hair and here and everywhere

This is going to be a quickie of a post, because I have to get everything ready for tomorrow’s early morning.  I’ll be up at 5:45, potentially running by 6, back by 6:45 and out the door by 7:45. 

The internship starts tomorrow….ahhh!!

Now that I have that out of my system, let’s move on.  This morning was my rest day, which meant I had a little bit of extra time to savor breakfast.  I took advantage of a slow-paced morning and ate my “un”overnight oats outside on the deck. 😀

Sometimes I use “rest days” as a means to have complete, utter rest.  And other times—such as today—I use it as a means to fit in some low-key yoga and a long walk.  I treasure these types of rest days.  I love a morning yoga session, and nothing clears the head like a really long, morning walk. 😀

Post-walk: Snyder’s Organic Whole Wheat & Oats pretzels with a cheesestick

I knew I’d be eating a late lunch since I was heading out for a hair cut, so I snagged an apple to-go.

I’m pretty much in love with my hairdresser.  Just thought I’d throw that out there.

It’s not like I leave looking like Jennifer Aniston, mind you.  But it makes me incredibly happy, that my hairdresser actually listens to what I have to say.  If I tell her that my hair has a tendency to poof on the bottom, she understands.  She thins out my hair so it’s not as thick on the bottom (this is especially important during times of humidity!)  If I tell her that I’m looking for the edgy Katie Holmes look, she pulls out a picture and explains what she’s doing while she’s razoring the ends of my hair.

I’ve overcome my fear of getting my hair cut.  And I always leave happy.  It’s a beautiful thing.

Lunch

There is an overabundance of beet greens available right now, and I’m trying desparately to use them up.  So if you happen to see a boat load of these smoothies within the next week, you’ll know exactly why. 😉

• 1 c. frozen blueberries
• 1 c. milk
• 3 large handfuls of beet leaves
• topping: Natures Path Pumpkin Flax Granola and a scoop of PB&Company’s honey roasted peanut butter

So refreshing!  I love sneaking in so many greens in this way. 😀

Afternoon Snack: Trader Joe’s Raisin Bran Cereal with milk

This afternoon’s weather forecast: 94 degrees.  Hot.  Humid.  Sunny.

If this is not the perfect excuse to cook up a batch of black bean burgers (click for recipe,) I honestly don’t know what is.  I followed the recipe to a T, but added in an extra tablespoon of worcestershire sauce and some diced green bell peppers.

On the side, I roasted some sweet potato fries and sauteed a cabbage head (with lots of mustard…trust me, this flavor combo works!)

I’m loving these Trader Joe’s whole wheat rolls.  They’re the perfect size, made with 100% stoneground whole wheat, and have a nice, fluffy texture.  I like having some in the freezer for when I want a quick, impromptu black bean burger fest. 😀

+ post dinner sweetness in the form of Green and Black’s 85% dark. 

I’m so nervous for tomorrow.  Excited, yes.  But nervous too.   Giving a presentation on my own life shouldn’t be as nerve racking as I’m making it out to be, but it kind of is.  Even more so then any of the other presentation  that I’ve ever given.  Strange! 

Anyways, I’m off to make sure I know what I’m wearing tomorrow, while getting myself somewhat organized too.  Hope you guys had a great day…tomorrow is HUMP DAY!

Question: Do you like having your hair cut, or do you dread it?  Are you constantly trying new styles or do you stick to the tried and true?  I go through spurts.  Sometimes I’ll try something completely new, and other times I’ll go for years before switching things up. 😀

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going green

Eating outdoors pretty much rocked my morning.  I love summer. 😀

 

 Into this bowl, went:

• 1/2 c. raw, uncooked oats
• 6-oz. yogurt mixed with 2 T. crushed flax
• 1 orange, peeled and diced
• small handful of raisins
• cinnamon & nutmeg

I never would have thought of adding oranges and raisins to my “un”overnight oats.  But since it was the very last fruit in the fruit bowl, I decided to throw it in. 

It was good!!

