A few weeks ago I received a package from the folks at The Healthy Baking Company with samples of each flavor of their Heart Thrive vegan energy bars.

From the Heart Thrive website: Heart Thrives are a [...]]]>

A few weeks ago I received a package from the folks at The Healthy Baking Company with samples of each flavor of their Heart Thrive vegan energy bars.

From the Heart Thrive website: Heart Thrives are a delicious, VEGAN and NON-GMO energy bar. Made with oats, soy and dried fruits, each Heart Thrive supplies 30% daily PROTEIN, FIBER and CALCIUM. Heart Thrives are made from ingredients with a low glycemic index that metabolize slowly providing sustained energy for hours.

The bars’ main ingredients are simple (and easily pronounced!) Oats, dried fruit, brown rice syrup, natural fruit juice, brown rice flour, soy protein concentrate, soy flour, Inulin(chicory root extract), rice bran, dried plums, dried apples, dried pears, calcium citrate. 

Each “heart” has about 2 grams of fat and 160 calories, and is the perfect snack between meals, before a long run, or in a pinch when on the go.  I brought these with me to Russia and they really saved me when I wasn’t able to find LVP-friendly snacks.

Raisin Spice

I love the spices.  It tastes almost exotic, and very much like a cookie! Nice and soft.

Lemon Poppyseed

Me: Grainy, lemony and very hearty.  Tastes totally natural and just like a lemon poppyseed muffin! I ate this before a 6 mile run and it held me through without upsetting my stomach.

Dad: I like it.  It’s not too sweet.  I like the flavors, I like the textures. I like the crunchiness of the poppyseeds ; it feels more substantial than other energy bars.  It feels like a meal, not a meal substitute.

Mom: It’s very lemony.  I like that, and it doesn’t taste like cardboard.  She’s a tough judge, so this is high praise!

Apple

Very hearty and feels like real food with chunks of fruit throughout.  One of my favorites!

Chocolate

A little drier and a bit chalky than the other flavors upon first taste, but it grew on me.  The chocolate chunks are a great addition!

Cranberry

Lots of fruit chunks, which I like.  Also tastes a bit lemony (probably from the orange peel that is blended in).  Perfect amount of spice.

Date

Sweet and cinnamony.  Smoother than the others, but still has nice chunks of date throughout.

Bottom line: I loved these bars, and feel 100% comfortable endorsing them.  They satisfied me without leaving me feeling bloated.  The ingredients are uncomplicated, and ones I felt comfortable and happy to put into my body.  I was sad when they were gone! Would I buy these? You betcha!

Thanks again and great job, Heart Thrive!

They were kind enough to send me samples of their 2% and 4% cottage cheese.

Daisy Brand won the 2008 American Business Ethics Award for their high production quality standards. Here’s what they say about their company: [...]]]> A few weeks ago, the lovely folks over at Daisy Brand offered to send me some dairy samples.

They were kind enough to send me samples of their 2% and 4% cottage cheese.

Daisy Brand won the 2008 American Business Ethics Award for their high production quality standards. Here’s what they say about their company: “With only four natural ingredients, Daisy Brand has taken the guess work out of eating healthy and offers a fresh and exciting take on cottage cheese. Unlike other products on the shelf, Daisy Brand Cottage Cheese is all natural- no preservatives and without added hormones.”

Nutrition Info for 2% Cottage Cheese

Ingredients: Cultured Skim Milk, Cream, Salt, Vitamin A Palmitate

Pros: At once both smooth yet chunky.  It’s just salty enough, and not too tangy.

Cons: I usually buy non-fat cottage cheese (unless it’s my favorite, Horizon Organics’ 2% small curd variety) and I don’t think this is quite creamy enough to warrant the fat.

Josh’s take: I like it.  Cottage cheese shouldn’t be strong, and this isn’t.  Good job on finally giving me something to try that I like!

Nutrition Info for 4% Cottage Cheese:

Ingredients: Cultured Skim Milk, Cream, Salt

I only had a bite of this.  It was very, very creamy and rich.  As I said, if I’m going to have full-fat dairy, I’d rather have ice cream.

My mom’s take: I tried the Daisy cottage cheese and LOVED IT> It’s the cottage cheese of my childhood–the kind that was delivered by the milkman right to the front door and placed in an insulated silver chest, right beside the mild and butter. Just the right amount of salt. I’d definitely buy they and give it as a birthday present.

