Lunch At The ‘Bucks

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Please note – I don’t actually call Starbucks that, that would be lame.  It would be a good nickname though; it’s both a shortening of the name and a nod to the fact that their drinks cost so much you’d think they were selling cups of Adamantium.

I did have lunch at the local Starbucks today though.  I went straight there from campus and got some solid studying done.  I started with a grande steamed apple juice (the caramel apple spice minus the caramel),

and a bag of salt and pepper popcorn.

I know that the ‘Bucks has gotten some flack for its iffy nutritionals in the past, but this was both tasty and healthy.

After two hours I was dying to leave but not yet done with my notecards.  My flamingo rubber band friend convinced me to get another drink and finish my work for the class.

Tall, soy, toffee latte.  Good to know – all of the flavored syrups used at Starbucks are vegan.

When I actually completed one class (fyi – that’s one class, 3 hours later I’m HALF done with the notecards I need to make for the week) I headed out to stroll around Elmwood doing Valentine’s shopping.  Another important note – Adam and I actually don’t do gifts for any holiday.  So sometimes I like to celebrate by buying things to make him feel bad.  Did you catch the latest Modern Family episode – “I win Valentine’s!” – yeah, sort of like that.

Now I’m off to the grocery store, a necessary step before dinner can occur.

If you’re in a realationship – did you buy gifts for Valentine’s this year?

On the Clock

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If i don’t want to be late to class then I have to keep this post quick, just like my morning workout.

I started my day with a speedy trip the gym.  I didn’t have much time, so I decided to work on my quickest mile.  1.5miles in 12:40, booyah!  I did a few minutes each of warm up, cool down, and stretching, and then I was outta there.  I can do longer workouts on the weekends when I don’t have to choose between the treadmill and breakfast.  Today I was on the clock.

Plus, I knew this breakfast was going to be a good one –

Banana Breakfast Risotto

  • 1 cup canned light coconut milk
  • 2 cups water
  • 1.5 Tbsp butter substitute
  • 2 medium bananas, chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 cup arborio rice
  1. In a small saucepan, combine coconut milk and water and heat to boiling.  Reduce heat to low and cover the pan.
  2. Melt butter substitute in a large pan over medium heat.
  3. Add bananas and saute until they turn a deepened yellow color.  Season with salt.
  4. Add rice to the pan and toast, 1 minute.
  5. Add approximately 1/2 cup of the liquid mixture to your pan.  The liquid needs to be at a low simmer, so lower or raise your heat accordingly.  Stirring constantly, cook until all of the liquid is absorbed.
  6. Working in 1/3 cup increments and continuing to stir, add the rest of your liquid to the pan until it has all been absorbed.

This bowl was so good.  Super chewy, and nutty, and just a bit sweet; swoon!

When do you work out the longest, during the work-week or on the weekends?

It Was a Good Idea

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Coconut Caramel Cocoa

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 Tbsp water
  • 1 cup canned light coconut milk
  • 2 tsp cocoa powder (we used Green and Black)
  • (optional) vegan marshmallows
  1. Bring sugar and water to boil in a heavy saucepan.  Cook 5 minutes or so until starting to brown.  You can swirl the pan, but do not stir.
  2. Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in the coconut milk*.  Continuing to whisk, add cocoa powder to pot and continue to mix until homogenous.  *If your caramel seizes up, don’t panic!  Just bring the liquid back to a boil and continue to carefully whisk until everything has reached a liquid state.
  3. Pour into two mugs and top with marshmallows if desired.

This was so good that I gasped when I took my first sip.  Pretty please, make this at home so you can fall in love too!

These Photographs

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My title is both one of my favorite songs (Joshua Radin, woo!) and a nod to the fact that my eats today were not at all pretty (in any sense of the word).

I’m not sure why I keep trying to pack breakfast when I’m leaving with Adam in the morning.  My plan is always smoothies and my plan always falls through sometime between the 2nd and 3rd alarm clock snooze.  My lack of packed breakfast leads me to talk to you all about pretzels.  Have you talked with your kids about pretzels yet?

Let’s talk Snyder’s of Hanover Honey Mustard and Onion Pretzel Pieces.  1st, what they are not – vegan.  Also not – a (not vegan either) candy bar.  But they are – the only non-candy bar food available on campus before my 9:25 lab.

I ate them.

I did pack a lunch, but it wasn’t pretty.  Inside this ugly photograph lies a tasty lunch.

A Multi-Grain Sandwich Thin with an eggplant burger and a bit of Stubb’s BBQ Sauce.

I also packed a pair of clementines.

Sadly within three minutes of eating lunch I was starving again.  That’s approximately one hour into my five-hour break if you’re keeping track.  I’m pretty gosh darn glad I ate the pretzels, otherwise I might have chewed off a leg.

When I got home from my final class dinner was the first thing on my mind.

That will be my final bowl of Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup.  It was still delicious, but enough is enough.

My plans for the evening include a shower, hopefully starting a new book, and dessert.  If dessert is just ok then I’ll mention it in the morning.  But if it’s as good as I think it’s going to be – it’ll deserve its own post!  Keep your fingers crossed!

What is the ugliest thing you eat?

L-O-O-O-N-G Long Day

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Welp, my long day was exactly that – loooong!  Even though I’m not in class the whole time, being on campus from 11-8:40 is definitely rough.  I think having a snow day last Wednesday made it seem even harder, so hopefully next week will be a little easier!

