Category Archives: dinner

Feelin Good

Posted on June 14, 2011 | 3 Comments

Thank you all so so much for your kind words, congratulations, and support of my big announcement yesterday. I never expected such a reaction and am really touched by each and every comment, Tweet, and email I received. Thank you!

Sharing the news took a weight off my shoulders and I’ve been feeling pretty good so far this week. The positive thinker in me thinks that by putting out positive news into the universe the momentum is building. It sounds a little cooky but that’s what I’m believing this week :)

Over the weekend I bought myself an early birthday present when I feel in love with this tank top by accident. I rocked it at the gym and am even more in love than when I first tried it on!

Lastly, I discovered a recipe utilizing rice sticks on the New York Times website that I’ve been wanting to try for a few days now. I’ve had some rice sticks in my pantry for way too long and thought this would be the perfect way to use them up.

Rice Stick and Shredded Vegetable Salad

Inspired by this recipe from NY Times Recipes for Health

  • 1.5c thinly sliced red cabbage
  • 1/2c julienne red pepper
  • 1/2c julienne cucumber
  • 7 oz rice sticks
  • 1c shredded carrot (~1 large)
  • 2 T fresh mint leaves, chiffonade
  • ~1/4c cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 2T fresh lime juice
  • 1/2t sugar
  • 2T rice vinegar
  • 1T low sodium GF soy sauce
  • 1T grapeseed oil

1. Place the cabbage in a bowl, salt generously and cover with cold water. Let sit for 15 minutes, then drain and dry.

2. Meanwhile, place the rice sticks in another bowl and cover with hot water. Let sit for 20 minutes or until pliable, while you prepare the vegetables. Drain, and roughly chop the noodles into smaller pieces.

3. In a large bowl, toss the noodles with the vegetables, mint and cilantro.

4. Whisk together the lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and grapeseed oil. Toss with the noodle mixture, refrigerate for ~15 minutes to let flavors meld, and serve.

I served this salad on top of butter lettuce with crushed almond slivers and a few cashews and a light drizzle of teriyaki sauce. It was absolutely delicious and left me feeling not too stuffed on a gorgeous summer night!

This recipe yields 6 servings (1.2c each) so you will have plenty of leftovers to enjoy throughout the week!

What’s got you feelin good this week?

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Thursday Things

Posted on June 9, 2011 | Leave a comment

Has this week flown by for anyone else? I chalk it up to packed days with tons of meetings but that’s great because I just realized tomorrow is Friday. Hooray!

I thought I’d share some fun little Thursday things since today threw me a little curveball.

  • Curveball = a lovely migraine that emerged early this afternoon. I popped an Advil as soon as the blind spots started and luckily it disappeared completely ~2.3-3 hours later. It’s quite the experience to sit at work with blind spots and half of your body numb and tingly!
  • Spin kicked my butt this morning. I went to a different instructor than my first class and she made us work really hard. I was toast by the end of class and it felt great.
  • In my post-migraine haze I watched X-Men on Netflix and it kinda made me smile.

So after my afternoon excitement I wasn’t in the mood to do much but lay on the couch. When I got hungry for dinner, I whipped up a quick meal of chicken fried rice using various items from my fridge and freezer.

5 minute Fried Rice

  • 1/2c frozen broccoli florets
  • 1/2c bell pepper strips
  • 1/3c total frozen peas and corn (half and half)
  • 3oz chicken breast
  • 1/2c cooked brown rice
  • 1.5T liquid egg whites
  • garlic powder
  • 1T teriyaki sauce
  • 1/2T soy sauce

In a non-stick sprayed skillet cook up the vegetables until defrosted. Season with garlic powder and stir. Add chicken, rice, and sauces and stir until liquid is all absorbed. Create a well in the middle of your pan and add egg whites. Let sit for a minute to firm up and then scramble egg and mix with rice mixture. Cook one more minute (or to desired texture) and serve. I topped mine with some almond slices and sriracha.

