It's High Time

...that I shook things up around here meal-wise.

Each week tends to look generally the same:

Monday: leftover day or vegetarian burger + veggies,

Tuesday: brown rice + French onion soup + salad,

Wednesday: vegetarian chicken + pasta + salad,

Thursday: vegetarian chili + salad + Jell-O

Weekends nearly always consist of cringe-worthy restaurant foods, though I am gradually making better choices without sacrificing fun or flavor. For instance, I've found that I don't need to eat so much cheese if I choose chicken entrees instead of vegetarian ones. It seems that most restaurants equate vegetarianism with cheese-lovers... which is great, if you never want to poop again!

Sometimes that "+ salad" looks more like "+ frozen veggies" or "+ canned seasoned turnip greens," but it's usually salad or sliced tomatoes and cukes with a splash of vinegar.

Breakfasts vary little between Kashi topped with berries and/or bananas and oatmeal topped with a smorgasbord of goodies. There is the occasional omelette...

Dessert will undoubtedly consist of a Chobani, Jell-O, or a cup of decaf hazelnut Folger's. Without fail, Thursday is always a Jell-O day, as if I'm saying to myself, Congratulations on making it to the weekend!

It's not that I aim to make all of my meals boring or overly predictable. You know you eat predictably when you can draw (multiple) examples from previously taken photos. The problem lies in ease; all of these meals are so simple to prepare before I leave for class or immediately after I return.

Last night, in about 30 minutes I whipped up rice pilaf topped with a baked sliced chik'n breast brushed with olive oil, and a spinach salad topped with feta, tomato, cuke, cilantro, pickles, and light Zesty Italian. It was simple, delicious, and filling. I'm all about simple.

So, I'll shout it from the mountaintops: I want to get out of my meal repetition rut without making things difficult for myself.

Tonight, I'm going to shake things up and have Jell-O! Look out, world -- I'm gettin' crazy! ;)

If you have suggestions for how to shake things up or for quick and easy recipes, I would greatly appreciate anything you can provide me! They don't even have to be vegetarian -- I can sub ingredients to make almost any meal veggie-friendly. I've been eating meat when I go out, but I'm still preparing solely "lacto-ovo-pescetarian" foods at home.

Ta ta, and happy Tuesday!

Fiesta Weekend

What a wonderful relaxing, productive, exciting, smile-filled weekend it was :) I was so blessed to be able to spend it in the company of family and good friends.

Friday held so many new things (i.e. my accidental 5K), I couldn't help but celebrate!

I demolished this little gem at TGI Friday's before Kristin and I made our way to AA. This go-round, I selected more wisely: the Classic Wedge Salad, the Chicken Piccata Pasta, and this, Oreo Madness. Again, I didn't finish the pasta, and the delicious left-overs are still waiting for me.

Saturday, after my new favorite healthy Subway find (a 6" Veggie on wheat bread = provolone, lettuce, tomato, pickles, banana peppers, cucumber, Chipotle Southwest sauce, and oil and vinegar), I treated myself to a phenomenal Starbuck's cake pop.

Saturday evening, Caroline, Ian and I rang in St. Patrick's Day with two friends, Phil and Bekah, and a lot of some very green beer at Macado's!

After so much indulgence, I declared today that I'm in official Detox Mode. Lauren asked me about my "plan of attack," but the truth is, I don't have one. I just have a crying need to OD on fruits and veggies. Somewhere between the pasta salad and St. Patty's Day coconut cake I swallowed whole last night and the 2 cinnamon rolls I wolfed down this morning, I lost sight of my body's needs.

Ergo... I've been excited to make and to blog about vegetarian Burrito Bowls for literally days!

I got the idea from one of my favorite blogs, A Healthy Slice of Life.

What I Used:

- Refried pinto beans

- Hard taco shell bowls (a.k.a. Tostada Bowls)

- Baby spinach leaves

- Tomato

- Avocado

- Sprinkly nacho/taco cheese

- Light sour cream

- Wholly Salsa

(I wasn't able to find fresh cilantro at my local Kroger last week)

(I ended up skipping the brown rice; I'm thinking I'll use it for a meal later this week)

(I didn't add sauteed onion as I had planned because I was super hungry... and eager!)

What I Did:

- Coated the inside of the bowl with hot refried beans

- Diced a handful (each) of tomato, avocado, and spinach

- Layered all veggie ingredients

- Added sour cream, salsa, and cheese

- Added dollops of beans

And there it is -- my very first homemade burrito bowl!

