In November I was bragging about how great the 80 degree weather was. And then in January I was happily soaking up the sun’s rays on the beach. And now it’s March and the weather is cold and dreary!? What gives?
Since it’s LA, I know it won’t last too long, but I have to say, these stormy skies and rain clouds aren’t fun at all.
Breakfast came really late on Saturday. After saying goodbye to my sis (until we reunite in Europe in May), Kyle and I drove back to Santa Monica so I could get a loooong night’s sleep in preparation for Saturday’s night shift.
I didn’t get up until after 10 am, and didn’t eat breakfast until almost noon.
To get the day under way, I painted a Alvarado Street sprouted tortilla with Sunbutter. Look how caked on it was! I’m a modern day Van Gogh 🙂
I jazzed up the breakfast quesadilla with thinly sliced apples, then topped it with cinnamon and folded it into thirds.
If a PB&J sammie had a menage a trois with a quesadilla and a fruit basket, this would be the love child. Except instead of peanut butter I used sunflower seed butter.
Wrap-tastic.
In between Jillian and basketball games, there was a fair amount of snacking. I had the rest of the tropical dried fruit and two more bowls of nuts, raisins, and carob chips than pictured. I have to say, salt is amazing.
Before heading into the office hospital, I pre-gamed with another sprouted tortilla wrap. This one was more traditional with ‘shrooms, spinach, butternut squash and hummus.
Even though my pre-shift appetite was pretty much non-existent, I had a feeling it would kick in at some point (most likely around midnight). The solution? A snack-esque meal. Leftover white bean dip with various scoop-ables fit the bill. Snyder’s gluten-free pretzels were good, but I actually prefer the spelt ones by Newman’s or 365 brand.
I also packed some veg in the form of blanched broccoli, raw carrots and red bell peppers. Cold crudités have never tasted so good. They were crisp and crunchy and I craved 200 more. Needless to say, the bean dip was gone by midnight, as expected. The apples suffered a similar fate.
When I got home, there were leftover waffles calling my name. They were so hearty and flavorful, this may be the best batch I’ve tried yet! They were so tasty, they required absolutely nothing on top.
A shower and warm glass of almond milk (with a few drops of NuNaturals vanilla stevia) later, I was ready to tuck into bed. Lucky for me, Kyle was still asleep (this was his last weekend of spring break) so I was actually able to fall into a semi-deep slumber. I didn’t wake up until 11:30 – a personal record!
The next day was the same old, same old.
I had a big bowl of fruit, followed by a snickerdoodle cookie.
The wrapper is all I managed to capture on film because it was THAT good. Alternate Baking Company makes a mighty fine cookie, but it wasn’t as chewy as Nana’s.
Like the rest of ABC’s cookies, this flavor is 100% vegan (sans dairy, eggs, hydrogenated oils, or artificial ingredients). Unlike the other flavors, Snickerdoodle is one of the two wheat-free flavors (the other one is Mac the Chip).
As you can see, the ingredients are wholesome, but the nutritional stats are still pretty dessert-like. I’m not saying I take issue with this – it is a cookie after all – but the fact that the cookie is two servings brings the totals to an area that I would pretty much designate for treats alone. That said, it was a huge cookie! I liked the first few bites, but by the end, there was an after-taste that was less like dessert and more like a non-wheat flour. Yes, I know that taste. It was like gluten free pancake batter. Kinda weird.
Nana’s still occupies the #1 spot in my heart for sure, but I plan of trying the rest of ABC’s cookie flavors (just to be extra sure).
My odd lunch was created out of desperation. The empty fridge turned me to the freezer…which led to a pita pizza.
Topped with Sabra’s artichoke spinach hummus and a crumbled up vegan Boca burger. It may sound ghetto, but it was actually awesome.
I again filled the afternoon with basketball, Jillian, and couch time with my beau. ‘Aint no shame in soaking up the rainy day inactivity, right?
Just before work, I made a grilled cheese sammie with Almond Cheddar Style veg cheese.
