UG Dining Hall Challenge

I swear, I will turn anything into a challenge. My latest? Eat well while eating like an undergrad for the weekend.

This weekend, I spent time with my sister and her friends at their college. Thus, it was back to dining hall meals. The dining hall isn't the worst thing ever... but I still shudder when I think of how many of my undergraduate meals consisted of bagels slathered with cream cheese, Reese's Puffs, the worst pizza that ever existed, and "salads" I barely touched that were disguised under hearty helpings of bleu cheese. Last year, when Ian was still at Hampden-Sydney, I used to enjoy challenging myself to experiment with wholesome, healthy food options in his dining hall. Granted, we usually counteracted such meals with trips to BWW or a Farmville favorite, Macado's, but I was still proud of myself for electing to eat egg white omelettes, fresh blueberries and strawberries, and raisin-sprinkled granola with skim. It's all about balance ;)

For breakfast on Saturday morning, I sampled scrambled eggs, a slice of real bacon (yum!), low-fat blueberry yogurt with granola, a cup (or two) of whipped coffee, a smattering of 'tater tots, and a much-needed bowl of Kashi Go Lean! Crunch. The breakfast of champions. Well... the breakfast of people trying to avoid a trip to Starbuck's and/or the beautifully displayed doughnuts and desserts.

Sunday morning looked much the same: a scoop of scrambled eggs, a bowl of low-fat vanilla yogurt with pineapple chunks and granola, a couple small seasoned potato cakes, a cup of whipped coffee and a cup of premade coffee with milk, and a bowl of Go Lean! Crunch mixed with Honey Nut Cheerios. I must say, I've been pretty impressed with the school's dining hall options. I left around 2:00 yesterday, but steaks and hot fudge sundaes were on the dinner menu!

Normally, I'm perfectly happy being that girl who snaps photos of her meals in public. I thought I'd avoid embarrassing Caroline and her sorority sisters, particularly as a 23-year-old trying to blend in with UGs... Overall, I felt pretty good about my dining hall choices. My weekend diet definitely could have contained more vegetables. I also simultaneously celebrated and lamented the fact that not once did we order pizza. My mouth waters just thinking about thin-crust cheesy pizza with pineapple and onions... But, my sister and I snacked on Vitamin Water and 100-calorie packets of almonds instead.

As I know from my lack of personal experience, eating well while relying on the dining hall can be done, it just requires effort, creativity, and openness. It's all about that balance.

I hope your weekend was excellent! I'm counting down the days until Friday!

Endless Summer

This weekend has been pretty different from my usual exploits at Hampden-Sydney. Oh, well, with the exception of my token hangover.

I arrived Friday at 3:45 and hung out with Ian and a steady stream of visitors until Caroline arrived. After running a few errands and grabbing T-Bell for dinner, it was time for the slip-and-slide. Of course, no frattivity such as this is complete without a trip to the hospital for stitches, so that put a bit of a damper on things... for about 5 minutes. Unfortunately, the slip-and-slide lubed with dish soap was a wrap, but the camaraderie of Pledge Party was just beginning.

Tom's themed attire was less "endless summer" and more "female volleyball player"

Obviously, my attire wasn't theme-oriented, as I had planned...

This is the infamous professor, Dr. Herbert J. Sipe, Jr.

I don't know about you, but I much prefer bottled beer to canned beer, even though it's twice as expensive. I tried the new Bud Light Platinum, but I was a bit disappointed with how watered down it tasted. Luckily, I had Miller Lite to balance out the flavor.

The entire night was fantastic. Tom and I went 2-0 in beer pong, some of my ADPi sisters wandered in for a bit, I caught up with old friends and new friends, I mixed and mingled all night, and it was an incredible last frat "party" for Ian and me.

