Baroque extravaganza at Nymphenburg Palace, Munich, 🇩🇪
July 7, 2019
Baroque extravaganza at Nymphenburg Palace, Munich, 🇩🇪
Author: cochrancj
I am an American expat who loves to explore the world through the plate and is always curious to learn more.
Easy Japanese-Style Chicken Zoodles
This is an easy, FODMAP-friendly, low calorie and carb dinner for nights when you don’t want to be bothered and/or have macros to hit.
Gluten-free (check your labels), FODMAP, keto (especially if you increase the fat), could be Paleo if you use coconut aminos, but that will be higher FODMAPs
Easy Japanese-Style Chicken Zoodles
1 large zucchini, spiraled into zoodles
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamari (coconut aminos will be higher in FODMAPs)
In a large skillet over medium-high, heat the sesame oil. When it starts to shimmer, add the zoodles and stir-fry until just beginning to soften. Add the soy sauce and continue cooking until the zoodles are to your liking. I like mine still a bit toothsome (or at least not mushy).
While that’s working, whisk together:
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1.5 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
Pinch of red pepper flakes
When the zoodles are ready, add to the sauce and top with 4 ounces shredded poached chicken and 1 tsp. sesame seeds per serving.
Serves 2 as a light dinner
Macros per serving (assuming your zoodles come out to 1 cup and you use standard soy sauce):
345 Calories
36.6g Protein
6.6g Net carbs
16.9g Fat
July 6, 2019
Munich CBD and the Glockenspiel all decked out for Pride 🌈😍
July 5, 2019
Today’s adventures included 🚠 up a mountain to hike, standing on the border between 🇩🇪 and 🇦🇹 while on a suspension 🌉 in the 🌲, then a 🚢 around a lake. A busy day, and all within 5km of our hotel. And I almost forgot: we met the cutest little security Teckel (dachshund) in the elevator – apparently the poor babe rides the elevator up and down while her mom is working in hopes it will open onto the floor she lives on so she can go nap. 😍🤩😍
July 4, 2019
Today was a day of castles. The fairytale Neuschwanstein (on which Sleeping Beauty’s Castle was based)
And the scenic Hohenschwangau
Some of the vistas from the castles:
July 3, 2019
Back to accurate dates!
Today was more traveling down the Romantic Road in Bavaria 🇩🇪, through medieval walled towns and scenic countryside.
This picture was taken from the top of the bell tower in Nordlingen. See the city walls? This city was built in the crater of a meteorite strike. Super cool 😎
July 1, 2019
Oops – so I miscounted my days, and this was actually the 1st of July – this evening, we got to stay in this adorable little Bavarian guesthouse in the picture-perfect town of Prichsenstadt.
July 2, 2019
From the grounds of the Würzburg Residence in Würzburg 🇩🇪:
We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside, but man this place was bananas in the best possible way. Rococo delights around every corner.
Also got to climb city walls in Rothenburg Ob der Tauber:
Look at that tile construction! 😍
June 30, 2019
From the history of computing room at the Deutsches Museum in Munich.
If you’re ever in Munich, go. If you’ve only got a couple hours – still go. It’s amazing and worth many, many visits.
FODMAP Diet Week 2
This was my second week on the FODMAP Diet. Week 1 went fairly well, despite eating more meals out than anticipated (foolishly, if I was paying attention I would have remembered), and being bummed that no garlic or onion were to be had.
Week 1An explanation
PROPOSED MEAL PLAN
This week, I didn’t meal plan heavily. I know I’ve got at least two if not three dinners out, and I didn’t feel like shopping too heavily in advance of our vacation next week, so I bought the bare minimum and will be eating a lot of pantry foods. This proposed meal plan is what I have come up with on the fly.
Breakfasts
- Overnight oats with peanut butter and strawberries
Lunches/Dinners
- The salmon burgers I didn’t eat
- The rest of the chicken/tomato sauce/olive mixture I made
- Maaaaaybe the rest of the baked sweet potatoes from last week if I can find a way to dress them up so they’re not so plain
- I grabbed some wholegrain rice pasta from the grocery
- Steaks with smashed baby potatoes and green beans as a nice dinner for the hubbs
- Zoodles(?) with chicken and frozen green beans & carrots
Snacks
- I have Marmite-flavored rice cakes left over
- A stab at a compliant Dole Whip
ACTUAL MEAL PLAN
Breakfasts
- Overnight oats with strawberries and pumpkin seeds
- Overnight oats with peanut butter, strawberries and pumpkin seeds – and I need to doctor these up a bit next time; the weirdo French peanut butter in a tin can I bought because the kid on the package was mildly disturbing may be – dare I say it – too bland for my taste. I love my no sugar added peanut butters, but this was less satisfying somehow. Maybe because I’m making my oats with water instead of unsweetened plant milk?
- Went out for a scheduled (weekly) breakfast date on Wednesday – had steak & poached eggs with a side of fruit instead of the fried potatoes & onions. Brought my own hazelnut milk for my Americano(s).
Lunches/Dinners
- Finished the chicken marinara-ish mix off by Monday.
- Made steaks with smashed potatoes and green beans for dinner Monday.
- Scrounged leftover potatoes topped with Kewpie mayonnaise for lunch Tuesday because I was woefully unprepared with the proteins when I crashed through the door in dire need of lunch.
- Delicious and super easy Japanese style zoodles with poached chicken.
- The last of the baby potatoes I boiled up for dinner Wednesday with more poached chicken and Kewpie mayo.
- Lunch out Thursday – ordered a side of chicken breast, a side of turkey ham and a side of confit potatoes.
- Dinner out Thursday, too – had more chicken breast and plain rice.
- Friday dinner was planned out as well – Brazilian steakhouse with 2 vodka sodas
Snacks
- Had a fresh strawberry juice while out
- Made a really good dessert from a lemon-flavored coconut yogurt mixed with strawberries and this really good vegan (and compliant! The only freaking thing that didn’t have dates and/or almonds in it in seemingly the whole restaurant!) granola.
- The third and final bag of organic popcorn – with butter and nutritional yeast topping.
What did I learn this week?
HaHaHa. I need to plan better. I know winging it is no way to meet my macros, and I need to not be lazy the next week I’m home. Which won’t be next week – let’s see how I handle this business while on vacation. Spoiler: I’ll be eating sausages and I know I won’t be able to completely not eat sauerkraut. At least it’s fermented? Maybe? Hoping I won’t be undoing any good I’ve done in these two weeks so far.