I munched on a handful of almonds and a Chobani instead of giving in to the idea of fixing another Burrito Bowl. I'll be enjoying one again soon; one of the great things about this meal idea is that the ingredients suffice for several meals.

Well, my blends, it's time for me to get back into my school routine. T-minus 44 days until the semester is over, but it sure doesn't feel like it! I've got a lot of work--hence, a lot of stress--ahead of me, so a detox goal of ODing on fruits and veggies ought to help me cope. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!



It's a Snow-Go

I can't deny that I'm still in awe of the snow. I truly didn't expect to see any white this winter. And I was finally beginning to be okay with it. Until...

 The first picture was taken shortly before 5:00 p.m., after I returned from the gym...

...and the second, not 20 minutes later. The difference is huge!

Good thing I had warm gloves for my jaunt to the gym:

Ian's mom bought these for me for Christmas so I could enjoy listening to my iPod while exercising in cold weather. They'll be perfect for snowboarding, if I ever get a chance to hit the slopes.

I was pretty damn proud of myself yesterday afternoon for (1) resisting the urge to drive to the gym -- and risk losing the front-row spot I had backed into with the wiper blades propped up, (2) enjoying a beautiful walk in the wintry weather, and (3) completing a PDR (personal distance record) of 2.35 miles in 30 minutes! That added up to 2.6 miles total, with a 2-minute warmup and a 3-minute cool-down. After getting a great workout in, I was able to enjoy my sushi and the steadily falling snow.

These were taken around 8:00 p.m. with about 5". It always amazes me how bright the sky is during a snowstorm because of the low clouds and the light reflection. Majestic.

The 11:00 p.m. ones didn't turn out so well, but you can see the accumulation and how even people's footprints were filled in! About 7" at that point, with 4 more hours of snow predicted.

These are of 9:00 this morning. I must have slept like a rock, because the plows came through and made my day! When did I become such an adult and not care whether classes were cancelled (for safety reasons)?!

 

The school opened at 10:00 this morning. Being that I don't have class until 4:30, my schedule wasn't affected. Though it does mean that even if I'm able to dig my car out and make it to campus, things will be frozen back over by the time I return at 7:15. I'm not much of a Nervous Nelly -- unless I'm by myself, my car isn't cooperating, and I have zero control over the situation. Those 3 ingredients are a recipe for an anxiety disaster in my book.

 

Well, no sense in sitting inside worrying today. Off to the gym! Time to don my warmest gear and go dig out the snow heap that is my little car. Enjoy your snow day or your delayed schedule, whichever the case may be :)

 

P.S. What's your favorite snow day activity? Mine is taking a walk as the snow is falling, and then making snow cream -- Dad's special recipe! And of course, there's the requisite snowman...

Survey Thursday

I borrowed this little gem from my friend Colleen's blog from a few weeks ago. Admittedly, I've encountered a case of stress with side effects of writer's block and anxiety. So as not to lose another day, here's a wee bit of info about yours truly:

(1) What is one of your favorite ways to spend a Saturday?

I love, love, love to sleep in and feel guilt-free about it! I love to laze around for awhile, whip up a tasty homemade brunch, and start the day whenever I feel like it :)

(2) List your top three favorite TV shows.

In order, The Office, CSI: NY or Miami, Dance Moms, and Make It or Break It. I couldn't choose just three!

(3) Would you rather be in pictures or take them?

I suppose a bit of both. I don't feel like I'm especially photogenic, particularly in candid shots when I haven't had a chance to fix my sometimes wild mane or ensure that my eyes aren't squeezed shut! I've recently discovered how much I enjoy taking pictures of everything for the blog.

(4) Why do you blog?

I decided in December that because I enjoyed reading others' blogs so much and I enjoy exercising and making healthy eating choices, I would combine the two into a newfound passion!

(5) Share five websites that you visit regularly.

My two email accounts, Twitter, my blog site, YouTube, and Netflix. Probably in that order, too.

(6) If you could have lunch with one person from your Twitter list, who would it be?

I'd have lunch with the person who created the account for the Dos Equis guy. Those tweets never cease to make me laugh, especially as they become less and less realistic, and more and more silly. After all, he is the most interesting man in the world...

"Stay thirsty, my friends."

(7) List a few of your favorite snacks.

- Pomegranate Chobani

- KIND bars and Nature Valley bars

- Kashi cereal

- Diced strawberries or whole blueberries

- Ants on a log (you know, celery sticks topped with peanut butter and raisins)

- Chips and mild salsa

(8) Do you have a pet? If so, what kind?

