We got outside and remarked, “Oh, it’s not so bad!” and took off.  Soon the wind started swirling around us, almost propelling us down the street.  On the way back, of course, we were running against it.  The worst part was how cold our ears got.  I tried running with my hands over them but then my peripheral vision was blocked.  We’d had grand plans for a hot chocolate stop on the way back, but when the time came we just wanted to get back inside.

I think something about being outside in sub-freezing winds and then returning to a warm apartment did something to our inner-ears, because we both felt almost nauseous for a good ten minutes after we were safe indoors.  Luckily, a hot shower and breakfast solved this problem! I had a cup of Blueberry Chobani with 1/2 banana, granola, and a cup of English Breakfast tea.  (Since I had today off work, I didn’t feel like I needed to overly caffenate myself with coffee.  Good feeling!)

Thank you for all of your suggestions about how to spend my vacation day!  I listened to you and slept in (until 10!), exercised, and relaxed.  I also spent some of the morning and early afternoon running errands, which made it a pretty good day in my book.

Since we ate a late breakfast, I didn’t end up eating lunch until almost 3.  I made a mighty fine sandwich, if I do say so myself!  I heated a whole wheat/flax pita and stuffed it with cashew “cheese”, spinach, Fuji apple slices and alfalfa sprouts.

I ran some errands with Ari (who is getting ready for a month-long tour), then met my parents for a very early (5:30) pre-theater dinner at Bali Nusa, one of our favorite Indonesian restaurants in Hell’s Kitchen.  I started with hot jasmine tea…

… vegetable tamarind soup (which reminded me of some of the soups we ate in Russia)

… and the vegetarian sampler, which I’ve ordered every single time we’ve been.  It’s delicious, and there are so many different things to try!  It was pretty big, and though I made a significant dent in it, the leftovers were packed up for later.

For dessert, we all got banana islands: bananas fried in pastry and served with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

My dad also got a very interesting cold drink made with condensed milk, jello, and fruit.

After we left the restaurant, bellies full, we headed over to the Signature Theater to see Part II of The Orphans’ Home Cycle.  We saw Part I about a month ago, and while I really enjoyed tonight’s performance, I slept through the entire first act.  It’s horrible! It’s bad enough that I sleep through movies, but I feel terrible that the actors can see me sleeping through their performance.  I wish I could help it

We munched on Green & Black’s 85% dark chocolate during the first intermission (there were 3 acts) to boost our sugar levels, and it worked: I stayed awake for the last two hours.

After the play, I went straight home, put on my pyjamas unloaded the goodies my parents brought me back from the co-op: chia seeds, organic coconut oil, tahini, a spice grinder, and a tiny mortar and pestle.  Do I not have the best parents in the world?

Now I’m in bed watching Defiance (which Brandi recommended).  The story is really interesting and the film has an all-star cast, but my I’m fading fast!  I think I’ll save the rest for tomorrow when I’ll be able to stay awake and appreciate it.

Check in tomorrow morning… I’ll be hosting a GIVEAWAY!

Night

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!

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.

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!

Yesterday I went with Ari’s family to brunch at the diner. We almost all ordered some kind of breakfast sandwich; mine had scrambled eggs with pepperjack cheese and tomatoes on whole wheat toast, with plenty of ketchup and mustard. We also drank gallons of coffee; for all new readers (hi!) I drink 1-2 (and sometimes 3, if I’m feeling feisty) cups of coffee every morning, usually with a little skim milk, but I don’t always post pictures of it.

After breakfast, Ari went back to bed (man after my own heart) and I went on a quick 2 mile run. My training schedule wanted me to cross-train, but I wasn’t going to be able to go to the gym and I figured a short run would be a good way to burn some energy and check in with myself. If you’re a runner, are your runs therapeutic for you? Do you think about important things going on in your life or try to just “recharge your batteries” and zone out?

Even though I’d just eaten a couple hours before, I was already starving. Since I’ve started logging around 15 miles per week, I’ve noticed my metabolism has spiked quite a bit! I’m hungry ALL THE TIME. I had a small container of Trader Joe’s Organic Nonfat Plain Greek yogurt with a farm-fresh peach from Pennsylvania.

While I was showering, Ari found a pick-your-own pumpkin farm in Wheatley Heights, Long Island. We got there in no time, and borrowed a wagon to aid our picking.  (I love this photo… it reminds me of their album art!)

We were sad to discover that you can’t buy individual apple cider donuts…

… but donut or no donut, we had fun all the same.

We braved the mysterious corn maze…

… and made some friends.

I suggested that since Ari still does not seem to want a pug, a pig might be nice instead!

Finally, we were ready to head to the pumpkin patch and claim our prize.

We heeded the rules…

… and set out to find the perfect pu’nkin.

