What I Ate Wednesday and More November 29, 2012

Happy Hump-Day! Sorry this is so late; this is the first time I’ve had a chance to sit down in front of my computer all day! It was a busy one, to say the least! Keenan woke up past 8:00 a.m. which was nice, but he also woke up at 3:00 a.m., calling frantically for my husband. I think he had a bad dream because he just wanted to be held and sung to when my husband went into his room. Fortunately, he went right back to sleep, but my husband and I had a hard time going back to sleep. Needless to say, we were tired this morning!

Today was cleaning day (not one of my favorite days, especially with a cold!), so after Keenan and I ate breakfast, I  did a little cleaning downstairs while he played (which included some cuddle time on the couch with his critters!) before we got ready to head to the box. I met a couple of my fellow athletes to do some skill work, back extensions on the glute ham developer, light deadlifts and box cleans. It was good to get some extra work in before the evening class.

Snuggling with his blanket and critters!

Tonight’s WOD was challenging: run 400 meters and 3 rounds of 15 pullups and 15 hand release pushups for 20 minutes, doing as many rounds as possible. The pullups were tough on my arm and the running is always a challenge. I’m slowly working on a faster pace. I was able to complete 2 rounds and 200 meters, not bad, but definitely not the best. After class, I helped coach the beginner’s class, which was fun, as always! It is fun to meet new people who have just joined and those who have been coming for a while and are continuing to get stronger!

Since it’s Wednesday, you know the drill! I’m linking up with Jenn at Peas and Crayons for What I Ate Wednesday!

Here are some of the things I ate the past few days:

Breakfasts:

• No Oat Oatmeal with spinach
  

  I just love this breakfast!

• My husband’s famous “cheesy eggs” (with feta, for a change)
  

  My husband’s scrambled eggs are some of the best I have ever eaten!

• Pumpkin Pie Latte with my husband’s leftover homemade whipped cream (a nice compliment to my breakfasts!)
  

  So yummy; perfect for cold and rainy mornings!

Lunches:

• Turkey wraps with spinach, tomato, avocado and pepperoncinis
  

  One of my new favorites!

• Egg whites in a mug over a bed of spinach, tomato, avocado, pasta sauce and roasted pumpkin seeds
  

  I just can’t get enough of this!

• Egg White Florentine in a Mug with avocado and pasta sauce on top
  

  So easy to make and so satisfying for breakfast or lunch!

Dinners:

• Mediterranean Chicken in the Crock Pot
  

  Such a good dinner and super easy to make!

• Crock Pot Pork and Apples with roasted broccoli, cherry tomatoes, red onions and feta cheese
  

  Such a hearty and yummy meal!

• Thai red curry stir-fry of baby bok choy, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and chicken
  

  A great meal for a cold night, thanks to my husband for making it!

Well, it is time for a nice hot shower and then bed! I’m exhausted! Have a good night!

Questions: What have you eaten the past few days? Are you still eating turkey leftovers? Have you tried any new foods or recipes lately?

REMINDER: There is still time to enter a chance to win a stylish and comfortable workout headband from Simple-Trends! Giveaway ends Monday, Dec. 3rd at 8 p.m. PST!! Click here to enter.

What I Ate Wednesday + New Crock Pot Recipe! November 22, 2012

Happy Hump Day! I still can’t believe that Thanksgiving is tomorrow! Since we are barely settling into fall weather here in California, it doesn’t feel like the start of the holiday season. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited for all of the yummy goodies and spending time with family, but it just crept up so fast. Does anyone else feel that way?

Keenan is SO excited to see Nonna and Avo (and eat yummy food!) for Thanksgiving!

In addition, I wish I felt a little better. My eyes are slowly clearing up, but I still have to wear glasses instead of contacts, in addition to not wearing eye makeup. By the way, I don’t know how people workout and wear glasses! The past two days my glasses have slid down my nose due to sweat and have been uncomfortable while wearing a Sweaty Band! I guess you get used to it, but I just can’t stand having anything on or around my face while working out! Also, while I was doing heavy deadlifts in our partner WOD last night, I strained my piriformis and back, again (left side of glute/lower back). The weight was heavy, and I was rushing to get done as fast as possible and I irritated it again. Ugh! So, the next four days is full of rest, ice and icy hot for me! I’m hoping to feel better by Monday, especially since I have two weeks left until my competition. My plan of attack once I feel better is working on good technique/form at lighter weights to stay healthy, before increasing the amount of weight. But, I really shouldn’t complain, as my eyes and piriformis are really minor things. Overall, I am thankful for having good health, the ability to move, and such a supportive and loving family. No complaining anymore!

