Bitten by the Racing Bug

As you may know, I ran my first race a few weeks ago. I enjoyed my experience so much that I've signed on for another one...or three. My next race is this weekend (4/4); it's a 5K to support efforts to fight HIV/AIDS. I have two more planned before the end of the semester. They will give me something to look forward to in the midst of my nasty end-of-semester To Do lists. Exercise always makes for a good study break...as do cooking and magazine reading:) How do you keep yourself sane when life gets chaotic?

Due to my aforementioned vicious workload, I spent most of my weekend being lame and preparing for my presentation that I gave this morning. At least my eats kept me entertained...

Friday
Before my evening of relaxation with Alanna, I fueled up with a Taco Salad dinner: refried black beans with guacamole, salsa, and reduced-fat cheddar all atop a bed of greens. I scooped up the goodness with TJ's brand of baked blue corn chips. I might have to do a comparison post in the future of the Guiltless Gourmet variety and these guys. I also had some cantaloupe with strawberries.
My shake of the evening was fabulous: strawberries, banana, chocolate PB Spirutein, soymilk, plus Choco-Cherry granola and PB2. Lots of flavors going on but still delish.
Saturday
After unintentionally sleeping in, I settled in for quite the savory breakfast: Rachel's Sundried Tomato Pesto Cottage Cheese with olives and tomato atop a whole grain bagel. I also had some more luscious melon.
For lunch, I revamped my leftover refried black beans and made black bean hummus. I added lime juice, cumin, cayenne, and almond butter for southwest flavah. I shoveled it in with Ezekiel pita and snap peas. I also had some salad and an apple.
In continuation with Chobani Week, I sampled the peach variety for my snack. As recommended by K, I added lots of cinnamon...plus some cashews.
After far too many hours of staring at a computer screen, I pulled out dinner from the freezer: Gardenburger Chik'n Grill patties. I kept it simple and just sandwiched it between some whole grain bread with BBQ sauce. This concoction tasted eerily authentic. These might even rival Quorn for chicken-ness. On the side, I had some green beans with dill and greens with chopped pear, dates, and raspberry vinaigrette.
My smoothie was a berry-chocolate explosion. I combined raspberries, blueberries, soymilk, chocolate rice protein, and dark cocoa--LOTS of flavor here. I topped it off with coconut and Choco-Cherry granola.
Sunday
Announcing...Alphabet Oats! I started off with A yesterday: applesauce, apricots, and almond butter. I also cooked the oats in a bit of rice milk and cinnamon. An unconventional but tasty combination.
I didn't have much motivation to cook for lunch yesterday, so I just stuck with an old stand-by: sweet potato with hummus. I added a dash of cumin and cayenne to make it appear as if I put forth some effort in this meal. That's the end of the snap peas on the side, plus a salad with almonds and cantaloupe.
I am slipping into my snack rut again...I just had plain yogurt with pumpkin and Dark Chocolate Dreams PB.
After chapter, I came home pretty famished, so I made a quick wrap that I've enjoyed before: Peachy Nutty Tofurky Rollup. You can check out the recipe at Rudi's Bakery here. I used Laughing Cow instead of cream cheese, for the record. I also had a salad and some Brussels sprouts.
My shake was heavenly last night, due to the addition of an ingredient I rarely use: hot chocolate powder. I've had the canister sitting in my cupboard for months, but I decided to use it last night due to its calcium content. Since I am low on protein powder these days, I have been relying on my rice protein, which has no added vitamins or minerals. Thus, I turned to the hot chocolate for a calcium boost; it has 300 mg per serving. Anyway, I combined it with frozen strawberries, soymilk, rice protein, and dark cocoa. I topped it with shredded coconut.
Monday
I was a nervous wreck this morning prior to my presentation, so I just dumped a few items on my plate before heading out the door. I had toast with almond butter and Rachel's Pear Mangosteen Cottage Cheese with chopped pear. I am officially addicted to Rachel's cottage cheese.
One quick reminder before I bid you adieu:

You can still enter your favorite dessert recipe for Jenna's Dessert E-Cookbook. You have until April 1st at 5PM; send entries to HelpJennaRun@gmail.com. I know I'll be sending in my recipe ASAP!

Later, bloggies:)

Healthy Habits: Get Sweet on Sweet Potatoes

It wasn't until relatively recently that I discovered the joys of the sweet potato. My mother detests them, hence they didn't appear on our dinner table with any regularity...or ever. Once I did get the chance to sample this wonder veggie, it became one of my favorite foods. Not only does it deliver a distinctive sugary taste, but it also provides several nutritional advantages.

