Let’s play a game, shall we?  How about we share some little known facts.  Here are a few about me:

• Growing up, my family had both a pet skunk and a pet possum.  My sister worked at the zoo – what can I say!
• I am left-handed, and obsessed with all things left.  I love discovering that other people are also left-handed.
• I have been given the Heimlich maneuver twice – once I choked on an ice cube, and the other time an Everlasting Gobstopper candy – remember those?
• I was a competitive gymnast for 14 years.
• I am 29 years old and I have a 5 year old half-sister.  I will let you guys do the math on that one!

And speaking of the little sis, my dad’s family was passing through Charlotte yesterday on their way back from a Hilton Head vacation, so they stopped to catch up and have a short visit.

Clearly I am biased, but for real – how cute is this kid?

Believe it or not, I was actually blonde too at her age…

Any resemblance?  I think so.  Leaving family back in Cincinnati was the hardest part about moving, and this little lady was certainly part of that crowd.  I am sad that she is at such a fun age and I see her so rarely.  But I do my best to soak up all her sunshine when we do get to spent time together.

Back at home, dinner was light and simple – and LATE!  We didn’t eat until after 9pm!

Absolutely wonderful marinated radicchio greens – a recipe from the Clean Food cookbook that I love so much.

Basic crispy tofu with nothing but salt and pepper.  A classic favorite.

Stovetop quinoa with Thai curry seasoning blend sprinkled in – this was a little bit spicy!  Yum.

Bon appetit!

It was fun to get a rare visit from family all the way down here in Charlotte, and I’m glad I got to squeeze Elizabeth a few times.

What are some little known facts about you guys?

After yesterday’s 13 mile morning run, I came home and immediately went flying to the refrigerator.  I chugged a Gatorade on the drive home, but other than that I just had water during my run.  I made myself an amazing vegetarian sandwich, with a side of delicious couscous salad. 

English muffin with hummus, tempeh, avocado, and red pepper slices – totally delicious and humongous. 

Couscous salad that I threw together when we got home from the beach – 2 cups couscous mixed with cucumbers, olives, a diced tomato, and a dressing of rice wine vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice. 

It was actually really similar to my favorite quinoa tabouli recipe, but with couscous subbed in for the tabouli. 

It was delicious and filling and exactly what I needed to fill me back up after the long run.  Flash forward to dinner!  Yes, you heard that correctly – you get two meals for the price of one today.  :)

I’ve been feeling very carb heavy recently, and especially after snacking all weekend at the beach, I was really wanting some fresh vegetables for dinner. 

Roasted mushrooms and potatoes, fresh green beans, and a scary looking white bean mixture that looked awful, but tasted delicious.

I roasted these mushrooms at 375 this time – a little lower than I usually do – and they turned out fabulous!  Casey was raving about them!  Just a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper – roasted in a baking pan for about 20 minutes.  Perfection.

Scary white bean mixture – I know, this looks disgusting.  We actually took a can of cannelini beans and tossed them in a bit of the cucumber and avocado soup (!) that was leftover from last week’s Farm to Table Dinner.  Very tasty!

Roasted russet potato wedges.  I felt like a pile of white potatoes were justified by a 13 mile run.  These were good, but honestly – every time I eat regular white potatoes I am reminded that I like sweet potatoes so much more.

Delicious green beans – just a simple steam and heat here, and tossed with salt and pepper.  The key ingredient was the finishing touch – I added 1 tsp of coconut oil and stirred to coat before serving.  It made the flavor POP – amazing what one teaspoon can do!

Mmmmmmmmm.  Good food to refuel after a long run. 

I am lucky enough to have this sunny Monday off from work, so I’m planning to get a lot done from home today.  Casey and I are about to head out to a coffee shop with our laptops – I find that I am so much more productive when I am out of the house.  I wonder if that has anything to do with this?

:)