Found it! It even has a cute little finger-dent.  (I think this is one of my favorite photos of Ari.)

We haven’t figured out a name for it yet, but we have a few weeks until Halloween to think about it.

We picked up a few culinary souvenirs on the way out… can’t go to a farm in the fall without going home with something apple-flavored!  Last year for Sarah‘s birthday, we all went apple-picking and had a VERY hard time deciding what (and what not) to buy.

We were only an hour away from Southampton, so we decided to go for the rest of the day.  It was 3 PM when we got there and we hadn’t eaten lunch yet, so we headed straight to the Village Cheese Shop.  I got one of my all-time favorite sandwiches, the California: avocado, sprouts, veggie burger (from Schmidts… these are so good! Sometimes I buy a few and bring them home to keep in the freezer) and melted cheddar on 12 grain bread.

Then we hopped over to the Sip ‘N Soda to sit at the counter and share a small cup of pumpkin and cookie dough ice cream.

We walked over to the local movie theater to see if anything was starting soon, and we were in luck!  We got tickets to see The Invention of Lying, and played Ms. Pac-Man while we waited.  Now, Ari can beat me at pretty much every single game, whether it’s cards, a physical sport, a brain teaser… anything.  But when it comes to Pac-Man, I am the queen.  What can I say?  The boy got his butt whooped! As for the movie itself: I liked the idea of it, but I thought the execution was pretty poor, unfortunately.  It was still a lot of fun… Ari and I haven’t been to the movies together in a long time, and I haven’t been to that theater in years.

We loaded ourselves back in the car and made it home in time to have dinner with Ari’s family before they drove back to their home.  We went out for sushi, which I have been craving all week!  We got several bowls of edamame for the table:

I ordered a small house salad… love this carrot miso dressing! Gena posted a recipe for this a while back, and I can’t wait to make it.

For my entrée, I ordered sashimi with brown rice…

… and scavenged from everyone else, enjoying a variety of rolls, including Ilana’s lovely Queens roll (mango with spicy tuna and roe).

I was shocked when I heard another “Happy Birthday” chorus begin while the restaurant staff brought out a dish of red bean, green tea, vanilla & chocolate ice cream out.  I blushed quite a bit   I am so lucky.

I had a bite and passed the bowl down… when we got home, we had cupcakes from Billy’s Bakery waiting! My mom brought these over on Friday.  Aren’t they pretty?

I split a pumpkin cupcake (my mom knows my number!) with Ari.  This was deliciously rich and moist, with the fluffiest frosting.

We’re having another dinner with my parents, George & Judy tonight.  I feel so spoiled that I get to see everyone so much! I love it.  I think Erin expressed the essence of birthdays beautifully: Remember that your birthday is celebrating who you are – spending time with people you love so they can reflect that beauty back to you

Enjoy the rest of your weekend with the people you love

Breakfast yesterday was my new standard bowl of tastiness: one banana and one apple bathed in homemade raw almond/walnut milk.  Man oh man, this stuff is GOOD.  I don’t know what I would do without Gena‘s recipes!

Before I went into the city for yoga, I grabbed this Botanic No. 7 Kombucha that I found on sale for $2.99.  Still pricey, but it’s hard to ignore cravings.  Look at that cute little foot in the background!

I got to the gym with time to spare, unlike last week.  Tina recently posted about ways to make sure you actually complete your exercise goals, and she’s right: an overbooked class is one of the surest ways to sabotage your workout! Anyway,  I found a mat (although I should really start bringing my own) and reserved a spot on the floor, then looked around at my neighbors.  That’s strange… why did everyone have barbells next to them? As more and more people filed into the room, weights in hand, I started to worry that perhaps I was in the wrong class.  I went outside to check the schedule, and I was right: I wasn’t in Vinyasa Flow, I was in Buff Yoga, the class before.  I’d seen the Buff Yogis on their way out as I was on my way in before; they were always pouring sweat and looked as if they’d just gone through military training.  I decided to stick it out, and let me tell you: it was SO HARD.  There were a few things I couldn’t do, like a Three-Legged Dog Vinyasa series while keeping a barbell balanced in the crook of my leg, so I just sat those out. I was mostly just proud of myself for staying in the room, because there were times when I really wanted to leave.  I’m not sure if I’ll go back to that class; I was really in the room for something a little more relaxing,  but it was a good experience.  All of my muscle groups are currently reliving the experience now… this girl is SORE.

After showering, I went to the park to eat lunch.  I’d packed two salads: curried mashed tofu and spinach with sprouts and hummus.

I also had an apple.

A little later, my stomach was really bothering me (it’s been a little off all week) so I stopped at Whole Foods for a cranberry walnut roll to eat on the way to work.  I find that carbs, either simple or complex, often settle an upset stomach.

