Lilveggiepatch » hummus

Half-Marathon Training Begins!

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 02:10:25 +0000

Evening! Another long day has come and gone, but I’m still planning on doing a little work before I go to bed. I’m happy to report to have been fast asleep at 11 PM last night, and it was glorious! I’m still having some trouble getting up in the morning… I think I’ll have to invest in a better alarm. Have you heard of Clocky? He might be just the thing I need! What’s your tried and true wake-up method?

When I woke up, I made myself a quick, easy breakfast to enjoy while watching the news.

This yogurt mess contained:

0% Fage Greek yogurt
canned pumpkin
1/2 banana
1 mini TJ’s blueberry bran muffin
1 scoop TJ’s flaxy peanut butter
agave nectar

I will admit that I dipped into the communal bowl a couple times at work today… luckily I also had a healthy orange to munch on.

For lunch, I brought leftover Porcini Mushroom Soup (which is more mushroom/potato, less broth), apple slices, and carrots + hummus.

I wrapped a serving of hummus in a little Saran Wrap bundle, and am pleased to let you know that there was no spillage in my lunch bag! I’m getting the hang of this, slowly but surely.

In the afternoon, I snacked on half of a Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch Clif bar.

I went to the gym after work, eager to try out my new iPod. Sleepless in Seattle was on, so I watched that instead! Maybe I should have just bought the headphones…

Per my training schedule, I ran 2 miles at an easy pace. I also did arms and abs.

Distance: 2.0 miles

Time: 20:40 minutes (10:20 pace, 5.8 mph… schedule wanted me to run a 10:54 pace, but that was too slow for me!)

When I got home I was starving. Luckily dinner was all ready, by way of last night’s leftover Cheesy Polenta with Roasted Vegetables.

While watching an old episode of Glee, I ate some Coconut Bliss ice cream with homemade cardamom chocolate sauce. It was eaten out of a mug, just because!

Off I go to shower and read (for work). Have a great night!

The 3 O’Clock Buzz

admin — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 04:19:40 +0000

Good evening, duckies! How are you this fine Monday? I’m feeling pretty darn fine myself, sipping tea in the comfort of my kitchen after a great day at work, a fabulous din with MVP (Mama), and a quick flash of friendly faces at home. What made you happy today?

Last night while I was working in the kitchen, I thankfully had the foresight to whip up enough oatmeal to last me the week. I had enough time to make steel-cut oats; it really only takes 25 minutes total, and it’s definitely worth the extra effort.

This morning I reheated a portion and topped it with warmed frozen berries, ground flax, agave and almonds. For some reason I prefer whole nuts to nut butters when I eat steel-cut oatmeal… it must be something about the nutty texture of the grains.

I said it a week ago and it still rings embarrassingly true: we need to go grocery shopping. However, while we don’t have a lot of fresh produce, we do have ingredients that, with a little creativity, can make up a pretty good meal.

When I was living in France, I noticed that a lot of people had lentil salads for lunch or to supplement their dinners. Lentils are high in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Lunch-Break Protein Salad

3/4 cup canned lentils
1/3 cup frozen edamame, thawed
1 tbsp crumbled feta
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vinegar
crushed walnuts

Gently stir ingredients together. Serves 1.

This lentil-edamame salad was all made with ingredients that had been sitting in my fridge, pantry or freezer for at least a month. I should shop here more often! I also brought carrots, hummus, and a honey-flavored Oikos Greek yogurt with me.

Today was my first day at work on my own, without being trained or supervised. It was a little overwhelming, but a lot of fun. There’s a lot of information being thrown at me, but I’m taking lots of notes, asking questions, and doing my best.

New York has a lot of hidden gems, many of which are public parks like this one. Surrounded by office building, they have waterfalls that drown out traffic and city noise, open plazas and cafe tables for socializing, and trees to bring a little zen into your day. I spent my lunch in on of these parks today to clear my mind and recharge.

When I got back to the office, I quickly realized one of the keys to a successful work day: a strong cup of coffee between 2:30 and 3. I already have pretty low energy (which I’ve discussed here several times), and this little jolt of java really helped keep me going. Whatever it takes!

