Girly Night

Tonight was the perfect girls night out with my sister: good food, lots of shopping, and girly conversations. :)

We headed to Applebees for dinner, and I started off with a cup of chicken noodle soup (minus the crackers!) It was freezing outside, so it was nice having something to warm me up...:)

My sister and I decided to split the quesadilla burger and fries right down the middle...it made for the perfect amount for each of us. :) Sometmes I'll just buy my own meal, and take 1/2 home, but burgers just never taste as good reheated...

My sister and I are both huge chocolate fans, so there was no disagreement on what to order for dessert! :) We split this triple chocolate meltdown (that's my sister's spoon that found its way into the front of the picture...haha), which was a nice ending to a fun night...



Okay...off to read a good book and relax for the night!! :)

Friday Recap minus the supper...:)

I enjoyed today to the fullest because of a couple reasons: 1) I remembered that next week we'll be changing the clocks, which means it will be getting much brighter for a longer time! 2) It's Friday! And sunny! :) 3) I'm heading out to eat with my sister in a couple hours, and 4) I spent 2 hours at whole foods, just browsing the food isles, and 5) It's leap-day, making it feel like there's just an extra day of the year to spend doing whatever...haha...:)

Here's the Day's Recap so far! Supper isn't included, because that's coming later tonight! :)

5:00am---Breakfast!!
9:00---My oatmeal did wonders in holding me over! I wasn't even hungry by this time, but didn't want to wait until 11 before eating anything! So I snacked on 1/2 of my banana nut odwalla bar (favorite flavor, hands down!).
11:00---Time to take out the other half of the odwalla bar. :) It hit the spot, and held me over until lunch rolled around.
1:30---For lunch I had a large salad of mixed greens, tomatoes, red onions, carrots, chic peas, and 1/2 an orange with 2T. Ken's Lite Balsamic Vinaigrette. Simply amazing. :) I love adding citrusy fruits to my salads for a flavor boost. On the side I had a yogurt and a sweet cortland apple. Then I hit whole foods for a restock on granola bars, oatmeal, and some more hempmilk. :)
4:30---Supper is going to be later tonight, so I wanted a little something to hold me over but nothing that would overly fill me up...I definitely don't want to go to the restaurant feeling like I could eat a cow, so a 1/2 cup of hot milk with 1/2 cup of all bran hit the spot perfectly. :)

Pre-Lunch: Banana Nut Odwalla Bar

Lunch: Salad, Apple, and Yogurt...

Just a closeup of the salad! It's amazing what an orange will do in adding a splash of flavor...:)

Afternoon Hold-Me-Over...All-bran and hot milk...:)

Enjoy your weekend everyone!! :)

Friday Morning

Friday is finally here, everyone! Hope everyone has something fun planned for the weekend! :) Tonight I might be going out to eat with my sister, as long as the snow holds off. Tomorrow I had plans to volunteer somewhere, but the snow might have..well...other plans. And, Sunday I have a wedding shower to go to! Looks like a busy but fun weekend!! :)

Breakfast was a nice big bowl of banana-nut oatmeal, as well as some strawberries on the side. This is the first time I've hit these berries perfectly; they're super sweet! It's nice to know it won't be long before all the berries become fully ripe. :)

I'll see you all later...enjoy your Friday!!! :) :) :)

A Quick Bite to Eat...

I have exactly 5 minutes to type this out before running off to my chem exam...eeks...I've been studying all day, but still feel like theres so much stuff I need to know. At least I know I put in the effort, and all I can do now is...well...take the test! :)

This afternoon I snacked on a nectarine after coming back from a run...

And later I needed something to munch on and keep my stomach from grumbling, and a 100-cal popcorn bag hit the spot perfectly. It makes for a great snack when you want a lot of something tasty...:)

Supper came, and I was feeling a little too nervous to be hungry, BUT, the thought of waffles and pb&j seemed right, so that's exactly what I did. I absolutely LOVE these flax waffles, even more so then the kashi ones. Crispy on the outside, but nice and soft on the inside...very yummy! :D And of course, no pb&j is ever complete without a banana, so I had to have 1/2 of that on the side. :)

Okay, I'm off...I'll see you all tomorrow morning (FRIDAY!)