My favorite way to eat the 2% so far has been “mess” style, with tons of fruit…

Nut butter or PB2…

Cereal…

Nuts…

Cinnamon is a must.

I’ve also eaten it parfait-style…

Other uses for cottage cheese: substitute for ricotta or other full-fat creamy cheeses in recipes, sandwich fillings, etc. For some of Daisy Brand’s original recipes, click here.

The Daisykins wanted me to let you know about a contest they’re hosting called “Freshen Up Your Fridge”, “to encourage Americans to remove unhealthy items and add more fresh, all-natural foods.  One grand prize winner will receive a year’s supply of Daisy Brand Cottage Cheese, a spacious new Whirlpool LATITUDE refrigerator and an in-home visit by a registered dietitian to help them learn how to select healthier foods for their refrigerators. Click here for more information.

Bottom line- would I buy Daisy Brand Cottage Cheese? I would buy the 2% variety.  It’s far less expensive than Horizon, and while it’s not organic, the ingredient list is short and comprehensive. It’s also tasty!

Thanks again, Daisy Brand!

Happy Humpday, bloginas and bloginos! I hope your day is going fabulously so far.  We’re scheduled to have thunderstorms today, but so far it’s beautiful out.

Yesterday I started my morning with a big ole mug ‘o yogurt.

I used Fage 0% and Chocolate PB2 to make a chocolate peanut butter mousse, then layered bananas, [...]]]> [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWXcjYNZais]

Happy Humpday, bloginas and bloginos! I hope your day is going fabulously so far.  We’re scheduled to have thunderstorms today, but so far it’s beautiful out.

Yesterday I started my morning with a big ole mug ‘o yogurt.

I used Fage 0% and Chocolate PB2 to make a chocolate peanut butter mousse, then layered bananas, apricots, and cherries to make a bombdiggity parfait.

I spent the rest of the morning reading and writing furiously, and broke around 2 for lunch. I heated up a pouch of Trader Joe’s Indian Fare Carrot, Lentil & Onion Soup.

I’ve had this once before, and I really like it.  The ingredient list is simple, it’s not calorically dense for the amount of soup you get, and the flavor is awesome! The only thing that would have made it better is a little shredded coconut or chopped peanuts, like I used to do at school.

I also made a melty wrap with TJ’s meatless meatballs, light munster cheese, and roasted red pepper hummus.  Our hummus stash is running dangerously low… I think I need to hit up Elise‘s fridge.

This was my second cup of coffee for the day, and I was WIRED.

A couple hours later, I had an apple to fuel me through the last of my work.  I had a minor freakout when my computer froze and wouldn’t turn back on… but all is well.

I finally got my booty to the gym around 6. Note to self: never go to the gym at 6 on a weekday AGAIN.  It was unbelievably crowded; all the machines were taken, I couldn’t get a locker, and it was sheer pandemonium.  There was a DJ spinning by the weight machines, which was cool, but I’d rather be able to work out.  Instead, I did arms, abs, and five minutes on the treadmill… I didn’t have as much time as I would have liked. I did one-minute intervals at a range of 5.8 and 6.8 MPH, which keeps me from getting bored.

After a quick shower (which I don’t usually had to wait for… another reason not to go at this time), I ran over to Whole Foods for some dinner.

In my box, I got:

• spinach
• bok choi
• seaweed salad
• farro with apricots and almonds (!)
• broccoli
• sesame-glazed rainbow carrots
• BBQ tofu
• baked tofu

I wolfed down my meal on the subway and rushed over to the B. B. King Blues Club to meet Leslie, Stewart, and my mom for the Lovin’ Spoonful concert.

Leslie snuck her cup of Coldstone into the club…

It got a little messy! This was a tasty coffee ice cream with cheesecake combination.

We hid it by some equipment under the table…

Very stealthy.

The show was a lot of fun.  I think my mom, Stewart and Leslie were a little startled by the band’s appearance… a lot has changed since the above video was made.  They still had a great energy, however, and everyone had a great time.

