It’s GORGEOUS in Portland! For the last week or so it’s been sunny and warm and yesterday it was 80 degrees. Thank goddess! I am so over icky gray rain.
Over the weekend we worked in the garden a bunch. It was nice just being out in the sunshine. Every day after work we’ve eaten dinner on the deck. Logan immediately wants to go outside and play when we get home from daycare. It’s just so nice! I want to soak it up. The downside? My allergies are TERRIBLE!
Wednesday I went for a nice run in the sun during my lunch break. I’ve been running the waterfront loop downtown about once or twice a week depending on the weather. Pre-run I had my apple and string cheese for a snack, slathered on the sunscreen and headed outside.
It was perfect outside and not crowded yet!
This time I went across the Steel Bridge first then ran down to the Hawthorne Bridge. I like to switch it up periodically so it doesn’t get boring. I’m thinking that if I get a little faster I might be able to extend it to the new pedestrian bridge and make my run a little longer but I’m not there yet.
The waterfront wasn’t busy when I went out, which was nice. Unfortunately, I had to take a lot of walking breaks. I have no idea why. My legs just felt like lead. The first mile was great. I felt good, had energy, but then I started to slow down.
After my run I walked the last block to cool off then went to the gym in my building to stretch and foam roll.
Lunch was shredded Thai chicken I made in the pressure cooker with kimchi. My afternoon snack was plain Greek yogurt, fresh strawberries, walnuts and some low sugar granola. I’ve been REALLY really hungry lately and the normal stuff hasn’t been satisfying my hunger, so I added the walnuts and granola in hopes that it would tide me over better.
Dinner was Trader Joe’s carrot “noodles” with spaghetti sauce, meatballs, fresh parmesan and garlic bread. I like the carrot noodles better than the zucchini noodles. I felt like the zucchini ones cooked down to nothing. But the carrots kind of hold their shape and are a little al dente. They feel more like you’re eating pasta.
Very delicious, satisfying and filling dinner. We watched an episode of Anthony Bourdain (Southern Italy) and then crashed in bed early. On days I run the waterfront I am CRUSHED by bedtime! I was hoping to get in an epsom salt bath but I had no time. Oh well. Next week!
QUESTION: What is your favorite way (besides salads) to get more veggies into your meals?
Vickie
This is the mom in me – What are you taking for your allergies?
Lisa Eirene
Zyrtec, Flonase spray and my inhaler!
Vickie
You sound like me. Zyrtec, rhinocort, asteline. Every day. Year round. If I don’t take them, then I have dizzy issues. And my asthma inhaler if heavy chest (which only happens a few times a year now).
One of my kids, Zyrtec stopped working. She has to change every few years.
Lisa Eirene
I used claratin for decades and it stopped working. 🙁
Beth Sher
I love roasted vegetables – I usually make big batches of them to have during the week and I like them with eggs in the morning or with chicken for lunch. I’m also a huge spaghetti squash fan and I make that often with homemade turkey meat sauce for dinner and then have leftovers for lunch.
Have you tried the stir-fried cauliflower rice from Trader Joes? That’s really good. SkinnyTaste also has a bunch of really good cauliflower rice recipes that are easy and you can buy it it the bag you don’t have to grind it yourself – speaking of which I have a bag in my freezer I should put that in my rotation for next week!
Lisa Eirene
That’s a great idea! I haven’t roasted veggies in ages!
I love cauliflower rice too. I found some last night at Trader Joe’s in the frozen section, too.
Lori
John has bad allergies, too. I have some, but I only really notice them when I’m biking. I guess the headwinds cram all the allergens up my nose or something.
I like to puree veggies to add them to things. I’m just not a veggie fan LOL! We need to take a trip to Trader Joe’s to find those carrot noodles. I can’t find big enough carrots here to spiralize like that.
Lisa Eirene
Oh yeah I bet. Biking really does it for me too!
christi in ma
I roast a big batch of veggies on Sunday to have on hand as a snack, as a side, as part of a bowl for dinner. This week I made cauliflower with sumac and asparagus and sugar snap peas. Mixed it in with some farro and topped it with some shrimp and a lemon vinegarette (zest and juice of lemon, big squirt of TJ green dragon sauce, dash of honey).
Try taking your allergy meds at bedtime instead of in the morning. That really helped me. For me, the flonase takes about a week to really kick in.
Lisa Eirene
Thanks! I’ll give that a try this week