Practice Makes Perfect
Thank you for your reassurance on this post that my nerves are normal. I feel like I’ll be able to run so much better on race day with a clean and clear mind knowing that a lot of the other racers must feel the same way.
Newman's Own Organics Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup
I sipped some teeccino and snacked on a Newman’s Own Organics milk chocolate peanut butter cup planning my run. Really, I was just stalling and didn’t get out until almost noon! I figured I’d run as much of the real race course as I could for some “practice”. It ended up being a lot more like race day than I thought it would…
13.37 Miles In 1:50:54
Definitely did not plan to go so far! What can I say? I got in the spirit of things. It was fun imagining how full Providence will be on that day, all the other racers running near me, and the adrenaline. I ran 9 miles on the course and then looped around a bit to extend the mileage and end up at Whole Foods(I even saw one of my teachers whose paper I’ve been putting off writing, haha, but that’s another story and he didn’t see me ;-)). Unfortunately, I didn’t account for the 1+ mile walk back from Whole Foods, so I was pretty pooped by the time I got to sit down and eat lunch.
General Gao's Chicken, Avocado With Lemon And Sea Salt, Fresh Yoghurt Cheese
Holy dietary fats, batman! I was craving some dark chicken which is why I went to Whole Foods in the first place and got General Gao’s. That balanced really well with a creamy, soft avocado half with lemon juice and sea salt. I also grabbed from the prepped food bar a block of yogurt cheese; it wasn’t anything special and just sort of tasted like a basic mozzarella 
I still ate it all.
Since lunch was so filling and eaten pretty late, I wasn’t in the mood for much this afternoon. But if you’re gonna twist my arm…
Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Ice Cream, Organic White Chocolate
Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Ice Cream, Organic White Chocolate
Don’t tell chickpeas, but I think vanilla is my favorite bean 😉 While at Whole Foods, I picked up a few groceries including Vanilla Bean So Delicious. I just love this stuff; I’ve even made a review page for it now! Check it out. Equally j’adore Green & Black’s organic white chocolate, which I also made a review for. It’s not the best white chocolate I’ve had, but it’s pretty darn good 😉 And those vanilla bean specks get me every time.
Faux Buffalo Chicken Salad With Steamed Broccoli And Avocado
I wasn’t too hungry for dinner; I think that lunch was still holding me over, and I’d care not to know how much exactly was in that plate. I made a nice, light Summer salad starting with a bed of torn hamburg lettuce and adding a pack of chopped Lightlife Buffalo Wings. Some people prefer neither real meat or fake meat; lucky for me, I eat both happily so long as they’re ethical and natural 😀 I added a few more slices of avocado(love) and some steamed broccoli for light fiber. Maybe my hunger will strike for dessert? I’m well stocked if that’s the case.
Have a great Saturday’s night and go ahead and enter Katie’s giveaway! I just noticed Anchorman is on TV at 8(!!). It’s not my favorite movie, but I can’t complain about it, either.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 16 so far )Wrapping And Packing Up
This weekend has been a blast! I hope you’ve enjoyed yours, too. And in case you missed them, here was my raw birthday dinner and then the Easter feast. Also, Go Sox! Had to throw that one out there 😀
Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Coconut Milk Ice Cream
Staying home an extra night was definitely a good choice; I did not feel like doing much last night, and hardly got anything accomplished staying in one place! At some point, there was a little bit of my favorite ice cream by So Delicious. Yum! I hope most/all of my ice creams will still be in the freezer by the time I get back on campus, not like I left much of any to begin with 😉
Irawnic Salad, Birthday Cake
Birthday Cake
Leftovers are a funny thing: You crave them at odd times and never feel guilty getting them out of your fridge. Around 10pm I just wanted something citrus/vinegary, which the irawnic salad totally satisfied. Of course, salad breath is never fun to go to bed with, so I washed that down with a side of birthday cake; you got to eat this stuff up while it’s around, right?
Oatmeal With 365 Peanut Butter, Eggs, Tempeh Bacon
Eggs And Tempeh Bacon
I spent this morning muddling around, packing things, sipping on teeccino, and eventually whipping up a breakfast. I would be crazy not to include what I gave up for Lent here, right? Truthfully, I just wanted a bowl of salty oatmeal with plain ol’ 365 brand peanut butter on it, but figured I’d add 2 organic eggs and some Lightlife tempeh bacon for some protein; the tempeh bacon tasted salty and delicious, especially after 40 days without 😀
Maple Sugar Leaf
Right now I’m planning out a run and eating the healthiest thing possible: a maple leaf made entirely out of maple sugar. At least I’m about to run and put that instant energy to good use. This was from my Easter Basket, speaking of which…
Easter Basket
You didn’t think the bunny forgot about my favorite holiday, did you? With a little guidance, the bunny was very good about knowing what I wanted. There was a little something from everyone including Divine, Lake Champlain, Green And Black, Go Max Go Foods, and Alter Eco. Should we start the betting pool on how long this will last me?