My family pet, Nick, passed away in 2010, about a month before he would have turned 12. He was a pretty incredible guy, and definitely a member of our family. We'll very likely get another dog in the future for extra companionship, and I'd love it if we got another Golden Retriever -- you can't ask for a more beautiful, loyal dog with a sweeter disposition.

The Christmas Mouse

I also have a pet rock, Bernie. I picked him up at a little shop called The Wooden Heart in Farmville several years ago. He was too cute to resist:

(9) Which three material possessions would you struggle to live without?

My cell phone, my laptop, and my blanket that I've had for as long as I can remember. Hi, I'm A.K., I'm 23 and I still have a blankie. It would be just an old piece of cloth if it hadn't been a bedsheet at my Granny's house before she gave it to me. This thing used to be pink (and whole):

(10) What's your favorite drink?

I'm a big fan of a Tom Collins, a well-made gin and tonic, and a Sex With an Alligator.

Delicious if made right

I'll also take a shot of almost anything (once), and I adore Vitamin Water and SoBe Life Water. I also can't live without Starbuck's when I'm traveling. Bless you, caffeine.

(11) Do you enjoy cooking?

Do I enjoy cooking? Yes. Am I good at cooking? Not so much. Everyone has to start somewhere, right? I have a few recipes up my sleeve ;)

(12) Do you have children?

I sure don't. I'm not engaged or married. I don't plan on even thinking about having children until my future is much more set. Like, with a job, for example...

(13) What are your favorite hobbies?

Blogging is one of my new favorite hobbies. I've always enjoyed writing, and now I'm enjoying letting others read my stuff.

I'll always enjoy anything and everything with good friends and family. It doesn't matter what we're doing, as long as we're together.

(14) Would you consider yourself to be shy or outgoing?

Allow these photos to speak for themselves.

(15) If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change?

I wouldn't. End o' story.

(16) Who is your favorite actor or actress?

I'm pretty partial to Sandra Bullock, Tom Hanks, Channing Tatum (for his looks factor), Reese Witherspoon, and Meryl Streep.

(17) What's the coolest thing you've done this week?

I began Week Three of my 5K training program, which is pretty nifty, I guess. I've also done a fair amount of soul-searching, which we all need sometimes when we realize our lives might be passing us by if we don't slow down.

(18) Do you live near your family or far from them?

I live near my family, thank goodness. I'm a quick 2-hour drive away from my house when I'm at school. We don't get to see some members of my dad's side of the family very often because they live in different states. My mom's family is all in VA, pretty close together, so we don't mind being the ones traveling to see them. We have annual Christmas and July 4th celebrations, to which I always really look forward. My cousin, Taylor, is almost exactly 2 years younger than I am, and she and I have been close since she was born. Plus, she's in between Caroline's and my ages.

This photo was taken in 2007 at the reception after our Granny's funeral. It truly was a celebration, though -- my Granny lived to be almost 97 years old!

(19) List three of your talents.

I'd like to think I have a pretty great prankster side. I'd also like to think that I'm a good writer. Feel free to disagree, but it's a talent on which I've always prided myself. I also believe I have the ability to befriend almost anyone. Almost.

(20) What is your greatest attribute?

I'd rather not sound like a pompous ass, but I'm pretty proud of myself for generally being an honest soul. I think honesty can get you far in life, and it sure as hell will benefit me as a counselor.

P.S. Please feel free to use this survey! I'd love to see your responses to some or all of these questions :)



A Little Budget-Crazy

If you know me personally or if you're a regular reader, you're probably well aware that I highly value organization, structure, and calculating everything down to the last cent, second, or pinch. On that note, I realized that I've been a little budget-crazy lately. For example, I have $1000 per month to divide among my expenses. Rent is $665, my sewer bill is usually around $19, cable and internet are $83, my power bill varies depending upon how often the heat runs, and the rest (usually about $200) is grocery money. I find myself constantly tabulating my expenditures on my bank's website, the very tech-savvy index card I keep on my desk, and my computer's numbers-cruncher.

I've also found myself recently budgeting food and calories. I do not mean this to sound unhealthy or troubling. I simply mean that living on a fiscal budget means living on a caloric budget, too. Planning my meals for the week helps. Sometimes I wing it, but most of the time I'm more organized:

It's highly likely that I won't eat these meals in the order they're listed. I just like to know that each day is accounted for. I try not to put two "heavy" meals (i.e. chili and spaghetti) next to one another. I also plan my workouts accordingly, such that heavier meals are paired with 5K training days, and lighter meals are paired with weight training days. I find that my strength and stamina are tested when I don't pair well, but that they're enhanced when I do.

