WIAW – Recipes

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Jordan

Time for some fun food!

Healthy guacamole, woman peas! Yup, I made it with peas!I used 3 very ripe avocados and half a bag of frozen peas (that I defrosted first). I hand blended the avocados and peas together, but I like my guac chunky so I didn’t blend it until it was smooth. Then I added in chopped red pepper, onion and cilantro. I mixed in some garlic powder and lime and then it was munchin’ time.

Waking up with the spring sun has inspired many a morning full of smoothies including, a refreshing strawberry banana smoothie.One banana blended with a handful of frozen strawberries, plus some almond milk and chia seeds. That simple. Blend together and finish with a straw – the only way to drink a smoothie in the morning

Chicken dinner – easy but delicious and satisfying after a long day at work followed by a workout. I tossed some chicken breasts in the oven with Trader Joe’s Soyaki sauce and sautéed some broccoli and brussel sprouts with garlic and oregano. I added all of those components to a large bowl with rice and topped it all off with some dipping ketchup. Quite a filling meal. And that’s it for what I ate Wednesday!

What have you been eating lately?

Taking it Back

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Jordan

On June 30, 2012 my life changed forever. In a freak, let’s prove the existence of physics running accident, I broke my left hip. After major surgery and months of recovery I am back in tip top shape. Other than a higher risk of arthritis and some weaker leg muscles that will slowly even out, I feel great.

Recently, I was given the ok from my doctors to return to impact sports, including running! I’ve known for over a week that it’s perfectly fine to move my body in that way, but after such a traumatic experience with my favorite activity I had to mull over my newly found freedom. Since the accident I haven’t even hopped on my left leg and now I am fully functioning and able to feel the pavement fly by under my feet.

But it’s not that simple. I had a major trauma to my left hip and increased impact means higher chances of arthritis, and no one wants that. So, I will have to strike a fine balance between my love of running and my desire to continue living pain free. This is the challenge that lies before me, but yesterday was simply the day I got to take back running!

In addition to my run, I did something else that I haven’t done in a while: Kayaking!

Just over the bridge in Marin I took advantage of the Cali sun and paddeled out on the water, enjoying the view and a few sea lion friends.

And after all of this activity I was ready for an easy dinner -

I lightly microwaved a sweet potato, then cut medallions to line the bottom of a glass dish. I also sauteed some brussel sprouts and broccoli and mixed it together with two eggs and some egg whites and of course spices: garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, oregano. I poured this mixture into the dish and topped it with sesame seeds. I baked it at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

I served this dish with arrugala and avocado and KETCHUP! Yum!

Little Obsessions

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Jordan

Most of my days are fairly routine in the sense that I go to work all day (normally with some sort of break in the middle, if I’m lucky), then I take myself over to the gym and either spin or do a body weight workout, and then come home and make dinner, followed by relaxing on the couch, before I wake up and do it all over again.

So it’s those little finds, a new workout obsession, an innovative recipe or a pair of new shoes that I can’t wait to wear, that pulls me through the week.

Lately I have been focusing on my new little obsessions and they have helped me get through some of those rougher stretches of days:

1. Banana ice cream:

It’s so easy to make (literally just freeze a banana and blend it up!) but it’s so creamy and refreshing AND guilt free!

2. Pampering myself on Sunday evenings

Last Sunday I got a haircut around 4pm and it was the best thing ever! After a day of errands and cleaning the apartment for the week, sitting in a chair while someone else massaged my head and played with my hair felt heavenly.

And only because my hair did not need another trim after 7 days, did I decide to get my nails done this past Sunday. Indulging in the slightly less expensive mani pedi was another simple treat to myself and probably one of the best ways to end a weekend.

3. New (cheap) workout clothes

Of course I have the staple expensive workout spandex and a handful of pricey tops, but this past weekend I found athletic apparel with a price tag I can smile about.

C9 by Champion for Target makes wonderfully soft and comfortable workout gear, but it won’t leave you feeling guilty at the checkout line. I went a little crazy this weekend and bought a bunch of tops, but at $12 a pop it was hard to hold back.

For all of you fiscally conscious gym rats enjoy shopping…

What are some of your little obsessions lately?

WIAW – Smoothies on the brain

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Jordan

Between smoothies in the morning and banana ice cream at night I can’t keep bananas on my kitchen counter long enough!

I’ve been making a smoothie every day for breakfast recently because they are refreshing, easy to transport to work and filling!

Here are some variations of what I have been making recently:

I always start with a banana and almond milk and add a combination of the following:

Frozen mango

Frozen blueberries

Kale

Spinach

Ginger

Nut butter

Chia seeds

Protein powder

What do you love to put in your smoothies?

WIAW – with a sprinkle of stress on top

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Jordan

As I said earlier this week, change is stirring in the air, and along with the aroma of excitement, the taste of stress has creeped in.

Taking a leap and leaving the safety of the usual day-to-day is a great way to truly find yourself. To grow you need to rise up to challenges that push you to stretch your comfort zone and break posts in what you thought were the fences of your world.

There are plenty of hours where I playfully daydream about the wonderful adventures that are to come, but yesterday was filled with stressful logistical planning and and emotional strain. And while the actual changes in my life will certainly shape me, the journey planning these shifts is almost education enough.

I’m sorry to be so vague about everything and there will come a time to reveal all, but for now I am sure you can all relate to simply growing up and all that comes with it. Of course as a growing girl I need to be properly nourished and after a hard day I decided to make a homey meal of turkey sauce and brown rice pasta:

Nice and simple: sauté some broccoli, mix in some ground turkey, add some spices of your choice (oregano and garlic) and tomato sauce. I served mine with some brown rice pasta and spinach

Food to warm the soul and soothe growing pains.

What are some of your latest challenges?

