Grocery Store Faves

Happy Sunday! 💖 😊 ☕

So I love trying new restaurants/cafes/wine bars, etc.  That's my version of being outdoorsy 😉  I just love the look and feel of a new place; the enthusiasm of everyone who is working hard to make sure your experience is perfect.  What do I love even more than that?  Grocery shopping 😋  

I think it's because my mom used to do all the grocery shopping for us when I was younger, so nothing seems cooler or more "adult" to me. Or maybe it's the freedom and promise that comes with being able to select just about anything I want when I'm at the grocery store (nothing is too expensive, you know? Not picking up pounds of saffron over here 💰).  Whatever it is, I always feel like I'm getting a fresh start at the grocery store.  I get my old favorites, and I always pick out a few new things as well. 

It'll be busy week for me at work, and also with moving into a new place, so I went to Trader Joe's with the intention of picking up mostly prepared foods. You can't beat Trader Joe's prices and I love that they always have new products. It's almost like they love being a grocery store as much as I love being a grocery shopper 😍  I've had the Tandoori Naan before (yum), but the cauliflower + broccoli and carrot + pea veggie patties are new finds.  I'm excited to try the, and think the patties are an easy way to ensure that you'll always be able to fit vegetables into any meal. 

I've also had the Vegan Tikka Masala before and I think it's amazing with the Tandoori Naan. I seriously rely on these meals because how else could I satisfy my cravings when most tikka masala is made with chicken?! These Vegetable Spring Rolls have healthier ingredients than most, and I plan on making them in an air fryer to ensure they come out crisp. The Quinoa Cowboy Veggie Burgers are delicious! 

Do you guys have any must-haves from Trader Joe's? Do share!

xo, Glory

Vegan Nachos with Follow Your Heart Shreds + Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken Strips

Although I'm vegetarian and not a vegan, I like eating plant-based meals and I love trying non-dairy cheeses.  I think my body responds well to plant-based meals, and I really like the idea of being entirely cruelty-free.  

That being said, nachos are one of my favorite comfort foods to eat, and I was hoping to make a vegan version that would be just as (if not more so) delicious than non-vegan nachos.

I'm happy to say these nachos did. not. disappoint.  I used Follow Your Heart's Vegan Cheddar Shreds which are seriously good even straight out of the bag.  I know that can be a problem with some vegan cheeses, to the point where they can be good but only when melted.  Not the case with this cheese!  It melted well too.  You can customize the nachos however you like, but I just did a layer of the vegan cheese over my tortilla chips, and scooped Sprouts' organic refried black beans over that.  I added chopped red onion, tomatoes, and bell pepper as well.  

Last but certainly not least are these Beyond Meat Grilled Chicken Strips.  You may already know that I loooove Beyond Meat items and these strips were no exception!  You get 20 grams of complete protein per 3 ounce serving of these strips.  The taste and texture of these strips is👌  I cannot recommend them enough, especially if you're looking for ways to get a lot of protein while eating a plant-based diet.  And, for those who are concerned about soy protein, these strips are made with a non-gmo (!) soy protein isolate.  

Aaaand the finished product was devoured in about 5 seconds 😋  Aside from being delicious, another great thing about these nachos was the fact that I felt great afterward! There are definitely some times when I overdo it on my favorite foods and end up regretting it later, but that was not at all the case with these vegan nachos. Maybe vegan junk food can be good for you?! 😉  Enjoy!

xo, Glory

Working Out in the HEAT + Healthy Breakfast at Mimi's

It's been so hot that I feel like staying cool and hydrated is something I need to pay extra attention to these days. Maybe I'm a delicate petunia, but the sun will definitely give me a headache if I'm not careful. 

Hence the extra large 2.2 liter water bottle. Honestly, it's not the most practical if you're a cardio bunny (it won't fit most treadmill or elliptical cupholders), but it will keep you hydrated so you're not constantly refilling your bottle. It's perfect if you're lifting weights or taking a HIIT-style class because then you've got your bottle right next to you on the floor. My goal is to take in at least 80 ounces of water on normal days, and more on days I workout. 

