I’d like to pretend everything is back to peace, love, bunnies, hippies and unicorns over here in Clean Eats, Fast Feets Land (it’s quite the menagerie), but that’s simply not the case.
I’ve got a new project at work right now, and it’s kicking my ass; not gently either. I’ve put in more hours than I’d care to, I’m further behind than I’d like to be, and my stress level is at a peak. Suffice to say, my non-ass ass is spent, which is why you’ll have to forgive my lack of an introduction today and perhaps for the foreseeable future.
We’re going to jump right into the Week in Review, recap what went down last week and embrace my happy place: Lists.
- I worked too much at the office, even on my days off. Sometimes being a responsible adult is rough.
- I celebrated my birthday in style, or at the very least, with stickers on my face. Apparently, you can never be too old for stickers, although I think there may be some explaining to do when I’m eighty-five and trying to dance a jig.
- I paid bills, ran errands, folded laundry…actually scratch that last part. I did laundry, but didn’t fold a stitch of clothing; turns out the Hubby did all the folding for me. God bless that man. Hubby, I owe you one.
- I wrote and published four blog posts, including a recipe reveal for the much awaited and anticipated Lemon Blueberry Granola.
- I went for my first run since last December, my only workout last week. Oscar wanted to come with me, but I made him stay home. Poor fella. This week I intend to hit the gym hard or at the very least, the punching bag in my basement; stress management at its finest.
- I made a double layer Lemon Blueberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, specifically so I could eat my feelings, which is something I don’t usually recommend. Sadly, I don’t recommend this cake either. It was a huge let down; I was thwarted by the stupid universe. I guess this means I need to figure out a healthier way to manage my feelings. Grumble, grumble.
- I cleaned the first floor of our house and vacuumed the hell out of the furniture. Yes, I stress clean; it makes me feel better and while it might not be the best outlet, I get a clean house at the end of the day… for five minutes anyway. I do have three cats, and the second I finish vacuuming, they drop two pounds of fur in that very same area.
- I did some work with artichokes this weekend because Sarah’s Chopped Kitchen Challenge goes live this week, and I want to win. Of course, I do. I also want some healthy competition, so grab your artichoke recipes and get ready to link up.
Since I started without an introduction, it only makes sense for me to wrap it up without a conclusion. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
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Interested in participating in the Week In Review?
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.
Link up and get your list on.
If you were to eat your feelings, what would be your food of choice? What did you accomplish last week? Have you worked with artichokes before? Do you want to go head to head in Sarah’s link up? I promise not to bite…much.
barb says
March 24, 2014 at 7:22 AMHey Girl. Just got on to get your energy bar recipe and read your last blog. OMG…I feel your pain. Not that I am as stressed as you but I totally get it!!!! It is a bitch trying to be Wonder Woman all the time. We need to be “in order” or else…
You put too much expectations on yourself and then feel inadequate when you can make them all. YOU CAN’T MAKE THEM ALL!!!!! Hope that work settles down soon so that you can do all the things that make you happy. Working really puts a dent in our “happy place”, though. While you’re waiting for things to settle down at work, just know that I and so many others enjoy reading your blogs and your advice.
If you have to miss updates once in a while, we will understand. Prioritize!!!!!
I love ya, girl
Meghan says
March 24, 2014 at 8:20 PMLove ya too Barb. Damn this working business. Speaking of, I need to call you soon. I miss you and I want to go to Costco and restock on cheese. 🙂
P says
March 24, 2014 at 9:45 AMI love dipping the ends of artichoke leaves in a butter/oil sauce. Best way to eat ’em whole :)! Also a fan of pickled artichoke hearts but those can get pricey :/
Meghan says
March 24, 2014 at 8:21 PMYes another fan of artichoke dipping!! I’m glad to know I’m not alone because I love artichokes. I need to try the pickled artichoke hearts next.
Caren says
March 24, 2014 at 10:06 AMSorry you’re having a rough week :-/
Meghan says
March 24, 2014 at 8:21 PMBoo! It’ll get better I’m sure and I did go to the gym today for Body Pump so that always helps.
Juli @ 1000lovelythings says
March 24, 2014 at 10:58 AMOh no, poor you! This sounds like a rough week again! And the worst is when a comfort cake doesn’t turn out the way you need to. Stupid universe!
I am stress cleaning and stress cooking, too. I really hope the next week will be better!
