Pages

Thursday, June 30, 2011

True Blood rules my life

This week has been pretty uninteresting so far. When I'm not sitting watching True Blood I'm either working or working out. I'm trying not to spend money right now. Its weird, the more money I make the more I want to save it, even though all of it goes down the drain to gas anyway. I'm so pumped for my work's location in Lancaster to open up. It would literally be a five minute drive from me. GLORIOUS.

On the topic of saving money, I had to budget my expenses for the week until I get paid. I feel old. And poor. Wehhh.

On the topic of spending money, I went a little bit crazy at the UnderArmour Outlet off of Route 30. My roommate just got hired as a floor person and she had to basically go buy her uniform. So jealous, she gets to wear workout clothes to work AND everything is 50 percent off for her. My other roommates and I tagged along and raided the clearance racks. I have been in desperate need of new shorts since freshman year when my friends started making fun of the ones I previously wore. I only really had about 2 pairs of wearable shorts for working out in, and one of the pairs was bright green. Not the cool neon green that's in right now (bought a pair of those at UA, they're pretty fly). I'm talking bright Kelley Green Irish Leperchaun style. They weren't cute. So I bought 3 more pairs of super comfy running shorts. :D

I was also really frustrated by something that happened Tuesday night. My roomiezzz and I were working out on the turf. It was a sprint workout and it was pretty late so it was already dark. We were finishing up and about to start Plyometrics and a patrol officer from our "police" force on campus walked up. He said that we weren't allowed to be on the field because it was locked. Mr. Officer, I understand you were only doing your job but let me complain a wee little bit.
  1. I am a varsity athlete at this school. During the fall, I spend 80 percent of my waking time on that field. 
  2. Me working out on that field is making me a better athlete, hopefully making our sports better, which will bring in more students. Allowing for you, sir, to have a job.
  3. Uhhh...our coach said we could hop the fence to hit around and work out.
  4. My athletic director WATCHED me hop the fence and do a sprint workout one day. (its not as creepy as it sounds, she was watching a tennis tournament at the same time)
  5. My family and I pay $54,000 a year for me to be a student athlete at F&M. I think I should be able to use the field when I want.
Again, this man was very polite and we left the field after a few questions were asked. He was only doing his job, but I really think it is a stupid rule.

In addition to buying clothes while simultaneously saving money, getting kicked off a field, and being completely obsessed with TB this week, I made some things.

and, you guessed it, I forgot to take pictures.

I re-hydrated some TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) in some vegetable broth and mixed it in with leftover steamed veggies and tomato sauce and ate it over some whole wheat pasta.

I also made Raw Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough bites from Love Veggies and Yoga. I threw some raisins into the mix too and added the cinnamon, making them chocolate-chip-oatmeal-raisin-y. They were pretty gooood. My roommates tried them and they placed the flavor well: they taste a bit like those Chewy Oatmeal Bars from Sunbelt. I took them to work for a little dessert flavaaa and they satisfied my craving perfectly.

OK that is all for now...sorry for the word overload. Boring life.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Monday...no wait its Tuesday.

Eeks...I'm the worst blogger ever. But its how I roll.

So in the past week I've done some things. Ate some other things. Ran some distances. Worked some hours.

I would put up pictures of everything, except I didn't take many. And the ones I did take are atrocious. I really think the reason I procrastinate with the posting is because I keep wishing my pictures were better, but that won't happen until I buy an actual camera. Until then you'll just have to deal with my words and shabby pics.

I did do something cool...I got feathers put in my hair. Apparently its the new thing to do, but I did not find this out until AFTER I got them done. My best friend from home convinced me to go with her and get them put in *shout out Gretch* and I mentally prepared myself to get the heat from my roommates at school. I expected a few Pocahontas jokes, a "what the f*** is in your hair". Instead I was met with "Oh yea, I heard people are doing that now. Cool." Was not expecting that!! But I really like them. I got 3: silver, olivey green, and a reddish one. Again, no pictures but they're a bit like this but not as big.

Credit   
I really like them and I'll probably keep getting them put in.


One night for dinner I imitated the grilled tofu, tomato, and basil salad my mom made when I went home for the night. I couldn't grill the tofu but I did marinate and bake it. Clipped some fresh basil from my herb garden, threw in some tomatoes, and drizzled it all with the rest of the dressing and some ground cashews. Yummm.

