Last-Minute Meals

For the past few days, mealtimes have snuck up on me. Usually, I have a general idea of what I want to make before I get into the kitchen, but recently I have been focusing on my upcoming summer classes and all that they require (textbooks, ID card, proof of immunization...). To begin my journey to RD certification, I will be taking Intro to Nutrition and Human Anatomy. I am pretty psyched for my nutrition class because it is an obvious passion of mine; plus, the course is even using the same textbook I used for my independent study in high school. Hopefully, that means I'll ace the class:) My anatomy class has got me nervous though. I am an English and psychology major at my current university, so I have never taken a college-level science course, much less any course with a 4-hour lab! Yikes! I'll definitely have to bring some snackage for lab days, although I am not so sure I'll be in the mood to eat anything amidst dissected human flesh...

Anyway, as a result of my distractions, my meals have been pretty simple and spontaneous.

Thursday
Thursday morning I tried oat bran for the first time. I prepared mine by cooking them with unsweetened apple sauce; I topped the bowl off with some cinnamon, sliced almonds, and a drizzle of agave. Quite an enjoyable breakfast! I'll be sure to experiment with oat bran in the future.
Yesterday's lunch presented a rare experience for me: I just didn't know what to eat. I stared at the pantry shelves for a good ten minutes before I gave up and made a banana and peanut butter sandwich. It may be simple, but it never fails to disappoint. When I got around to preparing my salad to go with it, my creative juices started flowing a little more freely. I topped my greens and sliced tomato with soy nuts and a dressing made from Grey Poupon, balsamic vinegar, and agave nectar. This meal kept me full forever!

For dinner, I was desperate to get rid of these refried beans. One annoying thing about being the only vegetarian in my house is that it takes me forever to finish a can of beans. Nobody else eats them, so I am stuck with 15 oz. of the same ingredient all week long! Anyway, I decided to make a cheese-less quesadilla (inspired by Cafe VegNews) with refried beans, cumin, red pepper flakes, chili powder, and a touch of garlic, spread on a Rudi's whole grain tortilla. On the side I had some salsa for dipping, steamed broccoli, and a salad. While I was preparing the quesadilla, I got distracted and left it to cook. When I came back I found a big mess! (See below for the evidence). Oops.
My snack last night was a raspberry smoothie, using nonfat organic plain yogurt, silken tofu, raspberry Spirutein, wheat germ, and maple syrup. Totally hit the spot.
Friday
Again, this morning I had no idea what I wanted for breakfast, so I turned to the freezer for inspiration. I dug out a carob muffin top that I had made over spring break. I thoroughly enjoyed dunking it in a glass of almond milk. I also had some berries with wheat germ.
Due to an afternoon of shopping and a grocery run, I didn't get to eat lunch until 4 PM today. Needless to say, my tummy was flat-out yelling at me. I decided to make a Trio Salad Plate, inspired by a restaurant near me called O'Carr's. Amongst other things, they serve chicken salad, garden salad, fruit salad, plus exotic and tasty crackers. My version wasn't exactly exotic, but it was tasty. I had three-bean salad and my absent-egg salad atop greens with Kashis and a red pear on the side.
With a squash in the fridge and a new can of no-salt added tomatoes in the pantry, I decided the time was ripe for ratatouille. I have no idea how to make authentic ratatouille, but I made my version by sauteeing the squash with diced onion and half a can of diced tomatoes. I added a generous dose of herbes de provence and a sprinkle of salt. I let it simmer for about 15 minutes, and I perfect summer meal was born. I enjoyed this dish with a side salad and some pieces of flatbread (yes, I still have wraps and tortillas left!). For a sweet ending to the meal, I had some fresh strawberries and blueberries with sliced almonds and a drizzle of agave (I use a lot of that stuff, don't I?).
Tomorrow I head to the gym of the university I'll be attending this summer. Incidentally, my sister takes her MBA classes from the same university, so we're heading over there together tomorrow morning. I am super psyched because it is a new recreation center, complete with all new equipment, a track, and even a lazy river! Yes, I realize I am a fitness dork.

Afterward, we're headed to the lake again to celebrate Memorial Day. (Sunshine and watermelon, anyone?) Enjoy the long weekend!