We’ve Got A Winner!

Hey! Sorry for the long, drawn-out wait to reveal the winner of the free Oikos swag. Just so you know, the results were in at 12:00pm per the giveaway guidelines; I was just a bit preoccupied doing other oh-so-important things that I didn’t get around to making the official report until now.

So…is it you?

 

 

 

Congrats, Runner Forever! Your 5 free coupons + blue tote will be shipped to you shortly! Thanks to all who participated. I think giveaways are a lot of fun, and am more than happy to host them on my blog. That is, if there are others who would like to sponsor them ; )

* * *

Anyway, I had a pretty uneventful SUNday. The sun came out as promised, and as a result, the pools were hopping with happy students, teens, and children alike. It’s interesting how the weather can turn from low 80’s to rain in a day or two…but that’s the plan.

I need to do something about my alarm clock pronto because it hasn’t been doing it’s job all week! Luckily I didn’t have a hot date at 8:00am this morning because I would’ve stood them up. When I awoke from my slumber a few minutes shy of the 9 o’clock hour, I made oats. I know…no ‘extravagant’ weekend breakfasts. You can never go wrong with oatmeal though. I’m sure many of you are just as crazy about it as I am. After all, it is the breakfast of blogging champions [a.k.a. Jenna, Kath, and Tina].

 

1 cup water

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 banana – cooked

1/2 T ground flax

cinnamon

topped with…

1/2 T brown sugar

1/2 T unsweetened coconut

1 T pecans

If you pay really close attention, you might have noticed I’ve reduced my oat measure from 2/3 cup to 1/2 cup. I don’t know why, but I’ve been all about the low and slow, creamy oats lately. I wanted to make another bowl of this sweet heaven – no, Hillary, no.

I’m not oblivious to the fact that the number of breakfast photos heavily outweighs the photos of any other eats, including: my lunches, snacks, afternoon coffee and chocolate attacks, and Iron Chef dinners. What can I say, breakfast is my favorite and gets an unfair amount of attention.

What’s your favorite meal and WHY? I like breakfast the best because 1) it marks the beginning of another healthy day full of delicious eats, 2) I love love love baked goods such as scones and muffins and other traditional breakfast items such as pancakes, waffles & French Toast, and 3) it fuels my body with energy to make the most out of my days!

* * *

Sunday Sweat Session:

• 15 minutes arms & legs
• 1 hr. sprinty spin class
• 1 mi. indoor track run
• abs & stretch

Then there was a fiber-FULL dinner & fro yo with my roomie. Yes, that sums it up.

Night!

Cookie Crumbs & Carrying On

Hellooo and hooray for the weekend! I hope ya’ll have something exciting and/or enjoyable planned. Whatever you do, don’t forget to enter my Greek GIVEAWAY by Sunday @ 12:00pm. You’ve got three chances to win! …and speaking of Greek, I had my free honey Oikos for breakfast today with the last of my homemade granola and half of a crunchy pear. This was too sweet for my a.m. taste buds. It seems as though most of you prefer Plain Jane style when in comes to Greek, too.

After class this afternoon, I attempted to run outside. Key word: afternoon. I should have known…exercise in the middle of day is rarely a success for me. I gave it another shot though, and ran for 20 minutes around campus and our track until I finally listened to the throbbing pain in my upper back and gave in to walking. I added another 10 minutes to my watch as I made my way back to the gym where I did a thorough stretch. My legs are still unusually sore from Tuesday – what the heck! Hello, off week. You’re excused to leave now.

Lunch was an exact repeat of Wednesday’s eats, because 1) today was a lazy day, and 2) why wouldn’t I want a very berry Green Monster & jam-cheddar sandwich again?

Then I turned on Food Network – which I haven’t watched in ages! – while I winded down from the week with cookie baking. I think many of you would agree that the kitchen can often be a place to destress [ahem, Allie & Jenna]. So, I got to making Pioneer Woman’s “Good Ol’ Basic Chocolate Chip Cookies”. [Before you read on, go check out this amazing blog!]

