As for the Whole Foods run, I picked out a few things to enjoy for the remainder of my time at home, but I will miss having access to a large Whole Foods location. The Durham WF has a great "family" atmosphere (yes, they do know me by name...), but it is quite small and limited in selection. I know, I know--I lead such a deprived life;)
I'll quite being such a Negative Nancy, though--onto the eats!
Friday
Yes, I am a creature of habit--the mango-vanilla makes another comeback. At least this time I mixed it up with a bit of shredded coconut.
SaturdayWe woke up bright and early to head down to the lake. I scarfed down a bowl of GoLean with almond milk and walnuts, plus a bowl of cherries that ended up being a road snack. Check out my one of my fellow passengers, Gus.
As per usual at the lake, I dug into the freezer for my lunch: a vegan Boca burger on whole wheat with lots of mustard, lettuce, and tomato. I also had a salad, walnuts with dried cherries, and an orange.
For the birthday dinner, I was in charge of appetizers, so I made a White Bean Dip from Giada, using this recipe. Surprisingly, my anti-health food sister loved it. After sampling my Bunco dips and this one, she has dubbed me "the queen of dips." She doesn't have to know that I don't come up with the recipes myself... 
The dinner consisted of my mom's pasta salad, with steamed broccoli and fresh watermelon. I made my own vegan version by using beans and cashews instead of chicken and cheese. I highly recommend the addition of cashews to pasta salad--they add richness and crunch. 
I forgot to bring a packet of hemp protein for my voyage to the lake, so I just made a smoothie from vanilla yogurt, soymilk, and frozen blueberries. I used Cascadian Farm granola as a topper. 
Sunday I finally got around to making banana pancakes again. I never get tired of these things. To pump up the fruit content of this breakfast even more, I also had an orange.
After a toodling around in the boat for a bit, we started packing up, and I made a quick lunch: salad with beans and salsa, whole wheat tortillas, and almonds with dried cherries.
We returned home just before dinnertime, so we decided to take it easy and order in Chinese. I just got some steamed vegetables, but I jazzed it up with tofu, sliced almonds, and an agave-mustard sauce I made up. Hit the spot! 
I used up the last of my vanilla hemp last night--no more mango-vanilla combinations! Maybe I'll try the Cocoa Chile flavor next time...Anyway, I decided to use a cherry in my garnish last night--it was nice and soggy by the time I got to the bottom of the cup:) 
MondayAnother grilled breakfast sammie this morning, except this time I used sliced apples. Apples + PB in sandwich form=heaven. The flavor actually reminded me of apple pie. Hmm, perhaps a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg would be a good addition? I washed it down with a glass of almond milk.
Lunch was so simple but so tasty. I used Whole Foods brand refried black beans and mashed avocado on a whole wheat tortilla to make a burrito. I found some leftover salad in the fridge to which I added a new salad dressing (no HFCS or trans fats!) and some wheat germ. I have seen other bloggers (Kath) use wheat germ on salads, so I decided to give it a whirl. It was good with a sweet dressing, but I'm not sure how it would taste with more savory varieties.
Dinner was a ED&BV favorite, Goddess Garbanzos. I can totally see myself making this at school--it's so easy and satisfying. More importantly, it dirties up very few dishes--a definite pro for a girl living in an apartment without a dishwasher. I stuffed the yummy goop into an Ezekiel pita and served it alongside veggies and a side salad. 
Before I go, I wanted to share a blog with you all that my sister introduced to me: Cake Wrecks. I never thought I would find dessert so hilarious. For more professional cakes, take a look at Duff's creations. Enjoy!
8 comments:
Wow, what a fun weekend you had!!
Ahh, no Whole Foods back in Durham?? I'd be sad too!! Hang in there.
Shakes + cherries + avocado + almonds = you always feature some of my favorite ingredients in every post!! :0) Oh and that grilled breakfast sandwich and the pancakes?? Divine!!
Gus is a cutie!!
I love Giada's recipes!! I met her a few years ago, and she's even lovelier in person than she appears on television; and she's even shorter than she looks as well, haha ;0)
Thanks for the link to that "Cake Wrecks" blog!!
As always, your shakes have me wishing I had a blender. The things are not that expensive, I really have no excuse for not having one, other than there really not being space for all the appliances I have already.
That pup is too cute!
Oh my, I know too well how bitter-sweet those last few days can be. It sounds like you've been enjoying yourself and just think, before you know it you'll be back home missing the days at school! By the way, nuts in pasta salad is an ingenious idea. You're so smart :)
P.S. Haha thanks for the link , that's incredible!
That Cake Wrecks blog is hilarious!
Yay for the lake! I wish I could be brave like you, but I have never been a lake girl. I wish I enjoyed going there, though!
We are switching situations Whole Foods-wise; my college Whole Foods is huge, but the one back at home is not as impressive. I'm sorry to hear the one in Durham isn't as great as the one you are used to, but any Whole Foods is better than none! I need to pick up some cashews next time I go; cashews look like a great pasta salad addition. Actually, they make a lot of things better: cookies, stir-fries, salads...
The white bean dip platter looks so refreshing! I bookmarked the dip recipe. I really do need to have some banana pancakes -- you have me thinking of that Jack Johnson song now!
Aw, the last weekend is always so much fun, but so sad! I'm sure you'll have a great year at school though, even if the Whole Foods there is...lacking.
You are the queen of dips, even if they aren't your own recipes! They just look so pretty and presentation counts :o)
Those banana pancakes look so fluffy and thick - my favorite way to eat them!
And thanks for the link to that blog - it's so funny!
Sounds like a fun week! Those shakes you make always look so good. I may have to buy some hemp protein and make some myself!
And I have no whole foods at all near me either :(
I am also excited to see what it is like whe you go back to school cause you are so creative with your cooking... do you have a mealplan on campus?
VeggieGirl: There is a WF in Durham, but it is quite small. I would be really sad if there were no WF at all!
How did you get to meet Giada?! I am so jealous! I watch her show on Food Network and I love seeing her on the Today Show these days...
Jennifer: I don't think I could survive without my blender now...I seriously have an attachment to it.
Danielle: You're so right--once I get to school, I know I'll be glad that I'm there. Thanks for cheering me up!
Ruby: I'm sorry to hear that you're a little scared of the lake--it's a great way to relax. You can visit the lake vicariously through me:)
Cashews are great, aren't they? My latest obsession is cashew butter--it makes almost anything taste better.
Haha, love the Jack Johnson reference:)
EatingBender: The reason I love that recipe is because it always yields sufficiently dense pancakes--none o that light and thin stuff.
Kree: I highly recommend the hemp--it might take some getting used to, but I love it!
SportsNutritionLiving: I am on a mealplan, as required by the university. However, it is the plan designed for students living on the separate campus where I will be residing, so it shouldn't be too difficult to use up the food points.
Post a Comment