Tenth Street Walk Out Atlantic Beach, FL – September 6, 2021Sand Art Atlantic Beach, FL – September 6, 2021Choppy Waves Atlantic Beach, FL – September 8, 2021King Tide Season Begins Atlantic Beach, FL – September 9, 2021It’s A Hell Of A Day At Sea, Sir Atlantic Beach, FL – September 9, 2021Passing Storms Atlantic Beach, FL – September 10, 2021Pink Skies At Night Atlantic Beach, FL – September 10, 2021Bloom Where You’re Planted, Tenth Street Walkout Atlantic Beach, FL – September 12, 2021
In The Gardens:
Upcycle Balcony Victory Garden, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – September 7, 2021Honey Nut Squash Upcycle Balcony Victory Garden, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – September 7, 2021Orange Bell Peppers Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – September 8, 2021Honey Nut Squash Upcycle Balcony Victory Garden, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – September 8, 2021Gateway Greens Moistenland Hydroponic Garden, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – September 9, 2021Snowball Cauliflower Upcycle Balcony Victory Garden, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – September 11, 2021 Guitar Case Greens, Honey Nut Squash, Red Bell Pepper, Celery, San Marzano Tomato Upcycle Balcony Victory Garden, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – September 11, 2021Eggplant Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – September 12, 2021Gatherer’s Gold Pepper, Orange Bell Pepper, San Marzano Tomatoes, Bumblebee Tomatoes Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – September 12, 2021Orange Bell Pepper Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – September 12, 2021Honey Nut Squash, Guitar Case Greens Upcycle Balcony Victory Garden, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – September 12, 2021
On The Streets Where I Live:
Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – September 6, 2021Palm Avenue Atlantic Beach, FL – September 6, 2021West Third Street Atlantic Beach, FL – September 9, 2021
Parks and Recreation:
Tideview Preserve Atlantic Beach, FL – September 7, 2021Spanish Pond Trail, Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve Jacksonville, FL – September 11, 2021Spanish Pond Trail, Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve Jacksonville, FL – September 11, 2021Lake Loop Trail Jacksonville Arboretum and Botanical Gardens Jacksonville, FL – September 12, 2021
Codee Cam:
Snuggle Bug Close Up Codee, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – September 8, 2021Watching The Waves Atlantic Beach, FL – September 9, 2021 The Ripple Effect Atlantic Beach, FL – September 11, 2021
On The Plates:
Roasted Cabbage, Sweet Onion, Golden Beet, and Chicken BreastPotato Cabbage Chicken Salad, Sugar Snap Peas, Gatherer’s Gold Sweet Pepper
The Town Line, Tideview Preserve Atlantic Beach, FL – September 1, 2021
On The Beach:
Rise and Shine, 10th Street Atlantic Beach, FL – September 3, 2021Rise and Shine, 10th Street Atlantic Beach, FL – August 30, 2021Sky Art Atlantic Beach, FL – August 31, 2021Sky Art Atlantic Beach, FL – September 4, 2021Sunset Storms Atlantic Beach, FL – September 2, 2021
In The Gardens:
Mammoth Sunflower, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – August 31, 2021Bumblebee Tomatoes, San Marzano Tomatoes, Gatherer’s Gold Peppers Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – August 30, 2021Gatherer’s Gold Peppers Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – September 5, 2021Eggplant Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – August 30, 2021
On The Streets Where I Live:
Painted Rock, Tenth Street Atlantic Beach, FL – September 3, 2021Neighborhood Love, Beach Blvd Atlantic Beach, FL – August 31, 2021Stop And Smell, First Street Neptune Beach, FL – September 1, 2021Stop And Smell, Beach Ave Atlantic Beach, FL – September 4, 2021Reduce Reuse Recycle, First Street Neptune Beach, FL – September 1, 2021