 I made a couple tweaks to the original recipe:

1 cup real butter

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. pure vanilla

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour & 1 cup + 2 T whole wheat flour

1 tsp. instant coffee granules

1/2 T baking powder

1/2 T salt

2 T ground flax

~2/3 bag Guittard semisweet chocolate chips

Note to self: Do not make cookies while home alone, and there isn’t anyone with whom to share 3 dozen cookies. I ended up eating more cookies than I deserved, but then I thought about Allie and Tina who have admitted to eating 4 1/2 granola bars or half a dozen cookies themselves; then I didn’t feel so bad. How do you handle food guilt?

***

I was surprised that I never got hungry for dinner, but when 8 o’clock rolled around I finally decided to eat something. I threw together a salad [basically a repeat from last night plus a bit a creamy chevre]. I made a smart choice in eating dinner [like I would miss a meal!] because it was nothing short of scrumptious!

I have a quiet, yet BUSY weekend planned. I’m hoping to tackle a few lingering items on my to-do list, fit in a couple worthwhile workouts, and pick up the slack with my studies.

“See you” soon!

Hillary

Everything Edible + Greek GIVEAWAY

Hello dearest readers. So close to Friday, aren’t we? I can almost taste it. Speaking of taste, let me share with you everything edible about my Thursday. I started my day with a bowl of pear-almond oatmeal — nothing you haven’t seen me eat before. I think I’m due for some new oatmeal combos [hint hint.]

1 cup water

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 d’anjou pear

1/2 T ground flax + cinnamon

almonds + agave

I had the house to myself again this a.m., so that meant blasting T.Swift and registering for Fall classes. I know…already? That’s college for you – ya never stop. Finally, after 6 semesters of registering for classes, it’s starting to get easier. I was able to get all the classes I needed; but, unfortunately, my schedule is all over the place. There’s always some bad with the good. Here’s what will be on my academic plate for Semester #7 [16 units in all].

1. Human Physiology + lab
2. Science of Food + lab
3. Human Nutrition
4. Foodservice Administration
5. Consumer Health [online]

Before catching the bus, I threw a bar and an orange in my backpack…which would later become my lunch. I got this Honest Bar while in Sonoma over the weekend. It was a first for me. Honestly, I wasn’t as impressed as I thought I would be. The almond extract was extremely overpowering and left quite the aftertaste. Yet, I’ll give it texture props. I’m hoping the PB + Chocolate flavor will get a better score from the Nutrition Nut.

 

 

 

 

 

My food lab was cancelled today, so I went to the gym during the time I would normally be cooking with my classmates. Working out in the middle of the day felt really off; as a result, my exercises weren’t all that energetic:

indoor track run – 1.5 mi.

30 min. Arc Trainer

wimpy abs + arms

***

A little bit of different schedule today meant that I didn’t have to make dinner in a hurry, or eat at a ridiculously late hour.

I made blog-inspired sweet potatoes:

1. Peel & cut sweet potatoes.
2. Toss in a large bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, baby drizzle of maple syrup, cinnamon, ground flax and sea salt. [I measured everything with my naked eye.]
3. Bake @ 325* for 20 minutes.
4. Flip flop.
5. Bake @ 350* for 10 minutes.

TJ’s Sorrento Arugula Mix, 1/2 Avocado, Red Onion, Pumpkin Seeds, Olive Oil + Balsamic 

This was a 10 star dinner : )

***

Alright, alright…to the GIVEAWAY already. If you read my most recent post, you know that Stonyfield sent me a handful of free coupons for their organic, Oikos Greek yogurt. Well, they have generously offered to sponsor a giveway for you all so you can enjoy the greatness of Greek too!

One lucky winner will receive:

1 free 16 oz. coupon

4 free 5.3 oz. coupons

1 blue reusable grocery tote bag

How To Enter!

