New Foods, New reads

From lunch on today, my day was nonstop! I went to the grocery store to pick up some produce for the week, some more PB granola, and found a couple nice snacks to travel with in Italy- indvidual soymilks and granola packs! I also spent a good amount of time browsing at the bookstore. I decided to pick up "Souvenir" by Therese Fowler, a book I've heard rave reviews about so I'm very excited to read! I haven't read a bad book yet this year!

Before work, I grabbed a grande soy latte at Starbucks, and snacked on a big bag of grapes I packed.


Work went well, and quickly- just how I like it! I spent some time talking to one of my supervisors about the amazing yoga retreat she took last weekend- I'm so jealous, it sounded like a fantastic, relaxing time!
When I took my break for dinner, I heated up an Amy's meal I had defrosted- This was an Teriyaki Stirfry, which is a bunch of veggies (broccoli, peppers, mushrooms) and tofu over brown rice in a yummy teriyaki sauce. I also had some carrots on the side.

Even though this dinner was light and small (only around 350 calories!) it held me over very well for a few hours, and when I got home I had another breakfast cookie with some cherries. I was craving chocolate, so I went for the double chocolate chunk variety. Can't go wrong with dark chocolate and cherries!

I am heading to bed as soon as I press "publish post", because I have another early morning, long day at work. I work at 8am and have plans with a friend right after, so I'll try and post when I can! Unfortunately I will not have the time for any structured exercise, but I convinced my friend to walk up the street for dinner so at least I'll get a bit of activity in!
Off to bed, have a great weekend!

Spicing up a favorite

It has been so long since I've had one of my favorite hummus/veggie wraps- I've just been trying so many new things here at home, I forgot how much I loved my easy, filling wraps!

Today I used a new kind of hummus- forty spices. I LOVED it! A great change, and a great blend of spices. Not too hot, but definately a nice spicy taste. I topped an ezekiel sprouted tortilla with 1/4 cup hummus, some spinach, cucumber, bell pepper, and a couple sliced salad turnips I bought at the farmers market (I love their sweet crunch) for a nice big healthy wrap. I also had a big pink lady apple on the side. This lunch was perfect- light and nutritious, yet totally satisfying.

I'm off to get ready for work early, because I'll be out doing some grocery shopping and bookstore browsing before I head to the store for the night. I'm so excited to pick out a new book- I'll probably finish one more before it's time to pick out some to bring with me for the trip to Italy. Any suggestions?

Have a great Friday!

Sunmmer Cooldown

It is a lot cooler here in RI this morning than it was during the last week's heatwave! It's only about 60 degrees here, and although that is much chillier than I would have liked it to be in June, it's a refreshing sort of cooldown after all the hot humid weather.

This morning I had a filling breakfast of a toasted hemp bagel, with 2 tbsp PB, a tablespoon cherry preserves, a banana and a few strawberries. Just what I wanted, something big but not too big.

I ate this while finishing the current book I was reading, now I'm all out of books to read! I think I might stop by the bookstore today after grocery shopping before work today. I always love having a book to read!

It's just running, shopping and work again for me today- I work every day until my last day next Wednesday. Luckily I have some things planned in between all my working; Saturday I have a whole night planned with a friend, Sunday is father's day (I get to show my dad his surprise!) I have Monday and Wednesday evenings off... and then it's Italy prep time! It's all coming so fast, I'm so excited but so nervous, too!! It will be here before I know it, I'm sure.

I recently found out I'll be staying in an apartment in Italy, so chances are there will not be internet in the apartment, but there will be internet at the school I'll be going to. I'm going to try to do a blog post daily- I hope I will be able to! If not, I promise every couple of days, with as many pics as I can manage, and lots of long, delicious descriptions of my lovely meals! I guess we'll see how it all works out. I can't wait to share with you my Italian eating adventures!

Beans and Boredom

Tonight work was exceptionally boring... most of the stock was complete by the time I got there, so there wasn't too much for me to do. Still, I had to wait a long while until my break- luckily I had a big snack before I left. I decided to spend my last half an hour before work relaxing on the bench in my yard, with my book and a big snack to hold me over- a peach soy yogurt topped with some honey roasted peanuts, and some strawberries. Just fillng enough to keep me going for a couple hours!