Unbeknownst to me, Mimi's Cafe has a delicious (and healthy and vegetarian) breakfast option on their menu. The Egg White and Veggie Omelet is an open-faced three egg white omelet made with spinach, mushrooms, caramelized onions, tomatoes, and goat cheese. It's served with a side of fruit, and I think the goat cheese is the game changer here because it adds a lot of flavor without a ton of calories. It filled me up, and clocks in at only 290 calories (24g protein, 28g carbs, 3g fiber, and 629mg sodium). This is definitely going to become my post-gym go to on the weekends 😋 

xo, Glory

Grocery Haul + Homemade Mexican

Hope you all had a happy 4th! I don't know about anyone else, but I really prefer my holidays not to fall on a Tuesday. It's so much better when you can get a long weekend out of it, and not have to worry about fireworks keeping you up late. 

Anyway, if you couldn't already tell, I looove grocery shopping. Seriously, I just love finding new products and ways to keep my diet interesting. The possibilities seem endless, and I'm a total sucker for tasty and convenient foods. 

I think I've already mentioned that I love these veggie pepperonis by Yves. They're low fat, high in protein, and crisp up pretty well on a homemade pizza. I also can't live without these CelloWhisps, they come in parmesan and cheddar cheese flavor and they're both to die for. They're the perfect crouton substitute if you're looking for something crunchy but also low carb. And I'm also going to post a recipe for the Explore Cuisine Organic Edamame Spaghetti. It's super high in protein and fiber, and while it doesn't have the same texture as regular pasta, it was more than satisfying (and delicious), and it obviously didn't have anywhere near the same number of carbs. 

I also love Mexican food.  Ever since becoming a vegetarian (again), I find myself making it at home more and more often. Maybe it's because I like having meat substitutes (and they're not widely available at Mexican restaurants), or maybe it's because I like having control over how much butter/oil/cheese is used. We may never know 😉 What I do know is that it's all pretty easy to make and it always comes out delicious 😋  These Siete chips are also a game changer -- I found myself wanting to eat way fewer chips with my organic refried black beans. Why? I honestly think they're more satiating, so I was satisfied with having less. They're super pricey (in my opinion), but worth it if you're looking for grain free chips that are delicious and don't taste like cardboard. They're also available Whole Foods (for $5 a bag), if you don't want to buy 6 at a time. And the meat substitute I have there in the picture are beefless tips by Gardein. I use those instead of flank steak for fajita nights. I know some people are against meat substitutes, but I say to each their own -- they help me right now because I feel as though I'm still enjoying the same foods as before.

Please comment if you have some meat substitutes I should try out! 

xo, Glory

Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase using the above links. ALL opinions are always my own, and I only ever post things I truly enjoy 😘

#EatSleepLift or Something Like It

We're doing a weight loss challenge at work and, let me tell you, I'm really surprised at how competitive everyone has been 😉

Apparently all it takes to get people to lose weight is a good old-fashioned competition!  Maybe it's because we're all lawyers?  Tell us we'll feel better + live longer and we won't bite, but tell us we're competing for the gold and everyone's all in, ha!

Anyway, I'm a "questioner" by nature, according to Gretchen Rubin's Four Tendencies Quiz (love her + love her books, if you haven't already checked her out, do it here and here!) so I didn't think I was going to get that into it because a weight loss challenge is fairly arbitrary in nature.  Sure, no one wants to lose, but shouldn't we all strive to be healthy, with or without a competition to motivate us?  The answer is obviously yes, but I've come to realize that motivation and inspiration are good things to always be seeking out.  

With that said, I've certainly kicked it into high gear + found some goodies to help me along the way.  I used to work for Equinox so I'm no stranger to luxurious gyms, but we since we don't have one near us, we joined Lifetime Athletic a few months ago.  I love the TechnoGym equipment and I always feel a lot less guilty when I get my reality tv on the treadmill or elliptical instead of on the couch.  

