Hola, and TGIF!
I thought ahead today and went to class in my workout clothes so I’d be one less step closer to being ready to workout as soon as I got home. It worked!! I was actually excited about some “me time” on the ET with a magazine. As planned I had the other 1/3 of my banana for a quick energizing snack. And of course a banana without a dab of nut butter is like a sandwich without bread! I put the banana in the microwave for 15 seconds (because it was cold from being in the fridge) and it transformed into half banana, half marshmallow. I’m definitely going to remember that technique this winter! I eat my bananas (when they’re not in oatmeal!) with a fork because they last longer than if I took 2 bites and got PB all over my fingers –
I biked to the gym, did my 35 minutes on the ET, did a set of ab work, and biked home. By the time I was showered and made lunch, it was already 1:30! How’s that for an all-star messy breakfast (although I did have the small snack). But I was pretty hungry –
I used our leftover black-eyed peas to replicate the salad we had for dinner this week. I made the same dressing with buttermilk (1/4 cup), mayo (1/2 tbsp-ish), S+P, hot sauce (3 dashes), and mustard (1 tsp). I heated the beans in the microwave and then tossed them in the dressing.
Beans were served over a big bed of spinach along with a small summer squash (cooked in a pan), 4 mini sweet peppers, 2″ of English cucumber, 1 stalk celery and capers. I’m STUFFED!
On the side I had a tic-tac-toe piece of toast with some whipped butter. I prefer crackers as a side dish than bread because I find things much more fun to eat bite-sized than “taking a bite” of something (which often disappears really quickly). So I just turned my bread into cracker bites. The best of both worlds!
This lunch was so satisfying.
Here’s the recipe for Kelsey’s bars!!!
I’m off to work on my Foodservice diabetic menu assignment, which I find really fun!! It’s like a sudoku puzzle for CHO, PRO + FAT 
one less step closer actually = further away 😛
Haha – whoops!! Guess I got side-tracked mid sentence.
K
I love big salads! And the tic-tac-toe bread is a great idea – sometimes I even do that to toast and mix it with some yogurt. Not greek yogurt though, because it’s too thick – it’s a yummy snack 🙂
Hey Kath – Yesterday I read an article in Self magazine about iron. The article said that when you eat a vegetable like spinach with something else that contains vitamin c, the iron is more beneficial. Have you heard of this? Any recipe ideas? Thank you!
Microwaved bananas is genius. Can’t believe I haven’t tried that one yet.
And that lunch is lovely. Good plan with the bread cutting up. I should do that with my bread more often. I’m a “small bites” kinda person too.
You keep your bananas in the fridge? Does that make them last longer? Perhaps I should do this, mine go bad really fast!
That banana looks like it’s in pain, with the fork jabbed into it, haha 😉
Hooray for beans and granola bars!!
Enjoy the rest of your day!!
I’d love to see your sample diabetic menu!
As a Type II diabetic who turned into a Type I, its a daily struggle to make sure everything is in sync with food, exercise, etc.
I think I’ve got a good handle on it (my 30 day blood sugar average is 124! Before I went on insulin it was in the 300’s!)
I hope to someday get the insulin pump, but insurance companies shy away from it because it costs more than insulin pens.
I never liked black eyed peas – my mom used to make us eat one black eyed pea every January 1 for good luck, it was all I could do to get it down!
microwaved banana! never thought of THAT before! good idea with the bread too~ yum!
You stabbed the banana!! Ouch! 🙂
Your lunch looks fabulous! Have a great weekend!
Nice! I’ve never heard of this banana technique! I can’t wait to try it. Looks yummy.
emily ,
Yes. Spinach has iron (non-heme) but is also an iron inhibitor (oxalic acid in the spinach binds to the iron). When you combine spinach with Vit. C though, the vit. C binds to the iron and helps you absorb more. Iron is absorbed at highest percentages from animal meats (heme iron). (I haven’t studied iron in detail yet – that’s advanced vitamins and minerals – but this is my understanding as of now).