 

 Morning Snack: Slice of homemade whole wheat banana bread and a cup of milk

 

 I pumped out 4 miles of running today.  I felt really good, and that’s partially due to the fact that I took yesterday as an “off” day.  Yes, I still did some yoga.  But I left my running sneakers (and bike) alone.  Rest days are a big part of staying healthy, injury free, and strong, despite being one of the more overlooked components to training!!

Lunch

There was a packet of this sitting in the back of my pantry…

Front:

Back:

 

 I’ve had mixed emotions about Amazing Grass.  Some of their products have left me wanting more, while others have made my mouth feel like a big peice of chalk.  But this one in particular, I kind of liked (although not as much as the original blend, surprisingly.)  If you really want to try them out, I’d recommend you pick up a couple of different flavors and see which one you like.  That being said, I still feel that eating the real food is always your best bet, for both nutrition and flavor.  😉

Into the blender:

• 1 c. frozen blueberries
• 2 c. beet greens (from the garden!!)
• 1 c. milk
• 1 packet of Amazing Grass
• 2 prunes
• toppings: 1/2 c. raw oatmeal, dollop of almond butter (kind of similair to breakfast, no?)

The prune didn’t blend in with everything else, and I was surprised with two chewy prunes at the bottom.  

I’d say, if you’re used to eating green smoothies, try beet greens!!  But if you’re a newbie, just wanting to test the waters, spinach is probably still your best bet.  You can taste the beets in this. 😉

 

 Afternoon Snack: kashi heart to heart, raisins, coconut, milk

 

 Dinner

I don’t know what came over me.  What is it that possessed me to turn on the oven in the summer?  I’ll tell you what.  It was the thought of a roasted, caramelized tomato soaked in balsamic vinegar.  Brussels sprouts, roasted until golden and crisp.  Mushrooms, all wrinkled, shriveled, and puckered up.

It’s enough to make a girl swoon.

If you think I’m getting a little carried away, you’re probably right.  But I’ve been deprived from roasted vegetables for a while now, and this is the result.  I needed to have my fill.  And that is why I turned the oven on.  In the middle of summer. 

Totally necessary!

 

 Into a 425 degree oven (this was all split between two people) for 10 minutes:

• 1 package of brussels sprouts, halved and tough stem removed
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 tsp olive oil

Once the 10 minutes was up, I added the following to the same cookie sheet and cooked for 10 more minutes:

• 4 mushrooms, sliced thickly
• 1/2 green pepper, sliced thin
• handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 c. kidney beans
• drizzle of balsamic vinegar

And topped with feta.  Voila.  Dinner was on!

The lettuce got all wilty from the hot vegetables which I loved!!  But if you’re not really into that kind of thing, the roasted veggies taste amazing chilled as well.  Heat up some extra and you’ll have lunch for the next day as well (this is great on top of rice, quinoa, flat wraps, etc.)

Dessert: cherries and strawberries

Off to chillax with a new book: Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult

I finished The Story of Edgar Sawtelle last week.  Even though I loved the journey through the book, I was so, so, so disappointed by the ending.  Seriously.  I almost threw the book across the room in frustration.  If you read it, you probably know what I’m talking about. 😉  I’m hoping Vanishing Acts has a slightly better ending to it, but Jodi Picoult definitely knows how to spring surprises on her readers as well.

Question: Have you ever tried adding greens to your smoothie?  What kind?  Did you like it? 

first day of spring

For some strange, unknown reason, all I wanted this morning was a cold bowl of crunchy cereal.  It’s so unlike me, but I decided to just roll with it. 😉

• 1-1/2 c. Barbaras Shredded Oats (these are awesome, and very similair in taste to the Quaker Oat Squares)
• 1/2 banana, sliced
• 1 c. milk
• 2 T. wheat bran, stirred into milk
• handful of almonds (about 20)

I think the warm, spring-y weather is bringing out my love for cold breakfasts once again. 😀

Mid-morning was full of blissful outdoor activities. 😀

I fit in 40 minutes of strength training as well as my knee exercises (these take up a lot of time, but I’m hoping it will be well worth it in the end!)  Then I was off for a 3-mile walk with my parents to soak up some lovely Saturday sunshine.  When Matthew woke up, I was off yet again for a 9-mile bike ride.  It felt so good to be moving all morning—it reminded me of the feeling I get after a weekend long run.  Love it! 😀

For a juicy snack, I noshed on a huge red grapefruit—they’re so sweet right now!

