Go figure that the one day that I can sleep until 8 a.m. I wake up at 6:30. Despite not going to sleep until almost 12:30 on Saturday night, I was wide awake early on Sunday morning. The next thing I knew I was making a pot of coffee and pre-heating the oven to bake a cake. Isn’t it totally sane to bake a cake at 7 a.m. on Sunday as you down black coffee in large quantities? My 9:15 yoga class got me in rare form.
I didn’t just bake any cake but a Vegan Chocolate Avocado Cake with Avocado Buttercream. What can I say? I’m trying to get creative with my huge avocado stash. This cake is surprisingly amazing and I’ll be posting the recipe later this week.
Breakfast in the midst of the baking frenzy was a bowl of oatmeal with bananas, blueberries and strawberries. Actually, this ended up being not appetizing at all and didn’t sit well. I think I ruined my breakfast appetite with chocolate cake batter samples. Oopsie.
I was craving something savory for lunch so I made a hybrid salad/quinoa bowl. Mixed greens topped with leftover quinoa that was cooked with mushrooms, onions and tomatoes. I added more tomatoes, red pepper, avocado and goat cheese and then finished it off with balsamic vinaigrette.
I wasn’t feeling my normal Sunday afternoon yoga class so I headed over to the gym instead to run and lift. I warmed up with a couple of miles outside and then came in and did three rounds of the following circuit:
– Pull ups (band assisted) – 12 reps for rounds 1 and 2, 15 for round 3
– Barbell back squats – 20 reps for rounds 1 and 2, 25 for round 3
– Ring dips – 12 reps for rounds 1 and 2, 15 for round 3
– Overhead walking lunges (carrying two stacked 10 lb plates overhead) – 12 steps down and back for rounds 1 and 2, 15 for round 3
– Stability ball chest fly (with dumbbells) – 12 reps for rounds 1 and 2, 15 for round 3
– Stability ball crunch – 20 reps for rounds 1 and 2, 25 for round 3
– Stability ball knee tucks – 20 reps for rounds 1 and 2, 25 for round 3
The circuit took about 20-25 minutes once I had everything set up and it felt like a good total body workout.
I had to rush to the studio from the gym for a teacher meeting and then it was home to prepare a Sunday dinner feast!
Appetizer was a steamed artichoke served with a dip made of light mayo, plain yogurt, lemon juice, salt and worcestershire sauce.
Sullie supervised the meal prep.
Dinner turned out so well! I tried a new recipe from Canyon Ranch: Nourish (highly recommended cookbook) and made Beef Tenderloin with Tomato Bleu Cheese Salsa. I splurged on really good beef and high-quality blue cheese and the combination was wonderful. I roasted potatoes with fresh herbs, salt and pepper on the side along with some farmers market zucchini. I love cooking and feeding people good food! 😀
Of course I had to serve the chocolate avocado cake for dessert…with a scoop of ice cream for good measure (thus making it non-vegan but when you serve steak for dinner…does it really matter?). It was a hit!
Monday motivation…
Make it an awesome week! Be confident, proud and happy!
oh my gosh that looks yummy! wish I had been at your house Sunday morning for some of that cake! 🙂
That cake looks super moist. Yum! I really like the chocolate + avocado combination. I make chocolate chip avocado muffins that are lovely.
I love avocado and all… just in guac form 😉
I am SO impressed with your creativity involving that cake…. Can’t wait to see the recipe!
Holy wow that tomato bleu cheese salsa looks amazing on the tenderloin. I’m a cookbook collector – def checking out Canyon Ranch! And I can’t wait for the recipe on the avocado chocolate cake. The frosting looks Dr Seuss-ish! Love it!
I baked today as well 🙂 I love baking! really looking forward for your recipe!!!
Proud, happy, and confident perfectly describes my weekend! I was definitely telling myself to run my own race on Saturday, and finished with tears of joy. I love how appropriate your Monday motivation is for me today!
Whoa! Avocado + chocolate + cake = heaven
Hmm this all looks so good, especially the cake!
Love that quote! Haha, I also was baking yesterday but at 8 in the morning. And what a coincidence my recipe contained avocado too!!! Well, I made 3 recipes, but one of them did.
That cake looks soo yummy! 🙂 Can’t wait for the recipe!
I love the quote, Jen! Thank you for inspiring me – as you always do when I read your blog. Your steak + cake looks magnificent!! Wishing you a wonderful week ahead as well! XO
I’m excited for this cake recipe!! I wan’t to bake it for mother’s day!
Avocado buttercream? Yum!
Thanks for the great quote! It immediately went on my FB page.
Oh my goodness that steak looks heavenly! I need to make that blue cheese salsa, my boyfriend would love that. And I love the Monday motivation- exactly what I need this week! xoxo
That cake looks interesting! I saw a recipe for chocolate avocado pudding the other day. I was skeptical but I love both chocolate and avocado. Next time I have a bag of avocados I will have to try one of these recupes.
Hi Jen, I honoured you with The Versatile Blogger Award! You are such an inspiration with your journey that if I omitted you it would be a crime 😉 Thank you so much for all what you do and for your positive energy!
Until seeing this post I totally forgot my boyfriend had his first taste of vegan chocolate cake while in NYC recently and loved it! I can’t wait to see the recipe for yours this week so I can try to bake one at home!