"But Mom, It's All for Basketball!"

During a recent phone conversation with my dear mother, I was detailing how amazing the night's basketball game had been and how excited I was for the next game. I also happened to let it slip that I had a quiz the next day (Tuesday) for which I studied a total of 20 minutes. Uh oh.

"Caroline, I think you need to study more than that. We don't pay all this money so that you can blow off your classes."
"No, just think of that money paying for access to Duke basketball games."
"Ugh. I think it's time to get off the phone now so you can study."

She just doesn't understand--it's all for basketball! She won though--I did end up studying for a bit longer:)

Anyway, as a result of games on Monday and Tuesday nights, in combination with a flurry of tutoring appointments, my diet continues to consist of simple favorites. Please pardon the monotony!

Monday
Before rushing out the door to the basketball game, I snagged a Coconut Creme Pie Larabar (but failed to snap a picture). Although I scarfed it down in less than a minute en route to the stadium, it tasted phenomenal! These would be a great stocking stuffer *hint, hint, Mom* When I got back, part B of dinner commenced: a hummus sandwich on an Arnold sandwich thin, plus a handful of carrots.
The shake of the evening was a berry-chocolate delight: strawberries, raspberries, soymilk, and chocolate hemp.
Tuesday
In a last-minute study session for the aforementioned quiz, I quickly toasted up two PomegranPlus waffles and topped them with hazelnuts and agave nectar. I had a delicious pear on the side.
The no-fuss trend continued into lunch: Goddess garbanzos (with tomatoes and kelp granules) in an Italian flatbread, plus a simple salad and an apple.
My friend Ms. Larabar joined me again for dinner. This time I enjoyed the PB Cookie variety--another winner! The only downside is that I tasted PB for the entire night as I cheered on the Blue Devils. I also had a small baggie of soynuts. No pics of this uber-exciting fare.

The smoothie last night featured the last tablespoon or so of my vanilla hemp powder, plus a few scoops of the Nutribody protein powder I mentioned a few posts back. Soymilk, frozen peaches, and ginger granola made this quite a delectable concoction.
Wednesday
I just can't stay away from CCV's Banana Bread Blender very long. This time I used cashews for the nut component.
For lunch, I quickly heated up some leftover butternut squash soup and added broccoli and chickpeas for an extra nutritional boost. I also had some peaches with almonds/cinnamon, plus a handful of crackers.
Tonight, I finally got around to preparing an acorn squash that had been lurking on top of my fridge for the past week or so. I simply baked it in the oven along with some cubed tofu that had been rubbed with agave nectar and cinnamon. (Maple syrup would have been ideal, but, alas, I have none). Once they were finished baking, I stuffed the tofu inside the squash and finished it off with some chopped hazelnuts. I also had a piece of whole grain toast and a small salad.
If you're still reading, here are a few things interesting about yours truly. (I was kindly tagged by Paulina to do so).

1. My favorite color is red. I know, I know a boring fact, but you don't understand the extent of this love. I don't just wear red, but I invest in it. My phone, my iPod, my planner, my dumbbells, my backpack--all red. The one exception is my camera; it dons my second favorite hue, pink.

2. I am currently obsessed with Enrique Iglesias's song "Do You Know? (The Ping Pong Song). I first heard it on VeggieGirl's dance video, and I have been flouncing to it ever since. Perhaps its appeal lies in the fact that I can relate to its sentiment...or maybe I just like Enrique's intensity. I think I played it only twice today...but the night is still young.

3. I have a "thing" for brightly colored coats. It all started with a turquoise coat I got for my birthday four years ago. Ever since then I have been collecting: a green pea coat, a pink rain coat, a red pea coat, and a magenta swing jacket. I'm always easy to spot in a crowd!

4. I can sing in random languages. Throughout middle- and high school, I took voice lessons and sang in my school's choir. Although cultivating my musical talents was the ultimate goal, I also picked up a knack at singing in foreign languages, including German, Italian, and French. Sometimes I just bust out with "Voi che sapete" or "Gretchen am spinnrade" when the mood strikes.

5. I have an addiction to magazine subscriptions. Ever since I got my first subscription to Self in 10th grade, I have been a mag devotee. At one point, I was subscribed to Women's Health, Today's Diet & Nutrition, Self, Fitness, Vegetarian Times, and Reader's Digest simultaneously. It's totally impractical since I have ZERO time to read them while I am at school, but I just can't bear to give them up--they're rich with such valuable information for my everyday life!

