Lilveggiepatch » chunks of energy

Happy Halloween!

lilveggiepatch — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:12:04 +0000

Happy Halloween! I hope you are all having a wonderful night, whether you’re at a party, parade, or staying at home watching movies. Ari and I decided to do the latter, although we’ve been sitting in our costumes all day waiting for Trick-or-Treaters!

Yesterday I started the day with my first (ever!) batch of Oats in a Jar.

I added 1/2 cup of oats and 1/2 cup of water to the almond butter jar and microwaved it for one minute.

I topped it with 1/2 banana, 2 chopped prunes, 3 walnuts, a little skim milk and brown sugar. It was delicious! I may or may not have rescued an empty jar of peanut butter from the trash so I can make this again…

My mom gave me an idea about how to solve the Ester-C powder problem… try mixing it in something else! I put a scoop into a little bit of plain yogurt.

It’s still really disgusting, and I had to down a cup of coffee right away after I ate it. But… it did the trick, and it went down a lot faster than if I’d had to drink it. I’m out of yogurt, though, so I’ll have to find some more creative ways to eat this.

I wanted to get an early start to my day, so I said goodbye to the hair this guy and headed to the gym.

Time was limited, so I just did some arms, abs, PT stretches (which I will post at the end for Melissa) and 18 minutes on the elliptical. Short and sweet. Afterward, I met George for lunch at Pizza Gruppo. Always one for deals, I ordered the salad + 1/2 sandwich special. The salad was bigger than I’d expected, and came with mushrooms!

My panini came with goat cheese, pesto, and roasted vegetables. It was really good! I haven’t had a sandwich I didn’t make myself in a looong time.

After lunch I stopped by Paragon to pick up a foam roller. There was so much pre-marathon mania going on… very exciting to be around! When I got home, I sprinkled 1/4 packet of YouBar‘s YouShake Blended Bliss into the last of my yogurt.

I also split an apple with cinnamon with Ari (who proudly told me he had green juice for lunch!) while we ran some Halloweenie-errands.

For some reason I was snackier than usual, so I had some chunks of energy while getting ready to meet my little redheaded friend for dinner.

Kalle and I found a Japanese restaurant with a great dinner special. It’s so easy to spend a lot of money when ordering sushi, so the specials are imperative. I ordered the Sashimi+Roll combination, which came with miso soup and salad.

The sweet potato roll was delicious… and my second in one week!

The sashimi was beautifully presented.

It came with two pieces of cucumber-wrapped fish… what a great alternative to rice!

The special also came with shrimp shumai and edamame.

Kalle’s rolls were also creatively presented and looked delicious.

After dinner, we went back to her apartment to talk and drink Malbec out of black goblets. I broke the cork in half, but managed to get it out of the bottle! Looks like my waitressing skills are falling by the wayside…

I got home pretty late and didn’t end up going to bed until almost 3… the night was definitely worth it, though.

And now, onto the physical therapy!

One exercise that I’ve been working on with my PT is called the clamshell, which strengthens quads. Lying on my side in bed or on the floor, I stack my knees at a 90 degree angle. Clenching my glutes and quads, I slowly raise one knee while keeping my feet together. I repeat this twenty times, then switch to my other side. Repeat series.

Another exercise that strengthens quads and calves is done by sitting on a chair or on the edge of the bed. Extend one leg straight out and flex glutes, quads, calves and toes. Twist leg to the side, then back to center. Repeat until leg is fatigued, and switch legs.

Around the blogs: Jungwha is giving away a Sodastream!

Happy Halloween from the Upwelling and LVP… have a great night!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S03bPXh4FFI]

That Limbo Place

lilveggiepatch — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:00:22 +0000

Good Sunday, y’all. How are you spending the last hours of your weekend? Dinner in bed? Catching up on shows from the week? It’s 8:30 and I’m just getting dinner ready, and will spend the rest of the night doing some internship stuff and possibly watching Thursday’s episode of Gray’s Anatomy.

