WIAW: Happy 4th of July..and Sausage & Quinoa Stuffed Portabella Mushroom

Hello there!
I usually like to start my What I Ate Wednesday posts with my favorite picture I've taken this week...and this one is one of my favorites EVER!  These are flourless chocolate brownie cookies with beautiful, crackled tops and a sprinkling of sea salt--I mean, come on!  Recipe will be at the bottom of the post.

So, it is July and Bizzy just wanted to say "Happy Birthday, America!"

She really loves pictures..can you tell?  She obviously is not a huge fan of the headband I got her, but that's okay ;)

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Breakfast: Cereal & Berries

For breakfast I had a cup of the new Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch.  It was pretty good, kind of like mixing Cheerios with Honey Bunches of Oats.  I had some strawberries on top..and I added almond milk after the picture.  I had some coffee on the way to work, too.

I woke up with indigestion (which is strange--does not happen often to me) that continued throughout the day, so I did not eat a snack..unless you count Tums!

Lunch: Lettuce Wraps

For lunch I prepared some leftover ground lamb (the possible culprit of the indigestion? maybe) with black olives, cheese and sour cream in a lettuce wrap.  Carrots and a few flatcrisp crackers on the side.

After lunch we went to Starbucks to get a tea.

This is their new blackberry mojito tea lemonade.  I did NOT like this the second time around.  I tried it last week and asked the barista to make it unsweetened and it turned out perfectly herbal with just a hint of sweetness from the blackberry and a pop of tartness from the lemonade.

So, the deal with this drink is there's tea and lemonade--both which can be unsweetened, leaving the only sweetness to be the blackberry syrup.

The lady who made it for me yesterday insisted that unsweetened was not an option.  I should have argued with her but I was in a hurry to get back to work.

Long story long, this was waaaaay too sweet and speak up for yourselves..even if you're late..or you will spend $4 on an undrinkable tea!

Aaaand...rant over!

Snack: Cherries & Granola Bar

My afternoon snack included beautiful fresh cherries.  I heart cherry season.

And a granola bar.

Dinner: Sausage & Quinoa Stuffed Portabella Mushroom

Oh, my stars, these are some simple and delicious stuffed mushrooms!

 Sausage & Quinoa Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms
serves 4

4 portabella mushroom caps
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/4 cup chicken broth
1 lb turkey breakfast sausage (I got the lean kind in a tube)--you could use any ground meat, really
3 wedges Laughing Cow-Swiss Lite
1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup liquid egg whites (or two egg whites)
1-1 1/2 cups Italian blend shredded cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Cook your quinoa in the chicken broth.  I put mine in my cheap-o, little rice cooker I bought at Aldi a million years ago, and it cooks it perfectly.  Or you could cook it per the package instructions on the quinoa.  Cooking it in chicken broth adds alot of flavor!

Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel.  Remove the stem and carefully scrape a spoon along the gills (underside) to remove those, as well.  Salt and pepper your mushrooms on both sides and set in a casserole dish.
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
Cook your breakfast sausage, breaking it with a spatula as it cooks.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on the meat.
Combine cooked quinoa, cooked sausage, cheese wedges, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan and egg whites in a big bowl and mix until combined.
Scoop a heaping cup of mixture into each upside down mushroom cap--if you have extra mixture, distribute it evenly among the shrooms or save it for your morning omelet the next day.  Top with shredded cheese.
Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

YUM!  I had a little spinach salad on the side.

*if you wanted to make this a meatless meal, add a can of beans or some crumbled veggie burgers in place of the sausage (and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth for cooking quinoa)

For dessert, I had a big ole flourless cookie (as seen above).  They are so rich and sweet that you really only need one.  I'm kind of obsessed with the flourless cookies at Starbucks, but they are usually pretty crusty and dry from being out in the display case all I day (or just being old..I don't know for sure--I don't really mean to be dogging SB today, but whatever).  So instead of spending $2 for a dry, crusty cookie I made these fresh, chewy and choco-licious treats!

Also, they are a decently healthy cookie with NO flour and NO butter!  What what?!

Without further ado, here is where I got the cookie recipe--it's so easy!!  Barefeet in the Kitchen Blog

Thanks for reading and have a great Independence Day!

WIAW: Portabella Mushroom Burger with Roasted Veggies

Happy Wednesday, everybody!!!  #projectleanandclean is still going strong!  I can't believe I've stuck with it for so long!  I gotta say, though, I'm getting kind of tired of taking a picture of every meal and snack.

But, not too much longer!!  Of documenting this way, that is.  At the beginning of February, I'm going to be very diligent about keeping my food documented in My Fitness Pal app.  Yay, technology!

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Breakfast: Oatmeal

Boy, do I have a hard time getting my butt out of bed when it's cold out!  Such was the case this morning, so I only had time to throw together some quick oatmeal.  This is my favorite Quaker date & walnut oatmeal, made with almond milk and banana (I smushed half of the banana into the oatmeal).  I also had coffee while running out the door.

