I can’t believe it’s already Monday… and there’s only one more Monday of August! Where has the summer gone? I guess I’ve done a lot… I’ve been to Germany, Michigan, Utah, and Maryland… it’s just strange to know that it’s almost Fall. Autumn is actually my favorite season, though… I love the feeling of a “fresh start” that a new school year always gave me, pulling out my sweaters, drinking hot Chai, Halloween, MY BIRTHDAY… so yeah, I’m pretty excited for the weather to change, now that I think about it!
Yesterday, I met my friend Lisa for brunch at the Manhattan Diner. I haven’t seen her since June, and it was so nice to catch up. Neither of us had fully recovered from the shock of being awake, so we drank lots of coffee.
We both ordered the same thing: an omelet made with organic eggs, avocado, pepper jack, carrots, and zucchini, with a side of mixed greens. We also both doused our eggs in hot sauce and ketchup… we’re fated to be friends 
The bread was good, but nothing beats my beloved toast from the usual place, so I only had one slice.
All of that coffee was just what I needed, so after I left Lisa, I went home to gear up for a run. I haven’t really exercised since my yoga class on Thursday, and although I walked about 7 miles throughout the weekend, I needed to feel the cardio burn. It was great! It started raining towards the end of my run (about 3.1 miles) , but it actually felt really refreshing. I came home a sweaty beast, but with enough energy to do my 8-minutes abs exercise, which I’ve sorely ignored lately.
Total time: 37:53 minutes
Maximum heart rate: 195 (98%)
Average heart rate: 165 (83%)
Calories burned: 405
By then, I was ready for a snack. I made a BIG bowl of plain Chobani, 1 banana, 1 nectarine, and a drizzle of pomegranate syrup. It was perfect! My dad reminded me the other day how versatile (and yummy) pomegranate syrup is. It’s also relatively inexpensive ($5/bottle), so I’d encourage you to try it if you haven’t already!
I was feeling industrious, so I made some of Gena‘s homemade raw almond milk. I’d left the almonds soaking overnight, so this was easy-peasy and took almost no thought whatsoever! I don’t have a nut-milk bag, but a conventional strainer did the trick.
I let it strain through while I showered and packed up, and by the time I was ready to go, I had beautifully separated almond milk. I saved the “nut meat” as well… I’m planning on making some Bonobo-style nori wraps! (Note: this is 1/2 Gena‘s recipe.)
I made it home just in time to meet some friends for dinner. We went to Brick Café, and although the service was a little slow, it worked out perfectly because we got to catch up and gab a lot. It was pretty much everything a Sunday evening should be: good food, good friends, and relaxation.
I started with a piece of baguette, smeared with a generous portion of olive paté.
I was a little boring and just ordered the tuna niçoise salad (mixed greens, hard-boiled eggs- yolks removed, asparagus, olives, and potatoes), but it was good! I wasn’t a fan of the creamy dressing, so I just asked for oil and vinegar instead.
Once home, I curled up with an almond butter-smeared VitaBrownie and watched Stealing Beauty. I really liked the film! I want to go back to Europe.
I didn’t sleep too well… I woke up at 4 AM with some of the scariest nightmares I’ve ever had, involving… Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Denny, why do you do this to me?!
Have a happy Monday
Hooray for homemade almond milk! It so beats the store bought stuff
WE HAVE THE SAME ANCIENT BLENDER! Sorry, but I just got excited because everyone in blogland has these shiny new appliances and mine are all straight outta 1976. Love the homemade almond milk!
Bring on fall!! Love the toast shot – sorry it wasn’t as great as your usual!
YUM to the Vita/Nut butter loving!
Oh Denny!
I’m feeling very stupid here because I’m missing the nori wrap / almond milk connection … which I ought to make, if I’m planning to try creating the wraps, which I am! :p
<3 <3
I saw the almond nilk recipe and thought about trying it and now I know I have to!
Yay Manhattan Diner! They have a ‘twin’ a little bit further uptown (City Diner) which my mom is pretty obsessed with… My all-time favourite is just a block away from Manhattan (Viande- I pretty much lived off their food!)
Homemade almond milk sounds awesome
All of your food sounds delicious. I’ll be in NYC next week and I may have to try Manhattan Diner or Brick Cafe.
i agree about fall. roasted veggies, less humidity, leaves changing, MY birthday (hooray for october bdays!!) and halloween
all good in my book!
vitas are SO much better with nutbutter in my book
i second elle’s mention about city diner, which im sure you know all about since you are from that hood too. i love that place! haha.
There is nothing better than eggs with hot sauce and ketchup. Actually, anything with ketchup….my hubby thinks this is bizarre, but he just has no taste, eh?
HALLOWEEEN!!!! I wish I could party it up at you and Jalene’s house again.
I am looking forward to fall as well…my birthday is in October
Pomegranate syrup?! I have never heard of it, but I am thinking I would love it!! Happy Monday!
i was totally going to comment and say I HAVE THE SAME BLENDER FROM 1849! but Anna already said it. so weird though!!
ahhhhhh love the pom syrup – such a good idea to jazz things up! yay for fall – not going to lie, the summer has been kind of a bummer so fall can come whenever. yay for sweaters, jeans, boots and tights!
p.s. that breakfast looks soooo good!
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OH! That olive paste looks awesome!!!!!
Mmm, mmm, homemade almond milk!! Love Gena’s recipes.
And hooray for a lovely Sunday evening!!
The nicoise salad doesn’t look boring – it looks delicious!!!
Yay for breakfasts and dinners out with friends – such good times.
Your yogurt bowl looks super tasty as well and I’d never heard of pomegranate syrup! Wow!
That omlet looks amazing! Going out to eat with friends is my favorite.
Mmm pomegranate syrup sounds delicious–did you make it?
Manhatten Diner, what fond memories! I actually live right near it. That olive pate looks really delicious, as does that nicoise salad. It’s weird that they provided a creamy dressing since that’s not traditional nicoise.
Pomegranate syrup also sounds delicious, I must try it some time!
Brick Cafe in Astoria – we used to bring our puppy there.
no we moved from nyc almost almost 5 years ago but lived in astoria for 7. i remember when brick was being built!
Almond milk has been on my to-make list for too long. Hemp milk too. And my parents have the same blender! So nostalgic
Hey chicky! What a nice day
(minus the sleepy time nightmares- yikes!). Your bfast out looks sooooo good. Love that they use organic eggs.
In terms of the steak- I really just check for the color. I know how he likes it done. I’ve never enjoyed red meat so the thought of tasting it makes me semi sick haha.
[...] I used up the last of my almond milk to make a deliciously nutty fruit [...]
[...] decided on a hot breakfast this morning, and oats were just the thing. I incorporated some of my nut meat into the bowl, and it was terrific! It’s a little sweet, and went perfectly with the salty [...]