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“Love has no desire but to fulfill itself.  To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.  To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving.” - Kahlil Gibran

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Aloha kakahiaka [good morning]!  As I made the 20-minute drive to work this morning I couldn’t help but give thanks for another day of loving and living.

[No I didn't take this photo - I was busy being a good driver.]

There is so much to be grateful for every single day.  Even on Thursdays.

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We’re nearing the end of the week, which means a few things: 1) I’m tired, 2) I’ve made it through another week of grad school, and 3) the fridge is getting empty.

On the weekends, Ben and I do our grocery shopping and create recipes for the week. We freeze portions and stack the rest in the fridge so that, when we’re ready, we can dish them into individual-sized containers.  This is what the fridge looked like on Monday:

[Top Shelf]

Eggs (I know, it looks like we’re egg fanatics, but we were nearing the end of one of those 18-packs & just bought another.  The smaller carton is for our boiled eggs for quick + easy protein!), black bean hummus, chia seeds, balsamic vinegar, and – don’t ask me why – two cartons of salsa.

[Second Shelf + Drawer]

Goat cheddar, blue corn tortillas, 100% dark chocolate, greek yogurt (not typical for us), tofu, green garlic hummus, a ready-to-eat avocado and tomato, peanut butter, bread, and flaxseed meal.

[Bottom Shelf]

Gallon of freshly-cracked coconut water (we got a rack from the farmer’s market), quinoa, sun dried tomatoes, bottles of water (for those rare moments when we want ice-cold water), roasted veggies, sauteed veggies with shrimp, marinated kale, a batch of steel cut oats with chia seeds, and cooked brown rice.

[Drawers]

Carrots, sprouts, tomato, onions, celery, bell peppers, spinach, and cabbage.

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And I won’t go into it, but Ben has taken over the freezer:

Everything is much cheaper when we buy from Costco, hence the massive amounts of pasta and waffles.  And those silly-looking plastic bins?  Those are for our compost (I hear that people in the U.S. leave theirs out on the counter/under the sink.  It’s way too humid/buggy for that in Hawai`i).

We’ve actually done a really good job of cleaning out the fridge this week – Ben and I have polished off all but the hummus and a few veggies so far and are now working on an Enchilada Bake he made on Tuesday evening [he topped his with nutritional yeast - YUM!].  I suppose it helps that we rarely go out to eat, and that – since I eat 5 small meals a day and don’t get home til late – I pack enough food for a small ‘ohana most weekdays.  Either way, we save money and eat healthier when we create meals for the week!

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I’m off to go be a big girl in my office for a few hours, followed by teaching my third TurboKick class in three days (I signed up for this).  Enjoy your Thursday!

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What are you most grateful for today? What does your fridge look like at the beginning/at the end of the week?

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Aloha Pumehana. Whether you’re here to find balance, wholesome recipes or inspiration, I hope you enjoy the posts.  Please subscribe to Green Plate Dinners to receive automatic updates and be the first to read new posts for free!