When I got home I remembered it was “trash night”, so I took  all the recycling and household garbage outside.  One of the main garbage cans didn’t have a bag, so I tried to tip the can into a giant garbage bag.  Unfortunately the can was chained to the fence, so it snapped back, spilling foul-smelling liquid all over me.  And what was this liquid? Rained-on doggy poo.  I did my best to clean it up, and in doing so, covered the already-bagged garbage in the poo.  I went back inside to get some new bags, but forgot to bring my keys with me.  So I was locked out of the house, covered in poo, for about half an hour. Luckily the problem resolved itself and I got in about half an hour later, and took my third shower of the day.  P-U!

I figured that ordeal deserved a special treat, so I went for one of the fancy chocolate squares we got at Tony Caputo’s.  According to “the chocolate guy”, Amadei chocolate is the best on the planet right now.  Tony Caputo’s is the only store in Utah that is licensed to sell it.  Amadei has one all kinds of awards, and in 2006 Food & Wine magazine named it “The World’s Best Chocolate”.

The Chuao variety combines notes of plums, red fruits, and conserves.

“The chocolate guy” said the only way to really taste all of the flavors in a chocolate is to eat it first thing in the morning, before you’ve even had a glass of water.  I’ll have to do that next time.

I ate it along with a big plate of dried figs, prunes, apricots, and dates (which were smeared with almond butter).

I washed it all down with some Trader Joe’s Bedtime Tea.

The combination of tea + a long day wiped me out! I couldn’t even get through Strictly Ballroom, a 90s Australian spoof that’s a cross between Dirty Dancing and Best In Show.  It was really good, so I’m going to finish it before I go to work!

Have a splendid day

Sorry for disappearing yesterday… somehow the hours just got away from me.  It was a beautiful day, though, so I’m not going [...]]]> Sounds like summer, hmm? As much as I love squash and the like, I’m going to be sad when summer’s fruits and vegetables are no longer.  Maybe I should pick up canning!

Sorry for disappearing yesterday… somehow the hours just got away from me.  It was a beautiful day, though, so I’m not going to complain about it.  What I will moan about a little, however, is that my camera is dying.  Crucial functions are no longer working, so the photo quality is pretty crummy.  Guess I’ll be picking up some more shifts at the restaurant…

For breakfast yesterday, I made breakfast cookies for me and Ari.

Ari’s was made according to the usual method, but I experimented with mine a little bit.

• 1/3 cup oats
• 1/2 banana
• 1 tbsp PB2
• 2 T almond milk
• 1/2 scoop protein powder (I just bought a new kind, vanilla-flavored Designer Whey… not what I wanted, but it was on sale)

• toppings: cinnamon, 1/2 peach

After fumbling around on the computer for an embarrassingly long time, I headed down to the gym.  I did 16 minutes on the stairs at level 10 (whew!), arms, 3 minutes of running at 6.5 and 9 minutes walking at 4.0 at a 4% incline, and abs.

Total time: 58:05 minutes

Maximum heart rate: 191 (96%)

Average heart rate: 155 (78%)

Calories burned: 551

On the way out of the gym, I snacked on an apple:

I had some things to pick up chez maman et papa (read: magazines), so I brought my leftover stir-fry uptown and heated it up with a scoop of Thai red curry paste:

To rehydrate the veggies and keep them from sticking the pan, I added a couple tablespoons of skim milk and the last of the bag of Trader Joe’s Multigrain Pilaf.

I’ve been so thirsty lately, so I had about a gallon of water (with said reading material):

For dessert, I had a mango with a little sea salt:

A little later, I met up with my Greg at Starbucks.  I got a Grande Unsweetened Passion Tea Lemonade and sucked it down pretty fast on a stoop.

I had a lot of reading to do and limited time, so after leaving Greg I went home to get some work done.  Midway through, I broke for a quick dinner: spinach with salsa, hummus, a Laughing Cow wedge, grapes, and a chik’n patty.  Is it weird that fake chicken is one of my favorite things to eat?

For dessert, I had dried fruit, dark chocolate, and almond butter.  One day I’ll change, but that day is not today.

We tried to watch a movie and go to bed early, but Ari’s having some wisdom teeth issues and I’m still an insomniac, so morning came waaaay too early.  I had every intention of getting up to run- and I even did get out of bed and put on my gym clothes- but my eyes were burning and I just couldn’t get myself out the door.  Tomorrow is another day.

We went to the diner for breakfast… A was looking pretty unhappy because of his teethies so I was nice and didn’t photograph him this time.

Our omelets (egg whites with spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and feta) took a while to come out, so I ate it in 5 minutes flat so I wouldn’t be late to work.  Oof.

