The Guilty Nods

Have you ever been so tired that you catch yourself nodding off in unexpected and slightly inappropriate places? I have found myself snoozing everywhere from the hair stylist's chair to the theater. Today, I also found myself nodding off in one of my classes. My busy week is at last taking its toll on my energy levels. Anyway, I experience a great amount of guilt when these unfortunate naps occur--it's not that I am bored, I'm just sleep-deprived! Fortunately, I don't think my professor noticed, but I still wonder if she noticed my "lack of engagement" in class discussion...

Well, I better get started on this post so that I can sneak in a little nap before my next class...

Saturday
I woke up to a chilly morning, but I had no time for oatmeal. Hence, I heated up some rice milk and poured over some regular cold cereal (Autumn Wheat). I also had a banana with almond butter on one of my new (and pretty fabulous) red plates.
I had to eat lunch quickly before heading off to more sorority activities. I heated up half a can of Amy's Light in Sodium Lentil Vegetable Soup (on sale at WF for $2). I also had some crackers, a salad with Woodstock dressing, and an apple.
Dinner was another odd conglomeration of portable foodstuffs. I made a snack mix out of GoLean, pumpkin seeds, and soynuts, and I also packed a few clementines plus a chocolate mint Jocolat bar. That's my fancy frock for the evening--amazingly, I still into this dress from high school.
I had enough time for a smoothie on Saturday. You may have noticed that I skipped a few evenings of smoothie time--I figured my neighbors would not appreciate the whir of my blender at 3AM! Anyway, this one featured pineapple, soymilk, Nutribody protein, and ginger zing granola. Oh smoothies, how I missed you.
Sunday
Before heading off to the last bit of sisterly bonding, I made a quick parfait out of plain yogurt (mixed with nutmeg and cinnamon), applesauce, Fiber One, and honey-roasted peanuts.
Lunch was another last-minute affair in which I was too hungry to think of anything creative...so I just heated up the rest of my soup and ate it with pita, salad with Goddess dressing, and a clementine.
I spent the evening doing all the reading I had neglected for the past week (great way to start off the semester, no?). I finally got hungry though, so I heated up an Amy's Texas Burger, plopped it on some bread with salsa, and dug in. On the side, I had some squash with onions as well as some Greek yogurt with peaches.
The shake of the night was another chocolate-covered strawberry concoction with chocolate rice protein, strawberries, soymilk, special dark cocoa powder, and dairy-free chocolate chips. Mmm.
Monday
Now with a more fully stocked fridge and pantry, I was able to make something besides cereal or oatmeal this morning. I busted out my new Rudi's English muffins with glee. After smearing them with PB, I sliced some bananas for the top and placed it under the broiler for crispiness. I also had some Greek yogurt with cinnamon.
Even though it's rather chilly outside, I am in the mood for a big, creative salad. What's your favorite salad combination? What components do you favor the most when creating entree salads? Looking forward to your responses!

Ciao for now.

Gimme Some Mo' Cocoa

As promised, today I present you with a few product reviews. I've noticed that the new products I've been trying over the past few weeks have a common ingredient...cocoa! There's just something about that intense bittersweet flavor that keeps me comin' back for mo'. Most recently, I've been satisfying the craving with Jocolat bars, Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips, and Living Harvest Chocolate Chili Hemp Protein.

Jocolat
Put simply, the people at the Larabar HQ are geniuses. Every product I have tried has been truly delectable, and the chocolate Jocalat bar was no exception. The flavor was nothing but deep, rich, (dare I say it?) fudginess.

I am reluctant to use such phrasing because I find it hard to believe given the list of ingredients. Larabar has created a name for itself on the fact that its products feature short but sweet ingredients lists, usually consisting of no more than dried fruit and nuts. The Jocolat varieties include a few more ingredients to get that brownie-like taste, but the list is still impressively simple. The chocolate bar that I tried included dates for that luscious sweetness, plus organic almonds, walnuts, cocoa powder, cocoa mass, and cashews.

While many choose Larabars for convenient on-the-go or on-the-job snacks, I enjoyed mine within the comfort of my own home and washed it down with a glass of chilled almond milk. Perhaps eating the Jocolat bar this way enhanced its brownie-ness; I siezed the opportunity to relax with a healthy indulgence.
Healthy indulgence? Isn't that an oxymoron? Not this time. The chocolate Jocolat bar contains 190 kcalories and 10 grams of fat, only 2 of which are saturated. The fats in this bar are derived from all those heart-healthy nuts in the ingredients--there is no need to feel guilty about the fat content on this bar. Additionally, there are 5 grams of protein and a whopping 5 grams of fiber, a combination that will assuredly keep you satisfied for a while. The 18 grams of sugar present in the bar is a bit high, but the sugar content comes not from added sugars but from a natural and whole ingredient: dates.

Other nutritional benefits include 10% RDA for iron, 8% RDA for magnesium, plus 3 grams of Omega-6 fatty acids, and each bar counts as one fruit serving. I can't wait to try some of the other flavors!!
Other flavors currently available include chocolate orange, chocolate cherry, chocolate mint, chocolate coffee, and chocolate hazelnut. What are your favorites?

Warning: Jocolate bars can be pricey--at Whole Foods they cost upwards of $1.79.

Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
In case you haven't noticed, I like to make shakes...a lot. A few weeks ago I was in search of the perfect Choco-nana shake topper when I stumbled upon these chocolate chips. As the package proudly proclaims, they are dairy, soy, and gluten free, making them perfect for allergy sufferers and vegans alike.
I was immediately struck by the short ingredients list: evaporated cane juice, chocolate liquor, and non-dairy cocoa butter. Sounds like a good combination to me. These chips are actually miniature chocolate chips, and each tiny piece packs intense cocoa flavor. They have made a great addition to my evening shake indulgences, but you could also include them in your favorite chocolate chip cookies or mix them into a trail mix.