Throughout the day I also snacked on a Raisin Spice Heart Thrive Cake…

… and before I knew it, it was 5:45 and time to go home! On my way out the door, I opened up a can of coconut water to hold myself through dinner.

I met my mom for dinner at our usual Japanese restaurant.

We toasted the future with hot sake…

… and shared some steamed shrimp shumai.

Anticipating lunch tomorrow, I ordered a bowl of tofu nabe (broth with vegetables, tofu, and seasoning). I ate most of the vegetables but packed up a lot of the broth, which I will beef up and bring to work tomorrow.

When I got home, I cozied up with a mug of Gingerbread Spice tea and a sugar cookie my mom brought all the way back from Santa Fe! The cookie did not last long

My knee is still hurting from the 15K yesterday, but the official times were finally listed! I came in at 1:33:26. Not any kind of rank, but I’m still just proud I finished

It’s past my bedtime. Goodnight!

Back In Time

lilveggiepatch — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:49:53 +0000

As of 3 minutes ago, it’s officially Thanksgiving! I’m cozy at home in my bed, surrounded by my stuffed animals, Polaroids from high school, and hundreds of books, among other things. What was your childhood bedroom like?

Speaking of childhood, I got a fun e-mail from my friend Jenny at 8 this morning while I was sipping on my coffee. Jenny is hands-down my oldest friend; our mothers grew up together, and although Jenny and I have been separate by half a country for our entire lives and only get to see each other once a year, we’ve always been close. When my grandfather was still living, my parents and I visited him in Indianapolis every winter between Christmas and New Year’s; this photo is from the winter of 1988. (That’s me on the right, with the bowl cut.)

Here we are this past summer, in Lake Michigan.

I miss her so much during the year. We look forward to our week on the lake so much!

After my trip down memory lane, I made a quick breakfast: Ezekiel English muffin with almond butter and a banana, raspberry jam on one side and pumpkin butter on the other.

I went to the post office to mail something; it didn’t open until 10 (which seems a little later) but there was a machine that got the job done. Then to physical therapy I went! It as a particularly good appointment. I learned some new exercises to stretch my hips; I can easily do them from the hotel room in Russia. After PT I raced back home to eat lunch before I had to turn right back around and go to an interview. I made a quick salad:

In the mix:

romaine
celery
tofu
leftover roasted veggiesM

It was one of the rare occasions where I could not finish my meal. Usually, once I’ve dished a certain amount of food out, I will eat every last scrap even if I’ve long since reached capacity. (Last night’s pasta plate was an example of this.) However, today I started getting a stomachache about partway through, and just picked out what I wanted (roast vegetables, tofu, hummus), leaving a fair amount of spinach.

I felt guilty about throwing the rest out (I won’t be back at the house for two weeks), but it was better than making myself sick. As it was, my tum hurt for the next two hours. My eyes are bigger than my head sometimes, and I think the most important thing I need to remember to do is slow down while I’m eating. I’ve been so rushed these past few weeks that although I’ve been eating foods I love, I’ve barely tasted them as I’ve had to practically inhale them to get from appointment to appointment on time. It’ll be nice to have a little break

There’s always room for sweets, though! I had a couple of these strawberry gummy candies from the Japanese grocery store in our neighborhood. Not bad!

I was starving after my interview. Luckily I had about four different snacks in my bag, so I ate one of the apple-flavored Heart Thrive bars that I was sent to review. I’ll do a formal review once I’ve sampled all of the products, but I liked this a lot!

When I got home I folded laundry and did some preparatory packing for my trip to Russia. I am one of the worst packers ever. I always take too much and forget crucial items, like spare contact lenses or pajama pants. Do you have any fool-proof (or LVP proof!) packing tips?

I snacked on some Concord grapes that were about to go bad while I waited for my dad to help me pack some things up. These grapes are really addicting. There are seeds, which I thought I wouldn’t like, but are actually kind of fun to work through and take longer to eat. Plus, these are the kind of grapes used to make grape juice, so they’re the perfect combination of sweet + tart.

While my dad was at a holiday party, my mom and I had dinner at watched Hannah And Her Sisters. Not only is this a really good Woody Allen film, but it’s told between two years’ worth of Thanksgivings! I ordered a bento box for dinner, which came with a spicy tuna roll, tempura, sashimi & shrimp shumai. (It came with rice, salad & miso soup as well, but I’m saving those for tomorrow.)