There are 3 ways to enter to win this great Greek gift. Each way will give you an additional entry, so you can do one, two, or all three!

1. Leave a comment telling me your favorite way to eat Greek.

2. Tweet about this contest on Twitter. [include a link to this post + @HILLontherun]…and then leave another comment telling me you tweeted.

3. If you have a blog, mention the giveaway and link back to it in one of your posts…and then leave another comment telling me you posted about it.

U.S. residents only please. The contest will run until Sunday, April 18 at 12:00 p.m. PST, when I’ll randomly select and announce the winner!

Spring & Smiles in Sonoma

Hi! Happy Weekend, ya’ll! I am have a wonderful time in Sonoma County; I’ve sure missed my “second home”. Before leaving my apartment yesterday, I packed a few snacks to bring along:

• Carrots & Cucumber
• ~1/3 Chocolove Bar
• Almond Butter
• 2 AllieBars
• Green Tea
• Oats + Oat Bran + Cinnamon

Travel Tip: Pack your own hot cereal for a cheap, easy & healthy breakfast.

My 3-hour drive was easy and beautiful. When I got into town, I decided to stretch my legs by taking a stroll around my old college campus while getting a little Vitamin D on my cheeks. It’s Spring Break for the university, so it was awkwardly quiet – there wasn’t a sole in sight.

My old stomping pad: Beaujolais Village [we are in wine country, after all].

The newest student housing – Tuscany Village – is  very plush.

Spring is blooming!

For diner, two of my original roommates [from freshman year] and I went out to eat at Monti’s Rotisserie & Bar. I had the Baby Beet Salad with Spice Hazelnuts & Humboldt Fog [yay, home!] Goat Cheese. I’m a fan of beets!

Goal #1: Smile more : )   

Afterwards, Tasha [left] took us to an adorable fro yo shop – Ghirardelli chocolate with almonds for me please.

There was a lot of much-needed laughing last night. I’ve missed my gals!

***

After sleeping in this morning, I went for a short 36 minute run and then made breakfast with my oats [above]. I picked up a banana at the store when I got into town, and T had ground flax & soy milk – perfect!

Oats + Oat Bran + 1/2 Banana [cooked] + Cinnamon & Flax + Almond Butter & Soy Milk

We picked up hot soy lattes at Starbucks [1 star to go before I’m a Gold Member!] before hitting up a few stores: Target, REI & Cost Plus.

Although I should really be studying for my Monday exam, my mind is in “vacation mode”. I am headed to my aunt and uncle’s in a bit for Sunday Saturday family dinner. I’m looking forward to meeting their Swedish exchange student and having a home cooked meal…I wonder what the theme is is tonight : ) While going to school in Sonoma, I would go to Family Dinner every Sunday. It was a blessing to have the comfort of family just a few minutes away. I definitely miss that.

Enjoy your evening!

Hillary

The Weekend is Calling

Where has the week gone? I haven’t posted anything since Monday, and boy have I missed you all very much! I did my best to keep up with ya’ll…but blogging wasn’t on the front burner this week – my apologies.

Yesterday was a Hump Day from Hell. I was at school from 9:30am – 7:30pm. There was nothing good about it, but the beautiful sunny weather brightened up my life perspective a bit. Hellooo summer dresses! …and winter white skin : )

Oh, that’s right…yesterday was Waffle Wednesday! How could I forget? The week is just one big blur.

  Van’s Multigrain + Crunchy PB + 1/2 Banana

Fast forward.

Today’s a.m. eats:

• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup rolled oats + 1/2 cup oat bran
• 1/2 banana – cooked
• 1/2 T ground flax
• cinnamon
• spoonful of crunchy PB + splash of cow milk

Check out that fluffy consistency!

Just realizing I had PB & Banana two mornings in a row – bliss.

