my week in pictures.

not a lot of words for today... just some long overdue pictures and recipes!

maybe this will give you guys a little peek into my day :)

the beautiful kelli sent me some goodies a while back, and deserves a hella shoutout! this girl is wicked creative... she made me maple cinnamon almond/peanut butter!!! enough said.

and i might add - the nut butter is almost totally gone...

and fig basalmic vinegar! gasp. thank you kelli!

i think i'm gonna go make dressing right, actually.

zee knees, post-run.

my rule? if you run for more than 30 mins, please ice, just in case!

and my foam roller... i love you.

don't know how to use it? now you can!

a random breakfast...

and a recipe!

this is some of the best gluten-free bread i've ever made. it's protein packed and super-nutritious, which can be rare in GF products.

the process:

the result:

seriously guys, make this bread! it's so dense and satisfying.

i'd choose it over whole wheat bread anyday... and that's sayin' something.

this runner knows her carbs.

next up? quinoa breakfast brownies.

the gluten-free goddess is probably the blog i'd credit to my success at GF baking.

she is a genius, and knows EVERYTHING.

i made these bars for my little sister (a celiac) to grab on her way out the door before 5:45AM swim practice - yes, seriously.

obviously, she deserves good grub.

i am to deliver.

the verdict? and i quote... "OMG THESE TASTE LIKE NAUGHTY COOKIES!"

victory is mine.

one of my favorite new snacks, jess-style.

melted cheddar + crofter's = bliss.

i seriously cannot say enough good things about crofter's.

organic, tangy, and not sweet? i like.

oats in a jar. at 5AM. on film. epic.

soft-fried egg + spinach + sauteed mustrooms + homemade guac.

i eat this quite a lot. no shame.

props to alton.

and iced tea, because i'm a good southern girl, y'all.

flowers from mom's garden... she's so talented!

everything is gorgeous, and she gardens organically - no sprays or pesticides.

i am so blessed to be able to pick chemical-free flowers and veggies from my back yard... thank you Lord!

last but not least, the recipe from last night's dinner.

really, really, good, and mostly healthy, creamy penne pesto pasta

(didn't photograph, but it looked like this!)

8 oz. whole wheat penne

1/2 box frozen spinach, thawed and liquids squeezed out

3 or 4 tbsp pesto (i used homemade!)

handful sundried tomatoes, packed in oil

8 oz. sour cream (i had leftover from a cookout, but this would be an ideal place to substitute greek yogurt!)

handful or two of grated parmesan, fresh if you can manage

few big pinches of black pepper, to taste

pinch of salt, to taste

optional: 1/2 lb grilled chicken, cut into strips

here we go:

DISCLAIMER: when i cook, i don't really measure. sorry type-A girls :)

started by cooking the man's chicken in a skillet with a tiny dab of olive oil. i just seasoned them up with salt and pepper and cut them into skinny strips. start with your heat up high to get a good sear on them, then turn it down to low to cook through. when they were almost done, i tented some aluminum foil over them to finish cooking through and keep them warm while the pasta cooked.

i boiled the pasta to al dente, drained, and returned to the pasta pot. i first stirred in my pesto, spinach, and tomatoes, coating all the noodles. once that was well-mixed, i stirred in my sour cream and parmesan cheese. things started lookin' pretty sexy in there, so i tasted it, seasoned it up with my S + P, and served my boyfriend who had patiently been hovering for an hour or so :)

i served it with crusty whole wheat bread and sauteed basalmic asparagus. if you and your dinner date are both omnivores, you should stir in the chicken after adding the sour cream and cheese.

i also brought him a batch of chocolate chip cookies to celebrate his track season ending (he coaches high school). i used this recipe from Allrecipes, but it wasn't my favorite. the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies from Dorie's book are still the best i've ever made.... if you love to bake, you need this book!

now your turn - do you guys have to measure to cook?

i don't even measure when i bake... terrible, i know!

-rebekah