Since it is Wednesday, you know the drill; it is time to link up with Jenn at Peas and Crayons for What I Ate Wednesday!

Here is a roundup of what I ate the past few days:

Breakfasts:

• Paleo Pumpkin Pie Muffinswith strawberries
  

  So yummy and such a great pumpkin pie flavor!

• No Oat Oatmealwith spinach and topped with strawberries and almond butter
  

  Becoming my new favorite and “usual” breakfast!

• My “usual” (which isn’t much of a usual anymore, since I mainly eat No Oat Oatmeal for breakfast now)
  

  Not as satisfying as it used to be. I feel so much better when I start my day off with eggs or egg whites now!

Lunches:

• Egg whites in a mug over a bed of spinach, tomato and avocado topped with pasta sauce and roasted pumpkin  seeds (I have been craving this for lunch almost everyday; I just can’t get enough!)
  

  I just love having this for lunch!

• Salad with egg whites in a mug, cherry tomatoes, avocado, raw sprouted pumpkin seeds and feta cheese with balsamic vinegar and olive oil
  

  So satisfying!

• Turkey roll-ups stuffed with spinach, avocado and pepperoncinis (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture!)

Post-Workout Snack:

• Arbonne Chocolate protein shake (review coming soon!)
  

  Keenan loved having some of my protein shake, as you can see from his mustache!

Dinners:

• Roasted broccoli with cherry tomatoes, red onion and roasted pine nuts drizzled with balsamic vinegar and grilled country style boneless pork ribs
  

  One of my favorite dinners!

• Crock Pot Italian Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup (new recipe creation below!)
  

  Such a hearty and simple one-pot meal!

Crock Pot Italian Sausage, Kale and White bean Soup (serves 3-4):

Ingredients:

– 32 oz. chicken broth (low sodium)

– 2 bunches kale washed and chopped

– 1 onion (large dice)

– 1 can chopped tomatoes

– 1 can white cannelloni beans (low sodium)

– 3 pre-cooked Italian sausages (sliced and quartered)

– 1 tsp Italian seasoning

– 1 clove of garlic (minced)

– pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to crock pot and stir, making sure Kale is thoroughly mixed in.

2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

3. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top, if desired. Enjoy!

It is time to load up the car so we are ready to go to my parents’ house once Keenan wakes up from his nap. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Questions: What are you looking forward to the most, tomorrow? Are there any particular dishes or desserts that you can’t wait to eat? I can’t wait to eat my husband’s famous butternut squash risotto and my mom’s homemade pies!

What I Ate Wednesday and Two New Recipes! November 14, 2012

Since it is Wednesday, it is time for another What I Ate Wednesday, hosted by Jenn at Peas and Crayons!

Instead of just focusing on today, I thought I’d highlight some of my eats from the past couple of days, including two new recipes!

Breakfasts:

• We have enjoyed No Oat Oatmeal with spinach and strawberries the past couple of days.

• This morning we had something special (thanks to my husband for preparing them), Paleo Pancakes with Almond Flour, a new creation! We topped them with a little pumpkin butter and maple syrup, SO good!

Lunches:

• Egg whites in a mug on top of a bed of spinach with tomato and avocado. Since we had some leftover oven-baked sweet potatoes fries from Monday night, I added them to my salad yesterday (along with a little splash of my husband’s special ketchup). It was tasty!

• Today, I made a nice hearty chicken salad with roasted pumpkin seeds and feta cheese on top!

Dinners:

• Chicken burgers with oven-baked sweet potato fries and my husband’s special ketchup on Monday night. My husband mixes in balsamic vinegar, Tapatio hot sauce, cumin, pepper, garlic salt and garlic no-salt seasoning into regular ketchup. It is really good! It is hard to go back to regular ketchup after having his.

• Last night was our Crock Pot Pork and Apples with roasted Kabocha squash.

• Tonight, we are trying a new creation: Mediterranean Chicken in the Crock Pot with sauteed kale. The chicken smells so good, I can’t wait to taste it!

