Spaz on Skates

Now, I've never claimed to be the most coordinated individual. Indeed, I was always the kid in gym class who got hit in the face with the basketball. Anyway, I thought that perhaps my devotion to exercise and fitness in recent years would have afforded me some new-found athleticism...but I was wrong. My friends and I headed to a roller rink this past weekend, where I strapped on a pair of skates for the first time since my 9th birthday party. Let's just say I have a nasty bruise developing on my knee a new respect for anyone who can roller skate. We had lots of fun though!
Here's what I've been eating in between displays of spastic tendencies:

Friday
I used up some leftover bags of frozen fruit for this one: frozen cherries, strawberries, soymilk, Nutribody protein, and granola, of course.
Saturday
After sleeping through my alarm (yes, I do occasionally set it even on Saturdays!), I made it to the gym and back to prepare a pretty fab parfait: plain yogurt with stevia and dark cocoa mixed in, Peanut Butter Pows, sliced banana and a scoop of PB. FOOD FUGUE.
For lunch, I kept it simple: frozen corn with kidney beans, chili powder, garlic salt, and salsa, salad with Woodstock dressing, and an apple.
Dinner was thrown together last minute before heading to the roller rink: Amy's Bistro Burger on whole wheat with organic K+M, salad with wheat germ and raspberry vinaigrette, and green beans with pecans and dill. Nummy.
After skating, we headed back to a friends room for a little party. Hence, no shake for this evening.

Sunday
Before heading to chapel, I prepared my beloved stovetop oats. This bowl included pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a crumbled pecan pie Larabar. Mmm. Pumpkin-pecan hybrids are the best.
For lunch, I just wanted something to warm me up (again!). I combined: frozen veggies, tomato sauce + water, curry powder, kidney beans, and ground ginger to make a tasty soup. On the side, I had a salad with Goddess dressing, crackers, and a blood orange.
I scarfed down dinner super fast before heading to a chapter meeting. I made white bean almond bruschetta (an improvisation of ED&BV's White Bean Walnut Bruschetta), along with spinach and grapes.
The shake of the evening was pretty amazing: peaches, blueberries, soymilk, Nutribody protein, and granola. Surprisingly delicious.
Monday
Breakfast was a simple affair: toast with pumpkin butter and the scrapings of my almond butter jar, plus an apple and a glass of rice milk.
I am interested in trying out some new foodie products...I feel like I haven't made any grocery store discoveries recently. What's your latest food find?

Now I am headed to class. Ciao for now!

Temporary Escape

Well, Thanksgiving break has officially come to a close, and I have returned to reality. I fully enjoyed my 6 days of relaxation and recuperation; sadly, it was just a temporary escape. I now have final papers and exams to deal with, but at least I'll be back home f in a mere 11 days, just in time for my sisters' graduations (Lea has earned her MBA, and Katie has just completed nursing school). In addition to celebrating their scholastic achievements, I am sure there will be some holiday festivities as well:)

Here is a culinary perspective of my last few days at home...Enjoy!

Friday
I made a vibrant smoothie on Friday evening: blueberries, strawberries, soymilk, and hemp protein made for quite the nutritious treat.
Saturday
I squeezed in a quick workout and breakfast before heading out to run some errands with my dad. Nothing is quite as quick and portable as a smoothie...so that's what was on the menu for breakfast. I made a simple strawberry-almond milk-almond butter concoction and served it alongside a mini bagel with my new honey butter. WHAT A TREAT! That little tub of spreadable joy was definitely a wise purchase.
Among our multiple errands, we managed to squeeze in a trip to the health food store, where I picked up a tub of lentil dip. I spread about 1/2 cup of this deliciousness onto a wrap and stuffed it with mushrooms, tomatoes, and yellow bell pepper. I also had a salad and an apple with cashew butter before heading out the door for more shopping...
Dinner was a simple affair, but I managed to reinvent my Turk'y roast in yet another fashion. I chopped it up, mixed it with mozzarella cheese and dill weed, and placed it atop a leftover baked potato. On the side, I had a salad with currants, and a bowl of homemade tomato-spinach soup.
My final shake of the vacation was downright delectable. I combined chocolate hemp protein with a frozen banana and strawberries, plus the usual soymilk. I topped it off with some chocolate syrup, but yet again it sank to the bottom before I could get a good picture. Oh well--it made for a nice surprise at the bottom of the cup:)
Sunday
I made a batch of overnight oats on Saturday night so that I could get to church on time yesterday. I soaked 1/2 cup oats in almond milk and added pumpkin and almond butter in the morning. That's a mug of gingerbread tea on the side. Yum.
After being dropped off at the Atlanta airport, I dug into my packed lunch: a Turk'y sandwich, cherry tomatoes, a clementine, and a few cashes. Sorry for all the crotch shots...I was trying to be discreet.
When I finally arrived back home at the apartment, I was starving! My dinner was inspired by a conversation I had earlier in the day with my dad. He told me that one of his favorite "snacks" back when he was at Duke consisted of a hamburger, peanuts, and chocolate milk. Accordingly, I had a Bistro burger (with organic K+M), chocolate rice milk (rice milk with special dark cocoa and stevia), and peanuts...plus a spinach salad and squash for some extra nutrition.
The smoothie last night was another winner: frozen banana, peaches, soymilk, Nutribody protein, and ginger granola.
Monday
Since I was so dissatisfied with my last Banana Bread Blender, I made another attempt today. This time, I used spelt flakes, soymilk, almonds, cinnamon, and a frozen banana of course. Much better.
I had to evaluate an on-campus eatery today for the dining committee. Since this particular location is a nation-wide chain that serves only "chikin" (can you guess which one?), my options were limited. The coleslaw didn't look all that appealing, so I opted for the garden salad and picked off the chicken strips and cheese. When I returned to the apartment I added my own black beans, plus the packet of sunflower seeds that came with it. To round out the meal, I also had a cup of broccoli soup, crackers, and a tangerine.
The soup ended up being quite comforting...What's your favorite comfort food?

Now I must get some work done. It's the end of the semester...hang on tight!

Be back on Wednesday!