Did you know Wednesday was National Running Day!? Step aside hump day, you have been replaced. Good thing I had the day off work, so I could get a nice exercise sesh in (in honor of the holiday, of course).
No work = extra zzzzs. So I definitely slept in. YES!
As I sipped my frothy coffee, I caught up on all the critical news (like the happs in J+K+8 and the crazies from the Jerz) – I’m soooo worldly.
I went old school with breakfast…oats were my first love, and no amount of time apart can break that kind of bond.
Naturally, I have classed up my act a bit since my grade school days (of Quaker’s maple and brown sugar packets).
This bowl was overflowing with almond milk, cinnamon, stevia, and carob chips.
I KNOW you are drooling now 🙂
That massive bowl held me over for quite a while…so I got my inner-chef on (seeing as the rain was preventing me from doing any outside cardio).
So, a few days ago I received a wonderful treat in the mail from Miss RhodeyGirl.
She was ever-so-sweet to send me some home-made Za’atar, after I had my first encounter with it a few weeks ago, and subsequently fell in love with it (to then never find it again). Oh, Sabra how you tease me so…
Just opening the package, filled the room with the most a-MAZ-ing aroma.
I was soooo eager to use it. First up on the menu, za’atar tofu.
Cut. Press. Spice. Bake. Flip. Repeat.
Done.
I sampled a few before packaging the rest up. SUCCESS!!!
I hope the apartment smells like this forever.
Sorry I have no recipe, but I’m sure if you head over to RhodeyGirlTests and beg for more info promise her your first born child, she’d pass it along. I keed, I keed. She’s a gem :) Thanks again girl!
Before heading off to corre corre, I had some fruit.
I thought I had timed my run perfectly – can someone pass on the fact that it’s JUNE to the weather gods?!?!
The clouds seemed to have put a cork in it, at least temporarily, but alas, the second my sneaks hit the pavement, I began to feel raindrops. Next thing I know, the soft drizzle turned into a full on downpour. Good thing I was only a block away. I came back home, grabbed my gym bag, and headed off to the land of boring machines (aka NYSC).
I did manage to change things up a bit, thanks to a Shape magazine workout.
- 30 mins elliptical (level 5-10) warm up (3.5 miles)
- 10 minutes stair master (level 10-12)
- 10 minutes treadmill (level 6-7)
- 10 minutes elliptical (level 10-13)
As usual, I finished with stretching, abs, and arms on the mats. I left the gym high as a kite (on endorphins, duh)!
Post gym “refueling” (in the form of hummus) was very necessary. No ifs, ands, or buts, I was dead set on a crack-wich. I used home-made hummus and veggie slices (vegan “cheese”) and toasted it on the grill until the smoke alarm went off (which is my latest substitute for a timer).
I also had one of these.
Yeah, this habit is going to destroy my wallet. At $4, that’s like 25 cents per sip (ok, my math is not great, sue me).
I’m not sure my taste buds are refined enough to distinguish the difference between some of these flavors, but Trilogy did not disappoint (unfortunately).
With so much fruit on hand, I basically snacked my way to dinner.
Because of this, my appetite wasn’t exactly chomping at the bit…but I knew I wanted those darn oat bran sesame crisps, so I created the entire meal around that desire.
I couldn’t find spinach at the store today (sad) so this is a fancy lettuce mix…not that you can even see the lettuce in my salad creations.
Is this not the definition of YUM?!
Have you ever centered an entire dish around one (not so central) component? This monster ensalada was my attempt to (healthfully) distract myself from the oat bran sesame stick obsession. I guess I am just too dang smart, since I finished the rest of the bag of the sesame sticks after the salad was gone…
Note to self: don’t buy these in bulk. Dangerous. Very dangerous.
Dessert fruit platter (complete with mood lighting while watching Conan).
What a delicious day! I like how you did a little of everything at the gym. I can't tell you how much I dread the treadmill right now! It's shocking because I loved it before I started running outside!
They had a sign up about National Running Day at the gym, and there were actually "Fun Runs" organized all around the city last evening! Who created such a holiday?! Well, I was all for it :o)
That salad looks SO delicious! I love lots and lots of components in my salad…topped with homemade hummus, of course!
Courtney
yum yum yum! it looks amazing!!! my dad just came back with 2 HUGE bags of it, i am so excited to use more!!!
also, ur crackwich looks especially delish today
Your vegan sandwich looks fantastic…I need to try that, I just bought veggie cheese but no hummus…boo. Your tofu looks a-mazing too!
Sesame sticks with dried cranzzz with avocado!??! Yum. Just added another thing to my shopping list!
And even more yummmm, ELISE…..I've never seen you fix up a bowl of oatmeal and yours is just beautiful! Carob chips are heavenly. I still don't understand why my friends hated on my vegan chcocolate cake at my 11th bday party! My pops picked up a vegan, carob-filled cake and it was divineeeee…but my friends weren't such fans! haha!
PS-tofu burgers taste like……tofu! You'll like 'em, and they cook on the stove in minutes! I love amy's and sunshine burgers a bit more though…they have more flava!
I hate my knees/shin splints/weak ankles for not letting me run today! BOOOOO! So instead I did a life changing yoga class and I actually am feeling like I'm am flying high in the sky next to you because of it! WoopwOOP!
Ginorm salads are life changing too. Lately I have been surrounding the whole salad around the big scoop of Sabra smack dab in the middle of the salad and use it sparingly with each and urry bite!
Oh ya, I REALLY HOPE I GET TO SEE YO FINE FACE WHEN YOU COME BACK TO THE YAY AREA!!!
Awesome workout! I think I'll celebrate a day late, and do some running tonight!
You are also SUPER resourceful, using an annoying thing like a smoke detector as a kitchen timer, genius! Haha.
Love reading your posts!
Oh behave! That bowl of oats looks so decadent and I don't even eat oatmeal! That tofu looks incredibly delicious as well!
I often center my meals around hummus – in fact, I did it for lunch today and it truly delivered!
Guess what I did for national running day!! Sat on my, soon to be, HUGH JASS 🙂
I've got the Shape issue, and have been considering trying that workout plan. Glad you shook yours up!
And let's be honest, the status of J&K + 8 is critical news. If it's on in the first hour of the Today Show, it's a priority. I'm just saying….
hate it when that happens to me on outdoor runs!! sooo crazy!
i'm so nervous about the J&K+8 status, i can barely watch the show anymore…
Haha I picture you throwing those nuts in your salad and saying "happy birthday" like the husband from Housewives of Dirty Jerz said when he tipped the movers…
girl you know I plan my meals around Peach Mango salsa ALL the time.
After our day yesterday, Rhodey can totally have my first born. I need nothing in exchange.
I agree. the tofu does look good.
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