Mystery Food
And what on earth could this be?! I’ll let you wonder that for just a little bit while I hope and pray it turns out right. In the meantime, you can enter this Zevia giveaway or this Easter giveaway.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 16 so far )The Downside To Christmas
For Catholics, the time has come to pay up. Remember getting goodies from under the tree almost 2 full months ago? Yes, that last part depresses me, too. I feel like the Christmas season of family time, holidays from work, and gift giving are far enough back to be “gone” but way too far off to be considered “coming up”. Any, now we’ve came to “the downside of Christmas” otherwise known as lent. On the one hand, you have the feeling of I can eat cookies and cake and candies so long as they’re all shaped like a tree or an ornament. And now we’ve come to Lent where, not only should we work off those cookies and cakes, but we should give something up, too. Well that’s just a kick in the shins. I thought about it long and hard, and the answer became clear soon enough…
Just kidding! But really…
Preflavored soy! It took a lot of thinking to come to this one, but I feel really good about it all around. Even though one of my money-saving tips is always buying the “raw” material, I have to admit I go against that from time to time. Especially with soy, it’s so easy to pick up a log of “meat”, a veggie burger, or marinated tempeh. My fave fave favorites have been fakin’ bacon tempeh, Lightlife’s buffalo wings and soy sausage, and a whole tofurkey loaf at Thanksgiving! And on days that I have no time, these have been quite useful. But now I’m saying no to them for Lent. I’m a little wary that I might get home at 7pm one night and just start eating raw tempeh, but if that’s the case I’ll deal; and it’s only about a month, right? Anyway, on to the eats.
Vegan Sweet Cherry Coconut Cup Over Oikos
I hate to tease with these amazing coconut cups before I’ve put up a recipe page but… I will. Oh my God are they good. And they have a name! Vegan sweet cherry coconut cups. I’ll clue you in that the inside is a blend of cherry butter, unsweetened coconut, coconut oil, and agave nectar–yum! It was perfect with some yogurt for protein while flipping back and forth between Idol and the Olympics. Last night, I wasn’t a huge fan of either, though, honestly. Idol’s kind of at that boring stage where no one’s bad but no one’s great, and men’s figure skating just isn’t my sport to watch. A little bored, I made a not-so-boring bowl of oats.
Pumpkin Oatmeal With Mighty Maple, Coconut, And Dried Blueberries
I was thinking for some reason this might look more “American” than it did: orange, white and blue. I guess I’m supporting Holland these Olympics? Haha, those uniforms are styling. Not styling were. Shredded coconut, even unsweetened, is definitely growing on me as a dry and fiberous fat. And Bob’s Red Mill‘s dried blueberries are sooo delicious! They reminded me of wild Maine blueberry pie. I stayed up long enough to see the Canadian skater and then hit the hay; I felt bad that he didn’t do “perfect”, but he still did well and especially for still being a teenager! And I thought I had pressure on me…
10 Miles In 88:14
This morning, I had 10 miles planned again–yikes! I woke up feeling good, but I just couldn’t tell how good. I got to the gym and started running. After a while I wanted to get off, more from boredom than anything else. For a long time, I debated stopping at 8 miles. And then I looked down and realized I had gone through 9 1/2. 1/2 a mile more? Yeah, I could do that. And it was faster than Monday’s pace! That’s the part that made me happy.
Green Chocolate Dream Superfood Snack
Back at the dorm and I felt like a mad man trying to refuel! First I took a superfast shower. It’s a good thing I was so quick because someone was waiting behind me. Then I started tearing at things trying to figure out what’s for breakfast. I’m very noisy making breakfast; it’s something that annoys even me. But I have oatmeal flying here and there and a microwave beeping at me and dealing with underbed storage–it’s kind of a mess. Needless to say, these raw balls from Superfood Snacks worked their way in there.
Breakfast
I think you’re supposed to fast on Ash Wednesday? Whoops. Well, I really needed to eatsomething a lot. And, yes, I’ve already eaten fake meat, but I’ll justify it in a bit. I was dying for chocolate avocado pudding since I didn’t have any yesterday. It tasted sooo good; absence really does make the heart grow fonder. The green chocolate dream balls were… “interesting”. I don’t mean that to sound like how your high school art teacher described your painting; after all, I did give them an 8/10 in my review. They just needed a touch of fat to taste richer. I am glad to have gotten so many green in at breakfast, though.
Pumpkin Oatmeal With White Chocolate Wonderful And Tempeh Bacon
This is not an Erkel “Did I do thaaat?” moment. I decided I was giving up prepared meat for lent last night at around 10:30pm, still havings 4 strips of tempeh bacon in the fridge. It is not the point of Lent, in my mind, to be wasteful; I’m pretty sure even the opposite is true. So I used 2 strips at breakfast and will work in the other 2 at some point just to “use them up”. After that, any tempeh bacon I want I’ll have to cure myself–simple enough.
And so that is my kick-off to Lent. I still need to figure out how/when/if I’ll be able to get ashes today. And I have 3 1/2 straight hours of class now that history discussions are running. Whoopdie doo. Here’s a contest for some booty(of the pirate kind). Happy hump day!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 19 so far )A Friendly Face Gets You Places
Are you smiling? Should you be smiling? Maybe your team is winning the Superbowl or already did; don’t ask me because I didn’t even know it was on until people downstairs started yelling and I found it on TV. There’s never a dull(or quiet) moment living in the dorms, but I think I secretly like that about it 😀 Backing up 10 hours, I was at home getting my grub on.