Cafe-style Lunch

My eyes are officially drooping, after spending countless hours of studying chemistry. It's really my fault for not keeping up with it as much as I should have at the beginning of the semester (oh the joys of procastination!) BUT, the good news is that I've learned my lesson, and I'm finally getting into the groove of pacing myself and my homework out. :)

This morning I snacked on some broccoli florets and carrot sticks.

About an hour later, I decided to dig into the fruit cup my mom had bought me. I loved having the watermelon...it was a nice reminder that spring and summer aren't too far off...:)

Lunch rolled around, and I found some more frozen soup that I had completely forgotten about. This is the butternut squash and ginger soup I had made a while back, and there was just enough for a small cup to serve alongside a salad. I felt as if I were at a little cafe, ordering soup and a salad...it hit the spot perfectly. :)

And---on the side---was the best part. An ooey-gooey grilled cheese...I haven't had one of these in a long, long time, and it tasted pretty amazing. I used two slices of bread to make a full sandwich, but...*cough, cough*...I ate the other half a little too quickly to even consider getting a picture in. hehe...:)

I think I'll be heading to school early today, to fit some study time in at the library. It helps to keep me focused before the exam actually starts...

Plans for the day include going for a run, getting my hair cut, heading to the library, and taking the exam...and then I'll be done my crazy two weeks of business...woohoo! :)

Keeping It Hot...

I ended up sleeping in an extra hour, since I stayed up a little later last night. I usually do my best work in the early morning, but I was on such a role with chemistry, that I didn't want to stop the studying. Now I'm up, and ready for my last day of insane studying...woohoo! :D

Last night's snack is very similair to this morning's breakfast...hehe...this bowl of all-bran cereal with a small handful of raisins and hot milk hit the spot, and kept me going last night.

This morning I had 1.5 cups of wheat chex cereal with 1/2 a banana (thank goodness its shopping day...no more bananas!!) and added 1 cup of hot milk. I couldn't imagine having anything cold, since the heat wasn't on this morning and it was freezing, so this hit the spot perfectly. :D

Okay, off to work! I'm getting my hair cut this afternoon, so that's a good incentive to keep me going through studying! :D Hope everyone is having a great work week/school week!! :)

Home At Last!

I just got in the door, and, let me tell you, Friday has never been more wanted! haha...I have only one more exam to go (tomorrow night=Chemistry), which is good, because I don't think my brain could actually hold any more information if I tried. Tonight's test was hard but doable, so hopefully that turns out well!

The Day's Recap:
5:00am---Breakfast
7:30---This morning before heading to school, I heated up a muffin that I had frozen in an individual bag in the freezer. These are homemade wheat muffins with almonds and jam, and taste amazing when they're all warm and moist. Yum...I had it with 1/2 of a cup of milk.
11:00---I made myself a good ol' pb&J and banana sandwich which is one of my favorites. :) I could eat it every day if I didn't believe so much in the importance of variety. Hehe...:)
12:00---I munched on a pear during chem class. It was tasty, but a bit loud. haha...I forgot to chop it up before leaving, so I ate it like that. Next time I'll be sure to remember this...or eat it outside the classroom. ;)
1:30---I had a box of vanilla soymilk to make economics discussion bearable. haha...
4:30---Okay, this is where things get kind of off. I packed along a broccoli salad (1.5 cups broccoli, 2 T. balsamic vinaigrette dressing, 1 cup grapes, 1 handful of walnuts), a Pumpkin Spice Flax granola bar, and a container of milk as a "light supper," and was intending to grab something to eat from the cafetaria or library where I was studying later on (since supper was pretty early!). Studying for the exam left me with no appetite though, so I left it with this as my "supper." Considering the fact I need to study for chem now though, I'm definitely going to need a snack to keep me going!