Tonight, I made Iris's Vegetarian Chicken Casserole; the recipe was posted last Thursday (Really gReat Recipe thuRsday). I paired the casserole with one cup of brown rice, and I have enough leftovers for at least one more meal.

I pair carb-heavy dishes, such as spaghetti, with ruffage, such as salad or frozen veggies, and Smart Sauce. Also, vegetable combos like salad fill me up, so I'm not as inclined to gorge on pasta.

This is what I mean by budgeting calories. I'm not restricting my eating or crazily counting calories. If I crave dessert, I almost always have Fig Newton Thins ready to go, a bowl of Jell-O prepared, or even a cup of Folgers decaf hazelnut and some fat-free creamer for just a little something sweet and filling.

I feel certain that not everyone will agree with my choices or my lifestyle.

I'm proud that I've learned how to treat my body right, which foods are good for me, which foods I can healthily and easily substitute for meat, and which foods I have proudly eliminated (e.g. Toaster Strudel, Pop-Tarts, Doritos, soda, queso dip, Smarties, donut holes... and other such delicacies I consumed on a regular basis in my past life). Now, when I grocery shop, I take great pleasure in reading labels. I understand that the word calories is not evil, and that fat content and calories are different entities. I learned to scan nutrition labels for fiber, sugar, and sodium, as well.

I look for foods that say "no salt added," "fat-free," "low-fat," "whole wheat," "natural" (though this one can be misleading), etc.

I select foods that are their own single ingredient, such as tomatoes, blueberries, bananas, cucumbers, almonds, and onions. I bargain shop and I utilize coupons, instead of falsely believing that the brand-name product will taste better. I look for foods that contain pronounceable and understandable ingredients. Who cares about Red Dye #6 and soduimchloridesulfatepotassiummonooxidase, anyway?

I try to stick to the outer walls of the grocery store, which for me is Kroger. This is where the store stocks fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk, yogurt, seafood, frozen veggies, and nuts and grains. The more I venture into the sea of inner aisles, the more I'm tempted to buy Oreo Os instead of Kashi GoLean, or five cheese potato crisps as opposed to blue corn tortillas.

One downside to all of these choices is that they're much more expensive. I could buy 3 tasty, kid-attractive cereals for the price of one box of Kashi, but the benefits I reap are worth the cost. Another is that I stress myself out with so much planning and calculating. I try to remind myself every day how very fortunate I am to be in good health with the luxury of purchasing such wholesome, nourishing goods. But, I also try to remind myself to breathe every once in awhile! My body doesn't reap any benefits from constant stress and pressure. All in all, I'm happy and I'm proud :)

P.S. Do you plan your meals in advance? Do you grocery shop with a list, or do you wing it? Are you able to stock certain foods (such as decadent dessert items) without consuming them in mass quantities? I'm curious about how others do it!

Really gReat Recipe thuRsday!

I don't really have any great words of wisdom for you today--because I totally do every other day--but I do have two recipes for my non-meat-loving blends.

Vegan Chili

What You'll Need:

1 1/2 C Morningstar Farms burger crumbles

1/3 C diced vidalia onion

1 8 oz. can no-salt added whole kernel yellow corn

1 8 oz. can tomato soup

1 tsp chili powder

1 tbsp sugar

Black pepper to taste

What You'll Do:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and stir until thoroughly mixed.

Add the mixture to your Crock Pot and heat on Warm for 3 hours or so.

Serves one person heartily.

[I've found that even heating on Low can cook the chili too quickly; I make this recipe on nights when I'll be in class from 4:30-7:00. I put the chili in the Crock at 3:45, and it's ready to eat at 7:15]

Vegetarian Chicken Casserole

What You'll Need:

1 Quorn Naked Chicken Cutlet, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 C mayonnaise (or plain fat-free yogurt)

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 C chopped celery

1-2 tbsp chopped onion

1/3 C slivered or sliced almonds

1 small can of mushrooms (pieces and stems fine)

1 1/2 C Pepperidge Farm herb seasoned stuffing crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

2 C brown rice

What You'll Do:

Mix all ingredients except stuffing crumbs.

Put in casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Top with crumbs (may need to be crushed more finely).

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve over rice.
Serves two people heartily, or one with plenty of leftovers.

I adore these recipes because they're simple, quick, and don't call for a bunch of weird, one-time ingredients. I'm no master chef, but these are two of my favorites. If you try them, let me know what you think!

P.S. Do you ever feel paranoid about leaving your Crock Pot on for hours when you're not home? I do, and I'm always weirdly relieved when I arrive home and my apartment is still intact.



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?!