Time to break out the summer food

Posted on April 9, 2013 by Jordan

Well it’s not exactly time for barbecues, but it’s never too early to break out the breakfast smoothie. As the smell in the air grows crisper and the ground thaws with the touch of the sun, I think it’s appropriate to make a fruity and refreshing morning meal.

Yesterday I broke out the frozen fruit and even went out on a limb and added my first chia seeds to my smoothie.

Blend: almond milk, frozen mangos, frozen blueberries, one banana, spinach and Chia seeds.

The end result is sadly a dingy hue of bleh, but it’s mighty tasty and quite filling!

What do you like to put in your smoothies?

Long time no blog

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Jordan

I am SO sorry for not being here.

I am gearing up for some big changes in my life and have neglected one of my favorite friends, my blog. I have been selfish, busy and lazy and have failed to share my ideas and adventures, which has left me feeling a bit empty. I love curling up on the couch, wrapping up in a blanket and spilling my day over the keyboard, so I promise this is my return.

Some of these big changes I cannot share at this time, but I promise if you continue reading over the next few weeks (and yes, I will be writing more) you will find out all about the new paths in my life.

I last posted right before I headed off for a lovely week-long spring break with my family and my boyfriend Dave!

Our time was filled with lots of family

food

and friendsand I can’t believe that time has come and gone already!

Leading up to this spring break I was praying for each hour to move faster so that I could finally be on vacation, but once that time was upon me I was grasping at every minute to try and slow time down.

Unfortunately, no matter how many times I attempt to manipulate time, that clock still ticks by at the same rate every minute. I am trying to appreciate every moment that I have, whether it is where I want to be or not, but of course that is easier said than done.

Because big changes are hovering in the not so distant future I have decided to practice patience and revel in the time I have now. And of course, what better way to appreciate the now than by posting on this very blog. So there you have it. I will be back soon with reflections on the present – happy Monday!

WIAW – restaurant style

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Jordan

I have had a few visitors over the past couple of weeks and while I love cooking for guests, I certainly prefer to dine out at fun and delicious San Francisco joints. So if you ever find yourself in the bay area (especially in my neighborhood by the water) you wont be disappointed by these few favorites below:

Pacific Catch

With only a few seats, taking out is a great way to enjoy your fill of fresh fish and scrumptious sides. My favorite are the sweet potato fries, they are as sweet as candy but you feel slightly better eating them knowing that it’s a vegetable.

Fish

If you find yourself in Marin meandering around the shops in Sausalito, make your way to Fish on the water. With a great view, outdoor seating and plenty of daily catch to meet your fancy, this lunch spot is not to be missed. The fish is so good that their most popular crowd pleaser is fish over a bed of salad. The fish speaks for itself.

Ace Wasabi

Sushi. I could live on Japanese food for the rest of my life and be happy (and probably have mercury poisoning). Ace has a friendly atmosphere. It’s a neighborhood sushi joint, if one is lucky enough to have a neighborhood sushi joint.

Blue Barn

Local, farm fresh, seasonal food all dressed up in delectable salad combinations. Plus the take out box is adorable!

Tacolicious

The name says it all. It’s unfortunate that their salsa is so delicious and they refuse to sell it by the jar. I vow every time to remember tupperware to take home my leftovers….

Please let me know when you try these places and feel free to invite me along if you’re here

WIAW – some eats from the week

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Jordan

The past few days have been filled with delicious food – some prepared at the hands of others and some cooked chez moi.

The weekend was busy with good friends and adventures including,

some sushi

(Going out for sushi is never complete unless I get to enjoy a seaweed salad as well)

Some homemade cocktails

(a few beautiful views found their way into my weekend as well)

Views from the Land’s End Trail in San Francisco

A childhood indulgence to get me through Monday

some sun and a good read to nourish my body and soul on my lunch break

And a heartwarming Sunday dinner of wine, spaghetti squash and chicken

I marinated some chicken breasts in a plastic bag for a few hours with balsamic dressing and then cooked it in the oven. While the chicken was cooking I poked the squash with a knife several times over and then cooked it in the microwave until the outside became squishy to the touch. Then mixed the chicken, some broccoli and the shredded squash together with some pepper and a small bit of smart balance – yum!

What have you been eating?

I’m Back

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Jordan

Dear Blogging World,

I apologize for my absence. It was not on purpose, nor were there any feelings of malice behind my leave, life just got in the way. That is not a good excuse as you are part of my daily living, but please forgive me for straying for so long.

Ok, ok. Yes, I failed to blog one post this week, but sometimes life happens and my fingers are just too tired to lift themselves from key to key after all that I am dealing with – work, emotional health, physical strength, responsibilities at home…

So I’m back after a mini-hiatus and ready to post away.

Unfortunately I have no new exciting recipes to share with all of you, but after some experimenting tonight I will have a new meal creation for all of you to try.

My workouts are going well at the gym. In between spinning and pilates classes I have been walking on the treadmill and doing the following core exercise I found on Pinterest.

For me it’s hard to go to the gym and get in a good workout if I’m not taking a class where an instructor yells at me to push it harder. But I have found that finding routines online and printing them out to bring with me to the gym gives me a basis for completing a decent workout. Of course there are times where I stare at the paper and laugh refusing to do the last few sets because I’m ready to leave the gym, but most of the time I am able to find my inner gym instructor and do that last set of crunches and find the strength to do those last 5 push ups.

Do you find workouts online and actually follow through and do them?

Please pass any good ones along!

Now I’m off to enjoy a Sunday pilates class and bask in the beautiful spring like weather with a hike. But don’t worry I’ll leave enough energy to get cooking in the kitchen later

Almond Jay

I don't cry over spilled milk – almond milk is a whole other story

Category Archives: Food