I discovered several new things I enjoy today.  If I had to make a “happy list” it would be a bazillion pages already but it’s always good to find new things. 

Volunteering went well, there was more for me to do than usual, which is always nice, and it was good to spend time on my feet after the car and plane trips of the past weekend.  One of the nurses gave me a piece of “Canada candy.”

It was surprisingly good, I thought I didn’t like milk chocolate but maybe I’ve been lying to myself.

In challenge fasion, I used my lunch voucher to bring Adam home pizza for his afternoon snack.  For my snack I had two servings of Quaker Quakes Kettle Corn Rice Cakes.

I thought I didn’t like rice cakes, but apparently I was wrong about that too!  I bought this last week because I had a coupon and was pleasantly surprised.

I was rushing out of the house and I was a little worried that I ended up looking like I was rocking my pjs.

I think the (amazing, far nicer than anything I’ve ever owned before, handed down from my aunt this weekend) jacket salvages it don’t you?

I was hurrying because I had a meeting with a professor at UB’s anthropology department.  She couldn’t answer all of my questions – the big one being do I want to be an RD, an anthropologist, or a turnip – but it was informative.  Afterwards she asked if I’d like to sit in on her class that afternoon (4-6).  It was amazing!  She had a guest lecturer – a previous student who now is a policewoman/csi.  She talked about evidence collection and showed all sorts of crime scene photos and generally thrilled me.  I seriously sat there for two hours with a big grin.  I don’t know which career path I’ll choose, but I do know that I find forensic/anthropology fascinating.

My Chemistry class is at 6:30 and it was all the way across the campus so I ended up having to speed walk there with my huge bag.  I was sooo thirsty by the time I got to class.  I ended up buying Lifesavers to suck on from the vending machine.

Challenge Balance – 60cents.

When I got home I had a Zevia to drink immediately,

and then I started on dinner.

Oven Baked Chicken Salad from the October issue of “Family Circle” (click the recipe for the link).  There were several ways to make this recipe healthier, but due to time and budgetary restrictions I chose to follow it as is – minus onion salt which I didn’t have.  However, here are my suggestions for a healthier dish-

1. Substitute 1 chopped, sauted real onion for onion salt.
2. Substitute half or all of the mayo with plain Greek yogurt.
3. Skip the “topping” bread crumbs and cheese.
4. Add additional chopped veggies – broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber.

I ate my portion alongside some oven roasted broccoli and butternut squash; both cooked with salt, pepper, and fresh ginger.

It was all seriously so fricking delicious!  I always forget how much I love roasted broccoli and the casserole was shockingly good.

Mmmn.

I need to hurry to shower now, as starting my gym routine back up in the morning is pretty much a necessity.  I hope everyone else has a good night.

Where do you find recipes?  I have a long list of things that sound good on other blogs, but for the most part I get my recipes from magazines.  I am subscribed to “Cooking Light” and “Everyday with Rachael Ray,” but the healthy living magazines have a lot of great recipes too.  The ‘older’ magazines my mommy subscribes too (she sends them to me) have yummy recipes that aren’t quite as healthy, but can easily be modified like my suggestions tonight.