At work, I snacked on a ChocChip Trailmix PURE bar.

Pros: Tastes like a chocolate chip trail mix cookie! The chunks are small and perfectly blended, but each flavor is distinguishable.  You know I’m a sucker for tart/sweet combinations, and this was great.  It kept me satisfied through my shift and until dinner.

Cons: I would have liked the tart/sweet to move to salty/sweet, but this was just about perfect.

Would I buy this again? Fo sho.

Dinner was a big salad with mixed greens, apples, tomatoes, walnuts, beets and peppers. The best part? “Mexican salad” that Mario made, with cilantro and jalepeño peppers, that he plopped on top. So good!

Work was pretty slow, so I got off early enough to meet Caitlin and her friends for drinks at the Blue Owl. Their cocktails are reported to be some o the best in town, but unfortunately they’re pretty pricey.  Lucky for us, Wednesday nights they are 1/2 price!  I decided to get the Ellison Cocktail.

This was so delicious! It was cool and refreshing, and totally different from anything I’ve had before.

After we left the bar, I met up with Ari and we took the subway home together.  We were both snacky, so we split this TJ’s boysenberry dried fruit bar.

Yesterday was one of those days when I felt like I barely took a breath to stop eating. I think my choices were pretty healthy (except all of the undocumented noshing at work… whoops), and if I’m hungry, it means my body needs the fuel.  The only problem is when I find myself eating out of boredom, which happens at the restaurant when we don’t have many customers.  Oh well! Life is meant to be delicious.

I’m off to get ready for my 4.5 mile run… I’m still pretty stiff from yoga yesterday, but hopefully it will feel good!

A couple days ago I ordered my first Road ID. Caitlin and Kelly have both been posting a lot about outdoor exercise safety, and although I use a shoe wallet (which is great for holding keys and cash), I wanted something a little more sturdy.  Should you decide to buy your own Road ID, the code ThanksKatherine538792 will take $1 off your total purchase price.

BE SAFE and have a great day!

Yesterday we woke up and headed to the diner, where Ari treated me to breakfast.

I ordered the parfait again…

Something was off, though.  I asked for “more yogurt, less granola,” but the yogurt wasn’t Greek anymore! Very sad.  There also wasn’t any mango syrup.  I still ate it, but I don’t think I’ll be getting that again

Ari, however, ordered their new peanut butter pancakes, and substituted chocolate chips for bananas.  I had a few delicious bites of those… they were even better than they look.

I puttered around the house for a little, killing time before my yoga class.  On the way to Vinyasa Flow, I grabbed some carrot juice.  For those of you who asked about this stuff: I’m obsessed! I used to drink it a lot when I was younger, and have just now re-addicted myself.  It’s delicious: sweet, vegetable-y, and the perfect anytime snack.

Yoga was GREAT.  It kicked my booty– I got into Firefly for about .5 seconds before toppling over– but I felt strong and relaxed after it was over.

I’d packed a mondo sandwich: Faux-zekiel with hummus, mustard, arugula beets, sprouts and a Dr. Praeger’s sweet potato pancake.

Sprouts always make a sandwich better. I think it’s the stringy, crunchy texture… so perfect.

I bagged it with an apple and a huge bottle of water…

… and ate it in Union Square Park…

… watching the pigeons.

Then I went back home to get some work done.  My stomach was growling all day… I noticed Leslie Tweeted a while ago that she’s hungrier when she practices yoga than when she does a more “traditional” workout.  Has anyone else noticed this? What exercise makes you feel the hungriest?

I [temporarily] squashed my hunger with a TJ’s Trek Mix Bar.

Since I had a lot of reading and writing to do, I wanted to make something fast and easy that would still taste delicious.  A week or so ago, after admiring Caroline‘s fabulous dinner, she kindly sent me the recipe for the Ginger Peanut Tofu Salad she made.  I scanned the ingredients and prep: yep- fast, easy, tasty

Can you believe that in all the years of my vegetarianism (that would be until last night, I had yet to make scrambled or mashed tofu? Bad LVP!

I halved the recipe, then added a bit more soy sauce.

In keeping with my mondo sandwich at lunch, I made a mondo salad for dinner.

I filled the plate with a romaine heart, a huge handful of arugula, baby carrots, an apple…

… and a pickle, for good measure.

I had some Annie’s Lite Gingerly Vinaigrette for dipping…

It really was the perfect dinner.  I was a little full afterward, but an hour or so later, my tum was demanding a sweet end.  Biscotti to the rescue!

I finished my work at midnight, caught up on Project Runway (which I already ruined for one of you… sorry again!), and got 8 hours of sleep.  Not bad!

Ari’s mother brought (upon my request) some old school photos for the room.

I think we would have been friends, don’t you?

Have a great day!