Unlike my typical lazy Thursday mornings – sleep in, make brex, and blog blog blog – I decided to use my time more wisely today. I tend to get a little bit of pre-travel anxiety before leaving for a trip, so I sprung out of bed at 7:45am and got right to my to-list. You may call me weird because I realize most college girls don’t wake up to wash their car before doing anything else…but that’s what I did, and I immediately felt a sense of relief. Little Blue was dusty.

My second statistics exam this afternoon was simple [wish I could say that about O. Chem], and my classmates raved about the cinnamon raisin rice pudding I made in lab today. When I got home from school, I busted out a speedy treadmill workout:

5.0 miles in 45 min. [including 5 min. of walking] + 15 min. abs, arms & legs

It must be my lucky week because I got a second surprise package in the mail! I feel so loved. After I told Allie [LiveLaughEat] that I had been having dreams about Heart Thrives, she sent me a package of two different flavors – apricot & chocolate – as well as two of her own, homemade granola AllieBars. I think it is so amazing how the blogging world can connect people from near and far. Mind you, Allie and I have yet to meet in person…but I definitely have found a “virtual friend” in this girl. Her blog posts are nothing but honest, creative, and hilarious reads that I look forward to every day.

THANK YOU, Allie! You are so sweet to think of me all the way over here in Cali. I am excited about my travel snacks tomorrow – you had perfect timing.

Nutrition Nut News

I received my score for my ServSafe certification exam and am happy to say that I am officially [re]certified. My entire class passed the exam, in fact. I am a bit ashamed by the fact that I scored a 90%, while in high school I scored a 95%. What does that imply? Earning a 90% or better does qualify you to teach the ServSafe course. Hah…me, teach?

Well…I’ve still got a ton to do before hitting the road in the morning to Sonoma County. Looking forward to a sunny drive with new tunes.

Enjoy your weekend! I’ll be tweeting about mine.

Hillary

Run This Town

Hi Friends!

Boy oh boy, do I have a lot I want to share with you tonight! First off, as you may notice, we are currently still docked at Nutrition Nut on the Run “Version 1.0”. I know…I know…I said that yesterday’s post would be the last, but I had a busy day today and since I’m basically designing my new blog all by myself, the littlest things are taking me forever to figure out. So…that being said, I’m not going to talk anymore about the new upgrades; it’ll appear from backstage when it’s ready : )

I couldn’t fall asleep last night [dark chocolate + green tea + test anxiety], but when my mom called me bright and early for my wake-up call at 6:30am [yes…I have my mom call me on exam days just in case my alarm malfunctions], I was ready to feed my brain exam fuel:

Oat Bran a la Agave, Almonds, Flax & Fresh Strawberries eaten out of a tea cup… because it’s cuter that way : )

It was nice to get my 3rd chemistry exam out of the way first thing this morning, but I still had a full day of classes ahead of me. By the time I got home, I was so antsy from sitting all day, I literally ran to the gym in my complex.

Treadmill Time!

• 10 min. @ 4.2mph – 2.0 incline
• 10 min. @ 6.2mph
• 10 min. @ 4.4mph – 2.0 incline
• 8 min. @ 6.6mph + 2 min. @ 8.0mph
• 10 min. @ 4.2mph – 2.0 incline
• 8 min. @ 6.6mph + 2 min. @ 8.0mph

Total: 60 min. [ 5.5 mi.] + 10 min. strength & stretch

I was so excited about yesterday’s yum eats, that I forgot to note my moves:

• 10 min. @ 4.0mph – 3.0 incline
• 8 min. @ 6.0mph + 2 min. @ 8.0mph – 1.0 incline
• [repeat]
• 5 min. [cool down] @ 4.0mph – 0 incline

Total: 45 min.

***

Speaking of running, today my BFF Courtney & I registered the random drawing for the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco 10.17.2010! It’s such a popular race that they have to limit the participants to 20,000. This 1/2-marathon is at the top of both our bucket lists. We find out if we get in at the end of the month – cross your fingers!

