A Little Less Wimpy

I woke up this morning to gray, rainy skies and a temperature gauge that read 47*. Boo. What happened to our summer-like weather? I am quite the wimp when it comes to running in unpleasant weather; I much prefer the constancy of the treadmill. However, I have no treadmill at home, and I really needed to run today. I had opted for alternative (indoor) forms of exercise for the past two days--and I have my 5k tomorrow! So, to avoid being completely unprepared for my first race, I put my big girl pants on--I ran in the nasty weather. My experience ended up being relatively successful: I survived the chilly drizzle of rain and returned home with a feeling of accomplishment. What about you? Are you more of an indoor or outdoor exerciser?

I have been thoroughly enjoying the leisure of spring break by trying some new combinations in the kitchen. Take a looksie:

Wednesday
I ended the day with a favorite Spirutein flavor: Nutty Berry Burst. As I've mentioned before, this variety has a flavor pleasantly reminiscent of pistachios. Anyway, this rendition included strawberries, non-dairy vanilla ice cream, and soymilk, topped with a little PB2 and cashew granola. Fab-yoo-lus.
Thursday
Remember when I re-purposed my French toast batter as a pudding? Well, I've been at it again, but this time I mixed it into my morning oat bran. Once I had prepared the tofu-banana mixture and cooked the oat bran, I combined the two and blended them with my hand blender. The end result was a silky smooth bowl of goodness. I topped the oat bran with wheat germ and Sunbutter.
After an intense day of shopping, I returned home famished. I quickly made a batch of Better Bunny Salad (which I have also made here, here and here) using pineapple, currants, walnuts, carrots, and vegan mayo. I served it atop a bed of greens; I also toasted up a new kind of bagel that I found at SuperTarget. Cherry and pomegranates, in the same item? In a bread item, no less? Clearly, I was destined to try this product. One drawback: as I was waiting for my bagel to toast, I noticed that the ingredients list includes sucralose (aka Splenda).
In response to a recent craving for muffins, I decided to make a batch yesterday afternoon. I drew inspiration from my all time fave cereal, GoLean. Whole wheat flour, bananas, applesauce, almond milk, and agave nectar made for some delicious vegan treats. I am thinking a muffin parfait is in my future...
For dinner, I made yet another recipe from Totally Vegetarian, the Pumpkin Bulgur Chili. I know, this sounds like another odd use for pumpkin, but it has proved to be quite the versatile ingredient this week. This thick stew turned out delicious! I had never used bulgur before, but I now know that its texture is eerily similar to ground beef when incorporated into soup. Anyway, other main ingredients of the chili include red beans and toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds). I went back for seconds on this one!
The smoothie last night featured perhaps my second favorite fruit for blended concoctions, cherries. I combined cherry Spirutein, cherries, soymilk, and cashew ginger granola.
Friday
Clearly, after my nippy run this morning, all I wanted for breakfast was a big bowl of warmth. One of Katie's recent posts reminded me of the wonders of her oatmeal creations, so I decided I would make a pumpkin variation of her Oatmeal Raisin Pudding. I made this once before, and it was total heaven then, just as it was this morning. I topped it with walnuts and currants and served it with a bowl of strawberries and peaches.
I spent the day shopping for various kitchen items with Mom, which as you all know, is one of my favorite pastimes. I swear, I really am 21, not 85. Anyway, when we returned home, I made myself a piping hot curry dish with red beans, red onion, tomatoes, garam masala, curry powder, cumin, paprika, and turmeric. I soaked it up with an Ezekiel pita and served it alongside an apple and a salad with Ginger Miso Dressing. My sister Lea has been obsessing over this dressing for months, and I couldn't find it until just recently. It tastes exactly like the dressing they use at Japanese steakhouses. I really enjoyed it, but its texture is a little thick for using on salads. It has the consistency of hummus or peanut butter, making it difficult to distribute among the greens.
Regarding my last post's topic, I have decided to respond to specific questions and comments via e-mail. Otherwise, I'll leave you a note in the comments section. Just thought you'd like to know for future reference:)

Some pretty awesome giveaways are taking place in the blogosphere these days:
-Heather Eats Almond Butter is giving away coupons for Turtle Mountain products, which happen to be personal favorites. I *love* their fruit-sweetened non-dairy ice cream and their cinnamon bun soy yogurts. Enter my midnight tonight!
-If you head over to Lucky Taste Buds, you'll have the chance to win a $20 gift certificate for Mix My Granola. Were I to win or order from the site, I know for sure that my mix would include mangoes, almonds, and coconut. What would you include in your ideal mix? Enter by March 16 at 8AM.

