Posts Tagged Agave
Let The Countdown Begin
I think someone needs to splash some cold water in my face, and say, “Hello, Hillary…you do have a blog, ya know!” Sorry. I certainly have not been maintaining my blogging efforts the past few days. What can I say, the Nutrition Nut has been on the run. I feel as though I spend way too much of my time connected to the World Wide Web, and it is so refreshing to put away my camera, ignore the Internet, and live a life of normalcy – not capturing every move I make – like I did a mere five months ago.
I had a lovely and busy day yesterday away from the web. I slept in [I don't have class 'til 12:30pm on Thursdays], made a creamy bowl of banana oats, and enjoyed having the house to myself for the morning. Sunshine was seeping through my windows, I had Grooveshark Popular playing, and before I knew it, I was shaking and twisting all around my room. Heck, I probably got a better workout than any 30-minute exercise DVD could give me ; )
After an afternoon of classes, I jetted over to the gym to squeeze in a workout before having to get ready to see Colbie! My roommate snatched the last bike for the 5:00pm spin class, so I was left to pedal alone.
- 45-minute spin [16.2 mi.] — a little slow?
- 1.5-mile run — I was cruising!
We rushed home to scarf down a few bites of food and pretty up before heading back to campus for the concert. Although a small and casual concert, Colbie Caillat was 100% uh-mazing!
Isn’t she just gorgeous?
She sang all my favorite songs flawlessly. Her tour stopped in my hometown today, so my mom and her girlfriends are going to the show tonight. Speaking of home, I am really ready to go home for a week. One week from today, and that’s where I’ll be. Let the countdown to Spring Break begin!
Finally…today: I had a repeat of Tuesday’s delicious oat combo for breakfast before sitting through my final two lectures for the week.
Surprise surprise I went the gym this afternoon — it’s becoming my 2nd home, no? Every Friday I tell myself I am going to go to yoga, but then talk myself out of it. Well, today I made it happen! My body is a tad sore from this week’s previous workouts, so I figured I could use an hour of quality stretching and strengthening. I don’t know why I don’t talk myself into going to yoga more often. I left completely at peace; it was a blissful hour of exercise and wonderful way to end the week.
***
I ate a quick lunch before heading out to run errands, and consequently it missed the camera’s eye. My grocery bag was extra light today since I like to leave my fridge clean and empty upon leaving town.
I did buy a bag of my favorite chips and dug into them while my dinner was taking a turn in the oven.
Love these!
Tonight’s meal featured the last quarter of my free butternut squash. I told my professor that the squash was used to its full potential : )
Butternut Squash + Brown Sugar, Cinnamon & Real Butter
Organic Baby Spinach, Red Onion, Pepitas & Sweet ‘n’ Tangy Balsamic
Since dinner was so healthy and all, I thought a little Friday treat was in order. Insert Starbucks ice cream and gooey Trader Joe’s Chocolate Chippers – mmm! I don’t know what’s with me and boxed food lately – bad bad bad – but it was rather nice to be able to enjoy warm cookies right after dinner without making havoc in the kitchen.
You know I couldn’t resist a miniature Starbucks carton of ice cream. There’s just no way : )
Alright, friends…now that you have a rough outline of my life since Wednesday, I’m going to go catch up on what ya’ll have been up to.
Namaste,
~ Hillary
15 comments March 5, 2010
No Pain No Gain
Hi Ya’ll!
Woo…it’s already 8:30pm and I’m just now finishing up my dinner and beginning to blog [it's quite the process]. I must make it quick tonight though, as I have to study for my 1 exam & 2 quizzes that I have tomorrow [surprise surprise].
Breakfast, oh Breakfast…if only you knew how much I dearly love you.
A reader suggested I try mixing my regular rolled oats and oat bran, so that’s exactly what I did. Oh, and props to me for trying new combinations and going outside of my [food] box lately.
In the mix:
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 cup oat bran
- 1/2 T ground flax
- cinnamon
Toppings:
- 1/2 d’anjou pear
- 1 T walnuts
- drizzle of agave
- big splash of 1% milk
***
I was dreading today’s 3-hour organic chem lab – as we had our first lab exam + 2 labs to finish – but it wasn’t as horrific as I was anticipating, and I came out alive the full 3-hours later. I ate a late lunch after class, including half of a succulent orange and leftover mac & cheese. FYI, Annie’s + Avocado = A-mazing!
Then there was some time wasted before I headed to the gym to get my March move on! I had a fabulous workout:
- 40-minute spin [15.0 mi.]
- 20-minute treadmill run [10 minutes @ 6.0mph (incline 2.0), 6 minutes @ 6.6mph, 4 minutes @ 6.8mph]
- 2 x 20 lat pulldown @ 40 lbs.
- 20 side dips each side @ 10 lbs.
- 2 x 10 bicep curl lunges each leg @ 20 lbs.
- 2 x 10 squats @ 20 lbs.
- 2 x 10 “weights-to-chin” @ 20 lbs.
- 2 x 10 “toe-touches” @ 20 lbs.