 
Dijon Garlic Marinade (per my mother)
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup olive oil
2 T dijon mustard
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

I have a confession...I didn't have any red wine vinegar so I used apple cider vinegar and added a dash of red wine to it...innovation? I think so.

I also roasted sweet potatoes for the first time!


Garlic Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes
adapted from epicurious.com
Dice up 2 sweet potatoes, on the smaller side. Mince up about 3 cloves of garlic...depending on how much you love garlic. Chop up about a tablespoon of fresh thyme (again, from my herb garden) and toss all together with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Throw in the oven at 450 degrees for about 25-30, or longer until soft. I cut back the time a bunch because the amount is about half.

For work lunch and dinner prep throughout the week I threw together some quinoa and roasted up onions, peppers, mushrooms, and zucchini. Last night I had it all together with some raisins for dinner. I don't think I ate enough though and was hungry when I got home so I had toast with peanut butter and apple butter schmeared on top.

I don't have really anything else to say for now. Except I've been watching True Blood religiously. I realized I never saw the first season so I'm watching it now. And I watched the season premiere..undecided...but TB never disappoints.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

My Bad!

I left you guys hanging.

Cliff hangers are frustrating endings...especially when food is involved. I mean, how terrible is it to leave someone hanging on an empty stomach. I apologize.

I ended up modifying and combining a few recipes that I found online into my very own unique lunch. I wish I was disciplined enough to have measurements but I can give you rough estimates.

I promise it didn't taste like vomit. My phone just makes everything look that way.

 Kale, Quinoa, and Roasted Tomatoes Salad
3 Stalks of Kale, cut from the stems and sliced/torn into strips
2-3 Vine Ripened Tomatoes
a couple cloves of garlic...judge based on your taste
1/2 zucchini, quartered and slice
about a handful of chopped onions
olive oil
1/2 cup red quinoa
homemade or store bought pesto of your choice

OK so make your tomatoes (your choice of what kind). Slice them up, toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper, place on a baking dish, mince up some garlic and sprinkle over top of the tomatoes. Throw them in the oven for about 2 hours at 325 degrees.

Once they're done make your quinoa according to directions on package. While its simmer, saute the onions and zucchini together, throw in the kale a bit later.

Combine the cooked quinoa, vegetables, and roasted tomatoes in a bowl. Mix in about a tablespoon or so of your faaave pesto, sprinkle some ground cashews and nom out.

I should mention that I made my own poor excuse for pesto...grabbed some basil from mah porch, threw in some garlic, olive oil, and ground cashews, attempted to process it without a processor, and bam...you got some average pesto.

So that was my lunch. Sorry I took forever to get it to you all. Maybs I'll grace everyone with a proper post tonight. But probably won't until tomorrow morning.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Its a rainy morning...so I'm roasting tomatoes?

Good morning!
I had planned to wake up at 7:20 to go for a run this morning, and wake up I did. It just so happened that my wake-up time coincided with the beginning of some workers hacksawing something on our back porch. It was quite a surprise to wake up to the sound of a electric saw. Very Freddy vs Jason-esque. I could be completely off base with that comparison because I do not watch scary movies...at all. Never have, don't plan to in the future. I don't really think I'm missing out either.

To get off track, something else I really don't like are roller coasters. I blame this on my Dad (sorry Dad). When my brother and I were kids he never forced us to get on roller coasters--just like my parents never made me get my ears pierced, never made my brother stick with baseball... . Anyways,  eventually the time came that I was old enough to actually understand my fear as a reason to not do something and could think of terrible outcomes to my getting on a roller coaster, thus, I did not get on said roller coaster.

And then came my Senior Trip to Hershey Park. My boyfriend at the time was an adventurous time and I had convinced myself that I would try to get on a roller coaster. I settled on using a smooth, fast, pretty popular one as my starting point. To my dismay, the ride I chose to begin my day was closed for repairs that morning. So logically, my boyfriend and group of friends decided that it would be alright to bypass my extreme fear of heights, and drops, and all things that are a roller coaster and go straight for the big sha-bam: Storm Runner.
Dying.

Dead.
 For those of you who don't know Storm Runner, let me introduce you. For those of the faint-of-stomach, I would avoid the video.

