I’m sad to report that I only have one oatmeal picture to post.  Eating breakfast at the office isn’t conducive to nice photographs.  Or maybe even permitted photographs… hmmm…

I did step up my game though!  I used to make a few servings of steel cut oats in the evening, put them in separate containers in the fridge, and then add a bit of water to them at work, heat and eat.  A few of you reminded me of this possibility (my brain is not functioning post-Christmas) so that’s what I’ve done this week.  Steel cut oats are a nice change for gooey, rubbery office oatmeal.

I Eat

Breakfast was enjoyed at my kitchen table yesterday, Scottish oatmeal style.

Topped with unsweetened snow + slivered almonds + cranberry mix + pumpkin seeds + almond butter.

I’ve had a few tasty dinners lately.

This was champagne chicken pasta leftovers that I added kale + weird looking mushrooms to before it went to my tummy.

This poor quality pic is of a random dinner I threw together while rummaging through my fridge, feeling totally uninspired and about three seconds away from calling Swiss Chalet.

The picture does it no justice.  This supper was awesome!

I sauteed onion + celery until it got soft, added in some tomato + corn and a can of salmon.  I seasoned it with some mixed salmon seasoning, threw it on basmati rice and declared victory over uninspired moments in the kitchen.

Yep, balancing on a couch arm.  No formality here.

Tonight supper was another winner winner (no chicken dinner!).

I needed to use up some of the root veggies I have lying around from the farm delivery.  The best way to do that is by making soup, of course.

So here’s what you do if you find yourself with an abundance of vegetables that are soup-worthy:

• Sautee 2 small chopped yellow onions and 2 chopped celery stalks in some EVOO and let them soften, about 8 minutes
• Add one box (or two small cans) of chicken broth, a couple cups of water, and six or 7 cups of chopped vegetables
• I used parsnips + carrots + sweet potato + new potatoes + odd white things that remain a mystery
• Bring it to a bowl, then reduce the heat and let it all get mushy – that takes about 25 minutes
• Mash it with a potato masher, or use a hand blender to make it smooth, if you prefer
• If you love fall flavours, add cinnamon + ground nutmeg + ground cloves to taste.  I just eyeballed it and gave it a few tastes.
• Add salt + pepper to taste

This was easy, yummy and makes tons of leftovers.

Enjoyed with a side of GF brown bread + Laughing Cow cheese, all placed improperly on a placement, because that’s how I keep it real…

I see soup in my future’s crystal ball for many days ahead.

I Move

Monday – hello Monday, hello early gym time.  I was at the gym before work to do some cardio split between the bike and the elliptical.  It was pretty dull.  I finished up with a couple minuts of abs and called it a work out.

Tuesday – hot yoga night.  The NYE resolution folks are out in full force, which meant there were probably 15 extra bodies in the room, which left everyone doing an awkward mat shuffle before class started.  That cut into my pre-class nap.  It was a great workout though, with a couple new poses thrown in.

Wednesday – back to see Jim this morning for about 40 minutes on the treadmill.  At yoga last night during dancer’s pose, the teacher said “have fun with this, don’t take yourself so seriously, and that can help”.  I remembered that on the treadmill this morning and it made running feel (somewhat) easier.  Nothing too strenuous today.

Tomorrow is surely a rest day.  I think I’ve finally got my workout routine sorted out.

I think it’s tea time!

Goodnight!
Adi

You know it’s been cold out when –12 C feels warm.  Eeek.  It’s been around –30 C with the wind chill (that’s -22 F) the last couple of days.

I will not complain.  I will not complain.  I will not complain…

I Eat

I have no pretty oat pictures, again.  More breakfasts at my desk!  I’ve been microwaving 1/2 c. oats + water + toppings after my workout.  My pre-gym snack is always 1/2 nan + nut butter.

Today was a Saturday breakfast.  Saturday breakfasts are among my favourite things in life – just behind my bed.  As a working gal, I love them way more than I ever did in school.

Some Bob’s Red Mill GF pancakes.  I topped them with flax seeds + coconut + sliced almonds and dipped them in hidden plain yogurt + pure maple syrup.

Backing up to Tuesday, I had a decent breakfast before work.  On Tuesdays, yoga is in the evening so I can eat at home in the morning.

An egg white omelette with shoots + red onion + mushroom + Italian seasoning and on the side, GF toasts + grapefruit.

I.  Love.  Breakfast.

Suppers have been pretty ordinary.

Roasted acorn squash + tofu + kale + brown rice + raisins.

This was all seasoned with olive oil + cinnamon + pumpkin pie spice.  The kitchen smelled like Thanksgiving after this.

And leftovers for lunch the next day.  Yippee!

I had some delicious Vietnamese with a friend on Wednesday.  Yummy.

An open-faced tuna sandwich made its way to my tummy for supper this week, too.

Nothing says weekend like tuna + baby carrots.

I snacked on 100 pounds of popcorn while I made Christmas treats for my friends!

Check out my kitchen table – and multiply this by two:

I used this recipe to make caramel corn but decreased the butter to 1/2 cup and used manuka honey instead of corn syrup.  I added cranberries + sliced almonds to make this Christmas-ey.

After a couple hours, a very sticky kitchen and popcorn in my hair, I had it all packaged.

So much popcorn.  

I did manage a real dinner tonight, but it was kind of blah.  Just a mix of roasted veggies + tofu + basmati rice.  I seasoned it with olive oil + red wine vinegar + thyme + s n’ p.

Dessert more than made up for a lacklustre dinner!  I microwaved a chopped apple for about a minute and topped it with plain yogurt + granola + raisins.

And cue the bloated tummy!

Tummy, Untamed

Lately, I’ve been eating a lot.  I couldn’t figure out why I’ve been so snacky – and I mean, really, really snacky – and then I realized it must be from working out more often.  And the weather.  When it gets cold, I want to curl up on the couch with a big bowl of _____ and mange, mange, mange.  Time to pull in the reigns again!  And eat more protein during the day.  That always helps too, especially if I’ve worked out earlier that morning. 

I Move

Tuesday – sweated out the day in hot yoga.  Lovely.

Wednesday – early morning with Jim.  Just a treadie day.

Thursday – back to the gym first thing to do twenty minutes of cardio split between the bike and the stair master.  Okay, I confess: I can’t figure out the stair master.  It never feels natural.  Can anyone else relate to that?!  Anyway, I did about 10 minutes of weights before I realized I needed to get ready for work.

Friday – ugggh, and one last morning at the gym.  Forty minutes of cardio split between the bike and the treadie.  

Saturday – after the snacky day, I was craving a good sweat session.  I went to the gym I haven’t been to in awhile and did the hour of power split between the treadie and the elliptical.