Whew! This post is excessively long. Congratulations if you made it this far. Feel free to share little nuggets about yourself--I'd love to know more about my readers! Ciao for now.

Procrastinate Much?

Rather than squeeze in some more study time, I thought I would answer a survey for which I have been tagged. Vegan Nurse was kind enough to tag me for this one:

1) LAST MOVIE U SAW IN A THEATRE? Is it a bad sign that I don't remember? I have been really into watching old movies since I took a film class this past spring.

2) WHAT BOOK ARE U READING? I just picked up a novel about homelessness in America; the name of it escapes me at the moment. I plan to start The World without Us in the next few days as well.

3) FAVOURITE BOARD GAME? I don't know if this counts as a board game, but I LOVE Catch Phrase. Mancala is pretty awesome too.
4) FAVOURITE MAGAZINE? Self
5) FAVOURITE SMELLS? My mom's pumpkin bread baking in the oven, the crispness of fall, and Christmas trees, of course!

6) FAVOURITE SOUNDS? the sound of waves (which happens to be the title of a good book as well). I also love the "ting" of crystal when you gently tap it.
7) WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD? Shame.
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN U WAKE? "Is it too hot to run outside today?"

9) FAVOURITE FAST FOOD PLACE? I'm not sure this counts as fast food, but I am a Panera fan! Moe's Southwest is good too.

10) FUTURE CHILD’S NAME? I plan on naming my children after my favorite figures in literature...do you think Viola and Ishmael are too eccentric? :)

11) FINISH THIS STATEMENT—IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I’D…support the homeless program for which my mom volunteers...then go crazy in Whole Foods!

12) DO U DRIVE FAST? If I drive, I go pretty slowly. I am definitely a nervous driver.
13) DO U SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL? Nope.
14) STORMS–COOL OR SCARY? Usually cool, especially when you're in a drought.

15) WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR? A used silver Lexus RX330--I called her Roxy.

16) FAVOURITE DRINK? Tea! I also like white wine, and I have a weakness for Diet Pepsi.
17) FINISH THIS STATEMENT-IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD… write my own cookbook.

1 DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI? What do you think??
19) IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY OTHER COLOUR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE? Red! I have greenish eyes, so I think the combination would be kind of interesting.

20) NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS U HAVE LIVED IN? Pittsburgh, PA; Mountain Brook, AL; Birmingham, AL; Durham, NC (for college)

21) FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Duke Basketball. Duh.
22) ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? She is such a sweet person, who happens to make awesome food.

23) WHATS UNDER YOUR BED? Old magazines.
24) WOULD U LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN?? Nope. I'm all for trying something new. In another life, I would like to have a brother.

25) MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL? Morning person, definitely.

26) OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP? I'm all for the vegan scramble!

27) FAVOURITE PLACE TO RELAX? In the kitchen, of course.
2 FAVOURITE PIE? Anything fall-ish: pumpkin or apple.
29) FAVOURITE ICECREAM FLAVOUR? Mint chocolate chip rocks my socks.
30) OF ALL THE PEOPLE U HAVE TAGGED, WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST? Only time will tell...

I tag:
Katie from Chocolate Covered Vegan
Erin from Vegan Homemade
Erika from RunRoamRecycle
Jenn at Eating Bender
Lindsay at Love Of Oats

Getting to Know Caroline, Part II

Hey all! This is just a quick post to avoid an excessively long one later this evening. I have been triple tagged by Vegan Nurse, Kristin from Kristin's Nibbles, and Cassie from Fast, Fresh, and Fit. In case you don't know the rules for the survey are as follows:
- link to your tagger and post these rules
- share 5 facts about yourself
- Tag 5 people at the end and list their names linking to them
- let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blog

I am going to be a rebel, however, and not tag 5 more people. I am almost certain that most of my blogger friends have already been tagged. If you would like to share some facts about yourself, please feel free to leave a comment!

Anyway, here a few more fun facts about Caroline:

1. I have multiple nicknames, and the list keeps growing. My first nickname was Carnie, which morphed into Crannie, Crannie Puss, Cran, Cran Apple, Frannie, Frannie Pants...seriously, I'll answer to anything.
2. I've had a flickr account for a while; my user name is tofurky1224 (in case you can't tell, I used to be mildly obsessed with Tofurky). I used to post occasionally to the Laptop Lunch group when I had to pack lunches and dinners to take to work. Check it out if you're interested in my past creations!
3. I don't have a Southern accent, even though I live in the Heart of Dixie. I am not a true Southerner--I was born in Pittsburgh, but we moved to Alabama when I was 8. When I went to college, I got a few confused looks when I told people my hometown. "You don't sound like you're from Alabama..." I guess my speech patterns have "neutralized" by living in both the North and South.
4. I love to organize, especially when it comes to food-related items. One of the first things I do when I come home from college is to reorganize the pantry and refrigerator, and I get a bit cranky when people don't follow my "system." Here's the kicker: I love to alphabetize and color code practically anything. OK, I think that's enough info about my obsessiveness.
5. Besides the Food Network, one of my favorite channels to watch is TLC. My favorite shows are Little People, Big World, Jon and Kate Plus Eight, and What Not to Wear.

