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

Simply Sweet Signs of Spring

It’s official…Spring 2010 has SPRUNG! It seems as though we’ve all been enjoying lovely weather lately – I sure hope it sticks around. I know that sunshine can make any day better, which is why I’m looking forward to spending the rest of the semester in sunny Chico. I can’t wait to be able to read poolside…with ‘screen and a hat, of course.

It was an unusually beautiful warm day in HumCo yesterday…warm enough to get an afternoon ice cream cone with my mama. I could not turn down a scoop of organic Honey Vanilla Lavender ice cream on such a day : )

Arcata Scoop – could you be any cuter?

The preview of Spring weather inspired my mom and I to make something light and fresh for dinner. Where else do we look for inspiration? …none other than, In Praise of Leftovers.

We made Sarah’s Moroccan Grains & Greens Salad, adjusted slightly to our own personal tastes…and with the ingredients we remembered at the grocery store.

Barley [grain], Chard [greens], Sweet Tomatoes, Sunflower Seeds, Salty Feta, Parsley, Green Onion, Olive Oil, Garlic, Dash of Dried Herbs, a Lot of Lemon

…and a few wild prawns

***

For some reason it feels like Sunday today, and since Sundays are designated for big, hearty breakfasts, I made waffles after my 7-mile run.

Sinless Saturday Waffles

1 cup whole wheat flour + 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 T ground flax

1 T baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups almond milk [unsweetened vanilla]

1/3 cup canola oil

1 egg

[serves two]

I forgot the 2 T of sugar, but it wasn’t missed topped with plain 0% Greek, toasted almonds, strawberries & drizzle of agave-honey ‘syrup’.

Spending my last day at home facing the reality of homework. My ServSafe certification exam is Wednesday, and I’ve yet to memorize each and every detail about foodborne illnesses. It is an important topic to me, though [unlike the bonding of organic chemical compounds]. Have you read about my E.coli experience? Perhaps I’ll elaborate on the story sometime here in the near future.

Anyway, hope you are welcoming Spring into your life today. I’m going to take a stroll downtown and get an afternoon latte.

See you soon!

Hillary

No Dairy. No Produce. No Chocolate!

Howdy ho, neighbor!

I really don’t have anything exciting to talk about tonight [no news is good news, right?], but I thought I would pop in for a quick hello.

I think my Statistics exam went swimmingly today. I’ll have to wait to find out if that’s really true. Food Lab…not much to say about that either. Today’s topic of study was food preservation, so we made jams and pressure-processed carrots, etc. I did come home with a butternut squash in my backpack. Haha, gotta love free veggies!

On another random note, today’s eats were scattered across the flavor map. My grocery stash is so low, it’s ridiculous. Ya’ll know I go grocery shopping weekly, so I guess I had an extra-large appetite this week. I swear I’ve got nothing: no dairy, no produce, no chocolate! Tomorrow = Friday = Grocery Shopping Day! I think my cart is going to overflow =]

Example #1 of my fridge scrounging:

Whole Wheat Toast with Chevre, Fresh Basil & Tomato

Example #2:

Apricot Almond Element Bar

I’ve only got 3 left! I ate this after my exam around 1:00pm and it held me over through my workout until 7:30pm! That’s a substantial snack!

I was really energized after class (thanks, Element Bar), and excited to put on my new Nike Dri-Fit top and get spinning!

Heart-Pumping Cardio

• 18-mile ride [48 minutes spinning]
• erg [12 minutes rowing]

Arms

• 2 x 12 lat pull-down @ 40 lbs.
• 2 x 12 seated row @ 40 lbs.
• 2 x 12 tricep extension @ 10 lbs.

Abs

• 3 x 12 side dips @ 10 lbs. [each side]
• 3 x 20 stability ball crunches
• 2 x 10 “knee-to-chest rollers”
• + 20 squats @ 10 lbs.

Alright, I must shut up now and get crackin’ on the chem homework!

Night,

Hillary

I’m In Love

…with spinning!

I had a kick-butt workout last night!

