Wednesday is probably my busiest day of the week for a variety of reasons all of which I love. My day always starts with a run very early in the morning and depending on the season, before the sun rises. Summer is lovely though because most of the time when I venture out for my run between 5 and 5:30 am, the sun is coming up. It’s not too hot either and usually there is not much of a breeze. This past Wednesday was just perfect and I busted out 6 miles at an 8:40 pace. In fact, it was one of those progression runs that I executed just as planned. 2 miles at an easy 9 minute pace, 2 miles at 8:40 pace and my last 2 miles at an 8:25 pace, averaging 8:40. Not too shabby for a mid-fifty year old master female runner!
I ended up a few blocks from my house in a near by park with an out door fitness gym. There are about a dozen or so different stations including a yoga series. I did a few exercises, stretched and than walked home. It was going on 7:30 am and I was starved! It was way too early for me to eat anything before my run since I’m rarely hungry at that time of the day, so I grabbed a couple energy chews, some water and 1/2 cup of coffee and did a few dynamic stretches before I ventured out the door. So by the time I finished up my run and work out, I was definitely ready for breakfast.
Like most mornings, I whipped up a Green Smoothie almost immediately after walking through my front door. In my opinion, these smoothies are the healthiest breakfasts on the planet! They also make for an excellent recovery shake since there’s about 25 grams of protein in each serving with lots of Leucine to help retain my muscle as I get older?. And, guess what……..they’re delicious and most importantly, quick and convenient!
After a quick shower, I quickly dressed for work at the Village Shop, a local gift shop I help out at every Wednesday. It’s a great place to hang out on Wednesdays and it can be quite busy with customers, unpacking freight and pricing, rearranging displays, etc.
I almost always bring my lunch and a snack or two but this Wednesday I ended up picking up lunch at a great spot down the street from where I work called Zella’s. They use local grown ingredients and just look at how yummy this looks!!!!!
Trust me, this Soba Noodle Salad, with a very light ginger dressing, was loaded with tons of yummy veggies from their garden and all the flavors and textures were amazing! In fact, I posted it on my FB Page and I understand they had several stop in and order it after seeing my post. Ha…….Your Welcome Zellas?
About mid afternoon I grabbed a snack. I had a refreshing glass of Green Matcha Tea with my Protein Bar which was warm and gooey because I realized I forgot my snack snack bar in the car. Wow even better….in fact delicious? Both are just what I needed before heading off to running class which is almost immediately after I close up the Village Shop.
Going on 7:30……Finally home……and look how delicious and healthy my dinner was! It was a busy day but with some planning you can eat healthy on the “run” any day. Quinoa salads are one of my favorite weekday meals because they keep well throughout the week. The quinoa and beans provide protein, while the romaine and avocado add crunch and creaminess. I added some feta which was not included in the recipe but its one of my favorites and besides it looks pretty too. Finally, the Cilantro Vinaigrette is amazing on this salad…..it adds tanginess and extra freshness. Remember to Eat with Love?
Three-Bean Quinoa Taco Salad Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
2 cups of cooked quinoa 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 cup black beans 1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 cup white kidney beans 1 Roma tomato, seeded and chopped
1 cup garbanzo beans 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar and juice of a lime
2 Roma tomatoes, diced 2 cloves garlic
4 cups chopped romane 1/4 tsp fine sea salt & ground black pepper
1/2 cup cilantro chopped plus more for garnish 1/2 tsp ground cumin & 1/4 tsp paprika
1 avocado cubed 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil
1. Prepare your dressing. Combine all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil with the processor running.
2. Combine the cooked quinoa, beans, tomatoes, romaine and cilantro in a large bowl. Pour in the dressing and toss thoroughly.
3. Divide into six bowls, and top with the avocado and additional cilantro . Only add the avocado immediately before serving. Top with Feta if desired.
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