The Guilty Nods

Have you ever been so tired that you catch yourself nodding off in unexpected and slightly inappropriate places? I have found myself snoozing everywhere from the hair stylist's chair to the theater. Today, I also found myself nodding off in one of my classes. My busy week is at last taking its toll on my energy levels. Anyway, I experience a great amount of guilt when these unfortunate naps occur--it's not that I am bored, I'm just sleep-deprived! Fortunately, I don't think my professor noticed, but I still wonder if she noticed my "lack of engagement" in class discussion...

Well, I better get started on this post so that I can sneak in a little nap before my next class...

Saturday
I woke up to a chilly morning, but I had no time for oatmeal. Hence, I heated up some rice milk and poured over some regular cold cereal (Autumn Wheat). I also had a banana with almond butter on one of my new (and pretty fabulous) red plates.
I had to eat lunch quickly before heading off to more sorority activities. I heated up half a can of Amy's Light in Sodium Lentil Vegetable Soup (on sale at WF for $2). I also had some crackers, a salad with Woodstock dressing, and an apple.
Dinner was another odd conglomeration of portable foodstuffs. I made a snack mix out of GoLean, pumpkin seeds, and soynuts, and I also packed a few clementines plus a chocolate mint Jocolat bar. That's my fancy frock for the evening--amazingly, I still into this dress from high school.
I had enough time for a smoothie on Saturday. You may have noticed that I skipped a few evenings of smoothie time--I figured my neighbors would not appreciate the whir of my blender at 3AM! Anyway, this one featured pineapple, soymilk, Nutribody protein, and ginger zing granola. Oh smoothies, how I missed you.
Sunday
Before heading off to the last bit of sisterly bonding, I made a quick parfait out of plain yogurt (mixed with nutmeg and cinnamon), applesauce, Fiber One, and honey-roasted peanuts.
Lunch was another last-minute affair in which I was too hungry to think of anything creative...so I just heated up the rest of my soup and ate it with pita, salad with Goddess dressing, and a clementine.
I spent the evening doing all the reading I had neglected for the past week (great way to start off the semester, no?). I finally got hungry though, so I heated up an Amy's Texas Burger, plopped it on some bread with salsa, and dug in. On the side, I had some squash with onions as well as some Greek yogurt with peaches.
The shake of the night was another chocolate-covered strawberry concoction with chocolate rice protein, strawberries, soymilk, special dark cocoa powder, and dairy-free chocolate chips. Mmm.
Monday
Now with a more fully stocked fridge and pantry, I was able to make something besides cereal or oatmeal this morning. I busted out my new Rudi's English muffins with glee. After smearing them with PB, I sliced some bananas for the top and placed it under the broiler for crispiness. I also had some Greek yogurt with cinnamon.
Even though it's rather chilly outside, I am in the mood for a big, creative salad. What's your favorite salad combination? What components do you favor the most when creating entree salads? Looking forward to your responses!

Ciao for now.

Wanted: Cheap Pantry Staples

In light of recent economic trends and the persistent need for shelf-stable items, this week's feature post will be devoted to cheap pantry staples. The following products are recent grocery store finds that have made mealtime much simpler, not to mention they have been easier on my wallet. While it always best to focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, these shelf-stable goods have pleasantly distant expiration dates. Translation: no surprise molds, slimes, fungi, or otherwise unidentifiable organisms when you go to prepare supper.