This morning, I was up and at 'em at the horrendous hour of 9:00. I needed to shower, get ready, and grab a small breakfast before heading back to school for Kristin's 31 party at 1:00. I wish I'd snapped photos of the delicious libations she prepared -- mini BBQ sandwiches, fresh fruit salad, a fresh veggie tray, cupcakes, sangria, pretzel snacks, tomato and bacon pastries, homemade cookies, and more -- but I was ravenous! I had never been to a 31 party before, but I definitely enjoyed myself. I especially loved her party favors:

A well-deserved nap was on the agenda, and for two glorious hours, I did nothing else. I made myself a late dinner when I finally arose, and I'm currently enjoying a cup of decaf and a movie. Normally, I'd be lonely and bored at my apartment on a Saturday night, but I'm zapped. I decided to call it an early night, watch a little TV, and lounge around here for the evening. I'm perfectly happy with the idea of a quiet evening, sleeping in tomorrow (with no alarm), and grocery shopping and working at my leisure.

I hope your weekend has been wonderful thus far :) What have you been up to? Do you generally prefer quieter or rowdier weekend activities, or a combo?

I Pledge to Party

Pledge Party.

To me, that's a weird phrase. It sounds as though one is pledging to party.

Well, if that's the case, then I'm on board. Tonight is AXE's (Ian's fraternity) Pledge Party event for the newly initiated brothers. Typically, Pledge Party occurs the night before the initiation ceremony, but the fraternity's social circumstances were different this semester. Thus, Pledge Party is occurring post-initiation; the pledges are no longer pledges. That doesn't mean the party will be any less grand! There is usually a band or a DJ. Tonight there will also be cookout food, which means fast-food or some red meat alternative for me. The theme this semester is Endless Summer, and this tankini top and sundress are what I plan to wear:

Plus my LMFAO shades, as I call them, with my HSC "bro-kies"
I'm not ballsy or showy enough (read: idiotic enough) to wear just a bikini top and some skimpy bottoms. I prefer a more modest adherence to the theme, nevermind the fact that it'll be 50 degrees and windy tonight. Tonight's more realistic theme is debauchery.
I'm just looking forward to socializing and spending QT with Ian, Caroline, Lauren & Co., and Ian's bros. I hope to have lots of great pics for you tomorrow, as I rejoin my grad school girls for a 31 merchandise party at Kristin's!

Man, I'm going to miss these opportunities to act as an undergrad again... Before you know it, I'll have taken up knitting and cat-collecting...

P.S. Do you still enjoy "fratting" when you get the chance? Do you ever visit your alma mater (HSC is my pseudo alma mater) to shake things up with old friends?

Fratting Hard: Greek Week 2012

I could tell you that this weekend was peaceful and serene and full of melt-your-heart moments, but I'd be lying. This weekend is better encapsulated in the word insane.

Friday, my little sister and best friend in the world, Caroline, and Ian and I enjoyed the frattivities taking place around the clock. Hampden-Sydney does Greek Week in big proportions. There was cornhole, burgers and dogs on the grill (I elected for Taco Bell--I still don't do "real" hamburgers or hot dogs), bands all the way around Frat Circle, a makeshift hot tub (a tarp inside a pickup full of water), streaking, glow-in-the-dark Frisbee, an abundance of alcohol, couches on lawns, way too many above-the-knee khakis and pastel button-downs, and more than enough mingling with both old and new people. I managed not to fall this weekend, though I did trip over that same treacherous sidewalk, resulting in a few ugly but harmless blood blisters. I drank way too much Miller Light, and I ate two pieces too many of cheesy, onion-laden Papa John's goodness.

Saturday Caroline had to leave before lunch to get back to school to prep for a sorority ball, so Ian and I grabbed a light lunch (some very dry Philadelphia rolls, a Vitamin Water, and a Kit Kat for me) before meeting up with my parents. I was excited to take them down to Ian's fraternity house to see some of the frat bros they know, such as these clowns:

 Don't worry, Zsa-Zsa, you're not a clown!

I was also a little apprehensive that the inevitably shirtless guys sunning themselves on the lawn and playing cornhole with their cigars and their red Solo cups full of unspeakable cocktails would make them think differently, but they absolutely loved seeing everybody and getting a taste of our frattier weekends.

