Lucky Day

I must be livin' right because I have experienced some fortuitous events today! I went to my 8:30 stats class this morning, as usual, and when I checked my e-mail afterward, I found an e-mail saying that my linguistics class had been cancelled for today! No class means no daily quiz either, so I was beaming at the computer screen when I opened that message.

As a result, I got a jump start on my day. I had volunteered last week to bake some goodies for a "Chi O Study Break," and, as of last night, I was not sure when I was going to be able to make that happen. Thanks to my suddenly flexible schedule, I was able to attack the baking project right after my run. Plus, when I went to the on-campus grocery, they had all the ingredients I needed!

I think that perhaps my elevated spirits might also be due to the fact that I got the chance to bake...firing up the oven and filling the apartment with sweet smells is an instant mood-lifter:)

I have plenty to share with you today, so let's get to it:

Friday
The evening's smoothie was another new success, both in terms of taste and texture. I combined frozen strawberries and cherries with my last Nutiva hemp packet and soymilk. My pumpkin flax granola made a perfect accompaniment.
Saturday
After a much needed sleep-in session, I went for a run and returned to make an Apple Pie Parfait. I made some cheater's baked apples by thinly slicing a Rome apple, sprinkling it with cinnamon, and nuking it in the microwave for a few minutes. The other layers of the parfait were plain organic yogurt and a few scoops of bran flakes. The topping was the best part--a big dollop creamy PB. I still have a jar of crunchy PB in the fridge, but it doesn't even compare to this--I am a die hard creamy girl. How about you? Are you a crunchy or a creamy fan?
Before heading out to the music festival on campus, I made a quick but absolutely delicious lunch. I sliced up a Sunshine burger, placed it atop a bed of greens, and drizzled both with a new dressing I whipped up: dijon mustard, vegan mayo, lemon juice, agave nectar, and dill weed. I practically licked the bowl. On the side, I had some crackers and a few grapes.
I came back later to change quickly before the "Western event" I mentioned in my last post. Dinner was another quick one; I combined black beans, bell peppers, cumin, and chili powder, rolled the mixture into pita halves (makeshift tortillas), and topped with salsa and guacamole. I also had some pineapple.
Amongst the many fun activities of the evening (hay rides, dancing, etc.), there was also a s'mores table. My friends and I roasted marshmallows at the bonfire to make the perfect dessert sammie. I am not normally a fan of marshmallow, but the chocolate and graham cracker made up for it:)
Sunday
I woke up hungry yesterday morning, and the air was crisp with the beginnings of fall, so I decided a bowl of pumpkin bread oats was in order. I combined oats, water, pumpkin, and ginger in a pot on the stove, and once they were cooked, I added chopped almonds, cinnamon, and raisins. My mom's legendary pumpkin bread recipe also includes cloves, nutmeg, and allspice, but I don't have that extensive of a spice cabinet (yet!). This was so good and so comforting.
After church, I came home to start lunch for my study buddy and me. I decided on vegan chili for the midday menu. Into the pot went onions, diced tomatoes, black beans, corn, Boca crumbles, cumin, ground red pepper, garlic salt, and chili powder. I also put some grapes on the table for munching. My guest said he liked it...I hope he wasn't just being nice! Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I filled my afternoon with studying/chatting, Skyping with my friend (who is abroad in Madrid), and uploading Facebook pics. Entirely unproductive. Anyway, time got away from me, so I needed another quick dinner before my meeting last night: Italian herb encrusted tofu (grilled on good ol' Georgie), couscous, zucchini, and a sliced apple with PB. Yummy.
The smoothie of the evening incorporated a recent splurge item of mine: frozen blueberries. My grocery bill was looking to be pretty moderate this week, so I decided that some tasty berries wouldn't hurt. I combined them with strawberries, vanilla hemp, and soymilk. Delish.
Monday
I had a simple but tasty morning meal today: toast with mashed banana combined with Sunbutter, plus the last of my cottage cheese. This was such simple breakfast that I actually got to class early today. Sweet.
Since I didn't have my second class today, I actually didn't need a pre-run snack, although I ate it on the way back from the gym. Whole Foods brand Cheerios with dried cranberries.
I came back and made a batch of my mom's famous graham cracker brownies, which has quite possibly the shortest ingredients list of any baked good: graham crackers, chocolate chips, and sweetened condensed milk. Hardly healthful or vegan, but they always get rave reviews. I wonder if they make sweetened condensed soymilk?
Lunch this afternoon was leftovers: I heated up the rest of yesterday's chili and poured it over a baked sweet potato. (I promise there IS a sweet potato underneath all that chili!) A salad with cashews and some grapes finished it off.
Whew! I will leave you with a few pictures from my weekend. Pardon my large, nasty tongue:)