Each serving contains 75 kcalories, 5 grams of fat (3 gram saturated), and 7 grams of sugar. The saturated fat is a bit high, but the likelihood of my eating multiple servings in one sitting is low, so I think it's alright to live a little:)
Each 10 oz. bag costs just $1.99 at Whole Foods, much lower than other brands that charge as much $4.39.

Living Harvest Chocolate Chili Hemp Protein
Thanks to a recommendation from a certain VeggieGirl, I have a new recent obsession: Living Harvest Hemp Protein. I use this powder in my blender concoctions almost every night. Its taste and nutritional profile are nearly impossible to match.

It wasn't until recently that I got a chance to try the chocolate chili flavor; I had formerly been a devoted vanilla spice fan. All it took was one rendezvous with a frozen banana, and I was hooked on this flavor too. The chili flavor is almost indetectable except for a slight kick in the background; the most prominent component of the taste is cocoa by far.

Yet another pleasantly brief ingredients list for this product: Hemp Protein (100% Organic Hemp Seed), Organic Unrefined Whole Cane Sugar, Organic Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Pure Ground Vanilla Bean and Organic Chilies.

A generous 4 tablespoon serving provides 130 kcalories, 3.5 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein, and a surprising 9 grams of dietary fiber. The sugar content remains low at 6 grams, despite the fact that there are no artificial sweeteners present. Love it!

You can purchase Living Harvest products online at their website or other e-retailers, such as iHerb.com. Some Whole Foods may also carry canisters of the chocolate chili powder.

I hope you enjoyed this second round of product reviews. Happy Sunday!

Hiding from Hanna

It's a quiet night here on campus--the effects from Hanna are supposed to roll into town tonight. According to the weather man, strong winds and lots of rain are ahead. Cross your fingers that it doesn't affect the Duke-Northwestern game tomorrow night! Anyway, we're all hiding from the storm tonight. Sounds like an ideal night for a movie...

Anyway, I've got some awesome eats to share with you this evening...

Wednesday
After I signed off last time, I made a smoothie in my new blender. I didn't mention this last time, but I discovered that it has a convenient "Smoothie" setting. Plus, it creates a lot less noise than the MB, so I feel a little less guilty about firing up a blender every night at 11:30. Some people live near noisy frat boys, some people must live near a smoothie enthusiast. Anyway, this concoction included HempShake, soymilk, frozen cherries, and pumpkin flax granola.
Thursday
Despite the arrival of my new blender buddy, I have still been using the MB. I used it yesterday morning for a quick strawberry smoothie (that's wheat germ on top). I also had a whole wheat mini bagel with Brazilnut butter. I randomly added a dash of cinnamon, and it turned out to be a great combination.
My pre-run snack was pure carby goodness: pretzel sticks and a banana. I ran well, but my quads were sore.
Lunch was another salad bar creation: mixed greens, steamed broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, cucumber, kidney beans, and sunflower seeds. Boring, I know.
I had to introduce myself to my tutoring students yesterday afternoon, so I didn't return home until later in the day--I was so hungry! I have been jonesin' for chocolate the past few days, so I tried a Jocolat bar (by Larabar). SO delish. Even better with almond milk. In a frog cup.
Last night marked the return of Cashew Ginger Tofu. I know all must be sick of seeing this stuff so often, but seriously, I think this is what they eat in heaven. I enjoyed it with couscous, salad, and more woody honeydew.
Thursday's smoothie was very similar to the previous evening's. The only difference is that I added a frozen banana to this one. It added great texture and taste--cherry + banana = ultra sweet, the way I like it. (I had a little overflow as a result of the banana addition: see cow cup).
Friday
Since Fridays are my free days, I took the opportunity to sleep in this morning (til 8:30!). My muscles were still sore, so I used the elliptical and stationary bike today rather than running on the track. It was great--I made a little headway into my magazine stack, but I'm still working on my August Self. I returned home to make a breakfast that I had planned out last night. Just before bedtime, I put a slab of tofu in a baggie with Bragg's, vinegar, and cumin and let it marinate overnight. This morning, I grilled it on my George Foreman (you can't see them but the tofu got some killer grill marks). I placed the tofu on a toasted whole wheat mini bagel along with sliced avocado and salsa. Total food fugue.
I journeyed to Whole Foods this morning and picked up some new items...including quinoa! I wanted to participate in the Secret Ingredient Challenge from Sports Nutrition Living, so I made sure to get some of this protein-rich grain. I had a few issues cooking it correctly--I do NOT recommend the microwave method! The charred cooking container is now in the trash can, and my kitchen smells like burnt popcorn. I finally achieved success, however, and I mixed the red quinoa with lentils, mushrooms, garlic, basil, oregano, and red wine vinegar. Salad, almonds, and an organic nectarine rounded it all out. (PS I always buy organic nectarines because they are one of the "dirty dozen," meaning they easily retain pesticide residue).
After a last minute Kroger run, my roommate (her name is Kristen for future reference) and I returned to the apartment not feeling up to cooking much. I finally got the motivation to heat up some tomato soup and make a grilled hummus sandwich. I added ground red pepper to the sandwich before I put it on the grill. It ended up being a great sandwich--the onion, pepper, and tomato had a little party in my mouth when I dipped it into my soup. On the side I had haricot verts and plain yogurt with cashews and cinnamon.
I am off to watch a movie. Stay safe from the storm!