I’m not sure what to make of this product (by Lisanatti Foods), because it was good, but nothing like cheese. I think I liked it, but it shouldn’t be compared to other veg “cheeses.”
Once I got over the fact that it in NO way resembled real cheese (or Daiya) I enjoyed it for what it was. A flavorful sandwich option. It didn’t really taste or melt like cheese, but then it didn’t taste like almonds either. I can’t think of how to describe it. I doubt I’d buy it regularly (kinda $$$ to be a fridge staple), but it’s a nice option every once in a while.
As far as nutritionals go, it’s a winner. Sure, it’s a processed food, but it’s definitely in a different category from cheetos. It should be noted that this products does contain casein (however, I had no GI reactions).
Anyway, with that, I was off to work. Another weekend spent in scrubs and PJs…
Do you eat breakfast in your pajamas or work clothes? Or does it vary?
I avoid doing anything in my scrubs. I ditch them within seconds of stepping foot in the door and almost always shower before I do anything else (especially eating). However, when I work day shifts, I’m typically at work for breakfast and therefore in scrubs.
FYI the almond cheese ISN’T vegan. It has casein in it.
Haha, I was gonna say that too. I bought it last year and was kinda bummed when I saw the ingredients. Still pretty good though.
I feel like the entire country is cold right now. MAJOR boohiss. Where is spring?
The blob of white bean dip looks particularly enticing for some reason, especially with the pretzels…
I love your question of the day. It’s right up my alley. I eat in my work clothes on M-F but in my PJs on the weekends, only because I usually dont change OUT of my PJs on the weekend unless I absolutely have to.
IT KEEPS SNOWING HERE AND I HATE IT.
P.S. take me to europe with you
I’ve only recently found your blog and I LOVE it! You eat such wonderful food 🙂
I never eat in my PJs – I hate wearing them and change the second I get up! Though I normally just change into equally skanky trash clothes anyway…
boo rain!! those wraps look delish. If I can tear myself away from oats one morning, I’m totally going to try a breakfast wrap with apples!
I always eat my breakfast in my pajamas if im eating it at home!
breakki= pjs!! woah almond cheese?hmm!! why did i never know you live in LA/?! thats my hometown!
Hey! Just came across your blog – pleased to “meet” you. I’m dying to get to LA! Everything about it sounds exciting! Great looking eats….I was just thinking how your wrap looked like a painting 🙂 Love your blog title….takes me back to being 4 years old and always wanting to bag the pink “hungry hippo” 🙂
yes, i said that in the post.
awww, thanks so much! come visit. 🙂
whaaaaaat!?! really? when are you coming to visit?
thats hilarious! i avoid changing into “real” clothes for as long as possible – you seem just the opposite!
lest goooooo!!! i could pack and really big suitcase 🙂
I have my designated ‘inbetween pjs and work’ clothes bc I work from 630-830am and then not again until much later.. It’s definitely a cross between pjs and workout clothes though… Whatever I can manage to put together in about 5 minutes while staying warm from being under my covers ha
The weather has been bumming me out too. I feel like I shouldn’t complain- not to say I don’t, cos I totally do-, since we usually have it pretty good.
If I’m home, I’m generally in “comfies”. Not pajamas, per se, but nothing I should probably go out in public in. Not to say I don’t, though, cos I totally do (rarely, but still!).
Having transitioned from working nights to working day shifts, I still can’t convince myself to eat breakfast at 5:30 am, so I usually pack a bowl of oatmeal or a pb&j sandwich to eat during report, so breakfast on work days is consumed while I’m wearing scrubs. Non-work days, though, are pretty varied. Ever since I started reading your blog (and a few other healthy-living type blogs), the favorite game of my fellow nurses is “Stare at Jess’s breakfast and provide commentary along the lines of ‘What is that?…Oatmeal?…Is that peanut butter in it? What are the lumpy red things?!….strawberries?!'”….which is a pretty long name for a game, but they really seem to enjoy themselves. I only object when the night shift nurses try to draw comparisons between the appearance of my oatmeal and…er….anything they may have encountered during the past 12 hours. 😉 I hope that wasn’t too graphic for this blog.
ugh i WISH i could eat my breakfast in my pjs! too bad i’m eating my breakfast like a beast at my desk in my heels praying i get it in before my boss calls my name to do some sort of project for her haha
those wraps look delicious!!! i’ve never tried the butternut squash/hummus combo but it sounds great. i usually eat bfast in work clothes b/c i’m eating ini the car… love eating in pj’s though on weekends!
