Today for lunch I treated myself to Greens & Grille, the make-your-own-salad place around the corner from my apartment. I was bumming about Ryan leaving and craving some veggies so it seemed like the perfect thing! I built my salad with mixed organic greens, corn, caramelized onions, tomatoes, olives, carrots and grilled chicken breast with their aaaamazing kalamata olive dressing on the side. It was delicious and hit the spot! I love this place, I just wish it wasn’t so darn expensive!! I ate every single bite of this salad and used about half of the dressing you see here.
Then, I went to Whole Foods to do some grocery shopping. I’m planning my weekly meals around my new cookbook, “The Eat Clean Diet” by Tosca Reno. I stocked up on plenty of lean protein, nut butter and fruits and veggies to keep me going strong this next week at school!
And then…I laid down to rest for about 45 minutes. I rarely do this but I have just felt so sleepy all day after not sleeping well last night! I didn’t want to just go and get a coffee for an instant fix because then I knew I wouldn’t fall asleep tonight, so I decided to curl up with Dexter for a little while and take a cat nap. I don’t know if I actually fell asleep, but it still felt good to relax and rest.
And of course a snack!
This totally, without a doubt, hit the spot. Half a toasted Ezekiel english muffin with a big spoonful of almond butter. I relished every crumb. I’m planning on going to the gym in about half an hour and this was the perfect thing.
I think I spent my movie money on lunch today so I think I might just start my new book, “Water for Elephants” instead. It’s been sitting on my bedside table now for about two weeks and I haven’t had one chance to open it yet. I think tonight might be the night!!
C
August 3, 2008 at 8:15 pmThat salad looks awesome!
AshleyH
August 3, 2008 at 8:25 pmI loved Water for Elephants it is my new favorite book! Not because its excellently written or suspenful (until the end!!) but I just thought it was so different from everyother book I have read (and I love to read). I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. oh and the pictures in the book really make it come alive!!
Nicole
August 3, 2008 at 8:33 pmThat salad looks wonderful. I wish I had a restaurant like that close by.
jessica
August 3, 2008 at 8:56 pmi’m reading that book right now myself- so far, i really like it!
NjRunnerGirl
August 3, 2008 at 9:08 pmHey Jenna– Two quick questions for you… If you’re planning to follow the “Eat Clean Diet,” will you be trying to cut back on the amount of grains you eat, or can you continue to have bread, cereal, etc.? Also, do you have any thoughts on eating a nighttime snack versus not?
jenna
August 3, 2008 at 9:15 pmNjRunnerGirl,
I’m not strictly following that diet. I only bought the book because I thought the recipes looked really good and relatively easy since I don’t have much time to cook on the weekdays. I am trying to build more lean muscle mass and, with that, eating more protein but I’m not cutting down at all on carbs. The body needs carbs to function and if I don’t eat them I get bad headaches and don’t feel very well! I think eating a nighttime snack depends on the time you eat dinner. For instance, during the week I need to eat dinner at 5 so I can get to school. But the stretch from 5:00-12:00, when I go to bed is waaay to long not to have a snack so I ALWAYS have one. Even if I eat dinner at 7, I usually have something light around 9:00. But…like last night when we didn’t end up eating until 9:30, I didn’t need a snack. I’m a believer that one should eat every 3-4 hours….about 5-6 mini meals a day. This is much better for the metabolism. If I eat dinner at 5, I always have something at 8. Good night time snacks include oatmeal, yogurt, a toasted kashi waffle with jam and trail mix among other things…
ModelBehavior
August 3, 2008 at 9:59 pmI just love it when you post pics of your grocery shops, is it weird that I literally get a little high from looking at food/groceries or being in grocery stores???
NjRunnerGirl
August 3, 2008 at 10:11 pmJenna,
Tx for answering so quickly. One more quick q (ok, more like two) for you about alcohol… Do you find that having alcohol has an effect on your metabolism, weight or fitness? If so, do you try to limit how often you have wine or beer?
Foodie (Fab and Delicious Food)
August 3, 2008 at 10:12 pmModelBehavior ~ I love looking at food/groceries and one of my favorite things to do is go to the grocery store!
jenna
August 3, 2008 at 10:14 pmUm yeah. Alcohol has a HUGE impact. When I was in college and drinking 3 x a week (umm drinking a lot 3x a week) I was about 15 pounds heavier. I think it effects different people differently but for me, the second I have a drunken night, the next morning my face is very very bloated. I don’t really “try” to limit my intake just because my life is way to hectic to be drinking daily anyways and it just seems that I’ll have one glass of wine once a week now, which suits me fine. I would love to have a glass of wine daily but sometimes its unnecessary and does make me feel bloated in the morning. I save those crazy drinking nights (when I’ll have more than one or two drinks) for very special occasions such as weddings and holidays. Usually after I have one drink out, I’ll switch to club soda with lime.
Grounded Fitness
August 3, 2008 at 11:20 pmenglish muffin with peanut butter is my favorite snack. Cant go wrong.
http://www.everygymsnightmare.com
Jennifer
August 3, 2008 at 11:53 pmThat was a great book! I got it because I saw another reader recommend it, and enjoyed every bit. Have a lovely reading-in-bed evening– that sounds like a good idea…