Light and Bright...

Hey everyone...hope you guys like my veggie packed post yesterday, because I have yet another one almost brimming at the seams again for you todayJ 

This morning I started out with a bowl of pears with oatmeal... 

Oh, did you think I meant oatmeal with pears???  Yeah...that was my plan, butttt since I made myself a double batch of steel cut oats this morning (saving the other serving for another day), I think I accidentally shortchanged myself todayJ 

In the bowl:

• 1 pear, diced & microwaved with a splash of water for 1 minute
• 1 serving steel cut oats (1/4 cup...or lessJ...cooked in 1 cup water & with 1/2 scoop chia seeds)
• cinnamon
• drizzle of agave

Not what I planned, but at least it was warm & tasty on a chilllllly morning.

Lunch today came with a little help from: 

I haven't had many cravings this pregnancy, but one thing I've LOVED for the last couple months has been crab & shrimp.  And it wasn't until recently that I learned that they are both excellent sources of DHA & Omega 3's (and here I thought only salmon was!!)  I wonder if it is actually a case of 'you're body craving what it needs'...interesting, no?  (don't think I can say the same about my recent LOVE of root beer though...hahahahahahhaJ)

And since I've been OBSESSED with avocados lately (I'm CONVINCED the healthy fats are good for the babyJ), I decided to whip up this super quick salad from Skinnytaste:

• 1/2 can of crab meat
• 1/2 avocado, diced (but not mashed)
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• squeeze of lime juice
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• salt & pepper

I had toyed with the idea of serving this up all fancy in the 1/2  avocado shell....butttttt my morning power yoga class left me a littttle (A LOT) starving, so I decided to 'bulk' up my lunch AGAIN on a sandwich thin with a big handful of spinach... 

Soooo goood!  I loved the creaminess of the avocado mixed with the crab, and the extra whole wheat bread & spinach kept me full almost all afternoon long while I tore apart my kitchen cabinets and threw out all of those stragglers that we had been hanging out to for FAR too long!  Tis the New Years seasonJ

And just like Tuesday night, a big portion of our dinner was focused on VEGGIES.  But this one, I have to say, is a little bit more FUN!  How does Buffalo Blue Cheese Meatloaf & Blue Cheese Cole Slaw sound??? 

I had found this meatloaf recipe in the Biggest loser cookbook and LOVE any excuse to eat the buffalo wing/blue cheese flavors all LIGHTENED UP!  (much like our beloved baked buffalo chicken fingers)  The meatloaf had it's far share of veggies too: carrots, celery & onion.... 

And our side dish was a veggie fest too!  I just HAD to make our favorite blue cheese cole slaw to go along with the meatloaf....this time trying out some purple cabbage for LOTS of BRIGHT COLOR....

Did you know the more brightly colored your food, the more healthy it is for you??  (Although, no, this does NOT include that neon orange mac & cheese powderJ)

I mixed:

• 1/2 head of cabbage, diced & shredded
• 3 carrots, peeled & well...peeled some moreJ
• 4 ribs of celery, diced
• (I forgot the scallions, but if I had em, they would have been in here too!)

Mix it all up with some mayo (I like this one with the olive oil base), blue cheese crumbles and salt & pepper to taste... 

Loved, loved, LOVEEEEEEED this dinner!!!  The meatloaf was super moist from all of the veggies and brimming with flavor from the buffalo sauce & blue cheese which pairs sooo well with the cool & creamy cole slaw.  So good!  Try this out to get your 'wings' fix without ANY of the deep fried fat & caloriesJ  

Well...hope you guys have a great day.  We have MORE warm & cozy 'veggie based' comfort food on the horizon tonight...stayyyy tunedJ