 A.M. Snack: Orange & Granola Bar

Oatmeal never sticks with me for too long, so around 10 my tummy was telling me it was snack time.  So I peeled an orange.
Then I decided I was still hungry and ate half of the bar that I brought.  I made these bars using this recipe.  So good!

Lunch: Soup!

My mom and I both made big batches of soup this past Sunday and then shared with each other.  I made Stuffed Pepper Soup and she made this one, which is sort of like chicken tortilla soup?  Maybe..  It has broth, chicken, beans and salsa verde.  I added some fresh spinach to bulk it up a bit.  My guy grilled us some half quesadillas (on low carb tortillas) to enjoy on the side.

I got to look at this face while I ate lunch, too!  #luckygirl

Reggie is the sweetest puppy boy!  Always so happy :)

For dessert, I had whipped up some of Carrots N Cake's cookie balls and OMG--so perfect!  Love them!  I've already made them twice this week.  Healthy and delicious! (note-her recipe makes 6 balls, I doubled it..and we had eaten 2 before this picture was taken)

I had one with some coffee.  The perfect lunch dessert.

For afternoon snack, I ate the other half of my granola bar.

Then, a super tough boot camp workout...and home to make dinner.

Dinner: Portabella Mushroom Burger with Roasted Veggies

This meal is a real winner, especially if you are craving a burger but are looking to be a little healthier (plus it's vegetarian!).
So, you just marinate your portabellas (wipe them off first with a damp paper towel) with some balsamic vinegar (about 2 tbsp), olive oil, soy sauce (1 tbsp of each), salt & pepper and rosemary.  I marinated mine in a giant Ziploc for an hour, but you could probably just marinate it for 20-30 minutes.  Then grill for 5-7 minutes on each side.  Yum!
I had mine on an 80 calorie whole wheat bun with lettuce, tomato, grilled onions and a little parmesan cheese.
Also, I roasted some cauliflower and sweet potatoes.
For the sweet potatoes, I cut them in large wedges, tossed them in 1 1/2 tbsp of melted coconut oil, salt and garlic powder, then baked them for 25 minutes at 425F degrees, flipped them and baked them for 10 more minutes.
The cauliflower was basically the same, but I baked it for only 25 minutes.  Couldn't hurt to leave it in a little longer, though.

After dinner, I had a wonky ice cream cone with low cal (140 calories) Moose Tracks.

I tweeted this the other day, and it still holds true:

Renee Smith!‏@athungrymonster

Moose (mooses? meese?) have the most delicious tracks #mmm #icecreammm

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Then it was time to read and snuggle with my snoring pup.

Have a super fun rest of the week, y'all!  Stay warm!

WIAW: Spinach Lasagna Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

Happy Wednesday!!!

This above picture is from the Earth Day 5K this past Sunday that I attended with some of my favorite people (from the left: my brother, my boyfriend, me, my mom & my nephew in the front--my aunt and cousin also came)!

It also happened to be my birthday on this day, so that was cool.  I actually had plans to post something birthday related on Friday, like a birthday cake martini or something of the sort...buuuut I got lazy ;)

Oh, well.  Here I am now...posting some eats for ya!

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Breakfast #1: PB Toast

An oldie, but a goodie.  I had this toast smeared with crunchy Skippy before headed out for 5 a.m. bootcamp.  Next month I am trying boot camp at night (due to my current unwillingness to get up so early), so this is probably the last PB toast you'll see at the beginning of my WIAW posts.

Breakfast #2: Wafflewich

I wanted waffles this morning, but knew I needed protein after strength training...so, meet the wafflewich.
2 low fat Eggo Nutrigrain waffles topped with a slice of cheddar, 2 thin slices of deli ham and an egg plus egg white.
Topped with sugar-free syrup to bring it all home.

Yum!

Morning Snack: Cereal

I'm a sucker for new cereals, so I bought this overpriced box to try out.  It is quite delish, indeed.

I filled a pint mason jar halfway with almond milk and measured out a cup of cereal in a Ziploc.  Perfectly portable for work!

Lunch: Wrap, Broccoli 

I wish I had taken more pictures of this wrap, but this one will just have to do.  In the mix: a Flat Out Light wrap, 1/2 wedge of Laughing Cow Swiss cheese, 1/2 cup of pulled rotisserie chicken, spinach and tomato.  A side of leftover frozen broccoli gave me a veggie.
Then dessert.

I like these salted caramel pops from Starbucks and they are probably one of the lowest calorie options they got goin on (as far as treats go).  They are a little gummy in the middle, so I have it in my head that I'm going to make my own this weekend and improve on them a little.
Also, I drank a Trenta (read: half a gallon) unsweetened black tea with 3 Splendas.

Easily one of my top 5 favorite drinks of all time.

I had another busy afternoon at work, so no time to cut my apple that I brought for snack.

Fast forward to dinner time.

Dinner: Spinach Lasagna Stuffed Portabella Mushroom

This meatless meal actually tasted like lasagna.
No joke.
It was so good and filling, too!

Also, if you are weird about mushrooms, this actually has very little mushroom flavor.  It might just convert you!

