Remember when I didn’t complain about the weather from March through September? Because I didn’t want to lose all of my readers (and I love spring and summer?) Well, I hope not to be too obnoxious about the cold this week. Let’s just say it’s about to get intense – tomorrow morning the wind chill be 7 for a low, 19 for a high, and wind gusts of 40 mph. Brrrrrr. I’m not happy about that. AND the warm and fuzzy boots I ordered just in time for the cold are a bust.
Luckily today it wasn’t too cold (and I had a good day), even though I woke up to a light dusting of snow. Because of the weekend’s indulgences I wasn’t too hungry and packed my breakfast to eat at the office. I had my usual egg white and hot cereal that was very basic for me: 1/4c Bob’s Red Mill cereal and buckwheat, 1/4c almond milk, 1/2c water, 1/2T chia seeds, cinnamon, and 1/3c blueberries. I topped it with a 1/2T of peanut butter but there were no sweeteners or anything else. I just couldn’t stomach the idea of it 
I brought in a bunch of cookies from yesterday’s Swap to share with my office. Somehow a couple of nibbles found their way into my mouth O:-)
A later breakfast meant a later lunch which helped Monday morning fly by. I picked up my favorite soup from a place nearby, Wasabi: cilantro and chicken soup. The small size was the perfect portion of chicken breast, brown rice, broth, and veggies.
Towards the end of the day I debated going to the gym or not and ultimately decided that if I came home, cooked, and then went to the gym it would never happen. I snacked on a pear and a few edamame crackers from Trader Joe’s and hit the gym. I cranked out 3.6 miles in 40 minutes on the elliptical and another 1.4 miles in 20 minutes on the treadmill and am happy to report that I finally feel completely recovered from Saturday night. Thank goodness.
The walk home was chilly and with the impending single digit wind chill temperatures threw together the one food I know will keep me warm all week through this horrible cold: CHILI!! Making chili has almost become second nature and I threw together a pot as soon as I walked in the door.
This batch contains:
- 2 carrots, diced
- 3 celery stalks, sliced
- 1/4 onion, diced
- 3/4c black beans, rinsed
- 3/4c kidney beans, rinsed
- 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes, no salt added (it’s what I had on hand)
- 8 oz can of plain tomato sauce
- 1/2c frozen organic corn
- 1c frozen broccoli florets
- 2c vegetable broth
- 2c sliced portabello mushrooms, chopped
- 1/3c frozen bell pepper strips
- one bay leaf, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, dash of cayenne pepper, dashes of mustard powder and cumin, oregano (all seasoned to taste)
In a stock pot with non-stick spray, lightly saute your onion, celery, and carrots until softened. Add remaining ingredients, adjust seasonings to taste, and bring to a boil. Stir, partially cover, and lower heat to a simmer. Simmer until all veggies are tender and the mixture has reached desired thickness.
As I was pretty hungry, I only let this batch simmer for about 30 minutes before I had to dive in. I know that tomorrow and the next day it will taste even better as the flavors combine! This batch made 4 hearty servings and each bowl has ~11 grams of fiber!
I topped my bowl with some hot sauce and freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese and had a few baked tortilla chips crumbled in. On the side I had some kale chips.
I’ve been watching the Sing Off and catching on on life tonight. Here’s to hoping I stay warm this week! I have a feeling the chili will be key
What boots do you wear in cold weather? I can’t wear my Uggs because they lack cushion and support for my foot. Any ideas?