Lunch started off well enough, with kashis and a huge dollop of peanut butter.

But don’t let this frothy green monster fool you.  It was not amazing.  Let me explain.

• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1-1/2 c. milk
• 1/4 c. wheat bran
• 4 c. kale
• Topping: Galaxy Granola

Problem 1: not enough sweetener…a whole banana for this sized smoothie would have been way better

Problem 2: four cups of kale was a bit much

Problem 3: four cups of kale plus 1/4 c. wheat bran was way too much 😉

I still ate it, but this smoothie was not on the list of my favorite green monsters, by any means…haha. 

+ dessert, which was sweet and yummy

Nicole and I meandered through Target this afternoon to pick up some mucho needed items (i.e., eye makeup remover, which is such an annoying way to spend money…guys are so lucky that they don’t need to spend money on these kinds of things 😉 )  We also both ordered an iced tall skinny vanilla latte from starbucks—the perfect way to enjoy the first day of spring.

+ a small handful of almonds

I made a quick dinner tonight so that I could crack down on cleaning my closet space.  My room has almost been completely cleaned out from top to bottom, but I still need to clear out all my winter clothes from the closet and start figuring out what I need for the summer. 😀 

Eggs are such a super quick and healthy meal—they’re always my go-to food when I can’t figure out what to make myself. 😀

• 1 whole egg + 2 egg whites
• handful of finely chopped broccoli
• 1/4 T. butter
• chopped onions
• salt and pepper
• topping: salsa

I also cooked up some cabbage with a bit of dijon mustard, and went back for another mini-whole wheat bagel after this first one.  I love the mini ones.  They’re perfect for small snacks with a bit of cheese or peanut butter, but can also be “doubled up” when you want a slightly larger portion. 😀

Eaten with chopsticks to slow. me. down.

Off to make a snack and relax! 😀

Upcoming Food Challenge—drum roll please—BLACK BEANS!!  Get creative!  Everything from a black bean dip to black beans on the most amazing salad to a black bean burger.  Post up your creativity on your blog starting now, and let me know when you posted it.  All the recipes will be compiled into one major incredible black bean post for next Saturday.   Post ’em up!

Question: If you make something that you end up not enjoying, will you still eat it?  Or does it end up in the trash?  It really depends how bad it is.   Sometimes I’ll eat it, but if it’s truly horrible, it’s not worth wasting my tastebuds on. 😉

Don’t Forget To Laugh…;)

Ever since seeing the breakfast cookie on Alison’s blog, I knew I needed to try it.  😀

I made this overnight cookie by combining:

• 3/4 c. oats
• 1 T. peanut butter
• 1/2 mashed banana
• 1 T. walnuts
• Chocolate Amazing Grass packet
• about 2 T. milk

Then I mixed it all together into a thick “batter”, and spread it all out on a plate and refrigerated it overnight with waxed paper pushed tightly on top.  In the morning I sprinkled the cookie with the other 1/2 banana and a sprinklin’ of coconut. 😀

I loved the taste of it…subtly sweet, but not too sweet either.  Just right for a hearty, satisfying breakfast.  And it was so much fun to eat too.  I’ll be making more of these in the future, for sure. 😀

On the side I had 2 egg whites that were leftover from a recipe that mom had made, where she needed only the yolks.  I combined the whites with some salsa and black beans to make a nice, protein-filled, spicy side dish.  Yum!!

