To making it count

Hi pretties! Hope your Sunday has been as good as mine...it's not often that a rainy, homework-filled Sunday turns out to be the best day of your week (more on this in a little)!

Last night I met up with one of my best friends, Jillian, for a dinner date at The Smith.  We both absolutely love their salads- huge and filling, without being full of fried chicken or shredded cheese. I got an Ahi tuna salad, which was their version of a Nicoise:

Ahi tuna, roasted red peppers, capers, hard boiled egg, green beans, dijon potatoes, black olives and cherry tomatoes on mesclun greens with balsamic vinaigrette

So freakin good! Since I don't eat meat, I love when restaurants offer fish in a salad instead of the typical boring house salad! After dinner, we hit up 16 Handles, a froyo bar, for dessert:

Strawberry-kiwi and mango sorbets, topped with mango, kiwi, strawberries and carob chips

I love froyo places that allow you to serve your own yogurt and toppings. I like to create my own rations ;) I was inexplicably wiped after dinner, so I opted to go hang out at a friend's apartment instead of going out. I stopped by my place on the way there to test these bad boys:

Averie's Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip protein bars.

Oh. My. God. These were AMAZING. To create them, I pretty much doubled her original recipe, using a large mashed banana, 2.5 c oats, a bag of carob chips, 3/4 c raisins, 2 c shredded coconut, 1/2 c chia seeds, a jar of Nature's Promise creamy PB, and a cup of agave nectar. I probably should have added more oats, since these came out pretty messy, but they are nonetheless to die for! I packed both my friend Zoe and I snack bags:

Paired with a bar of Cadbury's Dark Chocolate we shared, it was a perfect sweet nighttime treat :) Thanks for the delicious recipe, Averie!

Since I had such an early and uneventful night, I found myself wide awake at 7:30. I decided to hit the gym, but not before munching my usual:

Kashi GoLean, blueberries and Almond Dream

I did the same workout as Friday, as per Gina's plan, then came home and took a quick shower before heading to church. I snacked on an unpictured nanner with cashew butter, too.

I'll admit, I'm horrible about going to church at school, but this girl's constant enthusiasm has inspired me to make a point of it. I love it because it's the best "me time" you can ask for...you can just sit with your thoughts and be thankful. I always come out a happier, kinder person!

I came home starvalicious, even though it was only 11:30! Weights make me hungrier than cardio, for some bizarre reason. (Anyone have any insight?) I made myself an awesome lunch:

Tempeh and broc stir fried in olive oil and balsamic, topped with nutritional yeast on top of an Ezekiel brown rice tortilla. Yum!

Plus a cinnamon apple (my latest batch is pretty bruised, so I decided to heat it up to mask the mealy taste):

Gala apple topped with cinnamon and Truvia

I may have had a PB/Choc protein bar, as well :) After my relaxing morning came the REAL highlight of my day. Let me explain how weird I am.

When I was six, my parents took me to visit the Queen Mary when it was docked in California. They bought me a book called Polar the Titanic Bear, which is a children's book about the Titanic disaster. I became obsessed. This was pre-Titanic mania, by the way...the movie didn't come out for a year and a half! By the time it did, I was a seven year old connoisseur. I knew the names of the officers and the exact size of every part of it the way normal kids know the lyrics to Sesame Street songs. Alas, when the movie came out, my parents probably wanted to cry. I dragged them to see it probably ten times in theaters, and when the movie came out on VHS (remember those) I watched it religiously. Every. Single. Night. To say I was obsessed is a serious understatement.

I still love the story of the Titanic, and it's still my favorite movie. Kate and Leo are still my favorite actors. So imagine how thrilled I was when I saw that the "classic" Sunday movie at an East Village theater was...Titanic! Jillian and I ended up going this afternoon, and I have to say, it was amazing seeing it on the big screen again! I've come to appreciate the movie more and more over the years, despite the fact that I've definitely seen it over a hundred times (I kid you not). There's one quote in particular that I love:

"I mean, I've got everything I need right here with me. I got air in my lungs, a few blank sheets of paper. I mean, I love waking up in the morning not knowing what's going to happen, or who I'm gonna meet, where I'm gonna wind up. Just the other night I was sleeping under a bridge and now here I am, on the grandest ship in the world, drinking champagne with you fine people. I figure life's a gift and I don't intend on wasting it. You don't know what hand you're gonna get dealt next. You learn to take life as it comes at you...to make each day count."

