I am home from my yoga teacher training weekend Tennessee and happily settled in at home with Finn, Zoey and Benji. It was such an incredible weekend of learning. The days flew by and things were flowing so well that I felt like we could have gone for another 10 hours. Love this work so much.
I was missing Finn and the pups a little extra this weekend and it must have been a sixth sense because I got a text message from my dog sitter while I was teaching Ashtanga at 8a this morning that Zoey was not feeling well.
I scrambled to make arrangements to get her to the emergency vet and long story short, she has a skin infection on her right hind leg and into her groin area. It’s bothering her so much that she’s having a hard time going up the stairs. I was so worried and upset I couldn’t be there but she was in good hands. Zoey is on a hefty dose of topical and oral antibiotics and steroids for the next little bit. She’s also in a cone which is not her favorite but at least it’s a soft one and will keep her from licking the area so it can heal faster.
We have no idea what caused it. She’s prone to hot spots (common for goldens) and they seem to come on fast and grow quickly. I’m guessing that might be how this started but I just don’t know. Sweet girl, I hate this for her.
Switching gears, I have some recent eats to share in this post.
BREAKFAST
This is the breakfast I ate both mornings in teacher training. Chobani Less Sugar Greek Yogurt (one day I had the vanilla cinnamon and the other day the Willamette raspberry) topped with sliced bananas, this cherry vanilla walnut granola and a packet of Justin’s maple almond butter. It was my first time trying Perfect Granola (I picked it up at Kroger in Kingsport) and it was really good. The flavor was delicious and it has a bit of a softer texture to it. It’s also full of nuts and dried fruit.
LUNCH
I picked up a frozen Publix Greenwise quinoa blend a week ago that had squash, carrots, kale and sweet potatoes mixed in. It made for an excellent lunch salad/grain bowl when served with spinach, avocado, feta, pistachios and dried cranberries. The second day I had it I swapped toasted pecans for the pistachios. I topped it all off with my homemade honey dijon balsamic dressing. I would definitely buy this one again.
Chicken and avocado wrap from Au Bon Pain with tomatoes, cucumbers, romaine, basil aioli and lemon vinaigrette. This inspired me to bring more lunch wraps back into my regular rotation. I used to make them all the time. Remember my pressed wrap tutorial?
Butter lettuce (all about mixing up my salad greens right now) topped with chopped ham, avocado, strawberries, toasted pecans, goat cheese, dried cranberries and the same balsamic as above.
Turkey, provolone, lettuce, tomato and mayo on a sun-dried tomato bagel with a side of kettle chips. Love this bagel sandwich that I get from the bagel shop next to the yoga studio so much!
Salad with a mix of butter lettuce and spinach, hearts of palm, pistachios, avocado, feta, carrots, dried cranberries, cucumbers and a can of Blue Harbor salmon. Same balsamic on top (I’ve been on a kick with it for the last few weeks).
Quiche + salad is basically my dream lunch. I’ve also been craving quiche for a few weeks so it made this extra delicious. I walked down to The Mustard Seed Cafe with some of my TTs today on our lunch break and had a slice of spinach and cheddar quiche with their “kitchen sink” salad. Will 100% be eating this same meal the next time I am there. How in my 22+ trips to Kingsport have I never eaten here!? They also have homemade cakes.
DINNER
Grilled ribeye with sautéed mushrooms, roasted asparagus, an au gratin potato and a really yummy side salad with mixed greens, butter lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, carrots and a caesar vinaigrette.
Salmon sheet pan dinner with brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes.
Salad with butter lettuce, kalamata olives, carrots, pistachios, hearts of palm and creamy caesar dressing along with some air-fried spanakopitas from the frozen aisle at Whole Foods that I dipped in hummus. I also ate quite a lot of the mac and cheese I made Finn earlier in the night. These spanakopitas are really good, FYI!
Grilled shrimp, grilled veggies and couscous.
Homemade old-fashioned chicken and dumplings (must try!) along with a side salad.
Veggie burger salad with chopped romaine, cucumbers, hearts of palm, carrots, toasted pecans, feta and ranch dressing.
Panera You-Pick-Two is a staple hotel room dinner.
ETC
Ice cream from the hotel lobby.
I baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies. I tried a new recipe. Not my fave but delicious nonetheless.
And that wraps it up. It’s getting late (always takes me a while to wind down from these weekends even though I’m exhausted) and I’ve got to get rested up for a big day with my little guy tomorrow. I have to teach one yoga class but other than that I’m going to try to spend most of the day with him. I try to take Mondays easy after these weekends.
Alright friends! I’ll see you back for more this week and definitely give you an update on Zoey.
QUESTIONS
What’s your all-time favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe?
What’s your go-to fast casual restaurant?
Any recent Trader Joe’s, ALDI or Whole Foods frozen aisle finds to share?
Hi Jen! Wondering if you have any tips/tricks for dealing with hot spots? We have a golden and hot spots are the WORST!!!!
OMG, I wish I did but they seem to come out of nowhere and they are the worst. I just make sure that the moment I notice one I cut or shave the fur around it to keep the wound open so it can dry out and there’s no hair matted in it. And then I start using a soft cone so that they can’t get to it to scratch or lick. Zoey had one on her head last summer and she would NOT leave it alone. I swear, she wore a cone for over a month before it fully healed and the hair started growing back.
I have been making this recipe on repeat! Sweet and a little salty. I refrigerate for 30 minutes instead of freezing for 10. Gives cookies a better shape.
https://www.livewellbakeoften.com/small-batch-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Ohhhhh thank you so much!!! Sounds right up my alley!
Wow, all that food looks so good!! I loved your posts about TT when you brought baby Finn along, and how you would bring food to eat from your hotel, etc. Loved reading about how you organized it all. Your dog sitter sounds like a gem!! I’ve had dogs for most of my 50 plus yrs, and have never come across this skin condition. Glad Zoey is on her way to recovery!
Thanks Trish, doing that TT with baby Finn was such an empowering experience and I’ll never forget it! Looking back, I have no idea how I pulled it all off…creating the curriculum, writing the manual, 8 weekends of travel with a baby and breastfeeding, etc. It was a very special time of life and I’m grateful for it.
I couldn’t do all that I do without my dog sitter. She is wonderful and I rely on her so much. I don’t like boarding my dogs and I like having a dog sitter who stays at the house with them.
RE: the hot spots, they are very breed-specific. Some breeds are just so much more prone to getting them than others!
Poor Zoey, hope she feels better soon. I love the soft cone, helps make the best out of a bad situation. My favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe is the Thin Crisp Chocolate Chip Cookie by David Lebovitz. They are on his website. I also love using Guittiard Chocolate chips – they are the best!
Thanks Kristen! She is on the mend! I agree, the soft cone is a game changer. Zoey adapts to it really well, thankfully. I will check out this CCC recipe!
Poor Zoey! My dog has some skin issues, we found that using neem oil on any itchy spots helps them heal and prevents her from licking at them. Not sure if your vet has suggested that but it might be worth a try.
I think the recipe on the Nestle Toll House chocolate chip bag is probably my favorite! I usually do just a little extra vanilla extract and for some reason this seems to make everyone think that they are something fancy.
I love a Panera You-Pick-2! Panera, Zoe’s Kitchen and Corner Bakery are probably my go-to fast casual restaurants. Your quiche made me think of La Madeleine, too, which is a local-ish fast casual chain but they have really good quiche. I don’t go there nearly as often as the others, but every once in a while I get a craving for quiche and that’s where I go!
Thank you for the suggestion on the Neem oil. I’ve never heard of it and will check it out. I love that recipe too, sometimes I add an extra 1/4 cup flour to it. I love all of your picks for fast-casual restaurants!
What’s your all-time favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe?
The famous NY Times chocolate chip cookie recipe.
What’s your go-to fast casual restaurant?
Usually I’ll pop in at St. Genevieve and order some quick appetizers.
Any recent Trader Joe’s, ALDI or Whole Foods frozen aisle finds to share?
I bought the new Cuban-style Citrusy Garlic seasoning at TJ’s and it’s amazing. Also — if you like spicy food, the Spicy Mocha Rice Nuggets are great.
Katie – thank you for your responses! I’ve actually never tried The NY Times recipe and I need to. I also haven’t heard of these two things at TJs and I’ll look out for them!