Let’s start with breakfast…

A toasted cinnamon-raisin English muffin – it doesn’t really get better than cinnamon + raisins + bread

I had an apple and peanut butter while teaching about cause and effect during reading class, then came home for lunch.

A quesadilla with daiya + black beans

Topped with toffuti better than cream cheese + salsa

I also had some celery and cucumbers, which filled me up nicely for the afternoon – however, the real reason I came home for lunch was to put my dinner in the crockpot.

Meatless Sloppy Joes

• 1 cup sliced red onions
• 1 green bell peppers, sliced
• 1 can kidney beans (drained, rinsed, and mashed)
• 8oz tomato sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbs. chili powder

Put all ingredients in the crock pot, and cook on high for 5 – 5 ½ hours. I got home around 5pm, and then Punky and I went for a nice fall afternoon walk while the joes
did their thing for another hour. When we got home, Punky got her Purina, and I had a tasty sloppy joe. Then I had another plate of slop. I love it when crock pot recipes turn out well.

In the 3^rd grade world…

What is it with 3^rd grade boys and talking about #2? Today during a game we were playing in reading, one of my boys yelled out:

I will make you eat your poop!

The kicker was that another student’s grandmother was volunteering in the classroom, and just happened to be overseeing that particular student. I think my face turned red. Needless to say, after the events of the last two days, I had to have a “potty talk” conversation with my class.

I usually don’t eat before runs (I tend to throw it up anyway), but I didn’t have much dinner last night, and I woke up hungry. So before I headed out the door, I had two mondo glasses of water and these guys.

I piddled around the house for about an hour trying to let my food settle, and then headed out. The verdict on this pre-run breakfast? Perfect. No up-chuck, no crams, just energy.

Upon returning, I made some baby food – which is my favorite post-run meal. In this bowl: 1 sweet potato, ½ cup cooked pinto beans, salt, 2 tbs. spicy mustard, 2 tbs. salsa, nutritional yeast on top

Now I have the rest of my glorious Saturday in front of me. This is the first weekend that I have been in town in over a month. I am so excited to clean the house, and do some experimental baking. Last week, Ron at NuNaturals offered to send me some samples.

Seeing as I have an enormous sweet tooth (and butt) – I agreed! I am so excited to try some of these zero calorie sweeteners in my recipes. Thank you, Ron! I’m really looking forward to trying all of these products! I will be back with some sweet goodies…

Happy Saturday!!

For lunch, I made a taco salad

I started with a handful of tortilla chips (on the bottom) and then piled the lettuce high. On top of that went lean ground beef, black bans, salsa, and a little cheddar.

Halfway through, I remembered an avocado we had that was begging to be included in this bowl.

Ah, that’s better.

I’ve also been sipping on this throughout the morning

This is hands down, the best tea I’ve ever had.

Hope you are all enjoying the heck out of your Saturdays! Yay for long weekends!

Veggies and hummus

A delicious and crispy gala

The best news – protein brownie batter

• 30 g chocolate protein powder
• 2 tbs. water
  
• 1 spoonful of peanut butter
  

…it tastes just like brownie batter. Thanks to Jessie for sharing her obsession with this gooey goodness yesterday.

It is worthy of obsession.

…that picture is kind of embarrassing; I’m not really sure why I’m putting it out there.

About an hour later, my stomach got a little rumbly, so I had a vitatop that was stashed way in the back of the freezer.

I kind of knocked these a while ago, but after tasting this kind – I think I’ve officially changed my position. The CranBran was really good, I would highly recommend it. Later, I took a bath (because I was freeeezing) and a nap (because I was sleeeepy).

Meeker and Punky woke me up around 3:30 and I decided that since I had lunch at 10:50am, it was time to make dinner.

Black beans and quinoa – always a killer combo.

I hope all of your Sundays are going swimmingly. If they aren’t…go eat some protein brownie batter, it is sure to turn your day around.

