Healthy Habits: The Wonders of Wheat Germ

I know, I know. I realize that I seem like the quintessential health nut, extolling the virtues of wheat germ. However, that is not going to stop me from devoting a feature post to one of my most favorite ingredients. Read on to find out its myriad benefits.

A two tablespoon serving of wheat germ provides 50 kcalories, 1 gram of fat, and 4 grams of protein. In addition, you'll get hefty doses of vitamin E (a powerful antioxidant), folic acid (necessary for preventing birth defects), zinc (crucial to a healthy immune system), plus magnesium, thiamin, and phosphorous. Not a bad deal, if you ask me.

Kretschmer is my brand of choice, the one that comes in a glass jar with a red label. The company also produces a honey-toasted variety, which is equally delectable, although not as versatile in recipes. The nutritional stats are very similar. Something to note if/when you buy this miracle food: store it in the refrigerator. The germ of the wheat plant contains essential oils that may go rancid if kept at room temperature for too long. Play it safe and stash it in the fridge.

I use wheat germ in multiple ways (as evidenced by its large number of tags in the right-hand column of this page); some are sweet, while others are savory. Most often, I use wheat germ as a healthier and less sugared alternative to granola; it provides a similar crunch and texture element. Try it mixed into yogurt (especially with pumpkin!--see below), sprinkled atop an evening smoothie, or poured over fresh or frozen fruit. Also, wheat germ makes a lovely complement to chopped nuts in any of the aforementioned snacks, so get chompin'.
In addition to snacking, wheat germ can play a starring role in your breakfast routine. It makes the perfect addition to hot oats, cold cereal, or overnight oatmeal. Consider pairing it with ground flax for a nutritional superstar duo.
I've experimented with wheat germ in baked goods as well. (Yes, I realize that these bran muffin tops look like hamburger patties).
If you're looking for a more savory way to enjoy wheat germ, try using it as a breading. One of my favorite it methods is to dredge pieces of tofu in a wheat germ-spiced mixture. Make sure the tofu is wet when you do this, otherwise consider using dijon mustard as a "sticking" agent. Bake them in the oven until slightly browned, and you've got a toasty batch of "tofu sticks" or "tofu fingers." For mock-fish sticks, include some kelp granules in the spice mixture; for mock-chicken fingers, use the dijon mustard method mentioned above. These sticks/fingers clearly are meant to be dipped, so feel free to use your favorite sauce as an accompaniment. My personal favorite is the Peanut Passion Sauce from ED&BV.
A final random (although tasty!) way to incorporate wheat germ into your diet is to use it as a salad topper. As a lover of all things crunchy, I like to add a little texture to my salads with the addition of nuts, soynuts, ...or wheat germ! I recommend pairing it with a sweet dressing, such as a berry-based concoction.
The possibilities for wheat germ dishes are limitless. For more ideas, check out Kretschmer's website.

Thanksgiving Is When?!

Somehow, in my clearly defunct mental calendar, I was under the impression that Thanksgiving was three weeks from yesterday, not two. I came to the realization yesterday when I turned a few pages ahead in my beloved red polka dot planner, only to discover the true proximity of Turkey Day. While I am excited to be able to go home (I leave a week from Monday!), my little discovery also means that I have a lot of work to do before then! Nobody likes a cranky dinner guest--which is exactly what I would be if I have work to do over the break. Wish me luck as I set forth on my quest for conscientiousness in the upcoming week!

Other updates in my life:
- I can run again! I was able to complete an easy 2.7 miles today without any pain! Hallelujah!
- My semi-formal is coming up next weekend, an event for which I have mixed emotions. On the one hand, I am really excited, as it will be my first time to actually bring a date to a sorority function (I know, pathetic). On the other hand, I am a little nervous--I don't know what to expect, and I *really* want it to go well. Remind me to show you pics of the dress, etc. in the upcoming week.
- One last thing is that I am done with tutoring sessions for the semester! While I enjoy helping students with their writing (and the $$), it requires a lot of time and patience! I will now have *a little* more time to spend on the activities I love--like eating!

Sorry for the long intro--I have been doing work all evening (lame!), so I am thoroughly enjoying my little study break. Here's the grub:

Wednesday
The smoothie of the evening featured Nutribody Protein again. I think I'll give my seal of approval to this stuff--it tasted great when combined with pineapple and soymilk. Love that ginger granola on top.
Thursday
I woke up yesterday knowing that I wanted something quick and hot...so multigrain hot cereal it was! Unfortunately, this ended up being a bummer of a breakfast. The cereal boiled over in the microwave, so I had to clean up sticky rice milk before I could attempt to eat breakfast. The cereal was kinda chewy and not very voluminous; I made do by adding almond butter and dried cranberries. I had an apple on the side.
Before heading out to a tutoring appointment, I took advantage of a little extra time to make a nice meal. I combined some chickpeas with yellow squash, red onion, and cumin and served it alongside couscous, salad with Woodstock dressing, and a pear.
Thursday nights are RUF night, so I relied on the freezer for inspiration again. I made a Bistro wrap by chopping up an Amy's Bistro Burger and combining with lettuce, sundried tomatoes, olives, basil vegan mayo (I added the basil), and wrapping it all up in an Italian herb flatbread. On the side I had a salad, snap peas, and peaches.
Rememeber by love affair with Spirutein last summer? Well, I have become re-enamored of it recently. I ordered a few packets on an impulse when I was restocking my stevia supply. Last night, I busted out the S'mores flavor; I combined it with two frozen bananas, soymilk, and a little cocoa powder on top. SO GOOD. It kinda makes me want to try stuffing a banana in a s'more one of these days...
Friday
After a refreshing run this morning, I returned to the apartment and made another strawberry-banana parfait! This one had strawberry yogurt, sliced banana, bran flakes, and chopped almonds. Yum.
Following a grueling, rainy trek to Whole Foods, I ate a lightning fast lunch before running out the door to tutoring. I dumped some leftover chickpeas on a salad and added a few soynuts for crunch, on the side I had an apple with PB and a handful of crackers.
I had grandiose plans of making a "meat"loaf of some kind this evening, but work kept me tethered to my desk until I realized my stomach was growling. The idea for sloppy joes suddenly came to me...so that's what I made. Boca crumbles with tomato sauce, mustard, garlic, and agave nectar made for a delicious combination. Plopped on some well-done toast, it was just what I needed! On the side, I had some squash with dill and peaches with chopped pecans and cinnamon.
Another monster post comes to a close. Good night.