Back to Meal Planning

This week I decided I would try meal planning to see if it would help saving money and also time. I went through my fridge and cabinets to see what I already had on hand to use and what I need to pick up at the store. After doing a bit of creative thinking I have finished my plan for the week and it looks as follows:

Monday

B- Overnight oats with almond butter, banana, and walnuts

Snack- Broccoli with hummus

L- Salmon patty with pita, hummus, and tomato. 

Snack- Sesame sticks

D- Tofu, brown rice, and veggies

Tuesday

B- Protein pancake

L- Tofu leftover

Snack- Kind bar

D- Black bean burger and sweet potato fries

Wednesday

B- Overnight oats

L- Black bean burger and sweet potato fries (leftovers)

Snack- Sesame sticks/broccoli with hummus

D- Salmon with pasta and veggies

Thursday

B- Pita with egg whites and 1 slice of yogurt pepper jack cheese

L- Salmon pasta leftovers

D- Going out to dinner

Friday

B- Overnight oats

L- Pita with salmon burger and hummus

D- Possibly going out to eat

I also picked up some extra ingredients at the store to make this little gem...

Quinoa pudding. Last week I picked up some rice pudding at the store on a whim and man... it quickly has become a new favorite. I figured I would try to make my own and make it a bit healthier by using quinoa!

Also on the agenda for this week is 

- 2 kickboxing classes

- 2 body pump classes

- Old Crow Medicine Show and The Lumineers concert

- presentation at work

.... ready set go!

Yours truly, 

Em

Sunday Social

This week I decided to link up for Sunday Social. I love the set of questions this week and also have been a fan of these two gals for some time now!

1. What is your dream job?

I am incredibly fortunate to have close to my dream job now- as a Child Life Specialist for a children's hospital. I work in the #1 rated hospital in Virginia and could not be happier to be surrounded by the amazing staff I work with on a daily basis. I currently work on a unit for school age children and adolescents and love getting to know my patients and helping them through hospitalization. However, if I could jazz my job up a bit more- I would love to start traveling to other countries with medical missions to help assist nurses and doctors in caring for children all over the world.

2. If you had just won the lottery and didn't need to work for money, what would you do with your time?

Going along with my answer from above- I would LOVE to travel to other countries with groups such as Operation Smile to assist with medical missions, especially those with children. Going out and seeing the world and also working with underprivileged children and families is something very near and dear to my heart.

3. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was a kid one of my best friends was forced to move due the state wanting to build a new highway through her house and neighborhood. I absolutely loved my friends house and had spent many days and nights there playing and have sleepovers. When I first heard the news of them needing to move and finding a new house, I was absolutely outraged and told my family I wanted to be a lawyer, specifically to help people who were being asking to move due to the governments wants/needs. Looking back, my friends family was more then compensated for their property and now live in a lovely house. I could not ever imagine being a lawyer now and have 0 want or desire to persue that career.

4. What piece of career advice would you give someone just starting out in your field?

It can be extremely draining working in a children's hospital- both physically and emotionally. One of the most important pieces of advice someone once gave me and I would also give to others is to make sure you are allocating enough time in your day to give back to yourself. For me, my time is in the morning when no one else is awake and I can enjoy my coffee, think about the day ahead, and even fit in some yoga if I have time. Other times it means going to Barnes and Noble and just zoning out in the magazine aisle ;)

5. Biggest pet peeves?

I'm a pretty easy going person but one thing I really have a hard time wrapping my head around is people with no manners. I am extremely big on manners- yes please, no thank you, and have a good day are probably the most used words in my vocabulary.

6. Biggest fears?

For some reason I have a really big fear of burglars or someone being in my house or the backseat of my car. This is nothing that has ever happened to me but I always check my backseat before I get in and do numerous checks in my house when I'm home or just getting back from vacation. So silly but it never hurts to be extra safe!

Hope everyone has a lovely Sunday!

Yours truly, 

Em

A Spotlight On...

A few weeks into January I was still frantically searching for the perfect planner. I am someone who depends heavily on a planner and feel lost without it to plan my weeks and fill it with lots and lots of to do lists! My search finally came to an end when I discovered the amazing and cute planners from Sweet Tea Paperie.

Here is my link to when I first received my planner in the mail!

A few weeks ago I received an email from Amanda over at Sweet Tea Paperie requesting my new address and also letting me know she was going to be sending me a some new goodies, due to being part of their affiliate program! I was beyond excited to hear this news and even more so when my package of items arrived!