I have a confession: I’ve been putting off blogging all day. Why? Well, I’ve been in kind of a weird place the last few days, and haven’t wanted to whine about it. But whine about it I must (for a few seconds), or I have a feeling I won’t post for days. Either that, or I’m having a blogging identity crisis.

There’s only so much time one can sit in front of the computer applying for jobs and reading blogs. I haven’t been exercising at all… the thought of sitting on a stationary bike makes me cringe (and it’s a 45 minute ride to the gym, each way) and I haven’t been able to find enough energy, motivation, or opportune time to try a workout DVD. I feel like my muscles are weakening and that by the time I can run again, it’ll take me months to build back up to where I was. There was one instance yesterday when I seriously thought about just going for a quick two mile run to blow off steam. I’m not proud about it, but didn’t run, and won’t until I’m given the okay. But frankly, what it comes down to, is that I’m just plain bored. Bored and broke.

As happy as I was about quitting my table-waiting gig and spending that lost time looking for a “real” job, I think it’s gotten to the point where I might have to start looking for something like that again. Hopefully it will be temporary, but I’m not generating any income and it’s getting pretty tight over here. I haven’t started looking for another waiting position yet, but I really think it’s in my future again, unfortunately. Unless I win the lottery… I never bought a ticket on my 18th birthday, and have put off doing so because I think I know that in the back of my mind, when I do it will be the winning ticket. Good logic, eh?

For now, though, I think the key is to just do something outside of the house every day. If I have to read, I should find a place to read. Preferably near the gym, so that I’ll get myself moving again. Things will look up, but I have to set that process in motion. Ho, ho, ho!

Self-pep-talk over, I promise.

Breakfast yesterday was inspired by Katie‘s “brulée” style oats. I zapped this banana in the microwave for one minute:

I combined it with a serving of steel-cut oats, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and almond butter. A sweet and rich way to start the morning!

Ari and I spent the morning running errands, going back and forth between the city and home. We got a lot done! I knew lunch was going to be late, so I snacked on some Greek yogurt to tide me over.

When I did get around to making lunch, it ended up looking a lot like the killer salads of recent days, and it was mighty fine. I think I’ve figured out the formula for a perfect salad: plenty of greens, a variety of other veggies, fruit, savory protein, and a unique salad dressing.

This was made of:

spinach
shredded carrots
red onion
1 Gala apple (yep, the whole thing)
meatless meatballs
Dressing: raw agave nectar, olive oil, rice vinegar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt & pepper

A little later, I snacked on a couple chunks of energy.

Dinner was another nod to college life; this time, I made a batch of Annie’s Mac & Cheese and mixed in a mashed sweet potato and black beans. The result? Delicious! And oh so festive with the Halloween colors. I realize you might not all be sold on this one, but try it!

After dinner, I went into the city to meet Caitlin at the 92Y Tribeca to see the premier of Sufjan Stevens‘ film The BQE.

Source

If it’s not 100% obvious from the above photo, he is a total fox. And a ridiculously talented fox at that, so ladies, should you decide to join the ranks of rockstar girlfriends, he earned my seal of approval.

After the show I met up with Ari and Ilana, and we all went home together. I wasn’t really hungry, but all I could think about when I opened the front door was how much I wanted ice cream.

Phish Food isn’t as good as I remember it being… I think there needs to be some peanut butter in there.

A few days ago, a reader asked for the recipe for my miso soup with collards and seitan.

It’s easy peasy: Simply take 1 cup of spicy miso soup , eliminating the tofu, and pour it into a pot over four loosely chopped collard green leaves, until just covered. Steam until leaves turn bright green, about 4 minutes. Add 1 serving chopped seitan and heat through. Serve and enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNpoDmsuEPk]

I’m off to get some work done. Hope you had a fabulous weekend!

