Hi, friends!

This week’s WIAW is mostly shown on some new dishes that I have picked up over the last couple of weeks.  I’m really trying to make this little blog of mine look better, so I needed some new stuff.  Thank goodness TJ Maxx and Bed Bath & Beyond super sales exist!

[Thank you to Jenn for hosting!]

Workout

Before breakfast, I almost always hit the gym for a nice and sweaty workout and today’s was just that!  Before going, I need a little sometin’ sometin’ in my stomach so I usually have an [unpictured] half of a banana and spoonful of peanut butter.

My workout was as follows:

• 1.85 mile run
• 60 lunges
• 3 sets of 20 squats
• 3 sets of 20 ballet squats
• 3 sets of 20 moving squats
• 3 sets of 3 different leg machines
• floor leg work and abs
• 1.7 mile run

Ouch.

Breakfast You know the drill.

Trader Joe’s Multigrain Cereal, blueberries, strawberries, figs, bananas, peanut butter (coconut-almond milk and bran flakes added after photo)

Mmmm, the peanut butter was warm because my brother just made it.  I literally took a spoonful from the food processor.  We now have at least half a gallon of peanut butter in the fridge, but seeing as we eat it like it’s our oxygen, that’ll be gone in a few days.

Lunch

I knew my mom had a special (heavier) dinner planned, so I made an extra effort to keep today’s lunch on the lighter and fresher side.

Sauteed kale with olive oil, salt and pepper with cubes of Trader Joe’s tempeh cooked in hoison sauce and peanuts for crunch.

Okay, so I bought that tempeh weeks-actually, months- ago and  it’s just been sitting in the fridge waiting to be used.  I bought it because I have tried tempeh before and just like other fake meat products, I wasn’t a fan.  I bought it because I liked the short ingredient list with items that I recognized.  I finally went for it today and……not my thing.  I don’t know what it is!  I WANT to like all these vegetable protein products, but vegetables and grains pretending to be meat freak me out.  It even tasted like regular grains, but the fact that it was congealed together into a block was blech.  I give up.

On the side I also had a peach, cherries, a mini Mojo bar, a cup of raw broccoli and a half of a pb&j…all eaten over the course of the day.

Dinner

Dinner was one of my favorite dishes that my mom makes- but there are so many good ones to choose from!Tomato and cheese risotto

I love, love, love risotto- it’s so creamy and warm and filling, but it never stops me from eating half the pot.  My mom has made other flavors, such as asparagus and mushroom, but tomato is always the best.  Simply perfect.  We had leftover Indian-spiced chicken balls on the side. (FYI- Not chicken balls, but balls of chicken.  Just want to keep everything clear…)That was actually dinner from two nights ago.  Last night, my mom used the leftovers to make little balls of heavenly perfection.  A.k.a arancini.  If you’re in the dark about arancini, they are fried balls of risotto that have been stuffed with mozzarella cheese.  Is your mouth watering? This was my first time having arancini and I can say that I am officially addicted.  If you think risotto is good, try having ooey-gooey cheesy balls that are crunchy and crispy on the outside, served with fresh tomato sauce.  My mom even grilled a few of them and they were just as good without all the oil! As much as I would love to eat a bunch of arancini for dinner, we didn’t eat them alone.  We had grilled salmon with a side of steamed snap peas and broccoli and the softest, freshest pita I have ever eaten.  Seriously- the pita is made fresh every day and once you try it, you will NEVER go back to the store-bought crap.** Photo above on paper plates, not new dishes 😉

Dessert

My brother, his friend Noah, Russ and I all went on a mission to get frozen yogurt, but both local shops were closed when we got there.  We contemplated our options and ultimately ended up stopping at the supermarket for some good ol’ ice cream.  Cheaper and you get a lot more 🙂  I didn’t take a picture, but rest assured- it was delicious.

I’m off to buy a new bike rack before work!

Later gators!