Return of Blue Devils Basketball

Sorry to be so late in posting my third installment of the week; I have been busy immersing myself in the joy that is Duke basketball. Upon my arrival to campus in 2006, I developed an intense love for Duke basketball, an odd occurrence for a girl who hadn't taken much interest in professional sports for the first 18 years of her life. Some of you may have heard of the "tenting" tradition at Duke. We students camp out on the lawn in front of Cameron Indoor Stadium for 2 months in order gain access to a single game, the match against our cross-town rival, UNC at Chapel Hill. I was one of those crazy kids, sleeping in a tent in 20* weather in hopes of getting good seats for the much-anticipated game. After an experience like that, it's hard not to remain a loyal fan.

After enduring the torturous summer and fall months without basketball, the 2008-2009 season is finally under way. Last night was the annual "open practice," in which the coach (the legendary Coach K) allows the public to watch the team as they hone their skills. This afternoon I attended the annual Blue White Scrimmage, an event in which the Duke players divide into teams and play against one another. It was great to be back in Cameron--the atmosphere of the stadium is like nothing else. Once you step inside, you can sense the energy bouncing off the walls, and the abundance of team spirit becomes infectious.

OK, now that I have exposed myself as a complete basketball junkie, I suppose I should address the foodie stuff.
Wednesday
I took a temporary hiatus from harvest-time on Wednesday evening and decided on a tropical theme for smoothie time. Strawberry, pineapple, and coconut combined with vanilla hemp and soymilk always make for a winning combination. Thursday
I liked CCV's Banana Bread Blender so much the first time that I gave it another try yesterday morning. Not only is it incredibly delicious, it is so simple too--one-bowl breakfasts are quite the boon when you are without a dishwasher. For lunch, I picked out a recipe from the hummus section of ED&BV, White Bean Hummus with Basil and Thyme. I had neither fresh basil nor thyme, but I made do with dried varieties. I wasn't precise with my measurements as I was ultimately aiming to use up the rest of these never-ending Great Northern Beans, but the flavors ended up spectacular nonetheless. You can hardly go wrong with tahini and garlic:) I spread the scrumptious goop on toasted whole wheat and served it alongside a salad, green beans, and a gorgeous Fuji apple. Kristen and I received a surprise package yesterday: a Halloween tin from the Popcorn Factory! Thanks, Mom and Dad:) Here are a few of the highlights: I whipped up dinner in record time on Thursday. Between Facebook and homework (the two activities that take up most of my time), I completely lost track of time--meaning I had limited time before my church group meeting. I ended up making dinner, scarfing it down, and doing the dishes within the span of about 30 minutes--beat that, Rachael Ray! Anyway, I selected another ED&BV favorite, Peanut Passion Sauce as the star of my dinner. I quickly baked some tofu in a screaming hot oven, steamed some asparagus, and cooked up a serving of whole grain couscous. I added a rather unphotogenic orange at the last minute. I wish I had been able to take my time and enjoy this feast. I realized last night that I have been neglecting the chocolate chili variety of my Living Harvest hemp for far too long. I combined strawberries, chocolate hemp, soymilk, and dairy-free chocolate chips for a chocolate-covered strawberry, in liquid form. Yum. Friday
I have attempted vegan French toast multiple times but never been completely satisfied with the results. After a thorough perusal of my favorite cookbooks, I found a recipe that looked like a winner: Tofu Banana French Toast from The Imus Ranch Cookbook. I blended silken tofu, half a banana, vanilla extract, rice milk, and agave nectar to make a thick batter for the bread. A dip in the batter and a few minutes in the pan made my whole grain bread go from boring to sensational. I topped the slices with cinnamon, pecans, agave nectar, and the rest of the banana. *Food Fugue* PS One great advantage of the vegan French toast is that you can eat the extra batter without worries of food-borne illness...plus it kept my hunger at bay while I waited for the toast to cook! Following a big shop at Whole Foods, I came home to prepare a simple but tasty lunch. I made a grilled Tofurky-tomato sandwich on whole wheat, a Waldorf salad (apple, vegan mayo, almonds, and raisins), plus a salad of mixed greens . Do you like my new fall-ishplacemats? After the open practice, my friends and I hit up one of our favorite local eateries, Elmo's Diner. We have dined there regularly since arriving at Duke, and I have never had a bad meal there. Last night, I opted for the Vegetarian Taco Salad (sans cheese and sour cream) and a side of fresh fruit. The salad was delicious, but a little spicier than I was expecting! I had to get some mint tea to calm down my tastebuds. I didn't get any dessert at Elmo's, but I ended up needing a little something sweet when we returned to the apartment. Kashi cookie to the rescue! I washed it down with an ice cold glass of rice milk. Look for a review in the future:) The smoothie last night was nothing new--just my favorite combination evah. Yep, peaches, mango, vanilla hemp, and soymilk. Whew! I need to actually get some work done this weekend, so I must conclude this lengthy post. Before I go, I'll leave you with some basketball pics.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