Here are the recipes for Paleo Pancakes with Almond Flour and Mediterranean Chicken in the Crock Pot:

Paleo Pancakes with Almond Flour: (makes 6 pancakes)

Ingredients:

– 1 1/2 cups almond flour

– 1 banana (mashed)

– 2 tsp vanilla

– 1 tsp cinnamon

– 1 tbsp flaxseed

– 1 tbsp chia seeds

– 2 eggs

– 1/2 tsp baking powder

– tbsp olive oil

– 1-2 tbsp water *depending on the thickness you want

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together (except for water).

2.  Slowly add water until the batter is slightly thick, but not too thin (otherwise the pancakes won’t cook right).

3. Heat a griddle or nonstick pan to medium heat. Spread a little olive oil on the griddle or pan and cook pancakes (a couple of minutes per side).

4. Top with you favorite toppings and enjoy!

Keenan enjoying his pancakes this morning!

Mediterranean Chicken in the Crock Pot (serves 3):

Ingredients:

– 3 frozen chicken thighs or breasts

– 1 can chopped tomatoes

– 1 cup chopped artichoke hearts

– 1/4 cup sliced kalamata olives

– 1/4 cup pasta sauce

– 2 tsp Italian seasoning

– 1 tsp garlic no-salt seasoning

– 1/2 tsp oregano

– 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Place frozen chicken at the bottom of your crock pot.

2. Top chicken with tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, pasta sauce and spices. Mix and cover.

3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

4. Divide chicken amongst 3 plates and place on top of a bed of sauteed or steamed spinach or kale topped with the tomato mixture. If desired, sprinkle with feta or Parmesan cheese!

*Notes: You can also serve the chicken over a bed of whole wheat pasta, quinoa or other grain, if you like.

Before I forget, I have received a couple of questions in regards to Keenan’s bib and I keep forgetting to talk about it. My husband and I call Keenan’s bib “the hazmat bib!” We were introduced to it by my sister-in-law, who used it for my niece. It is like an art smock; it has two sleeves and a shelf at the bottom to catch any food that drops. I have to say it is the best bib EVER! It keeps Keenan’s clothes clean while catching any loose food and it washes up nicely. We just toss it into the wash and let it hang dry. Sometimes I even hand wash it while I am doing the dishes, and it dries fine without leaving any smell. We have used a couple of different brands, but our favorite (due to quality and not smelling bad after a few wears) is the one at Ikea: KLADD PRICKAR. They are $4.99 for a two-pack, very reasonable! Also, the bib is a great art smock, so we use it when we are painting, too. It is a great buy!

Well, we are off to CrossFit, so have a great rest of your day!

Questions: What have you enjoyed eating the past couple of days? Have you tried any new recipes? If so, what were they?

What I Ate Wednesday and New Recipes! October 24, 2012

Since it is Wednesday again, it is time to link up with Jenn for What I ate Wednesday!

Since The Fresh Market Roseville Sneak Peek event took up yesterday’s post, I have a lot to cram into today’s, including some new recipes that I am excited to share!

The past few days I have enjoyed a new creation for lunch: egg whites in a mug over a bed of spinach, topped with either avocado and salsa, or cherry tomatoes, avocado and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. It is so yummy and SO satisfying, keeping me full for a long time! I have made it everyday for the past three days (except today); I can’t get enough!

So satisfying!

Since it was chilly and raining this morning (finally feeling like Fall!), I felt like making a bowl of No Oat Oatmeal, except with a different twist. I was going to make it for breakfast, but Keenan had swim class this morning, so we ate our “usual” (with Love Grown Granola that I received from winning Giselle’s giveaway) to get out the door quickly.

Love Grown gluten free granola!

The usual with Love Grown Granola added!

For lunch today, I gave Keenan a choice of oatmeal or a tuna melt and he chose oatmeal, so I made my new creation, Loaded Pumpkin Protein No Oat Oatmeal! It was SOOOO good and Keenan licked every last morsel in his bowl, so he certainly liked it! I’ll definitely be making this again, sooner rather than later! Here is the recipe (similar to my regular one, but with a few different things added):

Loaded with protein and so satisfying!

Loaded Pumpkin Protein No Oat Oatmeal (serves 1)

Ingredients:

– 3/4 cup egg whites

– 1/4 cup pumpkin puree

– 1/2 cup spinach (chopped finely)

– 1/4 cup milk (any kind, i.e. non-dairy is fine)

– 1 Tbsp flaxseed (ground)

– 1 Tbsp chia seeds

– 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

– 1 tsp vanilla

– 1/2 tsp cinnamon

– 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

– 1 tsp honey

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and transfer to a small sauce pot.

