Food, lately: Post marathon redux

You want to know something insane?

Don't answer that - I'm going to tell you anyway. Now that the racing season is over and I'm fully embracing the "relax, have fun" mentality, I'm not burning 1,000 calories a day and my body no longer needs endless bowls of oatmeal and bread. Insanity, I told you! It's easy (to want) to forget but the carb loading for Veterans left me feeling bloated and with a bit of an overhang - if you know what I mean.

As I mourned my disappointing race, I decided that the one thing I could fix was my diet. I wanted to rein in calories, cut back on the carbs, reduce sugar and build in some more protein. I am by no means perfect, especially yesterday when I had to take Miles to the doctor (wheezing = steroids + breathing treatments) and a photo shoot at work that necessitated red velvet cake.

It is better, though, and I'll take it.

Breakfast: Egg Beater veggie scramble with side of wheat toast
Snack 1: Fage 0% Greek yogurt + Red Velvet Munchkins (after the doctor)
Lunch: White Bean Chili with mixed green salad
Snack 2: Veggies with Eat Well Enjoy Life Edamame Hummus (my new obsession) + popcorn (unpictured) + 1/2 slice red velvet cake
Dinner: Chickpea burger on lettuce, microwave turnip chips and a couple tablespoons mac and cheese
Snack 3: Oatmeal with chia seeds and a handful of Cheez-Its while I read to Miles

What have you been eating lately?

Three Things Thursday: Back in the saddle

Pre-workout fuel: Slice of whole-wheat toast with Amish cherry jam and Amaretto Cream roast coffee.
Workout: Rode 10.26 miles in 58 minutes, 17 seconds; average speed, 10.6 mph.

1. Green Envy rides again! This morning, Mark and I took the best bike ride in, like, the history of bike riding. It was relaxing, cool and breezy, fun. My joy on the bike was almost child-like as I zipped around the path, sped down hills and negotiated inclines. I can't wait to hit the trails again and log some more bike miles after half-marathon training is over.

Denali begged to go on the ride but not this time.
Maybe we'll get a Springer bicycle attachment?!

2. I was attacked today. On the bike. Attacked by a giant lady-hatin' bug. OK ... maybe it was just a cicada but a black flying object came zooming toward me and pelted me in the neck. And it hurt. Not badly, but it hurt nonetheless.

3. I had hoped to make steel-cut oats last night so that I could have an oat parfait with Greek yogurt and banana soft-serve. Did you notice I said hoped? I forgot about the oats until about 10 p.m., and I wasn't going to stay up a half-hour more. Island waffles to the rescue! After my ride this morning, I put two whole-wheat waffles in the toaster. As those got warm and toasty, I put about a third of a banana in a mini food processor. Once it got to soft-serve consistency, I add some 0% plain Fage, 1/8 teaspoon coconut extract and 1 teaspoon honey. Process till creamy. I put that on the waffles and topped with it mango chunks (frozen in a bag), some pineapple tidbits and toasted coconut. Let me tell you that words cannot describe this breakfast. The yogurt mix was a billion times better than that sugar-free syrup I used to use, and the combination of flavors was divine. Must. Repeat.

It's OK to be chicken

I didn't want to cook. I had just spent a whirlwind weekend in Cincinnati with family, driven 3+ hours in a hot car and still had to grocery shop and pick up Denali from the kennel. That was enough for a day. Or two.

Instead of picking up a pizza, which was very tempting, or buying a slew of frozen entrees at the grocery, I picked up one of my favorite ready-to-go meals: the rotisserie chicken. My grocery always has them hot and waiting for me near the checkout lanes. While they have several flavors, I like to stick with good ol' plain. It makes it that much easier to dress it up.

(Get it ... the chicken's dressed up! OK, I'm lame.)

Without further ado, the many faces ... or meals ... of the rotisserie chicken.

Monday: Chicken breast slices (about half of breast) with a microwaved sweet potato and grilled summer squash. (With the holiday and all, I forgot that I was supposed to go meatless.)

Tuesday: Wrap with chicken breast, raw summer squash, tomato, red onion and a wedge of the new sun-dried tomato Laughing Cow.

Wednesday: Chicken thigh quarter, broccoli and a sweet potato mashed with Silk Almond Milk, pumpkin pie spice and Truvia.

BBQ Chicken Wrap

Thursday: Wrap with chicken breast (on to breast No. 2), 1/2 T barbecue sauce, 1/2 T light ranch, shredded cheddar and red onion. Grilled until it was all warm and melty.

Friday: Quesadilla with chicken, salsa and homemade creamy avocado sauce. Wait. What is homemade avocado sauce? I took a 1/4 avocado and 1/4 cup 0% Fage, and I mashed it with a splash of lime juice and dashes of cumin, salt, pepper and garlic powder. By the way, this meal scores extra points because I served it with a 1/2 cup fat-free refried beans. Beans that were in a can, which was in my pantry. Operation: Clean Out the Pantry, full steam ahead!

How do you dress up chicken?