Most mornings I like to roll out of bed, complete my breakfast and blog post + a conquer few hours of work before I head to the gym. Other days [the focused ones!] I like to charge right through to afternoon and then use my workout as a reward to relax. Today was one of those!
I wrapped things up at 4:00 and then headed to the gym – on foot in the slight drizzle [very happy the rain held off so I could walk!]– for some relaxin’. [I find afternoon gym visits pretty relaxing compared to my group classes on M | W | F!]
My intention was a vinyasa yoga class, but I decided I’d rather read Whole Living than be alone with my mind for an hour. ‘Cause sometimes reading is more relaxing than thinking.
Pre-workout = Hungry Bar half and clementine
Post-workout = clementine!
Dinner tonight was a surprise. I thought I was thawing out an herby chicken leg from our freezer, but it turned out to be a packet of local pork sausage!! I ended up cooking the sausage just like I had planned the chicken – with mushrooms and served over kale – and it was fantastic! So much flavor! There was a little Dr. Pete’s in there too. It’s good on everything!
Some delicious wrinkly sweet ber-taters on the side. Cooked at 400* for 30 minutes of cinnamon + cayenne perfection.
I’ve gotten into a lovely ritual of hot rooibos tea with steamed milk after dinner and a dose of television. Tonight might goal is READING instead! If I keep up the 10-minutes-of-reading-before-bed-that-sends-me-straight-to-dreamland routine, I’ll never finish this book in time for the movie release!
Allie says
That looks so good , your lucky you don’t have to work , I wish I had time to do all that and work out
melissa says
i also rarely comment but had to respond to this. uhh..what in the world do you mean? I’m a resident (meaning I work loads and loads of hours in a hospital for little money and often do 24+ hrs call where i dont get to sleep at all, etc…) and i STILL know kath works a lot. yes in a different way than others, and often i’m jealous of the type of work 🙂 but she certainly deserves her breaks!
eliza says
Agreed 🙂
Also, your sweet potaters look delicious Kath!
Jaima says
Ok, I rarely comment, but clearly Kath does work so that was a weird thing to say. I’m not sure how owning a bakery, having a hugely successful blog, Opensky, freelance writing projects and on and on and on is considered not working? Whew. I feel better. PS- I love a colorful, healthy meal!
Anna says
PREACH. Jeez, Kath is one of the hardest workers I know! (via reading over the blogosphere 🙂 )
Janelle says
No negatively towards kath please!! The meal looks DELISH by the way !! Today I used coconut oil in my stir fry was it ever to die for !!
Leah says
I thought Matt runs the bakery? And at that he has said its not that stressful, just checking the odd email in the morning?! Anyways being “busy” is a relative term. You can be busy working a fulltime job, taking care of aging parents, and kids, running a household, and taking care of yourself. Yet one can still be “busy” filling their day with home decorating ideas, cleaning and organizing, popping up a few sentences and pictures on a blog, shopping, and working out. The odd day may be complicated by a freelance article or some deep cleaning or some pressing errands. I think Kath works hard at keeping “busy”, its just not the traditional type of busy, but we all need a break from our routines.
KathEats says
Leah,
Please note I didn’t use the word ‘busy’ in this post! Also, just because those are the things I blog about doesn’t mean that’s all I do in my day.
Leah says
I was just responding to the other persons comment Kath not your post. I am sure you have lots else going on in your life, most people do. I do understand why this person made this comment, sometime you write in the tone of “busy”, if that makes sense, and I am sure, you are. My point is, busy is often a choice.
Leah says
My comment was in response to Allie, I thought I clicked under her name, I guess I didn’t. Thanks for your speedy response Kath.
KathEats says
I agree that busy is often a choice!
laine says
He runs the baker by “checking the odd email in the morning” ? What a sweet gig!
I run my own business and because I’m not in a cubicle from 9-5 some of my friends who are will make comments about how I can bike and do yoga because I have such flexible time. The Truth is that we make time for the things that are important to us.
faith says
Just to clarify, Matt is at the bakery at least 8 hours a day/6 days a week (probably more like 10 hours a day). Kath does bakery work for about 3-10 hours (or more) each week, depending on what needs done and does blog related work for at least 6 hours a day/7 days a week. I’ve seen it first hand, they are both hard workers and have earned all the success they’ve received. This isn’t really a direct reply to you Leah, just a general clarification.
Julie says
No offense, but 3-10 hours a week at the bakery? That is about 1 day a week at most. Yes, I realize the blog work takes up a lot of her time, but again, 6 hours a day? I somehow doubt that is true every single day, 7 days a week. Even if it is true, are you all really trying to suggest this somehow makes her a “superwoman”? Most people work more hours than this each week, and let’s face it – most people’s jobs aren’t describing what they ate and what they are doing today. It’s not exactly grueling work. I obviously enjoy Kath’s blog or I wouldn’t be reading it. Kath, I think your blog is great. But it is sort of insulting to people like lawyers, for example, who have to bill 1800 hours a year. (which means being on the job for approximately 2500 hours a year.) Let’s just call a spade a spade here and just because Kath puts lots of time and energy into her blog, this does not mean she is busier than most working people (by busy i mean things that involve doing real thinking or physical work, not things like exercise or cooking).
KathEats says
Julie I never EVER have said I’m as busy as a 1800-hour-a-year lawyer or medical student [except maybe when I was doing my internship + blogging + moving + opening a bakery but i knew that that lifestyle was temporary]. I quit my job in corporate America to go back to school so that I would have flexibility in my life and be able to piecemeal a career together around nutrition involving a private practice. Back in 2008 I had no idea that “private practice” would be in the form of a blogging + freelancing business. I’ve never claimed to have some kind of super busy life. I would definitely not call my life “busy” in the workload sense. But it’s definitely not dull either, and I don’t sit around doing the things that many of you think I do. I definitely attribute some of my career success to luck, but a lot of it has been by hard work and dedication – and making a choice to leave a job that left me unhappy.
Julie says
Kath – this wasn’t directed toward you specifically ( i know that seems odd). I know YOU never said you work that many hours or are that busy. But other people seem to be in AWE of how busy you are and i just think that is a little bit misguided. I can see why people are interested in your lifestyle and all that, but i don’t understand why you are being placed on some kind of pedestal in terms of being busy. I came from a family where both my parents worked full time and we barely ever ate dinners together so I think I am just comparing it to that level of “busy” and being away from home/on the go. I commend you for making your choice and I do recognize you work HARD and are dedicated. But as these comments show, it’s pretty annoying to people who feel as if they are truly busy and have every minute of the day sucked out of them because of work. Again, I just want to clarify my point – i know you never claimed to be busy to that degree, but i agree with others that sometimes your tone about how busy you are comes off as an exaggeration or something.
KathEats says
Well sometimes my life does get really busy – Thanksgiving at the bakery for example. 3 weeks in Montana. Sometimes I do have a lot of work to do. I work on bakery stuff from home a lot. Like I’ve said many times before, just because I don’t blog about something doesn’t mean I’m twiddling my thumbs during that time.
I think the “superwoman” comments are directed more towards our career path – going from PR + insurance to bakery + blog than our daily lives on a boring Tuesday.
Molly @ RDexposed says
Oooo the dreamland routine is so fantastic! Good to see the mystery meat worked!
Ashley @ My Food 'N' Fitness Diaries says
Agreed Jaima!
Sometimes getting lost in a favorite magazine or book is just what the doc ordered. I love your wrinkly sweet potatoes BTW! 😉
Amy says
Don’t worry Kath, soon enough you’ll be so sucked in to the Hunger Games you won’t be able to put it down!
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey says
Let’s just remember that those who comment on how they don’t think you are working have absolutely not perception of just what goes into maintaining a successful blog and/or writing freelance articles. Just because you work from home doesn’t mean you don’t work.
Aaaand that’s enough of that. Sheesh.
Dynamics says
Why do people think when you work from home you do not work??? That amazes me and frustrates me all the time. Sometimes I wish I had an office job so I could work 9 to 5 and then go home.
