Happy first Friday of 2018!
It has been SO cold here this week but my girls could care less. When I put them out, I have a hard time getting them back in. They find spots all over the yard to lounge and sunbathe. Crazies! (I hung out of my bedroom window to take this photo.)
Related…we have so many deer in our neighborhood and I worry about them so much. Are they cold?
Also related, when I was in Portland with Under Armour they gave me this jacket and I both eternally grateful and also obsessed. I think it’s the warmest coat I’ve ever owned and I’ve been wearing it every time I leave the house here recently.
It’s a three-in-one jacket and can function as a shell only, a fleece only or both. The shell is windproof and water resistant and uses the ColdGear technology for warmth. The fleece is “extreme” ColdGear and super warm and soft. Together they keep me very warm and happy. I also love the generous hood that doesn’t fall down. The best news? It’s on sale $50 off right now so if you’re cold and need a good coat, order it! I got the small for reference.
I will now stop talking about being cold because I know many of you have it much worse right now! I am thrilled about the 50 and 60 degree weather in our forecast for next week, even if it’s going to be raining!
How about we chat food?
BREAKFAST
I’ve been on quite the oatmeal kick lately. This bowl of pear and cranberry oatmeal was super delicious!
One morning I had a smoothie but it was after I taught an early hot yoga class and took a hot shower. I wore a hoodie while I ate it and sat at my desk with a space heater next to me blasting on my face and a heating pad under my butt. Haha. To be fair, the downstairs of our house, especially my office, IS FREEZING. Oh and top of the smoothie bowl is Cascadian Farm Organic Graham Crunch.
Banana egg white oatmeal. I posted the recipe on Instagram. Thanks to Tanner for the pretty placemats. For the last few years for Christmas he’s gotten me a big stack of various placemats for food photography! They are from World Market.
LUNCH
This is the only lunch photo I took this week but it was a good one. Arugula, pears, pecans, cranberries, avocado, pan-roasted chickpeas, artichoke hearts, yellow cherry tomatoes and Trader Joe’s Almond Butter Turmeric dressing.
DINNER
Also slacking on the dinner front as I had not a lot of motivation to cook this week. One night it was a frozen BBQ chicken pizza from Whole Foods.
My favorite dinner of the week was homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese.
And finally an arugula salad with blueberries, artichoke hearts, yellow cherry tomatoes, dried cranberries, avocado and pecans with a side of pan seared salmon. I wish I could say this was delicious but I choked down the salmon. Oh pregnancy. Should have gone for another grilled cheese and tomato soup. 😉
ETC.
Still eating all the pineapple. I think I ate half of one yesterday.
And grateful for a Sunflour morning glory muffin that I stashed in the freezer a few weeks ago. It was a great treat one afternoon this week with a cup of coffee. FYI – they shared the recipe with Julie and she has it on her blog!
My dad made a carrot cake for New Year’s Day dinner so I’ve now been craving it all week long. My goal this weekend is to either bake some carrot cake cupcakes or to find a slice somewhere. The thing is I’m picky about my carrot cake and haven’t found many places in Charlotte that I like. If you’re local, and have a recommendation, send it my way! 🙂
Favorite cold weather foods? Did anyone else eat grilled cheese and tomato soup this week?
What are your favorite oatmeal mix-ins and toppings? Give me some new ideas!
Do your dogs like the cold?
The only seafood I’ve been able to eat during this pregnancy so far is canned tuna! Shrimp, salmon, etc. just aren’t doing it for me right now 🙁 These food aversions are so weird!
I don’t normally love the food at Village Tavern but they have a delicious and warm carrot cake!
Have you ever been to that little farmers market next to CMC hospital? In a little small house? They had Beverly Gourmet Food carrot cupcakes there yesterday and that looked so good!
The deer are fine! If the can survive up here in Canada in the -30 Celsius, they should be just fine! Bless your heart for worrying though – one of the sweetest things I’ve read tis week.
Laurel Market carrot cake is amazing!
OMG yes to pineapple! I buy it at Costco for $2.00 and it is so good! I have been adding it to smoothies and yogurt bowls. DELICIOUS! Stay warm friend…XOXO
Whole Foods for carrot cake! Not sure if they sell individual slices, but we have gotten a cake numerous times for work events and everyone always RAVES about it.