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Week In Review: The Fifty-Seventh Edition

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Rumor has it list makers are a tad high-strung.

Sure, I might have a touch of the self-diagnosed OCD…remember that one time I went mad over an errant towel. Alright fine, I didn’t go five alarm loony, but I did have to straighten it in a rather hasty fashion. I was also quite perturbed at the perpetrator.

To be clear, I’m not the type to leave the house Groundhog Day style (side question: did anyone else despise this movie, despite a love for Bill Murray?), constantly having to go back and verify the stove isn’t on, although I’m actually rather forgetful when it comes to the oven (and the burners and the faucets) and have left it cooking on more than one occasion; maybe I should incorporate a double-check into my routine.

cleaning-sm

Rather my neurosis stems more from the fact things need to be in their proper place at all times. The ‘proper place’ of course is determined by me and held within the strict confines on my logical and rational mind (cough, cough). Coupled with my need for things to be situated just right, is an oft uncomfortable case of (more) self-diagnosed ADD. I recently described my brain to a friend as a randy bout of beer pong, with balls whizzing back and forth all over. In order to stop the madness, I must put pen to paper and make a list.

Lists are the proper place for the balls in my brain; or ideas, but you know how much I like to say balls.

Therefore, when people suggest I toss my lists out the window and just live, my heart is instantly gripped with fear and my mind is wracked with righteous indignation. Rather than give the naysayers the sight and sound of my backhand, because Madison seems to think I hit people (she might be right, despite my non-violent stance), I thought I’d explain what lists mean to me.

Simply put, lists calm my crazy.

Keep Calm and Make a List

Now that we’ve got that cleared up, let’s get listing:

  • I worked just south of forty hours, which was a lot considered there was a holiday in there. Those extra hours allowed me to finish a project which had been on my work list for months; totally worth it.
  • I wrote and published three blog posts. On an unrelated note, I also ate massive amounts of veggies. They were good; well seasoned veggies always are.

Veggie Stir Fry with Quinoa

  • I finally rewrote my About Me page, so feel free to check it out and let me know what you think. Fittingly, I opted to pen my prose in bullet points.
  • I responded to each and every one of my blog comments in a timely fashion, with emphasis on the word timely. I try to respond to every comment because a) I don’t get so many this isn’t feasible and b) you guys are pretty awesome, and I want you to know it. Also, in order to make your lives easier, I have a little check box option in the comments section which will allow you to see a response to your comment only, without inundating your mailbox with all the other responses.  See, I’m always thinking of you.

who loves you B

(source)

  • I did a Yoga class, a Spinning class and a Tabata Class at the gym, where I got try my hand at box jumps for the first time. I loved them. In you are unfamiliar with box jumps, the idea is with both feet planted firmly on the ground, you jump up and onto the box. Pretty simple, but the instructor made it clear she didn’t want any bloody shins when we were done.  I escaped injury free, only to have my knee cap attacked by a stack of plate weights while I was checking myself out in the mirror. Stupid vanity.

Meg Box Jumps B

  • We had a heat wave this weekend. It got up to forty-one degrees, and I saw grass again. I also did some peeking into my pot containers and noticed the first of the baby chives just starting to pop up. I almost wept tears of joy. Spring is coming. Spring is coming. Yes, yes after a few more weeks of snow, I know. Let me have my moment.
  • In that same fashion, I went farmers marketing…Doo-Dah, Doo-Dah. Cheese, cheese, and spices. At only a buck a bag, you can’t go wrong with these seasonings. Who wants to try the Jalapeno Powder with me? It’ll be a blast, perhaps literally.

Farmer's Market Finds

  • I had dinner with friends on Saturday night, at a local dive bar. Food and cider were happily consumed and happily not photographed. Sometimes you need a night out and off.
  • In order to make it up to you, I did a whole lot of recipe testing this weekend. Going clockwise from the top left: the ingredients for my soon to be revealed Coconut Orange Blueberry French Toast, Roasted Veggies, The Greek Quiche, and Peas & Crayons Pumpkin Burgers with Smoked Chipotle Aioli. Savory burgers topped with some heat; now that’s how you do pumpkin. Go make these; you won’t be disappointed.

Weekend Food Collage

The rest of the recipes will be “coming soon to a blog near you,” which translates to as soon as I type them up. Maybe I’ll start with the Coconut Orange Blueberry French Toast.

Enough about me. Let’s hear from you.

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The Week In Review is a list, in its purest form, not of the things you still need to do, but of all the things you have done in the past seven days. It’s an achievement list and one with the sole purpose of bringing pleasure. Want in? Grab the Week in Review button for your post, link back to Clean Eats, Fast Feets and get your list on. For more details, click here.

