Another Denim Tragedy

Today I had to say farewell to another pair of well-loved jeans. This particular pair has been with me for while--my mom bought them for me just before I entered my junior year of high school. They fast became the "favorite" pair because of their perfect length and fit, as well as their wardrobe versatility. Indeed, they introduced me to the wonderful world of designer jeans, and I soon realized that Sevens were just made my body. Do you have a favorite pair of pants? How about a favorite brand of jeans?

Anyway, I realized after last wearing these jeans, that they had become paper thin on the left butt cheek, exactly where my last pair jeans wore out...weird. It will be rough, but I'll have to part with my beloved denim somehow...

Aside from busting my pants, I have done some eating too.

Wednesday
Ever since I picked up these blue corn chips last week, I've been itching to make a taco salad...so I did. Black beans, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and salsa went into the bowl, with plenty of corn chips to soak up the goodness. I had a combo of grapes and blueberries on the side.

I had an unexpected assignment to complete that night, so I had mucho work to do and not much time. Hence, dinner was pretty simple: Jamaican Jerk Tofu using this recipe (which is also in my new cookbook), sweet potato with walnuts and cinnamon, and an apple.
The smoothie was a repeat combination that might seem odd but tastes delicious: cherries and peaches. I mixed it with the usual Nutribody and soymilk.
Thursday
When I spotted this Apple Pie Yogurt at Whole Foods, I knew I must try it. After all, I've made several parfaits in hopes of simulating the apple pie taste experience. Clearly, it went into the basket, and clearly, I had to make a breakfast parfait. I used Honey Nut Os, chopped apple, said yogurt, and ground flax. Honestly, Stonyfield, I was a tad disappointed by your rendition of apple pie. I think Cascade Fresh makes a better version--if only it were organic! If you're interested, I reviewed Cascade Fresh here.
For lunch yesterday, I was craving more of that yummy bok choy and adzuki bean combination. This time I just steamed the bok choy and asparagus, then added the beans and topped with peanut sauce. Supah-delish. On the side, I had rice crackers, a nectarine, and a side salad.
I bought a cucumber last week for one reason only: so I could make tzatziki. I combined a few spoonfuls of Greek yogurt with grated cukes, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and dill. Voila! I fabulous sauce for pita! I also cooked up some cubed tofu with Bragg's and oregano and stuffed it into the pita with a handful of spinach. Along with it, I had some squash, more Greek yogurt with sliced banana, and spinach with Woodstock dressing.
The shake last night was a combination of chocolate-covered cherries and chocolate-covered strawberries. Yeah, it was pretty amazing. Cherries, strawberries, chocolate rice protein, special dark cocoa, and soymilk made for a tasty treat.
Friday
I found myself with a rather empty schedule today, so I whipped up some vegan banana pancakes. I topped them with that maple agave blend, and a few almonds. I washed it all down with rice milk (in a frog cup).
Whole Foods loot:
Sadly, nothing exciting this week (except for the new issue of VT).

In an effort to find another use for the Jamaican jerk seasoning I bought for the tofu (see above), I made some Jamaican jerk black beans for lunch. I combined the seasoning with black beans, bell peppers, and onion. Pita was there to sop up the goodness; dessert was an apple with white chocolate PB.
I received a suggestion from my girl over at GlidingCalm today for a post devoted to protein powders. I would be more than happy to do a protein powder post in the future, but it got me thinking...what topics would like to see in my Sunday feature posts? I am always open to new ideas!

Enjoy your weekend!

The Beauty-Nutrition Connection

Last night, in one of my typical random AIM conversations with my dad, he sent me a link to this recipe: Smoothie for Your Skin. As both you and he are well-aware, I have a special place in my heart for smoothies and shakes, so this recipe quite piqued my interest. Looks like I should add a little flax to my smoothie routine:)

I am a firm believer that nutrition can cure most ills, including matters of physical appearance. As I've mentioned before, a diet rich in healthy fats can do wonders for hair.What foods do you eat that offer beauty benefits?

Perhaps I should take a closer look at my eats for any inadvertent beauty-boosting fare...

Wednesday
Just before heading out to my last few tutoring appointments, I whipped up a quick tofu salad, which I dressed with my homemade sweet dill dressing. I added some pecans and raisins for texture. The whole mess was place atop a bed of greens and accompanied by Corn Thins and kiwi.
That night, I watched a very disappointing Duke basketball game while simultaneously studying for my exam the next day. I also used making dinner as a procrastination tool...where is my motivation? Anyway, I made a grilled cheese with onions and tomato and served it with butternut squash fries, salad with Woodstock dressing, and peaches.
I kept the smoothie relative nutritious that night with blueberries, strawberries, soymilk, and vanilla Spirutein.
Thursday
My 8:30 AM class was cancelled again this week, so I once again seized the opportunity to make a leisurely breakfast. Vegan banana pancakes were on the menu this time, spread with Dark Chocolate Dreams PB. Let's face it. Bananas, chocolate, and PB were meant to be together.
After my exam, I made a simple wrap using a white bean spread from ED&BV which includes cashews and nutritional yeast. I added some spinach and served the wrap with a few peaches.
Then I received an e-mail alerting me of a package at my PO Box. What's this?! I didn't order anything...POM Wonderful!
Does anyone else find these little bottles incredibly appealing? Can't wait to try it--thanks, Janny!

For dinner, I kept it simple and made a pasta salad. I used whole wheat angel hair, sliced mozzarella, chickpeas, tomatoes, steamed asparagus, and carrots, all sprinkled with garlic salt and raspberry vinaigrette.
The shake last night featured strawberries, banana, soymilk, chocolate Spirutein, and dairy-free chocolate chips. Yum.

Friday
I had some leftover butternut squash lying around this morning, so I decided to use it up by making Hungry Girl's Butternut Squash Hash Browns. Basically, the only part of this recipe that tasted reminiscent of hash browns was the ketchup. Bummer. Anyway, I served the squash mess with some scrambled tofu, toast, and kiwi.
By the time I returned from Whole Foods, got my laundry done, and cleaned the apartment, I was famished. I made a quick version of ED&BV's Thai Chick-Un Pizza. I say "quick" because I cheated and used prepared peanut sauce for the base. I also left out a lot of the other suggested toppings, but I was still quite satisfied with just the bell peppers and chickpeas. On the side, I had some more asparagus, mixed greens, and, yes, another dish of peaches.
For dinner this evening, due to my position on the dining committee, I got to evaluate an on-campus eatery (the same one I evaluated here), this time evaluating the delivery service. I ordered steamed veggies with garlic sauce on the side and steamed rice (sadly, brown rice is not an option). I added my own cashews and supplemented the meal with a blood orange. I pulled my usual "prettifying" technique and took everything out of the containers for your viewing pleasure!
My sister and her husband arrive for a weekend visit tomorrow, and I am super-psyched; I love visitors! I think a basketball game and a trip to Trader Joe's may be on the agenda:) Anyway, I'll still try to put together my usual "feature post" on Sunday after their departure. Any topic requests?

Enjoy your weekend!