The 3 O'Clock Buzz

Good evening, duckies! How are you this fine Monday?  I’m feeling pretty darn fine myself, sipping tea in the comfort of my kitchen after a great day at work, a fabulous din with MVP (Mama), and a quick flash of friendly faces at home.  What made you happy today?

Last night while I was working in the kitchen, I thankfully had the foresight to whip up enough oatmeal to last me the week.  I had enough time to make steel-cut oats; it really only takes 25 minutes total, and it’s definitely worth the extra effort.

This morning I reheated a portion and topped it with warmed frozen berries, ground flax, agave and almonds. For some reason I prefer whole nuts to nut butters when I eat steel-cut oatmeal… it must be something about the nutty texture of the grains.

I said it a week ago and it still rings embarrassingly true: we need to go grocery shopping.  However, while we don’t have a lot of fresh produce, we do have ingredients that, with a little creativity, can make up a pretty good meal.

When I was living in France, I noticed that a lot of people had lentil salads for lunch or to supplement their dinners.  Lentils are high in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Lunch-Break Protein Salad

• 3/4 cup canned lentils
• 1/3 cup frozen edamame, thawed
• 1 tbsp crumbled feta
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• crushed walnuts

Gently stir ingredients together.  Serves 1.

This lentil-edamame salad was all made with ingredients that had been sitting in my fridge, pantry or freezer for at least a month.  I should shop here more often!  I also brought carrots, hummus, and a honey-flavored Oikos Greek yogurt with me.

Today was my first day at work on my own, without being trained or supervised.  It was a little overwhelming, but a lot of fun.  There’s a lot of information being thrown at me, but I’m taking lots of notes, asking questions, and doing my best.

New York has a lot of hidden gems, many of which are public parks like this one.  Surrounded by office building, they have waterfalls that drown out traffic and city noise, open plazas and cafe tables for socializing, and trees to bring a little zen into your day.  I spent my lunch in on of these parks today to clear my mind and recharge.

When I got back to the office, I quickly realized one of the keys to a successful work day: a strong cup of coffee between 2:30 and 3.  I already have pretty low energy (which I’ve discussed here several times), and this little jolt of java really helped keep me going. Whatever it takes!

Throughout the day I also snacked on a Raisin Spice Heart Thrive Cake…

… and before I knew it, it was 5:45 and time to go home!  On my way out the door, I opened up a can of coconut water to hold myself through dinner.

I met my mom for dinner at our usual Japanese restaurant.

We toasted the future with hot sake…

… and shared some steamed shrimp shumai.

Anticipating lunch tomorrow, I ordered a bowl of tofu nabe (broth with vegetables, tofu, and seasoning).  I ate most of the vegetables but packed up a lot of the broth, which I will beef up and bring to work tomorrow.

When I got home, I cozied up with a mug of Gingerbread Spice tea and a sugar cookie my mom brought all the way back from Santa Fe!  The cookie did not last long

My knee is still hurting from the 15K yesterday, but the official times were finally listed! I came in at 1:33:26.  Not any kind of rank, but I’m still just proud I finished

It’s past my bedtime.  Goodnight!