Mid-Morning Snack: Muffin and 1/2 cup of milk

Lunch: Pb and J sandwich with a banana...so good! :)
Afternoon Snacks: Pear for chem class, vanilla soymilk for economics...:)

"Supper:" broccoli salad, granola bar and milk...a little too light for comfort, but it kept me and my nervous "exam stomach" going through the night. :)


Now? In search of a snack and drinking licorice mint tea...:)

Getting Down to the Wire

Okay...two more crazy days of school, and then I should be done for a little while! Tonight is going to be a late lunch & supper post because of the night exam, with tomorrow being the same schedule, and then back to a less-busy routine on Friday. Whew...I'm getting there! :)

Breakfast was a warm bowl of a serving of ezekiel cereal, 1/2 cup hot vanilla hempmilk, and 1/2 a large banana. This will keep me going through the morning of studying for my economics exam...:)

It's "hump day" everyone! Gotta love Wednesdays, when Friday is finally in sight...:)

Thrown Together Supper

I was all set, and ready for an indoor workout, but there were no exercise videos listed under the "free videos" (speaking of which, are there any tried and true exercise dvd's you guys recommend for those days when going out isn't an option?) I had the option of doing some strength training, but I think I'll be saving that for school nights. Today I was feeling frustrated with chem, and needed to release some pent up energy in the form of a good cardio workout! haha...I was able to beat the snowstorm on the way there, but ended up looking like a snowman once I came back. It's absolutely beautiful outside though...perfect weather for a good cup of tea...:)

Pre-workout, I snacked on 1/2 of this bar, and ate the other half when I came back.

Supper was made super fast, as everyone was really busy and running around tonight. It was also super tasty though, which kind of surprised me considering how quick it was all thrown together. :D The meal consisted of cod with salt & pepper and lemon slices on top (gave it a great citrusy flavor after it was done cooking...I think orange slices would be a great twist too!), couscous mixed with sliced onions, and 1/8 of a sauteed cabbage (in olive oil, salt and pepper.) Cabbage might seem like an odd placement with fish, but it was really fresh and I wanted to use it up before it started losing that "peak of freshness." It was so sweet and tasty, and makes for a nutritious side dish...not to mention the extra bonus of it being so inexpensive right now...;)

I always look forward to Tuesday nights, because its the one week night that I put all my school books away and read a good book while watching the Biggest Loser. I'm glad I still have 2 hours before it starts, because chemistry is still demanding my attention...tomorrow is my economics exam, so I need to get some more time in with that as well. Crazy busy! But in a good way, and all the hard-core studying will be over in two more days...phew!

To all of you who might be getting this snowstorm, hope you're staying safe and warm!!

Productive Morning

Oh yes, lovely chemistry! This book has seen me through my best and worst moments. haha...I studied all morning long, and snuck in an orange to keep me happy. I did take one procastination break, though, to find the website www.localharvest.org. I had no idea until going there, that there's a farmstand not far from my house that offers grass-fed meat, fresh goat cheese, locally grown produce...etc. Who would have known? Anyways, that only took me about 15 minutes, and it was back to the books...I got a lot done, but there's still a lot to cover before I can feel confident about the exam.

My dad is working from home today, so I made a box of annie's whole wheat mac and cheese (using 1/2 cup of plain yogurt instead of the 1/4 cup of milk in the cheese mixture) and combined it with 3/4 bag of peas. Yum!! I especially like adding tuna to this mixture, but I'm planning on fish for supper, so kept it meat-free. And, I used up the last of the mixed greens for a salad, and topped it with the "usuals" as well as some black beans. I never realized how good black beans and red onions taste together...

For dessert I munched on a large pear, which completely hit the sweet tooth. :)

We're expecting more ice rain and snow this afternoon...:-/ I'm trying to decide if I want to head out for a run after my food digests a little, and try to beat the rain, or if I want to head downstairs and work out to an exercise video (which I did quite a bit last year, but haven't done in forever.) Decisions, decisions...

late night snacks and morning bowl of oats!

Last night was a "later then usual night," but I got the chem problems finished, and today my main goal is to study for my economics and chemistry exams (tomorrow and Thursday night...) In order to keep me sane and awake, I munched on about a cup of Quaker Oatmeal Squares which was just what I needed since I had an early supper. The whole "eat every 3-4 hours" that I like making sure I follow never seems to get followed at nighttime because I'm not usually hungry after supper, but for those busy school nights, it's important to keep my energy up!

This morning I made a big hearty bowl of banana-nut oatmeal which was the perfect start to my day. The banana I used was huge, which made for extra creamy and smooth oats...yum!

Okay, off to work I go!! :)

One exam down, two to go!