Afterward, we grabbed an early and delicious dinner at Ruby Tuesday before my family needed to head home and Ian and I needed to head out for more provisions. Saturday night was much less crowded but equally as hilarious and entertaining. This morning, I paid for it dearly. Luckily for me, Ian graciously plays doctor quite well. We had brunch in the dining hall, and then sadly, it was time for us to part company. I had a nap and several bottles of water on my agenda!

And just like that, Greek Week 2012 was over as suddenly as it had begun.

I love still having the best of both worlds for a few more months. Once Ian's in medical school and I'm in the second year of my M.Ed. program, things won't be so frattastic. I'm sure people judge me for my weekend decisions and my lifestyle, but frankly, my dears, I don't give a damn. I'm sure my liver feels differently, but my grades are high and my concerns are low.

I hope your weekend was excellent, and far more hydrated than mine!

P.S. Sorry I've been a little light on the pics recently. One of Ian's close friends asked if a photo of the airplane bottles I downed last night would grace "The Blog," and though they won't, consider this your shout-out, Raj!

Just What I Needed

This weekend was exactly what the doctor ordered. Not literally.

Prepare for a full synopsis!

Friday, Ian and I dined at Buffalo Wild Wings. I tried the Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich, and I subbed a side salad for fries (pats self on back). I was still craving a little something sweet afterward, so I ordered a scoop of vanilla ice cream from the kids menu. Mmm, mmm, mmm! Later on, we ventured down to one of Ian's best friend's dorm complex for some adult beverages, card games, and camaraderie. We even indulged in 2:00 a.m. Sheetz sandwiches. Oops!

Saturday, I relished the luxury of sleeping in, though Ian had to be up and at 'em before the sun awoke for an open house event for prospective students and their families. He rejoined me around 12:30, and we hit the gym. Hampden-Sydney has one of the most beautiful college gyms I've ever seen, though all I needed was a treadmill. Thankfully, there was hardly anyone else working out to see me huffing and puffing my way through my longest run yet -- 45 minutes! That ended up being almost 3.5 miles, which felt like a heart attack and light-headedness afterward, but which felt like pride and accomplishment later :) We grabbed lunch at T-Bell, and I tried the Soft Taco Supreme, which I haven't eaten since I was in middle school. Beef still isn't my thing in this whole meat experimentation process, but those tacos sure were tasty after such a difficult workout.

After a short nap, some March Madness, and a bit of Bo Burnham's stand-up routine, we showered and dressed for the evening. I tried the Tiger Inn's (HSC's student center and cafe) finest -- the tuna melt sandwich, onion petals, a Vitamin Water, and a Kit Kat bar. We spent Saturday night with our Friday night crowd. I may be 23, but Kings and $%#@ the Dealer have yet to get old, especially when paired with hilarious people. What a weekend!

This afternoon, we enjoyed the dining hall's brunch spread, which I always enjoy. I'm very much a creature of habit, so I always snag fresh-squeezed OJ, French roast coffee, low-fat granola with skim, an egg white omelette with veggies and cheese, fruit cocktail and cottage cheese, and a donut hole or three. Ian had a busy afternoon ahead, and I needed to get back to work on a project, so unfortunately we parted company around 3:00.

This weekend was just what I needed to clear my head, relax, spend time with close friends, try a new workout in a new place, and laugh until I couldn't breathe. I hope your weekend was equally as excellent :)

P.S. Tomorrow night, Make It or Break It returns full-force, and I could not be more excited! I've never been busier or more stressed with all that's due in the next few weeks, but I absolutely love this show!

Wonderful Winter Wonderland Weekend

I literally cannot believe what's happening right now.

SNOW?! During WINTER? In February??

These photos were taken at 2:30, but even they don't do this storm justice. It is dumping snow here, and has been for some time.

Mother Nature, this is by far one of your best jokes.

You gave us Virginians 60-degree weather, mixed with more rain than the Amazon sees annually, for 3 months, and now you've decided we need a blizzard?