I also inhaled some buttery whole wheat toast on my way out the door.

I stopped at a bakery on the way to work and picked up a seeded roll to eat the oysters with.

A while ago I won one of Erica‘s contests, and she sent me PeTA’s Vegan College Cookbook.  I vaguely remembered a pickle/chickpea salad (and I think Erin made something similar a while back), so I whipped up one of my own.  It was pretty good, although not the most aesthetically pleasing things:

• 6 oz plain Chobani Greek yogurt
• 1/2 can chickpeas
• 1 BIG garlic dill pickle
• two shakes cumin
• two shakes rice wine vinegar

I ended up only eating a few bites of oysters and half the roll, but I scarfed down the salad and apple.

Later on, I snacked on a Chocolate Brownie PURE bar.

Nutrition facts can be found here.

Pros: Dense dark chocolatey taste, with walnutty hunks.  Very fudgy, like a “real” brownie.

Cons: Like Larabars, it’s a little high in calories to use as an end-of-the-meal treat.

Would I buy this again? Yes, for a satisfying chocolate fix.  However, I’m still having a hard time tracking these down and have only found them in one Trader Joe’s.

After work, I met up with Caitlin for coffee.  We went to Third Rail, a coffee shop in the West Village that’s only been open for 11 days.  I got an iced coffee with skim milk and sugar in the raw:

After a lot of window shopping (and sighing), we stopped at Caitlin’s for a pit stop, where she kindly fed me a banana.

After leaving her house, I went to McNally Jackson Books for a reading from Heavy Roation, a collection of essays of authors reminiscnces of records that changed their lives.  Each story was accompanied by the song featured in it, the highlight of which was a cover of the Jackson 5′s “I Want You Back.” You’d be amazed how high the [male] singer could sing!

The reading didn’t end until 8:30, by which point I was beyond ravenous.  I raced home and grilled a wrap with spinach, pepper jack, hummus and a Morningstar Farms Mushroom Lovers Burger.

I ate it with a side of more spinach dressed in rice wine vinegar and sesame oil.  I ate it all fast, standing over the sink, like Diane Lane in Must Love Dogs.  Yep.

Dessert was the same as last night (scroll up), but I was really craving some Tasti D.  Maybe tomorrow.

Off to bed.  Hope you had a great Tuesday!

Late July Organic Snacks is a family owned and operated company that cares deeply about family [...]]]> About a week or so ago, Jessica over at Late July was kind enough to offer to send me some of their new Mini Organic Whole Grain Sandwich cookies.  Here’s some information on the company from their website:

Late July Organic Snacks is a family owned and operated company that cares deeply about family and the integrity of our products. Not only are all our products certified USDA organic and proudly wear the organic seal, but on any given day you can find three generations at work including six-year-old Stephen and two-year-old Benjamin. We all hope you enjoy our snacks!

The cookies come in two flavors: Milk Chocolate Between Endangered Animal Vanilla Cookies and White Chocolate Between Endangered Animal Chocolate Cookies.  Late July donates 10% of the profits to the Jane Goodall Institute.  (Little known fact: when I was in 9th grade, I wanted to become a primatologist just like Jane Goodall!)

Before sending the cookies,  Jessica warned me, “… once I open a box, I seem to eat the whole thing before I even realize it!”  I wanted to do these cookies justice, so I enlisted a panel of reviewers: Ari, Ari’s brother, and Jenny (modeling below).

Nutrition information (chocolate cookies on left, vanilla on right):

My review- Pros: I love that these are not only organic, but donate a chunk of the proceeds to a fund (one that I respect) to help animals.  They are also DELICIOUS.  Unlike bigger cookies, their small size means you get to eat 10 / serving! As I’ve said before, it’s hard for me to turn an Oreo down, so these are a substitute I can feel good about.  They’re also pretty adorable… each cookie has the imprint of an animal on it!

Cons: Jessica was right these are hard to put down. Initially, they taste a little bland, but as you keep chewing the flavor comes out.

Jenny’s review: Chocolate cookie/white chocolate cream: They don’t taste “all sugared up” and thus bland, like other cookies.  I thought I would be getting into an Oreo- and I don’t like Oreos- but it was pretty good!

Vanilla cookie/ milk chocolate cream: A little more bland than the first one…. actually, I prefer this one to the other.  You have to chew it to the everlovin’ to get the real taste of it.

