We have reached that time of year where salads sound good for breakfast, lunch and dinner. OK, who am I kidding – while I think salad for breakfast sounds great in theory, I don’t think I could do it! Have any of you developed a salad for breakfast habit? I could see how it would be quite refreshing! But a green smoothie is as far as I go. Snipping greens from the garden and eating them for lunch makes me feel so….green : )
Instead of salad…I eat oats : ) Whipped banana with fresh strawberries and sunflower butter dumped on top. SO good! Packed with a different blend of nutrients.
Next up: a big bowl of non-salad yogurt topped with a slice of banana bread a friend gave me, banana slices and sunflower butter
Here’s a new-to-me combo: overnight oats with orange. There’s something watery about citrus that makes me not want to mix it with yogurt, but this was actually wonderful. Kind of creamsicly!
French toast! Blueberry High Five bread dunked in a bath of egg, milk and cinnamon and then cooked in some butter beside a banana. Served plain n simple this morning.
And finally…eggs//toast//fruit. My go-to breakfast these days.
S: Working backwards to Mother’s Day. Matt and I took Mazen on a 3.5 mile run. I always love these group runs because I don’t have to push the stroller! It’s over 50 pounds when you count the stroller and its cargo, so I run much faster without it : )
M: I’ve been staying home from the gym on Mondays to hang out with Mazen and do a morning activity that we don’t normal do on gym days. We went shopping together, which was fun for him to get to run around out of the rain. Monday afternoon I hit up athletic conditioning class. I made it through 45 minutes and left a little early to get dinner ready for M on time.
T: We were up and ready by 8:30 for some reason, so I decided to take M to McGuffey park before heading to the gym. He had fun getting his workout in! I ran us to the gym in time for a 15 minute stairmaster warmup and small group with Erin. A hard and sweaty 30 minute circuit session!
W: Walked to the gym and back and went to athletic conditioning. I felt a bit sluggish. The whole class was focused on the quads, and mine were burning and heavy by the end. Need to do more yoga + stretching!
TH: Casual cardio day to make up for yesterday’s soreness. I brought my favorite HGTV magazine and flushed out my legs on the elliptical.
F: Training with Erin, per usual. We had upper body this week that left my biceps super sore! Erin had me doing one-armed pushups on a bench and said I drew some onlookers’ attention in the process.
S: In Miami. Room service > running. ‘Nuff said!
As you’ll see for dinner, we did a lot of creating on the spot so we had no leftovers for lunch. That’s fine because in the warmer months I crave leftovers less and salads more.
Monday I had lunch at the bakery because my aunt, uncle and cousin Becky (the star marathoner! She ran Boston in 3:07 this spring!) came to visit us for the morning.
I had a ‘bucha and half tuna salad sandwich
Lunch numero dos: Martin x Martin Smokery salmon over lettuce with almonds, dressing and cucumbers. I had a big breakfast this day so I went lighter for lunch. I’m sure this meant I went heavier on snack!
W: Greens, dressing, walnuts, egg, toast and an apple. Topped with some Peg’s Salt!
TH: A can of smoked trout (shared with Mazen, who loves it) over greens with olive oil, honey and cheese. Blueberry High Five with buttery toast on the side.
F: Finally, salad with leftover grits, chips, orange and a Siggi’s Peach yogurt.
We took the week off of Cook Smarts to use up a lot of our garden greens. It didn’t work – we now have more than last week!
M: On the Menu: “Trout and salads.” What we came up with: Tortilla + breadcrumb crusted trout with side salads and chips with guac. This trout is from Madison County and is my favorite fish to keep on hand for quick dinners. We dipped it in egg and then in a tortilla crumb/bread crumb mix before pan-searing. Served with more chips and garden greens. Guac in the background!
T: On the menu: “Pasta + cooked greens”. What we created: Bowtie pasta with zucchini, mushrooms and kale from the garden sautéed together and tossed with a jar of last summer’s homemade canned tomato sauce. Topped with parmesan cheese. This rocked!
W: On the menu: “Beans, grits, greens.” What we created: Bacon-barbecue beans (I need to recreate this for a recipe since we unfortunately didn’t measure anything!) with sautéed kale and grits I made in the rice cooker. Yum!