I know I'm a major cheeseball, but those are some wise words. Jack is hands down my favorite movie character of all time, because he actually lives, instead of just going through the motions. I know he's fictional but...how can you look at Leo and not fall in love?

Okay, end of rambling. If you skipped over all that, I won't hold it against you...I'm still seven at heart!

I munched an unpictured chocolate chip peanut crunch Clif bar during the movie (ain't got nothin' on the homemade ones!), and when I came home, I made myself a "burger and fries":

Gardenburger GardenVegan patty on an Ezekiel english muffin with mustard and baby romaine, butternut squash (dipped in unpictured ketchup)

Mm mm good! My kind of Mickey D's :) Dessert was some Amazing Grass "hot chocolate":

1 c heated Almond Dream, 1 scoop Amazing Grass Chocolate superfood, 2 packets Truvia. Looks like mud, tastes delish :)

I also had yet another Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip protein bar (these are dangerous!), and am currently snacking on a banana plus some PB&Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams. Perfect way to end a weekend!

Well, I'm off to finish up my reading for the weekend...I'm trying to get ahead for the birthday celebrations this week! Have a fantastic Monday!

2 Questions for yall:

1. What's your favorite movie? I think you've all figured out mine :)

2. What are your favorite froyo toppings? Mine are fresh fruit, chocolate chips or rainbow sprinkles!

Hey girls! I hope you’re all enjoying your weekend! It’s a super sunny day in NYC today; the gorgeous weather almost makes me forget the cold!

Friday night after my last post I met up with some friends at a hole in the wall sushi joint in midtown. I wasn’t too hungry because of my salad + snackage, but managed to split some sort of roll that my friend chose, plus a bowl of miso soup. For a tiny place, it was one of the best rolls I’ve tasted! Afterwards, we headed to another friend’s apartment to hang out. I wasn’t really feeling drinking, so instead I raided his pantry and ate half a jar of mixed nuts…so addicting! Eh, it’s better than a drunk McDonald’s run!

Yesterday morning I headed to the gym after a cereal breakfast to do Gina’s Winter Shape Up, with a few alterations to focus on my abs and strain my bad knee less:

-       15 min warmup on the elliptical (10 resistance, 10 incline)

-       10 dumbbell frontal raises (5 lb weights)

-       12 plie squats (7.5 lb weights)

-       20 medicine ball twists on each side (14 lb ball)

-       30 second wall sit

-       10 hammer curls on each arm (7.5 lb weights)

-       15 good mornings (14 lb ball)

-       20 bent knee leg raises

-       20 bicycle crunches

-       20 regular crunches

It took about 45 minutes to do this x3, and I’ve felt it since! I feel kind of weak being sore after such a “light” workout, but I’m new to strength training and I guess I have to start somewhere!

I came home to a bowl of oats for lunch:

 

½ c steel cut oats, 1 c Almond Dream milk, ¼ c Ezekiel Golden Flax cereal, half a container of blueberries, 2 packets Truvia and a whopping spoonful of cashew butter

Ok, this combo was OUT OF THIS WORLD! Seriously. The Ezekiel cereal really stretched out the oats and made them super filling. I struggled to get the last few bites down, I was so full, which never happens to me! It was delicious J Because they were so filling, I waited a bit to have the rest of lunch- celery sticks dipped in Green Mountain Gringo salsa and a Gala apple- before heading out on some errands. Between the Post Office and a career counseling meeting, I munched a vegan chocolate chip cookie in honor of cookie Friday:

  

Amazingly delicious…minus a bite J

Later in the day, I met up with my friend Adam at Starbucks for coffee. I had a tall soy cappuccino with cinnamon and brown sugar.

Dinner was eaten in a hurry before heading up to the Bronx to meet Mike:

Baby romaine, steamed broccoli, ½ block raw tempeh, large tomato, nutritional yeast and balsamic vinegar

I’d never eaten tempeh raw before, and I have to admit that I loved it! It’s rapidly becoming one of my favorite foods! I have no idea why it’s less popular than tofu when in my opinion it’s ten times tastier and heartier! Dessert was an apple with PB&Co. Mighty Maple (already almost done a jar!), and this bar eaten on the train:

Chocolate Covered Cherry Luna Protein

Like the others, it tasted delicious! I’d say I prefer the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Peanut Butter Chocolate, but this one was pretty delicious also!