ABOUT THE NIKE WOMEN’S MARATHON
The Nike Women’s Marathon caters to female runners like no other event. Between the lavish treatments at the three-day Expotique, our iconic chocolate mile, and that little blue box waiting at the finish, no detail has been overlooked in delivering the best experience possible to all participants.

I heart San Francisco!

***

I decided to check the mailbox after my workout, and to my surprise there was something other than the PG&E bill – a package addressed to me!

It was from my mama. The ironic thing is that today is her birthday and I was the one receiving a gift. Inside was the cutest Easter “basket” I have ever received. For all I know, my mom could be Martha Stewart. She decorated an egg carton with photos appropriate for Spring, and inside were a dozen pastel plastic eggs each filled with a different treat. I had so much fun opening all 12 of ‘em!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few of the many reasons why I love my mama:

1. She knows me better than anyone else in this world.

2. She is one of the most generous people I know, always always doing little [and big] random acts of kindness.

3. She gave me the best upbringing I could have asked for.

4. She’s positive, creative, and strong!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM! XOXO

***

Giddy from gift-opening and high on endorphins, I threw together a big ol’ salad for dinner while my metabolism was still kicking and before the last bit of daylight turned to dusk.

I love my greens!

Mixed Baby Lettuces, Avocado, Dr. P’s California Veggie Burger,Pumpkin Seeds & Tofu Tahini Dressing [locally made in my hometown]… new favorite meal!

Well, my week has started off on the right foot…wouldn’t ya say? Here’s what’s to come:

Tuesday: Chem Lab + NFSA Meeting

Wednesday: Class x4 + Stats Review

Thursday: Stats Exam #2 + Food Lab

Friday: Leave for Sonoma County

Saturday: Friends + Family Dinner

Sunday: More Friends + TAYLOR SWIFT CONCERT!

Hope you have a healthy, delicious & active week!

Hillary

Don’t Miss The Caboose

Hey Guys! I hope you had a really wonderful holiday [for those that celebrated]. I wasn’t one of them today. I actually spent Easter all alone studying chemistry, but don’t fear…I was not without good eats! I slept in today by accident…and I mean really slept in – 10:00am! However, it happened to be the perfect time to make myself an Easter a scrumptious Sunday brunch.

   

Aren’t they purdy?

It’s just a simple pancake recipe, folks. There was nothing tricky about ‘em:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup 1% milk
• 1 egg
• 2 T canola oil
• 1 T sugar
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

It’s all about the accessories: 0% Greek, organic strawberries, lemon zest and agave-honey syrup – holy yum!

Immediately after eating my stack of flapjacks, I headed back into the kitchen and whipped up another recipe. It’s a twist on my family’s favorite tabouli recipe, but I used quinoa instead of bulgar.

 

 

 

 

 

I didn’t use exact measurements [the plus of cooking vs. baking], but here’s basically what went down:

1. Cook 1 cup organic quinoa in 2 cups water – simmer covered for ~15 minutes.
2. Fluff with a fork and let cool. Add 2 T olive oil, juice of 1 lemon and a few cloves of minced garlic.
3. Pile in 1 can organic, rinsed garbanzo beans, ~1 cup ea. chopped cucumber, tomatoes and fresh parsley. Crumble in ~1/3 cup light feta and sprinkle generously with fresh black pepper.

Quinoa seems to be all the rage in blog world at the moment, so I decided to open up this awesome book of mine and see what I could find out….

 

 

 

 

 

Quinoa

“An ancient grainlike product that has recently been “rediscovered in this country, quinoa is not a true grain, but it looks like one and has similar uses. It is related to leafy vegetables such as Swiss chard and spinach.”

“Quinoa’s key nutritional distinguishing factor is its high level of lysine, an amino acid necessary for the synthesis of protein, making it one of the best sources of plant protein.”

