Nutrition Expert’s Carb Crazed Day
Any day I have a full slate of work and can be productive in my pajamas is a good day. Sure, I love to be in front of the camera in all my glory, with teased hair, an extra layer of makeup, and painfully high heels. But I’m just as happy in my pajamas compiling checklists for my assistants, updating my resume for a potential client and writing this blog for y’all.
Scarlet’s barely touched Greek yogurt (usually she eats an entire adult-sized container) set the template for my breakfast today. I was happy to finish it, along with an English muffin topped half with buttery spread, half with peanut butter and strawberry preserves. And coffee, of course, dahhling.
A banana for a morning snack.
My fridge offered a perfect smattering of ingredients for a market basket lunch. A market basket contains surprise random ingredients given to a chef that he then must utilize in a dish. Think Iron Chef-style with no eels involved. I used up cooked spaghetti and ziti, the remaining jar of puttanesca sauce, chickpeas, arugula, grilled flat-iron steak, and Parmesan cheese. The flavors balanced perfectly. I polished off the remaining portion in the pan a little later in the afternoon. That container of mini M&M’s in my office called to me, too. It just keeps on giving because I grab small portions.
Before running out the door, I grabbed a peanut butter cookie left on the counter from the lunch I packed earlier for Scarlet. Actually, make that two cookies. See, there is another example of why we should keep sweets in a closed cabinet so we don’t just mindlessly reach for them.
I made a mini quesadilla with avocados for Scarlet’s dinner. Since I knew she wouldn’t finish all of it, I nibbled on the other half, which I drizzled with hot sauce. It was just enough to hold me over until my dinner. Have I ever told you how late Steve and I eat dinner? 8 p.m. at the earliest, as late as 10 p.m. People think I’m crazy, but I like to think it’s European.
Steve made these scrumptious crab cakes for dinner using the recipe printed on the crab container. I squirted mine with fresh lemon and dipped them in a sauce I blended of half light mayo, half cocktail sauce. A salad paired perfectly, especially after today’s carb frenzy, along with a glass of raspberry flavored sparkling water.
I had to test a recipe that night for a client too. I’ll warn you, this coffee spice cake is not a healthy version. The client wanted me to swap the sour cream for cream cheese. Oh, it was luscious, rich, and chocolaty.
Estimated calories: 2333 (Breakfast 460, Lunch 790, Dinner 600, Snacks 483)
I’m curious to know what time you eat dinner?
I'm a chef nutritionist, not the food police. I eat cookies but make sure to eat my broccoli too.
I am with you on the late schedule! I stay up late AND eat dinner late. 8-9 PM is usually about the time we eat although 10 PM (and even later) happens sometimes! We always seem to have a million things going on after work and about every other day, I like to try and fit in an after-work workout!
Oh, thank you Suzanne for letting me know I’m not alone. You are one of the very few people I hear eats as late as I do! Yeah, either Steve or I hits the gym after work, then by the time the baby is bathed and booked, it’s 8pm and time to start cooking. The slow cooker is a godsend, at least, when I have/make time to start it early enough.
Michelle
Like so many others, I started to follow you thru the eatlikeme blog. I appreciate that you lead a busy life and eat like a normal person. You satisfy your cravings, eat healthy, splurge, eat healthy – you show that it’s a lifestyle and not a diet. Thank you for all the tips and recipes.
Thank you so much Kristina. I feel honored that you followed me over from Eat Like Me.
Michelle