Tone It Up Meals: Week 5
I’m just over halfway through the Tone It Up challenge and I’m feeling great! Yesterday morning I woke up bright and early for the daily workout.
It only took about 30 minutes but I was pretty exhausted by the end! I really like that their workouts are quick but effective. Once I was done with my workout, I hopped in the shower and then headed downstairs for my breakfast.
I’m still on a smoothie bowl kick and I just can’t get enough! This one was frozen mango, pineapple, almond milk, and vanilla protein powder, topped with chia seeds and a strawberry. Just in case you missed it, here are my tips for a super thick smoothie bowl.
After breakfast, I had quite a few cups of coffee along an Elli Quark. These are technically a cheese but they taste like Greek yogurt. I like that they’re sweetened with stevia so they don’t have a lot of added sugar. The pineapple flavor was awesome!
Once lunch rolled around, I grabbed my lunch bag and headed down to meet a few friends in the cafeteria. We have awesome food options at work but I had some extra kale in the fridge that needed to be eaten, so I made my strawberry kale salad and a few Mary’s Gone Crackers with a bit of hummus. I know, I know, I’m in a salad rut but I can’t stop eating this!
I had meetings most of the afternoon but I munched on a few nuts while I worked. This was the Planter’s Pistachio Blend. It was a little heavy on the peanuts and light on the actual pistachios but it was a nice snack.
After work, I headed over to Citizen Burger Bar which just opened in Carytown. (They have a location in Charlottesville and one in Clarendon too!) I’ve been to their Charlottesville location and I fell in love with their veggie burger so I was pretty excited when I found out they were coming to Carytown! We had a pretty big group of bloggers so it was fun to get to catch up with friends and meet a few new faces. The food was absolutely incredible and the service was awesome!
I love that they focus on lots of local ingredients, local farms, and local beers. (The meat is locally sourced and ethically raised, so Alex is pretty pumped to have this burger option nearby!) I’m also thrilled that the veggie burger isn’t just an afterthought. This housemade burger was amazing. I got mine with a side salad but that’s only because I had piles of the truffle fries with the appetizers! You can see a few snapshots of those on the Virginia Bloggers Instagram. YUM! My dinner was a bit of a splurge but it was worth every single bite! I can’t wait to go back there!
You can see my other Tone It Up Meals here:
What have you been eating lately?
I’m linking up Arman for What I Ate Wednesday!
I love local restaurants that source locally. It just keeps that sweet relational element in food, which is a huge part of what food and fellowship is for me. I really really want to get on the smoothie bowl kick. I’m not very good at making things look pretty, but all you gals who are doing it are motivating me to try it out.
That salad looks simple & Delicious. I love strawberries and never think to use them in a kale salad… I think I may need to try it this week!
yummm this all looks so delicious! and that strawberry on your smoothie bowl is so high class restaurant-esque; very impressive. Lately i’ve been taking my smoothies and dumping them into a bowl and pouring granola on top. and chocolate chips. because why not.
That burger looks so good!your pictures are always so pretty – I wish I had your skill!!
HAH! I literally carried my plate outside so I could get better lighting for the photo!
Pineapple Quark sounds delicious. You’re actually right in considering it a kind of Greek yoghurt because Quark is a German classic and nobody over here would label it as cheese. It’s always found where the yogurt is located in stores :).
The burger bar has to be a really awesome spot. Places that source their ingredients locally, maybe also organic, are my favourites, too. I’m a little jealous of your blogger meet-up but happy you had fun there.
I didn’t even realize until recently that “Quark” was a thing! I thought that’s just what Elli Quark was called 😉
That burger looks amazing! I love the local, organic burger places like Bareburger and B. Good. Definitely up my alley 🙂
you just put me in the mood for a smoothie. and a veggie burger! it’s finally warm enough here for me to drink a smoothie without freezing afterwards!
Mmmm that smoothie bowl looks fabulous! And that burger – I made homemade veggie burgers the other day and have been loving them though I must admit, they aren’t the same without a bun. I need to find a worthy gluten-free option!
The restaurant had Udi’s gluten free buns and my gluten free friend said they were delicious!
Ahh that veggie burger looks amazing! Plus, truffle fries are basically heaven. Totally worth the splurge! I didn’t really have a “real” dinner last night, just apps and drinks with friends. Also a splurge, but still worth it 😉
It looks really good and like a lot of fun. I’m glad you had a good time!