Roasted Eggplant Panini & Bookend Day
Posted: January 28, 2011 at 8:44 pmToday was much like bookends – it started and ended well, but the middle was a bit of a mess with a lot of naptime mishaps. But the majority of the day went well. Yay!
We ventured out of the house for a fun activity this morning. Before Braedon arrived, I would be out and about doing things with M a few times each week. I haven’t felt 100% comfortable venturing out with two by my lonesome…until today. I tackled my worries and took Makenzie to one of her favorite places – the library for story time. We even picked up some new books. She loves getting new books. And I love making my little girl happy.
Then, this afternoon I headed to the gym for another light cardio workout. My body has responded incredibly well to getting back to regular workouts. I haven’t encountered any side effects that would point to me going back too soon and I have yet to feel sore or uncomfortable in any way. Today I completed 30 minutes on the elliptical, doing the following intervals.
| Min | Level | Speed |
| 0-3 | 5 | low-moderate (50-60 rpm) |
| 3-5 | 10 | moderate-high (80 rpm) |
| 5-8 | 5 | low-moderate (50-60 rpm) |
| 8-10 | 10 | moderate-high (80 rpm) |
Repeat until you complete your desired time. It made for a great workout. I love getting a little glisten going on.
So, today’s earlier post discussed blog accountability. I don’t know if you remember, but I had a goal to try a new recipe for dinner each week here in the FFF household. I finally began embracing that challenge this week. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a recipe, because its more throwing things together, but it sure did taste good!
Roasted Eggplant Paninis
- 1 small/medium eggplant sliced into rounds
- olive oil and seasonings
- 4 slices hearty whole grain bread
- roasted garlic hummus
- tomato, sliced
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
- 2 slices swiss cheese
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Drizzle the sliced eggplant rounds with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and oregano. Roast for 25 minutes.
And I assume you all know how to make 2 sandwiches out of the above ingredients. Then, cook the sandwiches in a panini press.
What? You don’t call that a recipe? Well, I imagine you don’t come here for stellar recipes. Although, I can hopefully give some good meal ideas on occasion. This “recipe” would be one of those. And give me a little credit. At least I don’t write recipes like this one (thanks Evan for that laugh!).
Question of the Evening – Sandwiches: Hot or Cold? Getting your sweat on during a workout: Love It or Leave It? .
Not going to lie, the fact that you’re outside in a tank top in January makes me want to move to Georgia.
I loved that it was in the 50s!!!! 😀
Hot sandwiches!!!! Yes to sweat!!!! And that sandwich sounds amazing…wanna come cook dinner for me?! 🙂
The more the sweat the better! And I like both hot and cold sammies… Depends on the weather and my mood.
Haha!!! I loved that recipe link. Got a good laugh out of it. 😉 Oh Food Network.
An eggplant panini sounds delicious right now! 😀 Looks great Tina!
Those sandwiches look so good. I think I like hot sandwiches more than cold. Good job with your workout!!
I am SO jealous that you’re in a tank top! After leaving the gym today, I thought about walking outside with my shorts… but I soon realized that going without my pants, my fleece and my winter coat would make for a miserable drive home! You’re glowing!
Those paninis look amazing! I tend to be more of a cold sandwich type of person but love a grilled panini!
As far as workouts…I love to sweat! It makes me feel like I have done something!
I am all about the sweat too.
I like sandwiches where the bread is toasty and warm–the other ingredients are not as important to my taste buds.
I love sweaty, intense workouts. They are a good opportunity to let go.
M is cute reading her new book! 🙂 That sammy looks mighty tasty there lady! 😛
I’m so glad your body is doing well with getting back into the regular workouts! It’s got to feel so great!
I’ll eat sandwiches either way… but probably prefer hot. And the bread ALWAYS has to be toasted- no exceptions!
I think your sandwich looks smashingly delicious! Kudos to getting out with 2 kiddos, and super giggle to the dark chocolate snack! 🙂
The sweatier the better. Warm or cold…either! And that Ellie *recipe* is right up my alley! Haha!
I’d call that a recipe, and I love all sandwiches hot or cold!
While I don’t love being gross and sweaty- there is no other way go when workin out! It lets me know I put the effort in..
I love hot sandwiches pressed on a panini..and YES I love getting my sweat on..if I don’t sweat I feel like I wasted my time!
What are you talking about! This is a fabulous looking recipe! You don’t have to be a professional chef to make a fantastic recipe 🙂
Good thing too because then nothing I eat would be good. Love basic assembling food recipes. LOL
I love eggplant paninis! And I come here for whatever you want to give me – you’re too great to pass up! 🙂
I get mad when I DON’T break a swet during a workout!