Imagine Soups
You may have seen these enticing cartons of soup lined up at the grocery store, boasting of flavors ranging from acorn squash-mango to creamy butternut squash. I was attracted to these soups due to their larger quantity included in the package (32 oz.) for a smaller price tag. With carton in hand, I soon realized that these soups are not only economical but also organic, and most varieties are vegan! Despite their deceptively non-vegan sounding names (all flavors include "creamy" in the title"), all but one flavor are animal-product free; only the Creamy Chicken Soup includes animal products. Imagine Soups use soymilk in place of cow's milk, making them quite the find for vegans in need of a dish of flavor and warmth.
I have sampled the tomato and acorn squash-mango varieties, and both were equally velvety and delicious. Most varieties contain around 20% of the RDA for sodium per serving, so be sure to balance the rest of the meal with lower-sodium accompaniments. While they are low in protein, Imagine's Garden Natural Soups contain impressive amounts of fiber (2-3 grams per cup). Specific varieties also tout significant vitamins, such as the squash-mango's 35% RDA for vitamin A.
Each 32 oz carton costs from $2-3, although my local Whole Foods in Durham frequently features a 2/$4 special. If you're interested in smaller size containers, Imagine also sells 2-serving containers. Additionally, Imagine produces stocks, broths, and a line of Bistro Bisques.
Be sure to check out Imagine's websites, which is full of recipes with innovative ways to use their soups and stocks.The moussaka below was inspired by one such recipe.
Milton's Whole Wheat Crackers
You can't have soup without crackers, right? Enter: Milton's crackers. I discovered Milton's crackers when my usual Kashi Honey Sesame crackers were out of stock at my local grocery. After a temporary moment of panic, I had the sense to look at alternative options. Milton's were on sale for $2.29, so into the cart they went. Milton's Baking produces hearty and tasty crackers with the benefits of whole grain. Each serving has a mere 1 gram of fiber, but the ingredients list is pleasantly short--always a plus in my book. These crackers were a lifesaver when I was sick a few weeks ago; they are easily digestible but provide a more healthful alternative to the traditional Saltines.
Each 14 cracker serving provides 130 kcalories, which is very comparable to the popular favorite, Kashi TLCs. Milton's produces 4 varieties of crackers: multi-grain, whole wheat, garlic & herb, and French onion. Additionally, Milton's produces gourmet crackers, bread, and frozen entrees. These crackers are excellent for dips, cheese, and soaking up delcious soups!
365 Creamy Peanut Butter
As I've mentioned before, I am devoted creamy nut butter fan. My initial back-to-school Target trip necessitated buying a jar of crunchy PB. After a few weeks of making do, I decided I could afford a $2 jar of creamy PB that would bring me far more satisfaction. The only two ingredients in this little 16 ounces of heaven are peanuts and salt. Each two tablespoon serving contains 200 kcalories and 16 grams of mostly heart healthy fat. Basically, it contains all the goodness of natural PB without a hefty price tag.

This product is shelf-stable until opened; it is best to refrigerate after opening.
365 Rice Milk
In yet another grocery store dilemma, I am faced with a dilemma: my usual Almond Breeze bears a $2.49 price tag, which is not too bad in itself, but I also buy a half-gallon of soymilk every week. My non-dairy milk consumption has become an expensive habit but a very necessary one, as their fortification ensures that I get the calcium I need. Fortunately, on the shelf just below the collection of almond milks, I spotted a $1.69 gem--365 Rice Milk. The nutritional panels vary according to flavor, but all are fully fortified, providing 300 mg calcium per 8 oz serving. The unsweetened varieties also (unsurprisingly) have significantly lower sugar contents.
I enjoy this rice milk in my cereal, fruit smoothies, and even my macaroni and cheese.
What are your favorite pantry staples? Share, comment, enjoy:)

Keepin' It Simple

In the midst of classes, meetings, and tutoring freshmen writing students, I haven't had a whole lot of free time today (hence the later post time tonight). Mondays always present such a stark contrast to my weekends; my leisurely weekends come to an abrupt end at the stroke of 7 AM on Monday. Today, for example, I found myself already running a little late to class, only to realize that I forgot a hair tie for my workout--an absolute necessity for me, since I cannot stand the sensation sweaty hair on the back of neck. Anyway, I hoof it back to the apartment (in heels, no less), grab a handful of hair ties, and arrive in class at the stroke of 8:30. The whole day has felt a little something like that.

As a result of my crazy schedule, my meals have been less involved and far from exotic--but I still thought they were tasty! What are your favorite dishes to prepare on hectic days?

Here comes the simple but yummy grub.