• 1.5-mile run [indoor track]
• 12-mile ride [spinning for 32 min.]
• 1.5-mile run, including sprint intervals [indoor track]
• + 4 x 15 “knee-to-chest step raises”

The new spinning bikes at the gym are awesome. I finally found something to push me to that next “level”…and it’s such a fun way to cross-train. As much as I would love to just run, and run, and run…I know that is not what’s best for my body. Drenched in sweat and high off endorphines, I hurried across campus to my bi-monthly Nutrition and Food Science Association meeting. I scored a sweet tee:

Only the cool kids wear I <3 Fruits & Veggies shirts =]

At home and out of the rain, I scarfed down a huge piece of leftover pizza while catching up with a friend on the phone. Then it was time to study my fruits & veggies for my Elementary Foods exam.

***

Today has been one of the longest Wednesdays to date. I was at school from 10:00am – 6:30pm! I was really hoping to post this morning before I left home, but clearly that did not happen. I inhaled a yogurt mess of 2% Greek, 1/4 cup Raisin Bran, 1/4 cup Humboldt Honey Granola & 1/2 banana, tossed my lunch into my backpack, and was out the door.

PB&Co Bee’s Knees & Banana Sandwich on Whole Wheat

Carrot, Cucumber & Tomato

2 TJ’s Truffle Hearts [from my valentine]

After my Elementary Foods exam [which went well, or so I feel], I had an hour and half to kill before my last class, so I decided to search for something to satisfy my already empty tummy. What is better than a hot latte in the middle of a long [wet & cold] day? I fought and fought the temptation, but at last…I caved and lost the Coffee Challenge. It was definitely worth it though. After a week and half of being espresso-free, my grande decaf latte with raw sugar was tastier than ever. However, this means no Friday Starbucks treat for me.

Warning: repeat photo…oopsie!

I was famished by the time I finally got home, so I whipped up my favorite 3-minute-meal:

Dr. Praeger’s California Love Veggie Burger + Mashed Avocado & Salsa

…with a side of black beans

I’m glad I made it through the day in one piece. It’s been one heck of a Hump Day! I’m feeling pretty prepared for my Statistics exam after tonight’s review session, and am looking forward to getting on the bike again tomorrow. Spinning = love.

Hope you are having a nice night,

~ Hillary

***

Just a reminder, I TWEET @ HILLontherun =]

Blogger Blues

Hey. Sorry for the lack of commitment to my blog lately. The groceries get slim at the end of the week and I tend to lose my motivation to capture my repetitive eats. A bowl of cereal can only be so exciting, ya know? The “spring” sunshine this week was totally a tease. It’s back to grey weather here, with a chance of rain. School is getting more difficult each and every week, and the stress levels are rising. Clearly, I’m having one of those funky Fridays. Reading through my daily blogroll today, I got the sense that stress is in the air. It seems as though a lot of us bloggers have had a rough week. I guess I’ve got the blogger blues =/

On a more positive note…I am really glad I’m feeling better physically and have been able to exercise the past 3 days! I went to the gym last night and did the most random workout. Switching up your routine is the key because I was sweaty, beet red, and woke up with sore muscles this morning – success!

Run – 1 mile

Arms:

• 2 x 10 tricep dips
• 2 x 10 lat pulldowns @ 40 lbs.
• 2 x 10 seated rows @ 40 lbs.
• 4 x 10 bicep curls @ 10 lbs.
• 2 x 10 overhead presses @ 10 lbs.

Run – 1/2 mile

Cardio Burst:

• 100 jumping jacks
• 2 x 10 push-ups
• 40 squats
• 8 x 10 “block knee-chest raises”

Run – 1/2 mile

Abs:

• 3 x 20 stability ball crunches
• 10 stability ball “plank knee-to-chest rollers”
• 10 side crunches each side

[repeat 2 + 3]

• 20 side dips each side @ 10 lbs.

Stretch!

After class today, I met my roommate at the gym for another workout session:

• 1.5 miles – Run
• 30 minutes – Butts ‘n’ Gutts class
• 15 minutes – Spin …on the coolest spin bike ever! I’m not kidding, I am in love. I was able to hook up my iPod and view my playlists, etc. on the huge screen. There is a TV option, of course, and it has a personal fan. It’s quite the machine!