Summer Essentials

I spent most of today shopping for summer essentials with my mom. After finally unpacking all of my clothing from school, I realized that I had no white sandals! Considering how many sundresses I wear during the summertime, I decided that I needed to go shoe shopping; as anyone who knows me can attest, shoe shopping is one of my favorite activities! I found some at Aldo for a reasonable price. Afterward, we headed to The Gap, where I was delighted to discover that I can wear their pants!

I plan on wearing my purchases to a bridal shower tomorrow. Friends of the groom have planned a little shindig for my sister (the bride) tomorrow in Fairhope, AL. Fairhope is about 4 hours from Birmingham, so my other sister, my mom, and I are getting up at 6:30 tomorrow to drive down there. The shower is a luncheon, plus there is a barbecue later that evening. I'll bring my camera, but I doubt I'll be able to sneak pictures. I am not anticipating many vegetarian options; the groom's whole family seems to think I am crazy for eschewing animal products. Guess that means I'll have to bring some of my own grub. Introvert that I am, I am a little anxious about the whole day. Mingling with a room full of strangers is not exactly my cup of tea...Luckily, I think I'll have tomorrow afternoon (between the two events) to exercise and recharge my social battery:)

My meals have been full of summer essentials lately as well. Lots of smoothies, picnic food, and fresh produce--love it!

Wednesday
Wednesday's evening shake was a chocolate-peanut butter swirl. Chocolate Spirutein, peanut butter, and nonfat plain yogurt made this tasty treat. For garnish I used this stuff called PB2, which is basically peanut powder. It's supposed to be a peanut butter alternative; you add water to "reconstitute" it. Obviously, nothing could ever replace the real thing for me, so I just use for decoration and extra flavor in my shakes.

Thursday

As recommended by Romina, I used up one of my many wraps by spreading it with nut butter and banana, then popping it in the oven for a few minutes. This breakfast pizza featured TJ's almond butter, a multigrain flatbread from Target, and a sliced banana. This was delicious! The almond butter got all bubbly and the flatbread was perfectly crispy. It doesn't look very pretty, but it sure hit the spot.

Lunch yesterday consisted of picnic foods. I heated up the last of those never-ending baked beans, and I rolled up a Smart Dog in a small whole wheat tortilla with ketchup and mustard (thanks for the idea, lighterportions!). I also had an apple and a side salad.
For dinner I made a green burger wrap using mashed avocado, a cut up Boca burger, and spinach. In addition to the orange, I also had a side salad and lots of sugar snap peas. Sorry for all my bad close ups--when I make wraps, I should really cut it in half and show you a cross section.
Last night, I broke from chocolate routine and made a vanilla-spice shake. I used this time in combination with Herbateinnonfat plain yogurt, agave nectar, cinnamon, and a sprinkling of Nature's Path Pumpkin Flax Granola. I got this granola on a whim at Sam's Club last week (two pack), without ever trying it. Fortunately, I love it! There are visible pepitas and flax seeds throughout, both of which are so healthful!

Friday

I liked that granola so much last night, that I decided to have some for breakfast. I also made a big smoothie with frozen berries and orange juice. I added a few ice cubes, which turned out to be a mistake. Plus, I think I like it better when I use almond milk or no juice at all--the orange kinda threw off my taste buds.

Today's lunch was another wrap, using the other Wildwood Tofu Burger (cut up) with some steamed squash. I also had some almonds and an orange.
Since we're leaving for the weekend, I didn't want to open up another can of beans or another block of tofu for dinner tonight. Instead, I relied on the freezer and found some Quorn Naked Cutlets. In continuing my effort to use up all these tortillas, I made fajitas. I sauteed a green bell pepper with chili powder and garlic and added a cut up cutlet. Mashed avocado and salsa made for the perfect condiments. Although they are not pictured, I also had a side salad and another smoothie (raspberries+almond milk).
Whew! My posts are getting longer these days. Next post might be a little skimpier due to my weekend commitments, so you'll get a reprieve from my epic blabbering. Enjoy your weekend!