Tag Archives: banana

Working (Against Me)

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Hello, again!  I realize I’ve been a blogging slacker, but I’m ready to recommit.  Just like I committed to a workout this morning.

I had a lot of things working against me for this run –

  • I’ve been eating nothing but junk the past few days
  • I have not been hydrating properly at all
  • I haven’t been getting enough sleep
  • I just came from the orthodontist and I got on the treadmill feeling like someone had kicked me in the teeth
  • I skipped two training days and hadn’t worked out since Friday!

It’s a good thing that I think even a terrible run is a good run, because it did end up being a terrible run!  And with all the things (listed above) working against me, ironically what ended up killing me was my tight calf muscles!  I don’t even know what was happening with my legs but the best way I can describe it is that my calf muscles felt like rubber bands that were about to snap.  It took me 20 minutes before I felt even remotely warmed up.

Before I got on the treadmill I did adress the fueling issue.  I slammed a tangerine PowerBar Gel,

and bought myself a grape G2 and a water.

All total I stayed on the treadmill for an hour, doing some running and mostly walking.  1 hour, for 5 miles on the nose.

I’ve been in such a crabby mood the last few days and even though my workout was terrible it totally lifted my mood!  Mother Nature was looking out for my happiness too –

After a quick errand and a crucial shower, I was ready for lunch.  My teeth, in brand new retainers, were not feeling as ready as my belly though.  I ended up doing fries and ice cream, healthy living blog style.

A big pile of oven-roasted green bean fries.

Cooked 30minutes at 450* with a bit of salt and cooking spray.

And a bowl of banana soft serve.

I food processed 1.5 frozen bananas, a splash of Silk Vanilla Almond Milk, and 2 Tbsp of Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter with Honey.

Both items ended up being de-lish-us!  Hopefully they will help me fuel through my afternoon, since I’ve got a monster to-do list to tackle:

  • fold/put away my laundry
  • fold Adam’s laundry
  • finish putting away my school stuff
  • clean the bathroom
  • clean the kitchen
  • get set up for job hunting tomorrow
  • send some blog e-mails
  • backup my files from this school year
  • schedule some doctors’ appointments
  • fix my nail polish
  • start reading a new book
  • make dinner

What’s on your to-do list today?

Fish Food

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I promised that I would introduce you guys to our new pet, so meet Levinson.

Levinson is our own little orphan Annie.  The husband found him in the basement (where the laundry facilities are located) last week.

As the days ticked by, the rouge fish’s water got dirtier and dirtier and the husband was distraught.  He left this note.

Once enough time had passed so we were certain that we were saving a fish called it and not stealing a beloved pet, we adopted a fish.

Welcome home, Levinson.

Levinson eats beta fish food, but we like to eat pancakes.

(The best recipe ever for) Buttermilk pancakes to be exact.

I made the husband a bear.

And I ate my borning circle pancakes with half of a banana,

and some maple syrup.

What are your favorite kind of pancakes?

I’m Feeling Wicked

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Congrats to those of you who guessed it; last night Adam and I saw “Wicked” at Shea’s Performing Arts Center!

I’ve seen the show once before in NYC and I have to admit that the Buffalo rendition totally exceeded my expectations!

Gregory Maguire is one of my favorite authors, and Wicked is actually my all-time favorite book.  I tend to read mostly memoirs and non-fiction, but Maguire’s adult fairy tales are totally my jam!  I don’t love all of the changes that the play makes to the story, but the added hilarity definitely allow me to overlook them.  Adam loved the show as well, which was the most exciting thing at all for me.

We bought ourselves a champagne before the show started,

and nibbled on some Smarties during intermission.

It was a glorious date night, thanks Mom and Dad!

This morning’s breakfast was centered around trying out a new vegan yogurt find, Amande is made from cultured almond milk.

I tried the coconut flavor today, atop a sliced banana and topped with a dollop of Smuckers Natural PB with Honey and a sprinkle of shredded coconut.

I didn’t love love the yogurt (nothing can top the tang and thickness of Greek), but I thought it was the best vegan alternative I’ve ever tried.  I wouldn’t buy it regularly, but I am looking forward to trying the strawberry flavor in my fridge.  The bowl was pretty good,

though I have to admit, I was missing my usual crunchy/sweet nut addition.

