Short-Lived Spring Break

Where’re all my people at?!?! I hope everyone is super excited that the weekend is here! This weekend is (was?) doubly exciting for me because Thursday (yesterday) marked the beginning of Spring Break!! I am quite certain that at least 90% of all college students look forward to this week for some much needed R&R, and probably some VERY memorable experiences. Well, I am here to tell you that yours truly is not part of that 90%. Unlike my fellow students, I will be spending my break finishing my senior thesis. Sure, I’ve been invited to do fun stuff over the break. “So why don’t you.” you might ask? Here’s my logic:

• I only have about 15 more pages to write before my thesis is complete
• Completing my thesis means a less stressful end of the semester
• If I wait until the last minute to do it, I will also be working on papers/exams for 3 other classes WHILE stressing out over my upcoming wedding
• And finally, I can rub it in everyone else’s face that I am done. Heh.

 I am sick of having this gigantic thing looming over my head and dislike working on long-term projects. The way I see it, finishing it this week is the only solution.

Biff is in the same boat as I am, and will actually be staying at school for most of the break. So, we figured we should spend the first two days of SB enjoying ourselves. And enjoy we did.

Thursday promised to be a usual day…

Coffee and cookie dough oatmeal with strawbs.

Cauliflower and peanut butter sandwich.

…until my third class got cancelled. That’s when it all began.

Since I wasn;t really feelin’ school, I played hooky from my fourth class. Admittedly, Biff and I are unable to defend against the siren song of the sweet tooth. As a result, we found ourselves at the local fro-yo place call Sweet Spot. This week’s flavor: peanut butter. 

Spring in a nutshell.

 I cannot even describe the amazingness of this fro-yo. It was like a party in my mouth.

Holy fro-yo!

 The fro-yo delight quickly came to an end, and we went to get our hands dirty at Journey’s End and play around with a bunch of wild and uncontrollable furry rats (the little doggies). Once we were sufficiently covered in hair, we headed back to the app for a nap. I woke up feeling _________ (fill in the blank. I don’t even need to say it). Enter, soup!

Left-over Kitchen Sink Soup

 After dinner, we rushed over to Zumba class. We shook our little hinies and sweated it up. I could Zumba ALL NIGHT LONG (if they’d let me)! I think there is no better workout if you want to have fun while burning an obscene amount of calories.

Back to the app we went to get ready for our night on the town. I say night, but it was really more like “hour” (more about that later). Me and my girls spent about 3 hrs dancing it up in the living room before going anywhere. You know you have good friends when you can be in a fully-lit apartment with only four people, an iPod, and fairly quiet speakers and have a full-on dance party.

Watchin' TV on the floor. Bestie snuggle.

I have no idea what's with these faces.

Straight up gangsta.

Signature dance move #1.

Signature dance move #2.

The dinner table was the only available photographer. The coffee table was the only suitable stage.

 While dancing, I imbibed a Woodchuck’s Hard Cider. Flavor: Fall.

Happy Woodchuck consumer.

 Here’s a mini-review… I love Woodchuck’s Hard Cider because it’s gluten-free and delicious. I have tried the Granny Smith, Pear, and Amber flavors, and loved all of them. I’d say, I’m pretty partial to the Amber. I recently found out that Woodchuck’s makes seasonal cider (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter) that is limited release. When I saw the Fall cider (ok, a little behind) I decided to buy one (yes one) and do a little taste test. Ding, Ding, Ding! Winner. This delicious brew tasted of cinnamon and nutmeg, and had a little bit of a woody finish that gave the Amber some stiff competition. I was really pleased with it. Like all of the Woodchuck’s ciders, it had a super smooth finish. A+ from me.

Moving on…  After amusing ourselves with our signature dance moves, the girls and I figured we should be sociable. So we ventured out to continue our dance marathon. After a VERY short time, we returned to our in-house fiesta. Home is BETTA! It has snacks…

Mouth full of Food Should Taste Good olive chips.

Pretz.

Sabs and Biff with cheeseless pizza.

1/2 peanut butter sandwich from lunch.

Snack'ems!

This is my Biff. She doesn't eat hot things.

Biff sitting on the floor because she literally fell on the floor laughing.

When our legs started to feel like they were about to fall off any second, we knew it was time to hit the sack. 

Piled on Sabrina's bed.

 The next morning, Biff and I awoke at 8:30 am. What the…? I had a top-notch breakfast.

Chocolate and banana protein shake in a kid's Olive Garden cup. This is the epitome of class.

 We had plans to go to the beach or pool, but were sadly disappointed when we realized that the Florida weather had planned otherwise. Gloomy weather and bathing suits just don’t mix. Instead, we hit up Chick-Fil-A’s Free Fry-Day (clever), and got a free medium fry and free desserts with the coupons we got from the cow ambush on Tuesday. 

Tray of sugary, fried happiness.

Fries and brownie.

Fries and ice cream.

 Somehow, ice cream and waffle fries make failed plans seem so small and insignificant.