I grabbed a cup of coffee with a splash of soymilk on my way out the door to the hospital for a day with the food service manager.  This was starbucks coffee, and I just couldn’t pass that up. 😉  In my house, it’s mostly reserved for the weekends, with maxwell house used during the week (which I could give or take depending on my mood.) 

Food Service is still covering the procurement function which is interesting but a little on the slow-paced side.  The manager is super nice, but I just don’t have the interest in business.  I know its all good to know, and I really appreciate how much time he’s putting in for me.  But I can’t wait till we get more into food safety and even getting some cafeteria and serving experience.  I like to be a hands-on girl whenever possible because I learn sooo much more that way. 😀

I was there for a measly 2 hours this morning due to a function that the manager was responsible for putting together.  I skipped on out of the hospital, happy to have the next couple of days off along with some really fun plans for the weekend. 😀  I also ate this pear and granola bar on my ride home.  The early morning breakfast demanded a snack to hold me over for lunch!!

The weather is so strange lately.  I can never tell if it’s rainy or sunny outside, because it seems to change every 10 minutes!  After having a battle of the mind, I decided to take my chances of running into a storm and went out for a 3-mile run.  I have to say…it was a tough run today!!  The humidity is really high, and my legs felt sore and tight.  And my breathing?  Way off!  I kept reminding myself: “Don’t panic, keep running.”  I tell myself that to make sure I don’t let my brain go off on the crazy idea that I can’t run the whole way back.  Just gotta keep on truckin’ through those types of runs! 😀

And I did make it…and of course felt great afterwards when I was all nice and showered and ready for lunch. 😉

Speaking of lunch…I went with a nice big salad because that’s what I was craving.  In the mix:

• mesculin greens
• carrot
• red peppers
• tomatoes
• 1/2 c. black beans
• sprinkling of balsamic vinegar and a tsp of olive oil

On the side I had 1/2 a grapefruit and lots of blueberries along with kashi crackers and a onion flavored laughing cow wedge.  This meal was so satisfying, crunchy, delicious! 😀

This is Part #1: Don’t Forget To Laugh…;)

That was my huge mess, made after I attempted to make a coffee shake/smoothie.  It sounded so tasty at the time, and I wanted to make sure I got some crunchy ice chunks in there.  So I kept throwing icecubes in.  Then I realized that a big frosted block was starting to form, so I decided I had probably added enough.  Shut the blender off, and with one quick turn of the wrist, dumped the shake into my cup…err…onto the countertop.  The massive ice chunk was too big to fit in the width of the glass, which made for a huge mess!!

I told myself to just laugh because sighing or groaning would do no good.  I then preceded to talk myself into believing that a second cup of coffee for the day wasn’t needed anyways…I had plenty of energy, with no need for more caffeine!!

So I cleaned out the blender and pulled out one of these for inspiration for a new smoothie attempt.

Here enters in the GREEN MONSTER.  In the mix:

• Amazing Grass packet
• 1 c. soymilk
• 1/2 banana
• 3 c. spinach
• about a cup’s worth of ice (minus any ice block formation! 😉 )

The verdict?  YUM!  This berry flavor is absolutely delicious, bringing it right up there with the chocolate flavor.  Yum!  I’ll be buying this flavore of Amazing Grass again…:D

The sun peaked out long enough this afternoon to inspire me to go for a 2-mile walk.  I even spotted some blue skies, which was such a beautiful sight after all this rainy weather!!

4 o’clock rolled around and I felt downright starving!!  I knew we’d be having a later supper to celebrate Father’s Day, with Nicole and Nathan coming over too, so I heated up a whole wheat sourdough slice with a blob of peanut butter.  Delish! 😀

Part #2: Don’t Forget To Laugh…;)

I finished dicing up the potatoes, added the oils and spices, and handed them off to my dad to get them placed on the grill.  One little slip is all it takes to get from a neat little foil packet to this…

Diced potatoes everywhere!!  I think they’ll be turning up in random spots for days…haha.  I didn’t realize there was a big pile right outside the front door, and as I stepped out in a hurry to bring dad a plate for the grilled corn, I nearly slipped as I dodged potato slices on each step.  I started laughing which caused mom to laugh, and dad..well…he no longer seemed to feel so bad about dropping the potatoes and managed a snicker or two himself.  Laughter is oftentimes the best medicine. 😉

