Good News, Bad News

The good news is that Hanna left minimal damage around here--lots of wind and rain overnight, but nothing too serious. As a result, the Duke football game was not even delayed! The bad news is...we lost. Oh, well. To be honest, I don't go to football games to admire the team's superior athleticism...I go to people-watch! It's almost as good as the airport in that respect; there are so many people from all different cross sections of the population in one place. Anyway, here is a pic of my friends and me in the stands (I'm the one on the left):
I can't wait for basketball season!!

Despite the rain and disappointing outcome of the football game, I managed to eat pretty well over the weekend. Check it out:

Friday
I can't wait until my Living Harvest Hemp arrives--those flavors lend themselves better to creativity. With the berry pomegranate Nutiva, I feel like I must use at least one of the fruits pictured on the package (cherries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, etc.). I know, it doesn't make sense. Anyway this one included strawberries and banana, plus the usual components.
Saturday
I was a little bummed about the weather on Saturday morning. I attempted to venture to the gym, but the hurricane force winds turned my poor umbrella inside out--I decided the gym wasn't worth risking getting hit my debris. Plus, I could hear my mother's voice inside my head, "You had to get stitches, why?!" Anyway, I used my jump rope and did some strength training in the apartment instead. Afterward, I poured myself a big bowl of Fiber One with dried cranberries, cashews, and soymilk.
Lunch was a bit on the messy side. I cooked up some tofu with leftover pasta sauce and some oregano. I had intended to eat it inside a wrap (as shown), but I attempted my first bite, everything just sort of plopped onto the plate and my hands. Fork and knife will do! I also had a spinach salad, pistachios, and a nectarine.
Here's a fun snack suggestion: French vanilla yogurt with a crumbled graham cracker and a few almonds. Delish.
Before heading out to the game, I need some fast fuel. I wasn't anticipating partaking in the stadium fare: Chick-fil-A and pepperoni pizza. No thanks. Instead, I had a grilled banana-PB sandwich and some raw veggies.
Smoothie was strawberry-mango. Good, but not enough mango action.
Sunday
I had my usual Sunday stovetop oats yesterday morning. This version included oats, whipped banana, almond butter, cinnamon, and a drizzle of agave nectar. So tasty.
Lunch came from the freezer: just a Boca burger in a pita with avocado and salsa. That's an All American Boca burger you see, the only kind available at SuperTarget. I think I still prefer the vegan variety. I also had some cooked spinach and a nectarine.
I wasn't in the mood to cook anything before my meeting last night, so I just randomly threw some staples together: Ak-maks with tahini and ground red pepper, a big salad, and cherry yogurt with wheat germ.
I hate to be boring, but my smoothie time last night was a repeat: just wonderful, sweet cherries.
Monday
I had toast today for breakfast--with a twist. I combined canned pumpkin with cinnamon, agave nectar, and ground flax seed to create a nutty autumnal spread. I also had some plain yogurt with apple slices.
My pre-run snack consisted of PB Puffins and a banana. Can't go wrong with that combination. I had to run on the treadmill today because the track was closed for an event--that was not fun. I like setting my own pace intuitively, not by pushing buttons.
Afterward, I came home to compose an Italian-inspired dip. Using the MB, I combined white beans, spinach, oregano, garlic, and lemon juice.Those are chopped almonds on top. I think I was a bit heavy handed with the spinach in the end (shocker!), but it was still delicious. I spread it on whole wheat pita triangles.
Oh yeah, check out what my guy friend brought me today in statistics class: an apple cinnamon scone! Yeah, that's right: a guy who bakes and isn't ashamed of it. Love it. I might have to enjoy this for an afternoon snack...
I have a dining committee meeting, Bible study, and Jon and Kate Plus Eight tonight, so I better get some work done. Be back Wednesday!

The Last Hurrah

Since my last post, my life has been one big last hurrah--a final trip to the lake, plus one last (bittersweet) Whole Foods run. My time at the lake was spent celebrating my dad's Double Nickel (aka his 55th birthday) with my sisters, Ryan, and my parents. We passed the time exploring the lake and, well, just chilling together. I love weekends like that.

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.

Saturday
We 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:)
Monday
Another 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!