Ladies Who Lunch
Thank you for all the well wishes about my husband’s visa!
It has been a crazy week already. I can’t believe it is Thursday and not Friday. The big issue right now is employment. Matthew’s company has agreed to transfer him to their CA office, but we are unsure of their timeline. I also need to figure out when I am going to quit my (previously mentioned) temp job so I can focus on packing us up! There will be much work to do, mainly figuring out which of our stuff we will sell, ship, or store. We have already started that process, but now we can really get movin’!
I find that being busy like this can actually help me out when it comes to eating right and working out. I do well with a structure in place to keep me accountable. Between the move, work, Matthew’s 30th birthday next month, and other projects I am trying to finish up before we leave, I am hoping this will help me stay on track.
I have a list started of all the things we want to do/see/buy/eat before we leave. This includes hopeful UK bloggie meet-ups!
Yesterday was an especially crazy day. I had some faux apple pie for breakfast, and for lunch, well, did you know that Subway now does salads?
Carrots not included.
It was the best I could do with the options I had.
After work I had a little vino. I assure you it was necessary.
It went well with the last of the chicken sausage, broccoli, and a nice sweet potato.
I am so happy that I am on a salad kick again. All summer I struggled to crave them, but they’re back, baby!
Breakfast this morning was another layered apple creation.
Layer 1: Microwaved apple & cinnamon
Layer 2: Kashi Heart to Heart
Layer 3: Nonfat plain yogurt
Layer 4: All Bran cereal
Layer 5: Pumpkin butter/Pecan butter
This dish is fun to eat 
And enjoyed another Yogi Tea discovery…
My day was brightened today by meeting my friend Vicki for lunch. Together, we are the Real Housewives of Bristol.
I have said this on the blog before, but I just love going out to lunch. It seems like much more of a treat than going out to dinner somehow. Such a nice break in the workday!
We met at Boston Tea Party, a fun little chain cafe.
At the recommendation of a friend I ordered the veggie burger. It was a combination of beet, carrots, zucchini, pine nuts, and sunflower seeds.
This was a real veggie burger. It was not a frozen patty. It was topped haloumi cheese and the bun spread with hummus. It came with some real potato fries and salad.
I left the bun and ate the burger & cheese, salad, and potato wedges. Sorry for the crappy photos. It was dark in there!
I want to try to re-create that burger at home. The pine nuts were the magic ingredient, I think.
The Hubs is at a work dinner tonight, so I went to the gym after work and then ate dinner on my own watching the Whitney Houston interview on Oprah. Unlike lunch, this meal did involve a frozen patty.
Besides Amy’s veggie burgers, these are the only frozen patties I have found that I really enjoy. They are the Goodlife Nut Cutlets and they are nutty and have a very distinct, almost home-made flavor.
Now I’m enjoying some popcorn with a little of this sprinkled on top:
I want to say a big thank you to Miss Jennie of Jennie in Wonderland for sending me this nutritional yeast! I have had a heck of a time finding it in the UK and she so generously offered to send me some. When she offered I imagined a few tablespoons in a plastic baggie, so this was such a lovely surprise! THANK YOU, JENNIE! I have big plans for this stuff
The weather is so beautiful here lately. I will definitely miss Autumn in England.
Does having a busy schedule help or hinder your healthy habits?
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I didn’t get a chance to comment on your original post about your husband’s visa, but I wanted to say major congratulations now! That’s so exciting. Good luck with all the preparations! I’m sure that it will go well.
As for busy schedules, I think whether it will help or hinder my healthy habits completely depends on the situation. If I’m busy at home, it helps, but if I’m away for work, it can definitely hinder. Hopefully I can keep things together this weekend since I’m traveling for work again!
That breakfast sounds so good! And so does the veggie burger.
That’s funny that your craving salads now.. I’m the opposite! I craved them all summer but now that the weather is cool I’m struggling!
That veggie burger sounds delicious! I’m a big beet fan.. I never thought of putting them in burgers!
I lOVE your handwriting–so nice! I hope you get in all the good eats and blogger meets you can! xoxo
Have a schedule REALLY helps me with healthy habits. Weekends are usually not scheduled, and I tend to eat more treats.
I’ve gotten Subways salads many times. During my freshman year of college they were a staple in my diet – well besides chocolate milk, beer and peanut butter cups. Ack!
That burger looks fabulous! The beets sound like a great addition to veggie burgers. Plus pine nuts and sunflower seeds??? Drool.
I find that I work well under pressure and my eating habits become a little more strict and planned out.
The veggie burger sounds awesome! And I agree, going out to lunch is a very special treat!
As far as being busy and healthy living goes, I would have to say it depends. I think there is the “good kind” of busy and the “not so good kind” of busy. What I mean is that I do well when things are busy but “doable;” then I’m motivated to plan healthy meals and workouts. However, I have had periods in my life when things were just crazy and there was truly no time to work out. I also didn’t have the energy to plan and cook meals.
Have fun eating at the restaurants on your list!
That yogi tea sounds amazing!
Also, I love your handwriting
Good luck with getting everything in order before the big move! I love that you have listed all the places that you need to eat before you leave. I would totally do the same thing.
These are the kind of things that are very important.
Wow, now that is a veggie burger!!!
Glad you had a good day hun.
I spy our matching Coach glasses!!
Oh YUM to that veggie burger! As a vegetarian, I greatly appreciate it when a restaurant makes their own burgers (instead of using frozen Boca’s). Good luck with your list!! Enjoy tasting the last bits of England before your move!
As long as I get to workout… the busier I am, the healthier I am!