After a few stints in various modes of transportation, I have finally arrived in DC for the weekend. Spring break has officially begun, and I have entered relaxation mode. Check out the view from our hotel room today at sunset:
What are you up to this weekend?

Backtracking to those last few days before freedom:

Wednesday
Those frozen artichoke hearts were calling my name again, so I made a quick pasta dish to incorporate them. Whole wheat angel hair pasta, artichoke hearts, pesto tofu, and minced garlic made for a delicious evening meal. On the side, I had some steamed snap peas and lots of greens with tomatoes. Can you tell that I was trying to use up my produce?!
The smoothie that evening was another peach-mango concoction using Nutribody protein. Tasty, as always.
Thursday
As you may know, I have a fondness for vegan French toast, particularly for Tofu-Banana French Toast from the Imus Ranch Cookbook. Indeed, half the reason for my enjoyment of the dish is for the batter itself--I could eat it with a spoon...so I did. (Since it is a vegan recipe, the batter is egg-free, so eating the batter does not present a threat of salmonella). Instead of using the batter for its intended use, I ate it as a pudding, into which I dipped some more of those blueberry mini waffles. I washed it all down with rice milk.
After my last class, I was in a particularly celebratory mood due to not having class for the next 10 days. I kicked things up with a BBQ veggie hash: chickpeas, garlic, zucchini, mushrooms, and Whole Foods brand BBQ. I scooped it all up with baked blue corn chips, and I used up the rest of my fresh produce in a salad with cashews and a dish of grapes.
Then I packed up my suitcase for home...I thought you all would appreciate some of my "travelling essentials."
I also packed up dinner and a few snacks for my flights that evening. Dinner consisted of a veggie bologna sandwich, an apple, almonds, and raw veggies. For snacks, I brought along a light cheddar stick with rice crackers and a small container of TJ's trail mix.
Once at the airport, I picked up another small snack to nosh on while reading Shape. Mango? Yes, please.
I arrived home late, but I needed to pack up for DC before bed. Here's a glimpse at my reading material and my "emergency breakfast kit." What are some of your travel essentials for eating healthfully?
Finally, I got to sit down and read a few blogs with my nightly smoothie: Vanilla Alive! protein with blueberries, rice milk and Nature's Path cashew-ginger granola. Ah, the comforts of home.
Friday
Before heading out to the airport (again!), I had a quick breakfast: Rudi's bagel with Sunbutter, apple, and Friendship cottage cheese with apple pie spice. Oh Rudi, how I missed you.
By the time we arrived at the train station in DC, I was starving. Fortunately, there is a "grab and go" Au Bon Pain in the station, so I snagged a few items to eat: garden salad (with sprouts!), mixed nuts, vanilla soymilk, grapes, and whole grain bread. I didn't eat all this...but pretty close.

Next up was dinner at Nora, the nation's first certified organic restaurant. I was surprised to find that the vegetarian options were rather limited (read: only one entree was meat-free). Nonetheless, I had a fabulous meal. I ordered a spicy tofu hot pot with loads of veggies and soba noodles. I drained that bowl clean:) For dessert, I ordered the coconut sorbet, aka heaven in a martini glass. Everything I ordered was completely delicious, and completely vegan, as the waitress assured me.
Whew! I am spent from all that eating. It's so nice to visit a city where eating out is a delight and stress-free for vegan/vegetarians. What are your favorite cities for dining?

Before I sign off, I want to let you all know about a special giveaway over at Blue Plate Special. Anna is offering the chance to win Raising the Bar, a book about the creators of my beloved Clif bars. In case you missed it, I recently did a review of ALL Clif bars (minus the peanut flavors)--check it out here. Obviously, I am one of Clif's biggest fans:)

Good night, all!