On Bended Knee

lilveggiepatch — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:29:18 +0000

Well, looks like the alarm clock got the better of me this morning. I had a terrible time falling asleep, and had an air filter going in hopes that the white noise would lull me to dreamland. It did… but it also meant I didn’t hear my phone go off to wake me up! Anyway, nothing catastrophic happened and it seems that the world still makes sense.

Yesterday was a busy day at the house, as the boys were packing up and getting ready to go to Europe. I dreamed a little about Parisian breakfasts as I based my own around Chobani‘s Vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt.

I also mixed in a crumbled Chocolate Fig Vitamuffin, a small peach, and half a banana. Looks like my camera got a little brekkie on the lens… sorry about the dirty looking photo!

It seemed about time to try out my NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia…

Although the label recommends using 5-10 drops, I started out with a conservative 2. Couldn’t taste anything! Then I overdid it a little by squirting in the whole amount in the dropper. Not good at all. There must be a perfect balance… I don’t like my coffee too sweet, but a subtle hint of flavor would be lovely.

I spent the morning getting some reading done, and reading requires brain fuel! I snacked on a Coco Chew from Bonobo‘s… these are delicious.

Ari declined his Chunk of Energy, so I ate his for him. Don’t you love his shirt? It encourages people to wear seat belts. Safety is sexy! He owns two of these, purhcased on separate occasions.

A little later, my dad picked me up so I could spend the rest of the day with my parents before they went to Europe. Do you see a trend here?! Am I the only one I know who will not be feasting on crêpes, moules, and patîsseries? I’m sure I’ll make do. You know what they say about what happens when the cat’s away…

I made myself a big salad for lunch, and incorporated in these gorgeous heirloom tomatoes Ilana got me at a farmers market in Westchester.

I started with a few leaves of romaine and tossed in leftover swordfish, 1/2 apple, dried cranberries, and that cute little orange tomato in the back. I made a dressing using Emeril‘s Kicked Up Horseradish mustard that Foodbuzz sent me a while back, white wine vinegar, olive oil, and honey. Parfait!

Couldn’t resist a few bites of my dad’s cold sesame noodles… this has always been one of my favorite dishes at Chinese restaurants.

I washed it all down with Black Cherry Zevia. I really liked this flavor! Missy also told me it was her favorite.

The rest of the afternoon was spent reading and writing. Two books in one day? You know it! I read almost all of one novel while soaking in the tub with scented candles. Now, if I could only just get paid to do this… We ate dinner on the later side, so I snacked on an apple with cinnamon to hold me over. I’ve been eating so many apples recently! When they come fresh from the farm, they’re hard to resist

My dad made a dish for dinner that has already become a favorite in the LVP household: Lemony Rigatoni w/ Chickpeas & Broccoli. Two years ago, Ari and I made this recipe (from the 2007 Food & Wine Cookbook) the first time he visited me in Minnesota. A few months later my dad, not knowing that Ari and I already loved this pasta, made it for a family dinner. It’s a hit, and so easy to make. Sea salt, pepper & parmesan raise it to the level of simple perfection.

I drank a cup of milk with my meal… growing up, I always drank a huge glass of milk (twice this size) with dinner. One must build strong bones! (I bought this cup in Berlin… I love mugs without handles, for some reason.)

For dessert, we had Bartlett pears…

… and a square of dark chocolate.

Since yesterday morning, I’ve had some pain on the inside of my right knee. I don’t know if it’s post-race stress or wearing the wrong casual shoes, but I heeded my dad’s advice yesterday by icing the knee and not doing a lick of exercise. The next time I run a distance longer than 2 miles, I’m going to do it on the treadmill to give my bones a break. I don’t usually get knee pain from running, but I don’t want to take any chances. I am, however, planning on doing the Pete McArdle Cross Country Classic 15K on December 13, and came up with this training plan with Runner’s World’s SmartCoach. This is a great resource if you want a little help organizing your own training plan.

Check out Gina‘s giveaway that will help you with your own training.

What are your short-term or long-term fitness goals?