Thursday and Friday’s fun has helped my come to terms with my upcoming week of non-stop work. We work hard and play hard. I suppose in this case, we did it backwards. I’m ok with it.

Simply Creative

In keeping with the “change it up” trend I mentioned in “Routine Adjustment,” I opted out of eating some normal foods and got simply creative on Wednesday. I say simple, because it was, well, simple! I am notorious for making meals out of whatever happens to be in the refrigerator. Luckily, it’s springtime, which means we are getting mounds of greens from the local organic garden. Healthy and delicious. I went to bed thinking about hot liquid thanks to my Biff and a mutual friend, and decided that for lunch, I was craving some sort of soup concoction. 

Voila!

Kitchen Sink Soup

This soup contains:

• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 cup cooked butternut squash
• ¼ cup leeks, chopped
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 handfuls curly kale
• 5 large Swiss chard leaves
• 1 carrot
• 1 cup precooked macaroni noodles
• Italian seasoning
• Pepper
• Garlic salt

This soup was super easy. Blend ½ of the squash with the broth, water, and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Add the leaks and celery and cook at a slow boil for 3 minutes. If you like the stems of the greens, add them now and cook for 3 more minutes. Add carrots and cook until tender. Finally, add greens and cooked noodles and simmer until the leaves are wilted and tender. Enjoy!! I know I did.

About an hour after I ate this phenomenally tasty and healthy soup, I was feeling charitable. So I concocted another understated masterpiece for Mons’ lunch.

Partially demolished Easy Mac

  Easy Mac

• 2 cups cooked macaroni noodles
• 1 tbsp Italian dressing
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Italian seasoning
• Garlic salt
• ¼-½ cup shredded cheese of your choice

Seriously, this is so quick and so easy, a five yr old cold make it. But please, don't let your small children near hot kitchen appliances...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat up the noodles in a sauce pan with Italian dressing, olive oil, and seasoning. Once its sizzling, add ½ of the cheese and stir it all up. Transfer the mixture to a small baking dish. Top with remaining and sprinkle a little more Italian seasoning on top. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Devour and enjoy.

Making delicious foods do not have to be hard to make, expensive, or unhealthy. All you have to do is get a little creative, but remember to keep it simple. 

Routine Adjustment

Repetition and monotony are two of the things that I despise most in life. What fun is life if you don’t change it up, right? Sadly, I will admit that having a very set school schedule gets me wrapped up in a sometimes boring routine. To remedy this problem, I have been really trying to consciously do things differently every once in a while, just for the heck of it.

Over the summer, I was cooking, or at least helping, with every meal, while I spent time with my soon-to-be family in South Africa. Unfortunately my cooking skills these days have been stifled by my sometimes hectic schedule. So, my “variety” has been consisting of different flavors of the same protein bar, cooked vs. raw carrots, and reheated left-overs. Don’t worry; I make sure to wait a day in between the cooked meal and eating it again to keep it interesting... I know, I know, you can’t handle my living on the edge. I’m getting crazy. Another rather strange thing I do is repeat foods that I discover/“rediscover”, get sick of them, “re-forget” them for a while, and then “rediscover” again (redundancy is necessary here) hence:

Blueberry Bliss

Scones Galore

Muffin Posts

Tuesday was a day for such conscious deviation from the norm…

About 3 months ago, I found out that Bisquick now comes in GF. Not surprisingly, I freaked out and went straight out to buy some. Since then, I have eaten pancakes approximately 25 times. Ok, so maybe I am exaggerating, but still. I have had them with bananas, blueberries, chocolate, apples, and pretty much anything remotely tasty. 

This morning, I was feelin’ some cakes, but instead of busting out the Bis, I headed for fitnessista.com to check out her recipe for protein pancakes.

Pro-cakes with a nanner.

 They were absolutely delish. The only problem I found was that the batter was a little runny, which called for more protein. My suggestion: start out with ½ the almond milk and add more if needed. Nevertheless, these pancakes were the shiz. Usually, at exactly 11:15, I nosh on a little snackie of some sort, but not today. I stayed full until 1:00 pm. That NEVER, I repeat, NEVER happens. Breakfast that lasts me until lunch? Yes, please.

A little side note that I would like to share: On my way to school, hit occurred to me that I have exactly 73 days until I see my love for the first time in 9 months and am living in another country. The idea exploded in my brain and hit me in the chest like a ton of bricks as I felt my heart rate rise and a squeal well up in my throat. What followed was a series of wacky dance moves, laugh/screams, and uncontrollable smiling. I am sure the people next to me thought I was nuts. I have a feeling that this is going to become a more common occurrence and might increase in intensity as the time draws nearer. Pray for the  people in surrounding cars on my daily commute.

Ok, back to the task at hand… Even though I stayed full on pro-cakes for a long time, I will say that I was super ready for lunch once it arrived. I spread out the goods for a photo-op.

Cottage cheese with chick peas (relatively yooj), papaya (also yooj), and celery with peanut butter (not-so-yooj). Success.