As a winter baby, I love snow. Everything about it. The way it tastes, the way it smells, the way it sounds coming down, the way it feels... Okay, yeah, I like to experience snow with all my senses. Good thing, because it looks like we're in for a long night of it.

Allow me to back up a bit. Friday, as you may remember, was Ian's and my second Valentine's Day celebration, as we traveled to Richmond to see The Lion King on Broadway.

We enjoyed a cheap dinner at my favorite sub joint, Jersey Mike's. I always love The Veggie on whole wheat bread with lots of delicious veggie frills. We even indulged in some SF, which happened to be right next door.

I'm such a sucker for the fat-free Cake Batter froyo + fresh fruit + the marshmallow creme topping. Talk about a heart attack!

Then we headed downtown to be sure we could get a space in the parking deck across from the Landmark Theatre. It's always a zoo (pun intended). What a fantastic production. Everything was flawless, there was so much to take in, and I was grinning from ear to ear for hours. The giraffes are my absolute favorite thing:

Disney's The Lion King

During the summer of 2002, my church youth group traveled to NYC and NJ for a mission trip. As this was planned before 9/11 happened 10 months before the trip, we were limited in the activities we had scheduled. The Statue of Liberty was inaccessible, all but the lobby of the Empire State Building was inaccessible, security was extremely heightened... But Broadway did not cease to amaze. I am so blessed that I was able to experience my first Broadway production, The Lion King, at 13. Since that time, I have also seen Hairspray and Wicked, and I have really come to develop a love for the theater. This was Ian's first Broadway experience, and I was so glad I was able to share it with him!

Saturday morning, after having been up until 2:00 a.m. laughing and reminiscing with my family, we arose bright and early to head to H-SC for the basketball game versus Randolph-Macon -- a bitter rivalry, to say the least. The Tigers didn't disappoint!

Caroline and I didn't storm the court with the rest of the student body, but we sure were fired up!

We celebrated the Tigers' win by dining at a Farmville favorite, Macado's. I ordered a new selection instead of my usual Build-Your-Own-Sandwich, the Southwestern Fiesta Salad -- complete with real grilled chicken:

I had absolutely no complaints, and I topped this baby off with a schooner of Miller Lite...

...minus the official Macado's schooner glass due to dishwashing difficulties. It still tasted the same, because our ever-so-kind waiter provided me with a schooner straw.

We headed back to campus for a lot of relaxing, a bit of adult beverage consumption, and, as expected, a great deal of debauchery. When Ian, Caroline and I get together, it's only to be expected.

Caroline "acquired" the Cowgirl Chic look, as she was fashionably ill-equipped for the weather.

A great time was had by all, and little sleep was had by all. We woke up at 8:15 to not even a hint of snow, and dozed until 11:00, when we discovered that the snow was coming down heavily where both Caroline and I go to school. I hate when our trio's weekends have to come to a hasty end, but we didn't want to be traveling in unsafe weather. I even threw in a frenzied trip to Kroger for some essentials before parking it for the night! I mean, who can weather a snowstorm without sushi? ;)

Now, the great debate is whether or not to walk a half-mile and back to the gym for a 30-minute run... I had to forego my long run yesterday, and I'm afraid that if I blow off today, too, that I'll be snowed in tomorrow, workout-less and feeling guilty. Looks like it's time to break out some boots!

Be safe in this crazy snow, if you're in good ole VA! Ta ta!

P.S. How did you spend your weekend? This snowstorm -- are you excited, or not so much? How many workouts in a row are you willing to skip?

Super, Super Bowl Sunday

There may not be anyone who cares less about football than I do. The only time I've ever made myself interested was when Ian played offensive lineman on the H-SC team, and during his senior year when he'd hung up the cleats, but our families tailgated every weekend. Let's be honest -- even then, it was more about people-watching ;)

Today, however, I'm very excited to watch the Super Bowl at the home of Kristin and her boyfriend (Travis), and with Jennifer. We're potluckin' it and ordering pizza, which is pretty thrilling. I'm proud to report that pizza is a delicacy rather than a regularity for me now.