Ari’s review: These aren’t good enough for the amount of calories that are in them.

Ari’s bro’s review: I do not like these.

A couple weeks of ago I spotted these Full Bars at my local Duane Reade pharmacy.  I’m always looking for portable snacks to keep me satiated during work, so I picked one up the Caramel Apple Crisp flavor.

Here’s what their website says: “Each FullBar has just 180 calories or less, which is fewer calories than in a cup of most canned applesauce.

Here’s how it works. Simply eat FullBar with an 8-ounce glass of water 30 minutes before your 2 biggest meals of the day. The upper part of your stomach is stretched out and tells your brain: “Stop! I’m full!” That’s because FullBar uses the same principles as weight-loss surgery. By meal time, you’ll eat less and your hunger will be completely satisfied.”

I didn’t follow the directions when I was at work (eating the bar with a glass of water, 30 minutes before a meal) and instead just munched on it throughout my shift.

It’s about the size of a Kashi GoLean Crunch bar:

Pros: The flavor reminded me a lot of Apple Jacks, which I wasn’t allowed to eat when I was little.  I ate it in pieces, with water, and it kept me full from 7 PM until 10 PM, so I guess it did the trick.

Cons: My first bite did not impress me.  These are very soft, with an almost Sugar Smacks-like consistency; I tend to prefer a heartier bar that I can sink my teeth into.  At $2.49/bar, this is also very expensive.  Granted, bars tend to be a lot more expensive at the drugstore than Whole Foods (which is where I’ve found the best prices so far, in both Minnesota and New York), but I haven’t seen these sold anywhere else.

When the bartender at work tasted this, he said it reminded him of something they make in Bangladesh, where he’s from.  Another waiter simply let out a big “Mmmm!”

Would I buy this again? No. I would eat it if it was in my bar stash, but it’s too expensive and not tasty enough to warrant shelling out the cost of a subway ride.

Last night, I was shocked when Ari took me up on my offer to make him a breakfast cookie. Brace yourself for some majuh [...]]]> It has been a long, long Monday.  I hope you’ve had a great start to your week… it should be a short one, no? Any exciting Fourth of July plans?

Last night, I was shocked when Ari took me up on my offer to make him a breakfast cookie. Brace yourself for some majuh cheez: I made His & Hers cookies and coffee (I used almond milk in mine, on the left… for some reason it doesn’t turn the coffee as creamy).

As I mentioned last night, I had a LOT of reading to do today, so I packed myself up and headed into the city to work in a quieter spot.  When I got there, I was starting to get hungry again, and dug into the leftover rhubarb from over a week ago. It may have even been better today!

I worked for a little while before breaking for lunch.  My parents have both been away and I didn’t know how stocked the house would be, so I brought my own food with me.  I had a can of Trader Joe’s Low Sodium Minestrone Soup:

I also brought some fresh blubes with me:

And a container of TJ’s Organic Greek Style Nonfat honey-flavored yogurt.

Product Review: Trader Joe’s Organic Greek Style Nonfat Yogurt, Honey flavor

Nutrition facts, found here:

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 container (150g)

Pros: The honey flavor was subtle and not overpowering, perfectly blended. The $1.19 price tag is pretty seductive, and it felt so good to go Greek again.

Cons: While it was creamy and thick, it wasn’t nearly as thick as Fage/ Chobani/ Oikos.

Would I buy this again? Yes. Again, the price is much better than the aforementioned Greeks.  Honey was the only flavor of this they had, but I’m curious to try the others. Overall, I’d give it a B+.

I ate topped the yogurt with blueberries, and ate the rest of the carton throughout the afternoon.  (My parents also had half a carton in the fridge, while I gobbled up, too… I don’t know what it is with me and finger-fruits, but once I pop I just can’t stop!)

Product Review: Trader Joe’s Low Sodium Minestrone Soup

Nutrition Facts (found here):
Serving Size: 1 can (10.75 oz)

Pros: I always have a hard time just eating half the can, so I liked how small this was.  It was hearty but not too filling, thick but still had enough flavor for me to taste each ingredient.

Cons: I ended up having to add salt and sriracha sauce to it, defeating the “low sodium” purpose.

Would I buy this again? Yes! It’s handy and portable, and didn’t weigh down my purse like a regular-sized (15-16 oz) can.