I’m with you on going out for lunch. It always seems like so much more of a treat to me! That veggie burger sounds awesome too. Pine nuts make anything they’re in
I’m really good at keeping on top of exercise when I have a busy schedule. It becomes my only “me time” during the course of a day, so I get really eager to get it in there. Food however, can take a back burner. Nothing TOO bad, I just stop eating as many fresh veggies, maybe rely more on pre-made stuff, etc.
I do SO much better with structure too. structure makes me happy
there is a place close by that makes a great veggie burger, and beets are a major ingredient. the burger ends up looking rather grossly like raw hamburger, but tastes so good!
Lara,
I’m the same way – I thrive on a schedule and get so much more done. HEAB needs structure in her life.
Real veggie burgers are the best. If I wanted a Boca burger, I’d eat it at home…well, not really b/c I don’t buy them, but you know what I mean.
Autumn in Bristol looks beautiful. I love fall so much. Makes me happy.
Best of luck with getting everything done. All will fall into place, and you’ll be home before you know it!
good job on scoring the nooch! woo hoo!
enjoy the wine. if you say it was needed, it was. nuff said
Ugh, I agree … was it really on Thursday today?? I sure felt like Friday.
Boston Tea Party looks like such a cute little place!
ohhh…sometimes it hinders but i make sure to stop every once in a while and take a breath to make sure i don’t go crazy.
and i’m so excited for your move!!!!
Did you write out your list 23 times to get it looking sooooo neat and professional? My writing is totally illegible!
Love lunching more than eating dinners out. Much more.
Busy schedule=better eating & exercise usually. Susan’s right- it’s your “me” time.
How did you like the haloumi cheese (It’s high protein right?)
Hope you had a nice night- happy friday to you!
So funny that you asked about the haloumi cheese! I had never had it before and was shocked at how much I loved it! I didn’t know it was higher protein, though.
But I do quite like to just write, if you know what I mean. I’m always the girl signing my name on the back of scratch papers…
Oh, and I only wrote the list out twice
I love nutritional yeast! It’s so versatile. I hope you recreat that burger ….I want the recipe when you do!
Now that’s a tea I’d love to try (the licorice not so much as I am not a black licorice fan)
THAT veg burger at the restaurant sounded divine!! I have been dying for one like that for about two weeks now and I want to try to make sunburgers next week (have the raw sunflower seeds!)
I love nutritional yeast too! I was raised on the stuff. We spray popcorn w/ olive oil and then sprinkle on yeast and salt (and sometimes parmesan
). My parents always eat their Ezekiel toast and bagels w/ Smart Balance and yeast on top – trick is to put the spread on so it melts and then get a knife and spread the yeast into the melty layer. It’s delicious!
And you do have beautiful penmenship! Happy Friday xo
Michelle, I hate licorice, too, but I swear you will like that tea! It’s really a misnomber to call it that. It should be called “Creamy Spice” or something like that. I actually like it better than the Choco one!
Thanks for the tips on the nutritional yeast! (And the compliments on my writing…see Deb’s comment response)
I think that being busy means being bored less and therefore less “boredom eating”…so that probably means healthier.
Your handwriting is so cute!
I’d love a blogger (not that I have a blog anymore) meet up before you head back to the States! I’ll definitely be there if one is arranged.
Have you tried the couldran mushroom burgers? They’re quite nice.
And I agree about the weather, it’s lovely. I heard on the radio it was -2 degrees this time last year!
Definitely, Sam! I’d love to meet up. Let’s plan something!
Re: Cauldron mushroom burgers. I think I have tried those and they were really nice in bolognaise. I didn’t really like them on their own, though. Very mushroom-y (hehe). I guess they are appropriately named!
A busy schedule does both for me. It helps because I don’t mindlessly eat as much, but it hinders because I don’t have as much time to plan meals and make healthy decisions. PLus when I’m stressed I crave CRAPPY foods! That’s a problem.
Love the beets idea, I’m a huge fan!
Congrats to Matt on getting his VISA! A job will come soon
I’m going to have to try yeast on popcorn and toast – that sounds really good!
I agree with other commentators – I’d love to know the recipe for the veggie burger if you figure it out!
I’m so happy you’re coming back to the states!
I love when restaurants have REAL veggie burgers. I hate fake meat! And I don’t think I’ve ever had haloumi cheese, but I’m always curious to try it!
look at you being all Housewives of UK on us
LOVES!
sounds like you’ve got your work cut out for you but in a totally exciting and awesome way! wooo hooo for the move! so very exciting
Having a schedule can be a double edged sword for me. Sometimes I’m super healthy and productive. Other times it just overwhelms my day. Most of the time though I eat pretty healthy.
Oo that tea sounds interesting.
I wouldn’t say that it hinders my healthy habits.. it just lessens my time to be able to try new things since I love cooking.
Hi Lara! I am totally with you! When I’m busy, eating well falls into place so easily! Structure helps me make sure I fit in meals for the energy to get busy while making sure I don’t get bored and start snacking aimlessly (huge danger).
Congrats again!!! So happy that you guys are finally moving back to the US. The job stuff will certainly work out I’m sure!! Don’t give up Lara. Good luck!!
I like that tea too
I agree with gong out for lunch…for some reason it’s so much more of a ‘treat’ to me. The veggie burger looks delish- I love when places serve real veg burgers as opposed to microwaving a fake meat patty (which I can do at home!) I need to try the nut cutlets!
I find that being really busy hinders any semblance of health…things like getting enough food/rest take second place to whatever else I need to do.