I am long overdue a post with some recent eats. I’ve gone all week without sharing any with you and there is lots of good stuff to share! I was training a client this morning and she commented that she was reading my blog and didn’t understand how I have time to put together the meals that I do. She said that after working, getting home and spending time with her son and getting him to bed, she doesn’t have time or the desire to be in the kitchen. My response to her touched on a few things.

1) A well-stocked pantry and fridge. This is CRITICAL for success. Lots of pantry staples like canned tomatoes, beans, rice, quinoa, spices, etc. and then a fridge full of a variety of fresh fruits, veggies and proteins.

2) I enjoy doing it. I get that some people just don’t like to cook. I have said this a million times before but it’s one of the most relaxing parts of my day to come home and prepare a nutritious and delicious meal at the end of the day. It’s a big part of my self-care ritual.

3) Keep it simple. If you really pay attention, you’ll see that my meals are pretty formulaic and simple. Most nights I come home, turn the oven on 400, open the fridge and take stock of what I have. I almost always roast the vegetables during the winter and I can usually cook (or at least finish) the protein in the same oven. If I’m doing something like roasted potatoes as I side, that can go in as well. Sometimes the whole dinner is in the oven! Other times I will sautee or cook elements of dinner on top of the stove. Generally, once I get everything going I can be hands off and go shower or catch up on email. There was a time when I loved trying new recipes and would menu plan a whole week’s worth of new recipes to try but I don’t have the bandwidth for that right now. You don’t need a recipe to cook the way I cook and I actually think it teaches you much more in regards to learning how to put flavors and textures together.

4) I eat late and I’m okay with it. I usually get home between 7-8 so dinner usually happens 8:30 or after. I am hungry when I get home so I usually snack on a little something while I’m cooking.

I would love for y’all to chime in if you have any tips for making dinner happen at the end of a long day. (Especially those of you with little ones!)

So, here’s what I’ve been eating this week.

Breakfast

Whole Foods Prairie Bread toast with peanut butter, fig preserves and bananas.

Green smoothie with a hunk of chocolate chip banana bread. I get asked sometimes if I have a banana-less green smoothie recipe and I inadvertently created one yesterday. I totally forgot to add the banana and didn’t notice til I was half way through!

Banana-less Green Smoothie

Frozen mango
Frozen pineapple
Coconut almond milk (or milk of your choice)
Spinach
A couple ice cubes
Plain Greek yogurt
Splash of orange juice

Lunch

This is a desperation lunch on Monday before I had a chance to go to the store. Quesadilla with avocado, scrambled eggs, black beans and spinach with salsa and plain greek yogurt. Clementines on the side.

The last of the chicken noodle soup (!!!) and a salad with toasted walnuts, avocado, goat cheese, dried cranberries, carrots, celery, artichokes and a maple balsamic vinaigrette.

Lunch out with a friend to discuss a photography project. Bibb lettuce with poached pears, candied walnuts and grilled chicken.

And a cup of tomato soup!

Dinners

Chicken stuffed with goat cheese, asparagus and prosciutto. I did not make this…it came out of the prepared foods case at a local store. I did cook it though! The stuffed chicken was amazing and the goat cheese was melt in your mouth good!

I served it with a mix of sauteed veggies including mushrooms, onions, squash and zucchini.

I met friends out on Wednesday night for food, conversation and wine. We started with this beautiful cheese and meat board.

And I had seared scallops with mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach. They were amazing…just check out that sear!

I have one more dinner to share but I’m going to do it in a separate post with the recipe. It’s a super easy and super delicious salmon that I made one night and is too good not to share with you!

Have a wonderful day!