Hi friends. Today was kind of the best blend of all the things I love most. The day started with getting Finn ready and off to preschool. They had spring pictures so I made sure he had a fresh haircut and cute outfit. 🙂
After I dropped Finn at carpool, I headed over to Metro to train a client. It wasn’t just any client but the second client that I ever trained back when I first started out in 2011. I used to train her in her uptown apartment gym and then she moved over to Metro when I landed there. We worked together consistently for a long time (6+ years?) and developed a friendship as well. We’ve both spent the last 5-6 years focused on our motherhood journeys and I was thrilled that the stars aligned for us to start working together again. It’s kinda been the best to be back to personal training – and I’m very grateful for the women who have chosen to work with me.
I went from the gym to the yoga studio and all was perfection there too. I got to meet my co-worker’s new baby. She’s four months old and wow – so crazy to hold her after toting my 40 pound, almost five year old baby around – haha. I taught class and then took my friend’s class. I left the studio for preschool pickup feeling so filled up to be able to do work that I love so much, and to be a part of such great communities.
Finn and I spent the afternoon baking cookies, walking/scootering with the dogs and playing in the back yard. I wanted to get some quality time in with him before he leaves for spring break with his dad.
I’ve now landed myself of the couch to write this post – the rest of which will be about what I ate while we were in Florida.
WHAT I ATE IN FLORIDA: BREAKFAST
Yogurt bowls with FAGE yogurt (one day was blueberry and one was peach). Topped with bananas, strawberries, raspberries, peanut butter and my dad’s homemade granola.
Cottage cheese scrambled eggs with mango, banana and strawberries.
WHAT I ATE IN FLORIDA: LUNCH
OMG my dad has a new sourdough technique which I must master and share with y’all ASAP. I love our original method but this bread is NEXT LEVEL! It’s high hydration and the bread is so spongy and moist. The sourdough flavor is on point. I can never, ever resist a sandwich on bread baking day so when my dad brought a loaf to us – I was all over it.
Salad with spinach, chopped deli turkey, avocado, beets, a candied walnut/dried fruit salad topper mix, chopped apples, feta cheese and Marzetti simply balsamic vinaigrette.
Ham + harvarti on honey wheat with mayo, mayomust and sweet pickles.
WHAT I ATE IN FLORIDA: DINNER
My dad almost always makes quiche if our flight has an evening arrival time. It’s easy to hold and a crowd-pleaser. I will never complain about quiche! This was ham and cheese. We had a salad on the side.
On the second night of our trip, he tried a new recipe. We had garlic shrimp and white beans. The recipe was from Bon Appetit.
He served it with sourdough toast and a caesar side salad. The toast was perfect for dipping into the white bean mixture.
The next night we went out to dinner at our favorite local seafood spot – Stewby’s. I had a grilled mahi sandwich with tarter sauce and coleslaw on the sandwich. It was crazy delicious and this will be my new go-to order at Stewby’s. I love a good fish sandwich! On the side was fried okra and hushpuppies.
Okay, this is a beef and eggplant stew that my dad made in the Instant Pot. I do not have an Instant Pot so any recipe made in it is new and different for me. Still kind of can’t get over the steam release at the end of cooking. I wonder if I need another appliance and if I can figure the whole process out. He tells me I need one, if only to cook rice but IDK.
About the actual dinner…this is the closest recipe I can find. We had ours served over pasta which worked well but I can see it being great over couscous or rice too.
My dad was going to make grilled chicken thighs and homemade mac and cheese the last night of our visit but I convinced him that we had tons of leftovers. He grilled the chicken thighs anyway because they needed to be cooked and then everyone fended for themselves. I made a chicken + rice bowl with avocado, cheese and ranch.
ETC
If I’m going to drink a soda, it’s going to be Coke Zero or ginger ale. This was my plane snack on the way down to Florida. Finn had a sparkling water and Biscoff cookies.
I think Publix makes the best cookies and cream ice cream. Let me tell you that it’s even better topped with peanut butter and chocolate sauce. 10/10 recommend.
That’s all for me! 🙂
QUESTIONS
Which of the dinners would you most like to dive into the screen at eat?
Do you have an Instant Pot? Thoughts?
Favorite kitchen appliances?
100% agree with your dad about cooking rice in the Instant Pot!
Okay, good to know! Y’all are selling me on this!
That ice cream combo… a must try for this sweet tooth.
But also, the shrimp and white bean meal looks amazing! I love how adventurous y’all are with meals! It looks like you and Finn had such a wonderful time in Florida!
I have an instant pot and it’s been in the box for 3 years, never once used . I have heard great things and how easy it is to use, but I much prefer the air fryer and base meals around that appliance!
Yes, you’ll love the ice cream combo. My dad is great about rotating new recipes in with tried and true faves. I love my air fryer too! I use my Ninja Foodi Oven every single day for one thing or another.
Always love these posts about food, so much inspiration. I use my instapot at least 3 times a week sometimes more and we have 2! My husband loves it as well. We do beans, rice, stews, all sorts of meats including venison, beef, and pork. I do bone broth in it as well. We do collard greens, sweet potatoes, and beets. If I could only have one kitchen appliance it would be the instapot. 100% agree with your dad! Thanks again for sharing!
Yay! I’m glad you find them helpful Jessica! You are really selling me on the Instant Pot! I might have to give it a try!!!
Yes Publix makes the best ice cream and now you’ve given me an idea on how to eat our favorite cookies n cream! Another favorite is moose tracks, big bites of chocolate and peanut butter pieces!
Okay, definitely picking up the moose tracks next time!!!
All your meals looked wonderful but your dad’s garlic shrimp and fresh bread really grabbed me! Favorite kitchen appliance would probably be my fast-boiling kettle as I drink 2.5 litres of hot water daily. Also love my large Le Creuset, as I use it about twice a week to bulk cook.
P.S. I made your dad’s granola on Wednesday and just loved the texture of it. I am going to make it again without the sugar (just honey) as it was a bit too sweet for me. Thank you and him for sharing it ☺️
I love making hot tea but I always warm my water in the microwave. I like the idea of the kettle. Can you tell me more about why you drink hot water? And yes, the large Le Creuset is AMAZING! Love mine too.
Glad you liked the granola recipe – LMK how it turns out without the brown sugar.
I’ve been working on adding more beans to my diet, so I’m going to make that white bean and garlic dish tonight.
I use my Instant Pot mostly to make beef and stew dishes. A corned beef brisket takes 75 minutes (then I let the steam release naturally which you’re supposed to do for meats), I can make beef stew with frozen meat in an hour, I’m going to try short ribs in there, too.
I hope you liked the white bean dish! I think white beans are my most favorite type of bean. So good and creamy.
I could totally see where an Instant Pot would be ideal for beef dishes. Also – I LOVE corned beef! (And short ribs!)
InstaPot is excellent for hard-boiled eggs.
Haha. Meant Instant Pot!
Ohhh I have heard that! I might have to break down and get one!