Inside along with a sweet hand written note was

A Carrie and Tuck Notebook 

Alex Houndstooth Note Sheets

I also received a monogrammed pen in pink and green that could not be cuter! Overall I LOVED everything and have already put everything to good use and am actually already out of the blank note cards included in the Carrie and Tuck Notebook! The Houndstooth note sheets have quickly become my go to for jotting down quick lists at work and I love that their stylish and cute- much better then a legal pad or post it. 

If you have not checked out Sweet Tea Paperie- I highly suggest you do so! Below I have included a couple things I have my eye and will be making their way into my basket very soon!

Acrylic Catchall Tray

A personalized Tumbler

Personalized Guest Towel

Again head over and check out all the amazing products from Sweet Tea Paperie!

Yours truly, 

Em

Where Has The Time Gone

Hello lovies! I am currently posting from the comfort of my own bed due to the fact that I am home sick from work! Sick the day after my birthday.... typical luck. However being sick and home has given me plenty of time to line up some posts for this week that I am looking forward to! 

First and foremost lets do a bit of catching up...

Over the weekend I traveled back home to MD to celebrate my birthday with my wonderful friends and family. It was absolute blast and I am missing them already!

It was a great weekend filled with lots of laughs and good times and getting great presents! Here are a few things I snagged on my birthday!

A keurig! I have used it everyday since Sunday and I am beyond obsessed.

I love this little bag and think it could be great as a makeup bag or even just to grab and go while running errands!

To go along with my new coffee maker, mom also got me a set of ikat coffee mugs! They are too cute and I cant wait to use them with my morning coffee.

My work friends also made my birthday extra special and surprised me with a few treats!

ECU purple and gold cupcakes

AND a sign above our office! Obviously I've made it known where I went to school ;)

Hope everyone has a great Wednesday!

Yours truly, 

Em

Happy Birthday... To ME!

Today I am celebrating turning another year older! What a great year it has been with lots of excitement and changes. Hope everyone has a great day!

Yours truly, 

Em

Beach For The Day

Happy Friday loves! Last night I traveled home to MD and will be spending the day at the beach with my family!  Yes... it is supposed to be cloudy all day and yes... I am still making us go, you can still get sun when its cloudy right? And the added bonus of the sand in my toes and the outlets on the way home won't hurt either! Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

Yours truly, 

Em

Getting Busy With Life/ Richmond Blogging!

Happy Wednesday loves! So glad the week is halfway over and soon it will be ready for a weekend off!  Last weekend I worked and have not stopped since and would be absolutely lying if I said I wasn't feeling a bit run down. I definitely have been putting off posting for the past few days because after coming home from work and the gym... blogging was the LAST thing on my mind. I was beginning to feel a bit guilty until I read a post from one of my favorite new blogs- The Lunchbox Diaries. Excitingly enough, Colleen is also a Richmond blogger and when she posted about being busy with life and neglecting the blog... I couldn't have related more! Being that Colleen found the time to post... I figured I could do the same, so here we are! 

Speaking of other Richmond bloggers, I have slowly been discovering more and more and could not be more excited! Here are a few I have found and am looking forward to following!

Liz over at I Heart Vegetables

Brittany from Eating Bird Food

Jayme and Medi from Her Late Night Cravings

Gabby over at Gabby's Gluten Free

Lindsay from Sadie + Stella

Colleen from The Lunchbox Diaries

Katherine from Neon Blonde Runner

Richmond Thrifter

Shannon from Thirsty Richmond

Valerie over at The Pursuit of Sweetness

Also here is a few snapshots of what I've been up...

Received an amazing package from Sweet Tea Paperie! It made my day and I will devote a whole post to the package later this week!

Takeout from the Boka truck from Foodtruck Friday! Delish!

Enjoying blackberries and peaches from my trip to the farmers market!

That's it for today, hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday!

Yours truly, 

Em

Sundays...

Happy Sunday loves!

Yours truly, 

Em

Shoe Advice!

Woo hoo for Wednesday finally being here! Anyone else ready for this week to be over as of yesterday? Fortunately because I am working this weekend coming up, I have off on Friday and am anxiously awaiting 4:30 tomorrow to have some serious rest and relaxation time. 

I currently just  made my new breakfast staple item, a protein pancake, accompanied by a nice cozy cup of coffee and warm lemon water

Clearly I hated it

This week has been busy busy but I am not complaining- Monday was work filled followed by my favorite kickboxing class and then home to make an amazing dinner! I completely forgot to take a picture of Monday's dinner but promise it was  a winner- tofu with sauteed zucchini, tomatoes, and spinach... YUM.