This was a quick and easy comfort food meal on a night where I really didn’t want to cook!

I’m forseeing a little more couch time and then an early bedtime in my future so ensure I don’t get a repeat headache tomorrow. G’night friends!

 

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Mmmm, Beefy

Posted on May 23, 2011 | 3 Comments

Day 1 of Positivity = Success! I’m glad I set my intention for the week (kind of like in yoga class) because when the blues start creeping I’ll be able to banish them away!

Yesterday after meeting up with my friend Marci who was in town, I continued on with my walking to run a couple of errands. While on my 11+ mile walk I got a huge craving for sloppy joes. You know, the kind that Mom used to make.

After scouring the internet for the perfect recipe I ended up creating my own based on a few different ones. These were sweet yet savory, had great texture, and had I not gotten full I would’ve seriously contemplated eating the whole batch!

Almost Summer Sloppy Joes

  • 1/2 lb lean grass-fed ground beef (I used 93%)
  • 1/4c chopped onion
  • 1/2c diced bell pepper strips (mine were frozen)
  • 1/4t garlic powder
  • 3/8c organic ketchup
  • 1/2t mustard
  • 1t brown sugar
  • 1/4t apple cider vinegar
  • ~1/2c water

In a skillet over medium heat brown the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper. Drain off liquid. Optional: spoon mixture onto a paper towel-covered plate to soak up excess liquid and fat and wipe the pan clean.

Return mixture to skillet and add remaining ingredients. Stir and bring to high heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer until the dish has reached the desired thickness.

This yielded 3 1/3 cup servings clocking in around 150 cal, 5g fat, 8.75g carbs, 5g sugars, and 15.5g protein. Not too bad!

I served my sloppy joe meet alongside some brown rice and roasted okra, green beans, and broccoli. It fulfilled my craving for a home-cooked meal reminiscent of my childhood.

Cheers to a good week continued!

What dishes from your childhood do you crave?

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Myself According to Others

Posted on May 11, 2011 | Leave a comment

I had a pretty eye-opening day today for a few reasons. I might allude to this every so often on Twitter and even here on the blog but I’m exploring what feels like Phase II of my quarter life crisis (Phase I happened when I turned 24 and this blog was a result of that part!). I’m owning it though and trying to let life soak in even if it feels surreal.

Today I had the opportunity to see myself how some others’ [might] see me and while that sounds a little conceited I learned a lot in reflecting on those experiences and am feeling good.

It all started this morning. I had my usual breakfast – half a pear and some pineapple and an English muffin with peanut butter on one half and an egg white on the other.

I had the pleasure of lunching with a Twitter friend who I am proud to now call an In Real Life friend. We talked about everything from food to Southern accents to life and things in between. I felt like I got some great feedback on an idea I shared and saw it though a fresh perspective which was really welcomed. I definitely enjoyed that break in my day!

The afternoon went smoothly. I snacked on some more Glutino pretzels and an apple before hitting the gym after work.

I surprisingly wasn’t sore from my class yesterday so I got in a decent workout without fatiguing my legs too much. 3.4 miles on the elliptical followed by 20 minutes on the bike and then it was time to race home. Tonight kicked off free yoga in Dupont Circle and I planned to meet a friend for class which I used as my cool down and stretching time. The 60 minute class loosened my muscles and felt great. It also seemed like we were the object of peoples’ interest with folks watching us do our poses, taking pictures, and more! I imagine those folks thought we were really into yoga or confident to do lots of poses in a busy urban park. With a clear blue sky and perfect temps, it was the best way to spent a spring evening!

I started a pot of rice as soon as I got home and ate dinner in reverse order while waiting for it to cook. I started with a serving of baked beans and half a pear and ended up with more BBQ pulled chicken and a serving of brown rice pilaf with carrots, broccoli, and onion.

I’m tired after all the activity today but will sleep easy knowing I got a little more clarity during this crazy month!

Do you ever stop and consider how others’ may perceive you?

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