Weekend at Home & Exciting Things

Well happy Monday you wonderful people! I know Monday can be a bit of a bummer for many people, but I think if we all just pretended to be happy, it might actually come true.

Or I’ll just be the really annoying chipper person you want to punch in the face.

I can bear that burden for you if it makes your Monday better.

I actually had a very productive and fun weekend. A little bit of work, a little bit of prep, a little bit of relaxation, and a whole lot of spending time with my husband. Whenever I’m away for a stretch of time (dog-sitting usually), it’s always nice to reconnect and spend time together.

I worked Saturday morning but when I came back home, we headed out for a little lunch date. I was very excited about this because 1. We hardly EVER go out to eat. Like ever. So it’s a nice treat when we do go out. 2. Build your own burgers.

Yup. We decided to have lunch at Butcher and the Burger in Lincoln Park. It was fantastic! You get to choose the meat you want (including a lentil/bean burger that is entirely vegan), then a spice mix to add, types of buns, toppings, and sides. I got the grass-fed burger with the desert chili seasoning and added mustard and avocado all on a lettuce wrap to make it low carb. I also got a side of their house-made garlic dill pickles. YUMMMMM!

Adam had the sirloin burger with all the toppings and a side of their Chipperbec fries which he devoured. I don’t blame him, they looked fantastic. This was our first time at Butcher and the Burger and we both loved it. It had a very cool, relaxed vibe and the food was phenomenal. We’ll definitely be back.

After lunch, we shopped for workshirts for Adam and then headed back home. I spent the rest of the evening prepping allllll the food. Since I wasn’t home last week and Sunday was Easter, I didn’t get a chance to get anything ready for this past week. Luckily freezer meals made it a little easier but I missed having everything ready to go.

Sunday I was able to test out a few new recipes for the blog including a low-carb puppy chow like dish (stay tuned) and a simple herb-crusted pork loin. It was nice to spend some time in the kitchen trying out a few new things.

In the exciting news part of things: I am officially enrolled in an online nutrition program! I mentioned a few months back that I would be taking classes to get my certification and the time has finally come! I am ridiculously pumped to learn more about health and nutrition and then, in turn, offer my services to others and help them find better health.

While the beginning of this year has been crazy and hectic and a new adjustment for me, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It feels great to be learning new things that I am passionate about and I love that my knowledge can help others perform and feel better. By the end of August, I should be done with my program and have my health coach/nutrition certification. So if you need some guidance, you know where to turn!

I’ll keep you guys updated on my progress and share with you the new information that I learn! But let’s get to all the things I made this weekend and the menu for dinner this week!

Monday- Simple Mustard Chicken. I prepped and cooked this all on Sunday because I knew Monday would be a little busy at work. Just add veggies and dinner is done!
Tuesday- Cevapcici and vegetables. I made a double batch of these before I left and froze half so I’ll pull those out for dinner.
Wednesday- Crispy chicken thighs seared in a cast iron skillet and finished in the oven. Side of roasted vegetables.
Thursday- Seared ahi tuna and vegetables. In case you hadn’t noticed, Thursday is always fish and I love it.
Friday- I don’t have a plan for this Friday yet, but last week I seared thin strips of sirloin steak that I marinated in balsamic vinegar and mustard (yum) and then I served it over Miracle Noodles. I also made a quick coleslaw with leftover mayo from my egg salad recipe and bagged cabbage from Trader Joe’s.

Food I prepped for the week: