Hello, hello! I hope this Wednesday finds you well—and that you’re not freezing your face off as a result of the great “polar vortex of 2014.” Although it was below freezing this morning (and my car was covered in pretty star-shaped ice crystals), the rest of the week is going to be quite lovely.

I’ve been on a several-week hiatus from the What I Ate Wednesday party. It’s not that I don’t adore the lovely Jen and her precious chickpea (I do!) or wish to avoid perusing the collection of delicious-looking meals and recipes (I don’t!). I’ve just found that week after week, I’ve been posting much of the same thing. Boring, right?

Nevertheless, I thought I’d jump in today since it’s a new year and I’m still recovering from the brownie and leftovers coma from the holidays. While I’m probably definitely going to consume way too much sugar (à la king cake) in the next 2 months, I’m going to use this as an opportunity to track the balance in my meals and see where I can make improvements. Without further ado, here are today’s eats.

Breakfast: Vanilla Greek yogurt with maple granola and a spoonful of natural peanut butter.

Even though it was a chilly morning, I took a break from my hot oatmeal with fruit and nuts. This breakfast may be heavy on the sugar, but the yogurt provided some protein and a nice dose of probiotics. The granola added a nice crunch, and the healthy fat from the PB helped me feel satiated.

Lunch: Leftover frittata (with onions, spinach, roasted red pepper, and cheese) and a side of these awesome pumpkin-cranberry tortilla chips I just had to pick up at Publix during the holidays.

I love eggs for any meal—I find they’re the perfect inexpensive protein. Although this frittata included a few different veggies, my lunch wasn’t as nutritious as I would’ve liked. I could improve this by roasting big pans of vegetables on Sunday to put in my lunches or making more meal-sized salads.

Afternoon Snack: A slice of king cake (of which I was mid-mouthful when a coworker stopped by my desk to ask a question—oops!).

King cake carbs don’t count. 🙂 Per usual, I will most likely bring fruit or fresh veggies (like carrots dipped in hummus) for my snacks rather than rely on vending machines (although king cake won’t go away till Mardi Gras).

Dinner: Homemade vegetable soup and a grilled cheese (comfort to the max!).

‘Tis the season for hearty soups! I love soup and could eat a different variety almost every day, and few things are more satisfying than an ooey-gooey grilled cheese (which, yes, contained Kraft “plastic” cheese—it’s garbage, but it’s delicious and melts better than anything else).

I think I did ok—but I could certainly up the vegetable intake. I really want to buy a juicer, but since my appliance cupboard is already full—and I am too lazy to use our blender for smoothies (which I honestly prefer, since all of the fiber remains)—I think I’ll just aim to eat more salad, stir-fry, soup, and other veggie-centric dishes.

Happy Hump Day…and till next time!

Have you made any food-related goals for the New Year?

What’s your favorite way to sneak in (or just eat) your veggies?