Tag Archives: cottage cheese

Day Of Work

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After two very (very, very, very) lazy days, it was time for a day of work. This Sunday was all about getting things done. I –

  • put away two loads of laundry
  • did some dishes
  • ran some errands
  • organized my school binder
  • made all of my note cards from last week’s notes
  • did a case study for clinical practice
  • made a delicious dinner

Breakfast was worth a thumbs up too.

I stirred a Liberte Coconut Yogurt into a big scoop of 1% large curd cottage cheese, topped with shredded sweetened coconut.

The coconut flavor was nice, but the resulting texture was mind-blowing. Too creamy for words.

In between errands and school work was lunch.

I picked up a grab bag-style to-go container from the Co-op.

A salad of yam, corn, and black beans; cilantro tofu; peanut tofu with lots of broccoli; and a little bit of vegan pasta salad.

We took Webster with us on our walking errands and his little sweater was so becoming!

He’s still not 100% down with snow, and shivers like a total wimp.  I tease him mercilessly, telling him that his ancestors in Germany only used to hunt badgers in a climate-controlled living room.

While we were out I found a new M&M variety – Dark Chocolate Mint!

Delish.  These had just the right level of chill to them.

Sometime between the lunch and dinner hours we had salads.

Romaine with chopped cucumbers and a dressing made of the remains of the yogurt Caesar shaken with evoo and cider vinegar.

Dinner was a real winner.

For 4 servings of creamy, cheesy, buttery, vegetarian yet protein-rich pasta, combine –

  • ~ 4 servings of small shape pasta, cooked
  • ~ 1.5 cups peas
  • 2 pint mushrooms sautéed with chopped green onion and 5 Tbsp butter
  • 4 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
  • 12 oz 0% Plain Fage

So much yum! I didn’t tell the husband that there was plain Greek yogurt (which he thinks he hates) in the pasta and I didn’t hear any complaints. I think pasta with peas and cheese might be our favorite dish.

I’ve got to get back to work; I’m going to hit with week with running start!

Which flavors of M&M’s have you gotten to try?  I think I’ve had them all – regular, peanut, almond, peanut butter, dark chocolate, pretzel, cinnamon, and coconut – the only flavor I missed with strawberry pb which I never found despite hours of searching!

A Public Vow

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As soon as the clock ticked past 11:00 I knew 6 am yoga was not going to happen.  I actually was awake(ish) in time to go but the class, and the day, would not have been fun on so little sleep.  I am sucking at this 30-day pass!  Which is why I publicly vow to – attend the 9:30 am hot yoga class tomorrow.  Now you guys are holding me accountable.

Instead of yoga, it was another morning of awake from 4:30 – 6:30, then back to sleep until 8:30.  I’m going to be married to a doctor for the rest of my life, I’ve got to figure out a  way to make this work!

Another thing that didn’t work was my oats.

Sure they look good – they were expertly topped – but I didn’t cook them long enough and they were a little soupy.

Cooked (barely): 1/2 cup each water and skim milk, 1 small banana, 1/4 cup oats,  and a pinch salt
Stirred: 1/4 cup 1% cottage cheese
Topped: a chopped Nature’s Path MMMaple Pecan granola bar and a handful of milk chocolate chips

I could only bring myself to eat half of the bowl (the top half!).

It’s not an ideal day for a tiny breakfast, but what can you do?

I’ve got statistics this morning and then my first trip to the hospital for clinical.  Actually, it’s probably a good thing breakfast was small, because I’m so nervous I could throw up!  I really hope clinical goes well, sometimes I feel like I don’t know anything.  Wish me luck.

Curds and Whey

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For breakfast, we ate what I can best describe a porridge.

I didn’t intend to make porridge (and since I didn’t bother to Google I’m not even sure that’s what I made!) but that’s what I ended up with.  Adam agreed to eat a bowl of stove top oats if I left out the banana and as I upped the measurements on everything to accommodate his serving, I ended up dumping way too much liquid into the pot.  The oats took forever to boil into oblivion cook and what finally helped with the extra liquid was whisking an egg yolk into the pot.

The “porridge” was delicious.

I don’t have exact measurements for my serving, but my bowl had some combination of oats, milk, water, and egg yolk.  Plus 1/6 a cup each of low-fat cottage cheese and ricotta, and 2 tsp of browns sugar.

I’ll never be sure what factor caused this bowl to be so great – the extra liquid and cooking time, the ricotta, the egg yolk – but I will definitely try to create it again soon.  Honey, do you want oatmeal for breakfast tomorrow?

It Ain’t Easy Being Green

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Physical activity is a funny thing.  I went to a 60 minute hot yoga class today.  I was dreading it all morning, and sure enough, when I got there it sucked.  I felt like I was going to pass out the entire time and spent most of the class in child’s pose.  It was my worst practice to date.  But by the time I was done, I was so happy that I went.

When I got home from the yoga class that was both frightful and fantastic, I made a smoothie for breakfast.

1 cup skim milk, 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese, 1 frozen banana, 7 oz frozen soursop pulp, and nutmeg (for garnish).

The flavor wasn’t quite right but the texture was luscious.

And nutmeg on creamy drinks, especially piña coladas!, is the best.

Adam and I ran a few errands in the snow and then it was time for a double-decker lunch.

