Good morning! Today’s post is pretty different but I’ve been trying to give you guys more of the content that you actually want to read 🙂 Back in the beginning days of blogging, there used to be a thing called “What I Ate Wednesday” where food and fitness bloggers would write a diary-style post going through their day and everything they ate. I don’t know why, but I always found those posts SO interesting and enjoyable to read, and on top of it I walked away with so many different meal ideas! So, I picked a random day last week, kept track of everything I had to eat that day and brought my camera along for the ride 🙂
Let’s get started!
7am:Â I’m feeling particularly tired this morning and the very first thought in my head when I wake up is, “I need caffeine!” I walk into the kitchen and turn on my espresso maker, and while it’s waiting to heat up I take Winnie outside. When I come back inside, it’s ready to go, so I grind the coffee beans, extract the espresso and froth some unsweetened, vanilla almond milk to make an almond milk latte. Â I also add in a pump of organic vanilla syrup to make it a little sweeter! I have a few important emails that need answering, so I sit down at my kitchen counter with my computer and sip my latte. I also grab a pack of Trader Joe’s raw, whole almonds from my pantry to snack on. I have a hard workout planned this morning and I don’t want to eat anything too heavy beforehand.
8:30am: I’ve just finished my workout (sometimes I go to the gym, but today I’m short on time so I worked out in our upstairs family room), and it’s time to eat a real breakfast! It’s going to be a long day and I want something hearty and filled with protein since I just worked out, so I decide to make my go-to pancakes (you’ve probably seen them on Instastories or in my old blog posts!). I’ve started adding a little bit of my protein powder to the batter on days that I work out and I’m actually amazed how good they taste – JUST like chocolate pancakes – but with so much protein! Here’s the updated recipe:
4-Ingredient Protein Pancakes
Ingredients:
– 1 banana
– 2 eggs
– 1 scoop of chia seeds
– 1/2 scoop of protein powder (I use this one)
– 1/2 scoop of protein powder (I use this one)
Instructions:Â
1. Blend the banana, eggs, chia seeds and protein powder in a blender until well mixed.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Working in batches, drop small portions of batter onto the skillet and cook until golden brown, 1-2 minutes per side.
3. Stack all of the pancakes on a plate and add berries. You can also add a little bit of maple syrup but they’re so good that you don’t really need any!
12:30pm:Â My mom is in town and we’ve been taking blog photos all morning, and one of our shooting locations happens to be right beside Whole Foods, so we stop in to get lunch from their hot bar! On this particular day I fill my plate with kale, mashed sweet potatoes, roasted carrots and tofu (I don’t really like tofu but they were out of grilled chicken, what I usually get!). For lunch, I always try to eat a lean protein and a few servings of vegetables.
4pm: My mom just left to drive back to Charlotte, so I make myself a green tea (with caffeine) to help me power through the rest of the afternoon. We took a bunch of blog and Instagram photos so I plan to spend the rest of the day editing them! While I’m working, I reach for a spoonful of this North Shore Goodies peanut butter and a handful of strawberries and blueberries. I have to rave about this peanut butter for a minute – ALWAYS look at the ingredient list on your peanut butter because many brands contain artificial flavors, sweeteners and chemical preservatives. This North Shore peanut butter only has two ingredients (peanuts and coconut) and is the BEST tasting peanut butter I’ve ever had in my life!!! (I also like eating it with an apple or on top of oatmeal.) I order it online in big batches!
7pm:Â Dinnertime! I’m trying out a new recipe tonight and I think Chris is going to like it – Mexican-style spaghetti squash boats. I like to get creative with our dinners and make them both healthy and “man-approved” so that Chris is happy too, haha! I start making dinner around 7 p.m., but I didn’t realize that the squash needs to cook in the oven for 50 minutes – yikes. I’m starving so I snack on some slices of bell pepper while I cook. Finally dinner is ready around 8 p.m. and we dig in. Chris and I both LOVEEEEEE this dinner and we agree to add it in to our weekly rotation! There are a lot of leftovers so I put them in a tupperware – they’ll be great on top of a salad for tomorrow’s lunch. For dessert, I have a bowl of Halo Top ice cream in the birthday cake flavor.
Mexican-Style Spaghetti Squash Boats
adapted from this recipe
adapted from this recipe
Ingredients:
– 1 medium spaghetti squash
– 1 TBSP olive oil
– 1 white onion, chopped
– 2 garlic cloves, minced
– 1 red pepper, chopped
– 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (if you don’t like spicy foods, you can either remove the seeds or remove this ingredient altogether!)
– 1 can corn, drained and rinsed
– 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
– 1 pound lean ground turkey
– 1 packet of taco seasoning
– 1 TBSP chili powder
– shredded cheese, cilantro, salsa and Greek yogurt (for toppings – all optional!)
– 2 garlic cloves, minced
– 1 red pepper, chopped
– 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (if you don’t like spicy foods, you can either remove the seeds or remove this ingredient altogether!)