Howell Park Atlantic Beach, FL – August 31, 2021Tideview Preserve Atlantic Beach, FL – September 1, 2021Tideview Preserve Atlantic Beach, FL – September 4, 2021Jacksonville Arboretum Jacksonville, FL – September 3, 2021Fort Caroline Jacksonville, FL – September 5, 2021Public Art, Jack Russell Park Atlantic Beach, FL – August 31, 2021
Codee Cam:
Codee Coolin Off, Atlantic Beach Dog Park Atlantic Beach, FL – September 3, 2021“Are you sure this is okay?” – Codee Jack Russell Park Atlantic Beach, FL – August 31, 2021“Something doesn’t feel right here…” – Codee Atlantic Beach, FL – August 31, 2021
On The Plates:
Beet, Lentil, and Chickpea Salad; Mary’s Gone Crackers Super Seed Classic Crackers; Nancy’s Cultured Cottage Cheese; Mixed Spring Greens Yellow Bell Pepper, Grass Fed Cubed Steak, Coconut Milk Buckwheat, Parsley, Arugula, Blistered Grape TomatoesRaw Veggie Plate; Chicken, Cabbage, Egg Salad
Garmin Says:
Cardio Workouts – Atlantic Beach, FL August 30 – September 5, 2021
Color Pop, Sherry Drive Atlantic Beach, FL – August 29, 2021The Little Library Project, Ocean Grove Drive Atlantic Beach, FL – August 29, 2021
Parks and Recreation:
Up and Down, Howell Park Atlantic Beach, FL – August 29, 2021Water water everywhere….Codee’s Dream Come True Atlantic Beach, FL – August 29, 2021
In The Garden:
I am a little worried for the bitty San Marzano tomato seedlings I put in the garden today, but the oppressive tick of the clock has me throwing caution to the wind…literally. Fingers crossed, these little sprouts survive the end of summer heat. This section of the plot is shaded for a vast majority of the beginning of the day, so there is high hopes for them…That is, if the pests and afternoon storms don’t take them out first.
Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – August 29, 2021
On The Beach:
Atlantic Beach, FL – August 29, 2021
On The Plates:
To round out the 28 day gluten free, dairy free, no added sugar, real food challenge, I had some fried eggs on top of a lentil, beet, and chickpea salad with some greens from our local hydroponic farm, Atlantic Beach Urban Farms. Dinner was a quick cubed steak coconut wrap with some butternut squash, broccoli, grape tomatoes, and more of the yummy greens. So easy it reminds me of a song about Sunday mornings….
Simple Sunday meals are more normal for me than the big cooking projects that some people tackle over the weekend. On the road, Sunday is typically the longest and busiest day of the work week. My day begins at the theater at 9AM and usually doesn’t “end” until the show is completely packed back into the trucks which, depending on the venue, tends to be at around 4AM. I have gotten very good at bringing food for the duration of the “day”. While I still have a couple of months before I leave, the practice never hurts.
Cronometer:
There is a camp of the nutrition and wellness community that agrees that counting calories is a ridiculous endeavor and certainly not a way to live long term. For the most part, I am inclined to agree with them, but like so many other nutrition and lifestyle choices, it’s complicated and highly individualized. My personal take is that it helps to know some of the science and policy facts before you start doing it… For example, your microbiome and a slew of other factors like stress, sleep, and previous dieting experiences will impact the number of calories that you process and how you, personally, process them, ie. burn or store. While it’s true that you have to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight, calories in does not necessarily equal calories out. Even if the human body did act like a machine and not a complicated organism, nutrition labels can be as much as 20% inaccurate to begin with. When I look at it on paper, the reasons not to count calories far outweigh the reasons to count them.
So….Why Did I Post My Food Journals?