Meghan says
March 24, 2014 at 8:23 PMShockingly enough, the cake actually tasted pretty damn good today. Maybe it just needed a second day…? I don’t know what, but I happily ate my feelings. I also went to a Body Pump class today and that helped big time.
We should stress clean together; our homes would be spotless and we might be less stressed.
Juli @ 1000lovelythings says
March 27, 2014 at 3:53 AMHaha skype cleaning date 😀
Some cakes really need an extra day to soak up all the yummy flavors a bit more. Body pump sounds like the perfect stress releaser! I cope with being off sick today! Hope that helps a little.
Meghan says
March 27, 2014 at 6:48 AMI hope when you say off sick, you mean just taking a rest day, not that you’re actually sick. That would be no good.
Megan @ The Skinny-Life says
March 24, 2014 at 1:57 PMI hope you’re week gets better. I can relate I’m dealing with a nasty foot injury that just won’t get better. Today I’m in so much pain I just want the world to stop so I can cry. Maybe a few slices of your blueberry cake will help!
Meghan says
March 24, 2014 at 8:23 PMThat sounds horrible. I would gladly share my blueberry cake with you, especially since it tastes way better the second day. Go figure, and I hope your foot feels better soon.
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
March 24, 2014 at 2:09 PMI think last week was the first time in a long time I did not feel like I had my ass handed to me. It was so needed! That cake looks like it could take away some of my bad feelings too! I turned to eating ALL the kabocha though and that seemed to help. ALL THE CARBS! Happy belated BIRTHDAY my friend! Good luck with work this week. Hopefully it won’t be as bad as you think. xoxo
Meghan says
March 24, 2014 at 8:25 PMCarbs are magical, I swear it.
I think this week will be tough, but I’m going to do what I can to stay sane (gym, cake, baths, me time, relax time) so I’ll get through it.
Thanks for stopping by. I love hearing from you.
Sarah Pie says
March 24, 2014 at 10:04 PMBoo! On the week for kicking your behind, didn’t the universe know it was your birthday? I prefer to drown my feelings in cookie dough or pub cheese, but that cake looks beautiful, sorry it didn’t deliver.
I have a feeling you and your artichokes are going to dominate this month 😉 though my last minute recipe did turn out pretty good ( the added wine probably helped!) and tanks for so much link love!
Hopefully this week is better than the last for you!
Meghan says
March 25, 2014 at 6:03 PMPub cheese is a great way to drown your sorrows. I need to pick up some of that!!
It’s weird about the cake. Day One not so good, day two is was way better and day three it’s stupendous. I have no explanation for this but I’m going to keep eating it.
Can’t wait to see what you cooked up with your artichokes.
Amanda @ .running with spoons. says
March 24, 2014 at 10:16 PMI’m a stress cleaner too. Some people turn to food when they’re stressed — I turn to the Swiffer 😆 But seriously, nothing calms my mind like doing some kind of mindless chore, although I suppose I might hate it a little more if I had pets and it got messy a few minutes after I finished. But no… a clean house is lovely for the few hours that it stays that way 😆
Hope things start to calm down for you soon, lady. Don’t go crazy or dying on me before June hits — I need to meet you at Blend and give you the biggest hug!
Meghan says
March 25, 2014 at 6:05 PMNo worries about me. You can knock me down, but I always get back up, and I’m usually more ornery and cocky than when I went down. I’m a fighter (in a non-violent way) so I come out swinging. 🙂
Davida @ The Healthy Maven says
March 24, 2014 at 10:23 PMWhat a bummer that cake was a letdown! It looked so delicious though! I’ve yet to find anything better than eating my feelings…let me know if you do!
Meghan says
March 25, 2014 at 6:07 PMSo the weirdest thing ever…the cake is getting better and better with each day that passes. It’s not just me either. I sent the Hubby back to school with 2/3rds of it, and him and his friends said the same thing!! This was before I even told them about my experience, so no shenanigans were involved. I have no explanation for it, but in the meantime, I shall eat cake.
Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli says
March 25, 2014 at 5:24 AMIF I ate my feelings? Ha, I do that shit all the time! How about IF I could eat whatever I wanted when I wanted to eat my feelings…that would be all dairy full fat chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, hold the bowl, gimme a spoon! Unfortunately, I would only last about 15 minutes and then I would be lying in the floor in the fetal position in a far worse condition than I started. I’ll take a whole mess of mental stress over a lactose attack any day! But I’ll bitch and complain about it even more! Ha!