Jillian says
Ditto on this one. I deal with it all the time as an independent contractor, so the responses to your job, Kath, aren’t that surprising to me. I’m often reminded that some of my clients think just because I make my own schedule and work from home a couple of days a week that I somehow work *less* than they do, but they don’t see what goes on when I leave- they don’t really see or imagine anything beyond what is immediately obvious to them. My job is all over my home, it doesn’t end at 5 or 6 or even 7 some days, as I still have hours of e-mails and paperwork when I get home, and I also have to prepare for the next day. The one thing that I can say is that I do *prefer* my life to be this way- I’ve been self-employed for 12 years, and I love it. However, that does not mean that I don’t work as much as other people do, or as hard. I could work 7 days a week and never be caught up. Sometimes I think people pass judgements about self-employed people merely because they are unhappy with their own situations, and assuming is a very easy thing to do, but I know for a fact if they watched my work week and all that it entails, they would not think that I am working less than they are.
KathEats says
So true Jillian. Often working for yourself is more work and lasts longer. I’ve worked 7 days a week for 4.25 years straight – not a single vacation day. I’m not complaining because this is the life I have chosen, but I hate how that fact goes unnoticed and people think I exercise and watch TV all day long.
April says
Can I just throw in here that while I do think it’s funny when people don’t “get” that working from home is still working, it’s not like many people with 9-5 jobs actually can keep those hours or can just shut off when they do manage to get home.
When I was in a corporate gig, I worked roughly 50-60 hours a week, never was able to catch up on my email and often had to log in from home on the evenings and weekends so that I could work without people asking me a question every 5 minutes. It was hell and I’m glad I’m out of it. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that you prefer your life this way. So even if you have to defend your workstyle on occasion, I’m pretty sure that most wouldn’t go back to not being self employed.
Jillian says
No, I definitely would not, but I think thats where it becomes obvious that the conversation is not necessarily about how much we have to do in our days- I think its more about happiness or the lack of it, and everyone is ultimately responsible for their own happiness, whether they want to acknowledge it or not. I was just referring to the actual amount of work I do being self employed, because it was the original (supposed) topic, ie Kath “not working”. There is a huge amount of responsibility that comes with being self employed- you have to be motivated every day and put your best into everything, otherwise it’s likely that you will not be successful- it’s ALL on you, not your boss or co-workers, there’s nobody to complain about or blame if you aren’t successful. There is a lot of freedom, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy or not actual work.
kathleen @ the daily crumb says
what a pleasant surprise with dinner!
i’m a definite morning worker-outer. when 4 p.m. rolls around, if it hasn’t happened, it probably won’t! glad you enjoyed your magazine… a good one sure makes a workout fly by 🙂
Susan H. @ the food allergy chronicles says
Somehow working out in the morning fuels me for the day. I also love to end my day reading a good book. I just finished reading The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. Amazing story! Finally got my hands on The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson, However, with all the talk about The Hunger Games I now want to read it too!
Hannah @ eat, drink and save money says
I love the Stieg Larsson books! The one you are reading now was the hardest one for me to get through, I think he died before publishing it. But stay strong and finish it- hunger games can be your guilty pleasure afterwards!
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
Oh I love a happy surprise when it comes to food! Looks like the perfect end to the day! Enjoy the rest of your night Kath!
lynn @ the actor's diet says
i have a cup of hot tea (along with candy) – even in the summer. my post-meal ritual!
Katie @ Arugulovers says
I don’t know how you’ve been able to resist reading The Hunger Games nonstop! I was so sucked in, I was almost late to my sister-in-law’s wedding shower because I had to finish it!
(okay okay I wasn’t late and would never have missed it for a YA novel, but I was reading right up until I absolutely had to get out the door!)
Lauren @ What Lauren Likes says
Hot cup o tea every night is a ritual for me too! Great looking dinner 😀
Felicia (Natural + Balanced) says
im having gingerbread tea right now- so delicious! really enjoying the celestial holiday teas in the evenings 🙂
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga says
enjoy your reading time tonight and glad you had such a productive day!
“delicious wrinkly sweet ber-taters on the side” <– lovin the wrinkles and the cinnamon + cayenne Too hot here to turn the oven onto 400F but they look delish!