Oatmeal With Justin's Chocolate Peanut Butter
Greek Yogurt With Fig Jam
Is it crazy that I brought Justin’s Chocolate Peanut Butter home for the 3 days? I’m just glad I remembered to bring it back 😀 I love sunny Sunday mornings and eating on the floor with the circulars. I don’t know why it has to be on the floor, but it does with me. It feels more homey. The slightly sour part to this breakfast was the Chobani yogurt.
Skimpy Chobani
Does that look a little empty to anyone else, too? I thought mine did yesterday, and then this one was the same. I weighed it and it was only 4oz instead of 6oz. Crazy much? I think I got a bad batch I bulked it up with a little full-fat yogurt and jam anyway, but not quite sure what was happening at Chobani that day.
We ended up loading the car and starting our drive before lunch, mostly since my grandmother was too busy gambling to eat with us; oh, old people. After the customary “Oops, I forgot that. Let’s go back”, we rehit the road and were at a Whole Foods half way for lunch.
Lightlife Smart Chili, Redwood Vanilla Goat Milk Yogurt
Most definitely a random combination. What I really wanted to do(besides eat of my arm) was load up on veggies, black beans, and guacamole from the salad bar. BUT that would have taken $20 worth of food easily; I hate how they make it cost by the weight 😦 Instead, I kept it cheap and simple by buying these 2 premade things and heating up the chili in the microwave. I must have looked a little silly eating from the bag but it was pretty delicious and totally worth it.
Nintendo DSi
After lunch we grocery shopped a bit; avocadoes were on sale for $1 so I got 7! That’s going to be a lot of pudding 🙂 Then I went to a game store for–what I thought–was a lost cause. My old gameboy’s screen clearly was broken and I knew I needed to get a new one, but hated the thought of $170 dollars for it. I also couldn’t find any good deals on used one, so I went to the store to see if maybe I could get a little money for my old one to soften the blow on my wallet. The cashier who worked with me on the trade in couldn’t have been sweeter; she didn’t quite seem like the typical video game clerk and I was excited for that. Even though she could tell the screen was not properly working, with some sweet casual conversation and a smile she gave me a great discount and knocked $75 off the price of a new one! It goes to show how far being friendly and wearing a smile will get you.
Room Clutter
No amount of smiling, however, can make there be more space in my room(or less food. Either one would work at this point). After we brought things back in, it began to look a bit ridiculous. In my defense: I am eating for a half-marathon, after all 😉 I threw things in places I won’t even remember and grabbed a snack.
Next Generation Organic Dairy Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
Is there anything more perfect than cheese in stickular form? I think not. Thanks, Next Generation Dairy, for sending me this one, too! For the pros, it was very easy to grab and keep working. And it was definitely made healthier by being raw and probiotic. But, oddly, it didn’t taste too much like the mozzarella I was expecting I think of mozzarella as a more sweeter, mellow cheese and this was a bit tangy for my taste. Maybe it was just the “raw” flavor imposing itself?
Running Stats
Whatever was with the flavor, it fueled me nicely for a 5 mile run. I was itching to get back onto campus and on the treadmill this weekend and it felt so natural, once more! I even managed to keep a friendly face going after that.
Post-Workout Smile
I think I look a little more nervous than friendly, lol. I was clearly excited to get some fresh produce from the dining hall(assuming that’s fresh) and get to some recovery eating.
Apple, Cherry Amaretto So Delicious Coconut Milk Ice Cream
So Delicious! The apple made this healthy 😉 I finished off the pint of this amazing ice cream. My only complaint would be that there were no cherries in this last 3/4 cup 😦 I think I might have scooped them all out last time I ate from this. Oops. It was still so creamy and delicious. And even though I’m not very into the Superbowl doesn’t mean I’m not into football grub…
Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper Krinkle Cut Kettle Chips
Of course we had to buy 2 bags of chips because they were on sale and we had a coupon. And one of them had to be mine. And these just happened to find their way into my dinner. I need people to stop feeding my chip addiction! I have so many dealers, it’s really a beautiful thing 😀
Broccoli With Hot Sauce, Salt & Pepper Chips, Al Fresco Buffalo Style Chicken Sausage
NOTHING says football food quite like buffalo wings–wouldn’t you agree? Immediately I knew I wanted a buffalo style Al Fresco chicken sausage–love these! And I have to think it’s a lot better for you than just grabbing a few wings in your plate, too. On the side I had broccoli with Benito’s hot sauce for volume(!!) and my crack chips. Last time I got these, I mistakenly got the baked variety. I’m sorry but hear you need the krinkle cut. Just tell yourself those are healthy fats, too 🙂
This week I’m looking to get back on track! I don’t know that I was ever off track, so this might just be switching tracks. I don’t know. Trains are confusing. Here’s what I do know!
1. Running. I pretty much run what my body(or head) wants rather than stick with a half-marathon plan. I will keep that up, and here’s what I think should work well for this week.