– 1 can corn, drained and rinsed
– 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
– 1 pound lean ground turkey
– 1 packet of taco seasoning
– 1 TBSP chili powder
– shredded cheese, cilantro, salsa and Greek yogurt (for toppings – all optional!)
Instructions:Â
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the spaghetti squash in the oven on a baking sheet (cut side up) and cook for 45 to 50 minutes.
3. While the spaghetti squash is cooking, heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Throw in the onion and garlic, cooking until slightly browned.
4. Add in the red pepper and jalapeño pepper, cooking for another 3 to 5 minutes. Store in the corn and beans.
5. In a separate pan, add the ground turkey, taco seasoning and chili powder. Cook until the meat is browned and no longer pink, then add to the cooked vegetable and pepper mix.
6. Remove the spaghetti squash from the oven, cut in half and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Loosen up the rest of the ‘spaghetti’ with a fork.
7. Scoop the veggie/turkey mixture into each squash boat and top with cheese (optional). Place in the oven on low broil for 3-4 minutes until slightly browned.
8. Top with cilantro, Greek yogurt, salsa or your favorite toppings!
2. Place the spaghetti squash in the oven on a baking sheet (cut side up) and cook for 45 to 50 minutes.
3. While the spaghetti squash is cooking, heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Throw in the onion and garlic, cooking until slightly browned.
4. Add in the red pepper and jalapeño pepper, cooking for another 3 to 5 minutes. Store in the corn and beans.
5. In a separate pan, add the ground turkey, taco seasoning and chili powder. Cook until the meat is browned and no longer pink, then add to the cooked vegetable and pepper mix.
6. Remove the spaghetti squash from the oven, cut in half and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Loosen up the rest of the ‘spaghetti’ with a fork.
7. Scoop the veggie/turkey mixture into each squash boat and top with cheese (optional). Place in the oven on low broil for 3-4 minutes until slightly browned.
8. Top with cilantro, Greek yogurt, salsa or your favorite toppings!
9pm: I just finished my blog post for the following day, so it’s time to relax and get ready for bed. I love drinking tea at night to help me wind down… I have a couple of different flavors that I rotate between every night, but lately I’ve really been loving this organic Nighty Night tea by Traditional Medicinals. I also run a bath with epsom salts (my muscles are already sore from my workout this morning!) and drink my tea in the bathtub to help relax before bed.
If you have any questions (or if you want to see more of these posts) let me know in the comments!
xoxox
SHOP THE POST:
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I see you eat really healthy!
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
http://www.dressedwithsoul.com
Wow those mexican style spaghetti squash boats look delicious! Definitely pinning that for dinner ideas 🙂 I find these posts are interesting to read too!
Amanda @ Cupcake N Dreams
This was so interesting! Your food looks so delicious!
Happy Tuesday!
Michael
https://www.mileinmyglasses.com
Great post! So healthy.. and that dinner looks amazing!! 🙂 Yum!
XO, Katie | http://www.meshkomoments.com
How do you keep your teeth white and keep it not staining with the coffee and tea that you drink all day? I have to rotate between tea and coffee daily because my teeth get stain so easily.
Drink with a silicon straw daily and do whitening strips or oil pulling once a week, hope this helps. xoxo
I LOVED this post! yes, please do more of these. I can't wait to make that dinner you suggested. xoxo
Hey Angga! Every time I drink coffee or tea I brush my teeth right after and that helps TREMENDOUSLY! Especially if you use a whitening toothpaste!
Thank you ladies! Will definitely brush more and try the oil pulling.
Please do more of these posts 🙂 Can't wait to try out the breakfast idea!
I always enjoy seeing what people eat during the day.
http://www.amysfashionblog.com/blog-home/
I love posts like these! I don't know why either but I love seeing what people eat throughout the day!
Loved reading this! Keep doing them! I enjoy how they're detailed but also as brief as they could be. 🙂
Love this post – I honestly love posts like this too. So interesting to read what people eat in a day! I would love to see this be a consistent monthly post!
Hope you had a wonderful weekend! XO
@stylemelauren
http://www.stylemelauren.com
I love this post. This should be a weekly series.
I loved this post!! Great idea!
Definitely do more of these posts!! They are super interesting and give me great ideas!
Thanks for sharing, it was so fun to read! I have heard a lot about that peanut and coconut butter, know a lot of VS models like it!
https://solovelybysophie.blogspot.com
Those Mexican Spaghetti boats look AMAZING!
xo, Allie
http://www.champagne-tuesdays.com
I’d LOVEE to see more of these posts!! So glad I saw this on your Instagram story and swiped up to check it out.
Xo,
Kit
http://Www.kitstanwoood.com
I agree with everyone else – more of these posts! It really is so interesting to see what people eat in a day! The mexican spaghetti squash boat do sound really delicious. Can't wait to give it a try!
Love this! Your menu looks fantastic and so healthy!
http://www.jessicabroyles.com
Okay I am definitely making those Mexican spaghetti boats!! They look delicious!!
