"It's Not Unusual"...or Is It?

I had a rather "unusual" event happen today while at the gym. I was groovin' away on the treadmill listening to my iPod and simultaneously watching the Rachael Ray Show (one of my fave programs). Today was a big show in that Rachael had invited a special guest, whom she was beyond excited to host on the program: she had invited her teenage heart-throb, Tom Jones. Just as he appeared on stage, what song begins to play on my iPod? (I'll give you a hint: it's in the title of this post). What are the odds of that?!

Have you had any strange coincidences lately?

Anyway, I am getting ever closer to the end. I turned in my two papers today, and I have my final in approximately 36 hours. Based on my calculations, I can get a 78 on the exam and still pull out an A in the course. Sweet.

I've got some super-cool grub to share today:

Monday
The smoothie of the evening featured peaches, mangoes, soymilk, and Nutribody protein. Excellent.
Tuesday
Remember my past infatuation with Weetabix? It's back, but this time I've tried it in a new way: HOT! I poured some scalding rice milk over a few broken up biscuits, then added some nutmeg and agave nectar on top. So warm, so soggy, so sweet--just the way I like it. On the side I had an apple with almond butter.
For lunch, I attempted to revamp leftover lentil soup by converting it into a shepherd's pie. I cooked the lentil soup with some sliced mushrooms until it reduced down to a stew-like consistency. Then I added some garlicky mashed potatoes with dill on top. If I were more ambitious I would have actually baked it in the oven, but I was too hungry for such nonsense. On the side, I had a spinach salad with pom seeds and pecans.
Dinner was inspired by the Broccoli Cashew Teriyaki Tofu Stir-Fry from ED&BV. I used peanuts instead of cashews and changed up the vegetables according to what I had on hand. It was delicious, of course; Dreena never lets me down. I served it alongside some whole grain couscous and an orange.
The shake of the evening was one of my favorite combinations: frozen banana, strawberries, soymilk, chocolate brown rice protein, and special dark cocoa.
Wednesday
I woke up famished today! To fill the void, I decided a protein-y breakfast was best. Scrambled tofu to the rescue! This version featured tahini, soy sauce, ginger, mushrooms, and red onion. I had some toast on the side to soak up the scrambled goodness as well as a sliced apple.
After some intense stat calculation, I broke for a simple lunch. I had a baked potato along with some of Imagine's broccoli soup. I also had some carrots with salsa (a la K) and peaches with pecans and cinnamon. I ended up spooning some of the soup on top of the potato, which ended up being quite a delicious idea.
Hummus pizza was on the menu tonight. I split a pita and smeared each half with a good dose of hummus, then topped them with mushrooms, tomato, basil, oregano, and a few tablespoons of pine nuts. Everything got nice and toasty in the oven. On the side, I had a spinach salad with pom seeds and my homemade lemony sweet dill dressing.
Before I go, I have a quick question for you all: What's your favorite time of day to exercise? My roommate and I discuss this topic a lot, weighing the pros and cons of morning versus evening. I am a morning gal myself, but I was just curious as to what your preferences were and why.

Next time I post, I will be HOME!

Toodles.

Becoming Vegan: to Be or Not to Be?

I have been flying through the pages of Marion Nestle's What to Eat (much faster than I did for Hamlet), and I just finished reading the sections discussing dairy. While she does not even mention veganism in these sections, what she reveals about the dairy industry has gotten me thinking. Apparently, some of the claims that the Dairy Council makes about the alleged benefits of milk, cheese, and yogurt are nothing more than marketing ploys. Nestle also mentions that it is indeed possible to get adequate calcium and protein from alternative sources; dairy is not essential. Furthermore, conventional dairy farms feed and inject their cows with multiple hormones and antibiotics that I would rather not ingest. All this is probably old news to you vegans out there, but it has led me to this: either I should consume only organic dairy or none at all.

I have toyed with the idea of veganism for the past few months (as demonstrated by my "vegan lunch" goal), but there are a few factors to consider: 1) It would be near impossible to thrive off of campus options; all vegetarian options here include cheese. 2) It could potentially increase my food bills even further. (Correct me if I'm wrong). 3) I have a history of anorexia (~4 years ago), and cutting out another food group might not be the best idea for my health in general or for my bones. Any advice on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

OK, now that I got that off my chest, I can get to the fun stuff.

Tuesday

Last night for dinner, I attempted a pseudo-BLT with nothing other than tempeh (I gotta use this stuff up!). I don't happen to have any liquid smoke lying around, so my "bacon" was merely tempeh cooked in some Bragg's and chili powder. This rather tall sandwich also included some spinach, cherry tomatoes, and a dose of mustard. Salad and an apricot-mango yogurt completed the meal.

One of my splurge items from Monday's trip to Whole Foods was some Soy Delicious in espresso flavor. I had tried the "black leopard" flavor before for a VegFamily review and enjoyed it, so I decided to give another variety a taste. I enjoyed it last night with some dark chocolate chunks (70% cacao), and it was delectable! I was tempted to lick the bowl. I especially like that it is fruit-sweetened:)

Wednesday

I have officially broken out of my smoothie rut! This morning's flavor was strawberry banana: frozen banana, fresh strawberries, and some almond milk. I had some raw almonds on the side.

Lunch was eaten on the run today--I just had a few minutes between class and tutoring appointments. I had some Justin's Natural PB (in a cute little packet!) on Ak-maks, peaches with cinnamon and wheat germ, and some raw veggies. So tasty!

And finally, my afternoon snack for today, which I am enjoying as I type. It's a "flavor bowl" with plain nonfat yogurt, pumpkin with cinnamon, and some Nature's Path granola.

I will leave you with a picture of my oh-so-attractive ankle brace...