TH: Shrimp + noodle salads with sautéed pineapple. Recipe post coming soon!!
What was the best thing you ate last week?
It all looks wonderful as usual.
I just asked the Mr what the best thing we ate this past week was and he quickly said the banana croissant French toast with pecan sauce and millionaire’s bacon. It’s a take on one of the best breakfasts we had in San Francisco two weeks ago.
I read this whole thing and all I remember is Bacon-BBQ Beans. RECIPE! STAT! 😉
How do you manage an almost-daily exercise regime with a little guy – along with all the other stuff you have going on? WOW!!!
Lately I’ve been enjoying making huge batches of stir fry and then having easy-to-heat leftovers. I am always mixing up the vegetables so it feels a bit different and last time I lightly roasted some cashews and tossed those in.
Whilst i’m not sure I’d eat salad for breakfast, there is something pretty amazing about a breakfast salad with crispy bacon and poached egg… maybe for lunch
Haha room service > running. Can’t argue with that!
I’ve never had a salad for breakfast and don’t think I could. Although green juice sometimes tastes like a salad. 🙂
The bowtie pasta with cooked greens looks super delicious! Definitely need to make that for my family asap = )
Mmm..I love the amount of green in your meals! I totally agree about citrus fruits and oats not seeming like a good combination. I’ll have to give it a go now it’s had your seal of approval 😉 Congrats to your cousin on her awesome marathon time!
Wow! 1-arm pushups! Push-ups are so hard to do correctly, but you seem to have such a talent for it. Would you consider posting a video to show your audience proper form? Keep up the good work! You are such an inspiration.
I second this – a video would be SO awesome! You go girl. One arm pushups have always been a huge goal of mine and you have inspired me! Thanks Kath!
Your grits look good! Do you add anything to them when you cook them? I have some from a bulk bin that I keep meaning to make but haven’t gotten to it!
Salt and butter!
I cook mine with almond milk too! It makes I used half almond milk/half water for the amount of water called for. Makes them creamier!
Can’t wait for the recipes for EVERYTHING!!
While in Israel a few years ago, I was surprised and delighted to enjoy so many breakfasts where salads and even hummus was served. The basic Israeli salad involves tiny cubes of cucumber and tomato, with parsley and lemon juice and olive oil — I imagine you can add as much as you want to the salad and dressing, such as sumac, red bell peppers, etc. A healthy and hydrating start to the day, though I’m sure a bit too savory for some.
One-armed push-ups, wow! I can’t even do one real, only-hands-and-feet-touching-the-floor-nose-to-the-ground-push-up.
I’m confused about the timetable for your food and workouts – so you’re putting everything up with a two-week delay?
Yes it’s best for my schedule
I’m glad someone asked I was really confused too, haha. I was like, ‘Mother’s Day, whaa??’
The meals look delish as usual! I’m impressed that you drink (and seem to enjoy!) Kombucha. I bought a bottle once and couldn’t drink the whole thing. My friend brews her own and I’m hopeful that a home brewed ‘bucha will be better than store-bought. Best thing I ate last week was a kale salad w/sweet potato, red onion, cucumber and grass-fed beef. It’s my go-to meal!
Keep tasting around. The flavor varies a ton from brand to brand (or home!)
I have a salad for breakfast habit! I do a green (usually kale or spinach) topped with scrambled eggs, black beans, quinoa, salsa, and cheese! (Usually seasoned with some cumin and/or garlic). It’s filling and nutritious! It’s a salad, but it’s hearty….like a breakfast should be 🙂
Can I make a request that you include your snacks in future lately posts? I think healthy snacking is a great part of a well balanced diet, particularly for those exercising regularly so would be fab to get some inspiration in this area too. It’s hard sometimes for snack not to just reach for preprocessed, handily packaged items – particularly as they are heavily advertised..”Real Food” snacks need a champion! Breakfast and Snack are my favourite meals of the day!!
I need to do a whole post on a week’s worth of snacks. Just need to remember to photograph them!
I actually had salad for breakfast just last week. I was visiting my parent’s and my mom had made a big batch of her amazing corn salad the night before I left. I needed to eat it one more time, so I had a big bowl for breakfast the next morning. It was delicious!