Angel7 says
It is pretty sad, but sometimes when I start reading, I enter dreamland right away–even if the book if great (LOL) 🙂
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
Julie H. of Spinach and Sprinkles says
Did you think your reading tonight would be reading such heavy responses to a beautifully prepared meal??!?!? …..Geeze-louise! …..Kath, I hope you know that you are appreciated <3
Olena (The Fit Gourmet) says
Re: working/not working. Kath, I sympathize. No matter what sort of amazing things you do and how much you do in a day, it will always be not enough for someone.
I once mentioned I was proud of being good at my work, fulfilling all the social and family responsibilities, and living a healthy lifestyle. And someone immediately commented that it was nothing compared to what some single mothers do.
I personally think that you’re a superwoman. And a fine person. An example to many. Keep it up! 😉
Janelle says
I agree 100% !! Superwoman being key word , I couldn’t do half the stuff kath does – that’s y her posts amaze me , I couldn’t COMPREHEND doing so much! To many negative people in the world makes me unsettled
Elisabeth says
I agree 100%! I sure wish I could do/fit in all the things that you & Matt are able to – I need even half of your energy. Keep up the good work & know that a few (jealous) posters don’t speak for the majority 🙂
KathEats says
🙂
Ashley @ Cooking for John says
work it girl! (in response to all the controversy above)
Jen says
Is the sausage mixed in with the mushrooms? Just looks like mushrooms.
I find reading can help put me to sleep too sometimes – but NOT with The Hunger Games! Instead, I just want to keep reading!
KathEats says
Yes, they were mixed. About 1 pint of shrooms and half a pound of sausage
Katie @ Peace Love and Oats says
I can’t imagine reading the Hunger Games in 10 min intervals! I couldn’t put the book down!
Kristin says
Delicious, as always. What are sweet ber-taters? Are those sweet potatoes with cinnamon sprinkled on them? They look amazing, especially with the salad on the side. And I’m glad you also enjoy watching television at night, it is the perfect way to relax after the busy days.
KathEats says
Oh just sweet potatoes said in a Southern way 🙂
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says
wow, normal innocent post somehow creates controversy! craziness. Dinner looks great, mushrooms + sausage is an easy go to of mine that I always thought was weird. Good to see I’m not the only one 🙂
Ashley @ Coffee Cake and Cardio says
Your dinner looks awesome! What workout did you end up doing?
KathEats says
Elliptical + magazine
Laura Ann says
So yesterday I found myself in Temecula and ended up at Great Harvest. My first GH experience, and oh my goodness!!! I had a couple tastes and walked out of there with a loaf of 9-grain. I wish there were one closer (I live in San Diego). I have a KERF-inspired salad everyday for lunch and always find myself a bit peckish all afternoon. Yesterday, just adding the slice of bread left me totally satisfied for hours. YUM!
KathEats says
Awesome! Temecula location is awesome
Christine @ BookishlyB says
There’s a Temecula location? I’m only an hour away. Next time I pass through I must stop!
Jessica says
Deep, rich greens paired with royal orange sweets…truly a gorgeous plate deserved for a day of accomplishment.
Katelyn @ Chef Katelyn says
I. love. mushrooms.
Evan says
This dinner is right up my alley. Homegirl loves sausage 🙂
Sometimes, I wish I could do the tea/reading thing as a ritual at night…but my weeknights usually involve TV and chocolate. Sometimes there’s the odd late workout too, since I’m at my office until 7 or later each night (I’m learning that NYC work days never really end…).
Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife says
Looks tasty!!
kristen @ verbs and vignettes says
i’m with you – it definitely depends on my mood how i can relax. if i need to organize myself and sort through my thoughts, i like quiet (and writing, obviously away from the gym). sometimes though, mindless completely wins out.
your “low and slow” sweet potatoes won me over last year! totally worth all the time the take in the oven. 🙂
Kelly @ Foodie Fiasco says
Sometimes surprises can be good! Even food ones. 😉
P.S. I somewhat concerned about the Hunger Games movie. What if it’s not good???