I know this is a long shot but I’m raising money for children with pediatric cancer and wanted to see if you were interested in donating! This week we’re trying to raise $20,000 to buy 10 hospital chairs that the children will sit in when receiving chemotherapy. Also, if you would like more information as to what this organization is and what we do, I would be more than happy to provide! If you or anyone you know is interested in donating here is my link: https://events.dancemarathon.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donate.participant&participantID=358205
If you are not comfortable donating, I completely understand, I’m just trying to reach out to as many people as possible! 🙂
I love reading what people eat too! Great diet. 🙂 I will do a post like that soon!
http://www.dancingmamastyle.com
This is some major inspiration for clean eating, thanks for sharing!
♡Kristina
TheKontemporary
Thank you!! I've been reevaluating my TRUE dietary needs lately, and counting calories has really been working well. It's so helpful hearing how other people actually eat.
Please do more blog posts like this, and what your new workout regimen is. Love your posts!!!
Do you add anything to your tea to sweeten it?
Not usually! Although I do have some honey straws from a local honey shop and sometimes I'll add one of those 🙂
Love the post! And I love how you incorporated your routine of the entire day as well!!
This post was so fun and now I really want to try those Mexican spaghetti squash bowls because they look delicious and really hearty! You should definitely do these kinds of posts more often, I always love your cooking/food posts 🙂
xo Mary-Katherine
http://www.goldhattedlover.com
Thank you Mary Katherine!!!! 🙂
I enjoyed reading this! 🙂
You are adorable! Love these kind of posts, do bring more of those. 🙂
http://LARTOFFASHION.COM
Loving all the healthy recipe's, I will have to give them a try! xo
Sarah Lillian | https://livinglifewithsarahlillian.blogspot.ca
I love this!!! and I have never heard of coconut peanut butter before, I am gonna try and make it myself!! Thank for the ideas!!
Those spaghetti boats look delicious!! Thanks for sharing xx
Lola | https://thelushspot.com
Love this post! What is your workout routine like?
Totally trying out that dinner!! Would love to read more posts like this!
https://www.alexisdezayas.com
Such a fun post! Im going to need to try that peanut butter!!
Shannon
http://www.suburbanstylefiles.com
YUM! I need to try those spaghetti squash boats!
http://thegirlswhobrunch.com
The pancakes look so good! Loved reading this post!
Lauren,
http://www.atouchofsoutherngrace.com
Love this post! So many healthy recipes, can't wait to try them. I drink that tea all the time and love it!
Dani
http://www.everythingunderthekansassun.com
Thanks Caitlin, loved this! Definitely love to read more like it….Oh! And wedding prep, nesting ones too!!
xo,
Kelly
chicsaturday.com
Love your post! And yes, more of these please ☺
I enjoyed reading & thank you for sharing! Keep it up if you can 🙂 also when you workout at home can you share in a blog which workout you do? Thanks!
Hey girl! Yes I definitely plan to share a blog post on all my workouts!! Keep a lookout for it, it will be up soon 🙂
Nice post! x
http://www.evdaily.blogspot.com
Ohhhh I totally need to try those relaxation teas! <3
BlondieintheCity.comÂ
The squash at the end looks so good!!! I think I need to do it as well, my boyfriend would totally approve =D
xo, Rosie //Curvy Life stories
The pancakes look so tasty! Lovely post 🙂
Anika | anikamay.co.uk
Love this blog post! So many great meal ideas! And I love Peanut Butter. Need to check out this brand:)
Great post! I loved reading it and definitely want to try your recipes and that peanut butter. 🙂
Love this!!! You are so right about peanut butter too. It is scary what is in some of them!! :-/ Your spaghetti squash looks delicious too. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Great Post! I always love reading about people's daily routines, whether it be food, beauty, workouts, thank you!
Nice post!!!!!!!
Maintaining Great Diet mam keep going and Please keep sharing your experiences…….
https://zinnga.com/
I LOVE THIS POST!! Keep doing more like this for sure! Would love to see/hear more about your workouts! Also a "Daily Blogger Schedule"! I always love to see how other bloggers manage their time/what their process is 🙂
XOX
Lindsay
http://WWW.ImDoneBeingSelfish.Com
I love this post! I love learning and trying new recipes 🙂
Thank you for sharing Caitlin!
xo Joëlle
http://www.joellesstyle.com
I had the pancakes for breakfast this morning, and they were AMAZING! They had a light chocolate muffin flavour, but they were surprisingly hearty and filling. Thank you for the recipe 🙂
I came across your site while looking for a last minute Halloween costume. I’m dressing as a decaf lactose-free caramel Frappuccino with whipped cream. You had the best Starbucks costume online! So thank you for the inspiration and costume instructions!
Janet
Can you please do more blog post like this? Or even dinner ideas?
Thank you !!!
I made the spaghetti squash boats for my husband and 21 year old son last evening for dinner, and WOW…they were delicious! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
More posts like this please! I was wondering – what time do you go to sleep and wake-up each morning?