(By the way, spinning was awesome again this morning – hardest class yet. Plus, we watched a Warren Miller film, which reminded me of my college days when I used stalk and follow Jeremy Bloom around campus.)

Backtrack to before the workout…

Bread with peanut butter and banana slices

Afterwards, I refueled with a green monster.

½ banana, lemon juice, spinach, and milk – easy and yummy. I thought I was full after this…hah, little did I know.

About 9:30, I had a hunger attack. When I say attack – I mean it. I thought I was going to pass out if I didn’t eat something (anything) soon. I hadn’t packed any snacks (lesson learned!!) so I went to the staff lounge in search of something. I ended up stuffing my face with crap – a chocolate muffin (the size of my head), about a pound of pineapple and a heart shaped neon pink cookie (Lord knows what it was made of) – I was still starving afterwards, so I drank a gallon of water, and was still famished. However, I couldn’t really do much more about it – so I just waited it out until lunchtime when I came home and filled up with fiber.

A sweet potato with black beans, yogurt and spicy mustard.

Thankfully, I felt full after inhaling this, and I stayed that way until dinnertime, which was a Rachael Ray recipe – it only took me 30 minutes! (Usually RR’s thirty minute meals take me about an hour – I’m a slow cook, I guess)

Chicken and Broccoli

I really wish that had been brown rice – but white was what we had. The other side is chicken and broccoli with some Asian flair.

All mixed up with siracha…

So dang.

Now, I am enjoying the night with Meeker, some Starbucks, and The Big Lebowski

Happy Friday.

Here are the highlights, in terms of food at least.

¼ cup cottage cheese, 1 sliced apple, a handful of toasted cashews and cinnamon

I also had a piece of toast to fill me up.

Lunch was a hodge podge

A salad dressed with hummus, leftover jambalaya and half a banana nut muffin that I swiped from the staff lounge.

Then around 4pm, I had a pretty substantial snack.

A tangelo, two fudge babies and a mini packet of sunbutter

After coming home, I really didn’t want to cook, so I threw together a salad…quick and tasty.

A Portobello garden burger, corn, black beans, salsa and a few chips. Perfect flavor combination.

I’m planning on another early morning spin class tomorrow, so I’m thinking a snack and an early bedtime are in order. Additionally, tomorrow is my last day of the week with kiddos! We have a teacher work day on Friday, so tomorrow is pretty much my last day of the week – and there are some fun activities planned in the third grade world.

What do you eat when you don’t feel like cooking?

My first day back at school was just fine. I couldn’t sleep last night – and I finally ended up getting out of bed at 4am to clip Punky’s nails because she was pacing and the nails were clicking and it was annoying the heck out of me as I tried to get some rest. So, I was drowsy all day, but otherwise – it was relatively normal.

After a quick workout (Jillian’s 30 day shred) and a shower, breakfast was taken to school, and eaten at an early staff meeting.

In an empty (and clean) salsa jar: plain yogurt, half a banana, a Nature Valley granola bar (crumbled), sun butter, and fig spread. So dang delicious. I wanted it to last forever.

Lunch was steamed veggies and part of a black bean burger.

With a hard boiled (HB) egg on the side for a little extra protein punch.

Plus, I nibbled on a gluten-free chocolate chip scone – given to me by a student.

The perfect sweet ending to a veggiful lunch.

Dinner was my first new recipe of the week – Black Beans and Quinoa

…which I turned into stuffing for a burrito.

I can’t share the exact recipe for the black beans and quinoa because it was out of my new cookbook -

but it involved onions, garlic, quinoa, black beans, corn, and cilantro.

All rolled up with a salad on the side

Ooh boy, I’m glad I decided to do this new recipe thing. This was fantastic – Meeker thought so, too. He described it as very California – and I think he was referring to the fresh, bright taste of the cilantro. Y-u-m-m-y. Best news: there are leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Can I go to bed yet?