Here’s the complicated part…I still track AND I still encourage new clients to do it for at least a week. You have to have data to really know what works for you, your body, and your mindset. Tracking works for me, not necessarily because counting calories in an accurate science (it’s ABSOLUTELY not, in case that wasn’t clear), but because it forces me to be accountable for my decisions. I am more intentional about choosing to eat the right thing for my body, for the right reason. It also allows me to look for patterns in how I feel versus what I consume. Tracking urges me to be super honest about it all. My food diaries are not about judgement and “good” foods versus “bad” foods, but rather, a way to gather data. Thanks for helping to keep me accountable during my four week challenge.
Sky Art Atlantic Beach, FL – August 28, 2021Sky Art Atlantic Beach, FL – August 28, 2021
Painted rocks are huge in my tiny town and lots of people get into the game of leaving them for people to find! They are hidden or randomly placed around the town to bring smiles, mantras, and creative tiny creatures. I find them everywhere and, this morning, these guys were hiding under the pier. I’m always the most impressed with the rocks from the artist who painted the elephant, but for some reason the duck, especially stashed under the pier during this dreary weather, really brightened up the morning. Thanks for the fun, #abrocks!
Even the ducks are hiding from the storm… Atlantic Beach, FL – August 28, 2021Painted Rocks Atlantic Beach, FL – August 28, 2021
In The Gardens:
It’s time to start getting some plants in the ground over at the garden even though it’s still a bit early in the fall season. I am definitely going to run out of time before Dear Evan Hansen starts again, so I started to clean out the garden a bit. Typical me, I’m going to plant anyway because…well, why not? I considered not having a garden this season because I thought it might make it harder to leave, but I decided that I would rather make the most of my time off. Plus, it’s not like it could get any harder to leave…are you starting to sense that I am having mixed emotions about packing up?
Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – August 28, 2021Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – August 28, 2021Mammoth Sunflowers, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – August 28, 2021
About The Town:
While I I live in Atlantic Beach, technically speaking, my little bubble includes Neptune and Jacksonville Beach as well. We’re all connected in a strange government consolidation that happened in 1968, yet each town still maintains their own municipal governments… Let’s not go down the politics road yet, though…There are so many things to love packed into the trifecta of towns we call “The Beaches”, especially if you are into cooking and great food. Goodness knows, with four farmers markets, a natural foods market, and an urban hydroponic farm in the area, I really don’t need to grow plants for the harvest…which leaves me more time for sunflowers. 🙂
Penman Park Jacksonville Beach, FL – August 28, 2021Hydroponic Farm and Market Atlantic Beach, FL – August 28, 2021
Sweating It Out:
I fear that I might be getting a bit too comfortable kicking it at this pace, but I have increased my weekly mileage as I have decreased my speed. Plus, this feels right for right now and I think that’s what matters.
What I Watched:
Okay, this show came out last summer, but it is worth a revisit. You could blame it on my admiration for Reese Witherspoon, but this one is so much more that than. An incredible novel, Little Fires Everywhere, was made into an extraordinarily compelling, limited series on Hulu. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it.
On The Plates:
I haven’t made a big grain/legume salad in awhile, but I got out the big bowl this afternoon. Normally at the condo, I keep all of the components separate because I like to make something slightly different each time. This way, no one dish gets stale in the rotation, but during a conversation about meal convenience earlier this week, I was reminded that I am going to have to get back into my tour batch cooking ways soon. As a little practice, I put together some roasted beets, canned chickpeas, sprouted lentils, roasted zucchini, and some homemade pickled carrots and onions. I am also working my way through the jar of mayo that I made, so I whisked a little of that with some pickling juice to make something like a dressing for the whole thing. For supper, I put a couple of fried eggs on top of a big serving to bump that protein up.
Tideview Preserve Atlantic Beach, FL – August 27, 2021
You might think that after five hundred and thirty days of hanging out here in Atlantic Beach, I would be getting bored of some of my favorite places. Maybe it’s that the tide and the storms bring natural variation every day or maybe it’s that I split my focus between the view and the little dude or maybe it’s that I am hardwired to do the same show eight times a week. Whatever the reason, I can say that I am not the least bit bored with the views at Tideview and I hope you aren’t either.