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What recipes have you been testing lately? Which one do you want me to publish first? French Toast or Roasted Veggies? Have you seen any signs of Spring yet? Have you ever tried Box Jumps? 

Comments

  1. Woo 20 questions! <3
    Shall I answer in list-style? 😉

    What recipes have you been testing lately?
    I tweaked my banana pancakes recipe and had a go making high protein snack bars/cookies – recipe coming on my blog later this week 🙂

    Which one do you want me to publish first? French Toast or Roasted Veggies?
    French toast! No question.

    Have you seen any signs of Spring yet?
    Yup, the park across the road has daffodils which have started flowering now. That said, it’s been quite mild (but very, very wet in the UK this winter).

    Have you ever tried Box Jumps?
    Nope – bit paranoid to try as I’m only a shortie so worried I won’t make it on in one piece!

    Reply

    • I love that you answered in list format!! Makes me tingly all over.

      Banana pancakes sound good; I’m a fan of anything banana really.

      I’m jealous of your daffodils. We’ve probably got another month before ours start popping up. I’m eagerly anticipating their arrival though.

      I’m only 5’3 so you can definitely do box jumps. Us shorties can rock anything really. Well except the top shelf in the kitchen cabinet. 😉

      Reply

  2. I want to see Roasted Veggies, as the Strategic Winter Squash Reserve is calling to me and I am lacking inspiration this morning.
    I’m working on a Thanksgiving leftover pizza, if you must know, and am hoping the 4th time is the charm.
    Saturday was not quite Florida temps, but I did manage to harvest some chickweed for Crystal to have fresh homegrown veggies. My garlic is peeping out of the garlic bed, and we planted peas and chard in the 3 inches of non-frozen soil that is at the top of the beds. (I stuck my finger in to make a hole for the seed, hit something, thought I must have had some sort of debris in my garden and tried to find the edge of the increasingly massive rock/metal shield before realizing that the ground was . . . frozen.) However, this morning a spring bird who shall be identified later was singing a tune–so I’ll take that as another sign of Spring.
    Box Jumps? Meghan, please.

    With your help I managed a week’s worth of orange recipes, so I’ll link up one of them–but I’ll surprise myself as I’m not sure if I’ll choose Orange Date Olive Oil Muffins . . . or Orange Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Secret Ingredient Cookies . . . or Pepperoni and Orange Pizza . . .

    Reply

    • What? No box jumps for you? What if I put a bowl of grater’s ice cream on top? Now I’d jump for that!!

      I can’t wait to try those muffins and those cookies, and that pizza. I can’t keep up with all your recipe goodness.

      I will take any sign of Spring I can get. Birds, garlic scapes, grass sightings…it’s is coming. I keep telling myself this.

      Roasted Veggies are coming your way tomorrow. Maybe even tonight if I’m feeling ultra ambitious. 🙂

      Reply

  3. Ok, box jumps will NOT be figuring in my new found exercise obsession. I’d be lucky if I could step up and step down! I’ll try the jalepeno powder with you. That would probably be good in my crock pot of WW veggie soup that I just started. Yum! Personally, I’m loving my lists and I’m feeling stronger and more focused every day. Thanks, Cutie!! Have a great day!

    Reply

    • I bet the jalepeno powder would be a fantastic addition to soup. Great idea Fran!!
      I’m so glad you’re loving list life. They certainly make mine better. 🙂

      Reply

  5. French Toast please!!! Please!
    I’m such a klutz that including box jumps into my workouts don’t sound very advisable.
    The burger looks really good. Maybe I am going to make those next!
    Happy Monday, happy listing 😀

    Reply

    • I bet you could do box jumps. You just need to focus and viola, suddenly you’re on top of the box. Actually, you will need to throw in a jump too. 😉

      Reply

  6. I love that we have the same taste in foods. Sunday morning french toast is the way to go.

    So I used to be a major list maker and it’s totally in my nature to make them which is precisely why I don’t. I hate how they take over my life so instead I live a significantly more disorganized world where nothing gets done. Ironically I’m happier? I’ll save it for my shrink 😉

    Reply

    • If you’re happier listless, then you should embrace that. Truly, it’s all about what works for you.
      For me, I couldn’t imagine functioning without them. I love them, I pet them, I tuck them in at night…oops, tmi? They just keep me really organized and allow me a place to store the minutia of my mind, but they don’t take over or make me feel pressured to complete everything.

      Different strokes for different folks. Wow, does that sound dirty!

      Reply

    • Mid-eighties sounds like a wonderful dream right now. The snow is back along with the single digit temperatures and some killer wind gusts. I shall close my eyes and picture your mid-eighties though. Thanks for that, and for stopping by; I love to hear from new people.

