivities. 

We ordered some delicious "pomme frites" aka fries which I was happy to snack on because I was 100% actually hungry. I also casually whipped out one of these Qi'a mocha cocoa hazelnut bars. I love the flavor of them, but the texture is kind of odd since there are soo many chia seeds to chew! 

Dinner

Is it still dinner if you eat at 10:30 p.m.? 

Quinoa + Roasted Cauliflower & Broccoli with Red Chili Flakes + String Beans + Avocado + Sweet Potato & Carrots  +  Kale + Garlic Dijon Vinaigrette

Dinner Dessert

Did I need dessert after eating a huge plate of veggies at 10:30 p.m.? Absolutely not. Did I still take a bite of an energy ball and a spoonful of peanut butter? Mhm. 

Never go a day without peanut butter, that's what I say! 

Taking A Stab At What I Ate Wednesday

I've never participated in the wildly popular "What I Ate Wednesday" but I've been wanting to for awhile. 

It scares me that this turns into the type of post that people use to compare themselves to other people on the internet - which I do not like. This is not meant to cultivate thoughts of, "I ate way more today, shit" or "I shouldn't have gone for that slice of pizza." 

Maybe you had an awesome opportunity to eat free pizza at an office party. Maybe your body was just screaming CHEESE after a hard workout. 

These posts are simply a peak into one random day out of my life and are certainly not representative of how I eat each and every day. These posts are a fun and harmless way to be nosy - which as humans we are all inclined to do in some way or another. When you walk past a first floor apartment that has their windows wide open, you look inside, right? Please tell me I'm not the only one! 

What I ate Wednesday posts are also a great way to get yummy meal ideas, see new snacks you might want to pick up at the store, and most importantly they're a reason for me to take pictures of my food all day long. 

"Oh, sorry, I need to take a picture of this before I eat it, it's for What I Ate Wednesday, don't even worry about it..." 

Plus - I can talk about much more than my food when I do a What I Ate Wednesday - it's also a "day in the life" post which may or may not interest you. 

So here we go, let's give this a try. 

Pre-Workout Snack

I ran 5 miles on Wednesday and my new favorite ritual is popping an energy bite into my mouth before heading out to the park or to the gym for a workout. I try to only eat these bad boys in the morning before a workout - it's a little bit of incentive to get my butt out of bed and out the door. Mornings where I'm just going straight to work, I skip this treat. 

These were made with oats, peanut butter, honey, raisins, cinnamon, vanilla extract, shredded coconut and some mini chocolate chips! 

Post-Workout 

Long car-rides usually make me crave the weirdest things. Last time I was on the road I really wanted some Lifesavers. This morning while I was getting ready I enjoyed a purple one and a red one - red is the best, hands down. 

Breakfast #1

When I arrived at work on Wednesday I was pleasantly surprised by a catered breakfast. I loaded up on the fresh fruit and was so content. 

Does anyone else dislike cantaloupe? Give me honeydew any damn day. 

Hydration

I've implemented a new rule in the morning - one water bottle before breakfast. I am so bad about hydration and this seems to be working for me. 

I also recently had blood work done which revealed normal-low levels of Vitamin D. As someone who works out a lot, the doctor wanted me to try to boost my levels a bit so I've been taking this supplement. 

Breakfast #2 

I guess if you consider my pre-workout energy bite breakfast #1, this is technically breakfast #3...but I just don't feel like my day has started until I enjoy a Greek yogurt at my desk. I typically prefer plain Greek yogurt with some honey and half a banana - but the mango and apricot flavors are my guilty pleasures, sugar be damned! 

Lunch 

This was my lunch for 2 days in a row and I think I need to make it a staple. 

Last weekend, I had a DIY Toast Night Party and this was a result of some of the leftovers. A whole wheat rice cake, beet hummus from Trader Joe's (incredible), avocado and a drippy fried egg. 

#YolkPorn

Dessert

I'm pretty terrible with needing something sweet after every meal. Though it's a habit I'm trying to break, it doesn't help that I have these phenomenal little treats at my desk. 

I first discovered them at LaGuardia airport and when I realized they sold large bags at Whole Foods, I got hooked. They're made with sunflower seeds and taste SO chocolatey. 10 little cookies = 3 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein! 

I usually grab half a serving after lunch.

Pre-Work Snack 

I had work at the running store on Wednesday night which means being peppy and on my feet for 3+ hours. 

Cue the late-afternoon snackage. This banana drizzled with honey and sprinkled with coconut flakes and chia seeds was assembled using some desk staples of mine - is that bizarre? Oh well. 

Another thing I tend to do before the running store is stop in Whole Foods to see if there are any samplings happening. I've discovered some cool products this way - plus - I can always count on a cheese cube from the deli counter. Today, I had the usual cheeeeeze along with this local Lola Granola! I loved hearing that it's made using honey from Westchester!

Mid-Work Deliciousness

My obsession with kombucha grows by the day. I'm still figuring out a fabulous way to feature this treat on PB Is My BF so stay tuned! 

Dinner 

I really hate eating in the running store's break room. It's so cramped and dirty and there's rarely ever anything to lean on - which means eating out of a Tupperware on my lap. Not to mention for a slow eater who needs to microwave their meal - 15 minutes is over too quickly. 

Nevertheless, it is very rare that I can last until 10 p.m. to eat dinner. I tend to take my break at 8 p.m. to eat.

This weeks dinner was GREAT and I have a feeling I'll be eating something similar for the next couple of weeks. It was really easy to throw together and has enough going on that I haven't gotten bored yet. 

Arugula, quinoa, coconut-oil roasted sweet potatoes and carrots, garlic and olive oil roasted broccoli and green peppers, edamame, watermelon radishes, heirloom tomatoes and grilled chicken. 

So many nutrients, so many flavors, so many colors! 

Dessert 

The last part of my day involved sitting through an insole clinic at the running store where we learned all about SUPERfeet and the Addaday massage rollers. I got a free Addaday roller which I DEFINITELY want to start utilizing in my recovery. Stay tuned to see how that goes. 

At the end of a long day I needed something sweet, OBVIOUSLY. 

I picked this BOUNCE bar/ball out at the running store and while it wasn't my favorite, it did the trick before bed. 

Check out more What I Ate Wednesday link-ups at Peas & Crayons! 

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