All the Whey

Busy, busy day!

I needed a yummy, filling morning meal (i.e., oats of course! )

• 1/4 c. each oatmeal and oatbran
• 1 c. milk + 3/4 c. water
• 1/2 banana, sliced thinly
• 1/4 c. wheat bran (stirred in for last couple of minutes)
• granola
• scoop of cashew butter

The first time that I tried cashew butter, I honestly wasn’t a fan.  Now I’m in love.  It’s so rich, creamy, buttery.  And it melts right into a hot bowl of oats.  Mmm…

 I have a confession to make.  I’m notorious for dumping out the liquid sitting on top of plain yogurt as a way to make it thicker (i.e., more Greek-like!)  But that clear liquid is actually whey, a protein found in milk products.  No more dumping off the liquid!

With my yogurt (all the yogurt, whey and all 😉 ), I mixed in 1 T. crushed flax and topped it off with 1/2 a banana and a small handful of granola.

This morning was too gorgeous out to head to the gym, so I went out for a 4-mile walk with mom.  The birds were singing, the sun was shining, the temperature was rising above 40, and I felt so absolutely full with spring.  😀 

Lunch was a hodgepodge of leftovers, which I packed to bring with me to classes. 

• about 1 c. leftover brown rice
• about 1 c. peas
• 1/2 c. garbanzo beans
• salsa

For being such a simple lunch, it was actually pretty yummy.  It could have used a little more protein though, to add some more “filling power.”  It did, however, hold me over for a good 3 hours. 😀

+ a pear, an apple, and a KIND Fruit and Nut Delight bar for an afternoon snack.

Mom made a delicious dinner tonight since she had the day off.  Meatloaf (from Cooks Illustrated Light,) mashed red potatoes, steamed carrots and mashed turnips.  I was starving when I came home from a long day, so it was nice seeing a hearty meal on the table. 😀  The meatloaf had a sweet tomato style glaze on top.  It’s going to make an awesome sandwich. 😉

I went to a sports store today to pick up some knee sleeves, but I honestly can’t decide if I want to wear them or not (or even if they feel normal in how tight they are.)  Does anyone have any experience with these?  Part of me just wants to work on strengthening my quads and hamstrings rather then wearing too much support.  Need to do my research!

Question: Do you normally pour off the liquid sitting on top of your yogurt, or do you mix it all together?  I used to always dump it off until I asked myself what it was that I was dumping and realized it was the whey protein.  Always learning something new!

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Always a Runner

This morning I was craving a big bowl of cereal.  I used to eat cereal every single morning, but lately it just doesn’t cut it for me in the “feeling full” department.  Adding a bit of healthy fat and subbing yogurt for the milk seems to do the trick though.  This kept me full for a good 3-1/2 hrs., which is all I would ever ask from my breakfast. 😀

• 6-oz. plain yogurt
• 1 T. crushed flax
• 1.5 c. Kashi Go Lean
• 1/2 banana
• sprinkle of coconut
• handful of almonds

Last night I layed out my gym clothes, so that I would have no excuse to skip the gym. 😉 

I also snagged 1/2 of this KIND Mango Macadamia Plus bar as a pre-workout snack…

Looks good, smells good…

Tastes good! 😀

I wasn’t sure if I would like this flavor, but I think the tropical flavored bars are starting to grow on me.  Coconut, mango, macadamia…what’s not to love?  I still like the KIND Fruit and Nut flavors the best though (i.e., Date and Almond = awesome!)

The gym was practically empty today.  I had the elliptical machines, treadmill and stairmaster all to myself, so I decided to switch off between machines and make things interesting.

• Elliptical: 1.5 miles
• Treadmill: 2.5 miles (intervals of running/walking)
• Elliptical: 1.0 mile
• Stairmaster: 10 minutes

I’ve been focusing on keeping my running fitness up by emulating my normal workouts.  The elliptical is actually pretty close to running in regards to fitness, only without the impact.  It makes a nice sub for when injuries prevail. 😉

That being said, what I was really interested in discovering through today’s workout was whether I still had knee and foot pains.  The elliptical felt perfectly fine, but the treadmill left me achy by the end.  My knee felt stiff and sore as soon as I stopped, and my plantar fascia near the ball of my foot felt tender.  No more messing around…it was time to call the doctor!

First I drove home and had a quick, easy lunch of Penne with Chickpeas, Feta and Tomatoes (courtesy of Cooking Light—click for the recipe!) with a side of mixed veggies.  This meal was super easy to throw together and is so versatile.  While I chose a vegetarian option, you could add diced chicken or shrimp if you wanted.  Black olives and spinach would also be a lovely addition. 😀

+ an apple-to-go as I was running out the door.

My doctor spent some time bending my knee and asking some questions, along with flexing my foot and massaging in different areas to see where my pain was.  She thinks I have plantar fasciitis (which was my first thought too) and chondromalacia patellae (damage to the cartilage which covers the back of the knee.)  In other words?  Running is still off limits!  In the meantime, she told me to build muscle in my quads for the knee problems and to buy some knee sleeves for stabilization.  I’m seeing a foot specialist by the end of March to see if there’s anything I can do aside from physical therapy for my foot.

One step at a time.