- Monday: 8 miles
- Tuesday: 5 miles
- Wednesday: 9 miles
- Thursday: 5-6 miles, time dependent
- Friday: 8 miles + 30 min biking
9 miles will be my new long run; I have to say that it feels incredibly doable and I’m loving being at high mileage again.
2. Worktime/Funtime. I have an awesome schedule this semester, in case you haven’t heard. But I need to get better about using that schedule. It may be a little late for this week, but my new goal is to go 100% at homework from Friday-Monday when I don’t have class, and then soak up whatever free time I have Tuesday-Thursday without a car in the world(other than attending classes). Who knows; maybe I’ll really bust out the effort tomorrow for that to be the case.
3. Meal Planning. I don’t feel the necessity to go 100% at this. But I do remember that, the 1 week I used meal planning, everything felt incredibly organized, nothing went wasted, and it eliminated time spent thinking “what am I going to make?!”. That’s why I think it’s a perfect thing to work back in, even if it’s only 1 or 2 meals in advanced. For instance, tomorrow’s dinner will be baked maple tofu with roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli.
Lastly, I would very much have a friendly face if I won this Candid Contest; I love my smart balance agave sweetened so I must see what’s with this new “rich roast”
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 22 so far )Eat As I Say, Not As I Eat
Hi, Pies 🙂 (I’ve had such an urge to say that since Erin left the blogosphere :-/). Just a quickie(and early) one tonight. The moral of today(if you can find any “moral” on the internet): Don’t be a hypocrite. Now let me show you all the ways in which I’m a hypocrite saying that 😀
Lightlife Sausage With Cheese, Green Beans, Broccoli
Peanut Flour Greek Yogurt
What I say: I have a slight gluten intolerance.
What I do: Eat processed soy with concentrated wheat gluten.
What I say(now): Oops. It’s… erm… tasty?
Something here–maybe the gluten in the sausage–did not sit well with me during Greek History. It also might have been the yogurt; I’m not sure that much cream should meet that much salt. It might also just have been this was a complete protein bomb and that’s never good. Who’s to say? The lesson? Know yourself, and what you should do, and(hopefully) do it. I know certain things make my tummy funky, and that I do best with a plate comprised mostly of fat, low-cal vegetables, and a small amount of protein. I will try to do that.
Like I said, that made Greek History not so fun for me, and Latin not so fun for the people around me I’m sure(use your imagination). After that, though, I was free… from school at least. I love these 3-day work weeks. The first thing I did was run into my room and brew plenty of coffee. Decaf coffee works for me. So do I show restraint? Not at all.
The Wow Baking Company Cookie
Oprah this afternoon was all about diabetes, eating healthy, and working out. What did I do? I reached for an oversized chocolate chip cookie from the WOW Baking Company, knowing that I might not get a good run in until Monday(more on that in a bit).
The Wow Baking Company Chocolate Chip Cookie
I’m sorry, Oprah, but this cookie was amazing! Eat as Oprah says, not as I do. But, if you are going to have a cookie, why not a big, soft, gluten-free one? I got this as well as some others to review in the mail today and clearly it did not last long. But it was so delicious and unexpectedly soft, I truly truly loved it. And my stomach feels fine, too. Maybe that’s because it didn’t have gluten? More likely because chocolate chips and sugar have never been particular stomach-troublers. Totally worth every sugary, gluten-free calorie 😀
And what am I doing now? Why, waiting for my dad to come and then go to Chocolate Fest. Yes. Chocolate Fest. Real healthy right? It only happens once a year(unless you hit up each Whole Foods near you in which case it’s more like 5-6 times in 3 days), so you know I’m going. It’s either going to be really fun, or just a Whole Foods shopping trip(which is also fun). And then I’ll be home for the weekend to do some fun stuff around Boston. Did I mention there’ll be cooking/baking? Oh food processor, how I miss you! And now… Chocolate!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 22 so far )My Quick-And-Dirty Dinner Exposed
In addendum to my last post, I want to add that I have no shame in admitting I went through today knowing it’s been far too long since I’ve made the time to shave, though I think that’s more socially acceptable with a man’s face than anything else. That aside, lunch featured 2 Trader Joe products I’d never bought before.
Trader Joe's Sesame Oil And Tempeh
Even though I’ve had plenty of tempeh, I’ve never had Trader Joe’s. Unfortunately, I might not again after this one, either. Even though it’s so perfectly priced, it’s made with gluten forming grains 😦 My intolerance is so slight, I could eat a ton of bread and still feel fine; but then again, why not weed it out where it’s not necessary? I heated the sesame oil in a pan, and quickly cooked some tofu and tempeh. Towards the end, I added soy sauce and broccoli. It smelled just like teppanyaki!
Stir Fried Tofu, Tempeh, And Broccoli
For a final touch, I added a little cold sesame oil once it was out of the pan
Tip: Not sure how much oil to add at the end for a little flavor? Don’t pour haphazardly; use the cap of the bottle as a measuring device.
I packed this in a to-go container and met my friend, Adam, for lunch to reconnect after the long Winter break. The gist of it: Nothings really changed 🙂 We decided that, since I’m almost off the meal plan entirely, it’s easier to meet for lunches occasionally rather than at night. I think this semester is taking shape wonderfully.