I’m eating a salad for breakfast right now! Maybe I’m just weird but I’d rather eat a sandwich or a salad for breakfast than something sweet like french toast or yogurt bowls. I love those but I like them more as dessert than breakfast. Like I said I’m weird!! lol
I really admire the way you make exercise a priority every day!! I always get sucked into the park/zoo/library/museum with the preschooler rabbit hole and before I know it the day is over. 🙁 I’ll try harder next week! haha
I always love the pics of your scrambled eggs. They look so fluffy. Any tips? How many eggs do you use? Whenever I try to scramble, my pan gets really messy. Maybe its time for a new nonstick pan.
I crack them in a jar and add a splash of water and a pinch of salt. Then I put some butter in a pan over medium-high and use a spatula to move them around until they are allllmost ready.
One year, the only thing my garden would grow was kale, and it took over the whole patch. I wound up eating a lot of kale salads for breakfast: raw kale (sliced super thin), sliced orange, some almonds, and a handful of fresh fennel over the top. It was actually really tasty and a very refreshing way to start the day!
Believe it or not, the best thing I’ve eaten lately is a lasagna made from leftover Passover Matzo – Matzagna.
Yum! Your salads look delicious. I definitely start craving them more now that the weather is nice too. I had a salad for brunch the other day… topped with orange and grapefruit. It was a delicious and refreshing way to start the day.
Everything looks so delicious!!! I’ve been on a major salad kick lately (partly due to Whole 30 and a gradual shift to the paleo way of life… partly because everything is just so fresh this time of year!) but yeah…. can’t really get into breakfast salad. Though I put so many veggies in my omelets that I feel like it counts!
Hands down, the yummiest thing I ate this week was my homemade gluten free pizza (I eat gluten free because of celiac disease)! This was my first time using a pizza mix instead of a pre-made crust and it rocked these taste buds like no other! The sign of a great meal? When you eat the leftovers 4 days straight 🙂
http://caseythecollegeceliac.blogspot.com/2014/05/mastering-magic-of-gluten-free-baking.html
I agree–salad for breakfast wouldn’t work so well for me, but a green smoothie is doable! The best thing I had last week is split between a lemon pound cake my sister made (topped with fresh berries–omg) and a vegan “tuna” melt I made for lunch one day and had with crackers the next. It is now my new favorite recipe (using nuts, chopped veggies, kelp, relish and some other things)!
def not gonna try a salad for breakfast, although i do enjoy green juice first thing in the am!
The canned trout looks incredible!! Is it hot smoked or cold? Must try find some here! That shrimp bowl looks incredible!!! I can do greens for breakfast if they’re on the side of a slice of quiche, frittata or in an omelette!
I ate an arugula salad topped with two over-easy eggs twice this week and it was awesome, perfect for those mornings when it’s already HOT.
I love a good salad! However, I really look forward to bowl of oatmeal in the morning!
I need to try making grits with the rice cooker! Peaches are great now, so I had your peach dough boy smoothie yesterday. I discovered last year that i’s one of my favorite breakfasts EVER, so I’m excited that peaches are back in season!
Yay!
Turkey burger served on a pile of baby greens and topped with sharp cheddar, goat cheese, and deli mustard. Yum.
I do admit to sometimes having salad for breakfast – especially when it’s hot out. Many times it’s leftover from dinner the night before.
Kath – here’s an idea for adding greens to breakfast: this is my current favorite breakfast – I fill a salad bowl with any greens I have on hand (swiss chard is my fav – but kale/spinach or any combo will do – though I don’t use lettuces) – I drizzle a couple of tablespoons of salsa on top and then wilt in the microwave for a bit then top with a scrambled/poached or hardboiled egg (usually scrambled because it’s the quickest) and some avocado slices. Delicious! You could wrap in a corn tortilla or serve with toast if you like – but the combo of lots of greens/protein of egg and filling avocado fat fills me up nicely every time. 🙂
Loved seeing what you created this week instead of following Cook Smarts! This was a great post 🙂 So much more interesting to read than when you follow Cook Smarts.
Its pretty much the same thing as when Kath posts her Cook Smart meals… she describes what she ate and takes a pic. Both ways she makes delicious looking food!
Thanks Stefanie : )
I eat salads for breakfast all the time! I don’t really follow typical breakfast-foods, lunch-foods, dinner-foods. I eat whatever, whenever!