      Reply

  8. I am most definitely an OCD serial list-maker, too. It helps me keep my life (and mind!) in order.

    As for spring being in the air…it’s currently 95 degrees where I am. Every.single.day. I’m not even going to start complaining, because I can already hear my family in New York yelling at me when I even think about complaining. But it is still damn hot, especially in a Muslim country where my booty shorts are not too widely accepted…

    Reply

    • Serial list maker for the win!!

      Ninety-five is definitely warm, especially since your booty shorts aren’t country appropriate. Maybe we can combine our temps and come up with something more manageable.

      Reply

    • Since you asked so nicely (cough, cough), I’d be glad to share. 🙂
      Max is the one you need to convince though. He’s pretty greedy with his food.

      Reply

  10. Made an almond butter granola this weekend, and I think I got those darn cheesy green onion biscuits figured out. As for your recipe testing please post that french toast 🙂 pretty pretty please it looks delicious! If not then at least try out the jalapeno powder because I’m dying to see what kind of kick something like that packs.

    It’s been sunny enough to trick me into thinking it’s spring around here, but the 10* weather (with -8* expected later in the week) suggests otherwise… humph.

    Reply

    • Almond butter granola and cheesy green onion biscuits. I’m swooning.

      I went with the veggies so I could join your link up party, but I’m hoping to post the French Toast sometime next week because you definitely need this in your life.

      It has been so, so, so cold this past week. Single digit days with negatives when you factor in the wind chill. I’m so done with this winter.

      Reply

  11. You had quite the week!
    I really believe in lists..but lists where it’s okay if you don’t get everything done. I think without a set of things to accomplish you will be roaming life aimlessly BUT if you obsess and beat yourself up over not checking all the things off you will find yourself huddled in the corner with your lists doing nothing. Neither is good. I just made one this morning that is far too long and will probably take a couple of days rather than just today…but it’s okay. (I have to tell myself that it’s okay haha)

    Your photography looks quite lovely. I need veggie inspiration. The only recipe testing I’ve been doing the past week is of the sugary nature.

    Reply

    • I actually did an entire post about how I rarely accomplish everything on my lists and certainly not in the same day. http://cleaneatsfastfeets.com/2014/02/03/week-review-list-clarification-edition/
      Lists for me are just a way to capture all the random bits and bobs whizzing around my head, so they don’t overwhelm me. Once they’re on paper, I can breath, whether I get things done or not. I also love to include things like drink coffee, read book, have fire because fun things should be a scheduled part of our day too. I know you’d agree with that.

      Have a lovely Saturday!

      Reply

  12. What recipes have you been testing lately? Pancakes, pancakes, pancakes. Um, and a smoothie recipe. I’m super interesting.

    Which one do you want me to publish first? Hard to pick, but I’ll go with the veggies for practicality sake. No, wait, french toast. No no. Do the veggies post, then you can link up with Sarah for her Kitchen Challenge (I do see potatoes, right?! 😉 ).

    Have you seen any signs of Spring yet? I felt like last week Spring was finally poking through, then today it snowed and I felt like cursing at the world. But I don’t curse so instead I sent out swear words to the snowflakes in my head.

    Have you ever tried Box Jumps? You already know the answer to that one. Ha.

    Reply

    • I’ve seen your pancakes and it was totally worth it. Still love the idea of dropping the crushed mint right into the batter.

      Spring was here and now it’s officially gone again, and I’m sure you already know that, especially since we’re about to get potentially slammed with another winter storm. Sigh…..

      Come box jump with me. It’ll be fun. I promise not to hurt you. 😉

      Reply

  13. How you manage to come up with some spiel every monday about lists astounds and amazes me….you talented one, you.

    I can’t believe you even ASKED about the Jalapeno powder? I’m already crying tears of cayenne out of my system just prepping myself for it! Is it bad that I borderline squinted at the ingredient list on the cheese and saw jalapeno in there? Why Australia must you suck?

    Now that tray of roasted veggies…..I would willingly faceplant them knowing my face may burn. I hate box jumps but when I do them, I ensure it’s a box which is no higher than a foot :p

    Reply

    • It amazes me too since every week I think the creative well has run dry.
      This intro though I owe to Cat over at http://www.breakfasttobed.com/ She did a post on her ADHD and it sparked my thoughts on lists.

      I can’t wait to get all spicy with you. Our first stop (or maybe second after the Breadsmith) will have to be a cheese emporium. You need to try all the deliciousness we have to offer. Then we can do baby box jumps together.

      Reply

  14. Dude! I don’t know why, but I as soon as I saw that jalapeno powder, I thought of deviled eggs! You know I’m too much of a pansy to even dream of partaking in such craziness, but do me a favor and allow me to live vicariously through you!

    Yay for yoga! And box jumps! But NOT for busted knee caps!

    Oh and I like the new About me page. A fucking lot! 😉

    Reply

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