A Six-Cup Kind of Day

lilveggiepatch — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:36:27 +0000

Good morning and happy humpday! Now that I am no longer in school, on Wednesdays I look forward to two things: 1) The Dining In section of the Times, and 2) Yoga. I won’t be going to yoga today, but I’m already salivating over this Pan-Baked Lemon Almond Tart. Sorry about the haphazard posting schedule of late; yesterday turned out to be a busier day than I’d expected, and I spent the hours from 8 AM- 1 PM glued to the table, reading for my internship. In my haste to get out the door on time, I left my camera in the sock drawer (…?) and, alas, you will not be able to see three of my snacks. Please try to carry on.

Yesterday I was so bleary-eyed when I dragged myself out of bed (possibly a little louder than usual, to Ari’s misfortune) that as soon as Mr. Coffee started brewing my much-needed six cups, I just made the easiest breakfast I could think of. I threw together some nonfat yogurt, the last of the pumpkin pie mix, and an enormous apple (which was almost as big as the bowl).

This wasn’t nearly all of the apple… I had to eat the rest off of the core because it wouldn’t fit in the bowl! I topped the mixture with a glob of (self-salted) peanut butter.

By the time Ari got up, I was already working on my mid-morning snack: chunks of energy.

I finished my work with just enough time to take a quick 2-mile run. I was in a bit of a foul mood- I hate rushing around and feeling frantic- so the run really helped. The adrenaline kicked in, and I ran at a faster pace than I’m used to. (My heart rate monitor wasn’t working, so please excuse the lack of statistics.)

Total distance: 2 miles

Total time: 18:55

The toaster oven isn’t working for some reason, so right before I jumped in the shower, I popped an Ezekiel English muffin in the oven at 400 degrees. When I was dressed, the muffin was ready! How’s that for time management?

I made two open-faced sandwiches: one with roasted red pepper hummus, a Morningstar Farms Spicy Black Bean Burger & sprouts, the other with asiago cheese (which the entire household could smell). I also finished up a bag of baby carrots… we’re really running low on produce!

This is about when the pictures stop… I had a peach on the way to work, and, at four, when I was literally falling asleep while seated next to my boss, I excused myself and went to the reception area to eat a Trek Mix bar. These feelings of tiredness hit me all of a sudden, but sometimes a little spike in my blood sugar is all I need to revive me. We had a book release party in the office, which was catered by Fresh Direct (think antipasto, dark chocolate bark, fresh fruit, sandwiches). There was enough wine to give each person his or her own bottle; normally I would have taken advantage of the free food and drink, but I just wanted to get home. I had a glass of white wine, which I sipped on for an hour, then graciously made my exit.

Dinner was all ready when I got home; I made my standard, go-to college meal: Gliding Calm tofu, brown rice, and a sweet potato with agave and cinnamon (plus some kind of butter substitute that I found in the fridge).

I was really craving some broccoli, but I wanted to be in bed more than I wanted to go back to the store. To finish off the night, I made a lovely dessert plate with dried fruit (fig, apricot, prunes, Medjool), almond butter, and cardamom and chipotle-spiced dark chocolate.

Now I’m off to get some cross-training in before I meet up with a couple lovely ladies for a treat. Have a great day!

NaCl + YOU: Salt & the Athlete's Body

lilveggiepatch — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:02:28 +0000

Over the past few weeks, I have been craving salt. I’m careful about the amount of sodium I take in from packaged foods, but I’ve never been too concerned with table salt, one way or the other. (In fact, only 10% of sodium found in packaged food occurs naturally; it’s okay to use real salt!) Recently, however, it’s been going on everything from my salad bar meals at Whole Foods to a scoop of peanut butter on my oatmeal. Sunday night, I caught myself doing the unthinkable: salting the butter on my bread! My dad and I have poked endless fun at my mother for requesting salt for her butter when we are out to eat. Well, looks like they’ll have to bring some for me, too. I brought this up to my dad, who immediately thought it was because I’ve been running almost every day, and for longer distances that I’ve been used to in the past.