I don't have a stake in either team, so I'm not sure for whom I'll be rooting. My sister is partial to the Giants, and I'm not sure which way my comrades swing. Tonight will be about great company, great food, great commercials, and a (hopefully) great halftime show.

This is my contribution to the potluck:

My sister and I baked the above Vanilla Almond Cake Cookies. I'm beyond excited about so many of the Chobani recipes I've discovered!

On that note, I proudly tried out three(!) new recipes this weekend, including the cookies. Saturday night, Caroline and I grocery shopped for the ingredients for Greek Salad Pitas from my Good Housekeeping vegetarian cookbook.

I bear no responsibility for this. Though I did cry/snort laughing...

Prep: 20 minutes

Makes 4 sandwiches

What you'll need:

1 can (15-19 oz.) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup plain lowfat yogurt [we used Chobani]

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 garlic clove, peeled

4 (6- to 7-inch) whole-wheat pitas

3 cups sliced romaine lettuce

2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

2 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves

fresh mint leaves for garnish [optional]

What you'll do:

1. In food processor, with knife blade attached, or in blender, combine beans, yogurt, oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic; puree until smooth.

2. Cut off top third of each pita to form pocket. Use half of bean mixture to spread inside pockets.

3. Combine lettuce, tomato, cucumber, feta, and chopped mint; use to fill pockets.

4. Top with remaining bean mixture and mint leaves.

And this morning, I toasted a whole wheat bagel and topped it with one egg, a slice of Swiss, two slices of avocado, and a juicy slice of tomato. The other half I topped with an old favorite, low-fat cream cheese and grape jelly. Mmm, mmm, mmm! I had seen this breakfast combo on one of my favorite blogs, and I'd been dying to try it out.

Today, my training program calls for a day off. Thus far, I haven't actually taken off any of my "off" days. Being that I hit the gym seven days consecutively, I decided that a day off would probably do my body good, even though I'm feeling great. I don't want to overdo it and injure myself. A day off, it is.

No matter what you're doing or whom you're rooting for tonight, I hope you enjoy your Super Bowl Sunday!

P.S. Do you ever worry about purposefully taking time off from the gym or from your exercise routine? Do you relish time off, or do you feel guilty? I know I need not feel guilty, because this training program was developed for the benefit of novice runners.

P.P.S. Who are you rooting for tonight?!

Breakfast, Burritos, and Basketball

This morning I awoke to creepy whispering in my ear: "Make me muffinssss..."

I was like, 'Cuz I'm not tryin' to sleep, here!

Nevertheless, those Fiber One blueberry muffins in the cupboard were definitely calling my name, so I popped out of bed at the much unanticipated hour of 10:00 on a Saturday! (I'm very big on sleeping in.)

I didn't realize that I was slightly ill-equipped to make muffins, until...

Tupperware doesn't make muffins taste different, right?

As it turns out, I also didn't have large muffin trays. I think mini-muffins are cuter, anyway!

 Ian was like, "Okay, you just do it!"

 

This delight, plus a pomegranate Chobani, began my day perfectly!

We headed out in the sunshine and breezy warmth to the Hampden-Sydney at Randolph College b-ball game. It was definitely a nail-biter! I love a good cheering-and-screaming, pom-pom-waving, trash-talking, referee-cursing game. We got what we wanted, and Ian's prediction was exactly right: The team was down all game, they made a miraculous comeback, and they lost...

...by one point.

It was a heart-breaking loss, but a very exhilarating game.

We were ravenous at 4:00, so we headed to an old favorite from Farmville, Moe's! They have great vegetarian options with lots of fresh veggies and even tofu.

My "Unanimous Decision" was one hard shell and one soft shell, stuffed with brown rice, lettuce, tomato, a pinch of cheese, a dollop of sour cream and guac, black olives, and fresh pico de gallo. Mmm! I couldn't help myself -- the salsa bar is to die for.