Ta-ta for now, bloggies!

Itchin' to Run

As I mentioned a few posts back, I've recently been suffering from lower back pain (specifically in the sacroiliac joint). The pesky pain still lingers, and not only does it mean I can't wear high heels (major bummer for a shoe addict like me!), but it also means I can't run (an even bigger bummer). Fortunately, I can do low-impact exercise without any pain, so I've been making do with the elliptical trainer and stationary bike at the gym. However, it's just not the same. When was the last time you heard of an "elliptical high?" While running does have the benefits of cardio training and leg toning, I love it for the way it makes me feel. Once that last mile is completed, the sense of accomplishment simply can't be matched. *Sigh* Does anyone have any tips for treating back pain?

Oh yeah, I'm here to talk about food. Here's the scoop:

Saturday
It was another busy day on Saturday, so I planned ahead with another batch of overnight oats, this time using oats rather than the multigrain cereal. Liquid-y mess successfully avoided. This combination featured oats, rice milk, cinnamon, dried cherries, and chopped hazelnuts (a new nut for me!). I had a dish of grapes on the side. What are your favorite ways to use hazelnuts?
Once I returned from the day's events, I settled down to a long overdue lunch: scrambled tofu with zucchini, a whole wheat sandwich thin, and an apple. Hit the spot.
After getting some essential tasks done (such as blogging and posting pictures to Facebook), I finally got hungry for dinner. A can of bamboo shoots called to me from the pantry, so I made a veggie stir fry with broccoli, peppers, ginger, soy sauce, and garlic; I topped it off with some honey-roasted peanuts. I also had some whole grain couscous, salad, and plain yogurt with cranberry sauce. Holy fiber!
The smoothie of the evening featured blackberries, strawberries, soymilk, and acai hemp protein. Wow, that sounds like a hippie concoction if I've ever heard one.
Sunday
You know what Sunday morning means--stovetop oats! I made a bowl of pumpkin oats with ginger and cinnamon, topped with cashew butter and apple butter. Fall in a bowl. Yum.
After chapel and a few hours of studying, I re-fueled with a delicious tofu salad wrap. I combined silken tofu with my favorite, dill-agave-mustard-vegan mayo combo and wrapped it in a spinach flatbread. Along with it, I had a salad with chopped almonds and a dish of grapes.
My Sundays are pretty formulaic, aren't they? I had another quick hummus-based meal before chapter last night: a hummus and sun-dried tomato sandwich, green beans with chopped pecans, and a big apple.
The smoothie consisted of strawberries, raspberries (a recent Target purchase), soymilk, and berry hemp protein. I finished up the last of my pumpkin flax granola:( I'm not too sad though because I have a new variety just waiting to be busted open.
Monday
I woke up on edge today; my morning agenda included asking a boy to an upcoming semi-formal. As a result, I kept it simple with a bowl of GoLean, topped with banana and rice milk. On the side I had a basic trail mix of almonds and dried cranberries.
For lunch today, I had intended on making a tofu quiche with my remaining silken tofu. However, once I made it home and had finished chopping, I decided I was too hungry to let it bake for the required 30 minutes. Tofu hash it was! I combined tofu, spinach, red onion, tomato, Bragg's liquid aminos, and nutritional yeast for quite the delectable mish-mosh. I served it up with whole wheat toast and an apple with Sunbutter.
I had my usual dining meeting tonight, and Dunkin' Donuts brought us food, in hopes of coming to campus. The coffee and egg sandwiches held no appeal, but I just couldn't say no to the delicious pumpkin muffins. My baked good of choice probably wasn't vegan, but I simply can't resist pumpkin! Although I would like to make a meal out of baked goods, I balanced it out with a trip to the salad bar afterward. I nabbed some field greens, mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, chickpeas, and a container of honeydew. Once home, I added some Woodstock dressing to the salad. SO GOOD.
I am off to study for a midterm and listen to Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" for the ten-millionth time. Gotta love Monays. Toodles.