Fishing For Lunch, Tideview Preserve Atlantic Beach, FL – August 27, 2021Codee, Tideview Preserve Atlantic Beach, FL – August 27, 2021
In The Gardens:
San Marzano Tomatoes and Honey Nut Squash, Upcycle Balcony Victory Garden Atlantic Beach, FL – August 27, 2021
Who else has had the pleasure of the honey nut squash on their plate? They can be tricky to find, but the small squashes were bred for a chef that was looking for a butternut squash with more flavor and less size….So, basically a honey nut squash is a concentrated butternut squash and they are super delicious and really adorable. You know, if you’re into that sort of “vegetables can be cute” thing like I am. I bought a packet of seeds last year and have had some limited success growing them on the balcony, but as I mention often, I grow things more for the entertainment than the yield…at the moment. Honey nut squash produce these bright, shiny blossoms that make me smile even if they never become squash. As a side note, I can’t get any variety of squash to survive in the garden, but I do have a few peppers holding on.
Gatherer’s Gold Peppers Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – August 27, 2021Codee Enjoying an Unexpected Snack Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – August 27, 2021
On The Streets Where I Live:
High Flamingos, First Street Neptune Beach, FL – August 27, 2021
Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach share a town line and they are similar in a lot of ways, but there is a little more of the funky beach vibe in Neptune. This particular little patch of front yard is probably my favorite along First Street. The owner is quite an artist about using recycled materials to scatter some fun into native plants beds. They also have wildflowers for the pollinators and a couple of other cute sculptures.
Recycled Flower, First Street Neptune Beach, FL – August 27, 2021Neptune Flower, First Street Neptune Beach, FL – August 27, 2021
Sweating It Out:
I love a quick walk down First Street. It’s a straight shot and there are so many people out running, walking, biking, and roller blading to help move you along. On the way back, a very pleasant older gentleman on a bike remarked, “Now THAT’S what I call a power walk!” While it was a bit startling, his encouragement was nice and reminded me that I hope to hear that same phrase during a load out again soon enough.
On The Plates:
Chicken twice in one day? Almost unheard of for me. 😉 Both meals were really yummy and pretty filling, though. Supper included Applegate Organics Chicken and Apple Sausage, spaghetti squash, roasted cauliflower and orange pepper, basil, olive oil, nutritional yeast and a dash of crushed red pepper. Dinner was shredded chicken breast with roasted eggplant, onion, and grape tomatoes. I threw a couple of over grown arugula leaves that I had on the balcony in there for a little brightness. To round it out and up my fat intake, I had a couple of servings of raw cashews. I also had an apple because I love a little sweet at the end of my day.
Cronometer:
Perfectly on that razor’s edge of the calorie goal for the day….Just the way I like it.
Garmin Says:
Stay safe and moving, y’all!
PS.
Sweet Dreams, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – August 27, 2021
This is Codee’s favorite park right now. It’s really great foe a few reasons, but mostly because there are squirrels to chase, an after school program that produces dropped snacks, and shade. Also, it’s right next to the garden so we go there pretty much every day. In addition to the Community Center, there are lots of amenities, like a really clean bathroom, so it was always one of my favorites.
In The Gardens:
Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – August 25, 2021
And, there is always some thing to see in the garden even in the heat of August. At the condo, the sprouts are popping, the eggplant has taken off, and some peas are coming in.
Eggplant, San Marzano Tomato, Cauliflower, Eggplant, Upcycle Balcony Victory Garden Atlantic Beach, FL – August 25, 2021Tom Thumb Peas, Upcycle Balcony Victory Garden Atlantic Beach, FL – August 25, 2021
On The Beach:
Love On The Rocks, The Cloisters Atlantic Beach, FL – August 25, 2021
It’s still warm during the late afternoon on the beach but there was an amazing breeze and, if you hide in the shade, it’s the best place to think.
