Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Life as a List-Maker

Hello, my name is Caroline, and I am a chronic list-maker.

It's true; my roommate and I both share a love of making itemized lists (hence why I gave her this book for Christmas). Our apartment often looks as if a Post-It blizzard has struck--our laptops, the refrigerator door, and even the bedroom wall usually are host to a few brightly colored stickies with lists on them. Recently, however, I graduated from Post-Its to a more attractive way of recording my lists. Check out one of my latest purchases from Home Goods:
A Cook's Planner!
Are you a list-maker? What do you make lists for? Do you take one to the grocery store? I usually take a list so that I don't forget specialized items for recipes, but I rarely buy solely what is written on it...I inevitably have a few impulse buys.

I am aiming to be on time to class today, so let's move onto the food!

Monday
One of my fun projects over spring break was to go through my pile of Clean Eating magazines and select a few recipes to try in the coming months. One from the most recent issue caught my eye: the Avocado Egg Salad. I veganized it by using cubed silken tofu rather than boiled egg whites. There's also some dijon mustard and paprika in there for some kick. I served it atop a bed of greens alongside some Ak Maks and grapes. Quite a green meal!
I have yet another snack to share with you all. I don't normally post snacks since they're pretty repetitive. Accordingly, I have been getting bored with my usual yogurt+Sunbutter combos, so I decided to mix it up. Here you see Tofurky-provolone roll-ups with a few almonds. Although I authored a snack post a while back, now I am asking you: what are your favorite snacks?
I had a sorority event that night, so I put together a quick wrap for dinner: artichokes, bell peppers, and mozzarella in an Italian herb flatbread, plus asparagus with walnuts and garlic salt, and a perfectly ripe orange.
For my smoothie, I combined mango, raspberries, soymilk, and the very last bit of my drum of Nutribody protein. I really like the color raspberries add to my smoothies! I topped it with another kind of granola that I found lurking in the cupboard: Bear Naked Mango Agave Almond. Sounds like my kind of thing, no? Check out those hunks of mango!
Tuesday
My oat bran addiction continues. This time, I cooked it in rice milk and vanilla extract, then added pumpkin and banana. I used cashew butter as the perfect topper. This took fo-evah to eat! Totally worth being late to class for it:)
Another recent obsession: homemade hummus. I make Greek hummus yesterday, as inspired by this recipe from Rachael Ray. Olives, parsley, oregano, tahini, chickpeas=tastiness. I served it with some whole wheat mini pitas, cucumber sticks, and an apple. Lots of green goin' on here, too...
In honor of St. Paddy's Day, I made an even greener meal for dinner: whole grain pasta with peanut lime sauce, edamame, snap peas, and broccoli. I got the idea for this one from Ellie Krieger. I also had some greens on the side.
My smoothie of the evening featured unsweetened peach Spirutein, peaches, raspberries, and soymilk. I used more of that heavenly mango granola on top.

Wednesday
With the warmer temperatures these days, I have returned to my 2-a-day smoothie habit. Today's featured that tasty pumpkin-banana combo again, along with rice milk and flax. On the side, I had a mini bagel with a Laughing Cow wedge.
Take a look at what I found waiting for me at my door yesterday:
CHOBANI! I know so many of you bloggers out there love 'em, so tell me how you like to enjoy them the most. How do you Chobani? (Yes, I have made Chobani a verb).

Reminders:
-Eating Bender is giving away TWO amazing assortments of her favorite items. Enter by tonight at 8PM CST.
-Visit Say Yes to Salad for a chance to win some Oikos coupons. Those would come in handy on my recent mission to sample all Greek yogurts...Enter by today at 12PM PST.
-Enter my giveaway for a gift certificate to MixMyGranola by Friday, March 20 at 11:59 PM EST.

Alright, C Yode out!

23 comments:

ChocolateCoveredVegan said...

It must include some type of nut butter to qualify as a favorite snacck of mine. Chocolate doesn't hurt either.

Anonymous said...

I too am a list fiend. My list is my brain. Here's a little glimpse:
http://lovinmytummy.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/the-administration/

As always, I love your food! I read Clean Eating too, but haven't really fallen over with any of their recipes yet.

My favorite snacks are usually shakes, frozen fruit or pumpkin blended with cottage cheese, yogurt and fruit, fruit with nut butter and sadly, the occasional bar.

Have a great Wednesday!

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

Hello, my name is VeggieGirl, and I am THE chronic list-maker.


Loooove that owl plate!!

"C Yode," haha!! Love the new alias, girl :-D

Anonymous said...

thanks for the shoutout! you get an extra entry :)

my favorite snack is probably veggies and hummus... or apples and hummus. or pitas with peanut butter, but i usually have those with a meal.

Anonymous said...

All your eats look amazing as always! Especially the green theme for dinner! YUM

I am most definitely a LIST MAKER. I make lists all the time. I feel so much more organized that way. I make lists for the grocery store, because it helps me remember what I need to buy! Also, I always make a list when I'm packing for a trip. That way, I won't forget anything! A lot of the time, I'll make daily "to do" lists so I remember everything I need to accomplish that day. Lists are GREAT!

