Better Than Steak?

This morning, after lying in bed for 1o minutes trying to wish Monday away and go back to vacation-mode, I decided to start the new year on a good note. Why dread going to a job I love and am supremely lucky to have?  For one more hit of sleep and a guaranteed scramble to leave the house?  I think not!  Inspired and only a little groggy,  I pushed myself out of bed and fired up the stove.  It would be a great day, and great days start with breakfast.

Lately I’ve been admiring Jess and Holly‘s breakfast pancakes, and couldn’t remember the last time I made one myself.

I used the KERF recipe for Oatmeal Pancakes, adding both mashed banana and pumpkin purée.  If I’m making pancakes, I’m making pancakes.

I usually like to dip pancakes and French toast in syrup rather than drenching them before eating; this way they don’t get too sweet or soggy, and I don’t end up putting away the whole bottle.  This was so good! Much better than I remembered it being: filling but without leaving me feeling bloated and just decadent enough.

Since it was the first day in a few weeks that everyone would be back in the office, I got to work a little early to get myself organized so I’d have time to get a little “zen.”  It worked.  Although there was a lot to do, I was cool as a cucumber!

Around 11, I whipped out a juicy grapefruit.

By the time I was ready to go to lunch, it was almost 1:30 and I was starving.  I had some errands to run so I took my lunch out of the office; luckily I’d had time to prepare a decent meal last night.  I had a big salad with mixed greens, one Fugi apple, grape tomatoes, dried cheries, walnuts and Annie’s Lite Gingerly Vinaigrette.

I also had a Pineapple Chobani (my favorite!).

Turns out my mom and I both got each other Built lunch bags for Christmas!  She’d read on the blog that I wanted one; I thought it would be motivating for her to bring her own lunch to work.  I’m going to embarrass my mother here and say that sometimes all she eats for lunch is trail mix! I love trail mix as much as this girl, but you can’t go from 8 – 7 without a meal.  Hopefully this post will shame MVP into packing food.  I need some help!

While grocery shopping yesterday, I lingered at the organic bread booth and finally picked up this European-style sunflower seed bread.   I’ve eaten this kind of bread many times before (mostly in Europe) and always enjoy them, but for some reason never buy them for myself.  It’s very dense, nutty, hearty, and moist. I love it!

I ate a slice with cashew cheese around 4; I probably should have halved the recipe when I made it, but it’s still going strong!

Work was finished with promptly at 5, and I hurried home to catch Ari.  He had some errands to run in the evening, but I wanted him to be able to have a nice dinner (instead of a slice of pizza on the go) before he left.  He’s leaving in a couple days and, with the risk of being corny, I really cherish every hour we have together.

Ari requested Tomatoey Spiced Chickpeas, which has become one of his favorite recipes.  Not all of cooking is quite to his taste, but he says this one is as good as a steak dinner.  (Trust me, the boy likes his meat!)  I’m by no means trying to “turn him vegetarian”, but it’s nice when we can share and enjoy some of the same foods.   I served it with Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains Blend (Israeli couscous, baby garbanzos, red quinoa) which I cooked in vegetable broth… it really brought out the flavor. 

We also had broccoli, which Ari discovered he likes after all.  What do you think: is this better than steak?

I spent the rest of the night making lunch for tomorrow and a treat for tomorrow.  Luckily, this treat left me with melted peanut butter and chocolatecan you guess what I made?

I enjoyed my “sauce” with Naked Coconut and Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge Coconut Bliss ice cream… so many good things in one bowl!

Off to go catch up on some Friday Night Lights… have a great night!

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