And I didn't used to be all about protein bars or protein nut butters, but there's a really nice Vitamin Shoppe right by the gym, so I decided to stop by one day after my workout.  Needless to say my wallet was not happy with me.  I picked out the ones that looked good and I'm happy to report that I actually liked them all 😳 

I loved all of these for different reasons.  The CakeBites don't even taste like protein "bars," they just taste like dessert.  You know how sometimes you don't want that protein bar texture?  This would be the bar for you if you're not looking to eat the entire package in one sitting or if you just don't want to feel like you're eating a protein bar.  My favorite flavor was the red velvet, with chocolate dipped cherry coming in at a close second.  I really thought I'd like the birthday cake flavor the best, but I think I didn't because of the even better birthday cake-flavored protein bar below.

The MyBar in birthday cake had just the right flavor and texture.  There's a crunch element to it and you don't usually find that with protein bars.  

The Oh Yeah! One Bar in Maple Glazed Doughnut flavor was to. die. for.  Seriously, how can a protein bar actually taste like a maple glazed donut?!  Somehow they did it, and it was gold.  

The other bars were great, too, but I'll leave it at that for the time being.  Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go be about that #eatsleeplift life 😉

xo, Glory

Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links, which means I may be compensated if you click or make a purchase from the above links. All opinions are completely own.

Firing Up the Grill for Father's Day: Chicken, Corn + Broccolini

Father's Day is upon us and if your dad's anything like mine, he'll want to grill and enjoy some ice cold brewskis (anyone else follow @middleclassfancy on IG?! Haha).  

Although I've gone back to being a vegetarian myself, I thought I'd share this grilled chicken, corn and broccolini recipe.  It's sure to please both the fathers and the mothers in your family and, if you look back at my BeyondMeat Beast Burger w /Cheese post, you can whip up some vegetarian or vegan burgers for yourself on the side.  

Ingredients: 

• Chicken Breasts (3-5 pounds as needed)
• White Corn
• Broccolini
• Olive Oil
• Salt + Pepper
• Spices (e.g. lemon pepper and/or dried rosemary)

Directions:

• Clean + prep your chicken breasts
• Trim excess fat, skin, and cartilage 
• Coat both chicken + broccolini with olive oil & salt/pepper liberally + lemon pepper or dried rosemary (optional)
• Set your grill to high heat
• Place chicken breasts toward the bottom back where it's hotter + place your broccolini near the front
• Turn the grill where your meat is on to medium-low + keep the side there's no food on at high
• Place your corn on the upper level
• After 15-20 minutes, flip your chicken + cook for another 15-20 minutes 
• Rotate your broccolini as necessary
• Broccolini should be done after 15-20 minutes (look for char + dark green stalks)
• Corn should be done after 15-20 minutes

Enjoy!

xo, Glory

Summertime Staple: Grilled Pizzas + Wine

I love pizza.  Seriously, I could always be content with pizza.  I love a good pizza or an amazing pizza the best, obviously, but I'd almost never pass up a chance to have any pizza. 

We got the idea for these grilled pizzas from my girlfriend, Anna.  She can make anything look easy, but she promised me these grilled pizzas would actually be easy.  We had made them at her house once and, sure enough, they were easy and tasted like they'd just come out of a brick oven.  It's the perfect dinner for when you have people over.  You can easily serve 4-8 people depending on appetites, and it's inclusive to where your guests can help you without wearing themselves out 😉

Ingredients:

• Dough (e.g. Trader Joe's has refrigerated dough, in plain, garlic herb, and wheat. Find these near the cheese and cold cuts!)
• Pizza Sauce (I like Muir Glen's Organic Pizza Sauce)
• Toppings
• e.g. I love Yves Veggie Pepperoni, Bell Peppers, Shredded Mozzarella and Provolone, Mushrooms, Sliced Olives, Artichoke Hearts (not pictured), and Red Onion.
• Flour
• Grapeseed Oil (I use Pompeian's Grapeseed Oil)