Kisses From Codee, The Cloisters Pier Atlantic Beach, FL – August 25, 2021A Contemplative Happy Hour, The Cloisters Pier Atlantic Beach, FL – August 25, 2021
Sweating It Out:
I think it’s going to be a week of, primarily, treadmill time since the weather can be some what unpredictable. It’s not that I can’t run in tricky weather. I just love to use it as an excuse…too windy, too hot, it might rain, too cold, and on and on…All of it is BS, obviously, and I know myself well enough to know I need to work around it. I say it all the time because it’s true, the treadmill helps me limit my excuses. I started on the treadmill and it’s always a good place to come back.
What I Watched:
I know that this movie has a controversy and a larger story, but I really can’t tell you about it. What I can tell you is that I think watching Bob Ross paint is mesmerizing. I was really just lost in my own thoughts as he made all the landscapes come to life.
On The Plates:
Gratefully, my fridge is well stocked at this point in the week. I roasted an eggplant along with a couple of handfuls of grape tomatoes and a diced white onion the other day in the Ninja. For supper, I served it over mixed spring greens with a roasted Lola Farms chicken breast. Dinner was a variation on the dish of the month…Cubed steak with coconut milk buckwheat, roasted peppers, and zucchini. I know that quinoa has more protein, but I don’t care. I love my soaked buckwheat groats cooked in full fat coconut milk. The protein is why the grass fed beef is there, right?
Cronometer:
I wish I could fix the settings in this app to reflect my static calorie goals of 1500/5 days and 1700/2 days, but it is a good exercise in letting go of things that don’t matter. It’s not like the app is judging me for going over their daily limit…I mean, maybe it feels that way a little bit because of the red ”!”, but I digress. Rounding out the calories today were the standard green drink and dessert in a super weird frozen treat form that is not ready for sharing. I’m not really ready for it yet either since it’s a fall flavor profile, but I think I know how I need to tweak it.
A Crystal Clear Morning, 7th Street Atlantic Beach, FL – August 19, 2021
We had a great walk through the neighborhood to the beach this morning and Codee was super excited about pretty much all of it, especially whatever he found in the sand under the pier.
7th Street Public Beach Shower Atlantic Beach, FL – August 19, 2021Under The Pier, The Cloisters Atlantic Beach, FL – August 19, 2021Neighborhood Love, 10th Street Atlantic Beach, FL – August 19, 2021
Parks and Recreation:
Dutton Island Preserve Atlantic Beach, FL – August 19, 2021
I took a run out to Dutton Island in the early evening. It’s one of my favorite routes, but for whatever reason, Codee doesn’t ever want to walk the trail, so I thought it would be ideal to head out there solo. It was the perfect time of day for it, too. Of course, the mosquitoes agreed, so I was definitely motivated to keep the snapshots short and move along.
Dutton Island Preserve Atlantic Beach, FL – August 19, 2021Dutton Island Preserve Atlantic Beach, FL – August 19, 2021
Sweating It Out:
A little warm, but I loved it. I stopped a bunch to take photos and then to water the plants at the garden on the way back home. I almost always wear my Camelback vest and today I was especially grateful for it. I broke the resistance moves into two teeny tiny circuits today, one in the morning and one before bed.
Podcast of The Day:
Okay, obviously this podcast is a little heavy, but I can get into that every so often. This episode, in particular, was really personal for me for a lot of reasons. I love the conversation about the different faces of quitting…some things you quit because they are simply hard and some things you quit because they don’t serve you, yet we use the same word for both regardless if the outcome is positive or negative.
