Drowning in Food Points

Although living in an on-campus apartment is quite convenient, it does have one major drawback: I must purchase a dining plan. As you may have noticed, I haven't been patronizing the university's eateries with quite the same regularity as last year, when I lived in a dormitory setting. The combination of having access to a full kitchen and simply becoming bored with the eateries' offerings, I prefer to prepare meals at home most of the time (with the occasional purchase at the mediocre salad bar). While I am able to use my dining plan at the on-campus grocery store for canned beans, Amy's burritos, and $6 boxes of cereal, it never seems to diminish my never-ending supply of dining funds. The result of this lack of on-campus spending translates into a major food points surplus--due to last semester's excess points and my moderate spending habits this semester, I have to spend $1300 before April 28th. Yikes! If only I were able to use food points at Whole Foods...Anyone else have experience with this?

Alright, now that I have my dining dilemma off my chest, we can proceed to the eats:

Monday
After class, I was surprised to find myself with extra time--now that my tutoring appointments have ended (for now), I don't have to rush around so much. I took advantage of the extra time by preparing some homemade bean stew: pinto beans, cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, garlic, tomato sauce, and curry powder made for a tasty dish. (I made a similar soup here). Toast and applesauce with cashews rounded it all out.
As per usual, I had my dining committee meeting on Monday night. Afterward, I was pretty hangry so, I grabbed a salad from the salad bar, then came home to prepare some killer accompaniments. I heated up some of TJ's chickenless nuggets and baked up a quick batch of sweet potato fries. Served up with plenty of organic ketchup, this meal was pretty awesome. That's Woodstock dressing on the salad.
I decided that I have been neglecting my beloved Nutribody protein for far too long, so I made a simple strawberry-blueberry smoothie with it. Yum.
Tuesday
Due to the rapid rise in temperatures, I decided that I could start having smoothies for breakfast again. Yes, I know--it's an addiction. Anyway, this one included peaches, banana, and rice milk; that's a mini bagel with cashew butter on the side.
Lunch was an old standard: scrambled tofu with broccoli. Seriously, what did I eat before I had scrambled tofu?! If you care to reminisce, here is a link to the very first time I made it. This batch tasted especially fabulous--somehow it turns out better when I use a fresh jar of tahini. I stuffed the mixture (well, as much as would fit) into an Ezekiel pita and had some greens and a blood orange on the side.
As I mentioned above, there is an on-campus grocery store where I may use some of my plenteous food points. I often browse the aisles and find some surprising products, such as this one: concentrated pesto. To be honest, I don't think I've ever had normal pesto. Nonetheless, this introduction to the food proved to be relatively pleasant. I squirted a couple tablespoons of the green goo with some whole grain angel hair pasta and squash. I had more greens (trying to use up the bag before it gets slimy!) topped with chopped apricots and a dish of fresh blackberries from TJ's.
For the smoothie last night, I used another Spirutein packet, this time in the Tropical Fruit flavor. Strawberries, pineapple, and coconut made this concoction pretty awesome.
Wednesday
I took the time to make a breakfast parfait this morning, and the end result was decidely berry-tastic. TJ's blueberry Greek yogurt, frozen blueberries, fiber cereal, and almonds made for a delicious breakfast treat. Oh Trader Joe, how I love thee. PS Lately, I've been sampling different brands of Greek yogurt (*gasp* venturing away from my beloved Fage?!). For all you Greek yogurt fans, what's your favorite brand/flavor?
It doesn't look like I'll be able to get into the Duke-UNC game tonight, which is a major bummer. I'll likely end up watching it on TV with some buds. What are your plans for this evening?

Procrastination via Organization

Like many of you, I am lucky enough to have today off, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday. Many of peers are studiously using this extra day off as an opportunity to catch up on work and prepare for the academic rigors of the weeks ahead. But I'm not. Aside from sleeping in and completing a few minor assignments, I decided it would be a much better use of time to organize my pantry! Exhibit A:
I grew tired of having a cupboard full of miscellaneous bags and chip clips to store my nuts and dried fruit, so I invested in a few storage containers. Now my snacks will be fresh, and my cupboard will be tidy. I derive far too much enjoyment from kitchen organization. How do you keep your cupboards neat?

Anyway, here's what I've been munching since Friday's post:

Friday
I was just itching to use some of new frozen blueberries, so I threw them in the blender along with some strawberries, soymilk, and Nutribody protein.
Saturday
I awoke to another frigid morning, so I made sure to warm myself up after my workout with a hot breakfast. I poured heated rice milk over a few crumbled Weetabix biscuits; I had an apple with almond butter as well.
Almost immediately afterward, I headed out to the Duke basketball game, where we were once again victorious:)
I was starving when I returned to the apartment, so I relied on some freezer goodies, namely an Amy's Texas burger. I slapped that on some bread with salsa and served it alongside a salad with pepitas and a few grapes.
Then it was off to the mall...where I was completely unsuccessful at finding a puffer coat. Instead I ordered this one online when I got home. What do you think? Anyway, I made a quick dinner before a viewing of Father of the Bride with my friends: black beans, peppers, and avocado in a whole grain pita, along with zucchini and a couple clementines.
The shake of the evening was creamy and delicious: frozen banana with chocolate rice protein, soy milk, non-dairy ice cream, and a dusting of cocoa powder. YUM.
Sunday
I made my usual Sunday morning oatmeal, this time with applesauce, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cashews.
After chapel and a little studying, I made a simple lunch: black beans and onions (with a few spices) atop a bed of spinach, a baked sweet potato, and a dish of peaches with wheat germ and pecans.
By the time I got to eat dinner, I was famished again. I came up with an impromptu version of one of my mom's old dishes: mashed potatoes with ham & cheese. I didn't have any "veggie" ham on hand, so I substituted TVP. Also in the mix is dill and garlic. Delish. On the side, I had brussels sprouts, salad with Woodstock dressing, and a few grapes.
The shake took a decidedly decadent note last night, as I combined a frozen banana, dark cocoa powder, chocolate rice protein, soymilk, strawberries, coconut, and dairy-free chocolate chips (I think that's everything...). Fabulous combination!
Monday
I must be on a choco-nana kick, because I used the same combination for breakfast in my oatmeal: oats, dark cocoa powder, banana, cinnamon, and PB. I felt like I was eating brownie batter for breakfast!
You all must get really tired of seeing this meal every post, but I made another tofu scramble for lunch. It's just so delicious and easy! I combined silken tofu with tahini, soy sauce, minced garlic, ginger, turmeric, and sliced zucchini and served it with toast and a salad with clementines. Perfection.
Speaking of repetitive meals, I am a little bored with my eats lately. How do you get out of your dietary ruts? Do you have any favorite cooking websites? Recipe suggestions are always welcome!

Enjoy your Monday!