Directions:

• Dice + prepare all your toppings and sauces and place in nearby in bowls
• Take your store bought refrigerated dough out of its packaging and let it rest for 1-2 hours
• Sprinkle flour on your counter and roll out your dough. 
• Sprinkle some extra flour all over your dough once you're done shaping
• Turn your grill to high and let the inside of the grill get hot (most home grills will get to about 600 degrees fahrenheit)
• Coat one side of your dough with a light brushing of grapeseed oil
• Note: I use grapeseed oil because it has a high smoke point and a delicate, almost indiscernible taste
• Place your dough on the grill, oil side down
• Reduce heat to medium + cover grill
• Flip your dough after about 7-10 minutes
• Top with your sauce of choice, cheese, and toppings
• Re-cover your grill and let cook for another 12-15 minutes
• Pizza(s) should now be done + you can top with any fresh toppings of your choice
• Top with some extra virgin olive oil and salt/pepper to taste (optional)

Enjoy!

xo, Glory

Beyond Meat BeastBurger w/ Cheese + Alexia Sweet Potato Puffs

If you haven't already tried Beyond Meat's BeastBurger, you absolutely must.  I'm pretty sure it had a hand in me deciding to go back to being a vegetarian.  I remember the first time Evan made it, I thought, "I like this better than beef."  Not kidding, even my dad -- who's a little set in his ways in some areas, food being one of them -- enjoyed it, when he accidentally had one in place of a beef cheeseburger during a barbecue.  

I'd been craving a cheeseburger with sweet potato fries all day at work, so when I came home, I knew we had to make a veg + healthier version.  I'm a big fan of Beyond Meat because, a while back, I think read that Bill Gates' is (or was) one of their investors in some article on Silicon Valley tech giants.  There was a separate article on Beyond Meat and the future of plant protein, which I thought was a cool read and has had me hooked ever since.

This was one of the tastiest dinners I'd had in a while, and if you stick around long enough, you'll find that I have plenty of delicious dinners because Evan is low key an iron chef.  

All I did here was roast the Beyond Meat BeastBurger along with Alexia Sweet Potato Puffs in the oven at 425 degrees.  I just followed the instructions and eyeballed both for optimal char + crisp.  I added a thin slice of mild cheddar cheese from Sprouts at the end and assembled.  Persian pickles on the side are optional but of course highly recommended.  

xo, Glory

Frolicking in NYC

I was in New York City last week for Evan's sister's NYU graduation.  We flew out of SFO on Tuesday and came back Sunday.  I'm usually really happy with Virgin America, but I think that's because I only used to ever fly with them out of LAX.  Flying with them out of SFO was a pain.  Both flights (going to and from NYC) were delayed, and not for acceptable reasons in my opinion. 

They said SFO was doing maintenance on one of their runways and that delays were due to FAA regulations.  It's not that I didn't believe them, I just think they knew in advance and could've communicated the departure times better.  But hey, at least I wasn't dragged off the plane 😉

We got in late Tuesday night, and Wednesday and Thursday were NYU graduation days.  I'm proud to say we spotted Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino coming out of Radio City Musical Hall on Thursday.  My girlfriend Lauren knew we were staying in Times Square and texted me before I'd even heard about the crash that killed 1 person and injured 22 others.  I said a prayer and thanked my lucky stars that I was okay in that moment.  

Friday's breakfast at our hotel was the perfect start to our day.  I was feeling all sorts of under the weather, likely from being on a plane and somehow I'd hurt my neck, but the fact that we could just go downstairs to have breakfast was clutch.  

I went to UC Berkeley for my undergrad so I just knew I had to pop into by Chloe.  I graduated in 2008 and if I'm not mistaken, I think Chloe Coscarelli graduated in 2009.  She's an award-winning Vegan author and chef, and her by Chloe casual restaurants are just perfect.  I had the guac burger and it totally hit the spot. 