It did feel a little overwhelming to leave the doctor’s office with two new injuries to deal with, but I’m glad I went.  I will always consider myself a runner, and this is just the process I need to take in order to continue the activity that I love so much! 😀  It is not the end of the world and it is not the end of running!

When I arrived home, I got right into some exercises for my knee and took a break for a snack: plain yogurt with 2 T. wheat bran, 1/2 a banana and some granola.

+ the other half of my KIND bar

I can’t get enough salads and homemade bread lately. 

Dinner involved 1.5 slices of toasted whole wheat and walnut bread with a pat of cashew butter…

And a big ol’ salad.

I think my repetitive dinner choice has something to do with the big box of fresh mesculin greens sitting in the fridge.  Just can’t get enough! 😀

For dessert, I broke into this Endangered Species Dark Chocolate bar.

One peice was perfect for hitting the sweet tooth, because it was so intensely dark. 😀

I’m about to make a snack and spend some time researching for a homework assignment.  Hopefully I’ll get to bed at a decent time tonight too, because I have an early morning planned for tomorrow. 😀

Question: Dark, milk, or white chocolate?  I will always choose dark chocolate over milk, but I’m a fan of white chocolate for an occasional treat too. 😀

Winter Biking

This morning I tried adding some bran to my breakfast cookie!

• 1/2 c. oatmeal
• 1 T. peanut butter
• 1 smashed banana
• splash of milk
• cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
• 2 T. wheat bran
• 2 T. crushed flax

If you’ve ever tried bran muffin batter, you know exactly what this breakfast cookie tasted like.  It had that lovely hint of bran which I loved.  I also love how 2 T. wheat bran contains 3 g. fiber, lots of nutrients, and only 15 calories!

Served with a glass of milk and lots of water. 😀

We’re expecting snow and rain until next Thursday, so I was all prepared to bunker down today with a strength training routine.  I made a change of plans when I realized the precipitation hadn’t yet started though.  May as well take advantage of the clear weather and go for an 11-mile bike ride! 😀 

There are definitely some challenges to winter biking:

• Slip ‘n’ Slide: I ride my mountain bike to avoid slipping or skidding on snow and sand.  The thicker tires provide some grip, but it’s still important to be extra cautious on the snow and ice!
• The Big Chill:  I thought my face would be chilling the most, but it turns out that my feet are the problem!  I heard somewhere that an easy solution is to duct tape the front toe of your sneaker, which covers up the vents.  However, I just threw on some thick wool socks, and it took care of that! 😀
• Vision: Both for me and the cars.  Wearing bright colors (ie, yellows, greens, etc.) makes you more visible.  And although I don’t personally have a pair of glasses, I’d recommend investing in a pair for when flurries start.  It’s important to keep your eyes on the road, which can be a bit challenging with snow hitting your face. 😉

There are lots of perks to biking in the winter too.  Like that feeling of satisfaction and refreshment after a long morning ride.  Plus I was able to plan out a lot of  my coconut presentation for tomorrow.  Running makes me zone out…biking makes me think.

After a quick shower and adding a bit of makeup, I grabbed this snack to-go: an orange and a Fruit and Nuts Yogurt KIND bar.  Another lovely flavor! 😀  I still like the Almond and Cashew the best so far, but this was one was chewy, sweet and fun to eat.  I loved the yogurt! 

Lunch was scrumptious! 😀 I had no idea what to expect from this meal, because I threw it together last night when I was tired from studying and homework. 😉  But the flavors all worked out really well together.  I especially loved the splash of lemon.  It added a touch of freshness and zing!

• 1 c. leftover brown rice
• 1/2 c. garbanzo beans & black beans
• 2 celery stalks, diced small
• 1 carrot, shredded finely
• about 1/4 tsp. cumin
• about 1/8 tsp. cayenne (a little less)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• splash of lemon juice
• salt and pepper

Yum!

I brought along some almonds (about an ounce or 20 almonds) and a pear for an afternoon snack too.

Dinner was as much a hodgepodge as my lunch, but in a different kind of way.  Still just as delicious. 😀

Lots of veggies!  Turnips (boiled and mashed,) steamed green & wax beans, and peas.

There was also a recipe for Soba Noodles and Broccoli from a Moosewood Restaurant Cookbook (not to be confused with Molly’s Moosewood cookbooks, ) which I went back for seconds on.  Soba noodles are one of my favorite types of noodles.  They take approximately 2 minutes to cook, and they have a unique flavor all their own.  This dish was so simple (think soysauce and hot red pepper with a bit of oil) and paired perfectly with the leftover orange marmalade chicken. 

I love sampler plates full of variety and flavahs! 😀

Finale!  I broke into the Valentines chocolate box and picked out a pretty caramel chocolate.

Tomorrow night I will be done all of the presentations and papers and exams that have been keeping me so busy over this past week!  I plan on relaxing and taking a break by reading blogs, drinking tea, and journaling.  So excited!

Busy day tomorrow, so I’m heading to bed ASAP!

What’s your favorite way to relax and unwind after a busy work/school week?  I love reading a fun magazine, journaling, drinking tea, taking a bubble bath, and just taking the night off from plans and work.  I think we all need a catch up day once in a while! 😀