I also had a glass of Black Box Wine’s Sauvignon Blanc.

My mom brought home dessert from Billy’s Bakery, the same shop she ordered my birthday cupcakes from.

She bought one pumpkin cupcake and one pumpkin bar; we split them three ways. De-lish.

I’m off to bed. There’s a lot on the agenda tomorrow! Have a great night, a happy holiday, and safe travels wherever your day takes you.

A "Quick Meal"- Themed Day

lilveggiepatch — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:18:27 +0000

Good evening, Upper East Siders! How are you? I’m taking a little work break to blog and catch up on my Gossip.

Last night, after we got back from the wedding, I hunkered down to do some reading and prepare for my interviews. All of that brain stimulation must have shot my metabolism into overdrive, because only a couples hours after dinner, my tum was a-grumblin’ something fierce! I thought I might just be thirsty, but that didn’t seem to be it. Finally, I put down my book and headed into the kitchen to make a bowl of Kashi GoLean and Smart Start. Problem solved!

This morning, I woke up bright and early to see Ari off. As I mentioned, he’s going Vigilante through December, and had to leave at 7:30 this morning. I tried to go back to sleep, but my mind was already up and ready to go. I had to be at physical therapy at 10 anyway, so I just got up and made breakfast.

Taking Jess‘s advice, I heated up half of a Trader Joe’s Berry Mango Bran Muffin, crumbled it up, and tossed in on top of 0% Fage with some warmed frozen berries and a scoop of flaxy PB. I really like this peanut butter, by the way. It’s both crackly and crunchy and adds great texture!

Quite the mess!

My therapy session went well… I still have a lot of tightness in pretty much each muscle in my legs, so I have to keep working on that. Repeat after me: yoga, rolling and stretching, okay! When I got back, I briefly chatted with the guest who is staying with us, made myself an apple-cinnamon snack, and retreated to my room to be interviewed (via phone) with the HR department for the company I’m interviewing with.

It shaped up to be one of those days where I was constantly hungry, so I made something as soon as the clock showed that it was even remotely close to lunchtime. Ellie reminded me yesterday about the beauty of the crack wrap, so I made one with a whole wheat wrap, three-layer hummus, and a slice of Jarlsberg cheese.

I ate it with half a can of Progresso’s Fat Free Lentil soup. This isn’t the tastiest of the canned variety, but I had a hankering for soup. I’ll definitely be making my own in the near future!

Finished up the meal with a piece of salt water taffy for a sweet end.

I’ve been searching in vain for the seasonal Celestial Seasonings teas (like Sugar Cookie and Gingerbread)… any New Yorkers know where I can track it down? I settled on a cup of Sweet Coconut Thai Chai, which was a good substitute…

…but it knocked me right out! Ari caught me snoozing at 5PM when he woke me up with a phone call. Whoops! I snacked on some carrots to perk me back up…

… then did Yoga Download‘s Hip Opening Flow #2. I have trouble practicing yoga for more than 20 minutes when I’m not in class… does anyone have tips for staying in the moment? Turning off my phone would probably be a good start!

I heated up some leftover Coconut Barley Pilaf and made a quick salad with kale, broccoli slaw, grape tomatoes, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar.

Honestly, as much as I love my fancy salad dressings, I could probably make a sesame vinaigrette every night and be happy. It’s simple, but so delicious. I don’t even use measurements or mix anything together… the vinegar and oil just get drizzled on.

I made another quick dessert, starting with a tri-flavored chocolate sauce using Pure Dark cardamom chocolate, semisweet and bittersweet chocolate chips.

I added a few drops of water, microwaved the bowl for 35 seconds, then mixed in some Brown Sugar ice cream.

And thus concludes another day’s passing without having spent a single extra dollar on food. I’m going to have to buy some fresh produce soon, as we’re running low on fruit and vegetables, but otherwise the kitchen is pretty stocked. It’s a satisfying feeling.

Back to work… it’s going to be a late night. Bonne nuit

The Mysterious Squash

lilveggiepatch — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:05:09 +0000

Good morning and happy Thursday! It’s going to be a good day, I can just tell How has your week been going? What was the most surprising or thing that brought you the most happiness?

