Another work break, another cooking binge

Well my iPhone doesn't take the most amazing photos, everything seems to look a little yellow or green, not that appetizing at all now that I think about it. But, the food has been delicious, and since I have more than 7 minutes to eat them, it's worth blogging about.

Sometimes, the best snack is some Go Lean Kashi cereal with almond milk, a banana, fresh blackberries, cinnamon, nutmeg and greek yogurt. Purrrfect!

A visit to Stell Coffee and Tea for a perfect soy/cinnamon/honey latte, and a PBnJ scone!

Pancakes!! I took 4 of these on my long Sunday ride as a snack and they were great!

1 cup each of the following: whole wheat flower; white flower; greek yogurt; almond milk; berries; along with: 1 banana; 2 eggs; 1 tsp baking soda; pinch of salt. Excellent! And so fast. Made these up on the giant griddle while I washed the dishes!

Avocado. Cilantro. Eggs. Cheese. These are some of my favorites. So why not put them all together? I toasted a whole wheat english muffin. I grew up on fried egg sandwiches, so I like to bring them back from time to time with a some cilantro, tomato slices, and sprinkling of cheese.

All quite simple, very basic, and quite delicious. For a little extra flare, I convinced Brian to go out to dinner, and our starter was one of the most excellent bruschetta. EVER. Goat cheese, fresh basil, and that super excellent balsamic vinegar!

Down Time equals awesome food prep!

With weekend plans getting shuffled and a new focus of rejuvenating and getting re-grounded, I decided it was time to cook. :)

I really enjoy spending time in the kitchen and I like to prep as much food as possible so my week days fly by. I decided to make stove-top steel cut oats Carson Miller style (added cinnamon, almond milk, molasses) along side a steaming pot of Quinoa for the weekend!

The oats were awesome! I have been doing them in the crockpot, but this was much better, not nearly and gooey. Plus they were ready in 40 minutes! Added fresh strawberries and some almond slices, dialed!

The Quinoa cooks up best with some vegetable or chicken stock and added spices, so i went for 30/70 stock to water and have tasty and fluffy quinoa ready for dinner!

I grabbed another awesome recipe from Stephanie - fellow foodie/cyclists/seeker of fun! I will keep the recipe explanation to her site, but this was so easy! I had a dish full of cooked potatoes, carrots, onion and broccolli and I didn't know what to do with it! It now has a home. I added a bit of feta too, because I am addicted to cheese. Yes, I know, I probably should cut back. :)

Enjoying the Holidays without paying for it!

I discussed this topic in my last Food post, and it seemed to suit me well over the holidays! I had a few items I was so excited to eat and savor with my family and friends, it really made the wait worthwhile.

What I have found over the past few years is that if I completely lock the cupboards and don't allow myself any sort of sweets or fats, I end up cracking in a huge way and going way over board. Making the damage much higher than if I had adopted the approach of moderation. There was a time I was so strict with my intake, that I would flip out and buy a baugette and block of cheese and mow it down on a park bench solo! Gone are those days with the slice of cheese here, spoonful of nutella there, just enough of a taste that it will hold me over.

I also have learned to LOVE many different fruits and vegetables. Pears and strawberries are some of the sweetest creations around, and nothing beats a ripe apple with some natural peanut butter on it. Great healthy snack can usually be found in the produce section of the market!

Here's one of my most favorite holiday treats: Brie en Croute!

There are thousands of recipes out there for savory or sweet baked brie. And they are super easy! It is a great cheese because a little goes a long ways! If you invite me to a holiday dinner in 2011, I just might bring one of these along. But until then, I will just research the best recipes for the occasion!

Prepping for the holiday sauces, soups, and sweets!

The holidays tend to stress me out because more than 1 meal quickly gets taken out of my control and spirals into a a mess of empty calories, high fat levels and self-deprication.

Here are a few things I have done this week - yes I know, it is only Tuesday but at least I am trying - to attempt to stay on track!

