Word. It’s almost Friday.
My leg is feeling 95% back to normal! Yay. Still not going to attempt running for a while. But felt good enough to do some light cardio. Just nothing that hyperextended it. And I kept my resistance lighter than usual to lighten up my legs.
I came home and biked on a glorious spring day to the gym and back, spending 26 minutes on the ET while there. I wanted to come back home to Matt ASAP! Leg felt great. HOPEFULLY this injury is on it’s way out!
Girl with the green earrings
I came home from work to find a present on the table!! Matt got me a funky pair of earrings. Just because 
[Actually I have come to the conclusion that it was because of an excellent shoulder massage I gave him 2 nights ago ]
Matt also gets ALL the credit for tonight’s dinner!! I told him we had the following on hand and to make a pasta dish or something to pull it together:
- Leftover pea soup
- Wheatberries
- Red pepper
- Spinach
- Goat cheese
HIs brainpower: Pea Soup Patties!
Ever turned soup into a burger!?
He mixed the [extra thick chicken-broth thickened] pea soup with some cooked wheatberries, flour basil, salt and pepper a la homemade bean burgers
Formed into two patties and seared over medium-low heat. They were creamy on the inside and a bit hard to flip, but they worked!
He ate his like a burger, but since I’d already had a burger bun today, I made mine into a salad. [In fact, he'd already assembled a side salad for me - I just added more spinach and the patty!]
Salad ingredients included goat cheese, red pepper, more wheatberries, arugula + spinach and a drizzle of olive oil and agave (yes, I’ve read the news on agave being “sooo bad” for you and I’ll continue to use it sparingly like I always have. Sugar is sugar! I’d use brown sugar, honey, maple or cane sugar the same way)
My Beerverage (as Matt says) was POM + water + ice + lime. For some reason I haven’t been digging water with my dinners. It’s too bland and washes out my food!
Wiiiiiiiiiide angle!
A few hours later…I wanted a little sumpim’
Oikos CHOCO topped with cacao nibs, Biscoff and Maranatha Dark Chocolate AB = guiltless dessert!
I’ve had this bowl for a few weeks now and kept forgetting to share it!! It’s by Sagaform and in OpenSky and totally rocks my blog world.
The spoon is the coolest!
Off to read in bed. STILL reading The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks (I only read a chapter a night before I get sleepy or the clock strikes 9:30!). I’m really not impressed by the book at all. Kind of excited for it to be over so I can start one of the books Gena gave me from her FS&G!
Nite!
{ 61 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t think I would have ever thought to make soup into soup patties, but what a fun, creative idea! They look delicious on that salad.
And you’re right, that spoon is totally cute! Is that on OpenSky? I couldn’t find it!
Forgot the link – fixed it! It’s bowl + spoon
Wow I am SUPER impressed with Matt’s creativity!! Sounds delicious! And I also do love that spoon. I have to get some funky silverware! It seems to making eating more fun!
I loooove that spoon!!! I’m all about the tiny spoons!
What a sweet husband you have!
i’ve turned leftover stews into patties, but never soup!
I need to start making bean burgers, those look so good!
Laurel’s Kitchen cookbook has a great walnut oatmeal burger you might like. You make it with raw oatmeal, then simmer in veggie stock to firm it up and cook the oatmeal, then let the stock evaporate so it gets crispy at the end. Comes out very good!
What a great husband! Earrings and dinner, you’re lucky!
Wow- turning soup into patties is quite the accomplishment. And new earrings for no reason. GO MATT!
Awww soooo sweet that your hubby got you those earrings!
I’m with you on The Last Song – it took me for.ev.er. to read! It definitely is not one of Sparks’ best books.
I read lots of books, but crime thrillers are my favs – give me Lee Child, Greg Iles, Lisa Scottoline, Karin Slaughter, Meg Gardiner, Lisa Gardner, or even Mary Higgins Clark anyday! Now those are books that really draw you in!
Your husband makes you dinner and buys you presents.
Husbands should come with an exchange policy. Apparently I got a bum deal.
What an ingenius dinner! Great thinking Matt
Gorgeous salad!!! Looks sooo yummy
Cute earrings, too!!
Jenn
That spoon rocks!
