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!

Killin' Time

With my final papers complete and just one (non-cumulative) exam separating me from my freedom, I am just killin' time now. Sure, I could be studying hard-core for that stat exam...but what's the fun in that? Today's events included an excellent run in the morning, followed by a trip to pick up my paycheck...and an "accidental" trip to Whole Foods. WF is located just across the street from where the Writing Studio, where I picked up my paycheck; the siren song of organic edibles lured me across the crosswalk. I was good though; I just browsed the aisles and picked up the latest issue of Clean Eating, my most recent magazine addiction. I spent the rest of the day semi-studying...and cooking, of course!

Friday
Strawberry shakes are the epitome of sweet simplicity. Just strawberries, Nutribody protein, and soymilk went into this treat.
Saturday
Continuing my quest to "taste the rainbow" through my oatmeal bowl, I decided to tackle the yellow portion of the spectrum with pineapple. Light coconut milk, shredded coconut, and cashew butter added a complementary tropical element. Yum.
I made some simple chickpea tacos for lunch using chickpeas, zucchini, cumin, oregano, ground red pepper, and salsa. I also had a salad and some applesauce with pecans.
For dinner, my friends and I headed to The Washington Duke Inn to kill off some superfluous food points. The Inn is quite ritzy, so it was brimming with luxe Christmas decorations. We couldn't resist a picture by the Christmas tree:)
Anyway, here's a recap of what I ordered: Bibb lettuce salad with pear, bleu cheese, and toasted hazelnuts. Next came my specially ordered entree. I asked for a surprise vegetarian dish, since the menu's meat-free options were quite limited. As it turned out, the sous chef is a vegetarian himself, so I received quite the stunning meal: layered sauteed vegetables atop a potato-fennel pancake. For dessert, I ordered the pomegranate sorbet with fresh berries. Everything was phenomenal, and it was a great way to spend the evening.
After all that food, I still managed to save room for another strawberry shake.
Sunday
Next up on my oatmeal adventure was GREEN. As you might recall, I attempted to make green oats before (unsuccessfully) with a pistachio Larabar. This time, I definitely achieved a green hue. The magic ingredient was a packet of Amazing Grass, in the berry flavor. Look for a review in the future.
After chapel and a few hours of feverish paper-writing, I took a break for lunch. I made a sweet potato hash with black beans, chickpeas, broccoli, cumin, and ground red pepper. I also had a salad with Goddess dressing and peaches.
I kept dinner simple last night, as my motivation to think was waning after I pumped out page 18 of my paper. I had a salad with soynuts, toast, and an apple with PB.
The shake last night was another Spirutein success. The flavor of choice was cookies 'n cream this time to which I added 1.5 frozen bananas and soymilk. What a great way to reward myself:)
Monday
With so much time on my hands today, I got creative with my meals. I started off with some banana fingers: banana dipped in cinnamon-spiked plain yogurt, then rolled in crushed spelt flakes. I used some cashew butter for dipping.
Upon my return from Whole Foods, I heated up a can of lentil soup and served it alongside salad, toast, and Waldorf salad. My Waldorf consists of diced apple, vegan mayo, currants, chopped almonds, and a dash of nutmeg.
For dinner tonight, I dusted off my copy of ED&BV to create some Orange Sesame Tofu. It was superbly delicious, just as I remember it from the last time I made it. I served it alongside whole grain couscous, ginger-laced zucchini and mushrooms, and a salad with orange slices and peanuts. Whew. Lots of food, lots of satisfaction.
I'll be heading to bed soon, but I'm in need of some good reading material. What are you reading right now? Winter break is one of the rare occasions that I have the time to read for pleasure, so I plan to take full advantage of it! Please send any recommendations my way!

Be back Wednesday.

Edited to add: Check out this awesome giveaway at Eating Bender! You all know how much I love blending things...