All things colorful

As I continue to be on the mend, I’m not going full force with my workouts just yet. I would say I’m up to 85% wellness today- which is great! I’m planning to do some lifting+cardio intervals after work today and will just listen to my body as I exercise, and slow down if I start feeling weak or icky. I’m very much hoping to be well enough by Sunday to do Bodypump after I teach spin class!

Yesterday, my hiking partner in crime (John) and I braved the cold and went hiking after I got off work. He had taken the day off and drove all the way from Annapolis to come hike with me in Frederick (which is a long drive)! What a great friend. 🙂 It was freezing outside, but the very steep (and long) incline on the trail got us warmed up pretty quickly. The hike was wonderful. We didn’t pass a single soul on the trail. It was so quiet, peaceful, clear…. just beautiful.

Forgive the dark, poor (cell phone) quality of this photo.

Sometimes a hike in the woods (with a great friend) is just what you need to feel better!

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Later on, Greg and I prepared a very colorful dinner together. He had gone out during the day and picked up a beautiful filet of wild sockeye salmon. He massaged the same citrus-y rub that we always use for salmon and cooked it on the grill. Even though I come across so many delicious sounding salmon recipes all the time, we seem to always prepare it this way- it’s just so darn good!

It’s no secret that I absolutely love my veggies. I don’t think I’ve ever met a vegetable that I didn’t like! And to think- as a child, I detested cooked vegetables- I would only eat them raw! I am very thankful that as an adult I have learned to love vegetables- and honestly- they are my favorite food group. Having a plate full of colorful foods is where it’s at. Eating a dinner that is white and beige all over sounds like a nightmare to me.

To go along with the salmon, I baked some garnet sweet potatoes, steamed some green beans, and sautéed a pile of red cabbage. The green beans were seasoned with some fresh lemon juice, dill, flower pepper, pink salt and a tiny bit of butter.

Just look at those colors! (This plate made for a happy Lauren.)

For the cabbage slaw, I tried to redeem myself from my failed attempt a few weeks ago to replicate a recipe that I had made in the past, but couldn’t remember how I did it! I did a little  research on EatingWell.com and WholeFoods.com to see if anything sounded familiar to me, and took some notes. I put together a recipe that ended up being a winner! It might not be exactly the same thing as the delicious slaw that I somehow concocted years back, but it was just as good!

Warm red cabbage slaw

2 c. Red cabbage, thinly sliced

1/2 c. Red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 olive oil

1 T Dijon mustard

1 T mustard seeds

2 T red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp celery salt

Place a skillet on the stovetop and set the heat to medium. Add the olive oil, followed by the cabbage and onions, and stir well. Let the cabbage and onions cook down for about two minutes, until they start to become tender. Stir in dijon mustard, mustard seed, vinegar and celery salt. Let cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring often. Serve immediately.

What a delicious dinner!

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I’ve been on a major dessert smoothie kick lately. Its really nice to have finally found something that completely satisfies my sweet tooth after dinner that doesn’t undo my whole day of healthy eating!

This is the combination that I’ve been enjoying all week (well, these are most of the ingredients):

I combine 2 tablespoons each of Vega Chocolate Health Optimizer, Peanut Flour, 1/2 frozen banana, a handful of frozen spinach, 6 ice cubes, a dash of Gaur gum (to thicken), a splash of almond milk and water. It blends away to the perfect consistency in seconds in the mighty Vitamix!

For some texture and crunch, I toss in a few tablespoons of Smart Bran and a half tablespoon of dairy-free mini chocolate chips.

This is so good and so satisfying! It’s not overly sweet and has more of an earthy flavor (from the Vega Health Optimizer)- but I love it. I’m all for something that is larger is size but low in calories- and this definitely fits the bill!

How do you feel about vegetables? What is your favorite food group?

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