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see a giant cow standing behind me. Even more weird, he was wearing a t-shirt and beckoning me toward a table centered in the middle of the school quad. I am not one for participating in school spirit of any kind, but remembering my commitment to keeping things fresh, I reluctantly followed the ridiculous-looking creature.

Bombarded by other students mindlessly grabbing for cheap plastic knick-knacks on the table, I quickly spun the prize wheel. I needed to get out of there ASAP. I crossed my fingers as the wheel slowed. Free dessert at Chick-Fil-A! 

Posing with my free ice cream card. Chick-Fil-A ice cream is my all-time fave.

 I was super excited. I happily returned to my lunch, having accepted that the strange encounter with the large bovine was totally worth it.

Me, strange man-cow, Biff.

 The next class dragged by, and then I was off to better the community. But first, I had to have a snack. I went for one of Betty Lou’s Just Great Stuff bars. I chose the Organic Cocao Acai flavor. 

 Two words: Freaking Amazing. I have a feeling that all of the Betty Lou’s stuff is going to taste like heaven, so I will probably have to make a top 3 list down the road…

The cocao nibs in this bar were delectable and the berry offset the flavor perfectly. I really can’t complain about this bar in the least. On top of it, I got a little burst of energy about 20 minutes after eating it, which is quite rare for me. Not even coffee gives me a jolt. This bar is packed with anti-oxidants and tons of fruit. I could become addicted, real quick-like. I suppose if I do, I would be one healthy girl!

Interesting info:

Organic Certified

Vegan

Gluten-Free

With organic goji berries, organic freeze dried acai and raw cacao nibs

Protein from Organic Rice Protein and Cashews

ORAC Antioxidant Value of 34,100

Calories-180

Fat-8g

Carbs-22g

Protein-5g

Dietary Fiber-5g

Sugars-11g

I feel like my day was a little off the usual course making it super great.

Are you a pretty routine person? What do you do when you want to change it up?

There's No Place Like Home

I’ve recently come to the realization that it is virtually impossible for me to have a bad weekend at home. Being home recharges my batteries after a stressful week or a long drive from school, and it's the only place where my over-active brain can focus.

The house I currently live in was my grandparent’s house. My family and I have lived here four separate times in between moving, but now, we're here for good. This is the house where every holiday is spent. It’s the place birthdays are celebrated and get-togethers are hosted. Sleepovers, golf-cart rides, make-believe adventures, bonfires, tennis matches, Jet Ski races, long walks, and long talks have taken place here. People have been raised here, grown up here, moved in, and moved out. Fun, food, and laughter are non-negotiable here, and whether coming or going, you can always be sure to walk through the door with a smile on your face.

Home is…

Cozy

Open and spacious

My dream work environment, but also the perfect place for chillin'

Full of delicious food

Healthy taco salad

Blueberry overnight oats

Toast with cream cheese and tomatoes, rots, and pickle (Snookie-style).

Spinach salad, sauteed spinach, Ener-G gluten-free macaroni with Italian dressing, and roasted chicken.

Plain yogurt with crumbled Ener-G Ginger Cookie.

The place where packages of gluten-free goodness arrive just for me

Betty Lou's gluten-free bars, Nut Butter Ball, Fruit Bars, and whey protein.

 Betty Lou's Inc. sent me a package of good stuff to try and share my review with you! I first found out about Betty Lou's at the SOHO convention in December, and fell in love with a few of their products. When they arrived, I was so excited about trying them. I ate a Coconut Macadamia Nut Butter Ball right away.

Coconut Macadamia Nut Butter Ball

 These Nut Butter Ballz are protein-packed and pack-able. They are perfect for keeping in your bag when you're on-the-go. The ballz are palm-sized and are super dense. I was shocked at their fairly heavy weight.  The Coco-Mac Ball has shaved coconut on the outside, giving it a really nice, macaroon-like texture. I could have stood for a little more coconut, but then again, I am a coconut fiend! I devoured this delicious ball for an afternoon snack and was amazed that it kept me full for the next few hours. I am super excited to try the other Betty Lou's Products! They all look so good, I am going to have trouble deciding which ones to eat first.

Here are the stats:

Calories- 150
Fat- 7g
Carbs-17g
Protein-10g
Dietary Fiber-5g
Sugars-8g

Sort of egg-shaped, but I'm ok with it.

Shared with three of my favorite people

Typical: Everyone on the computer with the TV on. We are a techno-family.

Mons wondering why the Hades I'm taking random pics of her.

Inhabited by 7 strange and psychotic, yet lovable creatures

Action shot

Photo shoot

This is my grandfather. He hates dogs...Max and Oscar like him.

Mizzer protecting his squeaker hot dog

Priceless

Tiki (the cockatiel) looking conspicuous, as usual.

The place where memories are made (the following pics were taken the day before my love left the U.S. almost two years ago)

 As I watch the last school year of my life fly by, and the beginning of real life drawing nearer, I’ve become mindful of everything that I may have neglected or taken for granted. Home is one of those things. To put it simply, there’s no place like home.