Tuesday I was up early and off to Bodypump! I recently purchased a Living Social for 20 classes at a local gym in Richmond... it was a great deal and I definitely LOVED the Bodypump class. Tuesday night I headed out to dinner with a few girls I work with to enjoy....

Our sushi was delicious and it was even half off sushi night!

Dinner was obviously followed by a trip to

Sweet Frog!

I then came home and was in bed and asleep well before 10pm... no shame here. As for today I am headed to work then back to kickboxing! 

Now for the shoe advice! I am looking for a new pair of crosstrainers! I normally just workout in my running shoes but since I am becoming more and more of a kickboxing/ group fitness junkie I definitely think I need to invest in a pair of crosstrainers.  Anyone have any good recommendations? 

Yours truly, 

Em

My new favorite recipe/obsession

In yesterday's post I mentioned I had made a protein pancake and definitely wanted to to devote a whole post on just how amazing these things are! I have heard of protein pancakes and seen them for quite some time now but was always scared to make one because they didn't seem like they would 1) taste good 2) if they would actually be filling. I was incredibly wrong on both accounts and protein pancakes have officially become a favorite to make in the morning or as a quick dinner when I don't feel like spending too much time in the kitchen. 

Here are the ingredients:

2 egg whites

1/2 banana mashed

Vanilla protein powder (or any flavor you like)

Chia seeds

A dash of rolled oats

A splash of almond milk

Mix all the above ingredients together and pour it into a pan like you would a pancake and...

Voila!

 I topped mine with almond butter and a bit of honey and boy was it awesome! I ate half of it before I remembered I would definitely want to share this recipe with everyone. Next time I make a protein pancake I may add some blueberries or strawberries to spice it up a bit but the original could not be more satisfying! 

Have you ever tried a protein pancake or a variation of one?

Yours truly, 

Em

Better Late Then Never- July Goals

Happy Monday loves! This past weekend I traveled down to Eastern NC to spend some time with one of my best friends, Kaitlin! It was a fun filled and relaxing weekend that was spent laughing, lounging in the sun, and sleeping in. Saturday was beyond hot and I was so relieved when her step dad offered to take us out on the river for the day!

Like I said it was hot hot hot and we mostly stayed in the water all day!

Sunday I got on the road pretty early so I could get back to Richmond and get some things done before the week started. While I was running errands, I realized I have yet to post about July's goals! Here is a quick but good list I made out last night and although we are already 9 days into the month, I'm thinking I can get most if  not all accomplished!

Its a bit hard to read so here they are listed below:

1. No meat- I don't eat much meat anyway so I don't think it will be too terrible to nix all together but I am curious to see the effects of not eating meat for a month. 

2. Drink 4 thermos' of water while at work- I have good and bad days of remembering to drink water at work but its definitely something I need to improve on!

3. Begin morning stretching- I've read in multiple articles that stretching first thing in the morning is a great way to get your body started and can lead you to feeling more focused throughout the day. This morning I did a few yoga poses!

4. Morning workouts- Tuesday and Thursdays- I'm still a little unsure of how this will work but I would like to work in workouts before work at least 2 days a week. 

5. Utilize pool at my gym- My gym has a great pool that I would love to start doing laps in! I think it would be a great alternative to days when I don't feel like cardio but would still offer a great workout AND with this heat, who doesn't want to jump in a pool.

6. Bring coffee to work- Last week my roommate got a new coffee maker which has lead to me making coffee every morning! However, I still end up wanting to buy coffee when I get to work which is just silly.

7. Start food/activity journal.- Your looking at it! Last night I decided to turn a lovely notebook I had gotten from Target a few weeks ago into my food and activity journal. 

8. Be social at least one night during the week- During the week I get caught up in my routine of waking up early, going to work, working out, making dinner, and going to bed early that I don't leave room for much else. While I LOVE my routine, I need to remember I am still young and should go out for a happy hour every once in awhile. (Lets hope I don't regret this goal)

9. Try 2 new recipes-

Protein pancake- CHECK (recipe coming tomorrow)

Tuna salad using greek yogurt

10. No computer after 9:30 P.M- This sounds a bit extreme but I think it will help me fall asleep quicker and stay asleep. 

Yikes now looking at it that seems like A LOT to work into a month but I am confident they will get done!

Hope everyone has a great Monday!

Yours truly, 

Em

High Five for Friday

Happy Friday loves! I assure you that no one else was ready for this week to be over as much as I was. I have been working a 6 day stretch, including the 4th and am TOO excited to finally have some time off! This past week has been crazy at work and my days have been filled with work, working out, and going to bed early... not much of life, if you ask me. However the next 3 days will be filled with relaxation, sun, boat rides, and possibly a few drinks! I am heading to Eastern NC to stay with one of my best friends for the weekend and cant wait to spending time having fun and catching up!