Whew...my crazy day has just now come to an end (well..still chem homework to get done before midnight, but all the running around and my bio exam is done!!) The Bio exam was a toughy, and I always worry myself about what the grade will be, but I'm trying to put that behind me and move on to study for the next two exams this week. I appreciated all the kind comments and encouragement you guys gave! :)

So here's a sum of today's menu...

5:00am---breakfast
6:30---I munched on the juiciest, sweetest orange ever! These were super cheap at stop and shop, and at the peak of ripenes...yum!! :)
7:30---The other half of my breakfast banana and a tablespoon of peanut butter made a good "hold me over" snack as I was running out the door.
8:30---I wasn't really hungry, but felt like munching...perfect time to whip out the bag of carrots and tomatoes that I had brought along for this specific purpose! :D
11:30---For lunch, I had a simple sandwich of Natures Promise bread, Hormel All natural turkey deli meat, spinach, and some dijon mustard...I tend to rely on tasty and filling sandwiches on the days when I'm running around a lot.
12:30---I tried a Ginger Snap Larabar and thought it was pretty tasty...don't expect it to taste like ginger snaps, but it did have a lovely ginger flavor (tasted like the real, natural ginger) and a nice mixture of fruits and chopped nuts. And if you're looking for a bar made with simplistic ingredients, look no further...these guys are about as simple as it gets. When they say "fruit and nut bar," that's exactly what you're getting! Oh, and as a p.s., they're also pretty filling. :)
4:30---As soon as I got out of lab, I ate the salad that I had brought along for my supper. It was a bunch of mixed greens, walnuts, cucumbers, tomatoes, salad dressing, and 1/4 cup of reduced fat mozzarrella cheese. It was exactly what I was in the mood for...fresh tasting and convenient to eat! :) As you can see in the picture, I had originally packed some kashi crackers, but ended up bringing some Annie's Whole Wheat Bunny Crackers instead...I love these!! I also munched on a cortland apple...
5:30---Probably not the smartest idea to be drinking caffeine so late, but I wanted to be alert for the exam, and I wanted a nice comfy place to study, so I went to this amazing little cafe that served me probably one of the best lattes I've ever had. It was in a cute white mug, and the foam was so frothy and rich with a dark, rich espresso...AND, the best part was the cute little heart shape they formed out of the foam. I wish I had brought along my camera to take a picture, because it was the prettiest little latte...:) Almost too cute to drink. ;)

Midmorning Study Snack: Orange

Midmorning Snack #2...peanut butter sandwich

Lunch, snack, and supper combined into one photo...I enjoyed everything but the milk (poor thing keeps traveling but never seems to get used up...haha). I ended up going for a medium skim latte instead...(not pictured :(

Close up of my supper salad...these kashis were put away for some other time, and I munched on the bunny crackers in the above picture instead.

Now I'm home...a bit too awake due to a late latte, working on some chem problems, and thankful that my bio exam is finally out of the way! :)

I hope everyone's Monday went well!! :)

Hot (and quick) Breakfast

So starts a busy day! I wanted a hot breakfast but didn't want the time that it takes to make my favorite bowl of oats, so I ended up making the same breakfast as yesterday...vanilla hempmilk, ezekial golden flax, and 1/2 a banana (I'll save the other half for a snack before heading to school. :) I'm in love with this breakfast.

I'm off to go study for my bio exam!!

Ready for the week!

Today was so refreshing, and I now feel ready for the week to start! The sun was out, I fit in a run in 35 degree weather (so nice to feel the warmth of the sun!,) and had some time to relax on the side...it just couldn't have been a better weekend. :)

Before heading off on a run, I had 1/2 a package of a Kashi Pumpkin Spice Flax crunchy granola bar. When I came back, I snacked on the other half, and enjoyed every bite. These bars remind me a lot of Thanksgiving because of the spices they put in there. :)

Supper was fast and easy! I had two small baked potatoes topped with heated salsa and black beans (I just realized I had salsa for lunch as well...) which was delicious as always. On the side I had a spinach salad with carrots, cukes, tomatoes, red onions and a bit of balsamic vinaigrette.

