Morning, friends!
This week has marked my return to the world of offices and packed lunches. As I mentioned last week, I’m renting some desk space in downtown DC because I was getting super lonely working from home all the time. I know working from home is super sweet and a luxury, and it’s awesome a few days a week, but having done it every single day for years now meant I was starting to go a liiiiiittle stir crazy. As you probably know if you’ve read my blog for more than a minute, I’m a pretty social person – my mom was joking that even when I was little I’d always rather be right next to whoever was home vs. playing with toys in my room. I’m just happiest when I’m out and engaging with others. 🙂
I’ll likely do a mix of heading in to the office and working from home, depending on how many AnneTheRD client meetings I have in Virginia, etc. There are conference rooms at the office that I can use up to 4 hours per month, so I might meet some clients there, but I think mostly I’ll keep doing the coffee shop thing for that. As for virtual clients, there are call rooms at the office so that’s not a problem!
Anyway – Monday was my first day heading in so I packed myself a nice little lunch to enjoy. It had been quite awhile since I did this! I started with a huge handful of spinach, which I microwaved on high for 1 minute to wilt it:
Next up was some carbs/grains, protein, and healthy fat! I threw into a tupperware some leftover barley (probably about 1/2 cup) and about 1/2 cup of canned black beans (drained/rinsed) for quick and easy protein. I topped it with a hefty serving of avocado, for healthy fat and deliciousness. There were also some random pieces of fennel in there and a few pumpkin seeds leftover from my strawberry barley salad (recipe coming on Tuesday).
I packed a little container of my homemade balsamic vinaigrette to put on just before I ate. Don’t dress your salads in the morning or they will be super soggy by lunchtime!
As for sides/snacks, I packed a random assortment. The dole pineapple was leftover from the MCM10k (they handed them out at the finish). Plus some Greek yogurt (I normally buy 2% – Matt bought this one – love Fage but wish they would go organic!) and a local Kate Bakes Bar. I love her bars – she’s in DC so you can find them locally (more info on her website) or just order a bunch online. Tasty, good nutrient profile, and stellar ingredients, too!
I ended up enjoying the Kate Bakes Bar for a mid morning snack, had the pineapple as a sweet treat to end lunch, and ate the Greek yogurt as an afternoon snack with some unpictured almonds. Perfect!
As for lunch itself, Monday was gorgeous so I took myself outside and enjoyed it while sitting in Dupont Circle. 🙂 I know it’s hard to get away from the busy workday to take a real lunch break, but if you can even squeeze in a short break so you aren’t eating in front of your computer, it will make a big difference in terms of stress and happiness levels. And it helps with satiety/eating mindfully, too!
For more packed lunch ideas, see the easy packed lunch section of my recipe page!
As for lunch on Tuesday? I met a friend I used to work in PR with who works right by my office. So fun to catch up with her! We went to Levantes, one of my old faves. We shared some unpictured pita and hummus (theirs is really good) and I had a veggie-filled lamb stew of sorts for my entrée. Hit the spot! I probably only ate about half of it since it was huge.
I’m working from home today because I have a a couple clients this afternoon here in Virginia. Better get back to it!
Have a great day, everyone! And before I go, a reminder: tomorrow is the last day to enter the final #VersaChallenge that I’ve worked with Fitness Magazine and Oster® to promote! Make the Fiery Red Salsa (you can see a video of me making it here and here is the recipe) and upload a pic to Instagram with the hashtag #VersaChallenge to be entered to win some sweet prizes. 🙂
Of interest:
- Why You Should Kick the Diet Soda (and fake sugar) Habit
- New Study Shows Polyphenol Rich Diet Has Potential to Safeguard Athletes Against Illness
- Is Coconut Oil All It’s Cracked Up To Be?
- How to Talk to Your Children About Food & Weight – great resource
- 9 Quick & Easy Make-Ahead Casseroles
