Cleaning out the fridge

Last night I decided that I am not really going to make any new recipes (well maybe one) until I finish all of my leftover foods in the refrigerator and the freezer first because everything seems to be piling up on me!  I need a clean slate sometimes.  It feels good.  

This morning my dog woke me up.  Well, actually my sister did by putting Kodie in my bed with me!  Kodie is not allowed upstairs, but sometimes we don’t like to leave him downstairs alone and sneak him up with us!  It was a fun way to wake up  I made pumpkin oatmeal for breakfast!  I finished the rest of pumpkin (almost a cup!) that has been sitting in my fridge, so I’m off to a good start already!  I used 2 bananas (I have sooo many banans…not necessarily a bad thing, but I froze them today as I just learned that I can add them to my oatmeal and smoothies that way), cooked them into 1/2 cup rolled oats, 3/4 cup water, and 1/2 cup soy milk (the usual).  I added cinnamon and nutmeg, 2 tsp brown sugar, and 1 Tbsp wheat germ.  This made an excellent bowl of oats!  I thoroughly enjoyed it  I also had a cup of green tea and some water with my pills!  I skipped the flax, walnuts, and pb today because the way I’d planned it I would be having plenty of healthy fats in my lunch and dinner.  The oatmeal didn’t hold me over as well, which wasn’t a bad thing since I had a late (10:00 am) breakfast.  This meal was 535 calories, 7 g fat, 22 g fiber!!, and 17 g protein!  (It amazes me that most people get about half of the recommended daily intake of fiber!  I’m almost there after one meal!  It really isn’t hard at all if you eat a healthy balanced diet)  Pumpkin helps out a lot in this area…I got 10 grams from my almost one cup!)

I made some banana bread muffins again!! I used part of Happy Herbivore’s fat free banana bread recipe and part of Veganomicon’s recipe!  I haven’t tried one yet, but they look and smell delicious!  

I used …

5 bananas

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened applsauce

2 Tbsp molasses

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

I mashed the bananas, creamed in the sugar, added applesauce and molasses..whisked together, added cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg…mixed again.  Then I mixed in the flour, baking soda and powder, and salt.  I poured into greased muffin tins and baked for 18 minutes at 350.  This recipe made 12 muffins.  Each muffin is approximately 153 calories, 1 g fat, 61 mg sodium, 36 g CHO, 16 g sugar, 4 g fiber, and 3 g protein.  Not a bad treat!

I was ready for lunch by 1:30.  I used one of my La Tortilla Factory Garlic and Herb tortillas and put the rest of my Veganomicon hummus and 1/4 of an avocado inside.  I had some vegetable broth leftover from my pumpkin ziti recipe, so I used the rest of that and heated it up on the stove with lots of spinach to make a soup.  I had strawberries, carrots and celery, and the rest of leftover cantaloupe on the side.  (Finished off 3 things in this meal!!!)  Totals for this meal:  460 calories, 22 g fat, 23 g fiber, and 17 g protein.

 

I’m going to the gym now for some good exercise because it looks like it’s going to rain!

 

 

 

All done…Bad News, then some good.

I felt like I should not take much of a break from studying yesterday, so I really didn’t.  I am so glad my test is over and the semester is over!  I just have to do a very simple take home test and e-mail it to my professor by Wednesday night, which is nothing to worry about.  I think I did well on my test…I hope.  Those are the most difficult tests I have ever taken in my life.  I know the material, but his tests are ridiculous.  So, let me catch you up on my food!!  Yesterday for lunch was a simple but delicious PB and honey sandwich on fiber and flax bread, carrots, and grapefruit.  I had a snack before dinner…a banana bread muffin and an apple!  Dinner-I had leftover pumpkin baked ziti and slowly enjoyed it this time.  It was just as good as it was fresh out of the oven.  I spent the rest of the night studying…bummer.  Studying makes me want to eat.  I guess that goes for any school related work…not just studying.  Papers too.  I fought the urge though!  I am very proud of myself because this is a huge accomplishment for me.  I wasn’t hungry at all, I just get bored while studying and the stress probably adds to it too, I’m sure.  I just kept reminding myself that I wasn’t hungry, and that I was just bored studying, and it worked.  So, yay for that!

I think this picture turned out better!

This morning I got up early at 7 and made a bowl of strawberry banana oatmeal before heading out to catch the bus into Pittsburgh.  I love the way this looks in the pictures…so fresh.  I made them the same as yesterday with rolled oats, about 8 strawberries? (half mixed, half on top), 1/2 cup soy milk, 1 sliced banana cooked in, 2 Tbsp flax, and cinnamon.  Today, I put a Tbsp of walnuts on though to hold me over about an hour longer.  I don’t think I needed it though because I wasn’t even hungry for lunch at noon which was when I experienced (and I am so ecstatic to say) my VERY LAST MEAL EVER in the DINING HALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  HOORAY! 

It was actually not bad today, but it’s just not fresh tasting and neat if you know what I mean?  I had some orange slices, watermelon, and went back for pineapple that I saw after I was finished (not pictured), and I had a salad.  I used spinach, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, mushrooms, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, cucumber, green bell pepper strips, and snow peas.  I drizzled a little bit of oil and vinegar on top.  It was pretty good!  I know the picture is terrible, but I felt like I was being watched and got a little embarrassed, so I just snapped it.  

After lunch, I studied for another hour, took the test, and got back on the bus to head home.  I was so excited to go home because I was going to go to Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s with my sister.  I had a PB and honey sandwich to hold me over while we went shopping, but (Bad news) we ended up not going .  My dad said it’s not a good area, and he is right.  So, I will wait to go with my parents when they can go.  I want my nutritional yeast!  

My nails are in need of some help from a manicure…

For dinner I had the same thing.  Pumpkin baked ziti!  Followed by a banana bread muffin shortly after!  

Yes, this is the same picture as above haha!

As for exercise, I’m taking a rest day because I’m both mentally and physically exhausted.  I guess school will do that.  Oh, yeah…the good news!  I got the job that I had an interview for a couple weeks ago!!!  I’m very happy and can’t wait to start working in the hospital  I’m going to do some meal planning now and try to think of some different things to have over the next few days.  I have a spaghetti squash waiting to be cooked.  Anybody have any suggestions on what to do with him?  I loved the V’con recipe but need something new to try.  Thanks!  Have a great Monday night everyone! (for me it is almost like a Friday )

 

Meet Pumpkin Baked Ziti by Veganomicon

Again, I was busy!  About two hours after breakfast I went outside for another walk/run!  It was great  I would say I ran about 3 miles total and walked 2.  Then, I came back and made lunch.  It was the same as yesterday.  Two slices of fiber and flax bread with V’con hummus, spinach, and tomato; the rest of my cabbage, and strawberries.  I took the photo in front of my sister and she thought I was nuts and it was soo funny that I do this.  Haha.  

After I ate, I began cooking dinner.  I made Veganomicon’s Pumpkin Baked Ziti with caramelized onions and sage crumb topping.  This recipe did NOT disappoint!  I loved everything about it!  I halved the recipe this time and ate one quarter of the halved recipe.  Unfortunately I probably ate this in about 5 minutes because I was rushed trying to get out the door to go see a play with the boy.  We went into Pittsburgh and saw Ultima Vez.  It was pretty good.  I didn’t really understand what it was about completely, but I appreciated the dancing as I was a dancer for 18 years.  I miss it  While waiting to go into the play I ate one of my banana bread muffins!!  (sorry no picture again)  So, we had a fun night!  I’ll enjoy another portion today for dinner especially since I won’t have the time to make something else since I am dedicating myself to studying, and well…the gym shortly and this for a bit too of course!  It is not a nice day.  I guess that’s a good thing, so I will not be as tempted to stray from studying.  I won’t mind being in the gym since I enjoyed the past two days with a great outdoor workout!

Fresh out of the oven!  mmmmm

My portion (about 580 calories)…This recipe isn’t exactly photo friendly.  It doesn’t help that my picture is blurry either.

This morning I made myself some rolled oats.  I cooked them with 3/4 cup water and 1/2 cup soy milk, a sliced banana, cinnamon, strawberries mixed and on top, and 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal.  Very good!  

I’m off to study all day long!  (But I will be back to post at some point!!)

 

Nothing better

This morning I told myself I would do something different for breakfast.  I stood in front of the refrigerator with the door open and stared…nothing.  I did the same thing in front of the pantry and found nothing that I wanted more than oatmeal.  So, oatmeal it was again!  I used 1/2 cup old fashioned oats, what was left of the soymilk (a little less than 1/2 cup), 3/4 cup water, 1 sliced banana that I cooked in half whipped, 1/2 cup libby’s pumpkin, vanilla extract, tons of cinnamon, 1 tsp light brown sugar, 1 Tbsp ground flax (I kept the flax on top this time, which I think I liked better), 1 Tbsp walnuts, and a spoonful of PB that I measured out to be 1.5 tsp!  1.5 tsp is more than I thought, and I never measure my PB, I always just guessed that it’s 1.5 tsp.  I normally don’t use that much, but hey, it was great!  I tend to barely even eat the PB as I eat my oatmeal.  I would rather kind of save the big blob for the last bite with some oatmeal.  Mmmm.  Plus I had a cup of green tea and my vitamins.  I LOVE PB!  I have gotten used to the natural PB I’ve been using it for about 2 years now.  I couldn’t imagine going back to the creamy JIF I used to use.  It’s way too sweet!  eww.  Well, I have a job interview to go to shortly!  I’m excited…I need a job!    