Oooo that reminds me to get some sunbutter soon, I keep forgetting when I’m at TJs…. never tried it but I keep hearing about how addicting it is, though I can’t imagine it would be any better than good old PB!
I’ve tried that almond cheese before…not a fan! To me it didn’t really have a taste at all, so whenever I used it, I sprinkled some smoked paprika on it. I was so disappointed! 🙁
“If a PB&J sammie had a menage a trois with a quesadilla and a fruit basket, this would be the love child.” <- Bahahaha!
Usually, I have breakfast in my fluffy robe after my shower and then I start getting ready, but this week I have to be at work by 6:30 so I've just been toting my morning meal with me to the hosp…saves some zzz's!
i can totally relate! i cant tell you how many times i get stares and raised eyebrows and opinions i dont solicit. for this reason (and my need for some outdoor time to break up the 12 hrs) i dont eat lunch in the break room. since my breakfasts are more “normal” (and i cant leave the unit for them) i do have to be around fellow coworkers, thus subjecting myself to whatever comments they have…now sometimes its good natured so i dont mind, but sometimes its easy to read their tone and know ive got judgment coming at me. sigh. are you alternating day and night shift or just now starting days after previously working nights?
its reallllly good.
I’m in LA too and not complaining! Having just arrived from Scotland (40s-50s) I am loving the 60s 🙂
That said, I can’t wait to go to Arizona in a few days (80s-90s!!)
Also, I am not a fan of Nanas. Maybe it’s just the one cookie I tried, but it had a weird after taste and was super crumbly (literally falling apart!)
I do love the alt. baking company, though
Winter is back here too–they even predicted snow/sleet for today! Ick.
I usually eat breakfast in my gym clothes.
I worked nights for about two years, and switched to days a few months ago to see what it was like. I honestly miss the pace of night shift–I feel like I don’t have enough time to spend with patient care on days, because there’s so much going on, with admissions and discharges and whatnot. I’m always afraid I’ll miss something important going on with a patient. On the other hand, having a normal sleep schedule is nice. I’m kind of torn. :/
Where did I miss the waffle recipe??
I love eating breakfast in my pj’s!! 😀 I love the apple cinnamon wrap. I’ve never done that and it looks delicious. Leftover waffles are the best btw 🙂
I loved that almond cheese before I went vegan. I really wish it didn’t have casein in it; the pepperjack variety is incredible.
The ABC cookies ALL have that weird aftertaste. We’re always trying to figure out what it is. Strange. And you’re right, they’re definitely not “healthy.”
And breakfast is always in PJs or in sweaty post-yoga clothes!
right? its so weird. ah well. for now ill stick to nana’s 🙂
Efff the judgmental haters!
When people judge you, it doesn’t say anything about who you are, it says everything about who THEY are.
Your blog is wonderful, and clearly an inspiration to so many people (including me).
I love that you take a non-label approach to your diet. I eat a mostly plant-based diet (I still enjoy things like fish, greek yogurt, and eggs from time-to-time) so I love how you balance your recipes and diet around the same things. I get so many great ideas from you!
Moral of the story… you’re amazing, your blog is great, and your family is obviously well-cared for and loved (and just too adorable!)
“People are always gonna talk, may as well give ’em something good to talk about!”
Oops! I read your latest blog about people judging your blog and had a tab open to this page (I was searching for a waffle recipe).
I left a comment on the current post, but somehow it commented here too? So weird. Sorry for the confusion.
haha, no worries. i saw the other one 🙂