Basically it was the most terrifying 57 seconds of my life. I was crying and shaking as the ride attendant buckled me in...I guess he's seen that a lot because he didn't really say anything. I'm pretty sure I peed my pants when it shot us off. I'm exaggerating, but if I had drank a lot of water that morning it definitely would've happened. When the ride came back into the loading area, the people waiting were clapping for me. Mind you, it was about 8 in the morning because our school likes to be early and my graduating class was the only group in the park. So they were the ones clapping for me...as I climbed out of the car shaking and crying.

It was great.
And then my boyfriend made me do it again...we're not together anymore.

So anyways, back to real-time, I woke up and went for a run this morning. It was alright...short and sweet. Then I rode my bike to Central Market and pulled in this haul
Kale, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, avocado, blueberries, strawberries, zucchini, greens.

 The hardest part was riding my bike back. My backpack was LOADED down, and I think I have a slow leak in my back wheel so it felt like it was dragging a bit.

I found a recipe on the Hungry Nation podcast last night for a Kale, Quinoa, and Oven Roasted Cherry Tomatoes salad. I forgot to get cherry tomatoes so now I'm just roasting up some of those heirloom ones I got.

That's all for now.

P.S. was not aware roller coaster was two words. Thanks spell check.

Monday, June 20, 2011

I don't have an excuse this time...

...I just didn't post. I very well could have, and had a few ideas of what I would say. I decided that I'm going to be much more disciplined about this from  now on. I want this to be more successful, so I need to grab this blog by its figurative horns and run with it. I think a lot of why I don't want to post is because I hate my pictures...the Blackberry is actually getting worse. Certainly not getting better. Definitely getting worse.

I'd just like to say right here that I'm watching Chicago during the part where Richard Gere is basically doing a strip-tease. What a good-looking older man. Yummy.

Anyways, I didn't make anything too interesting this week. I was pretty busy with work. I DID make BBQ tofu via Hungry Hungry Hippie. It was pretty good but left my baking dish covered in caked on BBQ sauce. I mixed it with quinoa like Hungry Hippie did but also sliced it and put on a sandwich for lunch.

Today I'm home...not completely sure why. I just felt like coming home last night after field hockey. My mom made this delicious grilled tofu in a garlic-mustard marinade with tomatoes and basil. Oh right, that's why I came home.

Because I don't have any pictures from my kitchen adventures this week, I'll grace you all with some daddy daughter pics in honor of Father's Day.





This picture and the one after it are only a year apart...we look different though. And he's wearing the same pullover. What a fashion faux paux Dad.


Monday, June 13, 2011

Proud Mama

This weekend was relatively uneventful. I worked...obvsssss. But work is old news. I plan not to talk about it much unless a really funny customer walks in the door. I actually had one yesterday but it would be out of taste to relate the hilarity of my encounter with her.

Basically she was off the boat. From the Far East. I will end there. 

BUT big things happened in the kitchen of our apartment last night. I emerged from my room half awake around 6 and found my 3 roomiez making food in the kitchen. Dana, accomplished in the kitchen already (see cupcake picture) was making her moms Sweet and Spicy Italian Sausage with Peppers. Can't say I had any but it smelled mighty good! (hey, even though I don't eat meat anymore doesn't mean I don't like the smell of it. Or the way it tastes. I might get into that more when I talk about veg-ism).

But Dana never surprises in the kitchen; she knows her way around. She's good. She makes some bangin' food.

The real excitement was built around Kristen (from now on Keeks) and Jess (from now on...Jess). Kristen made quesadillas--ON THE STOVE mind you--and some mashed up avocado with sweet onion and peppers, a guacamole of sorts. It was mighty delish.

Dana's photoskills. Kristen's crazy eyes.

Keeks also makes this really good salad that she eats on the reg. I'll have to get it from her and share it with you all sometime. 

Wittle Jess surprised everyone, herself and her own mother included, when she banged out crab dip for dinner. She was mixing her ingredients at the table and I was sitting with her, somewhat zoning out because I had just gotten out of bed. And this is what ensued:

Jess: NOOOOO ;askdjfasj *slur of random curses*
The entire kitchen stopped what they were doing and turned and looked
Jess: I was looking at the recipe and thought the mustard was the mayonnaise!

She put 2 tsp of dried mustard in, when really she should have but 1/4 tsp in because the recipe called for a half and she was halving the recipe. It was funny. She fixed it. And apparently her crab dip was amaze-balls as well, but I did not partake in the tasting as it had all sorts of yummy dairy. I think my body would go into gastric convulsions if I were to eat crab dip at this point. But props to Jess on her crabby dip!