Ok, SUCH a neat idea with the soup! I would have never thought of that! And those earring are so cute!!!
Aww, you’ve got such a sweet hubby!! Love the earrings – so cute!
Hi Kath – what is the news on agave?
Lindsey- its not really news, its been around in the medical research field for quite a few years0 basically linking high intake of fructose to ‘metabolic syndrome’ – pre-diabetetes/type II diabetes, higher abdominal (around your tummy) fat levels- which are much worse for you, and possibly increased risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver development. Basically, the way in which fructose is metabolised in the body is different from glucose- the most of the body”s cells cannot recognise or use fructose- and it is preferentially taken up by the liver, where it is theorised to be shunted down fat-forming pathways rather than used as an energy source- its also thought to have a different effect on the feeding centres in your brain- dampening down your hunger levels less than when taking in table sugars (table sugar = a mixture of two units joined together- glucose+fructose = sucrose), whereas high fructose corn syrup can be up to 80/90% fructose in its unjoined form- similarly agave nectar is composed of nearly all fructose (between 70-95%), so its been linked in with effects thought to be due to high HFCS intake. However, there is, as always, a big controversy, research is still ongoing, and is often based on studies in rats- and at very high intake levels of these different sugars. It is somewhat useful for diabetics, having very low GI+GL levels (in relative terms). Like Kath says, its all about the squiggly line, everything in moderation right? Hope that helps a little, I can always point you to research papers/unbiased summaries if you want anymore info- unbiased-ie not from the sugar industry, the media or the raw foodists! Happy St. George’s Day Kath! I think a celebratory high tea is in order for me this afternoon
And SORRY for the essay… I hope it is all correct and legit in your eyes, I’ve been out of that field for a couple of years now!
Hi Laura-can you point me in the direction of those unbiased summaries?
Thanks!
hey kath- is Biscoff products all natural? i looked on their website, no info on the ingredients or nutrition, but they have some yummy looking cookies and Biscoff SPREAD?? ever had that??
thanks!!
Lisa
Natural enough for me to eat every now and then. They have some vegetable oils (sunflower, palm, canola) and soy flour, but I’m not concerned in small amounts. I also do not BUY them – I get them from Delta and friends as gifts! I probably wouldn’t go buy them.
I am from New Zealand and Speights is my absolute favourite beer ever!!!! Can you get it in the US? It’s very tough to find here in Aus where I now live. I was so excited to see that glass!!
I’ve never had the beer – Karen brought us the mug from NZ!
I’m surprised you don’t like that book, I really liked it.
I had a wheat berry salad from Whole Foods today. It had curry, raisins, almond, and red peppers. It was so good. I loved the chewy texture, I’m not sure if I have had wheat berries before, but I really enjoyed it.
What a creative way to use leftover soup!
I love your earrings!! How sweet is Matt!!
Matt is such a great husband! I love how he makes you healthy meals
Any guy I know would make me some top ramen if I asked him to make me food.
Chocolate Oikos? Oh my yum, I need to find this!
What a sweet sweet sweet husband you have!
He also has good taste!! I love those earrings. Sweet can cook and has good taste??? I didn’t think husbands like that existed!
haha!
Hope you and your hubby have a great night.
Bean burgers are the best! You can make them with everything in the fridge and they are so tasty! I had a salad with beans on it tonight…my favorite meal! Glad your leg feels better! Enjoy your read!
So what is up with Agave being “Soooo Bad’ for you? I have read some good things about raw agave having some health benefits, especially for diabetics… Could yo send me a link to what you found? thanks!
Sounds like such a good, hearty salad!!
I just started reading “The Last Song” and I’m having a hard time getting into it (mom hat maybe?)… just got finished reading “The Time Traveler’s Wife” and after getting a little lost, I couldn’t put it down! Oh, I need another good book to read!
Good little dessert idea! And spoon is cute, too
I love burgers on salads. I’m not a bit bread person so the extra veggies are perfect.
Kath, I was wondering where you have read Agave being so bad for you? I must be out of the loop, as I haven’t seen anything.
I have The Last Song too and I haven’t even dug in yet!
awww matt’s such a sweetie
they look gorgeous on you!!!
That is a totally cute bowl and spoon. And I never would have thought to turn soup into burgers!