Nicole and Nate finally arrived around 6:15.  Nicole brought me this Kashi Fiery Fiesta pilaf that she had spotted at the grocery store.  Does she know me super well or what? 😉  I can’t wait to try it out.  Thanks Nicole! 😀

My stomach was feeling a lil’ off for dinner tonight, so I decided to keep food simple.  My dad made a rib eye steak for himself and Nate, a veggie burger for Matthew, and Mom, Nicole, and I had turkey burgers.  I plopped mine right on top of my super-sized bed of greens.  I also carved off the corn from my corn on the cob, and topped it all with ketchup. 😀  It was mighty tasty! 

On to the Father’s Day Gifts!!

My gift is going to have to wait till Sunday to present itself…you’ll see why over the weekend. 😀

We all sat around in the living room to enjoy some good ol’ family-time conversation.  I love it when we all get the chance to get together…:D

And then we went outside to enjoy dad’s father’s day gift, by sitting out near the fire.  I sipped on some chamomile tea with a tea bag that read, “Enjoy the Experience.”  Loved the tea, loved the phrase. 😀

Everyone enjoyed the cream puffs we had made for dessert, but my stomach was still doing some somersaults, so I’m saving mine for tomorrow.   By 9 o’clock, I started feeling a little hungry though, and went for a strawberry chobani with barbara’s shredded oats on top for a little snack.  I’m lovin’ these chobani yogurts.  They’re so rich and creamy, and delightfully thick.  Mmm…

Can you believe we’ve already made it to the weekend???  😀  Hope you all have some fun plans and can enjoy some time off, along with some good ol’ relaxation too!! 😀

Exercise: 3-mile run before lunch which was tough but very worth it. 😀  I also went for a 2-mile walk to enjoy the short clearing of the weather to reveal a bit of sun and a spotting of blue skies. 😀

 

****Oh, and as a side note, for anyone interested, I was researching to see if I could find a good authentic recipe for Poutines.  But all that popped up was french fries and beef gravy and cheese curds (like what Holly had mentioned!)  So I asked my dad about it, and come to find out, this style of Poutines are an Acadian heritage food (my family stemming from New Brunswick.)  If you want to find out more about poutines, type in Acadian along with it, and you’ll find a totally different food then if you simply type in poutine.  Those fried, beef covered cheese curds are something totally different (but also French…;) )

TGIF!!

Whew…what a day.  Where do I begin?  Oh yes…breakfast of course. 😉

I woke up kind of wanting yogurt, but wanting something nice and filling too.  Yogurt & cereal just never really does it for me in the “filling department.”  Unless I have canned pumpkin to add for the super filling fiber content.  But unfortanetly there just wasn’t any in the house.  So I went with the closest thing to a cold bowl of yogurt…a Green Smoothie! 😀

This one was way better then yesterday’s.  No gagging, choking, or forcing stuff down. 😉  I have a firm belief that food has to be tasty plus healthy.  If it’s not tasty, it’s just not worth eating, you know?  So I was determined to make this smoothie tasty to make up for yesterday’s.

In the mix:

• Amazing Grass packet
• 1 banana
• 2 c. kale
• 1 c. soymilk
• 4-5 ice cubes
• 1 T. peanut butter

It was pretty good!  I’m not usually a protein powder girl…give me the real food!  But this one wasn’t too bad, and along with a whole wheat cinnamon raisin english muffin, I was full until lunch rolled around.  Not too shabby! 😀

After breakfast, mom and I–of course–headed out for a 4-mile walk.  It was drizzling out at the beginning but the sun started to peak out by the end…love when that happens! 😀  Today’s walking topic was mostly mom going over her VIP party presentation that she has to give tomorrow at a clothing store she works at.  The topic is on choosing clothes that fit your body shape, and I think she’ll do great…looking forward to it mom! 😀

Lunch was kind of a Four Course Meal…

It started with a small bowl of Gypsy Soup…

Continued on with a crunchy salad full of black bleans, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and cauliflower…all drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Then came the Annie’s Whole Wheat Bunnies…I seriously love these guys.