I love sandwiches in general! And eggplant!
I like to see a girl who loves to read. 😉
Mmmm your panini looks great! I love hot sandwiches a million times better than cold ones. I could never be a raw foodie. 🙂
If I don’t break a sweat, I don’t consider it a workout. 🙂
That panini does look amazing – I love eggplant parmesan and paninis! I’m glad your workouts have been good, our bodies are amazing things when we treat them right.
I LOVE roasted eggplant and I LOVE panini’s. Panini’s make and ordinary sandwich 10 times better! I too am jealous that your in a tank top in January. I probably won’t be seen in a tank top outdoors for at least 3 more months!
I love making eggplant paninis! You just reminded me to pick up an eggplant at the store 🙂
The elliptical was my go to workout after Noah was born. I wanted to run, but knew I couldnt yet, so one week after he was born, I gave the elliptical a try. I was able to get in a really good workout without the jarring of anything high impact.
Yay for getting in a good workout!
That sandwich sounds amazing. I LOVE hot sandwiches like that. I dont have a panini press, but I find that my George Foreman works just fine.
I LOVED taking my boys to the library when they were little! My youngest, who is 9, still likes to go, but the days of cuddling and reading time are over :/ When I taught preschool, I would take my class twice a month and let them pick out our story time books. So much fun, I miss it!!!
Glad you were able to venture out with both of them and get to the gym!
I love my sweat sessions… of course, I sweat like a man so it doens’t take much 😉
I love warm sandwiches the best!! Jason’s Deli now carries gluten free bread and it is so yummy! I will have them toast it and it makes for one yummy sandwich 🙂
YES to sweat!!! I almost always have a pool of sweat around me when I’m done working out…it makes for many showers 🙂
Your eggplant panini looks delicious, I think I might put that on the dinner menu this week! [And I call it a recipe!]
Glad you were able to get out of the house!
I love getting a sweaty workout in.
Sweating is a must and I basically have no choice but to do so! I sweat just walking outside in 72 degree weather. So once I’m a few minutes into any exercise, I’m already perspiring 🙂
Haha! I sweat so easily too. I’m usually pretty soaked after workouts.
I like my sandwiches any way I can get em! haha! It doesn’t matter to me if they are hot or cold. The best sandwich I have EVER had is from our Whole Foods. They have one called The Mopac (named after an Autin highway) and it is a baquette with turkey, brie, and fig jam…oh my.
That does sound AMAZING!
I have yet to take Hailey to story time at the library. For one, it was always during the day. They finally added an evening one for us working parents but Hailey still needs to be library trained. HA! She is ALL over the place — mainly due to excitment and her passionate desire to be independant. But she LOVES going to the library. I try to take her at least one Saturday a month. im glad you were able to get out of the house and they got to enjoy the library.
yayaa for another great cardio workout. that’s great!!!
Mmmmm eggplant panani!! I love both but never thought to put the two together. You’re a genius!!! I really need to start shopping around for a panini press. Sandwiches are SO MUCH better panini style than just plain cold and boring. 🙂
Dark chocolate for a snack?? What kind of “recipe” is that? Hahaha!
I swear a sandwich tastes 10 times better when slapped on a panini press! I love how all the flavors combine when warmed!
Definitely all about getting my sweat on! The sweatier the bod, the better I feel about the workout!
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I definitely perfer a hot sandwich to a cold one!
Hot sandwiches are definitely better than cold, especially when you have freezing temperatures like I’m having here in England at the mo!
And I hate workouts that DON’T work me into a sweat! Not at all satisfying!! 😛
I’m the same. Gotta have the sweat!
Library story time used to be my favorite thing to do growing up. That’s awesome you take her!
I like my sandwiches hot (toast love!) and my workouts super sweaty. Sweating makes me feel like I’m working hard. 🙂
Can I pick hot and cold? I love a good hot panini, but I also love a good cold cut sub. I’ve been craving subs immensely with this pregnancy…can I just say seeing you workout after baby #2 makes me think I can do the same thing in a few months!
I like both hot and cold sandwiches!! 🙂 Tuna should always be cold, and deli can be cold or hot depending on my mood. 🙂
I like a bit of a glisten. True sweating up a storm? That generally makes me a little dizzy, and means I have gone over the edge in my workout & need to dial back.
I love your new “recipe.” Wish I could get my younglings to try things. sigh.
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