weekend warrior

For some, there's a whole new definition to the term: weekend warrior. As opposed to slacking off or letting life's busy days get the best of me, I do my best one day at a time. I stay strong. I pull myself out of bed at the wee hours of the morning even when I don't feel like it and remind myself it IS worth it.

I LOVE the way I feel after an especially sweat-drenched class or workout session, and I smile remembering how difficult it was hours before...talking myself into not hitting snooze.

This weekend warrior hit the grocery store late at night to avoid all the shoppers and am all set to snack on fruits and got my veggies in for a few meals I got planned this weekend.

See that amazingly thin stalked asparagus? It shall accompany the Gorgonzola + Garlic mashed potatoes, sweet corn + basil salad, and lemon-garlic chicken. :) Yes, I can't wait!   

RUSTIC PEAR TART

"It is, in my view, the duty of an apple to be crisp and crunchable, 

but a pear should have such a texture as leads to silent consumption."

-E. Bunyard 'The Anatomy of Desert'

Cruising the isles of the market, I spotted some pears and instantly remembered a recipe I had skipped over recently while online. On impulse, I purchased them and eagerly headed home to experiment. This recipe has been modified from the Rustic Pear Tart.

NOTE: Not a huge fan of butter, the attempt is to incorporate as many healthy substitutions as situation allows.  In the above recipe, 3/4 of the butter was substituted for applesauce yet some was included to help the crust stay intact and not turn mushy. Although I've not perfected all recipes where butter is entirely eliminated, I am open to suggestions from fellow healthy bakers. :)

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS....happening as usual!  So it's no secret I'm a huge advocate of this mealtime, but just for the record, here's a few other terrific reasons for treating yourself in the early morning hours of a new day:

- it's super simple to prepare
- great post-workout refuel!
- colorful and fresh ingredients
- powering up for the remainder of morning
- making the most of morning inspiration
- something to look forward to as you sweat away during your morning workout session.

What's not to love? I'm certain others agree with me and can contribute at least another dozen reasons for making breakfast happen for YOU first thing in the day.

Breakfast Burrito: any combination of vegetables, add a scrabbled egg. Top with fresh herbs (cilantro here), choice of seasonings...and sink your teeth into something super tasty. enjoy... 

With spring days transitioning into summer, the baby greens (aka tomato plants) are happily growing and getting plenty of sunshine. I'm not quite a green thumb, so last year was a major success with basil and onion growing on my deck. :)

This year, even amidst the winter days, I started my seedlings earlier and added cilantro & parsley to my herb garden. Not only are herbs incredibly easy to grow, but they're one of the reasons I wake up in the mornings and start smiling.

I feel proud to have healthy-looking plants & know it's only so long before they shall be gracing my meals with their presence. What's NOT to smile about? :) I know I have much to learn but every baby step in the right direction is to be celebrated & I'm happy to join other fellow foodies and gardeners out there. Celebrate with me? :) 

EGG SALAD:
2 eggs, hardboiled & diced
1 green onion, chopped
2-3 Tbsp plain greek yogurt
salt & pepper
paprika

Mix and season to taste...and viola! Instant gratifying lunch. :) Not only super simple but colorful and actually fun to make. Note that I substituted greek yogurt for mayo, as I don't particularly care for mayo in general.

On the rare occasion I DO use mayo, I make it myself; none of that store-bought, artificial coloring and flavoring added stuff for this gal. I workout too hard to jeopardize my healthy by eating artificial foods. 

Make your Wednesday WORTH it! :) Challenge yourself to not only do your usual exercise routine but to double what you normally do. After this morning, I was wiped - no lie. :) Goes to show that no matter how fit one may be, there are some days that just whip you. This morning, it was a 45-min Cardio session, followed by a 1-hr long Body Pump class at my gym. Thankfully I brought along a protein smoothie as a post recovery refuel...and afterwards catching some morning sunbeams off my deck.

Sweat = Results

Everyone has their preference on when they work out. Find a time when you feel your BEST and own it. That's one of the keys to success when it comes to getting on-board a regular schedule and making fitness a lifestyle, not just a chore.

Once you start seeing results - however minor or major - you will not look back. Guaranteed. It becomes a part of you. And you wake up in the mornings,  excited to see what the day's gym session shall bring. So here's to you and whatever your fitness goals may be. 

'Buttermilk' Pancakes

  I'm not a fan of buttermilk usually, going on record to say Americanized buttermilk tastes fake. My preference stems from an early childhood of European dairy products and fresh french bread baked daily. Hence when I discovered this Buttermilk Pancake recipe, I substituted fresh Kefir for processed buttermilk, making for the most fluffy, satisfying pancakes I've had in a long while!

(note: I cut the recipe in half (makes ~12 bun-sized pancakes), I also added vanilla extract to wet ingredients & after pouring batter into pan, i pressed a few berries on top and lightly covered with surrounding batter. This ensured my batter wasn't discolored and the berries stayed intact.) 

Relaxing, Reading...and Rationalizing

With the sun shining, the birds singing, and the promise of what summer shall bring, one cannot help but sit out and just smile with happiness.

That apple pastry is a weekend treat from my sister. I enjoyed every delicious bite and am pleased there are bakeries nearby where they create such treats made from scratch! :) :) :)

On a side note, I've found this food advocate writing position that I can't get out of my mind. True, I love to write, am an activist of pure ingredients; sustainable living; farmers markets; and going back to the basics where food is concerned. Do I have it in me to take it upon  myself to join the hundreds of other food activists in the fight to preserve what little good remains of our food system? It's so overrun with organizations that are money driven and with governing bodies that have more loopholes than should ever be allowed. Yet is this a bigger undertaking than I can imagine? I'm curious... And curiosity means I can't not think about it. So I wonder...I wonder if I should give it a shot...

Power Breakfast!

Power up with Proteins and fiber post workouts: There are SO many healthy breakfast combinations! I love randomly looking at breakfast photos on Instagram. So addicting yet diverse. :)

Great morning combinations include:
-oatmeal made w/ coconut or soy milk. sprinkled w/ flax seed. topped with fruit.

-Greek yogurt w/ flax. topped with homemade granola and fruit. 

- pancakes/waffles with homemade peanut/almond butter and some jam. Delicious, let me tell you! 

-wheat tortilla spread w/ almond butter, topped w/ fruits and granola. roll up and enjoy!

I do wonder what other delicious food combinations people come up with for healthy power breakfasts post workouts?