After lunch I went back to my room, squeezed in some work, and then went to my 2 1/2 hour class. The entire first half of it was devoted to a librarian talking about how to use the internet for resources. That was about as exciting as it sounds like it was. I find it ironic whenever somebody in their fifties is telling my generation what to do with a computer. I was sooo happy for break, at which point I whipped out my snacks.
Pomegranate Chobani, Paradise Walnut Pistachio Bora Bora Bar
Like I Tweeted, I really didn’t want a “bar” exactly. Instead, I brought a yogurt and a Bora Bora bar which I won from Avery.
I suppose it was still a “bar”, but it felt a lot more like a trail mix with nuts and fruit being the first 3 ingredients and fat being half the calories.
Pomegranate Chobani, Paradise Walnut Pistachio Bora Bora Bar
I ate half like granola and half on its own. Either way, this was absolutely delicious! It really did taste nutty, spicy, and fruity, and not at all like a grainy “bar”, which I just could not have gotten through at this point. I wonder if they sell these at Whole Foods? To be honest, I’ve never looked.
Random Chandelier
I also never looked for a chandelier in a classroom, but this was right there in the classroom across the hall from mine. What exactly could they need that for? It’s in a tiny room with a front board and a lot of chairs. And is 110% out of place. On the other hand, I could see this being my “escape lounge” if I ever need to take my laptop and go somewhere quiet. When I got back into my room, I was beat. First things first:
Naturally Nutty Butter Toffee Peanut Butter
I think the 2 minutes after walking in the door after a long day, when everything you have yet to do(such as taking off your coat) start running through your mind, is the worst 2 minutes ever. After that, though, I brewed some coffee and got to work–Not nearly as much as I would like but c’est la vie. For dinner, I just did not feel like much, so I went for my “quick-and-dirty” meal.
Lightlife Soy Sausage With Cooked Onions And Organic American Cheese, Green Beans
Flavored soy products are my blessing! I could probably eat this meal 10 times and not have it get old. I mixed 3 servings Lightlife gimme lean sausage with 2 squares Trader Joe’s organic american cheddar and some green beans from the dining hall 2 nights ago–quick and simple. I absolutely love the Trader Joe’s cheese here; not only is it organic, but it’s so processed it needs to be called a “cheese product”. Sign me up! I eat up contradictions like that(clearly).
Any other organic junk foods you crave? Newman-O’s, perhaps?
Here’s a giveaway for coconut peanut butter from Tropical Traditions. Here’s one Amazing (grass) giveaway. And here’s a Chobani giveaway.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 14 so far )Roasting Away Anxiety
Disclaimer: I don’t know how this post is going to read because today has been “just one of those days”. Nothing’s been wrong; but I’ve still felt… uncomfortable? anxious? stressed? all the way through. It’s a bit ironic I’ve felt like that today, since I have something to celebrate: This blog hit 100,000 page views. That, to me, feels like 100,000 hugs from you readers. Considering only 89 of those came from the first month I was blogging, the growth has been trememndous and I couldn’t really be happier with my readership. I think I’ve never gotten a single bad comment and all I ever get are wonderful words and that alone lifts my spirits so much.
Enough sappiness aside–after blogging I was so ready for a warm lunch in my tummy, with another built in dessert!
Steamed Broccoli, Lightlife Sausage Style Meat With Red Onions And American Cheddar Cheese
Goat Milk Yogurt In A Raspberry Jam Jar
After 4 or 5 months, I should feel pretty cozy taking food photos in front of people, especially the roomie, right? This just felt awkward for some reason. But how could I miss a beauty like this. Maybe this blog should be Confession of an Onion Addict because I could not get enough in the Lightlife Sausage. For the cheese, I used a Trader Joe’s american cheese square; it’s all natural and tastes just as overprocessed as the supermarket kind that’s why I love it 🙂
To round out the meal, I had YIAJJ(Yogurt In A Jam Jar)! I think I go through that jam more than any other; it’s the best! I totally need to make a review page for it because it gets a 10/10 in my book. I ate the yogurt in my Greek History class, and ironically felt no unease or discomfort come to thing about it. I guess I don’t consider eating straight out of jars unusual?
Lucky for me, Latin class was cancelled today. The 2nd class of the semester was cancelled; that’s a good sign. Even better, I rushed back to my dorm, hopped on Twitter, and was able to be around in time for Chobani’s Spoons! If you don’t know what that is, the gist of it is that I won a case of 2% Chobani, and having lowered my meal plan this couldn’t possibly have happened at a better time. To celebrate, of course I needed to eat some Greek yogurt.
Cherry Greek Yogurt With Cherry Green & Black Dark Chocolate
Ah, yes. This greek yogurt shipment will be well recieved. I stirred some cherry butter into plain and then added the remainder of the Green & Black bar my mom gave me for Halloween. It was… well a little disgusting, to be honest. The chocolate was good, but the dried cherries in the bar went bad. I didn’t even know that was a legitimate concern. Of course, I ate it anyway.
