the food is back!

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Thanks for playing along with me this week as I reminisced about my wedding + honeymoon.  I still can’t believe it was 2 years ago!  But now it’s time to get back to the food.  I’ve been a bit lazy about getting to the grocery store since I’ve been back in town.  However, I’ve been doing a good job of eating down the fridge + freezer + pantry.

Except for this meal!  Since Ann + I are single ladies until Tuesday, we have been keeping each other company as much as possible.  On Wednesday we had a sushi + wine night. 

I haven’t had sushi in SO long and it was SO delicious.  Ann swears Izakaya Den has the best sushi in Denver.  I would have to agree! 

We picked up our food and I plated it…we were not about to eat sushi out of styrofoam…that just seems wrong!

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Ann’s plate.  Rocky Mountain Roll [with smoked trout] + Caterpillar roll [eel + avocado]

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Lately, I’ve been wavering if I feel like eating fish or not.  When I think of sitting down to eat dinner and think about eating a large piece of fish, my stomach kind of churns.  Just as it does when I think about sitting down to a plate of meat.  However, it seems more appetizing in sushi.  I played it safe, in case I wasn’t feeling a lot of fish, and got shrimp tempura + a veggie roll.

THEE best shrimp tempura I’ve ever had.  I hate when you get shrimp in sushi and you can’t even tell if there is shrimp inside or just the crunchy fried tempura.  The brown sauce on top was completely amazing!  Wow…it was really good!  I also LOVED the veggie roll.  Agagin, hands down best veggie roll.  It was light + fresh + so delicious.  They added a few unique touches like romaine lettuce + asparagus!  It sounds weird but with the other ingredients and a complimentary dressing it was perfect!

SO good.

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Poor Ann had to wait while I took photos…and then I even made her pose with her wine.  My friends put up with a lot :)

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Starving + Thirsty + HOT [it’s been in the 90’s here!]

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Awhile after dinner, I introduced Ann to the goodness that is Banana Soft Serve!  I jazzed it up with frozen cherries.  She couldn’t believe it!  I made a small batch of Banana Cherry and another batch of Banana Chocolate Pnut Butter.  Yowza.  Such a good nighttime snack!

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We do not have central A/C and the poor doggies are HOT!  We do have a swamp cooler that we use to help keep things cool but it’s no a/c. 

Kenna looking like a mop!

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Friday morning Vegan Overnight Oats with Cherry Banana Soft Serve.  I know this sounds good, but for some reason it hurt my stomach today.  It did hold me over for a long time though and there is no way I can eat hot oats in the AM with this heat!

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I took yesterday off from working out but today I went for a 14m bike ride in 95* weather!  Can you believe me when I say, it wasn’t that bad?  There is such a huge difference being in an area with little to no humidity!  I mean, don’t get me wrong..it was HOT….but not unbearable.  I think running would have been much worse though.  At least with biking you always have the wind in your face!

Today’s exercise lineup:

  • 14m bike ride
  • foam roll
  • 3 sets of crunches + other ab exercises
  • 3 sets of pushups
  • Polly’s 10min Yoga for Runners
  • took the dogs for separate training walks ~1.5m total
  • happy hour with Ann :)

It was my first time doing Polly’s 10min yoga and I LOVED it.  It focuses on my 2 trouble spots…hips + hamstrings.  My hammies are horrrribly tight!  I thiiiink I’m going to sign up for Ashley’s 30 days of yoga challenge.  So count today as my first day!  I’m going to practice at home and look for free trial classes around where I live.  A lot of studios offer a whole free week! 

I made a refreshing + EXtremely delicious lunch.  I still wasn’t crazy hungry from breakfast + the heat!

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Oh, I also finally made it to Whole Foods.  Organic blueberries + strawberries were on sale…score!  I also picked up a loaf of fresh bakery bread that was on sale this week.  It was their Whole Wheat Flax + Fruit bread which is so so so delicious!  I have never seen it before but so glad I gave it a try.  It’s really hearty but very soft and not dry and it’s packed with dried unsulphured apricots!

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Fresh + Fruity Open Faced Samiches

  • 2 slices toasted thick + hearty bread
  • ~1-2T salt kissed cashew butter
  • jelly [I used crofters organic blueberry]
  • ~1/4c plain greek yogurt
  • drizzle of maple syrup
  • strawberries
  • blueberries
  1. Put Greek yogurt + fruit on one slice and drizzle with a tinnny bit of maple syrup.
  2. Spread cashew butter + jelly on the other slice + top with fruit.

This will be tomorrow’s breakfast! 

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The tiny maple drizzle was awesome.  And, can I mention that I’m completely obsessed with the salt kissed cashew butter!!!???  The first time I tried cashew butter, I didn’t like it.  However, after roasting + salting [before processing] the cashews I am totally sold on this nut butter.  Definitely try it out!

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Ahhhhhhhhhh…yummmm

I’m off to bed so I can get up bright + early to go to the HUGE Boulder farmer’s market.  I haven’t been there yet, so I can’t wait!!  I’ve heard it’s pretty amazing!

Night!

Ashley