Lunch Spot

Lunchtime in my sunny little corner!

Rather than buy yet another lunch today, I prepped some overnight (or three-hour) oats from the contents of my pantry. I picked up some bananas and apples last night to hold me over until I went shopping this evening, and just a few pieces of produce means way more possibilities.

In the jar:
   - 1/2 c rolled oats
   - 1 serving peanut flour
   - spoonful of almond butter
   - sliced banana
   - few splashes of almond milk

I didn't succeed in mixing the bottom of the jar very well, so the last few spoonfuls were thick and almost cake-like. Mmmm.

Along with my oats, I also brought along a fuji apple and a blueberry muffin Larabar.

When I eat my lunch on "campus," I rotate between several spots. There's one lounge on a tippy-top floor where you can sometimes snag free bagels, another that's prime people-watching real-estate, and a third that's relatively unknown, with huge windows and modern furniture. I think my favorite is probably the place I'm typing this from, though- it's got plenty of sunlight, easy access to both the bathroom and vending machines, squishy armchairs and big windows to watch the awed tourists on top of double-decker busses. One of the best perks of going to such a big school is the infinite amount of lounges to camp out in!

Two classes left this afternoon, then I'm free for the weekend. Well, as free as you can be at the start of the finals rush! Hope you're having a wonderful hump day :)

Where do you usually eat lunch- at home, at the office, in a restaurant/cafe? Do you focus on eating, or do you multitask during mealtimes? I'm almost always on the computer while I eat, which probably isn't a good thing. Not only am I distracted, but it also means that there's always food in my keyboard!

Let Your Shoulder Lean

Though normally I'm more of a group exercise girl when it comes to strength training, this morning I was feelin' some good old-fashioned iron-pumping!

I did three sets of 12 reps of each of the following circuits:

   - squats, 15 lbs
   - bent-over row, 5 lbs
   - overhead press, 5 lbs

   - upright row, 5 lbs
   - tricep kickbacks, 5lbs
   - bicep curl, 10 lbs

   - leg extensions, 80 lbs
   - leg curls, 60 lbs

   - pushups (on my knees...'cause I'm weak)
   - plank, 30 seconds
   - back extensions

   - traditional crunches
   - medicine ball twists, 10 lbs
   - reverse crunches

Whew! I compiled the exercises from my Women's Health Big Book of Exercises, and going into the gym with a plan definitely helped. Overall, it took me about an hour, including a ten-minute easy warmup on the elliptical and a bit of stretching at the end.

* * *

For breakfast, I made myself another bowl of smoothie cereal!

First, I blended a frozen banana with a cup of almond milk, a scoop of vanilla rice protein and a pinch of xanthan gum. I poured it into a bowl, then added some frozen raspberries and a few handfuls of Kashi GoLean cereal.

All mixed up:

It was a nice, cool breakfast for this already hot morning. I'm loving this heat wave! My outfit is warm-weather appropriate, as well:

Awkward pose. Let me see you bounce right to left and let your shoulder lean!

   - Black tank dress: swiped from my mom's closet

   - Black and gold belt: Bebe, also swiped from my mom's closet

   - Black sandals: Sam Edelman from DSW

   - Headband: Goody, from the drugstore

   - Gold necklace: gifted and vintage charms

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Where do you go for workout plans? Magazines, blogs, books, etc?

Special Dark

Looooong afternoon. I guess it's payback for the short week I'm having!

After a six-hour class block, the last thing I felt like doing was facing the post-work grocery store crowds. Instead, I picked up yet another grab-and-go meal from a deli. Food shopping is a number one priority tomorrow evening!

I got another prepackaged favorite: seitan "turkey," which I mixed with a large portion of frozen veggies. After pita pockets, I think that this is my favorite quick meal option.

Though it was tasty, I really don't want to get into the habit of buying so many pre-made food items, because a) they're expensive, and b) since they have long shelf lives, they're usually not very fresh and full of sodium. It's ironic that I buy a decent amount of these types of items, because in most cities it's impossible to find vegan grab-and-go options!

Afterwards, I enjoyed a big fuji apple and a Hershey's special dark chocolate bar that the man at the deli I frequent threw in for free. Do I have "dark chocolate lover" stamped on my forehead, or something?

Something new I'd like to start doing on Une Vie Saine is chocolate reviews! I love trying out new bars, and while I've had this particular one before, I'd forgotten that it's actually surprisingly tasty. It's very smooth and sweet, which is unsurprising since sugar is the first ingredient and it also contains soy lecithin. The bar also isn't vegan, as it contains milk fat and lactose, but I typically don't mind consuming a small amount of dairy in the form of chocolate. Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10 I'd give this bar a 6. It wins points for the creamy taste, but loses them for the ingredients. There plenty of bars that taste just as good, but with less sugar and preservatives.

Though I intended to catch up on my ZZZs this weekend, that unfortunately didn't happen- I was too distracted by birthday celebrations and airings of Titanic. Tonight I'm getting in bed early!

What's your favorite chocolate bar? I think mine is Lindt, either the 70% stuff or the "Touch of Sea Salt" flavor. Trader Joe's is also good!! Both are incredibly smooth, dark and relatively inexpensive. There are other brands I love, but I try not to spend half my grocery money on chocolate :)