Remember me telling you that today was going to be a rough one for me? Not having enough sleep coupled with a mildly sick potty training child and a fussy growth spurt? Well, it all worked out!

I didn’t go to the gym in the morning because I don’t like to push my kid’s possible illness onto others. I also don’t like getting pulled out of my workout…and I just knew that would happen if I tried to use the child care this morning. So, I waited to see how I would feel later in the day. Chomping at the bit would pretty accurately describe my desire to get to the gym. I needed that spin class. Workouts are genuinely my therapy.

After the 5:30 spin class I came home to dinner all ready to go. The crock pot saved my evening from turning into one huge rush fest! Earlier in the day I chopped all the veggies and prepped the crock pot to have dinner ready to go tonight. Surprisingly, chopping the veggies felt very therapeutic as well. And I had lots to chop for this easy, veggie-filled meal. What was on the menu? I’m glad you asked because you will want to make this recipe.

Slow Cooker 5 Layer Vegetable, Pesto, & White Bean Strata
(adapted from The Vegetarian Slow Cooker cookbook)

Ingredients

• 2 cans Great Northern or other white beans
• 1 cup Vegetable Broth
• 3-4 Tablespoons Pesto
• 2-3 golden potatoes
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 large zucchini or 2 medium zucchini
• 1 medium eggplant
• 1 large slicing tomato

Slice the potatoes, onion, zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes into thin, round slices. Keep each vegetable separate and set aside.

In a food processor or blender, add beans, vegetable broth, and pesto. Pulse to blend until smooth, creamy consistency. You may have to halve the beans, broth, and pesto and make two batches because it makes a lot.

In a slow cooker, layer one layer of vegetable, followed by some of the bean spread, and repeat until all vegetables layered. I did the following: potatoes, beans, onions, beans, eggplant, beans, zucchini, beans, tomato. Top with the remaining bean spread.

Cook on low 6-8 hours. Serve hot. 

I wasn’t sure how this recipe would work out. Would it all turn to one pile of nasty mush or keep the layers and taste as flavorful as it sounded. Well, kind of a mix of the two. It didn’t really stay layered and created more of a hearty stew, but it tasted really good! And filled me right up. Yet another great recipe to add to the arsenal.Enjoy!

Question of the Evening – Chopping veggies - Love or hate?

Now that I go to the gym in the mornings I have the opportunity to visit my favorite group fitness classes again. On Monday, I went to cycle. Then, yesterday I tried out Group Kick. When I arrived I was a little bummed that my favorite kick instructor no longer taught in that time slot. Someone new has apparently joined the teaching roster. By new, I mean very new. I felt so bad for her! She stopped so many times, not knowing what set of moves to do next. I have sympathy because I want good karma. I’m a fellow spaz-head who may want to teach group fitness in the future, after all.

Plus, I couldn’t complain because even the sporadic kicking and punching gave me more of a challenge than if I had tried to do one of my kickbox workout DVDs at home. The DVDs are great; I’m just in a rut with them. I love my Cathe and Turbo DVDS, but find that I can only really get excited for one DVD workout a week. I like the variety they give me, but much prefer the atmosphere of the gym. Although, in a few months I may very well hate gym classes and only want to do DVDs. My workout preferences are always all over the place. Spaz-head here, remember?

I find it very interesting that I always want to switch up my workouts, but I can happily eat the same foods over and over. Would you believe me if I told you I still enjoy my favorite egg sandwich combo for lunch at least 3 days out of the week?

And that I still have an apple + Chobani as a snack almost every day?

I know you know I eat oats for breakfast all. the. time.

We also do a lot of the same basic meals for dinners over the course of a month. We switch it up slightly most times, but its still basically the same dish. Take dinner last night for example. Pasta night. I cooked up some of my favorite veggie mix of zucchini, mushrooms, and onion. Plus wilted some spinach in some basic marinara sauce.

Then we Trader Joe’d it for the rest of dinner. Trader Joe’s sun-dried tomato chicken sausage and Trader Joe’s chunky portabella mushroom ravioli.

All served together with the marinara and veggie mix.

It’s no wonder I can happily eat the same things over and over. They’re good! If my tummy is happy that is all that matters to me. 😀

Question of the Day – How much variety do you need with your workouts? And food? One more than the other?