I woke up bright and early today excited to run at the park. The mornings have cooled down a little so it is actually nice to run outside without the scorching heat that I had to battle during the summer months.
4 Mile run = 3 mile jog and 1 mile alternating (1 min walk/1 min jog).
I thought my legs would feel really heavy since I haven’t ran outside consistently the last few months, but it felt fine. My HIIT sessions at the gym probably helped maintained my running legs. I made sure I had a long warm-up, cool down and stretching today.
I want to run a 10K race (Turkey Trot or an earlier race) before the year is over so I’m slowly getting back to running outside again.
Breakfast was served in a jar. I go thru phases where I can eat the same kind of nut butter every day and I went thru this jar in less than a month. I really love it but I should try to make my own at home.
I added protein powder + cottage cheese in the oats today. Topped with trail mix after I took the picture.
Pantry Staples – Trader Joe’s Loot
I think that one of ways to make eating healthy easier is to stock-up on healthy food. After my trip to Trader Joe’s this week, I photographed my loot to show you the items that I buy for groceries and are staples in our kitchen.
I have been trying to stray way from impulse buy at the store so I have been making a list of items that we used often and sticking to that list.
- unsweetened applesauce: I used this mostly for baking. I bake almost every week.
- Sprouted multi-grain bread
- egg whites: add protein to breakfast, also used for baking
- almond butter: I like crunchy and unsalted kind
- decaf green tea: I enjoy sipping on a cup of tea after dinner with dessert. I normally mix herbal tea with decaf green tea.
- green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, sugar peas and zucchini: I love to steam vegetables or roast them in olive oil. Eaten as a side dish or assemble to make salad
- frozen edamame and peas: freezer staple for recipes or easy side dishes
- tofu and meatless meatballs: quick and easy dinner options. Toppings for pasta or tofu stir-fry.
Below are the items we buy in bulk (Costco). We bought the containers from IKEA and keep them out on the kitchen counter instead of inside the pantry since we use them a few times every week.
- quinoa
- old fashion oats
- quick cooking oats
- brown rice
These are the items we always have in our pantry and items that we buy from Trader Joe’s. We also buy groceries from Costco and the farmers market. Other items that I buy for specific recipes, I just buy as needed.
Healthy Coconut 
Hey HC,
I love TJ’s Sunflower Seed Butter I mentioned before that I’m sensitive to Peanuts never had a clue until I started going raw or vegan that I noticed how sensitive I am to them.
So TJ’s SSB is the Bestest.. =)
my Pantry staple from TJ’s are the Edamame, mixed raw nuts & Pumpkin Butter.
Yumm love the veggie meatballs.
how did you know that you were allergic to peanuts? I’m curious to know. Sunbutter is a great alternative, it’s so good. I actually prefer it over peanuts. I still have a container of pumpkin butter, it’s taking me a long time to finish it, I find it too sweet. I’m going to bake with it and give away to friends.
I didn’t know I was, about 5-8 years ago I went to the Dr. for a regular check up and I mentioned that I had problems with my stomach then and my previous Dr. gave me Ulcer medication I read the side effects and I was like no way am I taking that.
That was around the time I stopped taking medication. I haven’t had any allergy tests done at all I just started trying out different butters and came across TJ’s SSB as my PB alternative.
But when I started going Raw/Vegan about 1 year ago I noticed that I didn’t have any symptoms of bloating, acid reflux, and heart burn at all until recently when I had some PB & J – that’s when I started getting bloaty. Bleh not fun at all.
It seems that I’m more in-tuned with my body now then I ever was.
I love TJ’s- I really like their Vegetable and fried rice, frozen veggies, cinnamon crumpets, and their pizza! It’s really hard not to impulse buy their, b/c there’s just so much I could buy!
I allow myself one impulse buy per visit, I always say that I can try the other stuff next time. Cinnamon crumpets? never tried that, might look for that next time.
their Greek yogurt is definitely one of my staples..and now their fruit floes (popsicles)…i love that place. oh, and their nuts.
Yayy for an awesome run! Im running a 10k in less than a month- im nervoussss! Tjs rocks. Their ab and sun butter are always in my pantry. Love their oat bran, nut mixes, salsa (great salad dressing) and pre prepped veggies
thanks for the idea of making salsa as salad dressing 🙂
I love oats in a jar, been a while since I have had that!
I do not have a trader joe’s near me! I will soon though when I move : )
Happy Wednesday!
xoxo ❤
yay, glad you will have Trader Joe’s soon, you will end up tasting everything. Btw, are you still planning a trip to OC to visit your sis?
I just went to Trader Joe’s this past weekend too! 🙂 I bought the frozen edammae too. I got a couple of my favorite staples of theirs including their whole wheat pizza dough, sweet potato gnocchi, and frozen turkey meatballs.
hmmm, sweet potato gnocchi? That’s something new that I haven’t tried. Will check it out next time.