The rolled oats stash still hasn’t been replenished, and I haven’t gotten a new batch of steel-cut whipped up yet, so I had to think a little about what I wanted for breakfast yesterday. I opened the fridge, pulled out the almond butter, and…

Oh no! Take me to a Trader Joe’s and make no stops on the way! Well, I don’t know when I’m actually going to get to TJ’s, so I tried to leave a little nut butter on the sides to make oats-in-a-jar when the time is right. That wasn’t enough for breakfast, though, so I pulled out a sample of Sunbutter that I’ve had lying around for a few months.

When squeezed out, it looks likes this:

One Ezekiel English muffin half had almond butter and TJ’s pumpkin butter, the other Sunbutter and raspberry jam.

The Sunbutter definitely tastes like sunflower seeds. I think I still prefer almond and peanut butters, but this was a nice change. I don’t know if I would buy a whole jar of this, but if I had more travel packets I would use them for on-the-go snacking.

I took all of my new vitamins with breakfast (except the melatonin, which is only for when I really can’t sleep at night).

Unfortunately I didn’t read the label carefully when I was at the store and bought the powdered Ester-C (which aids iron absorption) instead of the capsule, which means I have to drink it. And let me tell you, this is one of the worst tastes I’ve ever known.

I worked and researched most of the morning, and broke for lunch around noon before I had to leave for physical therapy. I made a big salad through my session:

In the mix:

1/2 head of romaine
grape tomatoes
1 orange
leftover roasted Brussels sprouts
julienned carrots
Trader Joe’s Vegetable Masala Burger
Trader Joe’s Three Layer Hummus
Cayenne pepper-spiked agave- cinnamon dressing

It was a big salad! I almost couldn’t finish it, but I’m not usually one to leave greens on my plate. I went into the city to get my H1N1 flu shot (seasonal flu shot has already sold out almost everywhere), then went across town to my physical therapy appointment. I was early, so I popped into Tasti to get a treat and read a little. I got a small cup of chocolate raspberry mousse:

My appointment went really well. I really like my therapist; she’s a former marathoner and current Half-Iron Man-er, and just seems to know what she’s doing (a welcome change). She worked with me for over an hour, and came to the same conclusion as the first PT: my muscles aren’t strong enough to support the kind of running I’m doing. If I want to be an endurance athlete and compete in races, my quads, glutes, calves, etc. have to be really strong. I need to work on strength moves, increasing my flexibility (stretching, rolling out with the foam roller) and core moves every day. My knees do point in (the first PT diagnosed me with “squinting patellae”) but strengthening my quadraceps will force them back into place. And the even better news? I can start back up again (slowly) in the next few days, and can run the 15K in December!!!

She asked if I’d be okay with running on the treadmill for a few minutes to analyze my gait, and you should have seen the way my eyes lit up. Running? Now? Even though I hate the treadmill, I felt like I was flying. I do pronate, and my hips do come out and come forward when they shouldn’t (which has caused tightness in my IT band that I didn’t even know about until she worked it through with her fingers), but it can all be corrected. Woohoo!!!! I’m going back today; she wants to see me twice a week for a month or so. Thank the lordy. If I had a job right now, I wouldn’t have this kind of flexibility!

On the ride home, I was hungry again so I snacked on a Trek Mix bar.

When I got home, I did some more searching and researching, and started to think about dinner. It was going to take a couple hours to make, so when Ari ordered sushi for himself and Josh I politely requested my very own sweet potato roll.

Seriously, I don’t know how I didn’t know about these until now. What would I do without Ilana and Ari? Amazing!

My own dinner was based on this recipe. When I went to the produce store, I found a squash I’d never seen before. It started with a G… Galaban? Galabaga? When I looked it up on this handy squash glossary, however, I discovered that it was one of the most popular squashes with bloggers: the kobucha!

These were sold already halved; each half was about 70 cents.

I changed the recipe a little bit; I halved the “pudding” recipe, only used egg whites (I don’t have whole eggs), didn’t use anise, and used red onions instead of scallions.

It took a long time to cook (about an hour and a half), but the results were worth it.

I ate one half of the squash and saved the rest for another day. It was really satisfying, and so good that I ended up eating the skin, too! Oops.

