I was having heart palpitations on my way to working yesterday thinking, “I can’t believe I posted that…I can’t believe I posted that.” Between patient appointments I would check my Blackberry and my heart just smiled at each one of you…
You are all so incredible and your comments truly mean so much to me.
I love that my honesty brought people out of the wood works that I otherwise would’ve never known about 😉 Thank you. I am not one to shine a spot light in this direction as you well know from reading, but it just felt right and your comments justified my ability to use this blog as my outlet for me…and for you. I would go thank each and one of you who posted with a, “You are too sweet, thank you!” but that’s just silly…so YOU ARE ALL TOO SWEET, THANK YOU!
…and I am very much so looking forward to meeting several of you at BlogHer Food in October!! 🙂 20 pounds over my “happy weight” or not, I’ll be there and I’ll have a blast (and eat my fair share, too!)!!
I’m going to vacation another day from the NNM topics, but I DO intend to post a Q&A before the week is over. I’ve got several great questions to be answered and any others can be sent me way! [email protected] !
Garden Update:
Good bloggie vibes and sunny Tulsa weather have seemed to revive the garden. I hope I am not speaking too soon ::knock on wood:: !!
And the first appearance of pork on my blog! I love pork, why don’t I cook it more often!? Mr. Prevention (grumble, grumble!). And yes, before you call me out on it…Cooking Light and I have had some serious “moments” this month. I hope you can benefit!
Pork Tenderloin, Pear, and Cranberry Salad adapted from Cooking Light
1 Tbsp (apple) cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic, divided
1 1/4 tsp dried thyme, divided
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/4th-inch-thick slices
3/4 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1/4 cup shallots, sliced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup 100% cranberry juice
6 cups baby spinach leaves
1 ripe red Anjou pear, thinly sliced
Directions:
Combine vinegar, mustard, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon thyme. Set aside.
Combine pork and remaining 1 teaspoon garlic, remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; toss well to coat. Sprinkle pork mixture with flour; toss well. Let stand 5 minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots; cook for 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add cranberries and juice; cook until liquid is reduced to 2 tablespoons (about 2 minutes). Reduce heat to medium-low. Add vinegar mixture; cook 1 minute. Gradually add 1 tablespoon oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, stirring well with a whisk. Cover and keep warm.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork to skillet; cook 3 minutes or until browned, turning once. Remove pork. Repeat procedure with remaining pork. Toss pork with 1 tablespoon warm cranberry mixture (I skipped this step – the pork smelled too good!)
Combine spinach and pear in a large bowl. Drizzle with reamining cranberry mixture; toss well to coat. Arrange about 2 cups spinach mixture on each of 4 plates; top evenly with pork. Yield: 4 servings
Nutrition Information (per serving): 360 calories; 17.7 g. fat (3.3 g. saturated fat, 11.6 monounsaturated fat, 1.9 g. polyunsaturated fat); 25.8 g. protein; 25.6 g. carbohydrate; 4.4 g. fiber; 74 mg. cholesterol; 3.3 mg. iron; 485 mg. sodium; 71 mg. calcium
Result: Deeeelicious! The pork was so incredibly flavorful! I thought the thyme would be a lot (as in, too much) when I was making the dish, but it turned out beautifully. Mr. Prevention doesn’t like pork, and he requested this dish again. 😀
I went out for lunch yesterday at work…first time in MONTHS (4 months, probably). As I paid my $12 for my crappy Mexican food and iced tea I got to thinking how I would and could never make a habit out of dining out every day for lunch. Cafeterias are one thing, but I personally couldn’t do a restaurant everyday. I’m looking forward to my leftover Chicken Shawarma today 🙂
Question: Where do you normally eat lunch through the work/school week? Do you eat the same thing every day, or do you change it up? What’s for lunch today?
Haaaaaaapy Hump Day! Don’t forget to send those Q&A questions!!
P.S. Go here to enter Marla’s GroOrganic Olive Oil Giveaway!