And finally?  Dessert of course!  Two squares of very intensely dark chocolate.

I showered this afternoon, blow dried my hair, and figured out a professional outfit to wear for today’s interview with the RD and Food Service Manager.  Then I went out to relax on the porch before I needed to leave, while enjoying an iced coffee under some blue skies!!! 😀

The interview went really, really well.  I start volunteering in the hospital’s kitchen on Monday at 8 am, and start volunteering with the RD on Tuesday at 7:45 am…I’m super excited to get started!! 😀  It’s going to be great to see what an RD does on a daily basis, in a hospital setting. 

When I came home, I decided to go out for a 2-mile run.  I’m glad I kept it short, because despite the fact that I felt great after the run, it was definitely a tough one.  I’m not used to this warmer weather and the humidity made things a little tough.  I’ll have to re-introduce myself to running in the heat again after this cold spell we’ve been having!!

After cooling off from the run, I got to work in the kitchen.  I decided to make Chicken Broccoli Stir-Fry…and since Matthew was home, I decided to make a vegetarian version of it as well.  Dad came in to check on me as noise erupted from the kitchen, but I told him everything was just fine.  Chaotic, yes, but fine…it’s completely normal for me to make a huge mess and a lot of noise as I cook.  It’s all part of the experience of quickly getting a healthy supper together for the family. 😉

This recipe is easily adapted to be vegetarian.  I used vegetable broth for both batches to avoid confusion, and substituted sauteed tofu in Matthew’s.  It would also be great with the addition of pineapple and red bell peppers if you have those on hand too!

Stir-Fry Chicken and Broccoli

1 lb. chicken breast strips (or tofu/tempeh)
2 T. olive oil
4 c. broccoli
1-1/2 c. chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
3 T. soy sauce
2 T. cornstarch
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp ground ginger

+ brown rice to serve it on.

Stir fry chicken in hot oil in large skillet until browned.  Add broccoli, stir fry until crisp tender.

Mix broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar, garlic powder, and ginger…add to skillet.  Bring to boil for one minute.

Serve over rice.  Makes about 4 servings.  ENJOY! 😀

Then I had this juicy red pear for dessert. 😀

I was excited to head to the backyard to check out the vegetable garden.  I couldn’t believe the beets were already popping up.  Before you know it, there will be roasted beets in the oven and braised beet greens with olive oil and garlic on the stove.  Mmmm…can’t wait!  😀

And then I saw this little guy doing his job of insect control in the garden… how cute is he?  hehe…

After dinner, I indulged in some yoga from Polly’s blog.  If you haven’t checked out her Yoga for Running video, check it out sometime!  I always feel so loose and wonderful after stretching out the hamstrings. 😀  Then I got inspired by the beautiful weather to head out for a short 2-mile walk. 

All the fresh air and activity left me hungry for a snack.  Since I hadn’t had yogurt for my breakfast, I turned it into a snack.  I mixed in a T. of crushed flax into the plain yogurt.  Then I topped it with:

• T. of homemade pb granola
• a few raisins
• 1/2 banana
• sprinkling of cinnamon

Mmm…hit the spot!

Tonight was such a fun, relaxing night.  The family sat out on the porch, listening to Matthew sing and play guitar.  I indulged in a glass of Pinot Grigio and a small bowl of stove popped popcorn.  I loved this wine…very light and fruity!