For dessert, I smeared a pumpkin bar with peanut butter. It wasn’t worth it: still tasted bad. Into the trash they go!

Ari and I took Carlye‘s suggestion and watched the pilot of Psych. We thought there would be a few more episodes on the first disc, but it was just the one! So off I go to the mailbox… must make sure there’s a Halloween movie here for Saturday!

Have a great day

P.S. Averie is giving away ProBar Fruitition bars!

Perspective

lilveggiepatch — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:19:39 +0000

Hi guys. I think you all officially earn the “most supportive” blog readers award. I was feeling a little down in the dumps when I last posted, but each and every comment really cheered me up. Of course I don’t want you all to break your hips and sprain your toes, but knowing that there are other people who have been injured and bounced back helps me feel a lot less alone about it. I’m in a much better place than I was the last time I hurt myself, mainly because I still have the use of my legs. As Ilana pointed out, at least I have legs. How’s that for perspective? Thou shalt not take thy body for granted.

Yesterday, knowing that I was probably going to get some not-so-good news from the physical therapist, I made myself a nice breakfast. I had two Kashi waffles; one with Barney Butter and French raspberry jam:

The second had plain nonfat Wallaby yogurt (Daddy-o bought this; even though I’ve been spoiled by the Greeks, this was nice and creamy) and fresh pomegranate seeds:

Like my DIY mug? I had some artistic talent as a kid.

I did not dress appropriately for the weather, and was both freezing and wet when it started raining. It rained for the next 16 hours. Are we in London? I snacked on a Banana Bread Larabar on my way to the gym do to some strength training.

At the gym, I did 10 minutes of stretching before starting my workout. I did all the leg machines that I saw, but wasn’t always sure that I was using them properly. There was a back extension machine that I thought would be helpful, but it was right in front of the personal trainers’ room and they were having some kind of meeting, so I didn’t want to look like an idiot trying to figure it out. Stupid, I know. I think I get three free PT sessions, so it would be nice to have someone show me what to do. I also did some arm and ab work. It was pretty boring, but I know I have to do it every other day no matter what. Blegh.

Total time: 1:02:04

Maximum heart rate: 122 (62%)

Average hear rate: 86 (43%)

Calories burned:: 136

These kinds of stats are clearly going to take some getting used to… I’m accustomed to having my heart rate consistently up in the 170-190 bracket and expending at least 300 calories per workout. Such is life.

I finally got around to getting groceries at Whole Foods. I shopped the sales and ended up getting quite a bit of stuff for under $60. The cashier (who just tore her ACL… small world) even commented on how well I did!

Not pictured: dog treats for Charley. And don’t you worry, that lone beer will be consumed by the time this post is through!

It was already close to three by the time I got around to eating, but I had a pretty good lunch! The star was inspired by one of my favorite ladies. Mama Lovin may have moved on to a smaller- more secure- domain, but the crack wrap lives on! This was made with a piece of Lavash and stuffed with hummus, white cheddar, gorgonzola and spinach.

I also had some baby carrots…

… and salmon spring rolls. I’d thought they were shrimp when I bought them, but these were still good!

It was nice to be warm and cozy inside.

The mail came pretty soon, and cheered me right up. I got my giveaway prize from Erin…

How cool is this necklace?! I love funky jewelry. And can you believe she made this herself? I’d probably sew my finger to the fabric if I tried to use a sewing machine. She is also running a marathon this weekend, so please wish her luck! I’m so freaking proud of her.

The mailman also brought me a card from my favorite neo-Russian. Look at those stamps!

That says all kinds of nice things in Russian. I miss this girl so much it’s not even funny.

Since I was dining solo for the umpteenth time this week, I wanted to make myself a nice (and easy) dinner. I flipped through the November issue of Bon Appétit, and settled on Smoky Greens and Beans.

I made my own vegetable stock using Better Than Bouillan‘s Chili and Vegetable Bases. My dad started using these when I became a vegetarian 8 years ago, and I really like the flavor.

For the “greens” part of the recipe, I used green chard, red chard, and collard greens. Aren’t the colors gorgeous?

I couldn’t decide what I wanted to serve the stew with, and settled on oatmeal. It has been quite some time since I made savory oats!