Your conversion rate was 100% with me on those bowls : ) way cute!
Everything looks soo delicious tonight, especially dessert!
You have the most awesome crockery. Sighing with envy. I also lov eyour massage-earrings story. I’ve decided that my perfect relationship will involve me cooking and him massaging. Just gotsta find the him!
Cute earrings – way to go Matt!
Hih, funny that I’m also reading The Last Song and I totally like to so far
Great bowl, again! please start shipping to Europe soon!
Wow – I admire Matt so much! He’s so creative! Those pea soup burgers look DELISH.
He’s so sweet… I love the earrings btw! 
Happy Friday!
Wei-Wei
I love that bowl!
Bah, I hate hearing that agave is bad for you – you’d think that maybe the world could produce just ONE thing that i ‘naughty’ but TRULY ‘nice’!? Gah.
Matt is so clever in the kitchen – soup into burgers, genius
I have never made soup into patties, but I have kept the same pot going for over a week, just adding in more veggies and starches and spices (making sure to bring to to a boil each day). It went from a curry to a thyme and rosemary stew. I referred to it as my Peas Porrage Hot, but I didn’t quite make it Peas Porrage in the Pot Nine Days Old, I only got to eight days.
RE. Agave: I don’t have a good resource to link to (Laura!?) but many readers have sent me link after link in the comments asking if I’m going to suddenly stop using agave (and FYI, I prefer honey but the agave was sent as a blog sample and I’m still using it up). My response is no, I’m not going to throw it away. It’s not “bad” for you, but the latest buzz is that it’s not really a health food either due to the way the body processes fructose and it’s nearly 100% fructose (fruit also has fructose as much lower levels and my body has never had a problem with fruit…)
Love the spoon! Love your earrings!
I also love the creative way you used up leftover pea soup. Genius!
Hey–
I was thinking about your leg… just because I was distance runner for a long time–and I was thinking that sometimes a pull like that is a sign of weakness in one of the muscle groups (or one set becomes stronger than the others and starts to yank at them). I’m not a physical therapist–but… have you thought, maybe, to do some “runner’s stretches”… or some of the strength work that track runners do? Not so that it feels sketchy, but just try to loosen it up?
… or a massage, in case it’s just a kink? Just because I know (from de blog) that you love to run… might be worth it to figure out whether its more serious or just a “training injury”. Always found that if you stretch it, slowly, and it feels better afterwords… it’s probably more a kink. If it feels weak, not loose, probably something else… might even be good to see if you can’t (informally) bother one of the kinesthiologists for a second–sometimes it just takes one targeted exercise to prevent/alleviate trouble… (really doesn’t seem like it should be serious, though, given how much you cross-train and how gradually you’ve added distance…)
… ah. Wow. You know you’re a Runner, when you get fired up about discussing (your own and other people’s) leg injuries. o_o
It’s not massagble and has a weak feeling. I’m wondering if it could be related to starting a job that requires much more standing for long periods of time than I’m used to and I’m locking my knees or something?
I don’t think it’s a training injury – but I do think it could be a too much-too soon injury from half + standing on the job + half + 10 miles + running 3x a week. I didn’t think I was doing too much because I felt fine and ready to run when I set out on all of those runs, but perhaps it was anyways.
i’m in LOVE with that spoon…ok, ok, the dessert too
what a great dinner! and those earrings are adorable! way to go matt 
omg I cannot believe he got you those earrings *just because*! What a sweetie – definitely a keeper.
I read “The Last Song” – I thought it was really good. It was kind of slow in the begining, but after the middle, it goes quicker.
I promise
I’m not really into Nicholas Sparks… too fluffy, and I feel like he follows the same formula every time.
Have you tried reading The Help? Great novel.
What a brilliant idea for some leftover soup…love it!
Love the burger turned salad idea. Great meal.
If you like thrillers Dean Koontz has some great reads. Survivor, The Taking, Velosity and Relentless. Really good edge of your seat books.
Wowsers that burger looks great and never better atop a salad! Perfect!
Your green earrings are HOTT
i love that bowl! is the one you have the small or the large?
Oh my gosh – I’m not sure!!! I’m pretty sure I have the small…it help about 1 cup?