I was in the mood for something sweet, and wanted to give this Breyer's slow-churned rocky road icecream a try. It was so chocolatey and delicious, and hit the sweet spot perfectly...:)

Tomorrow's lunch and supper posts won't be until late because I'll be gone ALL day due to classes and an evening exam (bio...eeks!) I'm trying to decide if I want to bring along a supper or splurge by buying something. I have three more nights of exams this week though, so I might save the $$$ and wait to eat out on Thursday night after my last big exam. We'll have to see what happens...:)

See ya all tomorrow...bright and early! :)

Sunny Sunday Mornings

I can't believe how full my breakfast kept me! For a slow morning like today's, having that single serving size was perfect. On busier mornings, where I'll be running around a lot (as in my Mon., Wed., and Fri.'s!) I think I'll double it up. :)

Mid-morning I snacked on a pear. The sun was pouring through the windows, and it was the perfect study spot. Nice and warm and cozy...:)

Lunch was delicious as well! It could have easily passed for a breakfast, but I actually prefer having eggs for my lunch or supper. I scrambled up 1 whole egg/2 egg whites with a little milk, salt, pepper, spinach, tomatoes, and onions, and stuffed it with 1/4 cup of reduced-fat mozzarella cheese. Paired with a warmed whole wheat tortilla and some warmed salsa on the side, I was in heaven. :D Veggies, eggs, and cheese...you just can't go wrong...

After lunch I was in the mood for something a little sweet, and decided to have some plain yogurt and 1/2 cup of canned pineapple (in its own juice.) This is a great fruit to add to yogurt, because its so sweet and delicious that it helps to off-set that bitter taste that plain yogurt can have. I like adding in some of the pineapple juice as well, to make it even sweeter. Yummy...:)

It's actually 32 degrees out and SUNNY, which is putting me in a great mood! I can't wait to go out there for a run later. :) :)

Giving Vanilla Hemp Another Shot...:)

The first time I tried vanilla hemp was this past week in a milk shake, and I wasn't overly impressed with it. But I think that was due to my flavor combinations more then the actual milk itself.

BUT, today it redeemed itself. :) I put 1/2 cup of vanilla hemp in the microwave, and stirred it occasionally, until it got nice and hot. I then added it to 1/2 cup of the Ezekiel Golden Flax cereal that I've been hearing rave reviews about. :) I added a whole banana on top, and stirred it all up, and...wow! It was really tasty and satisfying. It didn't get all soggy like I was sort of expecting it to, and still had a bit of a nutty bite to it. Delicious...

Next time I'm doubling the serving, because as you can see, there's more then enough bananas to account for the cereal. haha...

I like drinking milk most of all, but the vanilla hemp added a nice subtle flavor (not an overpowering and gross vanilla!) for a little change of taste, and I really enjoyed it. I have a new favorite cereal combination on my list...

I think I owe Jenna a thanks. :)

I'm off to get ready for the day. There's a lot of material to cover before heading into this last week of exams, so I better hop to it. Once Friday comes (no I'm not rushing the week...just thinking way ahead! ;) my busy school week will be at a close, and I'll have some breathing room. For now I need to stay focused!

Looks like a gorgeous day outside! :)

Homemade Hot Cocoa...no comparison!

I'm wondering how I ever went back to the boxed stuff after having made homemade hot cocoa! Probably because it's easier to empty a packet and heat up some water, but it's actually quicker to just heat up a cup of milk in the microwave and add it to the cocoa and sugar!

I like my hot cocoa only slightly sweet, so I heated up a cup of hot milk, and added it to 2 T. unsweetened cocoa, 2 tsp. sugar, and a dash of salt. At the very end, I added 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract (following the directions on the back of the cocoa, but cutting way back on how much sugar they call for.) YUM! It was creamy, rich, and absolutely amazing. I think it's exactly what I wanted, and exactly the thing to keep me going for studying. :)

no appetite?

For some odd reason, my appetite left me this afternoon. I had to force myself to eat supper for energy...definately a strange thing for me! Hopefully it's just a quick little bug or something, and I'll be feeling fine. It could just be that I'm tired, which is probably the case, but it's nothing a good night's rest can't fix. :) I plan on heading to bed earlier tonight...

This afternoon I snacked on a pear while studying.

And before heading to the grocery store to pick up some snacks for school (I'm running low on granola bars and cereals!) I had a kashi trail mix bar.