Oh, and who is so darn excited for The Biggest Loser
tomorrow?! I am, I am!!

and after!

Look at all the variety…

I somehow managed to only eat one of these (the chocolate buck eyes you see right in front) before dinner.

Sweet potato with black beans.

I cooked the ‘tater in the microwave for 6 minutes, then cut it up and sautéed it with the black beans, salt, pepper, cinnamon and chili powder. The piece de resistance was drizzling it all with just a little bit of agave nectar.

I’ll let you guess what I had for dessert…

I did some easy yogadownload this morning – and then made-over some of Meeker’s dinner from last night.

The black beans, corn, and tomatoes were already in the fridge, and I added spinach and two eggs. Holy yum.

Then it was busy, busy, busy until lunchtime.

Because of the cold temperatures, my class has had indoor recess for the last few school days – so, before I let them go to lunch, I made them do 5 continuous minutes of aerobics. We did push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, butt bottom kicks, and high-knees. I did it all with them, and I broke a sweat! It was like the 3^rd grade version of Jillian Michaels – yelling at them to keep going! – they all thought it was really fun.

Lunch was more of what I had for breakfast, plus a fudge baby and a lot of hot water to keep me warm.

I also hit the jackpot with some yummy goodies that a mom sent in for me today.

Homemade banana bread and a beautifully-blue blueberry muffin. I ate the bread mid-afternoon, and saved the yummy looking muffin for Meeker – blueberry muffins are his favorite.

Along with these muffins, Tona sent in sun butter galore!

Look at Punky zooming by in the background…

Seriously?! She is so thoughtful! This is my stash after I shared some with the other teachers. Unbelievable generosity.

I came home to more wonderful news – Meeker’s mama had sent over a pot of chili.

With a few broken tortilla chips crumbled on top – what could be better on a fah-reee-zing cold Monday night?

I also got my package of Bear Naked granola today – whohoo! I’m sure this will be dessert tonight.

Oh, and the denim part of the title? Our principal surprised us with teacher dress down days for the rest of the year! (a whole 9 days!!) When I asked her reasoning, she said it was too cold to dress up, and “it was time” ….whatever that means, I am so not complaining. I will probably be wearing denim
from now until December 18^th – after that will be jammies all day every day.

What is your dress code like where you work/go to school?

I started out with a doozy of a breakfast…cinnamon apple oats.

• 1/3 cup steel cut oats
• 1 cup water
• ½ apple
• Cinnamon
• 1 tbs. brown sugar
• Peanut butter
• 4 Alphabet cookies

I just threw the first 5 ingredients in a saucepan and then got ready for work while it all simmered on low – about 20 minutes. Then I added the alphabet cookies and peanut butter and sprinkled with more cinnamon. The ABC cookies were the best part – they got all gooey and smushy. Loved. It also kept me full until lunchtime – about 4.5 hours. Win, win.

Lunch was so boring that I don’t even feel like talking about it. A turkey wrap and a salad. Whatever.

However, a mom sent this brown bag in for me…

The bag says: Katie, a bit smushed & days old, but still yum!

She was so right. This was a little nub of carrot cake – and it was delicious!! Thank you Tona! You totally perked up my boring mid day eats.

I got through the rest of the day – we are already starting to plan and do paperwork to prepare for CSAP testing…blah. It makes me anxious just thinking about that time of year (March…5 months…gah!) Anywho, I got a few things nailed down and came home to make a wonderous dinner.

First, I used this recipe to make some beans and rice (I also added spinach). Rice and beans are good on their own…but add dark greens and pumpkin vinaigrette, I die.

While the rice was doing its thang, I roasted an acorn squash, cut into chunks – then combined.

Mmmmm. I love you. I ate this bowl in about 10 seconds. The awesome news, there are leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Now Meek and I are sitting on the couch watching the Broncos and the Steelers. BRONCOS are winning…!!

***

If you want some yum(berry) protein powder…check out Holly’s giveway!