I spent the rest of the afternoon reading on the couch with Charley, who looks more like a mop than a poodle right now.  But ain’t he cute?

I don’t know who perked up more when UPS dropped this package outside, but Charley and I made it to the door at the same time.  My PB2 arrived!

I can’t wait to try this out.  Knowing I’d be carrying these in my bag tonight, I didn’t want to open the packages. I used some of our Co-Op crunchy peanut butter when I made my toasted PB&J snack instead.

After working some more, I did something totally un-food related. I used Smooth Away! There have been ads all over for this recently so I figured I’d try it out.  It’s marketed as a “pain free” hair removal kit suitable for men and women alike.

Product Review: Smooth Away

Each kit comes with:

• 1 large applicator
• 1 small applicator
• 5 large replacement strips
• 5 small replacement strips
• travel case

Pros: You don’t have to get in the shower to use this (although you are supposed to wet your legs and then dry them first), so if you only have to shave your legs you don’t have to don’t have to go through with the whole shebang.  I’m also the person who still, after 10 years of shaving, nicks myself almost every time I use a razer. No risk of that with this!  Smooth Away also exfoliates dead skin cells; I have really dry legs which cause additional problems when I shave. After “smoothing,” my legs were smooth without any dry skin.

Cons: You can’t do this if you only have 10 minutes, because it takes a LONG time. You have to Smooth in patches, so it takes a while to make your way through each leg.

Would I buy this again? Yes, but I’ll probably keep a razor on hand anyway for when I’m in a rush.

When my parents got home from work, we went to Sura for dinner.  I started with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc:

My dad got a tall glass of fresh lychee lemonade, which tasted like the cocktails in Berlin. So refreshing! I’m getting this next time.

We ordered the appetizer sampler to share: Boston Lettuce Wraps with young ginger, shallot, roasted peanuts and toasted coconut; Coconut-Crusted Prawns with mixed greens and sweet chili sauce; and Virgin Summer Rolls with marinated tofu, carrot, jicama, glass noodles, sweet basil and horseradish peanut plum sauce.

We split two entrées three ways- Jumbo prawns in rice vermicelli noodles with scallions and mushrooms:

And a classic: Pad Thai with shrimp and tofu.  I haven’t had “real” Pad Thai in so long… it was worth it!

I had a little of each dish…

… and went back for another shrimp and a few Pad Thai noodles.

For dessert, I had a Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich at home.  It tasted like the freezer, but it was still good!

My dad was nice enough to drive me home (for some reason I always end up with extra bags filled with stuff whenever I go home), and a little while after I got there, Ari’s sister brought over the newest member of our household:

Yes, we now have a Slap Chop.  Prepare yourselves.

Tomorrow’s going to be a long day… I’m going to try to squeeze in a workout before my internship, but I have a feeling the Snooze button will get the better of me.  Thanks for all your input on sleep… as my mom pointed out, it seems like a lot of you get to bed early! Kudos, and I hope to join you in that schedule soon!

Bonne nuit

This morning [...]]]> Good evening and happy belated Monday! I’m still having so much trouble with both WordPress and Firefox… I don’t know if it’s those programs, my connection, or my computer (which it better not be). Anyway, I’ve got a full day of foodstuffs and a product review, so I’m going to get a-crackin’!

This morning I made a big POM/orange/berry/ginger smoothie.

• 1/4 block silken tofu
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1/4 cup POM juice
• 1/4 cup frozen berries
• 1 orange
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger powder

I love this combination. I think it’s my third time making it in a week! I also had two big cups of coffee. 

Lunch was a-MA-zing. I made a crack wrap with manchego and American… holy moly. 

I finished up the last of Happy Herbivore‘s Inca or Aztec Corn Soup:

Had an apple:

And enjoyed it all with Cholula. (Hummus + hot sauce = mmm.)

My French professor brought organic oatmeal raisin cookies (I remembered my camera this time!). It’s funny that I used to think that any cookie without chocolate wasn’t worth having… I guess you could say that my palate is maturing!

I had a quick workout at the gym: 25-ish minutes on the elliptical and abs.

Total time: 38:55 minutes

Maximum heart rate: 176 (88%)

Average heart rate: 143 (72%)

Calories burned: 310

The post title refers to the gorgeous day we had.  I didn’t have to haul too much to campus today so I got to walk, and it was so warm! I love sundress weather. 