I’ve been investigating salt intake and the athlete’s body, and found a very helpful response to a runner’s concern about sodium on the Runner’s World website.

The National Academy of Sciences, the government organization responsible for setting nutrient-intake guidelines, recently lowered the daily recommended intake of sodium from 2,400 milligrams (mg) to 1,500 mg-or about 2/3 of a teaspoon of salt per day. The reason: Diets high in sodium have been linked to high blood pressure.

But the Academy’s new recommendation was designed with sedentary folks in mind and may not be sufficient to replace the sodium losses of many runners. During an hour of running, most of us lose about 1,200 mg of sodium. Combine this with the rest of your daily sodium losses (through sweat and urine) and the new recommendation could fall short. Low sodium levels can cause dizziness, low blood pressure, and an abnormal heartbeat.

How much salt is safe for runners? Up to 3,000 mg of sodium per day should adequately replace the sodium lost through an active lifestyle. Keep in mind that most of us easily take in this amount simply by eating processed foods (salt is almost always added during processing), drinking sports drinks, and salting foods while cooking. So there’s no need to go out of your way to add salt to your diet. And if you have high blood pressure or other health concerns, your doctor may still advise you to limit your salt intake even if you are a runner.

I’ve often found myself feeling faint after long runs, even after I’ve more than adequately re-hydrated with water. Could a little salt be the solution? In their July 2009 issue, Runner’s World has a list of various pre- and post-run beverage options. They list vegetable juice as an option for runners who crave salt after runs… remember when I was on my carrot juice kick and deemed it my recovery drink of choice? I guess my body enjoyed its benefits as much as my taste buds!

I did not have a hydration or sodium problem yesterday, as I was more or less sedentary for the entire day. At 10 in the morning, I walked to the mailbox, and at 10 at night, I took out the trash and went across the street to the diner. With half a heart, I did 8-minute abs, but even my tummy seemed a little zoznked. Oh, to be unemployed!

When I woke up, I quickly came to the sad realization that all of my homemade almond milk had gone bad. I’m out of almonds at the moment, so it’ll be a while before I make a fresh batch. I rooted around my stash(es) of goodies. (Yes, I admit it: I hoard food in the closet. I’ve already taken over more than an entire shelf in the pantry and the refrigerator is filled with my things, so rather than be that obnoxious roommate, the closet it is!) Out came a sample of Kashi Honey Sunshine cereal, which I’ve had back there for several months.

I ended up pulling together a pretty random breakfast… Greek yogurt, (salted) peanut butter, Honey Sunshine, a peach, and cinnamon.

I wasn’t a huge fan of this cereal. It was very sweet, and reminded me a lot of Cap’n Crunch. Not that there’s anything wrong with sugary cereal, but I prefer to eat those as snacks or dessert and enjoy something a little heartier in the morning.

In between housework, chores, and applying for jobs, I grabbed some chunks of energy to keep me awake.

Lunch was an “everything but the kitchen sink” type of salad so I could use up some ingredients that are on the cusp of going bad.

I topped the last of the sprout salad with an egg over medium (microwaved for 30 seconds), corn, edamame, feta, hummus, and beets.

I think I must have overdone it on beets; I’ve eaten them so often since summer started that the last few times I’ve had them they’ve made me gag. Mr. Beet, we need to spend some time apart. It’s you.

My Edible Arrangement provided a festive lunch dessert; we’ve eaten everything except some chocolate-covered strawberries, which will probably make an appearance at breakfast soon.

I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to stay awake finishing my book, during which I snacked on an apple with cinnamon.

I got dinner almost entirely ready, but at the last minute Josh and I decided to go to the diner. I knew Tuesday was going to be a late-ish night, so at least dinner would be all prepped and I’d be able to eat as soon as I got home. Josh and I both ordered the Seared Ahi Tuna Wrap w/ Whole Wheat Chips, wasabi aioli on the side. The chips were deep-fried and a little greasy, so I only ate a couple.

