Hi! Happy Monday!
I’m in a good mood. It’s really cold here, and I don’t have my car, but I’m listening to Willie Nelson and Rob brought me to work so nothing can bring me down! 
Yesterday I slept in until 7:00! It was wonderful! I made a joyous bowl of pumpkin oats with 1/2 scoop of vanilla protein powder and some carob chips on top. They got nice and melty.
I meal planned and did a little cleaning before getting back into bed for about an hour. That’s where Rob and the kitties were and they looked so cozy and happy!
Later, Rob went for his Sunday coffee and brought me an enormous iced tea. Yay! I had that and made lunch a little later.
Spinach, broc slaw, and edamame salad, half a cucumber with butternut squash apple butter, and a flat-out with tons of Sabra garlic hummus inside. 
Oh so filling.
Lunch dessert was a few dried persimmons.
Rob wanted me to show this to ya’ll.
Henry cuddling with Daddy
Our kitties love it when we’re both home. They’re very purry and flirty. They lay all over Mom and Daddy. It’s so sweet. I love them!
We went to the gym later. Yay! It’s only open Sun, Mon, and Tues of this week ( 
) so I have to maximize my time there. I wasn’t hungry, but I ate a snack in the car because I knew we’d be there for awhile.
This was my first pistachio Larabar and IT WILL NOT BE MY LAST! I adore pistachios. They’re so freakin’ unreal. Also, this was just fun to eat because it was bright green and crazy looking!
I started with 20 minutes on the stair mill and it really wiped me out! I actually felt kinda ill so I got off and got to work on my legs. 50 minutes later I was feeling at once crazy good and ready to puke! I guess my body was just really tired? Who knows. Anyways, I’m already sore so I know I did a good job! 
Then I got on the Arc Trainer and did another 40 minutes of cardio, which felt really nice. I stretched for another 40 minutes while waiting for Rob to finish and then we went grocery shopping!
By this time it was wicked cold and very windy, and all my sweat had soaked through my shirt, and essentially…I was freezing! When we got home my top lip was blue!
I got dinner underway and did some snacking in the meantime.
First, an apple – I’d be CRAVING one all day! I love when I crave fruits and veggies!
And then, a beautiful Medjool.
I made brown rice and beans “Jumble-aya” from Eat, Drink, and be Vegan, and it was one of the most satisfying and delicious meals I’ve had in awhile! The only change I made was I used water instead of oil for the initial saute. It makes 4 huge servings (about 2 cups each).
Topped with Daregal Italian parsley and served with some steamed broc. Btw, I buy frozen broc and I tried a different kind this time. It’s funky. Not enough florets. The best frozen broccoli is Green Giant! Totes florets.
I cleaned the crap out of the kitch and Rob and I watched tons of Office season 4. I missed most of it last year because of work. Before I went to bed, I made a snacky snack:
A couple Medjools with 2 teaspoons of Naturally Nutty vanilla almond butter and MORE persimmons! Thank you Tiffie!
I also had a T of honey almond butter with half of this wussy sized banana.
Seriously – that banana is a pansy.
I went to bed and read for almost an hour. Then I tried to fall asleep but couldn’t. After about 3 hours of this crap, I got up and ate a handful of dried kiwis and strawberries. Not pictured, because I ate them in the dark watching ESPN with Robbie. They didn’t help me sleep, but that’s not really why I ate them. I just felt like it!
Reader Kelly asked what my favorite nut butter is. It’s hard, because I really, really, really love about 4 different kinds…but my VERY FAVE is:
Have a great day bellas and fellas!
Um, How crazy green is that pistachio guy!? I couldn’t help but giggle when I gobbled that one up! Loving henry, as always. Oh, and I just got my first dried persimmons too, were like twins! So ridic, those things!
Everytime I see your little Henry, I like of my little Gerogy. It is fun to have cat twins
love the office! if you havent watched 30 rock you MUST, its hilarious.
I adore 30 rock…and am thinking that during this coldsnap I may get me some nutbutter, some bananas and the entire dvd box set of the office
Dried fruit!! Larabars!! Oh yes.
Hooray for 30 Rock and The Office!!
HAPPY MONDAY, ERIN!!
I love the Pistachio Larabar!!! The color is so funny.
Your lunch is so colorful, I love it. Edamame is one of my favorite snacks.
Ooo and the Jumble-Aya recipe is one of my favorites!!! It’s so easy to make and so delicious.
I’m so proud of you for sleeping late
Awesome gym time, I always get so bored at the one hour mark, so I’m impressed with your ability to get so much done there!
HONEY almond butter??! Made by maranatha?!? GIVE ME NOW, yum!
Honey almond butter sounds so good! I love trying new nut butters, they’re so delicious and yet so healthy. I’m going to try to find the Honey Almond Butter!
Henry is so damn cute; cats are so much more chill than dogs
I agree with Sarah! If you haven’t seen 30 Rock get on it girl, it’s great!
Have you tried the Mighty Maple PB – it’s amaaaazing! I think you’d like it
owwwwwwwwwww what does a persimmon taste like? I always hear people talking about them but have never tried one. Glad you’re having a good one so far. We’re almost to Christmas!
Aw, fun stuff watching The Office with your man
That show totally cracks me up. You are the dried fruit queen.