Garbanzo Beans [because I eat a lot of these, too]

“One of nature’s perfect foods, these versatile legumes, with a firm yet creamy texture and a delicate nutlike flavor, are highly nourishing. They are rich in protein, fiber, complex carbohydrates, folate, iron, and zinc.”

They are “…no slouches when it comes to iron content, with 1/2 cup providing 30% of your daily iron requirement. The body’s absorption of the form on iron found in garbanzo beans can be enhanced by consuming them with a dietary source of vitamin C.”

***

With lunch – a bowl of cold quinoa salad – I had a glass of Tejava. This is such a score at Trader Joe’s -  just $1.19 for an entire liter!

Naturally after lunch I “needed” something sweet: enter a P.Nut Buttah Treat.

 

Don’t Miss the Caboose

After another phone chat with technical support, I am almost to the point of revealing Nutrition Nut on the Run Version 2.0! This will be my LAST post at the current site. Don’t worry, you don’t have to change a thing. You will still find me eatin’ it up @ www.nutritionnutontherun.com.

Here’s to a great week ahead. I’ll fill ya in on what I’m up to when I don’t have to cram for chem!

XO,

Hillary

Silver Medal for Me

Hey there!

Wow, I can’t believe there are just a few more minutes until we can turn the calendar to April 2010. This year isn’t taking it’s time…that’s for sure. Have any tricks up your sleeve for tomorrow? =]

Today California honored Cesar Chavez with a holiday. No school para me. I slept in way past my scheduled alarm, and then made a bowl of latte oatmeal:

1 1/4 cup water

2/3 cup rolled oats

1/2 T instant espresso powder

1 /2 T ground flax

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla

bittersweet chocolate chips, almonds & a splash of 1% milk

It gave me that little buzz I needed to get pumped up about my final workout of my Move It in March Challenge. My roommates and I decided on a spin class to take together. Usually we have to leave extra early in order to get a bike…but that wasn’t the case this afternoon. It seems as though everyone else was taking a vacation from exercise.

We warmed up by running 1/2 mile together around the track before the 30-minute class. Then I ran on the treadmill for another 20 afterwards [2.2 mi.] + 1/2 mile cool down around the track.

Move It In March Results

Days of Exercise: 24/31

Run: 14.0 hrs. [~91 miles]

Spin: 5.0 hrs.

Other: 4.25 hrs.

Looking at the results, I am pretty pleased with how much I moved. I am a little disappointed about the 7 rest days [1 entire week], but think that I worked pretty hard during the three weeks I did exercise. My goal was to move more during the month of March. I didn’t have anything to measure my results against, so that would be something I would change if I do such a challenge again. I am proud of myself for pushing myself to run faster, as that is something I haven’t concentrated on in the past; I have certainly witnessed my strength – especially in regards to speed – increase this past month. 

Are you working on any fitness goals currently?

***

An hour later, after picking up paperwork for a prospective new condo, I came home starving. Enter lunch:

Wrap a la Homemade Hummus, Cucumber, Tomato & Baby Spinach 

0% Greek a la Homemade Granola & Strawberries

 

…and cookies [x2].

Have you had Lu European Biscuits? They are a favorite of my family. We prefer the darkest of the dark, of course =]

After my late lunch, I got ready and joined the masses in the streets downtown “celebrating Cesar”. It felt odd lettin’ loose on a Wednesday afternoon, but what the heck. The rest was history…

Morning Food

Mornin’!

Boy, oh boy… I think a quiet Sunday morning accompanied by an extra scrumptious breakfast is deserving of a spot on my Top 10 Favorite Things list…if there was such a thing ; ) The fact that one of my roommate’s guests was asleep on our couch wasn’t going to stop me from getting into the kitchen to make waffles at 9:00am. I made a variation of Sinless Saturday Sunday Waffles:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 T ground flax

1 T baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups 1% milk

1/4 cup canola oil

1 mashed banana

1 egg

…topped with a dollop of 0% Greek, coconut, toasted pecans & real maple syrup.