This was the perfect supper for the "me without an appetite:" homemade black bean soup. Soup does wonders as a heartwarming dish, and after I finished it, I was feeling like munching without actually being hungry, so I snacked on some kashi crackers.

I also stopped at the bookstore today and saw sooo many great looking cookbooks that I want to start collecting. The American Heart Association makes a paperback book (no pictures, but the ingredients sounded so basic and good that I don't think it really needed them!) that I'd like to get soon, as well as some good dessert cookbooks and bread cookbooks (one devoted completely to whole grains.) I need to start saving...haha...;)

Hope everyones enjoying their weekend! :)

Strange Cravings Part II...;)

Since I had a later breakfast then usual, all I really wanted for a mid-morning snack was a fruit. These peaches aren't at their peak of ripeness yet, but they were still delicious. :)

I had the hardest time trying to think of what I wanted for lunch today. My mom is sick with the flu, so I needed to make my dad and I both something tasty (and fast.) I ended up using the last two pita pockets to make him some pizzas on, and made us each a side salad. I ate mine while still trying to contemplate what I was in the mood for. Usually I can just whip up anything and be happy, but I have those moments where I know I'm craving something without really knowing what that something is...strange, I know...

That's when it hit me. My dad's pizza was making me think about how much I love a good Hawaiin style pizza, and how tasty ham and pineapple can be together. SO, I made this crazy ham and pineapple sandwich. I toasted up two slices of bread in a frying pan (using pam), heated the ham slices very briefly in the same pan (doesn't take long for them to heat up...maybe 10-15 seconds per side), and heated the pineapple in the microwave. When the bread was browning, I threw two slices of Hormel all-natural honey ham on, topped with the warmed pineapple (making sure it didn't come in direct contact with the bread to avoid a soggy mess!,) added two more slices of ham, and topped it all off with a little honey dijon mustard. Maybe I just had weird tastebuds from the strange craving, but it tasted pretty amazing. haha...

***Oh, and I also had a glass of milk to accompany my sandwich, but appearantly I was too excited about satisfying my craving that I forgot to take a picture. :D

Snowed In!

Looks like I chose the right weekend to not make any plans! There's about 7 inchs of snow outside, with no chance of getting out of the driveway any time soon!

Breakfast was a simple bowl of quaker squares (1.5 cups) with a cup of milk and a large banana. I love this stuff...:)

Okay, off to do some morning homework (old news, right?)

strange cravings, delicious suppers, and new fruits!

I never crave smoothies during the winter...it's way too cold and all I could ever want is a hot cup of tea. Then there was today...I got home and all I could think about was making myself a big glass of cold and fruity goodness. Definately a weird craving, but thankfully I had some stuff to make one. I blended 1/2 cup of vanilla hemp-milk (heard so many good things about it on other blogs, that I had to give it a try), 1/4 cup of fat-free plain yogurt, 1/2 cup of blueberries, 1/4 cup of pineapple, and a few icecubes. This could definately use some tweaking in the flavor department...not sure if I liked the flavor of vanilla mixed with pineapple and blueberries or not, but at the time it seemed to hit the spot. :) I paired it with a small handful of almonds.

Supper was absolutely delicious. Underneath that bowl of mixed veggies and chicken stir-fry is some brown rice, all topped with a sauce that tasted of sweet soy sauce with some kick from the hot pepper flakes. Its such a versatile recipe, and tasted pretty darn amazing...

Oh, and I have a new appreciation for chopsticks. I tend to be a fast eater, which I think comes partly from school where I was sometimes 'forced' to scarf down meals at the caf in between classes. In an effort to retrain myself, I've been doing better about slowing down and savoring my meals. And these chopsticks worked like a charm...I ate way slower then my normal pace, and ended up enjoying the meal so much more. :)

I saw these cute little "lemon plums" at the grocery store and had to buy one to test out. :)
I cut it in half and let my family test it. They all just wanted a bite to see what it was like, so I was able to help myself to the other half. It tasted like...well...like a plum! haha...it was really tasty and sweet with a little bit of a tang to it as well. A little too pricey (right now anyways!) to buy a lot, but it's always fun trying new fruits out. :)

Here's a shoutout "YAY!" that the weekend is here! I don't know about everyone else, but I'm excited for some good ol' relaxation...and maybe some shopping on the side. :)