Free at last, free at last!

That's right! I finished the semester at 8:00 this evening. I am so ready to get back home and get cooking! Granted, I will be taking classes this summer, but they will be nutrition-related, so I will likely find them more fun than tedious! In case you're curious, I will be taking Introduction to Nutrition and Human Anatomy. Classes don't start until June 2, so my dad has been on my case about finding something to do in the meantime. So far I have come up with: 1) writing some product reviews/articles (for pay!) or 2) getting a job at Whole Foods. Do you have any other suggestions for exciting summer jobs/activities?

In addition to finally bringing the semester to a close, I have another reason to smile today: Ve*ganChick and Jennifer both tapped me for the Excellent Blogger Award. Thank you both for even considering me for such a title. Even though I have been blogging for less than 2 months (anniversary is on the 9th!), I feel like I have gained such a great support network of fellow foodies. I'm glad to know that someone reads my posts besides me!

In keeping with tradition, I will now tag 5 other excellent bloggers:

Romina from Vegan Eating for One. Her dishes never fail to get my tummy growling, and she is so knowledgeable about vegan nutrition!

Jill from Jumping Jill. I swear we were separated at birth--we share a lot of the same interests, and we both have an especial affinity for Cheerios.

Kristin from Kristin's Nibbles. I want to steal her food right off her plate! She and I both must deal with the constraints of dorm room cooking.

VeggieGirl from Veggie Girl Vegan. She never ceases to amaze me in her baking skills and her throughtful posts. VeggieGirl inspired to me to start my own blog!

Erika from Run-Roam-Recycle. Her dedication to running motivates me, plus she still finds time to make some tasty treats!

As for the food from the last few days, I managed to sneak a few pics here and there.

Wednesday

Remember how I mentioned that I bought some Dr. Weil bars at Whole Foods this week? Well, I finally got around to trying one--the Goji Moji variety. Once again, I think it tasted like the inside of a Fig Newton, which is not a bad thing. I was expecting more of a berry flavor, however. Goji chunks were visible, just not terribly prominent in the bar's overall taste.

Thursday

For breakfast yesterday, I tried something new again. Despite the fact that so many bloggers and so many recipes include nut butters in their smoothies, I had never tried it. As I have said before, I just really enjoy chewing nuts rather than slurping them. Nonetheless, I gave it a try in a banana-PB shake. It was so good! I was actually a bit forlorn when I reached the bottom of the glass; I didn't want the creaminess to end! In an effort to clear out my pantry, I also had some Corn Bran cereal on the side.

Friday

Today's breakfast was pretty standard: Corn Bran cereal (again) with almond milk and sliced banana, plus some almonds on the side. This was a tasty breakfast--I had forgotten how tasty Corn Bran when eaten with almond milk (I usually eat it dry, as a snack-type cereal).

As a snack I had another Primal Strip Vegan Jerky in the hickory smoked variety. I swear, it tastes just like barbecue! More proof that it's all in the sauce-no meat required!

My lunch this afternoon was inspired by a reader comment. A few days ago I had mentioned that I need to find a new way to use wheat germ, besides sprinkling it atop my soy yogurt/fruit. Someone mentioned that I should use it as a breading for tofu--so I did! I made a rather thick peanut sauce for dipping, and a tasty lunch was born! I loved the texture contrast between the tofu and the crispy wheat germ. Plus, anything tastes good dipped in peanut sauce! Cantaloupe and a big salad rounded out the meal.

Well, I am now going to surf Amazon to reward myself for finishing exams. I am not sure if I should order a new cookbook, a kitchen gadget, a novelty food, or something else. I don't have a food processor, so I was considering one of those, but I am still undecided. Recommendations are welcome, as always! Enjoy your Friday!

Shake, Burger, and...Squash?

Aside from the whole veganism fiasco, I had a pretty lazy weekend. I have a test on Wednesday, but my first final isn't until next Monday, so I took it pretty easy these past few days. My friend and I caught up on some Iron Chef, and I got myself organized for the weeks ahead. Call me lame, but it was relaxing and enjoyable.

When reviewing the pictures of my Saturday meals, I realized that I had a shake for breakfast, a burger for lunch, but then I messed up the "fast food" theme for dinner...read on for details.

Saturday

For breakfast on Saturday, I used up my last packet of chocolate Soytein powder (which incidentally has 300mg of calcium!). I combined it with a frozen banana and almond milk, as per usual. I kept it simple, with just some Cheerios on the side.

Once I had gulped down my shake, I headed over to assemble some gift baskets for Faculty Appreciation Week; my sorority decided to put together some simple gifts to win some brownie points:) After a morning of rigorous cookie baking, I was hungry for a big honkin' sandwich. I was not in the mood for another tempeh sammie, so I dug out my last Boca burger from my teeny freezer. Lettuce, tomato, onion, agave ketchup, and a mustard smiley made for a scrumptious burger. I ordered a side salad and some fruit from a campus eatery; raw cashews completed the meal. (Sorry for the dim pictures...the roomie was napping again!)

Saturday night was an icky one; everyone was holed up in their rooms, hiding from the rain. I didn't really have ingredients to make something special, so I had to improvise. After much dithering, I got some steamed veggies and a side salad from that same campus eatery, in hopes of coming up with something tasty from my dorm pantry. I smothered the veggies in tomato sauce and served the mixture over whole wheat couscous. Soy nuts added some protein to the salad, and I had some of that allergen-free trail mix for dessert.

For nibbling that night, I put together another snack mix, this time with corn bran cereal, dark chocolate chips, and dried fruit.

Sunday

Shockingly I did not have my usual bowl of Cheerios before church yesterday. Considering I have about 5 boxes of Weetabix in my closet, I figured I better start using those up. (I ordered a box of 12 from Amazon at the beginning of the semester). I had two biscuits with almond milk and cinnamon; a perfectly ripe kiwi also joined the party.

Yesterday's dinner was mediocre, but I thought I would show you anyway, for kicks. I ordered that same crunchy broccoli salad that I did a few weeks ago, but this time I added tempeh instead of soy nuts. Fruit and my favorite flavor of yogurt--Creamsicle--rounded out the dinner.

Monday

This morning I had a stellar breakfast. I had pumpkin oatmeal with cashews and a peach smoothie. It might seem like an odd combination, hot and cold, but it kept me full for hours. I made it through my trek to the writing studio and Whole Foods without any complaints from the tummy.

I picked up lots of goodies at Whole Foods today, but I will wait 'til next time to show you the inventory, otherwise this might turn into another novel. As a sneak peek, here is my lunch that I concocted using my new loot: a spicy tofu wrap with salsa and chili powder in an Ezekiel wrap, a large salad, and a juicy organic pear.

I have a meeting with the dining committee tonight to which Flamer's will be providing food. Their menu shows that they have a veggie burger, so I hope they bring one for me. What is the best veggie burger you've ever had at a restaurant?