I had to head to school a bit early because I was meeting with a professor about a project and I needed to go grovel at the financial aid office as well.  Part of the reason I have been feeling wicked is because I have NOT been keeping on top of my work!  <– more on that in a minute

Lunch was all about the leftovers; a piece of corn bread,

and a serving of steamed spinach,

topped with maple turkey sloppy joes.

The “sauce” mixed with the spinach was divine; I’m never eating ‘joes on a bun again!

I also snagged a few bites of free cotton candy from the student union.

Boo-yah for free spun sugar!

I mentioned feeling wicked above, and I think I put that shame to good use.  After classes ended today I headed to the dietetics lab (computers and silence) with a friend and hunkered down there until after 8pm!  I finished a ton of work and I’m on such a roll that I’m planning on making it a late night of studying.  The goal is a 12-1am bedtime alternating 30minutes of tv with 45+ minutes of studying. 

We grabbed lattes – medium, non-fat, half pumps of almond rocca syrup –

before the study session but dinner never really happened.  My stomach has been feeling off all day, hurting and bloated, so nothing ever sounded appealing.  I’ll probably grab a snack at some point this evening and I’ll just blog about it in the morning.

Have you ever seen (or read) Wicked?  What’s your favorite Broadway show?

Blah, Blah, Blah.

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Blah, blah, blah.  Today was just blah.  My mood was blah, my food was blah, my workout was blah, my photos today basically redefine the word blah…

We started our morning by pulling the pre-made chia seed and banana buttermilk pancakes out of the freezer.

I topped mine with a smear of Smart Balance Light and drizzle of maple syrup.

They were good, not boring and blurry like the picture suggests.

Adam drove me to school – a high point in the day because the wind here is ca-razy! – so I could attend my final Biochem lab, my last science lab ever in my degree!  That last lab bit would be a lot more exciting if we didn’t have a huge lab final next week that is totally throwing off my study plans for my other finals.

In the afternoon I also attended a study session for another exam that is making me want to curl up in a ball and cry.  When I take my Metabolism final two weeks from now we will have a 5minute break after the test and then we’ll be sitting for a comprehensive exam that spans the material from a course two semesters ago through now.  Yay.  <– can you see why I’m in a blah mood?!

In between test bad news #1 and test bad news #2 I did manage to go to the gym.  My half marathon training schedule (which I promise to share on Monday) had me slated for three miles, so I hopped on the treadmill.  Aaaaaand I confirmed that I can’t run three miles without having to stop for breaks.  Ugh!  I ran 3 frustrating miles, followed by a 10minute cool down for a total of 3.5 miles and 40 minutes.  With a 5-minute strength/stretch session afterward.

For lunch I packed overnight made in the morning oats.  I combined and let stew –

  • 1/3 cup raw oatmeal
  • 2/3 cup skim milk
  • a 0% Plain Stonyfield yogurt
  • 1/2 a sliced banana
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp raisins

Tasted delicious, but looked as brown and boring as my breakfast –

Plus some greens in the form of roasted green beans.

Still tasty cold, and two days later, ps.

I was feeling seriously blah when I got home, and felt myself heading toward Crankypalooza.  So I did the not-being-a-psycho-wife thing and took a long shower, scrapped our dinner plans, ordered nachos with extra black beans and sour cream, and cuddled on the couch with Adam to watch some Scrubs.

A serving (weighed out because if you don’t weigh it you’ll seriously just eat the entire bag) of mini Reeses was also consumed.

I’m not sure if it was the cheese, the cuddling, or my Zach Braff crush, but my bad mood lifted!  And I knuckled down and finished off all of my remaining work for one of my classes; which further helped to lift my mood.  Bring it on finals week!

Are you having the crazy weather and winds in your neck of the woods?  Keep dry readers!

Toppings Heaven

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Happy Hump Day!  I hopped right over the hump today with a nice morning workout.

Elliptical for 30minutes, on level 6 random (with several sprint intervals).  Plus a short session of stretching and strength moves.  I love my walk home from the gym because it helps me to continue to stretch out my legs.

After a quick shower I tucked into a heavenly breakfast.

I think some people think eating a yogurt bowl for breakfast will be boring, but with the right toppings it can become dessert.

Today’s bowl basically did move right past breakfast and into dessert –

Chopped banana, a sprinkle of cinnamon, Yoplait 0% Plain Greek Yogurt, butter toffee almonds, toasted coconut, a dollop of marshmellow filling, and 1 Tbsp Smuckers Natural PB with Honey.

Man, oh man!  Boring was not on the vocabularly list.