Blog reading never happened yesterday, so I am just getting to you last post. Thank you for posting that. I am generally a healthy eater, but I have a history of binging and on really stressful days, I will still turn to food. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, I think “what business do you have becoming an RD?” It is the posts where people make themselves vulnerable that keep me coming back to a blog. I love nutrition (since I’m back in school to learn more!), but sometimes, I can’t read another post about nutrition-related matters. I simply want to hear from the person behind the blog….hear their story. Thanks for doing that 🙂
I’m so happy your garden has survived! 🙂
Bonjour! Thank you for that last post- I have been having a hard last few weeks at work and can totally relate to your story. My insecurity comes with teaching- especially when I think I use so many great activities/homework/practice and then my students take a test and … … … it’s not so great. I think I’m a pretty good teacher but sometimes, I just don’t make the connection. I try to keep it in perspective that everything can be turned into a learning opportunity, for myself included. And while we might not get it the first try, the important thing is to keep moving in the right direction (à la Dory from Finding Nemo)!
But to answer your question today- I usually bring my lunch! We don’t have much near campus (it’s either a sandwich that’s about 75% baguette … or a kebab (yuck)). I’ve recently fallen in love with endives (chopped up and with a little vinaigrette!)!! Glad to see the garden made it- have a great end of the week!
I eat lunch at the lunch table at work. I have the same things for awhile and then I switch it up!
I just left a comment on your previous post, but I wanted to say again how much I appreciated your strength in sharing your story, and how much you inspire me! You are so wise, balanced, and healthful, and you are GORGEOUS, girl!!
Cooking Light rocks! 🙂 I love pork tenderloin – I can’t wait to try this gorgeous recipe! Soooo posh and perfect for spring!
I couldn’t agree with you more about lunch during the week – I’m much happier with my home-packed lunches! 🙂 More economical and healthier! 🙂 I usually alternate between leftovers or a peanut butter sandwich with an apple. Today is a leftovers day – spicy beans and rice, and steamed broccoli! Yum! 🙂
Thank you again for being wonderful you, and for brightening my day with your wonderful blog!!
Oh my goodness Nicole, that salad looks incredible! Such a good combination of foods.
Keep being yourself – beautiful, kind, and passionate – and everyone will continue to love you no matter what. Your pants size, weight… that stuff does not define you and does not change the amount of respect and admiration we all have for you! 🙂 Have a great day!!
You are incredible Nicole…NEVER EVER doubt that!! 🙂
I typically eat the same thing for lunch during the workweek because it is easy and I don’t have to think about it!
I always bring my lunch to work, and its usually the same thing. But its saves money and I know its good for me.!
Right now, I’m eating lunch at my desk and reading your blog. Today’s a tuna sandwich. I rarely go out to lunch, maybe a few times a year. Aside from the fact that I don’t have a car and there’s nothing around my office, it costs so much. Even a $5 sandwich every day can add up to more than $1,000 a year. So not worth it to me.
I’m eating overnight oats as I read this! I much rather be having that pork salad though 🙂
I always always always pack my lunch. I’d say 90% of the time its leftover dinner. Tonight I have a baked sweet potato with goat cheese and chipotle hot sauce. I was feeling lazy so thats all I brought (along with snacks) but it will be yummy!!
I think you were very brave posting that ayer on your blog! Thank you for being so candid with us.
I tend to eat the same thing during the week, only because I don’t want to waste food.
I truly loved your honesty in your last post. It seems like the wonderful women behind all these blogs are perfect but they’re really not.. they are just like you and me 🙂 We all struggle on the road to healthy living, no one said it was a straight road from point A to point B.. it’s more fun to take the winding road instead.. if that makes any sense to you at all.
You are a passionate and beautiful woman who should be exuding confidence in your knowledge of nutrition and on your blog 🙂 (which is awesome!!) That salad looks great, btw! I usually take a version of the same thing for lunch every day to work.. a salad with some goat cheese, dried fruit and some sort of protein like tofu, beans, or something like that.
That looks great! Might have to try it with tempeh.