I was running late this morning so lunch was simple, but it got the job done.

A big serving of unsweetened applesauce with red hots,

topped with (3/4 serving of) Maple Brown Sugar Mini Wheats and (1/3 serving of) Multi-grain Cheerios.

It actually ended up being a pretty great lunch.  FYI – Mini Wheats aren’t actually vegan (they contain gelatin, I’m an idiot), but we are going to finish what we bought.

I also packed a 2nd snack for my 2hour break before my final class.

This Blueberry Muffin Lara Bar actually wasn’t as good as the first one I tried.  It was almost grassy tasting?!  I was hungry though so I still ate it all.

I ate my snack at 5pm and then five hours later I ate dinner.

Holy god was I ever hungry for dinner!  I couldn’t eat right away when I got home because I had to complete a lab assignment for tomorrow, pack my bag, make Adam dinner (he’s obsessed with peanut sauce and not so obsessed with the soup so I made him a fresh batch of sauce to eat on tofu for dinner)…..

By the time I got around to eating dinner – on my feet, over the stove, cooking Adam’s lunches for the rest of the week – my Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup was more of a mash, but it was still delicious.

Hands down, best soup I’ve ever had.

Just to give everyone a head’s up, I won’t be able to post until dinner time tomorrow.  You know, because people will be crying their eyes out if they can’t read my morning post 😉

How many meals a week would you say you eat standing up?

The Best Reason

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I’ve got to keep this snappy, today’s a busy day.  In addition to it being my long day (classes from 11 – 8:40) I’ve also got a lot of on-campus errands to attend to.

Luckily I’ve learned that busy days aren’t a good reason to skip the gym, they’re the best reason to get a work out in!  Starting my day by working out gives me energy, gives my day a sense of purpose, and helps me have a sense of accomplishment all before breakfast!

This morning I headed to the gym for a treadmill workout.  I’m trying to balance not increasing my distance too quickly with building endurance, so I decided to run longer for slower.  I set the treadmill to 10mph and plugged away for 20minutes and 2miles.  5 minutes each of cool down and stretching and I was on my way.

I also prepared for my busy day by setting up my breakfast last night.

Sidenote – blog reading has given me major chia envy, so I was super excited when I found this bag of Bob’s Red Mill Chia Seeds on sale at Wegman’s the other day.

I decided to try them out using a method cobbled together from a few different blogs.

Last night – in a mostly empty jar of peanut butter – I combined 3/4 cup So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk, 1/3 cup raw oats, and 2 Tbsp chia seeds.

This morning I added in a splash of Vanilla So Delicious and half a sliced banana.

The end result was fantasmic!

The chia seeds really did make a sort of vegan ‘yogurt’ and you can never go wrong with oats in a jar!

Have you tried chia seeds yet?  What’s your favorite way to use them?  Have you ever grown a Chia Pet?

My Indian Name is Runner of Many Errands

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Would you believe me if I told you we just got home?!  Well, sort of.  But it has been a busy day.

Adam came home this afternoon and we headed out on errands – H&R Block to file our taxes and SuperCuts so I could get a trim.  Neither errand was all that exciting; taxes are sort of a joke when no one in the household has any income, and in the same vein all I can afford is a $13 hair cut.  I did find out that when I donate my hair to Locks of Love this spring I can get my hair cut for free, so that’s good news.

We were so cranky with hunger by the time we headed home that french fries with vinegar from ETS were a necessity.

Obviously.

I’m glad we got in some veggies of the non-fry variety for dinner.

We made a big batch of Emily’s Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup.

The soup is full of sweet potato, rutabega, kale, and black beans, then topped with avocado.  It was very tasty, so head on over to The Daily Garnish to check out the recipe.

The minute we were done eating (and I use the word “done” loosely here) we head to rush out the door to UPS.  Sidenote – Mom, Tiffanys sent me back my fixed bracelet.  Sidenote 2 – Don’t ever buy the Tiffany Sea Starfish Bracelet, it’s gorgeous, but the stone falls out of the charm like 8 times a month.

We had to stop at Rite Aid for some things on the way home (um, hair dye, get excited!), and now we’re about to settle in with some Sour Patch Kids and X-Files.

What’s your favorite kind of soup?  I actually not much of a soup girl, but this recipe may be a new favorite.

Caramel Corn Sounds Good…

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I don’t know what my deal is because my hunger never abated last night and when I woke up this morning I was still starving!  Actually, what I was hungry for was butterscotch (and that was before reading Kath’s post); but that was clearly out of the question.  I went ahead and made a sweet and healthy breakfast plate.

A serving of Van’s Vitamin Boost Waffles,

topped with 1 Tbsp maple syrup,

a fresh banana,

a drizzle of Trader Joe’s Sunflower Butter,

and a sprinkle of my simply sweet granola.

This was so tasty!  The granola made the dish, you guys need to try this recipe!

P.S.  I might not care about the Super Bowl, but you know I care about popcorn 😉  The Popcorn Factory wanted me to let you guys know that their commemorative Super Bowl tins are on sale.  DISCOUNT CODE: Your readers can use code WINNER for $10 off $50 at ThePopcornfactory.com (expires March 31, 2011).