ModelBehavior ,
We don’t keep them in the fridge, but this particular banana was leftover from breakfast so I put him in.
Biz ,
My menu isn’t something you’d want to eat – it’s based on a hospital menu I created and isn’t very appealing in my opinion, nor does it have everyday foods since it’s designed for a hospital cafeteria. But if you want to see it, you can email me and I’ll send it to you.
Black-eyed peas are kind of strange. I think I like ’em!
Kath
how cute is that bread! I love it:)
Wow! Never thought to microwave a banana, but it sounds wonderful!
That lunch sure does look satisfying!
Emily-this is true about iron..ugh story of my life right now, i jsut had to have a transfusion of blood and infusion of iron…here is a link of iron rich foods:
http://foodshighiniron.wordpress.com/
some ideas i’ve done are making a citrusy sald dressing or marinade, etc…i also eat fruits with most my meals.
Kath-still lvoign your blog and getting very excited for NC! in fact i’ve even looked up getting involved with GOTR…do they take asst coaches mid season? if you’re ever up in chap hill it would be fun to meet as i wont know anyone :p and i need to get baking tips from teh hubby…i tried another loaf last night. black eyed peas are something i’ll have to try when i get down there it sounds like!
I eat my bananas with a fork too!
don’t you just love it when you look forward to workouts as ‘me time’? they are so enjoyable that way 😀
that bread looks so deliciously chewy! i like when you can “see” ingredients in bread, like the seeds and stuff.
have fun with food-sudoku 😉
Kath, I like so much your plate and bowls, specially the glass bowl that you use for oatmeal. Where do you get them?
Happy Friday Kath!
I am wondering if you could talk a bit about your experiences with ‘loosening’ up on calorie counting. What have your experiences been with it? Do you still count and measures your food? Do you find that it has helped you enjoy food more and listen to your body?
I am just curious about yours and others experiences as I have been trying to stop calorie counting for years now and have never been successful…
Frozen chopped bananas make a nice snack too, because they take awhile to melt in your mouth.
I like a microwaved banana too! Or grilled. With yogurt. Heaven!
Happy Friday! And thanks for sharing the recipe!
Kath, yet again another interesting post to read. I love ur writing style not too mention your food is always so fresh and unique. great work…
Yum, I love bananas and PB! I’ve never microwaved a banana before, but I do love them grilled with a little vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt! mmmmm
I know just what you mean by the banana and pb thing!!
I had a banana today but we were out of peanut butter and it just felt so..empty! :[
coco ,
Pier 1, Crate and Barrel (glass) and my grandmother!
Jillian ,
I think like any habit, good or bad, you have to wean yourself off slowly. First I stopped logging and just kept a close estimate of calories in my head. As time went on, the estimate went from close to lose, then to just general ballpark. I’ve definitely had weeks where I slip up and nibble/snack to much or too many calories sneak in, and those weeks (or really the week after those weeks) I try to keep a closer count. But generally these days I’m just thinking “400ish breakfast, 500ish lunch, 250 snack, 500 dinner” etc. Just major meal numbers. If I’m feeling extra hungry I’ll tally up an estimate and see if I was significantly over or under. I’m sure I’m off by 100 here or there, but I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter overall. Some days I count closer, some days I don’t count at all. It just depends on my mood and how i feel.
Maureen ,
They would hurt my sensitive teeth!!
kath
Kath,
Love the tic tac toe bread idea! I will have to try it. How do you refrigerate yoru banana? I tried once…err, I left half if it in the peel and the it turned black so I threw it away.
Emily,
I wanted to add about the iron. Vitamin C does make your body absorb the iron faster, BUT um, calcium however cancels it out. I found this out while I was pregnant with my first son. I had to take an iron pill and the doctor told me to take it with orange juice bc of the vitamin C. Me thinking I was going to be super duper good, bought oj with calcium. Next appt iron was still low and when I told the doc, she immediately told me no no no! I ended up having to double up iron pills for about month. Ooops!
Becky ,
I just refrigerated the banana for a few hours. I wouldn’t leave one in for more than a day or it probably would break down.
K