What I Ate this Week: 9/24-9/30

It was an odd week here in Oxford, does anyone else agree? It was rainy and chilly and things seemed a little bit off. My housemate and I weren't sure what was going on until our fitness instructor at our Wednesday night tabata class mentioned that this week was the full moon. I normally don't believe in the fact that lunar happenings can affect our day to day life, but now I'm starting to. 

However, it might have given me the idea to start writing down the things that I eat each week and sharing it on my blog, as a way for me to reflect on my food choices and recipes. That way I can share them with you as well as keep them for myself for future reference. It always seems that I make a really killer recipe and then can never remember what I put in it. I really need to write things down. I hope you enjoy reading about what a typical week looks like for me, and I hope you can garner some inspiration from it for your week of eating as well!

Monday 9/24

Lunch: 

• Baby carrots
• Grilled cheese made with Soft Italian from Abbott Ridge Farm and sharp cheddar 
• Amy's creamy tomato soup. 

Dinner: 

• Cubed sweet potatoes, sliced onions, and sliced peppers tossed in olive oil and cumin, chili powder, and salt, roasted at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. 
• After 20 minutes, add a can of drained and rinsed black beans, tossed with olive oil and salt. Heat in the oven for 10 minutes. 
• Serve with rice and a lime wedge. Easy peasy!

Tuesday 9/25

Lunch

• Stuffed shells and green beans from Maple Street Commons
• Nutty Irishman latte from Kofenya 

Dinner

• Grilled chicken, quinoa, and edamame from Maple Street Commons
• Fruit Salad

Wednesday 9/26

Lunch

• Celery, carrots, apples, peanut butter, Babybel white cheddar

Dinner

• Steak night at Steinkeller's! A salad, 12 oz. NY strip, your choice of potato, and an onion ring for only $13.95. 

Thursday, 9/27

Lunch

• Big Papi latte from True West in Hamilton (cinnamon, brown sugar, and molasses- tasted like a ginger snap!)
• Italian Toast from High St. Cafe in Hamilton (two eggs cooked in griddled toast, topped with marinated tomatoes and red onion, mozzarella, and Italian seasoning 

Dinner

• Homemade pizza- Wewalka pizza crust (seriously life changing), homemade pizza sauce (strained tomatoes, tomato paste, olive oil, salt, Italian seasoning), fresh mozzarella and shredded mozzarella cheese, sliced red onions, cherry tomatoes, green peppers. Drizzled with olive oil and italian seasoning. We loved it so much we ended up making two!

Dessert

• Goodies from Almond Sisters Bakery in Hamilton- red velvet + oreo cake with chocolate ganache, brownie stuffed chocolate chip cookie, cherry wrapped in a brownie and dipped in chocolate

Friday, 9/28

Lunch

• Something simple after two huge pizzas and such rich desserts last night! Celery, apples, peanut butter, Babybel white cheddar, and Pop Chips barbecue chips. 

Dinner

• It was Family Weekend here at Miami so we took "family style" very seriously at Wild Bistro in Oxford. My boyfriend's family and I had crab rangoons, spring rolls, spicy chicken, chicken lo mein, sesame chicken, chicken with mixed vegetables, and hot pepper fish. 

Pictured here from top left to right: Hot Pepper Fish, Chicken Lo Mein, Crab Rangoon

Saturday 9/29

Lunch

• Family Weekend Tailgate- Kroger fried chicken, homemade pasta salad (bowtie noodles, diced carrots, diced red onion, white cheddar cheese, and Good Seasons Zesty Italian Dressing), and a multitude of sides and desserts (I was too busy eating to get any good pictures!)

Dinner

• 1 shrimp tempura roll from Sushi Nara for a snack and then a slice of SDS Chicago Style pizza for drunk munchies later in the night after a stressful Ohio State win!

Sunday 9/30

Lunch 

• Breakfast Buffet at Hueston Woods Lodge- bacon, eggs, home fries, fresh fruit and cottage cheese

Dinner

• I was just desperate to use my new Instant Pot (one of the best birthday gifts ever, I'd have to say) so my housemates and I whipped up Lentil & Brown Rice Chili.
• Using the saute function on the Instant Pot we heated some olive oil and sauteed diced onions and peppers until they were soft. Then added cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, and diced garlic and sauteed until fragrant. Next we added brown rice, brown lentils, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, diced green chiles, and salt to taste. We cooked it on high pressure for 15 minutes and then let it naturally release the steam for 15 more minutes. Topped it with cheese and voila! A healthy and delicious Instant Pot meal. Can't wait to try out more new recipes!

* A note on my eating patterns- for a while now I have been practicing intermittent fasting. I don't take it extremely seriously but it's something that I try to stick to for my overall health. Some days are different than others and I never let it influence my choices too much. It is definitely not for everyone and if you are interested in learning more, this is a great article that summarizes the research and explains what IF is. For me, it looks like not eating every day until 12:00 pm and finishing eating by 8:00 pm . It's easy for me because #1. I am not a morning person and #2. I have never been a consistent breakfast eater in my life, so I never feel like I'm missing out on anything and I usually don't get hungry until about 11/12 anyways. Also, I try to limit my snacking during the day. I always listen to my body to tell me whether I am hungry or not, and I usually try to wait until meal times to eat. However, if my body is telling me I am hungry and it's not just because I am bored or stressed or being social, then I will eat a snack that usually consists of a few crackers or fruits or vegetables or nuts.