Kasey @PowerCakes.blogspot.com says
I love how colorful your picture is! I also loooove roasting sweet potatoes! I just roasted up some butternut squash tonight. So easy & yummy!!
Kathleen says
Excuse me if I missed something, but how did you do the kale? I can’t tell from the pic if it’s steamed or baked!
KathEats says
Oh I didn’t say – just steamed in a big pot and drizzled with Dr. Pete’s Praline Mustard Glaze
Khushboo says
Those sweet potatoes look great Kath! I know what dinner is going to involve tonight 😀
Katie @ Talk Less, Say More says
tea with steamed milk is one of my FAVORITE evening rituals. I really need to remember to do it more often. And buy some decaffeinated tea so it can actually happen… 😉
Ulya @ Kitchen Impromptu says
I love rooibos tea, but I’ve never tried it with milk. Sounds like a good idea!
Zoe @ loseweightandgainhealth says
Rooibos tea with milk is a regular occurrence in my house. Having seen so many recommendations for the Hunger Games I must add that to my reading list. When Kath first mentioned it, I thought it was a nutritional text book about over eating! It clearly isn’t so I look forward to reading it.
KathEats says
I thought it was too!
Zoe @ loseweightandgainhealth says
Ha ha. I went in to a shop in Rye, Sussex called the “Wobbly Wardrobe”. I thought that would be a clothes shop for people with wobbly bits like me. But it was a children’s shop. Funny how we jump to conclusions about a name 🙂
Rebecca @ Naturally Healthy and Gorgeous says
Great looking sweet potatoes!
Heather H says
Reading helps put me to sleep too. Although sometimes I get caught up in the book and stay up later than I planned too.
Your sweet potatoes look delicious!
Katie says
How long does it take you to walk to the gym?
KathEats says
15 minutes?
Cait's Plate says
I totally agree that sometimes the post-productivity 4pm workout is just so nice while other times there’s nothing better than knowing its under your belt and finished first thing.
Dinner looks incredible – a happy accident taking the wrong thing out of the freezer 🙂
Fran@ Broken Cookies Don't Count says
I especially like the looks of the roasted sweet potatoes. I need to make some of those!
Sarah@The Flying ONION says
I love pulling something out of the freezer and discovering something completely different than what I expected (especially when it works out to be tasty, as it did for you!)
I have at least 3 “mysterious” containers in my fridge. Somehow I always manage to overlook them, because I don’t know what to expect. Maybe I’ll just take one out and roll with it and hope for the best. 😀
I always love hearing your thoughts on your workout routine. You have such a friendly relationship with being healthy and your workouts leave me feeling inspired. 😀
Katie says
I didn’t even make it ten minutes with The Help last night. I need to pick up the pace if I’m going to watch it with some friends soon! Good call on reading Whole Living, love that magazine. Loving the roasted sweet potatoes currently as well, any sweet potato really!
April says
Regarding working vs. not working, did anyone stop to consider that this person might be a new reader, and therefore not completely familiar with Kath’s routine and everything she does in a day/week?
I agree that as many have pointed out, it’s all relative. While to many Kath seems to be super busy, to many many people who do a lot of the same things that Kath does while also working full time outside the home and raising children, she lives a life of relative leisure.
Julie says
I agree, April. I only wish I had an entire morning to compare and contrast lamp shades, for example. We sometimes fill our lives with so many different things and then we say, “I am so busy!” even though those things are not necessarily related to working outside the home full time, raising kids, etc. In fact, I remember before I had children I used to feel like I was so busy and now of course I know that I was ‘busy’ doing a lot of enjoyable things. Now, working full time with 3 kids I truly know what ‘busy’ means.
April says
My friend used to say that everyone is the busiest person they know, and I think it’s true in a lot of cases.
KathEats says
This is an unfair passive aggressive comment Julie. I did the lamp shade research on a Sunday and I didn’t say at all that it made me busy…
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
Kath,
This is YOUR blog. IGNORANCE is bliss!!!
I need to read Hunger Games, like NOW!! Everyone is raving about it 😀
Julie says
That’s true, you didn’t.