Henry is so cute! The expression on his face is pure pleasure.
Erin, I’ve never tried that honey almond butter, but I’ve read about it your posts before. I always see it in the store. I need to buy some next time I’m in Whole Foods, and stop spending so much money on shipping for online orders of various nut butters!
Ha, love The Office…That’s what she said.
Never had Pistachio Larabar. Must try, and I always hear such good things about Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan. I need to look into that one. Have a good Monday!
i LOVE the pistachio lara bar as well one of my favorites.
I like the pistachio Larabar, too! I almost bought one yesterday actually. But I got Banana Bread instead. I like it on my oats.
Your eats look SO good. I love all of the desserts you come up with. Insanely good looking! I need to get some dates. I always forget to buy them. Grr.
And, I love your comment on my blog about “Kelly Ripa arms”. I WISH! haha…her arms are awesome. I wish I could work out at Physique 57 in NYC with her…boo.
Have a great Monday, girl!
Your cucumber with butternut squash butter sounds interesting! I love cucumbers and butternut squash and that’s such a unique combination. I’m amazed by all of your healthy snacks!
I just recently tried my first pistachio larabar and was blown away with its goodness!! I agree, I definitely need to buy more of ‘em!
Dried persimmons? Hmm.. I’ve seen them at Trader Joe’s but they never interested me. I may have to buy some next time I see ‘em.
I have to try that stuffed date!!!!
i bet that ab is good cause if it’s anything like they’re discontinues honey pb…heaven!
Erica – It’s really mildy sweet! Kind of hard to describe. Not that intense but sort of tropical.
Melissa S. – CAN YOU BELIEVE!? When they discontinued that PB I made about eight phone calls in protest.
I miss it so. But the freshly ground honey roasted PB at the grocery store is a nice substitution. I can’t believe you’ve had that PB too!
I totally agree that Green Giant broccoli is the best! I eat it all the time!
all your eats look delish. I forwarded the mac & cheese recipe to you – hope you got it! its a decadent one…
I LOVE the pistachio Larabar, I was so pleasantly surprised when I tried it. I didn’t really have that much of an expectation for it, I’m not even a huge pistachio eater! But it was awesome.
I’ve seen that brand of nut butters around but NEVER in honey flavour. I’m so sad about that right now! Maybe I’ll just have to mix my own honey pb since good ol’ Canada doesn’t seem to want to provide fun flavoured nut butters. geeeez.
Please don’t finish that sentence ;o)
(Ooh, and definitely let me know how it goes if you make the collards.)
Please, Erin, can you tell me why you were wary of smart balance light? I use it all the time and now I am getting nervous…
holy smokes! all the food looks so good, especially the oatmeal =]
wow, those PB + D dessert sandwich bitelettes look aMmmmazing!! medjool dates on their own were already my fave, but now im going to have to try this. holy yum!
Gotta love larabars! I need to try the pistachio one. Sounds great!
I’m also a big carob chip fan by the way! 
I am envious that you can eat so few.
i love your kitty
all that dried fruit – yum!!!
you just made me hungry… doh.
sarah – I’m sorry! I realize that I forgot to answer your question the other day. Don’t worry. The only reason I felt wary about Smart Balance is because I’m wary of ANY new food I try!
I’ve never had that Larabar flavor! I will have to find it because I love pistachios!
I lurve all your dried fruits!
Where’d you learn to say “wicked?” I thought that was only a New England thing. Also, if I’m asking the questions here, what does “meal planning” entail?
Your lunch makes me happy just looking at it. You always have such colorful, happy food.
And I have never seen a dried persimmon before, but I now really want one!
Hey! i like the chocolate chips in the medjools! yumO!
Never had pistachio larabar but I might have to try them now!
super cute henry
HONEY ALMOND BUTTER?! i’m squealing with delight, haha
love love the medjool dates and dried persimmon! i also adore the pistachio larabars.. they are so good!
hope you have a wonderful night!
Heather – a couple of students in my program are from New England so I think it just rubbed off on me!
Meal planning for me entails very little actually. I just pull recipe cards, mark cookbook pages, or make notes of what we have in the freezer to defrost, then make a list of 5-6 meals we’ll have, then make the grocery list. 
I have to try these medjools..I have no idea what they are yet. But I so want to bring your FOOD LIFE into mine….yes. This is a top goal for 2009; new healthy yummy foods. You are my teacher!!’
KO
Medjools are pretty awesome
I haven’t bought them in a while for some reason.
Those persimmons look so good! I’ve never had a dried one.
I bought Bob Diesel (love your nickname for him) the first 4 seasons of The Office for his b-day. We are going to watch is when we get back to school – can’t wait!
I’ve never tried a pistachio Larabar before – one of the only ones I haven’t! I’ll have to give it a go. And I found the site for those dried fruits – I am seriously going to order some when I get back to school!
p.s. Still can’t believe your car isn’t ready yet. Do I need to come down there and have a chat with your mechanic?! Seriously.
Gotta luv some Willie … I swear I once saw him in the Oklahoma airport. He looked like a bum. Ha.
I need to find the Maranatha Honey!!! Maranatha is my fav brand!!
Stay warm! Peace out.
That dinner looks great. I’ll have to try that recipe. My cookbooks are sad that I don’t open them very often!!
Oh phew haha thanks