I seasoned the finished product with sea salt, black pepper, and parmesan.

This dish is a keeper.

Good thing I have leftovers!

I thought I deserved a drink after a trying day, so I sipped on this Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale over the course of two hours. I know I’m not alone when I say that I look forward to pumpkin beer all year! It wasn’t the best and it wasn’t the worst that I’ve had, but it did make me miss my friends.

There’s been ice cream around pretty much every single night, and I still haven’t gotten it out of my system! I made myself a fabulous chocolate peanut butter sauce using Chocolate PB2 and Hot Damn Cocoa (from Hell’s Kitchen). Just add water!

I drizzled it on mission fig ice cream and topped it all with half a banana, enjoyed while watching Tokyo!.

Sweet way to end a bitter day.

Now I’m off to go walk the pooch and meet a lovely for a treat. What are your weekend plans? Enjoy them!

Girl's Night at Quantum Leap

lilveggiepatch — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:40:08 +0000

Hey there, and happy weekend! Life has gotten in the way, yet again, of my regular posting schedule. I think once I’m settled in a routine it’ll get back to normal, but until then, I’ve just got to learn to be flexible and go with the flow. I’ve got a great giveaway in store for you to supplement your already fabulous days, so keep reading!

Yesterday I was in the mood for something a little different for breakfast, so I made a HUGE cereal bowl… the picture doesn’t do the size justice, so trust me on this one! I mixed Kashi GoLean, some kind of raisin bran, and granola, topped it all with banana, and added a generous portion of skim milk.

I had an errand to run in the city, and took the most roundabout route getting there. I rode four trains, when I’m pretty sure I would have been fine on two! It’s a little embarrassing that I’ve lived here my entire life and still have the worst sense of direction and navigation. I packed my lunch to go (salad with romaine, carrots, broccoli, Morningstar Farms Black Bean Burger & TJ’s three-layer hummus).

I also brought an apple and a peach-flavored Chobani yogurt.

I ended up eating while standing on the corner of Canal & Lafayette… since when did eating a meal on a crowded city street become the norm for me?

Again, I found myself close to the gym with my heavy gym bag, but all I wanted to do was go home and take a nap. So that is just what I did. When I woke up, I snacked on a Ginger Snap Larabar, said hi to this guy…

…before heading into the city to meet some lovely blogettes at Quantum Leap. I was a little late when I got there, but immediately felt right at home with Missy, Elise, Marina, Ada, Olga, and Megan and had a great time chatting with everyone. Ada and I ordered the same Tofu & Veggie Salad:

This came with marinated vegetables, grilled tofu, bean salad & tahini cole slaw, with balsamic and carrot-miso dressing on the side.

To be perfectly honest, this salad just didn’t do it for me. There were only three small pieces of tofu, and I didn’t find the vegetables to be particularly flavorful. Strangely, it filled me up pretty fast and I only ate about half of the salad. Everyone else’s food looked pretty good, though, so I do want to go back to Quantum Leap to try out some other things.

Poor Ellie organized the whole event and ended up hurting her back and hip and spending the day in the ER! She was greatly missed.

Most of the girls went out for ice cream afterward, but I left to meet Ari and go to a housewarming party in Williamsburg. We didn’t stay very long (“We just want to warm the house, not make it too toasty,” said Ari) and I had about half of a vodka-soda. When we got home, we dug into the brownies from Liz. I had one Cookies & Cream brownie and half of a Chocolate one.

I also had a sip of wine, but I wasn’t feeling the alcohol… I really just wanted to go to sleep! Yes, I’m turning into a bit of a ninny, but so be it I took the day off from exercising yesterday and haven’t done anything physical yet today (other than cleaning). When I skip one day, it’s always pretty difficult for me to go the next. I don’t want to do anything too strenuous that would ruin my race game tomorrow, but I think an easy two miles should be fine. We’ll see. It’s turning out to be a very lazy day here at LVP headquarters!

And now for the giveaway! Chobani has graciously offered to send one lucky reader a case of Greek yogurt. To, simply comment on this post. For an extra entry, link back on your blog (if you have one), or post the contest on Twitter and leave another comment to let me know you did. Contest ends Monday October 12 at 10 PM EST. Good luck!

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!!!