I am a CHOBANI girl at heart. I always eat the plain chobani with some cereal like kashi heart to heart on top. So delicious!!!

Have a wonderful day!

<3dulcie

The Purple Carrot said...

Yes, I am most definitely a list maker myself! I make lists for things I need to remember to do and I have to bring a list with me to grocery shop or I'll forget something we're out of that we really need. (but, yes, I can't help but have impulsive buys, too!)

Have a great Wednesday!!

p.s. I love Clean Eating magazine!

Anna said...

i make lists for EVERYTHING! seriously, everything.

Anonymous said...

ohhh i am such an organized list maker too!! haha, except my lists are all over my mac laptop in the form of "post-it's," do you know what I'm referring to?

and ah caroline!! that avocado egg salad looks so tasty, i'm sure it was deliciousss!

The other day I microwaved apple sauce and almond butter mixed together and it was the tastiest thing I have ever have!! It's a yummy night snack!

Anonymous said...

I am a super list-maker. I make lists of things to do, things to pack, things to buy, things to say. When my boyfriend and I dated for the first time in high school I would make lists of things to talk about with him when we would talk on the phone, I was such a nerd!
Love your blue and white target plate i have the same one!

Anonymous said...

Such an adorable owl plate! I own it as well - just too cute to pass up.

Although it certainly isn't exciting, apples are my absolute favorite snack. Paired with a nice cold glass of milk (of any kind), a bright Fuji or Honeycrisp just can't be beat.

I'm really fond of any fruit + protein duo: grapes and almonds, oranges and yogurt, apples and pb, etc.

Anonymous said...

That Bear Naked granola is amazing! Too bad it's so expensive...

K from ksgoodeats said...

Am I a list maker?! Do you even have to ask?!

I love Clean Eating magazine! They had a soup recipe a few issues ago that looked amazing (it was in the 5 ingredients or less one). My favorite snacks usually include some form of cheese, some form of bread, or some form of nut butter - never fails!

Homemade hummus! DE-lish!

CHOBANI!!! Okay...here's how I get my Chob on: crumbled up z-bar OR Kashi crunch with TONS of cinnamon (if it's the vanilla or peach flavor, if it's blueberry or strawberry I skip the cin). Hope you like 'em!

Anonymous said...

I have lists and post-it's everywhere!!!

I love the clean eating magazine! I have tried so many of their recipes and loved them all.

If you like that you would the the Eat Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno!

Anonymous said...

i am TOTALLY a list maker---i am totally OCD about my planner where i write down everything. i also have post-its all over the place as well as my little "list book" where i make grocery lists, packing lists, don't forget lists, to-do lists, the list goes on and on! haha

Aimee said...

I wonder if Pitt and Duke will play?? I can't watch Pitt games anymore, because the only games I watched this season Pitt lost!!

I think I have too many favorite snacks...lately it had been greek yogurt and granola.

Anonymous said...

oh I LOVED my chobani sample package! I have bought it so much since then, it's awesome and the cheapest and the best in my opinion! Thanks for reading my guest post of Love of Oats! I love how many other great blogs I find because of things like that!

I am a list person as well.. very much so.

aussirish said...

great eats girlie :) i love the night time smoothies you make! they sound fantastic!
have a nice night

Anonymous said...

I love lists, too. I make them for everything, including the grocery. My planner from Franklin Covey goes everywhere with me.

Danielle said...

Is it really not normal to be a chronic list-maker?

Hm. I've got some soul-searching to do...

;)

Anonymous said...

wow everyone is getting chobani these days!
i am a to do list person. i make lists everyday its a good way to keep on track!

Anonymous said...

I love that Cooks Planner! So cute. I want one :D

I always make a list when I go to the grocery store. Sometimes it's vague - I'll just write down fruit or cheese - because I want to see what's on sale, what looks good, etc and decide from there. Plus I need to make sure I don't forget things that I don't buy that often. I definitely pick up a few things not on the list, because again, it depends on what looks good!

Love all the green eats. I've been feeling like I'm lacking green in my diet lately. Boo.

Raspberry Peach is a wicked smoothie combo!

HEAB said...

Oh my gosh, love all your food - so green! Love my greens - definitely the dominating color of all my meals...even my oats. :)

Yes, oat bran is definitely worthy of a late-to-class arrival. Gotta get every last spoonful in for sure.

Bare Naked - so good. I love that brand, and you can never go wrong with large mango chunks in anything.

I am constantly making lists. I have post-it notes everywhere. Maybe it's time I graduated to something more sophisticated as well!

Thanks for the info. on fiber. I was a little nervous when I read that such a high intake might "sweep away" some of my vitamins, but I do take a multi. I think you're right, as long as I stay away from fiber fortified foods, I shouldn't worry too much.

Have a good Friday Caroline!

ChickPea said...

Sarah: Good to know I am not the only list-maker! Your master plan looks like pure genius to me:)
Jess: Yep, I know what you're talking about--they're like electronic Post Its for your laptop.
Applesauce + AB sounds amazing!
Matt: So true! I suppose I could make my own granola, but I'm not sure it would taste as good as the Bear Naked...
Sarah: A list book?! I totally need to make one of those.