Jess was also tricked by Dana into making banana bread muffins.

Dana: Jess you wanna help me make banana bread??!
Jess: Ehhh...
Dana: We can sing and dance while we do it!
Jess: Alright.

About an hour later Jess was proudly holding the plate of muffins that she made all by herself. Under Dana's watchful eye of course.

I know the effect is weird on this. I couldn't figure out what to do with it...sorry. I just realized she kinda looks like a vampire now.




I didn't make anything spectacular for dinner...just some flatbread pizzas with tomato sauce and Daiya Mozzarella cheese. 

I would also like to take this time and show you something that I like to eat now.



Vans Frozen Waffles!! These pictures were taken at home. I wasn't a big fan of the Apple Cinammon ones my mom had, but I think they were a little freezer burnt. Just look at how pretty that breakfast photo is....gad I miss our sunroom. I also didn't like them with syrup.

I have a package of the flax flavored (?) ones. Can they even be flax flavored? I don't know. They just say flax where the other package in the picture says Apple Cinammon. I pop them in the toaster, pull out the peanut butter and apple butter (that my brother's girlfriend made with the apples from her own property!! *shout out Shannon, the only person who reads this*), slather the spreads on, and eat with a sliced banana and some chia seeds.

Om nom nom nom.

I suuriiously suggest it.

Obviously I haven't taken a picture of it yet because I get too distracted by actually eating the food before I capture it. I don't know how food bloggers do it, taking pictures of everything they eat. I have much to learn.

Alrighty ta-ta for now! Time to go get hydrated and do my workoutskies.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Womp womp womp

So today was one of those days. Actually no it wasn't. I was having a really good day until I was told someone complained about my bad attitude at work. I ended up getting really upset because, to be honest, I did have a bad attitude the day that the customer complained about my behavior. It made me realize that I've been a bit of a puss lately...I can't seem to get my head out of my butt and just relax. Yes, I'm working full-time for the first time, but everyone does that. It is no excuse to be rude.

So I cried a bit because I was being a little baby.

I watched Sleepless in Seattle because I love Tom Hanks (and Tom Hanks with Meg Ryan is double great) and I can't pass up a good love story.

And then I made "Mac 'n Cheez". I got the idea from Gabriella at Une Vie Saine. I tweaked it a bit.

This is the recipe she provides...its called Lazy Girl Mac n Cheese

- 4 oz / 2 servings uncooked pasta (I used brown rice fusilli)
- 1 T non-dairy margarine (I used Earth Balance, olive oil would also probably work)
- 4 T hummus
- 2 T nutritional yeast
- 2 T water
- 1/2 c Daiya cheddar cheese shreds
- 2 T non-dairy milk, warmed for about 30 seconds in microwave (I used unsweetened almond)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- vegetables of choice (optional)

I used Sabra Pine Nut Hummus, and I don't think it was 4 T...it was just whatever I had left in the container...I think about 3 T. I substituted ground cashews for the nutritional yeast, nixed the water and used mozzarella Daiya cheese. I added tomatoes like she did as well.



I have to say it was pretty darn good for a non-cheese-mac-and-cheese. It definitely satisfied my craving for some comfort food.

That is alll...hopefully I can convince my roommate to go out tonight.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

I know you've missed me

Disclaimer: while trying to think of a title for this post, all I could think about was this movie.


I'm back from a bit of a hiatus. I moved into my new apartment at school and *shocker* there was no internet or cable for the first week that we were here. Keep in mind that I'm living in the apartments that house the Phi Sigma Pi Honors Fraternity, what I like to affectionately refer to as the fra-nerd-ity. Imagine this situation...a bunch of nerds were without their technology and internet for a full week.

Disaster struck.

Actually it didn't really...I caught up on some reading...kind of.

We played cards.


Went to Wal Mart.

People of WalMart...

Ate some freaking awesome Thai food with the parents. We went to Suko Thai which is literally right down the street from me. I got the Drunken Noodles with vegetables and fried tofu on top. I ate the whole thing.



To attest to the deliciousness of this meal, I was a complete and total grump before we ate. My parents threatened to kick me out of the car. After I consumed the noodles and veggies and tofu I became the most pleasant and grateful 20 year old to walk the streets of Lancaster. My parents will confirm this, just ask them!