I’m sad to hear the cake was a flop. While I’ve spent that last, what…hour? catching up, your little Instagram picture in the sidebar has been taunting me! It just looks so thick and pound-cakey…yes, that is most definitely a word!
Let’s see…what DID I accomplish last week? Hmm…I did a shitton of laundry thanks to my newfound obsession with hot yoga. Unfortunately I don’t have a Hubby to come and fold it all for me though so it’s still sitting in the laundry “room” which is actually just more of a closet. Oh but hey, I DID make some bomb-diggity energy balls that I’ll be posting on Thursday. It’s for a sponsored post that is due no later than Thursday. I’ve had the product for over a week. Procrastinate much? Ha!
I’m so skeered of artichokes! Teach me your ways…or better yet, just come over and make them for me! 😀
Meghan says
March 27, 2014 at 6:53 AMPoor lactose intolerant Heather. Thank god, I was raised on cheese and forced to drink a glass of milk every night. It’s probably the only reason I’m not intolerant. Well that and my stomach of steel. Arman is jealous of my tummy’s prowess…can’t say that I blame him.
The cake morphed into a really good cake on day two. I have no explanation for it, but I ate it and loved it.
I will send the Hubby your way. He’s great at laundry, is a wonderful prep chef and rather charming. Plus, he’s pretty damn cute. You can borrow him temporarily, but no shenanigans or I’ll have to open a can of whup ass on ya. I will share my cheese, but not my man.
I will teach you my artichoke ways. As soon as I type the post up. Hopefully today. Eek. I’d also come make them for you too, but only because you’re special.
Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli says
April 3, 2014 at 3:19 AMLOVED the artichoke post! Your a genius woman and I will try my best to make you proud when I tackle them myself…though I’d MUCH rather have you come make them for me…if only for the company! 😉
And can you believe I went 26 years in this life without a single dairy-intolerant THOUGHT!? Curse you milk gods!!
Meghan says
April 5, 2014 at 10:47 AMSo you know exactly what you’re missing. Aw, that stinks!!
lindsey @ NW Backyard Veggies says
March 25, 2014 at 8:02 PMI eat my feelings all the time. Which sucks. Because I’m a therapist and I just soak up all the awful things people do to each other like a human sponge all week and then go home and gorge on dark chocolate and homemade popcorn.
I guess there are worse things to gorge on. Like Heroin.
I am so sorry about the cake being a letdown. That makes me a sad panda. Because I love lemon anything and that cake looked like heaven. Boo.
ARTICHOKES!!! I loves them ever so much. Boiled, fried, hearts, leaves, stems, you name it. I love to buy them with the long stem intact, peel off the tough outer layer, chop it up, boil it up, and gobble it up with lot’s and lot’s o’ butter.
So good, yo. Artichokes are SO GOOD.
Meghan says
March 26, 2014 at 11:27 AMI would like to gorge on chocolate and homemade popcorn with you. Then we can pet your rabbits and check on your potatoes. It’ll be a blast. Way better than heroin certainly.
ARTICHOKES ARE THE BOMB!
Laura@fitfreshnfunny says
March 28, 2014 at 10:10 AMYeah, I’m so behind on my blog feed it’s ridiculous. That being said…I feel your pain about pets dropping their body weight in fur RIGHT where you just vacuumed. Never ending cycle, I swear. And it makes no sense, because they are never fond of the vacuum, yet they seem to WANT us to use it all the time.
Meghan says
March 29, 2014 at 9:44 AMI wish they weren’t so scared of the vacuum because if I could, I would gently vacuum their coats. It’d be so much easier.
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
March 28, 2014 at 10:46 PMI hate the adult life. I’m so glad it’s Saturday- I can relate to your work situation- add in some snarky attitudes and defensive behaviour and voila- we have a recipe for misery at work.
I love the lack of introduction and conclusion- I wish I included that in an essay in high school to claim that no marks should be deducted :p Sorry about the cake…at least it was a sign from…the cake Gods? the cake boss? Your stomach?
Here’s to a better week and a good punch in the bag.
Meghan says
March 29, 2014 at 9:46 AMMisery at work can be really, really tough since we spend more time at work than we do at home. I hope your situation fizzles out soon.
My week definitely got better (hooray cake improving on day 2 and 3) and exercise. That always has such an impact on my mood.