The sandwich came with a mixed-green salad, which I enjoyed… I haven’t been very good about eating dark green veggies lately.

When we got home, I tore into the last cupcake.

Do you even have to guess the flavor? My oh my, do I love pumpkin.

Well kiddos, Ari is almost home and I have to get Green Lantern all queued up for his arrival. Yep, we’re big dorks Before I say goodnight, I have an important question for you: what do you think about the F.T.C.’s ruling that blog writers must disclose their connection with companies whose products they review? I’m still mulling that one over, but it was a hot topic in the office at my internship today.

Bonne nuit!

22

lilveggiepatch — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:28:08 +0000

Good morning, good morning! How are you this morning? Is it raining where you are? It’s a little damp here, but who cares! Ari and I are going to go pumpkin picking anyway. Last year on my birthday, Ari visited me at school in Minnesota and we went to not one, not two, but THREE movies! We also went to the Mall of America, where I got him to go on a storybook-themed rollercoaster. I’m going to make this snappy so that we can get a move on!

Yesterday for breakfast I made a piping hot bowl of oats with pumpkin pie mix, frozen cherries, and peanut butter. I don’t think Ari was so impressed with it… I dream of the day when he lets me pimp his oatmeal!

I was so slow getting out of the house yesterday. I piddled, I paddled, and before I knew it it was 2 o’clock! I grabbed some chunks of energy…

Packed my lunch…

This was a sprout salad with beets, tomatoes, carrots, black bean burger, and hummus.

Kay’s Naturals White Cheddar Cheese crisps to snack on…

These were good! They still left me really garlicky, though…

I didn’t end up eating lunch until 4:30, after my gym session (30 minutes on the bike, arms, legs & lazy abs), and I was worried that I wouldn’t be too hungry for dinner. However, Ilana organized a really nice dinner with lots of family and love, at Uncle George’s Greek restaurant, and by the time we sat down, I was starved! We ordered carafes (or “buckets”, as Abe called them) of red and white wine…

Appetizer platters of assorted dips for the table… eggplant and tzatziki seemed to be the favorites, and we scooped them up with grilled pita (unpictured).

My dad and I shared grilled octopus…

… and I ordered the baked fish special for my entrée. We were all very excited about the lemon potatoes!

It was massive… I probably only ate about 1/3!

After dinner, a familiar song began… I’m not a huge fan of having my picture taken, if you hadn’t already noticed!

The cake was chocolate mousse, layered with strawberries. I ate every last bite!

We were also celebrating an upcoming wedding… it was a great time.

When we got home, I unwrapped a present…

My very own food processor!!! Thank you SO MUCH, guys

I can’t wait to get started with this, but I don’t know what to make first! Nut butter, bread, soup, sauce, faux Larabars… what are your favorite food processor recipes?

Well, I’m off to wake the boy and get our corn maze on. I may be a little slow with reading and commenting, but I love you all! To make up for it, check out Junghwa’s 18 Rabbits granola bar giveaway.

Have a great day!!!

Life Is For Living

lilveggiepatch — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:09:02 +0000

Source

Good morning! How are you today? It’s a blustery day so far here in the city, and I’m happy to say that the air conditioner is no longer running on its automatic circuit. It seems like most of us have mixed feelings about birthdays, but… I think I’ve decided to be less of a grinch and just enjoy seeing my friends and family, as usual. Why not celebrate when you can?

Yesterday was another Fall-inspired breakfast: oats cooked with water and almond milk, topped with a small apple, pumpkin pie mix, and a scoop of peanut butter.

At work, fearing a grumbly tummy (I work in the same room as my boss) I took a water break and ate a Trek Mix bar in the reception area.

My mom and I were able to meet for lunch today, and dined at Baoguette, a chain of Vietnamese sandwich and noodle shops.

I ordered the Bu’n Fish, which was baked in spices and plopped on top a HUGE portion of noodles and pickled vegetables. I ate so much, but still had at least a pound of leftovers to take home!