***

In other news, I made enough bread to end world hunger in my Elementary Foods lab Thursday. I got a few puzzled looks from passengers as I rode the bus home with a backpack full of Honey Whole Wheat Bread, perspiring the scent of sweet yeast.

Speaking of Elementary Foods…I have my second exam in that class tomorrow. I feel like all I ever talk about is test, after test, after test – story of my life. Monday is going to be a killer day:

10:00am: Organic Chemistry

11:00am: CA Cultural Landscapes

[Lunch + Study]

2:00pm: Exam

4:00pm: Food Safety & Sanitation

7:00pm: Required lecture about safety I must attend before registering for classes – ugh.

Doesn’t look like there’s going to much time for exercise, so I better get in some moves today. Just 4 days remaining of my Move It in March CHALLENGE!

Let’s talk breakfast!

1. What’s your favorite breakfast?
2. Do you have savory or sweet a.m. taste buds?
3. Coffee? Tea? Juice?
4. Little meal? Big meal?

Shower me with visions of sugar plums pancakes and pastries dancing in my head…

Hillary

A for Effort

Hey Guys! I’ve got a little gift for you tonight: pictures! I know I’ve been a slacker lately – the photos I have taken are barely passing quality – but I think I deserve an A for effort today : )

Breakfast #1

3/4 cup Raisin Bran, 1/4 cup Cheery Cherry Almond Granola, 1/2 Banana & 3/4 cup Almond Milk

Breakfast #2

Whole Wheat Toast + PB + [other] 1/2 Banana

Snacks

I packed a couple snacks to eat after my 3 hour lab. I didn’t pack a whole lot since I planned to exercise post-class.

Back to Nature Multigrain Flax Seeded Flatbread Crackers [that’s a mouthful] + my daddy’s homemade hummus & a carrot

Dried Apricots + Dark Chocolate Almonds [6 ea.]

After 3 painful hours of Infrared Spectroscopy – don’t even ask me what that is – I sat outside in the sunshine and savored my snacks. I still had quite a bit of steam to burn off from my overwhelming class, so I threw my books into a locker at the gym and kicked up my heals. I didn’t run for very long [appox. 36 minutes], but I started to feel like my freckly face was getting pink from the radiant rays. It was just enough time to sweat out some of my stress. Running cures all. I finished up with a little conditioning…but should have done more.

While I waited for the bus, I grabbed a smoothie from Jamba. I tried one of their new all-fruit creations: the Five Fruit Frenzy. It was tasty, but nothing I’m anxious to have again. I’d much rather make my own mix…with spinach!

Appetizer

Buttery Smooth Heart-Healthy Monounsaturated Fat [a.k.a. 1/2 Avocado]

Dinner

I traded in my boring plain penne rigate for a more exciting option:

The garlic and basil flavors add a lot to a simple dish. I sautéed a few cherry tomatoes in olive oil with garlic and red onion, tossed the al dente pasta in the skillet with the tomatoes, sprinkled in a little chevre & parm, and poured all that over fresh baby spinach – voila…dinner.

Dessert

…fooled ya! I actually did not eat any Chocolove today, but wanted to show you my new finds:

1. Coffee Crunch! My mom brought their new flavor to my attention as she knows coffee/espresso & dark chocolate sits high on my totem pole of favorite flavors – yummm.

2. MINI Chocolove Bars! How cute, right?

***

There ya have it…I finally managed to show you a day of all my eats…well, 90% of them. What can I say, this girl can eat! I have my very important ServSafe Certification Exam tomorrow. I am actually being recertified. I will be disappointed if I receive a lower score the second time around. [I dominated the test in 2007 with a 95%]. The pressure is on!

Hope you have a happy Hump Day tomorrow!

Hillary