I try to save my frozen dinners  for nights when I have class at 7, so I whipped out Healthy Choice‘s Lemon Pepper Fish Complete Meal. 

Have you noticed that almost every frozen dinner company makes a version of this? And yet, when it comes to the “vegetarian option,” with the exception of Kashi,they all seem to think this means “pasta.”  This is often a problem at restaurants and catered events, too. Grr.

I forgot to take a pre-microwave picture, but here it after cooking.

I always plate my frozen dinners to make them a little less depressing.

Breaded fish and rice pilaf:

Broccoli: 

Caramel Apple Crisp:

Those weren’t enough veggies for my hungry tummy, so I steamed up some rebel carrots (and drank the water). 

A few weeks ago I blogged about Healthy Choice’s reinvention of its products. Although I’m skeptical of any packaged food that claims to be a full meal, I decided to give this one a try.  I’ll review each of the four components of the dinner:

Fish (pollock): very fishy, as cheap fish often is. It was mush and overcooked, and the breading fell off as soon as I cut into it. 

Rice: mushy and overcooked, but not chewy and tender at all. 

Broccoli: definitely the best part.  It was crisp and perfectly cooked, although it was sitting in a LOT of water.

Caramel apple crisp:  Completely inedible.  It was sweet and gelatinous, and the oat topping was mushy.  There was nothing “crisp” about this dessert whatsoever, and I threw it out after one bite. 

Would I buy this again? Not a chance. Healthy Choice struck out big time with this one, and did not succeed in changing my perception of their product from the microwaved dinner my grandfather used to stockpile in his freezer  to a healthy, quick and tasty option that I would ever want to consume.  I know I’m being harsh, but I’ve come to expect a lot from these frozen meals.  I know it’s possible to make cost-effective food that tastes good; you should be able to feel happy and satisfied with your meal even if it came out of a box in the freezer.  This is 2009, people. 

Whew! Excuse that little rant.

My dinner fiasco left me feeling unsatisfied, so I had a grapefruit during class. 

I was really hungry when I got home from class (sayonara, science requirement!) so I made a big bowl of GoLean! Crunch Honey Almond Flax / Fiber One Honey Almond Clusters with an apple and skim. 

I’m still feeling snacky so there might be some cookie-eating going on shortly (to fuel my studies, of course).  I have to be up pretty early for my last independent study meeting; we’re going to a coffee shop near the house I lived in last year which should be fun.

Hope you had a great day! Night

Edited to add: I just had some more cereal.  It was what I wanted, so why deny myself, right?

Around noon, I had a Fugi apple.  I strummed its pain. (Get it? Get it? Yeah, it’s that kind of day.)

Lunch was a smorgasboard of things I wanted to use up in the fridge.  Leftover curried carrot salad, fake turkey, romaine, feta, and hummus. This was my [...]]]> Good afternoon! Hope yours is going beautifully.

Around noon, I had a Fugi apple.  I strummed its pain. (Get it? Get it? Yeah, it’s that kind of day.)

Lunch was a smorgasboard of things I wanted to use up in the fridge.  Leftover curried carrot salad, fake turkey, romaine, feta, and hummus. This was my first time using hummus as a salad dressing, which I’ve seen all over the blogs, and I loved it! Especially with the feta. I also had a Ryvita Sesame Rye cracker.

I finished up with Stonyfield Farms Organic Fat Free Chocolate Underground yogurt.

I guess I didn’t think about the “underground” part, because I was completely surprised to find this chocolatey goodness at the bottom of my cup!

Here’s what it looks like all mixed up:

Fat Free 6 oz. Chocolate Underground

			Serving Size 1 Container
			Amount Per Serving
			Calories 170		Calories from Fat 0
					% Daily Value*
			Total Fat 0g		0%
			Sat Fat 0g		0%
			Trans Fat 0g
			Cholesterol 0mg		0%
			Sodium 110mg		5%
			Potassium 360mg		10%
			Total Carbohydrate 37g		12%
			Dietary Fiber 0g		0%
			Sugars 35g
			Protein 7g		14%
			Vitamin A 0%		Vitamin C 0%
			Calcium 25%		Iron 0%
			Thiamin 6%		Riboflavin 20%
			Vitamin B6 4%		Vitamin B12 10%
			Pantothenic Acid 6%		Phosphorus 20%
			Magnesium 4%
			Vitamin D 20%
			*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
			OUR FAMILY RECIPE: CULTURED PASTEURIZED ORGANIC NONFAT MILK, NATURALLY MILLED ORGANIC SUGAR, ORGANIC COCOA, ORGANIC NATURAL VANILLA FLAVOR, NATURAL FLAVOR, PECTIN, VITAMIN D3. CONTAINS OUR EXCLUSIVE BLEND OF SIX LIVE ACTIVE CULTURES INCLUDING L. ACIDOPHILUS, BIFIDUS, L. CASEI AND L. RHAMNOSUS.