2. Cook on the stove on medium heat, constantly stirring, to make sure the bottom doesn’t burn.

3. Cook until it reaches a thick consistency like oatmeal.

4. Top with a scoop of almond butter and enjoy!

As you can see, Keenan sure enjoyed his bowl of Loaded Pumpkin Protein No Oat Oatmeal!

Before I forget, here is the recipe for our Roasted Beet Salad that we ate on Monday night, thanks to my husband for making it!

Such a yummy salad!

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese: (serves 2)

Ingredients:

Salad:

– 2 bunches of beets (trimmed and scrubbed)

-1 red onion (sliced)

– 4 oz. of goat cheese

– 6-8 oz. of cooked chicken (chopped)

– 1/4 cup roasted pine nuts

– 1/2 head of romaine lettuce (roughly torn)

Dressing:

– 1/2 tsp honey

– 1/2 tsp brown mustard

– garlic (finely minced)

– 1 tsp of herbs of your choice

– 2-3 Tbsp of vinegar (balsamic, red wine or champagne) to taste

– 1-2 Tbsp olive oil

– pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Trim and scrub beets, Place them in a crimped foil packet with a little drizzle of olive oil. Roast in the oven for about an hour (until tender).

3. Remove beets from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, open packet and let beets cool enough to handle.

4. Rub skins off of beets (paper towels help) and cut into chunks and place in a large bowl.

5. Add sliced onion, lettuce, chicken and pine nuts to the beets.

6. Meanwhile, to make the dressing, toss all ingredients in a small bowl or salad dressing container and mix.

7. Pour dressing over salad and toss.

8. Divide salad amongst two plates and top with goat cheese. Enjoy!

*Notes: You can use any kind of salad greens, such as spinach, arugula or red leaf lettuce. We just had romaine on hand. Also, if you don’t have pine nuts, roasted walnuts would also be good!

Freshly roasted beets (before they were peeled).

Well, Keenan is waking up, so it is time to get ready for CrossFit. Oh, by the way, I PR’d (personal best) on power cleans on Monday. My 1 RM (one rep max) was 125 lbs, 10 pounds heavier than my previous 1RM! I was really hoping to get 135 lbs, but I just couldn’t get under the weight (though, I was really close!). Anyhow, I’m still a little sore from doing thrusters, box jumps and hollow rocks yesterday, so we’ll see how today’s WOD goes!

Since my husband is still out of town, I’m making a BIG salad for dinner tonight, whoohoo!! I am thinking of going with an “everything but the kitchen sink” salad, but we’ll see. Oh and tomorrow night, I am going to another blogging event; I’m so excited! I’ll fill you in on more details later! Have a great afternoon!

Oh, and I have to share this picture of Keenan in his new fire truck PJ’s (thanks to Nonna!). He loves wearing them so much, that he refuses to take them off when we leave the house! He literally holds onto his shirt, it’s too funny!

He kept asking me to take his picture this morning, but when I did, he didn’t want to smile!

Questions: What were your eats today? Have you tried any new recipes lately? If so, what did you try? I have been in an experimenting mood with new dishes and meals lately, so look for more new recipes to come soon!

What I ate Wednesday September 26, 2012

Since it’s Wednesday, I’m linking up with Jenn again, for What I ate Wednesday: Fall into Good Habits.

Before I talk about today’s eats, here is a little recap of dinner last night: We ate some more of my leftover cheesy pasta bake with a peach and walnut salad mixed with a little feta cheese, dried cherries, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. I finally remembered to take a picture!

Our delicious and quick dinner last night!

Since Keenan had swim class this morning, we ate a quick breakfast, but I managed to do something different today! We had my own creation of egg florentine (in a mug) with egg whites and some slices of strawberries on the side (of course, I also had a latte that my husband so kindly made for me!). Breakfast was good and most importantly, Keenan enjoyed it, too! It was a nice change from yogurt and a great way to get some extra veggies. We will definitely be doing this again! Below is my recipe.

My delicious egg white florentine creation, though it doesn’t look that appetizing!

Egg White Florentine in a Mug (serves 1):

– 3/4 cup egg whites

– 1/2 cup – 3/4 cup chopped fresh spinach

– 2 Tbsp feta cheese (crumbled)

– 1 tsp Italian seasoning

– 1 Tsp no-salt garlic mixed seasoning from Costco

– pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Spray a small ramekin or microwave-safe glass bowl with olive oil or cooking spray.