Oh wait, you can't ask them today or until the end of the weekend because they are off on their way to Vermont to celebrate their 27th wedding anniversary. It was actually today, 27 years ago, that they got married. Excuse me while I get a little soppy about good ole' Sherry and Bob for a little bit.


My parents met while my mom was in college and my dad was in the Navy. Momma worked at McDonald's, and Daddy walked in one night (belligerent, mind you) with his softball buddies and met Momma. Long story short, they fell in love and got married on June 9th, 1984 in my grandparents backyard.

What my dad looked like when they met...a bit scrawny if you ask me.

That's Momma on the left. She didn't only work at McDonald's. She was a nurse in the Navy too.

I'm always amazed at the love that my parents share. I forget a lot of stuff from my childhood--my brother is the one with the amazing memory--but I don't think I'll ever forget little moments that I've seen my parents share.

I won't forget being told by my dad to clean up the kitchen for my mother, or before she gets home. He is always conscious of what will make her happy.



I won't forget seeing my dad come home and walk up behind my mom, turn her around and start dancing with her. No music, interrupting her dinner preparations, with my brother and I sitting at the table doing homework.



I won't forget the countless Mother's and Father's Days, the anniversaries, the birthdays and holidays, where they never forget to give each other a funny AND romantic card.


One time when we were out to dinner, my dad asked me when I planned to get married so that he could figure out when he would have grand kids. I thought about it and realized my parents were 22 almost 23 when they were married, meaning I would be meeting soon or have already met the man I will marry. At first I felt like the pressure was one.

But then I realized that my parents are just lucky. They found each other and have made it work. They spent most of the first few years of their marriage apart because of my dad being out to on the USS Enterprise. They have worked hard to get to where they are and they've set an incredible example for my brother and I.

I know that we will never settle for anything less than the love that they have shared and will share for the rest of their lives.



Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

This blog is a bit backwards

I started this blog to help me track my "healthy vegan/vegetarian eating experience" and to throw in some commentary about how great at keeping up with my fitness I am.

But instead I choose to post recipes about baked things that aren't completely healthy.

Like the chocolate chip cookies from last week.

Don't worry. I promise I'll start posting good things you can eat, like real food, instead of cookies and the cup-*wait for it*-cakes (5 dollahs to anyone who can name that show) that I'm about to post. Things that you can eat for lunch and dinner and breakfast...unless, like myself, you're OK with surviving on cookie dough and frosting.

If that's the consensus then I'll just stick to the baked goods.

No? Blast. 

ANYWAYS this beautiful morning I bring to you some cupcakes. I made these because it is Krissy Fusco's birthday on Thursday and I, the bad friend I am, move into my apartment today and worked last night so I was not and will not be able to celebrate her birthday with her.

So I made her cupcakes.

Peanut butter and chocolate cupcakes. Honestly, the pairing of peanut butter and chocolate is heaven on Earth. It makes my heart sing. And my stomach growl.



They were awesome.

Make them.

Nomz.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes
from the TastyKitchen Blog

1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegan margarine
1 (ish) tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup coffee

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a sheet of muffin tins.

Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized bowl.

Mix together the margarine, sugar, and coffee until well combined. Follow with the vanilla extract and the warm water.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet a little bit at a time until mixed. This batter comes out pretty thick

Fill the muffin tins 2/3 full of the batter. Put in the oven for-at the most- 25 minutes. I put them in for 25 minutes and they came out a little bit dense, I'm thinking if they were in for about 20-23 they would've been a bit more moist. Try it, you tell me!!

Awesome, Amazing, Beautiful, Lovely, Peanut Butter Frosting
from Sunni Mara Villosa  <--I'm not completely sure what this blog is...I typed in "peanut butter frosting without powdered sugar" into google and this came up


1 cup natural peanut butter (I used smooth but the recipe says you can use chunky)

1/4-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup agave (the recipe called for honey...I switched it up)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 vegan margarine (the recipe called for butter, I used stick Earth Balance instead) barely softened


Make sure the peanut butter is well mixed before you measure it. Blend together the salt and peanut butter to taste. Add the honey and the vanilla, and finally the margarine. Keep in mind that the softness of the butter is very important in the recipe...it determines what the consistency of the frosting will be. 


Remember to let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting them!! 


SIDE NOTE I would like to discuss the proper way to eat a cupcake. The best way and the only way:


this guy has it right. I don't really know who he is...I typed in a youtube search because I wanted to give you all a visual and this came up. The girl in the video has it wrong.


hoorah.