Maybe this is when things starting feeling a little blah; I had a meeting with my peer advisor at the bookstore. Because of miss-scheduling on her part, she was a little late, but I really didn’t mind. What did bug me was how a “quick check in” was really 40 minutes of fun-but-slightly-awkward-and-aimless conversation. At one point, we drifted from classes to something that called for the line “as a kid, you don’t see your parents naked but you see your Barbie doll naked”. Frankly, that was not the case with my childhood, but I wasn’t about to say that. When I finally did break free and make it back to my dorm, I really needed something with pizazz.
Pumpkin With Nutritional Yeast, Sea Salt, And Sweet Cacao Nibs
Pizazz… was not here. This was one of those things that felt like it would come together great in my mind, and ended up tasting like its individual components–quite disappointing. I also managed to realize all at once that a) the hour away from my dorm took a real toll on my work productivity and b) I had nothing in mind for dinner. Anxious! First up…
Pajama Bottoms
I needed to get comfy so I slipped on pajama bottoms. At 6pm? You betcha. With that aside, I knew that what I really needed to calm my nerves was something homey, like a roasted meal. I found some ingredients and stuck them in the oven for 40 minutes with some maple syrup.
Baked Maple Tofu With Roasted Sweet Potato And Broccoli
Raspberry Steaz
This has definitely made me feel 90% better; there’s just something about roasted vegetables, wouldn’t you agree? I wanted to switch up the greens at dinner but broccoli is all I had that roasted well. A little maple syrup at the end really livened it all up and brought out the earthiness. I love how the sweet potato and broccoli just soak it up, too.
What’s your comforting hug after a long day? Clearly, mine is roasted vegetables. A tin pan and aluminum foil(100% recycled) was the best investment of this semester so far. Maybe you’re a mac n’ cheese person? Macaroni has never really been “my thing” and even cheese is “meh” with me, but I can understand how it would be comforting. Give me some good ideas! There will be plenty more dinners this semester 😉 Now I just hope I can focus and not get too caught up in The Biggest Loser and American Idol.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 23 so far )I’ve Never Been So Excited About Meals
OK. That’s a TOTAL lie. I mean, look at what I was eating last Saturday. BUT I was very excited for everything I ate today. And it didn’t cost nearly as much as–not even going there 😉 But first, I took a trip to the gym for an a.m. workout. I was worried the place would be PACKED; it was busy, but I was able to grab machines. First, I ran 2 miles in 18:03. Then I did some weird peddling machine where you sit down and hold bars to your side for 30 minutes; this wasn’t really ideal and I couldn’t get my heart rate even over 105 for much but I wanted to break up the running. Then I went back for another 3 miles in 27:43. The speed is so not where I want it to be, but I need to focus on getting endurance back up after my break first; I’m not running my half to win it, just to cross the line.
Lemon Bot Beverage
When I got back to my room, I wanted to get on the refueling pronto. I grabbed this Lemon Bot Beverage I was sent to review. I’m not at all one for sugary recovery drinks but that’s what’s great about Bot: They’re pretty low sugar but still good on the electrolytes. And this flavor was yummy! It wasn’t sour like a lemon straight-up but not like sweetened southern lemonade, either. It was just the right sweet and tartness. I sipped on this while I was down in the kitchen cooking something wonderful up.
Veggie Burger Caveman Style, Sugar Snap Peas
Lightlife Gimme Lean Soy Meat Burger Caveman Style
I wish I could take some credit for the peas, which were delicious, but I can’t; they were totally taken from the dining hall last night and reheated. But I forgot how fun they were to pop into! The burger I can take credit for. I took 4oz of the Lightlife gimme lean meat, formed it into a patty, and cooked it in a pan in EVOO; I like to think this is a step above getting premade veggie burgers but that’s probably not the case. Equally, I’d like to say that I ate this caveman style because it’s a smart way to avoid over-processed carbs, but really I just don’t have any bread/suspect I have a slight gluten intolerance and caveman made sense. Did I mention this burger had a secret?
Inside Out Veggie Cheeseburger
That’s really why I was excited to eat this! I actually formed 2 2oz patties, tore up a square of American cheddar cheese, stuffed it in the middle and enclosed the sides together. The cheese was so perfectly melted when I bit in–yum! That definitely made this better than regular veggieburgers.
Thayer Street
After lunch, I decided to brave the cold. At below freezing with wind, I wasn’t up to walking to Whole Foods. But CVS up the street I could do for the battery I needed. The only problem was CVS didn’t have the battery I needed >:-(. Sure, a CR2032 isn’t super common like a AA, but they should have kept more in stock. The closest store that would sell that would have been a mile away, so I gave up and headed back to my room.
Assembly Station
If you don’t already think I’m nuts(which you should, because I sure as hell do), then maybe now I can convince you. I got my scale working temporarily on a low battery, so I started making a little bit of whatever I might want until I get a new battery: oatmeal, raw vegan chocolate, chocolate avocado pudding, 2% yogurt. As I’ve mentioned, I’m much more a baker than a cook. A cook approximates and does things to taste where a baker is precise and measuring. That’d be great if I kept measuring cups and tablespooons around, but I’m so cocky with my scale I completely forgot that stuff at home. Now can I be crazy? K, thanks.