2. Pour egg whites into bowl and mix in spinach, spices and cheese.

3. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and cook in the microwave for an additional minute, or until egg whites puff up and are fully cooked (no liquid is present). Top with salsa or pasta sauce (if desired) and enjoy!

Notes: Depending on the size of your bowl, add more or less spinach. I added as much spinach as I could possibly fit! You can also make this without cheese and it still tastes good!

The line-up that went into the egg whites.

My breakfast with a little pasta sauce on top of my egg whites.

Keenan’s breakfast.

After breakfast, we headed to swim class at the Y and then home. My mom came over for a short visit after we got back from the Y. Keenan was SUPER excited to see her! They played while I did some laundry and prepared a yellow bean salad for part of our dinner tonight. We are having the last of the cheesy pasta bake with a yellow bean salad mixed with tomatoes, feta cheese and roasted walnuts. I actually haven’t eaten yellow beans, but when we saw them at our farmer’s market last Saturday, I thought they would be fun to try! I’ve only had green beans, so I’m curious if the yellow ones taste different. Here is the recipe for my salad:

The final product before going into the fridge.

Yellow or Green Bean Salad: (serves 3-4)

Ingredients:

– 1 1/2 pounds green or yellow beans (cut in half)

– 4 fresh tomatoes (chopped)

– 1/2 chopped walnuts

– 1/4 cup feta cheese (crumbled)

– 2 Tbsp olive oil

– 3-4 Tbsp red wine vingar

– pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Steam beans either stove top or in the microwave. Once steamed, let cool and set aside.

2. Chop tomatoes and place in a large bowl. Add cooled beans and rest of the ingredients.

3. Mix well, cover and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving (so flavors meld together).

Notes: To steam the beans in the microwave: place them in a microwave-safe dish with a 1/4 cup of  water and cover. Microwave on high for 6-8 minutes, or until they are tender. To make this a one-pot meal, add some chopped chicken.

Once Keenan wakes up from his nap, we are heading to CrossFit, as usual. Yesterday’s WOD was short and sweet. It was 3 rounds of 7 deadlifts (women weight: 145 lbs) and 21 over-the-bar lateral burpees for time. I finished in 5 minutes and 16 seconds, the third best girl time, not too bad. I was hoping to finish in under 5 minutes. I love when the workouts are short because you just go as fast as you can and power through them. You can do anything for 5 to 10 minutes, right? It is the long WODs of 20 minutes or more that are difficult. You have to stay focused and find a good pace (not too fast, but not slow) to get through it (at least for me!).

Anyhow, I have a board meeting tonight for my MOMs Club, so I’m glad dinner is already done. My husband will be on Keenan duty tonight! Have a great afternoon!

Question: What have you eaten today? Have you tried cooking any new vegetables lately? If so, what have you tried?

What I Ate Wednesday September 19, 2012

Happy Hump Day! Since I always forget to do this, I thought I would link up with Jenn today and What I ate Wednesday “Fall into Good Habits.”

 

This morning was a little hectic, to say the least. Since we were heading to my parent’s house to spend the night, I got up very early to attend the 7:00 a.m. class at our box this morning. Before I left, I ate a small snack of half of a banana and a couple teaspoons of peanut butter to get me through the workout. Boy, did I need it! The skill was 3 sets of 10 handstand push-ups and 20 bridge ups. For the WOD, we did 3 rounds with a 20 minute time cap of 20 “two for one” wall balls (squatting twice), 3 rope climbs and 50 double unders. The wall balls were hard for me (as they always are!), but I managed to finish in 18 minutes and 33 seconds, not too bad, but not great.

As soon as I got home, my husband had breakfast waiting for me and Keenan was already up, changed and just finishing his breakfast…I just love my husband! He made me half of an egg sandwich with some cheese and avocado, along with some strawberries and a latte to go (sorry, I was in such a rush, that I forgot to take a picture!). I scarfed down my breakfast, took a quick shower, loaded up the car and headed to swim class.

Before I talk more about today’s eats, below is the recipe for our dinner last night. I prepped everything, but my husband put it all together, since he didn’t go to the gym with us. He isn’t much on measuring, so he says the recipe is as close as he can remember. He did an excellent job; it was delicious!! We will definitely be making this again!

Dinner last night!

