Athleta Review + Ginger Pork and Broccoli

I recently received an Athleta circular in the mail. I never paid much attention to the brand but know that it's affiliated with Banana Republic/Gap/Old Navy/Piperlime. After flipping through the catalog, I really liked a lot of their hoodies and zip-up jackets. Since A is getting ready to really start working out again once the weather is warmer and he's been buying his own fair share of zip-ups and lightweight jackets, I really feel I need one or two too. Conveniently, I was near the uptown location of Athleta over the weekend so quickly popped into the store to try on some of their items to see how they fit since they do offer size XXS. As expected, the sleeves were a bit too long on me but I noticed a sign in their fitting rooms that says all hemming needed is free! This is exciting news since the body of most of their pieces fit be pretty well throughout as you can see in the photos below. The only downside is that features and details such as the thumbholes on the sleeves will not be kept when shortened. Despite that, I think I like the styles and quality enough to want to do it.

Left to right: Batwing & Robin Jacket, Booyah Jacket, Twilight Jacket, Stripe Strength Hoodie, Hope Jacket.

There were three styles in particular that I really liked, and they are the Hope Jacket, Twilight Jacket, and Stripe Strength Hoodie. I didn't purchase anything in store since the Strength Hoodie didn't come in the color I wanted in my size so I placed an order online instead. I haven't decided if I'm keeping all three yet but will think about it after my package arrives in the mail. I can't attest to the durability and quality of the fabric and materials but what's really nice is that they have a "Give-It-A-Workout Guarantee" where you can return it at any time if you're not satisfied. I'm definitely excited to give these a try when I go out to play handball or go out biking once it's warm out.

And to share one of the few recipes I still have hoarded away that I want to share because it's quick, delicious, and not detrimental to your health, here's a recipe I found a long time ago in a magazine for Ginger Pork and Broccoli with Brown Rice that I just made recently. What's nice about dishes likes this is that it's a one-pot meal that conveniently includes your grains, veggies, and protein.

GINGER PORK + BROCCOLI W/ BROWN RICE

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons minced ginger

1 teaspoon sesame oil

4 oz cubed pork loin

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 cup chopped cauliflower

1 cup chopped broccoli

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sliced scallion

dash of red chile flakes

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet, saute 2 garlic cloves, minced, and 2 teaspoons minced ginger in 1 teaspoon sesame oil for 1 minute.

2. Add 4 ounces cubed pork loin, fat removed, and cook 5 minutes until browned on all sides.

3. Add 1 cup cooked brown rice to pork.

4. Cook 1 cup chopped cauliflower and 1 cup chopped broccoli in boiling salted water for 1 minute; strain, reserving 1/3 cup water.

5. Add vegetables and water to skillet with pork.

6. Cook until water has evaporated, and then add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sliced scallion and a dash red chile flakes.

Nutrition per half this recipe:

269 Calories

46g Carbs

6g Fat

19g Protein

1068mg Sodium

2g Sugar

Leaving you with the fortune cookie quote, "There is no mistake so great as that of being always right."