I went home, made some tea (which I promptly spilled all over myself and the floor), snacked on some chunks, and fell asleep.

I woke up just in time to shower before having to leave to meet my parents. We were going to a play with at 7:00 curtain and weren’t going to eat dinner until it was over, so I made myself a Greek yogurt/ warmed Mangolicious blend/applesauce snack.

The play, called Is Life Worth Living?, was a revival of an Irish play from the 1930s. We all really enjoyed it! The perfect way to kick of birthday season. Ahem.

After the play, we went to John’s Pizzeria for a late dinner. This was a hotspot when I was in elementary and middle school… almost everyone had birthday parties here. I don’t think I’d been for 10 years!

We ordered a spinach salad with apples, blue cheese, walnuts, onions and olives to share:

We also split a large Margherita pizza with basil and onion.

I had two slices.

I haven’t ordered pizza in so long, and it felt so good. It was a really, really nice evening. When I got home, I finished off the last of the coconut milk ice cream and topped it with frozen cherries and homemade almond milk. I love eating straight from the carton… it feels so naughty!

I also dug into some snail mail from a certain buddy who must know I’m obsessed with pugs…

… a special note from Miss Gliding Calm!

This girl sure knows how to brighten a day

Well, I’m off to go get my license renewed. Don’t you just love the DMV? A certain someone might be coming home today, too… I’ll give you one good guess.

Have a great day!

Smooth Moves

lilveggiepatch — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:57:47 +0000

Good morning and happy Wednesday! I can’t believe the week has flown by so fast… and I’m that much closer to being 22. I think I’ve turned a little anti-birthday, but maybe not. How do you feel about your birthday?

The night before last, I’d planned a really unique breakfast as I was lying in bed, trying to fall asleep. When I woke up, though, I was doubting my creative abilities and sent a frantic Tweet asking for some breakfast suggestions. A few minutes later, though, I went with my gut, and am I glad I did! I present you with: The Fall Smoothie.

This is made with:

homemade raw almond milk
1 banana
1/3- 1/2 cup puréed butternut squash
nutmeg
cinnamon
granola for garnish

Uh-MA-zing! If you make this and don’t have almond milk you’ve made yourself, I suggest throwing in a few whole almonds for thickness and added flavor.

As usual, I puttered around for a few hours before I was ready to go for a run. To hold myself over, I snacked on the last piece of butternut squash banana bread with a smear of peanut butter:

The run itself was uneventful, but I did have some lovely new music to keep me going.

Total distance: 4.5 miles

Total time: 43:46

Maximum heart rate: 186 (93%)

Average heart rate: 172 (86%)

Calories burned: 494

Lunch was exactly the same as dinner (hence the re-used photo). Blegh. Soup is finally all eaten up, though!

I made a pineapple spritzer using the juice that was left in the can and a little seltzer.

Both the run and lunch were starting to put me to sleep, so I brewed up some “Magic Feeling” tea that I got in Berlin (only in Germany, eh?).

I felt a little too magical, because I conked out for the next two hours. Whoops! When I woke up, I was ready to get cookin’. I snacked on three chunks of energy to get me moving again…

I’ve had the ingredients to make Veganomicon‘s Corn and Edamame-Sesame Salad for a while now, and at the very last minute I decided to add some diced grape tomatoes to the mix as well.

I also whipped up SELF‘s White Bean Consommé with Almond Milk, and halved the recipe so I wouldn’t have another soup sitch like last week!

It was lacking a little something, so I “remixed” it with alfalfa sprouts, chili flakes and Bragg‘s. Much better!

For dessert, I tried out my last new flavor of Vitamuffin, Deep Chocolate.

I crumbled it on top of a container of Trader Joe’s nonfat Organic Vanilla Greek Yogurt, and topped the whole thing with homemade almond milk. I don’t know if I’ve expressed how much I enjoy this yogurt before, but it’s amazing! You can actually see the specs of vanilla bean.

Well I’ve literally got to run out the door so I’m not late for my internship. Have a great Wednesday!