Read, Run, Repeat

That's all I do these days: read and run. I suppose a heavy reading load is to be expected for an English/psychology major, but I spend most of my time reading journal articles, Middle English texts, and Faulkner novels. Scintillating, no? Anyway, I've also been rather busy with tutoring these days, so when I'm not reading, I'm running around campus for an appointment, with the occasional run on the treadmill as well. Who else is as psyched for the weekend as I am? I am ready for a little break from my weekday monotony...

Perhaps I should enter this contest for a California getaway: Rena from Seven Daughters Winemakers recently alerted me to a contest in which the prize is a three-day vacation to the Hollywood Hills. To enter, simply visit 7daughters.com and explain why you deserve a rendezvous in L.A. If you're interested in tasting the Seven Daughters' wine, it's available at Whole Foods and Target fro $14.99 per bottle.

I've been keeping my brain and body fueled with some old faves as well as a few new additions. Check 'em out:

Monday
I kept lunch simple with another batch of Goddess garbanzos from ED&BV. Note the abundance of kelp granules:) I spread it on whole wheat and served it with a salad and grapes.
I squeezed in a snack between tutoring appointments and my dining committee meeting: a True Delight bar! Due to my healthy appreciation of anything coconut, I obviously opted for the Toasted Coconut Banana Macadamia Nut variety. It was quite chewy and sweet, with a very subtle banana flavor. I love the hunks of macadamia throughout the bar. I washed it all down with a glass of rice milk. Thanks to Foodbuzz for sending me these!
Dinner was no complex affair either: I loaded up at the salad bar with lots of veggies (including artichoke hearts!), then headed back here to make a quick English muffin pizza. I also had a big dish of cantaloupe.
I indulged myself a bit with my shake that evening. I combined Double Fudge Crunch Spirutein, strawberries, and soymilk, then topped it off with a handful of Annie's chocolate bunnies. Yep, food fugue.
Tuesday
It had been far too long since I had had a waffle tower, so clearly it had to be on the menu yesterday morning. Van's waffles with cinnamon-spiked yogurt, chopped kiwi, and cashews.
For lunch, I made some beans 'n greens, which were accompanied by a sweet potato, salad with Woodstock dressing, and grapes. That's cinnamon and nutmeg on the SP.
I am just so excited to have my beloved ED&BV cookbook back that I had to make another Dreena dish last night: Orange Sesame Tofu. I consistently have problems with the sweetness of this dish; sometimes it's super sweet, sometimes it's not sweet enough. Last night's batch was definitely the latter case. Sheesh. I served it alongside whole wheat couscous with peanuts, steamed asparagus and mushrooms, and a big orange.

Last night's smoothie was pretty plain Jane but delicious, nonetheless: peaches, soymilk, Nutribody protein, and granola.

Wednesday
Weather.com informed me this morning that it felt like 19* outside. Hot breakfast it was! I heated up some rice milk and poured it over a bowl of Autumn Wheat, which I reviewed here. I also had a big apple with Mighty Maple PB.
Come tomorrow afternoon, I will be relieved from much of this week's stresses. What's your favorite way to indulge yourself after a hard week?

Off to Faulkner class. Ciao!

Obsessing over Dressing

Within the past few months, I have added a new foodie obsession to my list: salad dressings, specifically Annie's salad dressings. Not only do these sauces add a little flavah to my greens (although I enjoy plain raw veggies too!), but many also provide a healthy source of fat. While nuts and nut butters are always welcome components in any meal, sometimes it's nice to switch it up with a tasty tahini- or oil-based dressing. Alternatively, the lite options are lower in fat and are equally delicious and versatile in the kitchen.

Although I have reviewed Annie's dressings before, here are a few my recent faves:

Annie's Lite Gingerly Dressing
On a recent trip to Whole Foods, my mother had instructed me to select a dressing for the salad that night, and emphasized "nothing too fatty this time!" Apparently, she did not appreciate my choice of Annie's Goddess dressing last time...Undeterred by her warning, I skipped on over to the Annie's section and was immediately drawn to Annie's Lite Gingerly dressing. Considering my love of anything gingery (ahem, cashew ginger tofu, Ginger Zing granola...), it shouldn't surprise you that this dressing strikes my fancy. Plus, it was "lite," meaning I could avoid making my mother grumpy.
Each two tablespoon serving contains just 40 kcalories and 3 grams of fat. Beware that this tiny amount does pack quite a sodium punch, with 290 mg (12% RDA), but most all salad dressings are similarly salty.

I suggest drizzling this dressing over a side salad, to accompany an Asian dish...such as Cashew Ginger Tofu, perhaps?