An early dinner makes for two very hungry people, so we get the opportunity tonight to try out some fresh snacks, like blueberries and my new Otria Greek yogurt dip and blue corn tortilla chips. Update on love/hate to come.

The movie of choice for tonight--a win again for me--is "Friends with Benefits." Score! Have a good one, my friends.

P.S. Moe's or Qdoba or Chipotle? Pico or salsa? Sour cream or plain yogurt?

Mushrooms and Scream

Boy, do I hate cleaning.

And I do mean hate.

My poor Mama fears asking me to vacuum or dust at our house. What?! Dust? What for? No one will notice! Needless to say, she's a fabulous housekeeper. I abide more by a policy of cleaning when I'm expecting guests, or every 2 weeks. I am, however, a big believer in perpetual neatness and everything being in its place. It's the OCD in me, and I don't hate it.

I despise vacuuming with the ancient machine my parents bestowed upon me, Swiffering, dusting, scrubbing the tub and the sink, wiping down the counters, disinfecting, etc. But when it's all said and done, I'm always so proud of what I've accomplished. This is the first time I've ever lived entirely by myself, and I'm proud of my cute little apartment!

Why yes, I do line my bathroom trash can with Kroger bags. It's called saving money and recycling.

 Yes. There are stuffed animals on my bed. Alphies, for any ADPis out there, and the HSC tiger (Ian named him Frank, because he's frankly awesome), for anyone out there dating a Hampden-Sydney gentleman.

In other news...

I waged an internal war with myself all day. Literally a war. Should I grocery shop before Ian comes to save time? Nah, I should wait for him because he's actually excited to shop and cook together. But shouldn't I shop ahead of time because I know I'll be starving and grouchy by the time we actually sit down for this meal? So. Much. Turmoil. Ultimately my decision? Wait. Ian was grateful that I did ;)

 The ingredients for our "Good Housekeeping" vegetarian Fettuccine with Mushrooms and Cream

 Vitamin Water and SoBe Life Water are absolute staples in my life

 I feel like a new woman with an arsenal of Chobanis!

Some new stuff I'm giving a try -- Fiber One blueberry muffin mix (healthy and yummy!), blue corn tortilla chips, Kashi Honey Puffs cereal (another new cereal to try!), Otria Greek yogurt dip, and light Balsamic vinaigrette dressing (instead of my beloved Olive Garden dressing)

We commenced making dinner after a very stressful trip to Kroger.

 We feverishly chopped what seemed like an exorbitant amount of mushroom...

 I put Ian on Pasta Duty.

 The mushrooms cooked down quite a bit. If you plan to make this recipe (which I posted a few days ago), I recommend using the heavy whipping cream called for. We substituted fat-free half-and-half at the suggestion of a more seasoned culinary whiz, but our sauce didn't quite turn out as thick as anticipated.

 I love the idea of adding fresh basil and sun-dried tomatoes to dishes!

 The finished product! We raced to sit down, dress our salads, and dig in...

 And I hated it.

Alright, I didn't hate it. But in hindsight, I definitely would have changed a few things. I would have made only one 9-oz. package of fettuccine. I also would have topped the plated pasta with the sauce instead of tossing the pasta in the sauce in the saucepot. The result was that the pasta was slightly overcooked, while all of the creamy sauce and mushrooms settled to the bottom of the mix.

Ian declared the recipe a keeper. He had 3 helpings, while I dejectedly asked if we should order Papa John's. I declared that I'm a very long way from being a Master Chef. I'm lamenting the amount of leftover pasta in the fridge, too...

You live and you learn. At least I'm experimenting!

I surprised Ian with sugar-free peach Jell-O for dessert, and he surprised me by renting "Paranormal Activity 3" from Redbox. He hates scary movies and they're my absolute favorite, so it's always a nice treat when he voluntarily watches one with me :)

Well, my "blends," it's time for a little PA, and a relaxing evening with the boy. Happy Friday!

P.S. What recipes did you botch before they were keepers? How did you learn to substitute healthier ingredients into recipes?