This week I decided to link up again for 

1. Kind bars have quickly become a favorite mid morning/afternoon snack! This was snagged while running errands this morning and accompanied by a venti iced water!

2. I picked up some new makeup this week! I have been obsessed with Smashbox BB cream but was still on the hunt for something to wear on days when I need a bit more coverage. I have heard great things about this powder from Benefit and am eager to try it out!

3. No this has nothing to do with Michael Phelps... however he is a speaker for Head and Shoulders and if you remember a few posts about my trip to the dermatologist, you know that I have started using Head and Shoulders as a facial cleanser! Well folks, the results are in and I am loving it! Obviously I've also been using the few things the dermatologist prescribed but I can definitely already tell a difference in my face. 

 

4. Check for healthy lunches! This week was great as far as lunches, on days when I didn't have my tofu/brown rice/zucchini leftovers, I enjoyed oatmeal, an avocado, sliced fruit, and an Odwalla bar! I have been raving about Odwalla bars for a few weeks now and I am still loving them!

5. Today I am heading to Eastern, NC to stay with one of my best friends for a bit of R&R and fun in the sun.

Hope everyone had a great week and has a wonderful weekend!

Yours truly, 

Em 

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July loves! 

Hope everyone has an amazing holiday and please remember to think of those serving our country!

Yours truly, 

Em

Blog Direction

Lately I have been thinking a lot about the direction of my blog and where it was when I first started to what it is now. I originally started the blog as a general sharing of the adventures in my everyday life, which included anything from recipes to new accessories. However the past few months, I've been wanting to turn my blog to a different direction but not quite sure if it was something I could pull off or even necessary to address. After much thought, I decided I would attempt to change the direction of Eloquently Emily and in addition to posting about everyday life, also include more a of healthy living side. 

Ever since making a big move to a new city for a new job I have tried to make myself as healthy as possible. If you've been following me for awhile or even go back to some of my first few months posting, you'll notice I was already pretty healthy. However now that I am living on my own, I have really zeroed in my workouts and eating habits. When I first started this blog I never thought I would be eating tofu, let alone posting recipes. I also never thought I would become this passionate about staying healthy and wanting to share it with others. Now, do I intend to become a work out-o-holic and only eat seaweed... absolutely NOT! There are definitely days when I listen to my body and rather then pushing myself to workout, I rest. There are also times when the only thing I want to eat is a red velvet cupcake with a generous portion of cream cheese frosting. However, for the most part, I work out about 5 times a week alternating between running, kickboxing, yoga, and strength training and also eat on the healthier side of things... so why not share!

This is something I am super excited about for a few reasons, 1. I think it will motivate me even more throughout the day and the week to make healthy choices 2. I can get the input and opinions of others about their healthy choices including workouts and recipes.

I also wanted to make sure I included the first some healthy life style blogs that I read long before I started my own blog and those that I look up to!

1. Peanut Butter Fingers

2. Fitting It All In

3. Eating Bird Food

4. Sarah Fit

5. Sweet Tooth Sweet Life

6. Fitnessista

7. Daily Garnish

If you haven't checked out some of the blogs above, I highly suggest you do so!

Yours truly, 

Em

The Weekend

Hey Y'all unfortunately I worked this weekend so not too much to update on but here are a few pictures of my weekend and also of the start to my week!

Healthy meals for the week- sauteed zucchini, brown rice, and tofu!

Receiving this lovely necklace in the mail! I am beyond excited to wear this, especially once football season rolls around!

I finally received my certification in the mail from when I passed my exam a few weeks ago! Woo Hoo for being able to put a title behind my name!

Normally I would have had off Monday since I worked both Saturday and Sunday but I thought I would save my day off for later this week. After work I headed to my usual kickboxing class. I know I have talked about it a thousand times by now but I am seriously OBSESSED with this class. I actually convinced a friend from work to tag along and try it and she loved it! It is a serious sweat session and I love that I can count on it being a great workout!

Also this morning I had my first try making overnight oats!

Last night I added the following items to a tupperware and left it overnight in the fridge. This morning I enjoyed a nice cold gooey oatmealy breakfast...( yes I realize to some that may sound horrible but I promise if your an oatmeal lover like me, it will not disappoint!)

-Rolled oats

-Almond Milk

-Banana

-Honey

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Yours truly, 

Em