Probiotic Chocolate Avocado Pudding With Raw Chocolate
After everything was put away, I broke in to some of what I made. I made a bowl of chocolate avocado pudding and then did the recipe for 1/2 a raw, vegan coconut oil chocolate bar and just plopped it on top. I thought my lunch was a little light on fats; I guess this made up for it! This was soooo good. Chocolate and coconut together are becoming my new obsession. I couldn’t help but be excited about this combination! I think Grezzo really needs to add this to their menu.
Sweet Potato Fries
I don’t think anything is more exciting than roasting veggies; it’s even converting veggie haters. I was so excited for this, not just for the outcome but because it was the first time using our dorm oven. I was a little nervous: Would it work? Would it explode? I just tossed the fries from 1 potato in some EVOO, seasoned with salt, and let them do their thing for 50 minutes.
Vegan Meatloaf With Sea Salt And Cayenne Parma, Sweet Potato Fries
Once again–Very excited! Not so much for the meatloaf; after 8 days, that just needed to be eaten. But the sweet potato fries were everything and more. I think they needed another 10 minutes to crisp up, but I couldn’t wait. I can never wait long enough for roasted vegetables. The Cayenne flavored Parma added a really great kick to everything. Surprisingly, this didn’t fill me up as much as I was expecting. Maybe it needed a big dose of green veggies? Oh well, that just leaves more space for dessert 😀
Race Update
So, I really don’t have a training plan, nor do I plan to get one(hehe). The run is 8 weeks from tomorrow, and I think if I get into my good groove I’ll be able to build back up in no time. While I don’t have anything laid out, I do keep an idea of what I want to do in my head. Tomorrow, I’m aiming for 5 consecutive miles, and a 2 mile walk(either to Whole Foods and back or on the treadmill). Monday will be my first “long run” of 8 miles! I think/hope I’ll be ready for that one.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 17 so far )My 25 Hour Week
It feels a little surreal, but 25 hours after my first school week of the semester began, it ended. It hasn’t even hit me really that today is my “Friday” and tomorrow’s the weekend. I could get use to this.
Because I had a little extra time before my 2nd class of the day, I decided to make lunch in the kitchen again! This time, I cooked a “burger”.
Lightlife Gimme Lean Beef Soy Meat Burger
Yeah, I wish 😛 What this actually was was 4oz Lightlife‘s Gimme Lean Beef shaped into a patty with some black pepper and cooked in a pan with EVOO.
Lightlife Burger With Ketchup, Green Beans, Smashed Banumpkin With Cinnamon And Sea Salt
But holy yum was that a good burger! I’ve had this beef before heated up in the microwave and it didn’t do it for me, so I wasn’t looking forward to this in all honesty. But yum! Cooked in a pan with fat it tasted like a real burger(albeit an overcooked burger since I like my meat practically mooing). I think I made up a side at this meal; I had an intense banana craving and wanted to get a little funky, so I mashed 1/4 cup pumpkin with 1 small-medium banana and seasoned with sea salt and cinnamon. This was sooooo good–try it! It’s similar to a sweet potato, but the sugars in the banana make the cinnamon POP!
I loooved my next two classes. The first had a hilarious professor who’s very much in the old style of teaching. My only problem with it was the class was PACKED. I have a feeling it’s a class a lot of kids are taking for fun or to slack off in, but I need it for a Classics concentration so I ain’t going anywhere. My next class was OK, but a little duller in comparison and a lot smaller. At least I know 2 of them from last semesters’ classes. Midway through, I could feel hanger coming on.
Organic Raw Vegan Chocolate
I broke this out midway through. I’m becoming so obsessed! Now, instead of making one when I feel like it, I always have one made already for me chilling in the fridge. When class got over, one of the people I knew asked me where I got this and said it smelled excellent; when I told her I made it, she called that “brilliant”, haha. No arguments there!
I walked ran to my dorm to watch Oprah’s interview with Jay Leno. I have to say–I’m liking him less and less through this whole process. I know it’s not his fault so much as NBC but… And I think Oprah was a lot easier on him than she could have been; where were the hard hitting questions, Oprah? While I was watching this I did two things: I made another organic raw vegan chocolate bar for my next craving and made a snack for then.
Creamy Greek Yogurt With Raspberry Jam
Greek yogurt is the perfect snack; it’s a complete protein so you really feel like you’re getting something out of it, too. For my taste and my wallet, lately I’ve been mixing 3 parts Trader Joe’s 0% with 1 part Trader Joe’s full fat, and sweetening with vanilla NuNaturals stevia. I’m running out of that last ingredient and can’t help but question to stick with it or try Sweetleaf or Whole Foods brand. Any recommendation? Dinner tonight hit just about every spot:
Chickpeas With Pasture Butter And Sea Salt
Broccoli With Pizza Cheeze Sauce
I’ve had MAJOR chickpea cravings all week, but didn’t want to open up a can with so much other food to eat. Tonight was the night, and with pasture butter it tasted very much like soft popcorn–yum! For my broccoli, I made Meagan’s cheeze sauce, but added ketchup to it–another winner. The only slightly disgusting thing was thinking at the end that sliding the pool of melted butter/leftover sauce/sea salt into my mouth would be a good call; that was a bit too much sodium, even for me. Coffee will dilute that, right? I think so.