Those are all pretty random factoids, but I hope you found at least one of them enjoyable. Be back later!

Pesky Ankle and Getting to Know Caroline

So, basically, I have been in a foul mood lately because I haven't been able to run. I somehow hurt my ankle a few days ago, so I haven't been able to run...it's driving me crazy! Instead, I have been using the elliptical machine at the gym, since it is a low-impact form of cardio that doesn't hurt my foot. My ankle is a little swollen, but I think it's improving...I stocked up on Aleve and Icy Hot today, just in case.

On a more pleasant note, Jennifer from Veg*n Cooking kindly tagged me to share 5 things about myself. Here a re a few items that might help you understand the girl behind the food...

1) I was born on December 24th, Christmas Eve. When I tell people that, they always say, "Oh, sucks for you!" I love my birthday, thank you very much. I feel blessed to have been born in such a season of joy and hope:) It is for this reason that I start a countdown to Christmas in September every year...

2) I have flat feet. Everyone laughs when I get out of the pool, because my footprints look like perfect isosceles triangles.

3) I have an intense fear of belly-buttons. Ever since a childhood friend showed me how she could change hers from an "innie" to an "outie" and back again, I get queasy when I see or even think about the human navel. You won't catch me getting a belly-button ring!

4) I am the youngest of three girls. I love having sisters, and I love being the youngest. Even though they mildly abused me in childhood ("Caroline, let's see what happens when we turn the treadmill all the way up to 10, really fast!"), my sisters have been a constant source of advice and support.

5) My dog Fred turned 14 yesterday. We got him when I was in kindergarten, and he is still going strong. One glance at his physique, and you'll know why we sometimes call him the "fat little sausage."

OK, now that we have gotten better acquainted, we can move onto the grub.

Wednesday

For evening snackage on Wednesday, I gave the kefir another try. This time I topped it with some Nature's Path granola. I liked this combination better than the one from a few days ago; I think the increased sweetness of the granola balanced the tang of the kefir. Still, I would have preferred some Greek yogurt or cottage cheese instead.

Thursday
Breakfast yesterday was far more satisfying than my waffle breakfast. Thursday's morning meal consisted of oats cooked with half of a banana, then topped with a generous dose of wheat germ and the other half of the banana. Yummers! For lunch, I tried tempeh for the first time! I went with the spicy veggie variety, and I put it on some whole wheat bread with salsa. I heated the whole thing in the microwave for a piping hot sandwich creation. It's definitely a new texture for me, quite different from tofu or seitan. I look forward to experimenting with it...Got any tempeh recipes? I also had a big salad with some melon (not pictured).

For my afternoon snack yesterday, I put my Magic Bullet to work with a quick peach smoothie: kefir, frozen peaches, and cinnamon, simple as that. This was especially refreshing yesterday--it was a toasty 84* here! We don't have AC in my dormitory, so I was in need of a cool treat:)
Dinner yesterday was what I like to call the Super Crunch Salad. One of the campus eateries makes a salad called the Crunchy Broccoli Salad that has romaine, tomato, broccoli, walnuts, and these crunchy noodle things (I'm not really sure what they are, but they're mighty tasty!). For protein, I add some soy nuts and Bragg's. The end result is a satisfying and tasty meal component that takes me quite awhile to eat! Along with it I tried something new: I melted some cheese on Ak-Maks. I will be doing this in the future: the slight sweetness of the crackers contrasted nicely with the salty cheese.

Friday
Lunch today was a quick one. I had about 40 minutes between my class and an appointment at the writing studio (I tutor students in a freshman composition class). I went with an old standby, and a favorite of Kristin from Kristin's Nibbles: hummus and veggies in a pita. I also had a big salad, fresh strawberries, and some raw almonds. So nutritious and filling!

Well, this post is beginning to rival Gone with the Wind in length, so I will end here. Plus, I am in need of a snack!