Grilled Baby Bok Choy Salad: (servers 3)

 Ingredients:

– Three boneless, skinless chicken thighs

– 6-7 heads of baby bok choy, halved lengthwise

– 2 cups sliced mushrooms *we used baby portobello

– 1 red bell pepper, large dice

– 1 medium onion (white, yellow, or red), medium dice

– 2-3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

– Fresh ground pepper, to taste

– 5 T good-quality soy sauce or tamari

– 4 T oyster sauce

– 1 t fish sauce

– Garlic powder, to taste

– Chinese 5-Spice, to taste

– Toasted sesame oil

– Rice or white wine vinegar, to taste

 Directions:

1.  Marinate chicken: Place chicken in food-safe bag or bowl, and glop on 3 T soy, 2 T oyster, and 1 t fish sauces. Grind in some pepper, sprinkle in some garlic powder, and trickle in enough cold water to allow the chicken to marinate. (Add more water if you’re going to let it site for a while, or leave the soy sauce concentrated if you’re going to be cooking the chicken very soon.)

2. Prepare bok choy: Halve the baby bok choy lengthwise, only removing outer leaves that are damaged. Don’t bother trimming the base, as you’ll be cutting that off after they’re grilled. Drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper.

3. (If you’re grilling over fire, start your grill, now, and get ready for medium-high heat.) Heat a large skillet or everyday pan over medium-high heat, and add about 2 T oil. Sauté onion, bell pepper, ground pepper, garlic powder, and 5-spice for a few minutes, then add garlic. Sauté for another minute, and then add mushrooms. Add some more garlic powder and 5-spice, if you want it to be pungent (we do!). Stir a little, and then cover the pan. Some brown bits should start developing on the bottom of the pan, and removing the lid and stirring a few times should help keep that going. If you time the “sitting and stirring” correctly, the mushrooms should start releasing water just before anything starts burning, so all of that nice brown flavoring should come right off the bottom of the pan. At that point, keep the lid off the pan and cook until most of the moisture has simmered away. (If you’re using a gas grill, you need to start it, now, and get ready for medium-high heat.) Add 2 T soy sauce, 2T oyster sauce, and cook until the sauces have thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

4. Remove chicken from marinade, oil it, and place on grill. Watch it while you cook the bok choy, and flip when needed. Once it’s almost done, remove from the grill, wrap in foil, and let the chicken rest. It will continue cooking, and be super-juicy.

5. Place as much of the bok choy on the grill as you possibly can, cut side down, without cramming things. Cover grill. Depending on the size of the bok choy heads, you want to check things after 3 minutes, or so. The very tips of the leaves should get a little black, but everything else should be fine, with some grill lines developing on the stem of the leaves. If that’s happened, flip the bok choy, and leave it for about 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on it. Remove bok choy when it’s done, and let rest, uncovered. Finish cooking the rest of the bok choy, if you couldn’t do it all at once.

6.  Pour veggies and sauce from pan into a large mixing bowl. Chop chicken and toss in bowl. Rough-chop bok choy, leaving thick base of stem (but trimming as much of the leaves as possible, to reduce waste), and toss into bowl. Grind in some pepper. Sprinkle about ½ t of toasted sesame oil over salad. Sprinkle about 2 T of vinegar over salad, and mix well. Taste, and adjust seasonings (it’ll probably need more vinegar for a sharp bite, unless you like a deeper flavor).

7.  Divide amongst 3 plates or shallow bowls.

*Note: For more texture and added flavor, I would sprinkle roasted walnuts or almonds on top!

After Keenan’s swim class, we headed to my parent’s house and made it just in time for lunch. Keenan was SO excited to see Nonna, Avo and Maddie, that he kept repeating (over and over) in the car, “Going to Nonna and Avo’s house!” My mom had some Aram Sandwiches (flat bread wrapped in a pinwheel with turkey, lettuce, tomato and cheese) from Costco, so I had two of those with a small piece of a leftover pork chop (that my parents had for dinner last night), broccoli, baby carrots and some slices of a peach. Keenan loves the Aram Sandwiches, so he had one with some broccoli dipped in hummus, a few pieces of cheese, slices of a peach and a glass of milk. Again, I completely forgot to snap a picture, sorry!

After the kids wake up from their naps, we are going on a little bike ride and to pick peaches! I’ll be sure to take a few pictures!

I’m not sure what my mom has planned for dinner tonight, but I’m sure it includes some pasta with meat, veggies and a salad! Have a great afternoon!

Question: What are some of your favorite dishes that your mom and/or dad make or that you had while growing-up? My favorite dishes that my mom makes are her chicken scallopini, raviolis and risotto!