Here’s another contest to win coconut oil of your very own.
And here’s an absolutely awesome article on nut butters with all my favorite brands interviewed–you must read this!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 18 so far )From Loser To Winner
Self-sabotage is a funny thing: Do we do it on purpose? Do we do it subconsciously? Or does it just “happen”? I’m not quite sure, but I entirely sabotaged my workout this morning. I planned on doing the count-to-10 workout modified by 15 push-ups and 20 sit-ups. In anticipation, I drank. A lot. No, not beer–get your mind out of the gutter. But coffee, water, and black tea, and all this had me feeling like a hot mess when I got going.
It wasn’t pretty. I got through 1/4 of the workout and realized I was over-hydrated, overheated, and doing anything more would just be stupid; if you can hear “splish-splosh” when you do a sit-up, it wasn’t meant to be. I felt like a loser, but I just stopped and went to somewhere I’m always usually a winner: The kitchen.
Crunchy Sunflower Seed Butter
I must have gotten onto a sunflower seed kick after breakfast. First up, I made a sunflower seed butter that I’ll hopefully like more than Trader Joe’s(sorry, Joe, but you failed me there). I added sea salt and sunflower seeds at the end so this would be a crunchy seed butter. Who doesn’t love texture? Next up, I sought to make some new and improved raw brownies.
Raw Brownies
Avery led me to a recipe that I was able to modify to my own tastes. I most definitely wanted to use seeds as a binder, and just needed to adjust the cocoa/agave/date ratio. I think I ended up nailing them on the head. And while I usually don’t frost regular brownies(which I remember debated on Kalin’s blog once), these were just begging for something. The frosting was super simple, and by far the most fun thing to make.
Raw Vegan Brownies With Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup flax seeds
- 3/4 cup(120 grams) dates
- 3 tablespoons agave nectar
- 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
For the frosting:
- 1oz avocado
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
In a food processor, grind the sunflower seeds and flax seeds until mostly crumbs, but not to the point of becoming like butter. Add the dates and agave nectar and mix until a ball of dough forms. Add in the cocoa powder and continue mixing until well incorporated. Press into a square dish and cut.
For the frosting, mash the avocado until it reaches a smooth consistency. Add the cocoa powder and agave nectar and continue mixing until completely smooth. Spread over each of the brownies.
Raw Brownies With Frosting
Nailing this recipe really had me feeling like a winner. You know what else had me feeling like a winner? Actually winning Q.bel’s contest for a catchy and fun review on facebook! I can’t wait to get a big ol’ box of chocolate. I’ve already reviewed 5 of their products here but have yet to try the milk chocolate rolls or their 2 new flavors(vegan and mint). It was amazing how much my spirits had changed so much over the course of 1 hour. I was intensly ready for a winning lunch.
Steamed Broccoli, Lightlife Sausage With Cheddar Cheese And Green Pepper
Raw Vegan Chocolate Brownie With Raw Chocolate Frosting
I just love love love the Lightlife sausage(from a log, not pre-formed) heated up with some cheese; it’s like the perfect spice level for comfort. I usually make it with an onion but we’re all out so the pepper took that place(not too well). I don’t usually have dessert with my meal but I figured anything made mostly from seeds and dates wasn’t really a dessert(don’t you like the way I think ;-)). The brownie came out so good; it was actually just like the one I shelled out $5 for from Grezzo. I think it needs a little more chocolate flavor, but I don’t know how to do that without comprimising the texture, and the texture is amazing.
Work-Out Checklist
By 3 I was ready to retackle the workout. Over the last 4 hours, I had drank maybe half a cup of water and a cup of coffee(Hey, something needed to go with the brownie ;-)), and I felt overall better. I put the laptop near the stairs, played a movie, and got to work doing my count-to-1o series:
- 10 flights of stairs
- 15 push-ups
- 10 flights of stairs
- 20 sit-ups
- Repeat for 10 iterations
To keep track while I’m doing this(and to make sure I really just need to count to 10), I use a checklist on the door to keep track of my progress. Obviously, once everything was checked off, I was done, and a sweaty mess at that. I quickly showered and then hopped to the kitchen for a refueling.
The Raw Bakery Chocolate Snackaroons
The Raw Bakery sent me these interesting snackaroons to try out, which I knew would go great on another one of my favorites:
Probiotic Chocolate Avocado Pudding With Chocolate Snackaroons
Chocolate avocado pudding. We picked up coconut milk kefir over the weekend so I was able to make this the way I love; it came out super creamy and coconut-licious. The chocolate snackaroons were just the perfect touch for some more coconut and healthy fats. Yum! They were perfectly raw-tasting, and held me over quite nicely until dinner.
Dill Salmon, Roasted Broccoli, Carrots With Maple And Soy Glaze
We had salmon we had to cook up, so I suggested throwing dill on top; dill is one of my favorite herbs ever, especially with fish–soo good! On the side was simple broccoli and carrots that needed another good 15 minutes in the oven. A little soy sauce(or wheat-free tamari for me) perks any vegetables up, though. I completely forgot to keep some in my dorm room all last semester; I won’t be making that mistake again.
Enter Holly’s amazing contest for a blender!
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