Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

In the midst of this miserably rainy day, I cannot help but channel my inner Jack Johnson; I am sitting, waiting and wishing--for spring break. In precisely 15 days, I will be headed for a weekend of fun in DC (where I will dine at Nora and Rock Creek), plus several days of relaxation at home (where I will participate in this 5K). My motivation for schoolwork is waning, but I've still got two tests and a paper separating me from my freedom. Wish me luck in the upcoming weeks!

What are you looking forward to these days?

At least I have my cooking to distract me from the monotony of classes...

Monday
Although the dining committee had intended to dine out at a local Mediterranean place, that plan somehow crumbled. To be honest, I was a bit bummed. Instead, I grabbed a quick salad from the salad bar to which I added my own navy beans. I also made a pesto potato salad, as inspired by Ellie Krieger. I used that pesto in a tube again, and my love for pesto grows each time I use it. Anyone have a good recipe for homemade pesto?
I opted for a classic combo for the smoothie: strawberry-banana. Never fails to satisfy:)
Tuesday
I found myself with a little extra time yesterday morning before class, so I decided banana fingers would be a good breakfast option. I dipped banana in plain yogurt, then rolled it in crushed Peanut Butter Pows cereal. That's Sunbutter on the side--perfect consistency for dipping!
For lunch, I tried out one of my new TJ's finds, Low-Sodium Butternut Squash Soup. This soup tasted notably sweeter than others that I have tried, likely due to the absence of salt. I played up the sweetness factor by adding a dash of cinnamon and handful of pecans. Along with it, I had a grilled hummus sandwich, greens, and peaches.
Last night was pasta night for me. I made a quick puttanesca sauce out of tomato sauce, basil, oregano, minced garlic, ground red pepper, and olives. I added white beans for protein and poured the goodness all over some whole grain angel hair pasta. I had a salad with red bell pepper strips as well.
Last night's smoothie was a new delicious combination for me: strawberry and mango. Let's face it: I'll eat anything with mango in it.
Wednesday
In contrast to yesterday morning, today I was running short on time, so I whipped up a quick Banana Bread Blender. This rendition included frozen banana, GoLean, spelt flakes, soymilk, cinnamon, vanilla, and cashews. I just love this stuff--it's like good-for-you pudding! You're a genius, Katie.
Given the present weather conditions, all I feel like doing now is changing into my H&M lounge pants and red fuzzy slippers. What's your relaxation uniform? Are you a fan of sweats or yoga pants? We all have our individual lounging preferences, I think:)

Enjoy your Wednesday!

You've Got a Friend in Me

These past few days have been all about reuniting with friends. Study abroad programs are quite popular at Duke, so a large percentage of the junior class has not been on campus since last May. Hence, I hadn't seen some of my buddies for 8 months! Yikes! I've been thoroughly enjoying my run-ins with pals from the past all day; reconnecting with friends always lifts my mood.

I have received some fun Christmas presents from my friends while back at Duke. They know me so well--I received plenty of dishes, a cookbook, and a signed Duke basketball poster with a cute green bracelet. Thanks, friends!
While we're on the topic of friends, I just want to mention that one of my favorite aspects of the blog world is the support and friendship I have found in readers and fellow bloggers. Thanks for making my life a little brighter with your comments and companionship!

My eats have been a tad boring lately due to my super-busy schedule. Here's a look at what I've been munching:

Monday
I ended my busy day of travel in the typical way: with a large, refreshing smoothie. I combined unsweetened vanilla Spirutein (from Sarah) with strawberries, banana, soymilk, and cashew granola. Delish.
Tuesday
Yesterday morning, I had about an hour to eat breakfast, shower, and primp before recruitment activities began again. Thus, a very easy breakfast: mango-rice milk smoothie with coconut and toast with cashew butter.
I packed a lunch to nibble on between parties: hummus sandwich, trail mix made up of pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries, and a big honkin' apple.
I also tossed this bar into my bag at the last second. I think eventually I will have sampled every single "chocolate brownie" flavored bar on the market. I love me some chocolate.
For dinner, I headed out to Elmo's Diner again with some buds. I ordered the exact same things as I did on this occasion, so no pictures. Just as delicious as ever:)

The smoothie of the evening used yet another Spirutein packet given to me by Sarah; this flavor is called "Nutty Berry Burst." I combined it with soymilk, strawberries, and banana. I really enjoyed it due to its very prominent pistachio flavor. YUM!
Wednesday
I kept it simple this morning so as to have plenty of time to get to my classes (first of the semester!). I had a bowl of spelt flakes with rice milk, banana, wheat germ, and almonds. Yet another deluxe cereal bowl, yet another tasty breakfast.
I will be busy with basketball games and more sorority activities later in the day. I keep all my activities straight with my Franklin Covey planner (mine is red with polka dots) and this new wall calendar. How do you keep your life organized?

Be back soon!

Announcing...Greta!!

Remember when I visited the dog breeder over Thanksgiving? Well, my sister and her husband officially brought home their boxer pup for good on Sunday afternoon, and I have been soakin' up the puppy love ever since. Greta is going to be so spoiled--because her Aunt Caroline is already smitten with her! Here are a few pictures from her first few days at home:
Here's what I've been munching on, between my cuddle sessions with Greta and Christmas shopping:

Monday
I indulged myself a little on Monday by making a Chocolate-Banana Shake with chocolate pudding, frozen banana, soymilk, and chocolate Spirutein. I also had some chocolate syrup on top, which promptly sank to the bottom.
Tuesday
I sampled another variety of Rudi's bagels yesterday morning. This time, I toasted up a cinnamon raisin bagel and spread it with Cinnamon Raisin PB, of course. On the side, I had a peach-blueberry smoothie made with almond milk. Perfect fuel for hittin' the mall!
Amidst my Christmas shopping, I managed to make a stop at Williams-Sonoma, where I got myself a few foodie treats. Oddly enough, I discovered both of these items through food blogs!
For lunch, I made some fajitas with refried black beans, chopped avocado, and salsa. I served those alongside a salad and clementines.
Before heading out for more shopping and a visit with Greta, I made a quick dinner: Coconut Curry Chickpeas from Clean Eating. I made a few alterations, namely the subsitution of broccoli slaw for shredded cabbage. Believe it or not, there are some vegetables I simply refuse to eat, and cabbage is one of them! On the side, I had an Ezekiel pita, salad with Woodstock dressing, and fresh blackberries.
My smoothie last night consisted of a classic combo, strawberry and banana. I combined strawberries, banana, soymilk, and berry hemp protein for a delectable treat.
Wednesday
I was famished this morning after my workout, and nothing fills me up like scrambled tofu. I added zucchini and mushrooms to the usual tahini, ginger, soy sauce, and garlic. I had toast and a clementine on the side. Do you have a favorite meal to prepare when you're really hungry?
Today's lunch was a taco salad, consisting of homemade tortilla chips, lettuce, leftover refried black beans, and Smoky Avocado Sauce from ED&BV. I rounded it out with some mango.
I am off to watch the Duke game on TV with my B-I-L Ryan. Let's go Blue Devils!

Be back soon!