Also note that this salad dressing lends itself well to either sweet or salty; it combines beautifully with a traditional veggie-ful salad as well as with a salad topped with dried fruit (as shown).
Annie's Lite Raspberry Vinaigrette
This was another dressing chosen to appease my mother's anti-fat tendencies, but I ended up falling in love with it from first bite. Never one to say no to anything sweet, I love how this dressing provides a perfect balance of berry tartness and sugariness.
Each two tablespoon serving contains 40 kcalories and 3 grams of fat. This dressing is a lower sodium variety with just 60 mg (3% RDA). There are also 4 grams of sugar to account for that oh-so-delightful sweetness.
Recommendations for using this dressing include drizzled over dark greens, with nuts and dried fruit. Although it may seem strange, it also makes a fantastic accompaniment to wheat germ on top of a salad--the perfect combination of crunch and flavor.
Additionally, if you are a fan of pomegranate seeds on your salads, this raspberry vinaigrette will add just the right fruitiness to your dish.

Annie's Shiitake and Sesame Dressing
Surprisingly enough, the on-campus grocery store stocks a small selection of Annie's dressings. In addition to the classic Goddess and Balsamic Vinaigrette, I noticed this little gem sitting on the shelf. With food points to burn and an insatiable appetite for a new foodie find, I tossed this into my basket. With my love of Asian cuisine, this dressing was sure to be a perfect accompaniment to countless meals. As predicted, Shiitake & Sesame adds a distinct flavor to my abundant salads. While it is delicious, it is also quite salty, so be careful not to drown your greens in it.
Each two tablespoon serving contains 120 kcalories, 13 grams of fat, and 250 mg of sodium (11% RDA) . The fat in this dressing comes from heart-healthy expeller pressed canola and sesame oils, so rest assured that the hefty dose of fat won't clog your arteries.

I haven't had much time to experiment with this dressing yet, as it is a relatively new addition to my ever-growing salad dressing arsenal. However, I especially enjoyed it drizzled over steamed edamame last week.
None of these dressings are limited to use on those leafy greens. Here are a few alternatives:
-Dip for raw veggies such as baby carrots and bell peppers.
-Binder for tofu/tempeh/veggie salads. Simply combine with desired ingredients and stuff into a pita or place atop a bed of greens.
-Flavor enhancer for pasta salads. Try it on the Corn-Edamame Salad from V-Con.

I'll continue to experiment with my beloved salad dressings and continue to add to my list of favorites. What are your favorite salad dressings? Do you have a favorite within the Annie's Naturals products? How do you dress up your greens? I'd love to know!

Enjoy your evening!

Running in Heels

All I have to say is that I better have killer legs by the end of the semester.

Allow me to explain. Duke has 3 campuses: East, West, and Central to which students are transported via buses. Most of the time, I choose to walk to class from Central campus because it's a mere 10-15 minute walk, and I am far too impatient to wait for buses. However, with the recent dip in temperatures, I have been relying on the bus with far more frequency. Somehow I never seem to get the schedule right though and find myself running to catch the departing vehicle. It wouldn't be such a big deal if I actually wore sensible shoes now and then, but my unhealthy appreciation of heels prevents that from happening...Sexy calves, here I come!

Here's what I've been using to fuel my dashes to the bus stop:

Monday
I made coconut black beans again, which was inspired by this recipe from VegWeb. I obviously didn't have a lot of the ingredients on hand, so improvised. On the side, I had couscous and a salad with cashews.
I had my weekly dining meeting in the evening, so I made a pit stop afterward at the salad bar, where they had...steamed edamame! Clearly, that was the highlight of my day. When I came home, I added some of Annie's Shiitake Vinaigrette and added some crackers and cantaloupe as accompaniments.
The smoothie of the night was another berry bonanza with strawberries, blueberries plus the other usual suspects. Oh, and an extra-large dose of granola:)
Tuesday
Due to the crap-tastic weather we had yesterday (i.e., cold and rainy), I knew I needed a hot breakfast to start out the day. Steamed rice milk poured over crumbled Weetabix and a banana with the scraps of the Sunbutter jar did the trick. PS Why is it that all my nut butters run out at once?! I can't afford to replace them simultaneously!
Yesterday's lunch shall be labeled this post's FOOD FUGUE. It was fan-freaking-tabulous. Here's what spawned the fugue: sweet butter lettuce topped with steamed asparagus, tofu cooked in soy sauce/vinegar/garlic/ginger, cashews, and blood orange segments. I had some of those addicting crackers on the side.
After an afternoon of tutoring, I returned looking for relaxation...so I cooked dinner, of course. I made Lindsay's Spicy Teriyaki Chickpeas. I didn't have any pineapple salsa (again!), so I subbed chopped pineapple. That's couscous, broccoli, and a salad with peanuts on the side.
The smoothie last night was pretty awesome. Let's just face it, I'll love anything with mango it. Here's what went in the blender: frozen mango, frozen peaches, Nutribody protein, and soymilk.
Wednesday
Today's breakfast consisted of a trusty time-saver: overnight oats. Last night I combined oats with rice milk, stevia, and cinnamon; I added warmed & spiced pumpkin and almonds this morning. I had another blood orange on the side.
For those of you who eat overnight oats regularly, do you enjoy it hot or cold? I always assumed it was meant to be consumed cold, but I'm up for a little variety.

As I mentioned above, I have found myself in a sudden nut butter dearth. If you could choose just one nut butter to enjoy forever more, which one would you choose?

Alright, I suppose I should get ready for my Faulkner class now. Ta-ta for now!