One small potato provides a whopping 262% of your daily needs for vitamin A as beta carotene, plus plenty of vitamin C, manganese, and dietary fiber; the beta carotene and vitamin C make sweet potatoes an antioxidant-rich superfood. Sweet potatoes are also known for their lower glycemic load in comparison to other potatoes, meaning that their carbohydrates are digested more slowly. While any kind of potato is perfectly suitable for a healthy diet, sweet potatoes might be a better choice for those concerned about blood sugar levels.

For more information about the nutritional profile of sweet potatoes, visit this website.
In addition to the traditional marshmallow and brown-sugar concoction that appears on special holidays, sweet potatoes may be prepared and enjoyed in a multitude of ways. Although I am a fan due to their innate tastiness, the food blogger in me loves the color sweet potatoes add to the plate--they make for great pictures:) Here are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy them:

Simply baked or microwaved, and topped with cinnamon, sometimes with nuts as well.

Cut into spears, sprinkled with spices, and baked to make oven fries.

Mashed with greens, as in Lindsay's African Kale Mash

Combined with beans and veggies for a spontaneous hash. (Best with black beans).

Baked and topped with hummus and paprika.

Topped with canned (top) or homemade (bottom) chili.

Topped with refried beans and salsa.

The possibilities are endless! I'd love to hear how all you creative foodies out there enjoy your sweet potatoes.

Before I go, I have a request regarding another superfood, flax seed. I have two large containers of ground flax seed to use up, and I am looking for ways to incorporate it its valuable omega-3s into my diet. How do you use ground flax?

Well, I must return to studying for the evening. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Read, Run, Repeat

That's all I do these days: read and run. I suppose a heavy reading load is to be expected for an English/psychology major, but I spend most of my time reading journal articles, Middle English texts, and Faulkner novels. Scintillating, no? Anyway, I've also been rather busy with tutoring these days, so when I'm not reading, I'm running around campus for an appointment, with the occasional run on the treadmill as well. Who else is as psyched for the weekend as I am? I am ready for a little break from my weekday monotony...

Perhaps I should enter this contest for a California getaway: Rena from Seven Daughters Winemakers recently alerted me to a contest in which the prize is a three-day vacation to the Hollywood Hills. To enter, simply visit 7daughters.com and explain why you deserve a rendezvous in L.A. If you're interested in tasting the Seven Daughters' wine, it's available at Whole Foods and Target fro $14.99 per bottle.

I've been keeping my brain and body fueled with some old faves as well as a few new additions. Check 'em out:

Monday
I kept lunch simple with another batch of Goddess garbanzos from ED&BV. Note the abundance of kelp granules:) I spread it on whole wheat and served it with a salad and grapes.
I squeezed in a snack between tutoring appointments and my dining committee meeting: a True Delight bar! Due to my healthy appreciation of anything coconut, I obviously opted for the Toasted Coconut Banana Macadamia Nut variety. It was quite chewy and sweet, with a very subtle banana flavor. I love the hunks of macadamia throughout the bar. I washed it all down with a glass of rice milk. Thanks to Foodbuzz for sending me these!
Dinner was no complex affair either: I loaded up at the salad bar with lots of veggies (including artichoke hearts!), then headed back here to make a quick English muffin pizza. I also had a big dish of cantaloupe.
I indulged myself a bit with my shake that evening. I combined Double Fudge Crunch Spirutein, strawberries, and soymilk, then topped it off with a handful of Annie's chocolate bunnies. Yep, food fugue.
Tuesday
It had been far too long since I had had a waffle tower, so clearly it had to be on the menu yesterday morning. Van's waffles with cinnamon-spiked yogurt, chopped kiwi, and cashews.
For lunch, I made some beans 'n greens, which were accompanied by a sweet potato, salad with Woodstock dressing, and grapes. That's cinnamon and nutmeg on the SP.
I am just so excited to have my beloved ED&BV cookbook back that I had to make another Dreena dish last night: Orange Sesame Tofu. I consistently have problems with the sweetness of this dish; sometimes it's super sweet, sometimes it's not sweet enough. Last night's batch was definitely the latter case. Sheesh. I served it alongside whole wheat couscous with peanuts, steamed asparagus and mushrooms, and a big orange.

Last night's smoothie was pretty plain Jane but delicious, nonetheless: peaches, soymilk, Nutribody protein, and granola.

Wednesday
Weather.com informed me this morning that it felt like 19* outside. Hot breakfast it was! I heated up some rice milk and poured it over a bowl of Autumn Wheat, which I reviewed here. I also had a big apple with Mighty Maple PB.
Come tomorrow afternoon, I will be relieved from much of this week's stresses. What's your favorite way to indulge yourself after a hard week?

Off to Faulkner class. Ciao!