On The Plates:
After the standard brunch green drink, the meals accidentally resembled each other in palette and palate and a lot of that can be blamed on how deliciously ripe the pint of sun gold cherry tomatoes that I bought are. I can’t believe that I was able to restrain myself from eating the entire pint today, but I actually had to eat these ones because they likely won’t make it to tomorrow. I don’t put my tomatoes in the fridge, so when they are super ripe, there really isn’t any time to waste. These are like candy, so I didn’t want to wait. Okay, moving on. For supper, I had the sun golds along with salmon salad, Mary’s Gone Crackers Classic Seed Crackers, sugar snap peas, and arugula. Dinner was with baked chicken breast, Chickapea Linguine (it’s a brand, not a typo), cauliflower, green beans, and extra virgin olive oil.
Cronometer:
That’s what I call right on the razor’s edge of not meeting the goal…I am trying to stay under 1500 calories five days of the week and 1700 for the other two days. I squeaked in right under the wire, but it was a super yummy day. Those tomatoes….
Garmin Says:
Bumping my pace really kicked that calorie number up. Plus, it was really fun to run in the woods. 🙂
Happy hump day! Is that still a thing? If I had to choose a hump day on the road, it would be Friday. We’re typically settled in the city by that point and hitting the groove before a weekend of shows. They’ll be plenty of time for that madness soon enough, but around here, it’s still summer vacation. Codee’s path to fitness is not quite as quick as one might like, but he is showing significant improvements in his overall energy as we continue to drop the daily dose of prednisone. He’ll always be my food dude, though.
“So…this is not a food thing, then?”, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – August 18, 2021
I was reminded that I have to work on his manners when people come and go from the condo in a big way this morning. I had a contractor come to give me an estimate for some renovations and he gets worked up now when people come to the door. He calms down fairly quickly, but the whole process starts again if they leave and then re-enter his line of sight. He wasn’t protective before and he’s not in the least bit aggressive, but he is loud and it stresses him out a bit. On the other hand, it stresses me out a lot, but I remind myself that adding to his nervous energy is the exact opposite of helpful and take a deep breath. It’s a delicate line because, as I am sure you can imagine, I do, kind of, like that he responds, but we’re going to work on fine tuning it.
In The Garden:
Heavy Headed Mammoth Sunflowers, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – August 18, 2021
From ginormous flowers to tiny trees to naturally hideous kale plants, it’s a weird in between time in northeast Florida. I think the tallest of these guys has given it everything he has, though! I wonder if the massive amounts of rain that we have had recently just soaked the whole thing. Sunflowers are one of my favorite flowers, but when they get droopy, I feel like it’s sad for everyone to keep them around. Like, I should let the poor plant keep some dignity and go out with no one watching… Also, I am afraid that it’s going to come down during a thunderstorm unexpectedly. I don’t want any complaints from the neighbors about a 9’ sunflower blocking the driveway. I wonder if I’ll need my tiny hacksaw. Tune in tomorrow to see how I fold it into the Rogue.
Tiny Plants, The Condo Atlantic Beach, FL – August 18, 2021
I think if I can keep these guys alive through the heat, they might make it through the fall. The big pepper plants still have peppers on them, but the kale is in pretty rough condition, however, it is still growing new leaves and in my garden, that means hope. I think it’s growing back from the last big harvest in a really unique way. None of the other plants in the garden have side offshoots. I hope she makes it.
Lacinato Kale and Gatherer’s Gold Sweet Peppers Dig Local Communtity, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – August 18, 2021
Sweating It Out:
Feeling hot, hot, hot… I am grateful for the luxury of my treadmill for so many reasons. It’s a much better practice to spend some evening time on the treadmill than on the couch. The silver lining to living alone is that I can watch whatever I want while I trot along. To boost the calorie burn a bit, I held my 3lb dumb bells for four of the five miles.
Okay, I swear that I am not completely obsessed with Jason Bateman, but since they mentioned this movie on Smartless, I wanted to check it out. It’s entertaining, but I’d watch Ozarks again before re-watching this one, for sure. I definitely know people that have that seriously competitive spirit, though!!
