Ugh. Patience is a virtue. My lighting skills are lacking...

I'm pretty happy with this one.  It helps that I have some natural light to work with.

This is husband's hot roast beef sandwich on a whole wheat sandwich thin with chips.  Lovely.

 

Florescent orange lamb stew.  Hmph.  This is happening because:

• It's dark outside
• The pictures look okay in the view finder
• I'm hungry and impatient
• I'm not willing to read the bloody manual

 

I am getting some nice steam action.

 

Turkey meatloaf

 

 

Turkey loaf with tots.

 

Mine:  cucumber, broccoli, cheese, nuts, a Luna bar (Macadamia Nut) and a Zone Perfect bar (strawberry)

Wednesday workout:  45 minutes on the elliptical at Gold's Gym

I'm back to the super anxiety ridden, not sleeping, eating in the middle of the night routine.  I have this entrepreneurial spirit that doesn't match my delicate nervous system.  Oh me.

I went to see my super lovely friend, Samantha, today for some sorely needed girl time.  She has a little tiny bun in the oven and I have decided I am going to take advantage of her bed rest and hang with her on a very regular basis.  I'm going to feed her macaroni and cheese and and bitch about my problems and discuss how wonderful our respective Aquarius husbands are.

 

 

Mandy's Meals: 11.9.09 Cook Day

Click here, get hungry.

Camera Practice. Time To Read The Manual.

My weekly pepperoni pizza fix.  I like my pizza "well done", so when it gets delivered I pop that baby into a 400 degree oven until the pepps and cheese is blistering.

 

Usually use parchment paper.  On Sunday I used foil.  It stuck.  Trying to peel crispy cheese off foil=foil in mouth.  Not cute.

 

Husband's chicken ravioli with steamed veggies.  Looks kinda romantical.

 

And his "chocolate suicide cake".  He's kinda obsessed with this cake from Earth, Wind and Flour.  I've never tried it cuz that's how uninterested in chocolate I am...

 

Oh boy I need to learn about this camera.  Here is husband's salmon pasta, horribly lit.

 

Whew.  At least it tasted good.  I sauteed onion, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower and garlic in a bit of olive oil.  After they were golden brown, I added lemon juice and hummus to make it creamy.  Added the salmon and let it steam for 6 minutes, tossed in linguini and topped with soy parm.

 

Mine (in the dark):  broccoli, cheese, nuts and a Honey Peanut Promax bar.

Monday workout:  A VERY distracted weight workout a la Squeeze Stronger with Tracy Effinger.  I've seriously never been so not into a workout and completed said workout.  I woke up yesterday feeling defeated and depleted.  For no good reason.  I've worked so hard to arrive at this place; where I'm happy doing what I love to do.  Since arriving at this lovely place, I feel simultaneously guilty (don't deserve it) and terrified (it will go away/I will f**k it up).

Mercy me.

Food Blogger Photography Weekend. Denise Is My Fairy Cameramother And I Wear Lots Of Stripes.

Here are some Guilty Vegan cookies after a camera lesson from Matt Armendariz.  He is a food photog GOD and I also have a crush on his husband.  Matt, Adam, Denise and Cindie rocked this workshop and I felt honored to be a participant.

 

 

I got a little camera happy.  Denise lent me her Nikon monstrosity and let me tell you, having a serious camera AND husband's tripod= renewed food blogger inspiration (we hope).  Denise, I love you and I thank you for this time with your beautiful camera.  I will be very, very nice to it.

 

Cindie and Ruben getting his pizza's camera ready.  Clearly, I have some learning ahead of me...

 

In other news, I like stripes.

 

 

And eating protein bars like they are complete meals.

 

Yep.

Sunday workout:  3 mile quick run before heading to the LBC.

A Couple Of Husband Meals

Lovelies, I am so bored of the food I am eating and feeding poor husband, it's like my camera weighs 500 pounds.  I think because I spend my time coming up with interesting dishes for clients, we're like the cobblers with no...cobbler (apple cobbler sounds GOOD...).

All I eat is cereal, Luna bars and nuts.  Husband got some sausage and peppers over polenta and...

 

 

...crispy chicken, steamed veggies and roasted potatoes.

 

I'm going to a Food Blogger Photography workshop in Long Beach this weekend.  Hope to be inspired (rather than intimidated, which is what I am anticipating) because at the moment...I am not (as I'm sure you can tell).  I'm in a food rut and a blogger rut.

Workouts this week:

Today (God willing):  45 minutes elliptical at Gold's (I really doubt it, will probably do a toning DVD instead.  Don't really feel like driving to Venice at 3:30pm on a Friday)

Thursday:  Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred-Level 1 and 2

Wednesday:  YogaGlo with Jo Tatsula

Tuesday:  Run?

Monday:  YogaGlo with Jo Tatsula

What I Cooked Today

This was dessert.  To see what else my lovely client's will find in their fridge when they get home tonight (and my new bangs), click here.

xo

Monday workout:  60 minute YogaGlo session with Jo.

Lamb Stew And A Link To Mandy's Meals

Mmm.  Lucky husband.  It was a cold, blustery day and I was inspired to warm the house with the oven.  Lamb stew with green beans, fingerling potatoes, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, onions, little bit of wine...I let it simmer in the oven for 2 hours.  Delish.

 

 

Cinnamon apple/mango sauce.  Super chunky.

I am now personal cheffing for reals.  I'm going to start documenting my cook days for y'all on my other blog.  Click here and get hungry!

Workouts this week:

Monday, Tuesday: Can't remember.  I think weight lifting one day and...run the other?
Wednesday: YogaGlo with Jo
Thursday: 4 mile walk
Friday:  3 mile run