 

Pasta bowl

I went to the gym and did 20 minutes running on treadmill and 20 minutes ET. Intense workout, and I felt so great afterwards!  I really feel like I am getting much more fit.  I quickly whipped up dinner:  whole wheat spaghetti, chickpeas, broccoli, spinach, garlic, onions, tomatoes + tomato sauce, seasonings, and a bit of EVOO.  Yummo.  I’m going to enjoy another PB and honey pumpkin muffin, now and watch the Penguins hockey game.  Only two games left until the playoffs!!!!!!!!! GO PENS!  

 

Class Cancelled

My first class was cancelled today, and I figured I would just stay home and skip the second one since all my professor does is read word for word off of the notes that I already have.  It has been a very relaxing day so far, but I really need to study the rest of it :-(  booo.  Breakfast was pumpkin oatmeal (pumpkin, steel cut oats, whipped banana, walnuts, spoonful of PB, flaxseed, cinnamon, vanilla, soymilk)-yumm!  Lunch I cut up some celery, had baby carrots, a red grapefruit, and a sandwich of Ezekiel bread, hummus, tomato, avocado, and hot sauce!  It was very tasty.  My mouth still wanted something else though and I was really craving PB and honey for lunch, but I have so much hummus that needs to get used up!  So, two hours later I ate a pumpkin muffin topped with honey and PB!  It was delicious!  I had 2 squares of my Supreme Dark Endangered Species Chocolate bar too!  Dark chocolate has definitely been an acquired taste for me because I used to hate it, but now I love it and think milk chocolate is too sweet!  I made chickpea cutlets this afternoon this well, and will be having one with my dinner!  As for the exercise…today is a rest day.   (the first pic is of my sandwich…tomatoes, hummus, and avocado)  I need to work on my photography…

 

Leftovers

My calves are soooo sore for some reason today, but running and ET don’t bother them, so I did 40 minutes ET and 10 minutes on the treadmill at the gym.  (Before the gym I ate some of my leftover Easter candy…peanut butter egg, jelly beans, and a marshmallow peep).  All were yumm, but not vegan.  For lunch I had some of my hummus and tomato on two slices of Ezekiel bread.  I had more hummus on the side with tomato slices (I just loovve tomatoes!), celery, and carrots.  Plus two kiwis!  :-)  So good, so good.  The picture is incomplete due to my blogging forgetfulness.  Dinner was the exact same thing (pasta with beans, spinach, and broccoli in a tomatoey sauce) as last night for me because I loved it so much, and was feeling lazy to think of something else to make.  It wasn’t really leftovers because I cooked it from the beginning again…just the same thing though.  I’m going to drink some hot chamomile tea and cuddle up with In Defense of Food.  I might get some studying in too for my microbiology test on Tuesday :-(  Oh, and I included a picture of my pumkin muffins!  I just may eat one for snack later

 

Happy Easter

It’s a sunny day!!  Still cold out though, but the sun always makes me smile.  I soaked 1/4 cup steel cut oats last night to have this morning.  I love the chewiness of them!  I made the same pumpkin oats again but with steel cut.  1/2 cup pumpkin, cinnamon, a sliced banana, 1 Tbsp walnuts, 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal, 1/2 cup almond milk, a spoonful of PB, and a tsp brown sugar.  It was sooo good!  :-)  I had my vitamins and a cup of spiced chai tea as well.  Have a Happy Easter everyone!

 

 

Pumpkin Oats

I slept in until 10:20 today! Haha. I feel so lazy compared to those who wake up at 5, but I’m a college student, so it’s okay! I made a bowl of pumpkin oatmeal by cooking 1/2 cup old fashioned oats on the stove with 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup water, and one sliced banana. Once it all thickened up I added 1/2 cup Libby’s pumpkin, a ton of cinnamon, 1 tsp light brown sugar, and 1 Tbsp Bob’s Red Mill Flaxseed Meal. Poured that all into my bowl and topped with more cinnamon, some walnuts, and a spoonful of natural creamy PB! :-p yummmmmm.. I also had a cup of Green Tea Pomegranate and my vitamins! I will be going to the gym in a couple of hours.