Five o'clock Countdown

Many people spend their days anxiously awaiting the stroke of five; some can't wait to bolt out of the office, while others are waiting for happy hour to arrive. Not me. I get excited for 5:00 because that's when the UPS man makes his rounds on central campus. Sweet.

The past few days have included several deliveries, both expected and unexpected. First up, a package from Mom:
Magazines (including my first Clean Eating issue as a subscriber!), kitchen gadgets, and cookbooks I couldn't squish into my suitcase last month.
A Foodbuzz package:
True Delight bars--can't wait to sample and review these! Chocolate? Coconut? Yes, please.

A mystery package from none other than VeggieGirl (I apologize for the crap-tastic picture):
HOLY PEANUT BUTTER! I was so excited to open up this package! As I mentioned a few posts back, I have had the hardest time locating Peanut Butter & Co. products here in Durham. VeggieGirl came to the rescue with several jars of PB, plus a container of PB pretzels. I have never tried the Smooth Operator or White Chocolate Wonderful, so I am completely stoked to try those out...decadent oatmeal toppings, anyone? I guess this also resolves my nut butter dearth too:)

I also received a package with several varieties of Spirutein that I had ordered last week...no picture, but you'll see them soon enough!

Aside from opening all my foodie parcels, I've been cookin' and chompin' too. Here are the goods:

Wednesday
I just had a small window between class and my tutoring sessions, so I made a quick sammie using Lindsay's Spicy Chickpea Spread. I also had an apple and salad with Goddess dressing.
In celebration of being reunited with my beloved ED&BV cookbook, I made my fave dish evah: Cashew Ginger Tofu. On the side, I had couscous, steamed asparagus and mushrooms, and a dish of sliced peaches.
The smoothie was pretty old-school: strawberry banana with Nutribody and soymilk.
Thursday
My usual 8:30 class was cancelled yesterday, so I seized the opportunity to get more than 6 hours of sleep (yay!) and make a leisurely breakfast. I like the asparagus/'shroom combo so much that I included it in my scrambled tofu. I also had a Rudi's English muffin and a blood orange.
For lunch yesterday, I used up some leftover black beans in a good ol' burrito with spinach, salsa, and mashed avocado. I also had a salad and a mixture of pineapple and mango.
Last night was pasta night for me. I combined whole wheat angel hair with chickpeas, fresh tomatoes, garlic, shredded mozzarella, basil, and oregano. On the side, I had a salad with Woodstock dressing.
The shake choice was obvious: I used my pistachio-esque Nutty Berry Burst Spirutein and combined it with strawberries, banana, and soymilk. So fluffy and delicious.
Friday
I often draw inspiration for my shake concoctions from Girl Scout Cookie flavors (Thin Mint, Tagalong, Samoas, etc.), and today I thought, "Why not make Samoas oatmeal?" So I did: oats, cocoa powder, coconut, rice milk, and almonds made for quite the decadent morning meal. I wish I had some coconut extract to make the oats more coconut-y throughout, rather than just on top. Oh yeah, I had some strawberries on the side for a bit of fruit.
I made my weekly trek to Whole Foods today:
I returned for a quick lunch before more tutoring sessions. Black beans, corn, chili powder, Texas Pete, salsa, and mashed avocado went atop a bed of greens for a Tex-Mex salad. I also had a big honkin' apple.
As I type this post, I am enjoying some of my new PB: plain yogurt with cinnamon and stevia, raisins, and Mighty Maple PB. Perfection. Thanks SO much, VeggieGirl!

Before I peace out for the ChiO crush party tonight, I wanted to ask your opinion on savory oats. I've always been intrigued by them in fellow bloggers' posts, I've been too much of a wimp to actually try them myself. Have you tried them? What's your favorite way to prepare them?

Be back soon--Happy Friday!

Oh, Puffy Coat, How I Miss Thee

During my freshman year, I participated in the Duke tradition of tenting, so I purchased the very necessary "puffy coat." It was big, red, and served its purpose fabulously. I decided not to bring it to school this year for several reasons: 1) It would have required a suitcase of its own...something I am unwilling to furnish considering the baggage fees that are now in effect. 2) It made me resemble a toasty marshmallow that had been aflame a tad too long. 3) I simply didn't think I needed it this winter. Well, it turns out number three was FALSE. Weather.com informed me that it felt like 6* this morning at 9AM. I managed to survive my errands today with some clever layering, but that puffy coat would have been way more convenient. Sigh. Live and learn. How do you keep warm in the dregs of winter?

I've been enjoying plenty of hot eats the past few days to keep me warm as well:

Wednesday
After I signed off last time, I made a simple lunch: Better Bunny Salad (recipe from Rudi's) atop a bed of greens, and a few mini tomato-basil hummus sandwiches.
I went over to a friend's dorm room to watch the Duke-GA Tech game on TV and to hang out with buds. While there, we ordered from Cinelli's. I ordered the Penne Cinelli, which features white beans and escarole. Delish.
Once home, I made a creamy strawberry-peach shake with Nutribody protein, soymilk, and vanilla non-dairy ice cream. Heaven!
Thursday
With plentiful bananas on hand, I decided to make banana fingers for breakfast: bananas dipped in plain yogurt (with cinnamon) and rolled in crushed spelt flakes. That's almond butter in the center for dipping.
Lunch was an old but simple fave: a black bean burrito. Mine included salsa, mashed avocado, and little lettuce for crunch. I also had a salad and a few clementines.
Just before heading out to a church group meeting, I made an Italian-inspired menu: pan seared tofu (seasoned with garlic, basil, and oregano), tomatoes with squash, salad with Woodstock dressing, whole wheat couscous, and a dish of grapes. Yes, I ate the whole thing.
My frozen fruit supply was running low, so I made an odd smoothie last night out of cherries, pineapple, soymilk, Nutribody, and soymilk. It turned out quite sweet and delicious.
Friday
I needed something hot for my morning meal today, so I made a quick tofu scramble with broccoli and the other usual ingredients. I served it alongside a Rudi's English muffin and some more grapes.
I trekked all the way to Whole Foods, amidst the single digit temperatures, and returned with some good loot:
Highlights include a new flavor of Cascadian Farms granola and...a White Chocolate Macadamia Clif bar! There is no joy like that derived from a new Clif bar.

Afterward, I made lunch: baked potato topped with black beans, salsa, and mashed avocado, plus a salad and clementines.
Dinner this evening was another hot one: grilled hummus/mozzarella sammie with sugar snap peas, an apple, and a salad with Goddess dressing.
What are your favorite warm-up foods? I am always in search of new dishes to keep my body toasty:)

Enjoy your weekend! Stay tuned for product reviews on Sunday...