Saturday
When I returned from my sisterhood retreat early Saturday morning, all I wanted to do was sleep. So I did. Then I worked out and had breakfast at like 12 PM. My eating schedule was totally higgledy-piggledy all day (yes, I did just find that adjective on thesaurus.com). This brunch-ish meal consisted of GoLean with ground flax, rice milk, plus an apple. I am perfecting the art of uber thin apple slicing:)
Lunch was just an excuse to use of up leftovers: chickpeas and canned tomatoes on a bed of spinach with soynuts for crunch, plus whole wheat crackers (Milton's), sliced banana, and almond butter. I think my favorite part of the meal was the simple stuff--the crackers and banana with AB.
The evening chowfest was yet another lazy attempt at meal preparation: a Boca patty on whole wheat with lettuce, tomato, mustard, and organic ketchup, plus a salad, broccoli, and sweets plate with sliced kiwi and raw cashews. That's a lot of food now that I look at it--all healthful though!
The smoothie of the evening was heaven in a glass again. Sorry I am so boring, but the mango-vanilla hemp combination still reminds me of cake batter in some way. Try it, you'll like it!
Sunday
I was a little more creative yesterday morning in that I tried my hand at vegan French toast. I simply dipped whole wheat bread into rice milk sweetened with agave and cinnamon (I don't have any vanilla extract or arrowroot powder!). I also had an apple with more luscious almond butter. AB is definitely my favorite these days.
The afternoon meal consisted of an old easy standby: scrambled tofu wrap. This one featured tahini, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, broccoli, and tofu of course wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla. On the side I had a juicy peach and a salad.
I thought I would mention yesterday's afternoon snack since it was so scrumptious and basically the epitome of fallish flavor. I combined a container of plain yogurt with leftover pumpkin, cinnamon, stevia, raisins, and raw cashews. YUM! The inspiration for this concoction was my mom's legendary pumpkin bread that she makes every year from November-December. I can't wait for Thanksgiving!!
Suppertime was super simple (I'm starting to sound like Sandra Lee form Semi Homemade...). I stuffed a whole wheat pita with hummus, lettuce, and tomato and served it alongside a salad, carrot sticks dipped in Goddess dressing, and nonfat plain kefir (drizzled with agave nectar).
Last night's shake was superb! I combined strawberries, soymilk, special dark cocoa powder, and Nutiva hemp (berry pomegranate flavor), and I finished it off with a few dairy-free chocolate chips. The consistency was perfect--not too thick, not too thin. Another winning combination.
Monday
I was rushed this morning (as noted above), so I opted for a simple bowl of cereal: Whole Foods brand organic Os with rice milk and sliced banana. I also had a little dish of TJ's AntiOXidant trail mix on the side. Quick and easy.
The pre-run snack today was a baggie of GoLean cereal. I recently decided that I would like to have bigger lunches after my workouts, so I am cutting down the size of my pre-run snack. Perhaps this will also eliminate my unsatisfactory exercise fueling problems that I have been having.
When I returned home from the gym, I made a mad dash to the kitchen for a simple veggie meal: a baked sweet potato (with cinnamon), Brussels sprouts (with garlic salt), kidney beans (with chili powder, ground red pepper, and cumin), and applesauce with peanuts. This kept me full throughout the afternoon of tutoring appointments.
TGI Friday's brought a few dishes to the dining meeting tonight; they want students to be able to use food points for Friday's delivery program. The offerings consisted of baby back ribs, onion rings, a Bleu cheeseburger, and peanut butter cheesecake--obviously, not my typical fare. I hit up the salad bar instead. I also made tiny almond butter cracker sammies. So satisfying.
Oh, and I got another package today! Yes, I must stop ordering impulse items from iHerb.com, but I really needed some nutritional yeast flakes so that I could make a few things from Lindsay's cookbook. A few other items might have also snuck into my virtual shopping cart...(TVP, Bob's Red Mill 5 Grain Cereal with flax, chocolate rice protein powder, and a little shaker cup).
I am off to study for a quiz and make flashcards! Good night:)