Jen says
Kath, What I’ve learned is that some people have too much time on their hands and seem to read into everything you (or any blogger) might say. It’s crazy! Any simple sentence is blown up. You can’t even listen to it honestly because they will never be satisfied.
Jillian says
And that was your decision to have 3 kids, Julie- you chose for your life to be that way, just like you could have chosen to only have one or none. Some parents periodically act as though they just woke up with all of this responsibility instead of acknowledging the fact that they created their situations, or that it somehow means they are entitled to look down upon other people for making different choices and having more freedom, but it tends to just come off as mere bitterness, especially when you are differentiating between “enjoyable things” and having children. I say this as a single parent, actually.
Julie says
That is a good point, Jillian.
L. says
Well said Jillian! And Kath– you don’t have to justify your lifestyle to anyone! Why does it matter WHEN you look at lampshades and for how long! This “argument” is totally subjective. Kudos to those who truly live the lifestyles they want.
Keri says
Hey Kath!
I rarely comment, but I just wanted to let you know that I think that you are awesome! You are often an encouragement and inspiration to me! Keep your head up! These rude commenters are just that, rude commenters! They do not have the authority to pass judgement on your life! You are a wonderful hardworking woman!
KathEats says
Thanks Keri 🙂
Brooke says
Just reading some of the controversy above and was wondering if you’ve ever considered doing a “Day in the Life – Behind the Scenes” post ala Young House Love? I know after reading about their days, it definitely put into perspective for me how involved a day of blogging (and everything else that comes with it) can be. It would be an interesting read, at any rate.
KathEats says
My days vary so much I wouldn’t know which one to pick! I really enjoyed reading their post though – I could relate to so much of the background stuff
Allison says
Everytime I “attempt” to read in bed, I immediately fall asleep! Womp, womp 😛
Julie says
I don’t usually comment, but I just wanted to let you know that I think you lead a wonderfully balanced lifestyle that has come as the result of lots of hard work! Just like food bloggers don’t post everything they eat in a day, you don’t have to post everything you do in a day to justify your career. Keep doing your thing! From a reader’s standpoint, it seems that you (and Matt!) have MORE than enough to do on a daily basis! Alright…got that off my chest. Hope the rest of your day goes well!! I will continue enjoying reading your beautifully written blog. 🙂
p.s.) My family owns our own business and trust me, I know that owning a business is a 24/7 job…I’m sure you and Matt think about the bakery and do work on behalf of the bakery well beyond a normal person’s work day.
KathEats says
Thanks Julie <3
Julie says
p.s.s. I don’t even know how all of this negativity started…I would never have gathered what some of your readers took away from the above post. Before I read the comments, all I thought was, “how cute, that you and your hubby went on a lunch date!”
Wendy says
Chiming in late as a fairly newly self-employed person. When I was working full-time at a 9-5 (really 8:30-6:00) desk job plus working nights and weekends (15 hour days on the weekends) to get the side business started, I would longingly watch people out running at odd hours like 10am and wish that I had to freedom to do that. However, now that I’m in the “off season” for my business, I have all the free time in the world, but am I our running at 10am? No. I love doing nothing a little too much and I bet I’m not the only person who’s found that when it comes down to it, exercising regularly and preparing healthy meals, while enjoyable and a “luxury”, really does take quite a lot of effort. Some people are super motivated and Kath is one of them, and it’s super impressive. Anyway, I enjoy these little debates, especially how respectful most people seem to be.
Susan V says
I work outside the home and have little flexibility in my daily schedule. If I ever envied Kath, it stopped when I read a lot of the comments she has to deal with on a daily basis. I sure couldn’t do it! I’ll take my cubicle any day over having to defend myself over completely innocent blog postings. I’ll never understand why people feel the need to be mean or critical. Just because a thought crosses your mind you don’t need to share it with people, especially if you are being mean spirited. If you can’t say something nice, really think hard before saying it.
Anna says
why do women always have to compete for the title of “busiest life/most stressed”?
when I read the first comment, I kind of thought she meant to phrase it as “you’re lucky you don’t have to GO to work” (i.e. jealous of your flexible schedule) not how much “work” you do…just another perspective!! 🙂