Healthy Habits: Taste the Rainbow!

One of the simplest ways to ensure that you're getting adequate nutrition from the foods you eat is to reach for color. If a food boasts a vibrant hue, chances are good that it contains loads of valuable carotenoids, antioxidants, and other phytochemicals that promote overall health. In an effort to take advantage of all these nutrients (and experiment with some new foods!), I aim to include as much color in my diet as possible. As many of you know, I have chosen my oatmeal bowl as the conduit through which I may "taste the rainbow." Here are a few pictures of my kaleidoscopic breakfast adventures:

Raspberry oats with chopped almonds
Pumpkin oats with pecans, cinnamon, and ginger
Pineapple oats with coconut and cashew butter
"Amazing Grass" oats with chopped almonds
Blueberry oats with almond butter
Pomegranate oats with almond butter and wheat germ
For more information about colorful eating, click here.

"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.

Pomegranate Crime Scene

After about 2 weeks of hiding behind my wheat germ jar, the pomegranate I purchased was finally put to good use today. I have absolutely zero experience with pomegranates or their seeds, so preparing this mystery fruit made for quite the adventure. After carefully cutting off the top, I began separating the seeds from the membrane...then the chaos began. Those seeds are slippery little suckers! Let's just say that the preparation session concluded with stained counters, a purple-dotted microwave, a speckled T-shirt, and "freckles" all over my body. In short, it looked like a pomegranate homicide had taken place.

Anyway, the hummus-soynut monotony has gladly come to a close. Check out my most recent eats:

Monday
After a failed smoothie attempt using the Vega vanilla chai protein (*gasp* I actually poured it down the drain!), I settled on another strawberry cream shake: strawberries, soymilk, vanilla soy ice cream, and Nutribody protein.
Tuesday
I decided to get creative with yesterday's parfait. I combined plain yogurt (with cinnamon), sliced pear, bran flakes, currants, and almonds. Out of the ordinary and delicious.
In an effort to use up my eggplant, I made a ratatouille with tomato sauce and onions. I served it with couscous, a salad with wheat germ and sweet dill dressing, and a banana with melty PB for dessert.
For dinner, I was craving comfort food, so I heated up some of Amy's baked beans and served them alongside mac & cheeze (based off of this recipe), broccoli, and green beans.
The smoothie last night was a berry bonanza: blueberries, strawberries, soymilk, and Nutribody protein. I am in dire need of frozen fruit! Eek!
Wednesday
Another week, another Banana Bread Blender. This time, I used spelt flakes instead of bran and honey-roasted peanuts for the nut component. Banana with PB...in liquid form.
Lunch today was inspired by a recipe for Baked Bean Stew from Nubella. I omitted the chicken and made a few other adjustments. Toast points and an apple with glorious almond butter rounded everything out.
I just finished a delicious dinner: I made wagon wheel pasta with broccoli and TVP "meat sauce," and I made a killer salad out of greens, sweet dill dressing, pomegranate seeds, and pecans. Whoa.
I promised you pictures of my semi formal outfit for this Saturday:
This is my first time wearing the dress; I hope it will be right for the occasion. PS Anyone have any suggestions on how to do my hair for the evening?

Alright, I am off to do some sorority activities. Ta-ta for now.