Speaking of exercise, when I was talking to my mom on the phone last night, she mentioned the Foggy Bottom Milk Run, a local race near my hometown. It just so happens that it is conveniently during Spring Break this year. I don’t think I’ve done the race since 2006, so I was stoked. I went online and signed myself right up, making the early registration date by 1 day! I’ve only run the 4.1-mile distance before, but I decided to go all out and register for the 10-miler — why not? Guess I better start running…

***

I had pizza for dinner tonight. For most college students that means calling up Pizza Hut to deliver an extra-large meaty combo (with a side of bread sticks – ick), but for the Nutrition Nut it means:

wheat crust – $1.29 @ TJ’s

pesto

tomatoes

red onion

broccolini

chevre

…and a chiffonade of fresh basil

Overall: The dough took longer to cook…therefore turning the chiffonade of fresh basil into crispy basil…and it lacked in the flavor department, but I enjoyed making it – that counts as something, right? FYI, I took 38 pictures of my dang pizza and wasn’t pleased with any of them. Ugh, picture perfectionist. This is the best I can do tonight, folks.

I just took out my frustrations on the chocolate chip bag. I must ban chocolate chips from kitchen – seriously.

***

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!

Love,

Hillary

A December Summer

Hi Friends!

If you are wondering where I’ve been, the true answer is that I was just living life less connected today (part by choice, part not). Honestly, I wasn’t in the mood to blog about my PB & banana on whole wheat toast this morning. I mean, really…did it change your day that much? Didn’t think so. I proceeded to the gym for a 90-minute workout. The breakdown is as follows:

• 20 minutes stationary bike
• 20 minutes ARC trainer
• 20 minutes treadmill
• 30 minutes strengthening & stretching

I attended my microbiology lecture – just 4 left! – before coming home…and I’ve been here ever since. I intended on blogging at “lunch time”, but my roommate and I came home to no cable and no internet. So…I slipped on my PJs (at 3:00 in the afternoon) and managed to keep myself occupied without the assistance of my computer. Thankfully, we still had power!

Although I want to embrace the wonderful month of December as much as possible, I brought a bit of summer to my plate for dinner tonight. (I always think of burgers & beans as summer food, anyway.)

Dr. Praeger’s All Natural California Veggie Burger (courtesy of TJ’s)

on a whole wheat English muffin (much less caloric than a regular bun)

…with mustard, ketchup, Havarti, tomato, avocado & lettuce

+ leftover Walnut Acres Organic Maple & Onion Baked Beans & a crunchy carrot

This was my first Dr. P’s burger and it was mighty tasty – simple, readable ingredients! Anyway, I did not manage to get much homework done this afternoon, so I have to squeeze that in between SYTYCD (Who’s going home?) and a shower.

Have a great night!

~ Hillary

Red & Green

Seasons Greetings!

Did you survive Tuesday? It’s always the worst day of the week (in my opinion). Did you do anything festive? I loved seeing cheerful Christmas lights adorning the houses on my drive home tonight.

My PB&J bowl filled me up nicely, but I was still hungry for a small lunch before heading to class:

• 1/2 whole wheat pita with hummus, tomato, cucumber & lettuce
• 2 satsumas – so sweet & juicy!
• mini Luna – Nutz Over Chocolate

Dinner…

I did not plan to have a red & green dinner. No…I would never do such a thing! ; )

• Trader Giotto’s Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli + Tomato Basil Marinara
• baby lettuces, tomato, avocado, chevre, olive oil + balsamic

Note to Self: Do not eat marinara at your computer desk. My laptop got some festive red decorations as well : )

Top 10 (SYTYCD) in T-5 minutes. Can’t miss it!

~ Hillary

Too Much Tuesday

Hi All!

I hope you will accept my apology for the absent breakfast post this morning. I had microbiology lab at 8:00 am, which means waking up before 6:00 am – ick. I probably didn’t shut off the busy thoughts in my head until 2:00 am, so as you might expect, my energy tank is running low today! I had the last of my Honey Agave Oat Apple muffins and a cup of caffeinated green tea before heading to school – nothing picture worthy. Then around 10:00 am, I had a banana to hold me over until lunch.

Lunch was some “little eats” again:

• wrap: La Tortilla Factory Carb-Cutting Tortilla, hummus, tomato, cucumber, red onion & lettuce
• a cute, lil’ Cutie
• and a mini Luna

Three more classes to go + bio review: round 2. Boy, am I anxious for this exam to come and go. Just a few more days and I’ll be soaring to Sonoma (and then home for the holiday)!

~ Hillary