On a hamburger bun with schmear of sour cream, 2 nacho turkey burgers topped with 1 oz of melted sharp cheddar.

It was totally swoon-worthy.  The burgers are nice and juicy but have this great chew from the chips too.

I’m glad I made the patties small and stackable.

For dessert, Adam and I each had a mug cake.

I followed the basic recipe, with the inclusion of a handful of chocolate chips.

Dinner was one of my older recipes that I decided to revisit.

Green Tuna Enchiladas!  I updated the recipe page too.

I had two enchiladas and some roasted brocoli on my plate.

It was a good, green meal.

But I wasn’t feeling satisfied.  In fact, I’ve had a gnawing hunger all day, and I know it’s not thirst in hunger’s clothing because this pitcher and I have been fast friends all day.

That h2o is spiked with limes and sugar cane, fyi.

So I honored my hunger and  finished up my dinner with some leftover beans and rice with sour cream and cheddar cheese.

Now I’m done.

What do you do when you’re hungry when you “shouldn’t be?”

I. C. U. P.

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Today has been (and is going to be, it’s only 2:00 for gosh sake) a good day.  But this morning did not have the most promising start.  More embarrassing than promising really.

I had planned to go to an 8am yoga class but as I flip-flopped around the idea in bed it got later and later.  At 7:40 I decided I did want to go, which meant I had to scurry to make it on time.  I got dressed, gathered my stuff, and was halfway down the block when it hit me … I hadn’t gone to the bathroom!  I knew that I could neither a) use the bathroom at the studio and still make it to class before the cut-off time, nor b) hold it for the next hour+.  So I sadly went home.  It sucks to miss a planned day within my unlimited month, but even a Groupon’s not worth risking having an accident on the floor like a dog during my downward dogs!

Since the school gym doesn’t open until 10am on weekends I had to replan my day a bit, but I think it all worked out.  I went home (and peed!), did the dishes, made my grocery list, and ate a wonderful breakfast.

This oatmeal bowl had the best mix of textures.

I brought 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup skim milk, and 1 small thinly sliced banana to a simmer in a small pot.  Then I added 1/4 cup oats, a pinch of salt, 1 Tbsp chia seeds, and 2 Tbsp raisins and stirred, stirred, stirred.  When the oats were cooked I took the pot off of the heat and stirred in 1/4 cup reduced-fat cottage cheese.

It  was delicious.  Though you can barely call it oatmeal, of the bowl’s ~ 375 calories only 75 calories actually came from oats!

After breakfast I finally got to workout.  A bit later than planned though because this was happening in my lap and I couldn’t bear to move him.

I actually waited so long (11:30) that I ended up getting hungry again.

That’s 3/4 of a Chocolate Chip Cherry Torte LaraBar topped with a schmear of Justin’s Maple Almond Butter.

Once I digested for the 2nd time, I set out for the gym on foot.

Trudging through the snow was basically a workout in and of itself, but I did 40 minutes on the elliptical, random level 6 too.

My multiple layers and shoe changes made the whole process take forever.  Now that I’m finally home, I’m putting off the grocery store for later so that I can get some lunch!

Do you have to use the bathroom the minute you wake up or can you hold it?  I normally can wait, so I get up and deal with the dog before I even think about the bathroom, but holding it through a yoga class would have been too much for me.

Some Merriment

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Amid doing lots of errands and eating lots of crap, I managed to squeeze in some merriment.

First, chocolate berry mint smoothies.

For two, I blended 2.5 cups frozen strawberries, 6 oz 0% plain greek yogurt, and 2 cups of peppermint chocolate soy milk.

Adam and I both love this Jamba Juice knock-off.

Dinner was especially merry.

Cottage cheese gingerbread pancakes! 

My ingredients for 2 servings (which ended up being more like 1.5 servings!) –

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2  cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp gingerbread syrup
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 Tbsp melted butter
  • 1/3 cup low-fat cottage cheese

Whisk together dry, then wet, then fold the two together just before griddling.

I topped my serving with Smart Balance Light, syrup, and sprinkles.

On the agenda for tomorrow?

eggnog bread
chocolate Biscoff bars
cinnamon oatmeal cookies
bacon horseradish dip
bagels with lox

Banana CheeseQuake

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I was really hoping we’d have a bit longer before this happened –

But the snow did hold off until December 9th, so I guess we’re pretty lucky.

I parked my (snow-covered) car on the wrong side of the street last night in the hopes that having to get up to move it would get me to the gym.  And it did!  I hopped on the treadmill and did 10 minutes walking – 10 running – 5 walking – 5 running – 5 walking.  2.7 miles and 35 minutes total.  Followed by a short strength and stretch session on the mats.

After the gym I had to make an emergency trip to the store (we are out of soda and I’ve got 5 exams to study for!) and I came home to one of the biggest messes the dog’s ever created.  It’s possible I sat on the floor and cried.  But then I picked myself up (cleaned up) and ate two oatmeal cookies while I waited for my oatmeal to cook.

I should have just waited though, because this was one of the best bowls of oatmeal I’ve ever made.

Cooked:  1 cup water, 1 medium banana, 1 pinch salt, 1/3 cup oats
Stirred in:  1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
Topped:  1 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, 1 tsp light brown sugar

There was more dairy than oats in this oatmeal!  And it was perfect.  Like a slice of banana cheesecake, except not sickingly sweet and rich (just sweet and rich enough!).