This week has flown by like no other! I think I am happy about that, because that means Saturday will be here and I will get to relax with Ryan! We finally have ONE weekend to ourselves, one where we are not traveling, one where we can rest! I am looking forward to perhaps playing raquetball with Ryan and perhaps fitting in a nice brunch on a day that will hopefully will be super sunny. May I be hopeful and prayerful? Of course I can!
Yesterday proved to be another winner of a day. I decided to take on the next level of the Slim in 6 DVD series called Ramp It Up! Instead of 24 minutes of a strenous exercise, I decided to venture into 48 minutes. It was fantabulous! I have found out that I crave less when I have a good workout and then supplement my workout with a great protein smoothie. The fruit and vegetable of choice were:
- Kale
- Frozen mixed berries
- Frozen banana
- Chocolate almond milk
- vegan Peaceful Planet Rice protein cocoa-flavored powder
- water
- flaxseed meal
Indeed this was by far one of my favorite combos! It sustained me until lunch time a little past noon. This protein powder is probably the first powder that has not hurt my tummy as other products. It satisfies and refreshes me after a great work out.
When lunch time came around, I knew it was burrito wednesday for me, so I decided to mix up the following ingredient together:
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
- Black beans
- Whole grain rice
- 1/2 avocado
- red onions
- salsa
- Whole wheat tortilla
The results? A delicious, filling and healthy meal that continued to fill the protein craving. I thank God for being able to use the food I have at home to make sustainable meals without spending wads of money! Who is with me?
After lunch, Ryan came home ready to take a nap to replenish the lack of sleep the previous night. I quickly planned a healthy meal since it was Wednesday and one of Ryan’s rehearsal evenings. I decided that we had not had pasta in a while so I created a recipe on a whim.
Ryan asked me how I know certain flavors will combine. I tell him I imagine the flavors on their own and imagine them being together, hoping that I was right. I love doing that! I guess that is the chemist in me. When I took organic and inorganic chemistry in college, I loved mixing chemicals in lab. It is ingrained in me and perhaps a reason I still love working in pharmaceuticals.
Thus is my inspiration for last night’s meal. Pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, and edamame called out to me and begged to be made into a meal. The results were very delicious. The edamame was pureed with olive oil until they were combined. Once this mixture was mixed into hot pasta, the consistency was ALMOST like parmesan cheese. NO kidding, because Ryan agreed with me. The only thing I did for his meal, was season a chicken breast, and cut it into cubes to be mixed in the pasta dish. This meal took me 30 minutes, y’all! Enjoy this recipe!
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Edamame Pesto Rotini with Sun-dried Tomatoes
serves 4
2 1/2 cups dry rotini pasta
4 cups water
2 cups edamame, cooked
1/2 cup olive oil
6 roasted garlic cloves
10 green olives
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried basil, or 3 Tbsp fresh basil
3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (not in oil)
1/2 cup green olives, sliced
olive oil for drizzling
Add 4 cups of water to medium pot and boil. Add pasta and cook al dente according to instructions on box.
In a food processor, add cooked edamame, olive oil, garlic cloves,lemon juice, salt, pepper, basil, and green olives and blend well.
Drain water from cooked pasta, add 1 1/2 cups pesto to hot pasta and mix well.
Add sliced olives and sun-dried tomatoes to mixture and serve while hot.
