early morning monday

Just like yesterday, I had time to slowly eat breakfast and stretch out a bit before Physical Therapy.   I love that my body won’t let me sleep past 6 o’clock these days.  Waking up at the same time every day does wonders for my energy levels. 😀

This morning’s eats—Overnight Oats!  Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl and pop in the fridge overnight.  The next morning, simply add in the mix-ins! 😀

• 1/2 c. oatmeal
• 1/4 c. wheatbran
• 1/2 banana, sliced
• 3/4 c. 1% milk
• mix-ins: 6-oz. plain yogurt, T. peanut butter, 2 T. Galaxy Granola and a flurry of coconut

My physical therapist had me on the foam roller today and Oh. My. Word.  It was intense—more then intense!  I’ve never felt so tight and sore in my life.  I told her this too, and she simply smiled and nodded, admitting that it’s definitely a form of torture (I think she said this with a little too much enthusiasm, if you ask me…haha 😉 )  After a few minutes of rolling out knots and kinks though, I started to realize that it felt pretty good.  Sort of like a very [very] very deep massage.  And once it was all done, I felt like a big bowl of squishy jello, all squiggly and loose.

She also retaped my knee.  I think I’ll be sticking to taping vs. the knee brace for a while.  I find the knee brace to be pushing down on my knee cap, which simply causes more irritation when I’m walking or biking.

After eating this super juicy pear (I kind of like them a little bruised and overripe—strange, I know) and finishing up with physical therapy, I skipped off to the gym for a low-key workout:

• Elliptical: 3-miles, resistance 10—I let go of the handrails today and allowed my arms to swing naturally as if running.  This definitely required a whole new sense of balance
• Treadmill: 1-mile, 4.4mph—just to shake off a bit of tightness

Lunch was a sweet potato with creamy peanut butter, roasted brussels sprouts and mixed vegetables.

What is it about peanut butter (or sunflower seed butter) and sweet potatoes that go so well together?  I felt as if I were eating lunch and dessert in one sitting.   So yummy!

+ an apple

This afternoon I made my favoritest of snacks:

• 6oz. plain yogurt
• 1 T. crushed flax
• 1/2 whole wheat pumpkin muffin
• 1/2 banana

Oh how I missed these pumpkin muffins.  They’re perfectly sweet and moist—perfect as oatmeal and yogurt toppers! 😀

Cooks Illustrated Light has earned its right as one of the most used recipe books in my house lately.  Whether I’m looking for stir-fry ideas, searching for appetizers, or sizing up some inspiration, it’s one of my favorite places to go. 

Tonight’s meal—the Cook’s Illustrated Light version of Chicken Pot Pie, is one of my personal faves. 😀

It’s a great way to use up leftover chicken, and it reheats well too (i.e., leftovers for the next day—gotta love that! 😀 )  I love how thick the sauce gets!

On the side, I had a big pile of kale chips.  My kale stash is now completely gone, but that’s a-ok since my fridge now has a big box of organic spinach waiting to be used up.  Hurrah!

+ a snickerdoodle that Nicole sent me home with last night.  Yummy as ever!

Night snack: Trader Joe’s raisin bran with milk

A reader had asked what was up with my night snack and if I usually felt hungry after dinner.  The plain and simple answer is: yes!  Since I eat dinner by 5, there’s a good amount of time between there and bedtime, in which I keep pretty busy.  I love having a little something to eat at night, and it works out really well for my current eating patterns. 😀 

How’s the black bean challenge coming along?   I totally have one of my entries planned out for tomorrow.  I was so excited about it that I dashed downstairs with a spoon of it to give my dad, exclaiming, “try this…is this not delicious?  so easy too!”  I get excited over those kinds of things.

Question: The best part of your Monday was…

For me, it was physical therapy.  Don’t ask me why, but I kind of enjoy it. 😉  It also felt good to be productive with homework, since I didn’t touch much of anything over spring break.  School starts again tomorrow!!