When I finally did get my break, the boredom just escalated... I had to complete some require training for the company on the computer in the office, so I was sitting for an hour and a quarter clicking "yes...", "yes...", "yes..." I felt so unproductive!
Ah, well- I guess it had to be done. I did get to enjoy the delicious dinner I prepared this afternoon though!
I made a batch of Veganomicon's "Cheater Baked Beans", saved two servings for myself and let my family dig in to the rest! WOW were these good! So flavorful, I loved them! I'm sure I'll make them again soon. I also cooked some short grain brown rice while the beans were in the oven- I love taking time to cook real rice instead of the instant stuff I sometimes use for convienence. These are much chewier, I think (Kath, you'd love them!). I had a cup of the rice with my beans and some micro steamed broccoli and cauliflower to round out my yummy at-work meal.

A few hours later when I got home, I was craving a cookie- so I had one of my Erin Baker's breakfast cookies for a night time snack- I love these cookies, and even though this one was not vegan (the banana walnut), the flavor was delicious! I think I might try and make my own banana walnut cookies some time... that would be a fun adventure!

Time for some shut eye, computers are exhausting! hehe

Just another simple meal

Today has been a simple, satisfying day so far! I've just been reading and relaxing, I went for a nice fast run- the weather is perfect and I was wearing my favorite running shirt, which I swear makes me run faster! I ran for four miles, and came home to prepare an easy sandwich for lunch.
I made a big sammie with 4 slices of tofurky, some FYH vegan monterey jack, whole grain dijon, spinach, cucumber and tomato on sprouted bread. Thick with veggies, but very tasty!

On the side I had (can you guess?) carrots and a golden delicious apple! What can I say? I'm a creature of habit, at least when it comes to certain routines. I love to experiment and try new things, but there are some things that just work for me, like my sammie/carrots/fruit lunches =)


I'm definately going to do some cooking this afternoon-it's cool enough that being near an oven won't be unbearable!

Cool classics

I just had a classic, cool breakfast this morning- a big bowl of one of my favorite cereals, Nature's Path Optimum Power (it was about 1.5 cups) topped with 3/4 cup bluberrries (these were PERFECT!) and 1 cup hemp milk. Filling and perfect for a summer morning.

Today I just have usual before-work plans, running, reading... then I might cook something for the dinner, because I'm working for the next 6 days straight (then I'm done before Italy) so I won't have as much time to cook as I'd like. I think I picked out a good cookie recipe from Veganomicon to make for the dads, I just have to find time to make it! Might have to squeeze that in on Friday. I like making myself busy, otherwise I'd be bored to death!

Happy Thursday, all!

Sooo... I think I'll be posting pictures in "medium" size instead of small- what do you think?

Testing and tattoos!

Tonight was quite the eventful night! A fun one to remember, for sure!
This afternoon, I had a tasty snack of a mango/kiwi/hempmilk smoothie, that I ate outside next to my favorite blooming hibiscus flower! It felt summery and beautiful to be sitting outside in the warmth, sipping my cool drink!

For dinner, I tested one of Lindsay, the Happy Herbivore's cookbook recipes, Vegetable Casserole. We also had some faux chik'n marinated in a light balsamic dijon sauce for some extra protein. It was a great dinner, very filling and perfect to hold me through the night's adventures...


So here's what I've been excited about all day...

I brought my mom to Black Lotus to get her first tattoo! She got a pretty sun, and I got a new tattoo as well, in honor of my Dad for father's day. It says "I'm not afraid of life", which is the name of a Ramones song- one of my alltime favorite bands, who my dad introduced me to when I was young. They're his favorite, and we always joked that I wouldn't get a Ramones tattoo before he did. Well, I did! Now it's his turn =)

Here's my mom's gorgeous sun:

And my phrase wrapped around my ankle:


It was fun time! The artist, Matt, was really cool- he definately kept me calm, and I hardly felt it at all! My mom said hers hurt though. I guess it's all a matter of opinion!
Afterwards, we picked up my sister, and I treated the two of them to some gelato from the Podhead, because I was so proud of my mom for being so calm and cool during the whole thing!
I had mocha chip and strawberry lemon sorbetto...

the BEST way to end a warm summer's night!

I'm tired though, so I'll definately be going to bed soon!
I'll be back in the morning!