On The Plates:
If it ain’t broke…the green drink brunch continues, but in some shocking news…today, I mixed it up and added some bonus cucumber. A co-worker of mine called it “crunchy water” one time and I think that it’s a much better name for them. I like to be fancy and buy the English cucumbers when they aren’t too soft. It often feels like I am the only one who eats veggies as a snack…I mean, I also love a pickle, but maybe it’s that the fresh cucumbers always seem so refreshing. Maybe, I don’t drink enough water. Does anyone else love to eat salted slices of cucumber? At the end of the day, I thawed some plums from a farmers market a few weeks ago that I had tucked in the freezer and I added cashews back into my life for the first time in four weeks. I missed them so much. Nuts are definitely my binge weakness though, especially since it’s really easy to lose count of how many I have had. I’m going to keep measuring, tracking, and for sure posting because that accountability really helps me make better choices. Thanks for that. 🙂
On to dinner. I had a Hot Chicken Arugula Salad with Chickpea Leek Squash Fritters. It sounds super complicated, but it’s not. I mean, it could be but it wasn’t. I added some Seite hot sauce to a cooked, shredded chicken breast that I had in the fridge. Then, I used what was left of my over cooked spaghetti squash and mixed it up really well with some chickpea flour, sautéed leeks, garlic, sea salt, and black pepper and tucked that back in the fridge alongside the mason jar of marinating chicken…is it still marinating if it’s already cooked?… hmmm… Anyway, they both joined the already roasted cauliflower that I cut into bite sized pieces. When it was time for dinner, I cooked the fritters in some avocado oil on the stovetop, chopped some celery, put the arugula on the plate, and piled on the chicken. I cheated and filled in a fake sauce because I thought it would look better and because most people have a ranch or blue cheese dressing that they like. I wasn’t in the mood for a dressing, but you should use one of those if you are.
Atlantic Beach Dog Park Atlantic Beach, FL – August 13, 2021
We had a little bit of time back at the Atlantic Beach Dog Park. When I first started bringing Codee here he didn’t know how to swim and he would jump off of this wall to run with other dogs…Of course, he would land in a sliding face plant, but he never seemed to mind. He’s way calmer now, but he still likes to be up high.
Atlantic Beach Dog Park Atlantic Beach, FL – August 13, 2021
In The Gardens:
Gatherer’s Gold Sweet Pepper Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – August 13, 2021Purple Tomatillo Sprouts Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – August 13, 2021
On The Beach:
I haven’t seen Codee jump in a long time…I really wish I had a video of it because he, absolutely, did NOT expect this guy to be alive!!!
Unexpectedly Alive, Codee and A Crab Atlantic Beach, FL – August 13, 2021Clearing Up Atlantic Beach, FL – August 13, 2021
Sweating It Out:
It was such a beautiful day that Codee and I spent most of it outside. He’s still not feeling the consistency, so I pushed the exercise part of my day into the evening. Not going lie, there’s something nice about just trotting along while you watch people bake epic desserts on TV. It’s, oddly,, very relaxing to me.
Podcast of The Day:
This is one of those episodes that I think is really good if you are just trying to dip your toe into the “health space.” The conversation is about taking an active participation in the regulation of your blood sugar. Like most things, there’s a product, but the topic of blood sugar balance and inflammation is relevant to so many people’s struggle to taking back control of their health.
On The Plates:
In the interest of posting a plate a day for this challenge, I give you a shot of my dinner, but it’s really not anything to write home about, so to speak. As my boss Buist would say, “They can’t all be winners, right?” It’s the end of the week and the farmer’s market is tomorrow and 10% off produce is Sunday, so this was a meal from the freezer. I had some overcooked spaghetti squash that froze a couple of weeks ago because I wasn’t sure what to so with it, so I mixed a bit of it into some quinoa and frozen peas. It gave it a bump of sweetness and maybe a few nutrients without a lot of calories. The veggie burger is okay, but not really anything exceptional and you can see that it was having a difficult time staying together. I had some harissa, homemade mayo, and balcony greens with it though, so that helped a lot. For 15 minutes of work, it did a very nice job even if it will never be a five star plate. The photography only got worse as the plates went on. I had peanut oatmeal scramble for dinner which is rolled oats, peanut protein powder, and eggs. I assure you this does not photograph well even under the best of circumstances. I added a couple of frozen plums because I could…I shouldn’t have. They were really yummy, but definitely didn’t help my artistic endeavors…Good thing food doesn’t always have to be beautifully plated to be nourishing and tasty, right?