When I got to Mike’s, he and his friends decided to hit up a BBQ joint for dinner and drinks (he told me to eat beforehand since he knew there’d be nothing but meat on the menu!). I did end up stealing some of his mashed potatoes, though J Our group made friends with the bartender, who dubbed Mike and I “Lovebirds” since I was the only girl there. We laughed when we saw the name on our check:

After dinner, we headed back to Mike’s friends’ apartment to hang out and have a few drinks. Some of his friends’ moms are great bakers and sent up treats for them…it was lethal!

I ended up sampling both the blondie and peanut butter brownies, as well as a few chocolate covered peanut butter pretzels. I guess I had the drunchies!

I decided to snap a photo of my breakfast this morning, just to share the monotony for once:

 

~1 ½ c Kashi GoLean, frozen goji berry mix, Almond Dream milk…I just noticed that one of my roommates’ hairs is in my bowl and am thoroughly repulsed.

I then hit up the gym for a cardio session: 45 minutes on the elliptical while doing chorus sprints. Such a great workout! I came starvin marvin and ate a simple and easy in my sweaty workout clothes. How hygienic of me.

  

Maranatha peanut butter on Ezekiel bread sprinkled with cinnamon, Gala apple, baby carrots and Helen’s Pure Foods Hummus (almost gone…so sad)

Mini Apple Pie Lara

I headed out to do a few errands (including getting my WiFi fixed at Apple…which worked in the store but now is on the fritz again. Grr!), and came home HANGRY! Those sprints really take it out of you! Last night, Mike gave me a jar of Peanut Butter and Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams, (this has made me love him 10000x more, by the way) so I whipped up another oatmeal creation:

  

¼ c steel cut oats, 1 c Almond Dreams milk, 1 T Dark Chocolate Dreams, and a large sliced nanner

Holy foodgasms, this was another off the charts bowl! I’ve always been an oatmeal lover, but I’m loving discovering all of these new ways to eat it!

I’m actually off to make some of Averie’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip protein bars, as part of my one new vegan recipe per week challenge. I can’t wait to finally try them! Then I’m off to dinner with a friend…have a great night!

Give me them bright lights, long nights

Hi ladies! Happy Thursday- it's almost the weekend! Since NYU doesn't usually have Friday classes, I'm already basking in having nothing to do...besides 300+ pages of French readings this weekend :(

My plan for today was to wake up early and hit the gym before classes, but both my roommates were awake until 2. I got in bed at 10, but couldn't fall asleep until they both finally turned their lights out, and decided to re-set my alarm so I'd get a good night's sleep. I woke up, ate my usual ceral, headed to French Lit , and enjoyed a childhood fave between classes:

Maranatha peanut butter on Ezekiel bread with a sliced banana

Enjoyed with a pink lady apple and baby carrots

Classes actually went super quickly today...not that I'm complaining! My Natural Science teacher showed today, explaining that he'd simply forgotten to come to class on Tuesday! He's a sweet little old British man who is absolutely obsessed with Einstein, so I'm actually excited for his class (nerd alert!). During his lecture, I munched a Pecan Pie Larabar- only ingredients were dates, pecans and almonds. Love Lara!

After class, I headed to the gym to get my workout in after all! I did 45 easy minutes on the elliptical while watching The Jersey Shore. Nothing like fake tans and hair gel to make time fly :)

I stopped at the grocery store on my way home to pick up some produce, and made myself an unpictured snack of half an Ezekiel english muffin topped with Helen's Pure Foods Hummus. (Helen's Pure Food is a local Philadelphia brand I picked up while at home...some of the best stuff I've tasted!)

Dinner came a few hours later:

Gardenburger GardenVegan patty, steamed sweet potato, baby romaine lettuce and a LARGE tomato, topped with balsamic, olive oil and salt

I was a little hesitant about this combo, but let me tell you...it rocked! The sweet potato was definitely the star, and was surprisingly good topped with a drizzle of balsamic and olive oil! On the side, I had the unpictured other half of my Ezekiel english muffin topped with more hummus. Dessert was my last pink lady, topped with Peanut Butter & Co. Mighty Maple. And because Miss Maple was calling my name yet again, I may have just snacked on this...

Vermont Bread Co. Cinnamon Raisin Bread topped with more PB&Co Mighty Maple

Sorry for the somewhat boring post tonight...I'm going out with a few girlfriends tonight for the first time since 2009, so I need to start getting ready! Have a good night and a great Friday!