I’m not at all surprised by the number of sweet comments you got! You rock! 🙂
leftovers are my go-to for lunch.
oh i bring my own lunch daily…..i try to make extra dinner the night before and then bring leftovers! i have leftovers of pasta today-can’t wait to eat them 🙂
I’m with you, I totally could not eat out every day for lunch. I usually got home for lunch and eat leftovers,a salad, a Sammy or a wrap or bring my food with me to work and eat at my desk like today. I brought last nights left over corn cakes with turkey and veggie chili. With an apple on the side i’m one happy girl. Plus it’s gorgeous outside today so I’ll probably sit outside for a while and read.
WOW! It looks like it came right out of the magazine! Delicious–I may have to give this a try! 🙂
That meal would make Anthony Bourdain proud!
I just read yesterday’s post and I agree with everyone else – you are not alone and we all struggle with something. I sometimes feel the same way reading some blogs and wonder how I could reach those seemingly high levels of perfection! Thank you for being so honest. I think being healthy is sooo many things, not just about being a certain size!
I eat the same thing for lunch everyday…usually Greek yogurt, cottage cheese leftovers, and a Kashi TLC bar. Boring, but I love it! I am usually left unsatisfied by lunches out, too. Not to mention how unsatisfying spending money on sub-par food can be.
I hope you have an amazing time at the BlogHer Food event! All the blogger events sound so fun!
I’m currently eating lunch, sadly in front of the computer (something I definitely advise against). But I am having a yummy lunch…kale, buckwheat, and sauteed seitan w/ veggies.
Hey Girl! Just wanted to let you know i read your post yesterday!
I loved it! And I think its so important for readers to know that RD’s are people too! We’re human… and just because we are nutrition experts doesn’t mean we eat perfect all the time, or have perfect bodies. Your post was perfect 🙂
“pounds over my “happy weight” or not, I’ll be there and I’ll have a blast (and eat my fair share, too!” Yes! I’d say “that’s my girl!” but that sounds silly 🙂
Your dinner looks amazing (even to a silly veg like me) 🙂
I just went out to eat today, too! I work at a sit-on-your-butt-all-day job as well and I decided to go to our cafeteria for a chicken wrap. It was good while I was eating it but now my stomach is churning around and telling me otherwise. I’ll take leftovers from dinner any day!
You’re inspiring. I like to read blogs from people that understand what its like to struggle to lose weight. I just started up my own weightloss blog and its scary putting yourself out there. Thanks for blogging!
Great looking salad, even though I don’t eat pork.
I often eat on base and I get the salad bar and usually a baked potato with it, but most of the time I eat lunch at home after I get back from the gym.
I eat lunch in my truck driving down the road and it’s the same as breakfast 99% of the time. Today was a smoothie-1c brocolli, 1c strawberries, 1/3c oats, 1sc protein powder, 1/8c sunflower seeds plus water.
Why don’t you cook pork more? Same reason you don’t cook rissotto more? 🙂
In response to your comment. My new toy is a scroll saw which you can use to make a multitude of wooden things. If you click on the pic in my post you will get a bigger pic of it.
I wish I were going to BlogHer! 🙂 Mike and I actually don’t eat pork, but that salad still looks beautiful to me! And I bet it would work equally well with chicken…the cranberries are just gorgeous in it!
You are beautiful and the people at BlogHer will love you! I don’t do pork like some of your other commenters.
Your food always looks so great!
Nicole,
I am so happy you did that post yesterday. It is always reassuring to know that other people do not fit the ‘ideal health God and fitness God’ image that I think is sometimes associated with food bloggers.
No matter what size you are 20lb more or less you are beautiful girl!
continue to be you Nicole Blogher will be so much fun i want to go to the foodbuzz one, would you ever like to guest post for me?
Rebecca
I’m so glad you feel you can share your personal feelings with us. I love reading your blog because of your honesty and your ability to relate. Thanks!
And I love pork too! It’s my favorite meat. This recipe is great! I’d love to try this!
Nice post nicole..