I made all my usual things. Sundays I usually make a crockpot of oats. Check. I also make a gluten free carb like rice, kasha or quinoa. Check. I chopped all the veggies, grilled tofu and stocked the bin with all the favorite fruits. Just as I would if I was heading to work all day.

Since I have school holidays being a teacher, I am sticking to my normal eating routine and not having any extra goodies close by, so I won't be tempted. I am also thinking ahead to Christmas Eve where we have been invited for a delicious dinner. My thoughts: Don't go big, go moderate. Breads and jams, mashed potatoes and pie will be just fine. I just won't eat a lot of them! Small portions are the best and if I did eat a lot I would feel horrible! My body just wouldn't be used to them!

When I go to these dinners, and I need to bring a dish, I usually opt for a stellar salad. I may splurge and add candied walnuts, but our salads have a reputation for being huge and delicious. Multiple types of lettuce; cherry tomatoes; avocado; craisins; nuts; feta; purple onions with dressing as an option. When I serve up, half my plate is salad and it is filled with nutrients and good fats! Plus it helps fill me up with the good stuff.

So don't worry about getting off your plan. Start thinking ahead now with the challenges you will be faced with and create an exit strategy! And realize all your hard work will pay off and that one meal won't ruin your objectives.

I also think about a dish maybe moms coffee cake or grandmas pumpkin pie. Now those I will eat! Not too much but part of the holidays is sharing, and these important ladies put hard work into making a delicious classic which they know I love. So I plan on enjoying a piece with them and savoring the flavors of Christmas. After I go for my bike ride. :)

A week's worth of food

I thought winter would show up by now, so for the past month or so I have been prepping crockpot food for lunch. But that means I have to heat it up and eat something HOT while I am outside in the HEAT doing lunch duty. It's all good though, because it is delicious!

This week I went for Minestrone Soup - and I was not disappointed! I probably should have let the beans cook a bit longer, but oh well! Being on a Gluten Free option recently, I put rice pasta in, keeping with the theme.

I also cracked and made Gluten Free Cornbread! I wasn't about to make that from scratch however, way too many odd ingredients that I just do not have. A little legwork and research found me Bob's Red Mill and it worked out perfectly!

After an extremely long bike ride, which of course left me totally wasted and starving, this was awesome to come home to! No prep, good calories, REAL food, ready and waiting!

If your nor prepared, you will crack! Or at least I will...

I had the privilage of attending the Redlands Tri Club monthly meeting last night to talk about racing, training, and coaching! Kylie asked me a few questions about my most favorite thing EVER! FOOD! How to stay on track, stave off the wants and callings of the "bad" foods! One of the easiest ways I have found to stay on track is to plan ahead! If I make it half way through the day, and run out of food, I'm running to the teachers lounge or closest Mexican food place for some grub!

This is ALL the food I packed for today! I have 8 hours of work, and 2 hours on the bike, before I get back to home-base. There is no way I will eat ALL of these "snacks" but they will last me through the week. All things that GREW or in there near-virgin form! Nuts, veggies, some hummus along side crockpot black beans, salad, and brown rice.

Now I REALLY do not have any excuses for grabbing the junk food!

Just keep it simple!

Every weekend is pretty much the same. Up before the sun, eat on the run while getting ready to ride or heading to a race. This weekend I had the luxury of racing after 1pm! Although this did force me to miss my 2:30pm coffee encounter, it did allow me to sleep in and eat at a table!

Now people were asking me what in the world i got going on here! It isn't part of any crazy plan or diet, just some of the things that make me feel full and strong and capable of tackling the days duties on the bike!

Of course the best coffee from Stell Coffee!
Then a banana, strawberries, greek yogurt, random granola, and almond milk
On the plate we have egg whites with spinach and feta! YUM! with a side of sliced avocado and cherry tomatoes.

Most of these things I have in stock all the time, everything low on the processing level, natural and simple. The hardest part was getting the egg whites in the pan without any yellows!

So eating a balanced breakfast isnt as hard as it seems! Although an Eggo and a pop tart may be a bit faster, your gonna feel a little bit more satisfied if you take a few minutes, and grab something fresh!