Spinach Lasagna Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms
serves 4

4 portabella mushroom caps
olive oil
salt & pepper

filling:

1 cup frozen spinach, thawed

salt & pepper

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1/2 cup ricotta cheese (I used low fat)

1/2 cup spaghetti sauce

topping:

1/2 cup spaghetti sauce

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Wipe the mushroom caps with a damp paper towel, remove stems and carefully scrape out gills with a spoon.  Discard stem and gills.

Rub a little olive oil on the mushrooms and add some salt and pepper.  Roast the mushrooms cap down for about 10 minutes.

While the mushrooms are roasting, combine the filling in a small bowl.

Once the mushrooms have roasted, they will have some juices they released.  Remove them from the pan onto some paper towels and drain the liquid from the pan.  Return the caps to the pan and fill each with 1/4 of the filling.  Top with sauce, a blob of ricotta and some mozzarella on top.

Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until bubbly and melty.

So good!!!  You guys MUST try this recipe!
I served mine on a spring mix salad with two toasty ciabatta bread triangles.

I ended my eats with a Garfiled mug full of cookies & cream frozen yogurt.

Here's a cute Bizzy picture to brighten your day!

She's really doing well.  Being super cuddly and lovey one minute, then a crazy, wild dog the next.  Thus is the nature of puppies.  Am I right?

I know this is the second picture I've put on here with her tongue sticking out.  I just always catch her as she is closing her mouth...she does not just have a permanent tongue out sort of thing going on, FYI.

Have a super fantastic week!!!

In case you missed it: Photo-An-Hour I posted Monday

What I Ate Wednesday Returns! Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

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Ok, so I used to count calories.  And then I didn't.  Now I must again, because I'm tired.  I'm sluggish.  I'm not eating what I should.  The holidays will do that to a gal, huh?

All of these eats, as well as my water consumption, are logged in my phone app.  It's kind of rigid, but I think I'll probably just do it til my body adjusts to the right way of eating and exercising again.

Fun stuff!  Let's get to these Wednesday eats.  They are still delicious while meeting my daily caloric allowance.

Breakfast Part 1: PB Crackers

If you have ever read a WIAW post from me before, you know I typically eat a piece of peanut butter toast before my 5 a.m. boot camp workout, but I did not buy bread this week.  It's my own special form of carb deprivation torture.  Ok, maybe I'm being dramatic.  I unearthed some Club crackers from my perpetually disorganized pantry and slapped some PB on those bad boys.

Breakfast Part 2: Egg Scramble & Tortilla

A little bit later on in the morning, I enjoyed a egg white scramble with turkey sausage and spinach.  For more calories and some sort of carb to tame the beast, I added a low carb tortilla.  Coffee, of course.

More coffee on the road.

A.M. Snack: Orange & Yogurt

I'm gonna go ahead and quote myself and say that "you know Renee's hungry when she eats an orange (yes, I speak in the third person on the occasion)."  I have nothing against oranges.  They are delicious.  But you have to peel them and that sounds like work.  So, I worked for my snack today and peeled an orange.  I also enjoyed a baby Chobani yogurt.  Apparently it was coffee flavored with chocolate chunks.  I could have sworn I picked up vanilla chocolate at the store.  It was tasty, though.

Lunch: Salmon and Veggie Salad

I used up my last bit of spring mix salad for lunch and topped it with leftover broccoli, cauliflower and blackened salmon (recipe Friday).  The dressing was fat free zesty Italian.  I enjoyed a tiny cheese wheel, as well.

All mixed up.

After my salad, I used my lunch hour to go on a fantastically beautiful walk.

Back to the office for dessert: diet hot chocolate and a 100 calorie snack.

P.M. Snack: Veggies & Hummus

A big time veggie snack was necessary this afternoon.  Baby carrots, sugar snap peas and yummy hummus.

Dinner: Stuffed Portabella Mushroom & Pasta

I created this yummy, low fat/calorie meal last night and shared a picture as they came out of the oven via Instagram.  I had a couple people ask me about them, so here's the recipe. 

Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

(serves 4, by my calculations, each 'shroom is worth about 190 calories, but it depends on the specific items you use)

4 portablella mushroom caps, washed with damp paper towel and stems removed

1/2 lb 90% lean ground chicken (or you could use any ground meat)

1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1/2 cup chopped marinated artichokes, drained

1 clove minced garlic

salt and pepper

Italian seasoning

1/4-1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles

1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

heaping 1/2 cup low fat Italian blend shredded cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and mix the chicken, spinach, artichokes, garlic, seasonings, goat cheese and bread crumbs until combined.  Split the mixture into four and press into each mushroom cap upside down.  Top with shredded cheese & bake for 30 minutes.

I served mine with angel hair pasta tossed in olive oil, salt and Parmesan cheese (topped with basil).

After dinner, I did some baking.  Yesterday I found out my favorite cookie from Starbucks (chocolate chunk) is 440 calories.  My heart cried.

So, I did a healthy cookie bake off and sampled one of each.

Can you guess which one I liked better based on this picture?

I'll work on that post for next week, y'all.

Hope everyone enjoys their Wednesday!  We are halfway through the work week :)