Cronometer:
A little light on the protein side, but a pretty solid day in terms of the calorie and macronutrient goals.
10th Street Walk Out Atlantic Beach, FL – August 12, 2021
Good morning!!! What a glorious view, right? Now that I have been able to spend my second summer here at the condo, I have grown to love it more than I ever thought possible. It’s ridiculous to imagine that I found this little oasis by using the “Draw” function on Zillow. This leap of faith has worked out pretty well so far and, truthfully, I don’t even begin to take full advantage of what my town offers. Maybe that’s part of it, as well…I can, safely and happily, keep to myself around here and never get bored of the landscape and I am so very grateful for that, especially now.
A Busy, Late Summer Morning Atlantic Beach, FL – August 12, 2021
Codee likes a fair bit of distance, too.
Codee Coolin’ Down Atlantic Beach, FL – August 12, 2021
From sea to sea… No, I’m just kidding, but we did take a quick trip out to Dutton Island after the beach. I wanted to wander the woods for a few minutes, but Codee was more interested in the high tide.
Dutton Island Preserve Atlantic Beach, FL – August 12, 2021
And… a little reminder that love can be found wherever you want to see it.
10th Street Atlantic Beach, FL – August 12, 2021
In The Gardens:
Speaking of visitors and keeping company…You never know who might come by for a visit to the Pea Rack, which is really just an old closet shelf that a neighbor threw out, but the peas that I grew really liked climbing it…Anyway, it doubles as a place to hang my bag and meet spectacular folks like this creature…
Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – August 12, 2021
I didn’t edit anything about these pictures or change any of the phone’s camera settings before I took them and they were taken moments apart. Yet, it’s remarkable to me how they can seem like they were very different environments.
Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – August 12, 2021Dig Local Community Garden, Dutton Island Road Atlantic Beach, FL – August 12, 2021
Sweating It Out:
It was too hot to hit the streets today and it was a resistance training day off. An inside wog kept me on my goals.
What I Watched:
I really enjoyed her first special, Nanette, and this one did not disappoint. It is a really good thing that I was not actually running on the treadmill while watching this one. I definitely would have bit it a couple of times if I was. She is funny!!
On The Plates:
It was a day full of veggies. For supper, I had roasted chicken, chickpea spirals, broccoli and extra virgin olive oil. So simple. So yummy. I find that the key really is seasoning my food properly, but I am a veggie lover all the way. The chicken adds even more fantastically filling protein and tasty fat. The only thing that I actually cooked today was the broccoli and the pasta. Everything else that I had today was what most people would call, leftovers. I didn’t photograph dinner because it was just thrown together…not that this wasn’t, but I digress. I had some leftover steak, beets, asparagus, and tiny carrots from the garden, but it was not really a meal so much as food that I like in a bowl. I didn’t even heat it up… I ended the day with a natural sugar laden, tart and sweet, blended frozen pineapple and banana jar. I really don’t love the term “nice cream”, but I can’t decide what to call it….I sure do love them, though.
Cronometer:
I finished entering the last few things and I realized that I haven’t had this many calories in one day in almost two weeks. I’m totally a volume eater…as most of you know, but this can quickly morph into binge eating depending on mindset and how you want to define things… Anyway, it’s a pretty gray line, but today was not a binge. It was just so much delicious food! Three solid meals, including two meat based which is VERY unusual for me.
Garmin Says:
I’ll take middle of the road….not great, not bad. Solid and acceptable, though.