I could have sat out on the deck listening to his music for the entire night.  Somehow the gift of voice stopped before getting to me. 😉  But that’s okay, because I just enjoy listening. 😀

I’m off to relax, and finalize some plans for the weekend.  I’ll be back to post a full weekend recap along with a product review too, either tomorrow or Sunday night.  G’Night Everyone!! 😀

Green Monsters and Kale

Another beautiful, sunny day!  I knew immediately after waking up that I just had to go for at least a short morning run.  Mom had asked me to go grocery shopping with her, and despite having already gone yesterday, I decided I would tag along.  I just never turn down shopping, whether its for groceries or for clothes. 😀  Plus it makes for nice chatting time with mom, too…

Anyways, the plan was to leave at 10 to go shopping, so I decided I’d make time to get up, make a nice hearty breakfast, head out for a 2-mile run, shower, and be ready to go by 10.  I also knew I’d need about an hour between breakfast and running to avoid any stomach cramps.

**Can you guys exercise right after eating, or do you require a little time in between too?? 

Breakfast was a spin-off from yesterday’s.  I wanted to finish off the sweet potatoes, so it just seemd like the right thing to do. 🙂

Berry Sweet Potato Oat Cakes

This was the same as yesterday only I added in some nutmeg and about a cup’s worth of blueberries.  I loved, loved, loved the addition of fruit, but a cup was a bit excessive.  It added more moisture to the mix and made the final product much more doughy then yesterday’s.  I kind of liked it that way. 😀  But if you want more of a pancake type of consistency, cut back on the milk or the blueberries, or add in a bit more flour.

And instead of walnuts, I subbed in a scoopful of pb. 

I savored this home brewed iced coffee to-go.  I felt very economical, making it myself. 😀  haha…We’re all out of soy, so I instead used 1/2 c. of regular low-fat milk with a tsp. of sugar for a bit of sweetness.

Breakfast held me over surprisingly well.  I didn’t get the slightest hunger pang until well past noon.  And even then I wasn’t overly hungry.  I mostly wanted to eat lunch with the family before everyone had to leave for work, or appointments, etc. 

So I made us all salads.

My mix consisted of:

• mesclun greens + a little spinach + a little green leef lettuce
• carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers
• red onions
• 3 green olives
• my regular dressing (1 tsp each of EVOO, balsamic vinegar, orange juice, and a little bit of garlic powder and mustard powder)
• 2 natures promise chicken slices
• 1/2 c. black beans
• a bit of fresh mozzarella
• a small handful of raisins
• and fresh blueberries!

…+ kashis too of course! 😀

The star of the meal was the blueberries.  So good!

Dessert…I do realize that I’m extremely repetitive in my dessert choices.  I can’t help myself.  This pair wins every time. 😀

Check out this humungous head of kale that I bought at whole foods the other day!!  It was only $1.99 so I of course had to pick up two!  I figured for that price, may as well try it in place of spinach for my green monsters.

Ta-Daaa!!  I think I may need a larger cup though? 😉

This mix was made up of:

• 4 c. kale
• 1/2 c. soymilk
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 mango
• lots of ice cubes

I really enjoyed the mix.  But Jenna on Eat, Live, Run was totally right when she said it was more green tasting.  I could smell it before even taking a sip and knew it was going to be leaning towards tasting more like vegetables.  Spinach doesn’t let you know it exists in the drink other then for its bold color…kale just wants to stand out and get some attention!  😀  My dad tried it and said it wasn’t as good as the others I had made with spinach…I liked it because I felt so healthy after drinking it and I loved the sweetness from the mango and soymilk. 

Supper was wonderful.

This is the herbed carrot soup from moosewood cookbook and is an absolute must-try!  It’s so herby and fresh, and the added lemon juice gives it the most subtle little tang.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this recipe!!

The rosemary foccaccia scones are equally delicious and also from moosewood cookbook (can you tell I’m a huge fan? 😀 )  I modified it a little, and once I figure out if it’s okay to post a modified recipe, I will.  Does anyone know what rules there are to copyrighting and all that other fun stuff?