When we got back to our hotel, we stopped by the concierge desk just to see if any Broadway show tickets were available.  Seriously, I hadn't even planned on asking, but suddenly it hit me that we were basically staying right next door and there's no time like the present.  I know everyone's big into Hamilton these days, and don't get me wrong, I fully intend on seeing it -- but just when it becomes normal-people prices.  I'd seen Phantom of the Opera at the Pantages and Wicket at the Orpheum, so I asked if they could find us tickets to The Lion King. Concierge woman took a liking to me and my goofy ways and...ta da!...The Lion King tickets were procured.  

I know there's a Broadway show ticket lottery you can enter (daily, maybe?) to get discounted tickets, but I'm glad we did it this way.  We'd just been busy and, at least when we were there, it was hot and crowded in NYC and I couldn't imagine going back on a daily basis to save some money.  I could be eating my words if it's a lot of money, but in this case we had a lot of commitments and time was of the essence.  

We had tickets to the 2 p.m. showing and I was ecstatic.  I love a good matinee because I don't like eating dinner at 10 p.m. (what are we, in Argentina?), and I also don't like feeling like I have to rush at dinner to make an 8 p.m. show.  The matinee lets you have dinner afterward, at your leisure, and I'm big into leisure #foreverleisurely

The show was amazing and the money we spent on slightly marked up tickets was well worth it.  When I got back to work, I told one of my friends that I saw my first ever show on Broadway and she was shocked.  Turns out, she thought any Broadway show was "seeing a show on Broadway," and didn't realize that seeing a show not on Broadway in NYC is considered off Broadway, ha 😎

At this point I was really tired so we decided to have an early bird dinner in the Theater District.  We went to a little spot called B Squared, the sister restaurant of B Side Pizza & Wine Bar.  I'm now a huge fan because (a) we were seated right away, (b) service was delightfully attentive but not annoying, and (c) the food + drinks were well priced and absolutely scrumptious.  Behold, 🍻🍕🍝

We had the Black Duck Porter, though I'm not sure that it's still on their menu.  I'd venture to say they rotate their selection somewhat frequently, but feel free to ask your server for a recommendation or taste of something.  

We got their housemade rigatoni (big fan of the bread crumbs) and roasted broccolini to start. 

And we finished off with their carbonara pizza, sans pancetta because #veg.  We then walked around until my dad's best friend's daughter met up with us for some dessert at Schmackary's.  The story here is kind of random -- my dad grew up in Iran and his best friend now lives in Stockholm; best friend's daughter, whom I'd never met before, is completing an internship in NYC.  My dad's best friend commented on my check-in at The Lion King that I should text his daughter, so I did!  Anyway, she was an absolute sweetheart and I'm glad we could meet up with her, even if we couldn't hang very long since we had an early flight home the next day.

And with that, I'll leave you with this iPhone shot from an earlier night when Evan and I hung out with my girlfriend Lauren on her rooftop in Williamsburg.  Parting is seriously such sweet sorrow but there's no place like home!

xo, Glory

SB Wedding Vibes + Solvang Jaunt

Remember my girlfriend whose birthday/bachelorette bash I attended last month?  Well, she got married this past weekend! The venue was in Santa Barbara so Evan and I decided to make a weekend of it. I worked from home on Friday and then picked him up from downtown Sacramento at around 1pm.  

Side note: I became a vegetarian again shortly after Cinco de Mayo.  I was a vegetarian in mid 2010 but didn't stick with it for a lot of reasons.  I'm back to it now and this time I think I'm sticking with it for good.  Evan's been a vegetarian now for more than a few months so he got us sandwiches from Beach Hut Deli for the road.  We happily road tripped down for the next 6 hours before finally arriving in SB and attending my gf's rehearsal dinner.  Santa Barbara is a beautiful little coastal town and so worth a trip if you're into sun, sand, wineries and microbreweries.  It's got all that and more, plus it's near a cute little town called Solvang.  