This was so good, and such a happy surprise! It satisfied the chocolate craving I didn’t even know I had, and was pretty much the best lunch dessert I could ask for.  Would I buy this again? You know it! I only wish I’d gotten more than one!

Off to class and then to the grandparents. See you later!

I took a glorious two-hour nap this morning, then woke up and made lunch.  I mixed one 5 oz can of tuna with 1/3 avocado, one small [...]]]> Good evening! The week is already halfway done for me, and I’ve just been informed that I have one month and six days left of college.  Yikes!

I took a glorious two-hour nap this morning, then woke up and made lunch.  I mixed one 5 oz can of tuna with 1/3 avocado, one small canned tomato, red onion, mustard and lemon juice, and plopped it on a bed of romaine.

I also had  one of the messiest pink grapefruits.

Got my news and vitamins on and ate in about ten minutes.  The nap was worth it, though!

I snacked on a Banana Bread Lärabar throughout the day.

I went to thirty minutes of Step today and did about five minutes of arms and back on the way out.  I love running outside, but since I’ve started I haven’t been doing any strength training at all.

Total time: 35:53 minutes

Maximum heart rate: 187 (94%)

Average heart rate: 142 (71%)

Calories burned: 290

I went to Whole Foods later to get some necessities, and I’m pleased to report that the date/fig/nut crisis is over and I am fully stocked.

I saw this recipe on Jenna’s blog last night and had almost the same ingredients so I decided to make a similar dish.  It’s pretty similar to the curry I made last week, but this uses tempeh instead of tofu.

I used sesame oil instead of coconut, and added some  spinach and canned tomatoes to bulk up the veggie content.

When Kristina sent me the Oikos coupons she also sent me coupons for other Stonyfield Farms products.  I decided to put one to good use when I was at Whole Foods, and got this After Dark Nonfat Frozen Yogurt.

Frozen Yogurt- Nonfat After Dark Chocolate

			Serving Size 1/2 Cup (85g)
			Amount Per Serving
			Calories 100		Calories from Fat 0
					% Daily Value*
			Total Fat 0g		0%
			Sat Fat 0g		0%
			Trans Fat 0g
			Cholesterol < 5mg		2%
			Sodium 60mg		3%
			Potassium 220mg		6%
			Total Carbohydrate 20g		7%
			Dietary Fiber 0g		0%
			Sugars 18g
			Protein 4g		8%
			Vitamin A 0%		Vitamin C 0%
			Calcium 15%		Iron 0%
			Thiamin 2%		Riboflavin 10%
			Vitamin B6 2%		Vitamin B12 6%
			Pantothenic Acid 4%		Phosphorus 10%
			Magnesium 6%
			*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
			OUR FAMILY RECIPE: NONE
			INGREDIENTS: CULTURED PASTEURIZED ORGANIC NONFAT MILK, NATURALLY MILLED ORGANIC SUGAR, ORGANIC COCOA, ORGANIC RICE SYRUP, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, CAROB BEAN GUM, GUAR GUM, ORGANIC VANILLA FLAVOR. CONTAINS: S. THERMOPHILUS, L. BULGARICUS, L. ACIDOPHILUS, BIFIDUS AND L. CASEI LIVE ACTIVE CULTURES.

It had a really creamy, deep dark taste. I would definitely buy it again, especially when I added these!

Last week when I saw my aunt, she told me she’d been eating a lot of chocolate fro-yo with mandarin orange slices. I wanted to try it out, but bought pear halves by mistake! It was still delicious with the frozen yogurt and half of a No-Pudge Chunky Monkey brownie.

The other half of the brownie was feeling lonely, though, so I ate it.

I’m off to watch Heroes with Ari on iChat.  Have a great night!