You know what I’m really appreciating this week after missing them last week? Two things: sunshine and running.
Yesterday morning, I met my friend Sarah downtown for an early run. We were both so happy to see the beautiful sun finally came back out to play after such a gloomy and wet stretch here in DC!
Dear sun: please stick around this time. 🙂
We had fun chatting and running, as per usual. We did a loop through the city, past the White House to say holler to Obama…
Got this gorgeous misty view of the Washington Monument and reflecting pool from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial:
And then finished the run up in Dupont area. 6.2 miles – check! I was supposed to do a longer run (9 miles) on Tuesday for marathon training, but I’m still being very cautious about my foot, so I wanted to dial it back. So far, so good. Planning a casual 4 miles tomorrow morning.
Thanks for the great run, Sarah! 🙂
Another thing I’m loving lately? The fact that my friend Gena and I have revived our ingredient potluck dinner dates.
We first started doing ingredient potluck dinner dates last fall, as both of us were students and tight on money, and it was a cheap and fun way to have dinner together. Basically, we meet at one of our places and pool together whatever random ingredients we have on hand, then get creative with how to use them!
Previous ingredient potluck collaborations:
-
Roasted Eggplant & Red Pepper Quinoa + Apple Kale Salad
-
Healthy Dinner Collaboration: Sweet Potato & Lentil Salad with Hemp Vinaigrette
- For this collaboration, we met at my place and decided to do some sort of quinoa salad, topped with the roasted eggplant Gena brought over.
For some extra protein, we threw in chickpeas I had on hand, and to make a sauce, we got creative. I had a can of open pumpkin in the fridge that needed to be used up, plus some tahini. Hmm… pumpkin tahini? Sure, why not. After some measuring, tasting, and adding a little more of this and that, we came up with this. It was really good!
Pumpkin Tahini Dressing
- 2 Tbsp. pumpkin
- 1 Tbsp. tahini
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 3 tsp. lemon juice
- Salt & pepper to taste
You can also add some garlic powder in there, if you want. Get creative – the measurements don’t have to be exact.
Yep, I totally used bottled lemon juice instead of fresh lemon juice. Don’t judge me. Just keepin’ it real over here. 😉
Our last addition to the quinoa creation was some string beans I had on hand, for color.
Unfortunately the dark evening didn’t do my food photography any favors, but it was yummy, I promise. 🙂
Served with a simple side salad of greens, tomato, peppers, and beets. Yum, yum!
Have you ever done an ingredient potluck? They’re so fun – and less pressure than a real potluck or straight up hosting a friend at your place for dinner! 😉