What are your favorite unorthodox yogurt toppings?

I Have a Biochem Exam Today

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So our Scrubs and pizza date was wonderful.  Sidenote – as we walked (in sandals) to get our pizza we were stopped for a short but fun interview by a local tv crew doing an interest piece about the weather!

Sunday – which included brunch and a movie date, to “Scream 4” of all things – was wonderful too.

What was not wonderful, was the feeling in my stomach when I woke up and realized I have a Biochem exam today.  It’s not that I forgot about the exam, more like I forgot to care.  Sometimes I get frustrated here (I didn’t choose Buffalo, the husband did; BSC isn’t the type of school I’d love to attend; I’m afraid I’m not as passionate about nutrition as I am about other things), and sometimes I let that frustration get in the way.  But frustrated or not, I choose this; I quit my job career to be here.  So I need to make the most of it.  “Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.” ~Josh Billings

Breakfast was very well-played.

Greek style, fat-free honey and almond yogurt from Target.  A chopped banana.  1Tbsp of Smuckers Natural PB with Honey.  A few butter toffee almonds.  A sprinkle of toasted coconut.

As I set off to cram I may be disappointed in myself, but at least I’m well-fed!

What is/was your study style; last-minute cram or responsible do-ahead?

Why The Heck Not?

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Good morning!  I know I don’t usually blog weekend mornings, but I was up so I figured why the heck not?

I also usually don’t eat breakfast on the weekends, but I had to get out of bed at 7:30 to make Adam a smoothie so why the heck not?

I’ve never made buttermilk pancakes before (I doubt I’ve ever eaten them either), but there was a half used container of buttermilk in our fridge that was speaking to me.  Buttermilk as a muse, why the heck not?

I used this recipe for buttermilk pancakes, and topped mine with banana slices and chia seeds before the flip (why the heck not?).

It took me a while to get the hang of the flipping, and I ended up with one of Kath’s pancake tacos –

It was actually delicious.  P.S. My serving today was also topped with a drizzle of maple syrup and a sprinkle of extra chia seeds, why the heck not?

AllRecipes lets you scale the recipes (amazing!) so I could have just made one serving but instead I made four, why the heck not?

I’ve got them individually wrapped – use wax paper to separate the individual pancakes within the serving – so they can be easily reheated for breakfasts throughout the week.

We’ve got a busy day around here, Adam has a clincal test this morning (hence the 7am smoothie) and we have to prep for the poker party he’s hosting here tonight.

“Honey, it’s my turn to host the poker game this weekend.  You can’t come, it’s just boys, but can you make the food for us please?  Oh, and baby, all the other wives made really good food, so please don’t make anything that sucks.”  Why the heck not?

Brinner and Baked Goods

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My afternoon wasn’t thrilling in the traditional sense, but I finished all of my labwork for next week so it was exciting for me!  Plus there was some fun time in the kitchen.  Time in the kitchen is always fun, especially because I’m not the designated dishwasher in this family!

But I am the designated Brinner creator.

Breakfast + Dinner = Brinner.

I love carbs, but I don’t actually eat a lot of plain old bread in my day-to-day life.When I got this Hearty Wheat with Flax Nature’s Pride loaf via the Foodbuzz Tastemakers’ Program a few weeks ago I stuck it into the freezer until the time was right.

I knew sooner or later I’d be in a french toast mood.

I pulled the bread out of the freezer and whisked together a mix of 2 eggs and 1 yolk, a dash of vanilla extract, and a splash of buttermilk.

After a quick dip in the pool casserole dish, the toasts were ready for a butter-greased griddle pan over medium-high heat.

I ate my serving Napoleon style, sandwiching banana slices, cinnamon, and 1/4 cup of maple syrup.

The Hearty Wheat and Flax bread was hearty enough to stand up to the French toasting, but paired nicely with the sweetness too.  I threw the extra egg yolk into the mix because it was leftover from my baking project and this ended up being so eggy and good.  I’m not sure exactly how it affected the flavor, but the buttermilk was obviously a good idea too.  Definitely a dinner winner, though I’m glad we got in our fruits and veggies earlier!

Yes you read correctly above, I said baking project.

I made, and ate, cupcakes, but that’s all I’m going to tell you about it.

I’m in the test stage of a recipe I’m very excitedly working on; expect a fun debut mid-week next week.

What’s your favorite brinner meal?  We eat so many eggs for dinner that I actually consider them more of a nighttime food.