My night snack was a bowl of honey nut cheerios with soy.  Sweet ‘n’ crunchy. 😀 

I think my summer class is going to be a little time consuming, but I hope it will be informational and fun as well.  I need to find a hospital or other food service area to volunteer some time in as part of the ‘lab compartment’ of the class.  My goal is to find one by the middle of next week.  I’ll be gone all weekend, so all of the calling and searching will have to wait until Monday, after my volunteer orientation at the local hospital.  Phew…I think I’m going to be a busy girl this summer! 😀

I’m a day early, but…HAPPY FRIDAY!  Hope everyone has some fun plans (even if it’s just some good ol’ relaxation!) for this weekend! 😀

Exercise: My morning 2-mile run felt wonderful, and I could have gone much further if not for the fact I needed to rush back home to get ready for grocery shopping.  Just another reminder that getting up a lil’ earlier in the morning might be a good idea. 😉  I’m keeping tomorrow morning free for a longer run if the mood strikes.

Mom and I also went for a 4-mile walk after lunch today.  And then later tonight I went for a 2-mile walk after dinner.  Both walks were slow and enjoyable.

Oh…and can’t forget my stretching routine too.  I find that a good 10 minutes of stretching after exercising keeps me feeling nice and loose.  I always feel great afterwards. 😀

Blue Skies Smiling :)

This morning I woke up to the sound of rain again.  I decided to make the most of it by making (what else?) a big bowl of oatmeal.  Instant cheering up… 😀 

The house was sooo cold today, with it only being 40 degrees outside and the heat being turned off inside.  I was my regular wimpy self, layering on the sweaters.  And the hug mug may have had an appearance as well… 😉  It was made the usual favorite way of 1 c. of coffee to 1/2 c. soy.  Mmm…warm and comforting. 

And…drum roll please…the GREEN MONSTER has officially made its way into my home.

I had made one back on St. Patty’s Day because I thought it would be fun to drink something green.  I didn’t really expect to enjoy it.  But I kind of did.

This time I decided make one for lunch, and switched the mango that I had originally used, for a banana…and with a few other ingredients added in, I’m an official fan!

The mix included:

• 1 banana
• 1 T. pb
• 4 c. spinach
• 1 c. soymilk

I also had a grilled hummus sandwich…same ingredients as last night because I couldn’t resist having another. 😀

And…*gasp*…my snack was eaten outside!!!  The rain had finally stopped, and I was uber excited to be outdoors without dodging rain bullets for once!  Mom and I headed out for a 4-mile walk and I didn’t need to open my umbrella once.  YAY!  It doesn’t take much to get me excited. 😉

I ate the other 1/2 of my mocha-odwalla bar post-walk…mmm…this is definitely my favorite flavor.

Then I got a call back from the volunteer orientation leader at the hospital and she said she would register me as a volunteer after I go through the orientation (which is in a couple weeks from now.)  Which means that I’ll hopefully be in touch with the RD soon and can get started with shadowing and volunteering with her.  Ahh…that would be great.  I’m really looking forward to that and hope it works out. 

And finally the sun peaked through around 4 o’clock.  I grinned ear to ear and haven’t stopped since.  I instantly went outside and soaked up the SUN!!! 😀

…and enjoyed the last reminders of the never ending rain we had this past week.

…the flowers appear to be hanging on to the last drops. 😀

Supper revolved around one of my favorite foods, sweet potato fries!  I popped them into a 425 F oven, for about 20-30 minutes, on a sprayed cookie sheet.  I also had a large green salad consisting of:

• greens!
• tomatoes and cucumbers
• 1/2 c. black beans
• MorningStar Veggie Burger
• 1 tsp each of EVOO and balsamic vinegar

Yum!

Dessert!

The sun started setting after I came back from a 2-mile after-dinner walk, and the sky was still a georgeous, glowing blue.   It felt so good to be soaking up blue skies and sunshine. 😀

Then later I watched What Not To Wear (guilty pleasure!!) while snacking on some kashis and a cheese stick.

I’m feeling pretty zombified by this point, which explains the brief post.  Gotta love Fridays!

Enjoy the weekend everyone!! 😀

Exercise: 4-mile walk post-lunch; 2-mile walk post-dinner…yay for sunshine!!