The next morning (and my gf's wedding day), Evan and I decided to have a breakfast down by State Street with our friend, Greg.  I've known Greg since college when he used to date one of my very best friends. They've since gotten married and ​live in LA, so I don't see them nearly enough and try to spend as much time with them as I can when we all do get together.  Greg's wife, Anna, was one of the brilliant ​masterminds behind ​last month's bday/bachelorette weekend​. Anna's a lady lawyer like myself and 

​an ​all around girl boss + planner extraordinaire. Greg picked the breakfast spot and, as you can see, it did not disappoint.  

After breakfast, Greg ​left to go to a charity police event in Calabasas while Evan and I met up with two of ​our other friends. We went to a couple wineries o​n State Street and a microbrewery in​the Funk Zone. I don't recall the Funk Zone being around when I used to visit SB in high school, so if you haven't been in a while, I highly recommend you check it out. There's a lot more to do than I remember.  Later that day, my gf Elena and her fiancé Kevin got married!  The beautiful couple got hitched at an intimate little place called Cold Spring Tavern. The historic mountainside saloon was the perfect backdrop 💕

The wedding was a blast and the "after party" was ​planned in advance at the bar next door. Elena and Kev had pizza waiting for us which I thought was a really nice touch. You seriously cannot go wrong with some grease and heavy carbs​ after a few (or several) cocktails.  

The next day, Evan and I had breakfast at the nearby IHOP with several of my girlfriends and their fiancés/husbands.  It was really sweet ​seeing all the families there for Mother's Day.  Once we finished, Evan and I checked out of our hotel and headed toward Solvang.  He'd never been before so I definitely wanted to take​ him on our way home.  Solvang is about 30-40 miles outside of Santa Barbara and is all things Danish.  Really.  It's so fun and a must see (at least once) if you're at all close by.  There's museums, restaurants, shops, people dressed in Danish garb, and ebelskivers galore! 

I hope the summer is filled with similarly jam packed weekends! ✭

xo, Glory

Cinco de Mayo at Home: Sheet Pan Nachos + Light Beer

Now I know what you're thinking -- Cinco de Mayo is for margaritas, not light beer.  You would be right, but Evan and I weren't going out (a total crime when Cinco de Mayo falls on a Friday, if you ask me) and beer was easy in a pinch.  My light beer of choice is usually Michelob Ultra or Bud Light Lime.  Michelob Ultra is great if you don't want the added lime flavor, and it's low in both calories and carbs. 

My absolute favorite light beer used to be Michelob Ultra Amber until they discontinued it.  Even though it looks like it's back now, I haven't been able to find it anywhere.  And aside from my beloved Michelob Ultra Amber (I miss you, MUA), it's really hard to find a light, dark beer.  Suggestions are welcome if you know of any!  

Since we were staying home, we decided to make sheet pan nachos to go with our beers.  The nachos came out really well and they weren't all that unhealthy either.  

Here's a list of ingredients and the steps we followed. Hope you enjoy. Olé!

Ingredients:

• 1 can refried pinto beans (preheated on the stove top or in your microwave)
• 1 can whole black beans
• 1/3 container of white mushrooms, sautéed (for just one side)
• Salsa
• Fresh cilantro
• Avocado
• Tostitos Cantina salsa 
• Diced red onion
• Chopped green onion
• Mexican blend shredded cheese
• Jalapeños
• Sour cream

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
• Line your sheet pan with some foil (less clean up!)
• Spread out your tortilla chips (preferably thicker ones that won't break as easily)
• Add your preheated refried pinto beans evenly on top of the chips
• Add your whole black beans evenly on top of the chips
• Sprinkle Mexican blend shredded cheese all over
• Add your sautéed mushrooms (you stick to one side like we did, or add them all over), as well as your red and green onions
• Bake for about 10-12 minutes and then remove
• Add salsa and extra shredded cheese
• Bake for another 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted and then remove
• Garnish with diced avocados, fresh cilantro, jalapeños, and sour cream

xo, Glory