Too Many Distractions, Not Enough Time

Normally, I am a conscientious student who has no problem getting her work done. That description does NOT apply right now. I have a big midterm on Thursday for my "Gender and Language" class, but I have been slackin' on the study schedule for the past few days. I meant to do the bulk of my studying yesterday, but somehow time just got away from me. (Strike 1). Today, I intended to get some studying done between classes...I decided to have a tea date with a friend instead. (Strike 2). Due to a fortuitous, last-minute class cancellation, I planned on squeezing in some study time this afternoon...I planned out my spring classes instead; the schedule just became available today. (Strike 3). Rather than make another ill-fated attempt before my busy evening, I sit here typing to you. I've got priorities:)

Saturday
Weekend mornings are supposed to be relaxing, right? Wrong. I had a meeting at 11 on East campus, so I decided to head over there early to squeeze in some treadmill time. Let's just say I ended up getting out of the meeting at 12, running to the bus stop, stuffing my face with "breakfast," showering in 3 minutes flat, and running to the basketball stadium for the scrimmage. Anyway, here's what the meal looked like: mini bagel with Sunbutter, pear, and plain yogurt with pumpkin. I scarfed it down as I stepped into the shower, so I don't really remember if it tasted good.
For lunch, I decided on an old standby: Goddess Garbanzos. This was a pimped out version though because I added chopped carrot, dill, and kelp granules. I stuffed it into a pita and served it alongside a spinach salad and an apple.
I kept dinner simple too. I finally finished that box of Boca burgers so that I could get the good stuff--Amy's Bistro Burgers. Bistro patty + whole wheat bread + organic ketchup/mustard = darn tasty sandwich. I also had a salad, steamed asparagus, and a banana with cashew butter.
The vanilla hemp supply has sadly dwindled to near nothingness, so I have been experimenting with the chocolate variety. Saturday's was blueberry-flavored, with a few chocolate chips on top. Surprisingly delicious.
Sunday
Yesterday morning, I decided on making a "harvest pie fusion"...in a bowl of oats. Pumpkin, oats, ginger, cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecans made for quite the breakfast treat. No need to decide between pumpkin and pecan pie, when you can have both in your oatmeal for breakfast!
In an effort to use up some things in the fridge before the start of a new week, I made hash for lunch yesterday: spinach, red onion, garlic, silken tofu, nutritional yeast flakes, plus a few spices I don't remember. On the side I had toast and an apple with cashew butter.
Dinner was prepared and consumed in about 10 minutes. (Pesky chapter meetings...) As a result, it was rather uninspired: hummus and pita, salad with soynuts, and broccoli. When I got home I had a banana with Sunbutter too.
The shake last night was another choco-berry experiment that turned out scrumptious. Strawberries, cherries, chocolate hemp, and soymilk made for a tasty evening snack. I randomly added wheat germ on top for texture.
Monday
Another typical, rushed Monday morning. Cheerios with rice milk and dried cranberries, plus an apple with PB. Totally boring.
I remembered to buy some lentils at Whole Foods last week for the Blogger Secret Ingredient contest, (although I think it has ended now...oh well). I put those to use for lunch today. I combined lentils, garlic, spinach, ginger, cumin, and creamy tahini and served it alongside whole grain couscous and an organic pear. Delish.
As a side note, I thought I would show you some coupons that I scored at Whole Foods:
They were sticking out from the bottom shelf in the bar aisle, where the Z bars typically hang out. 50 cents off an individual bar makes them less than 20 cents each! I like that price. S'mores bar, anyone?

OK, I am off to my meetings, etc. Please send "motivation vibes" my way so that I might actually study in the near future!