I can’t believe I didn’t look at the treadmill to see how far I’d run - my guess is around 2.5 miles. I definitely pushed myself tonight, especially with the faster treadmill speed. I know I am strong, but rarely push myself to my maximum potential. They only way to get stronger is by exerting more effort. No pain, no gain!
Dinner: steamed TJ’s Vegetable Gyoza + broccolini with soy sauce, toasted sesame oil & seseame seeds.
You think a few potstickers are going to do it for me after burning all those calories? You’ve got to be kidding. Next was some 0% Greek & Humboldt Honey Granola. I think I could eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner : )
I’m outta here…
~ Hillary
Question: If you are a blogger and also a college student, as I am, how do you manage your time between studying and keeping up with the blog world? Where and how do you find the discipline to keep yourself away from the screen?
17 comments March 2, 2010
It’s the little things…
Afternoon, friends! Tuesdays are officially the worst day of the week [in my book], but so far, so good…
I finally got out of bed around 8:15 – an hour later than I had wanted – but I must have needed the extra hour because I was still tired and moody (?) upon waking. I was in the kitchen making my breakfast when my roommate strolls in wearing her pajamas, pours a bowl of cereal, and asks, “Don’t you not have class until 11:00?”. She was right. As I’ve said before, I l.o.v.e. my mornings! I had already showered, gotten dressed and had a pot of oat bran simmering away before she had woken up…and she had class at 9:30! I hate having to rush my morning routine : )
Anywho…my bowl of oat bran today was double delicious! I like oatmeal 12x better than oat bran, but it’s nice to switch it up occasionally. I learned that the key to making a successful bowl of bran is cooking it on LOW heat, and making sure to not overcook it.
1 1/4 cup water
1/2 cup oat bran
1/2 T ground flax
~ 1/4 cup blueberries
~ 1 T chopped walnuts
[TJ's "baking" walnuts are so convenient!]
~ 1 tsp. agave
splash of 1% milk
A cup of [caffeinated] green tea is becoming a part of my morning routine.
***
Thankfully, we finished our chemistry lab early today, so I was able to come home to enjoy a hot lunch on this rainy, cold day [bipolar weather, I think so].
brown rice & stir-fried Soyaki tofu + slightly steamed broccolini, carrot & sesame seeds
The brown rice & tofu were left over from last night’s dinner, so I was able to just reheat them and enjoy within minutes. I honestly liked today’s lunch better than yesterday’s dinner – mmm…healthy & delicious!
***
It’s the little things in life that seem to be bringing me the most happiness right now: a creamy bowl of oats, a hot cup of tea, natural lighting and bright photographs, my reader’s sweet comments, a sweaty workout, a new magazine…
When life get’s tough, what makes you happy?
My muscles are soreness-free, so I’ll be hitting up the gym before my Nutrition & Food Science Association meeting tonight. Elementary Foods exam tomorrow. Statistics exam Thursday. Here we go…
12 comments February 23, 2010
I Taste Sunshine
Good Morning!
I wanted to challenge myself to write a post this morning before heading to school, so here I am. I may have gotten a head start last night (procrastinating O. Chem), but whatever works…right? =]
Breakfast
1 cup water
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 almond milk
1/2 banana
1 T unsweetened coconut
1 T agave
1 tsp. vanilla
***
Coffee Challenge
I seem to have totally forgotten about Goal #7 for 2010: “Visit Starbucks less frequently”. I have been so determined to reach the Gold Level by accumulating 30 stars, that my Starbucks habit has turned into a more frequent occasion than not. I want to challenge myself to not go to Starbucks this entire week. The only coffee I will allow myself to have will be made at home. Hopefully this snippet will keep me accountable…
***
Your Questions Answered
1) I want to know how you budget to shop at Trader Joe’s so often! I am jealous!
Growing up, my family did not put a strict budget on the grocery bill. Feeding my brother and I whole, natural, and usually organic foods was more important to my parents than saving a little bit of money from purchasing processed foods. Fortunately, I was raised in an area rich in fresh produce, seafood, organic dairy, and local cooperative markets to do such; however, that didn’t always mean cheap prices. I clearly obtained the same belief that quality (food) is better than quantity. There isn’t a Trader Joe’s near my hometown, so when I went away to college I thought that their prices were incredibly reasonable — $0.19 for a banana! I understand that what may be cheap to one may be pricey to another, but shopping at TJ’s works for my healthy lifestyle on a college budget.
[source]
2) I have a question regarding college… I have a test coming up next week for my nutrition class and I have no idea how to study. How do you memorize everything?
Despite the gazillion quizzes & exams I’ve taken in my lifetime, I still have not mastered a studying technique. I always do the practice exams/study guides if they are assigned, and attend any extra review sessions that are offered. Memorizing is something that does come fairly naturally, but when I have a ton of definitions to cram into my brain, I whip out the 3×5 cards. Sorry for such a generic answer. Good luck!
11 comments February 16, 2010
Just My Luck
Hello and Happy Thursday!
The weekend is near…can’t ya feel it? In my case, the weekend begins at 1:45pm today! I get an extra long Valentine’s/President’s Day weekend (4.5 days to be exact). I have been really looking forward to it, too, since my friend is visiting my new place for the first time. I was bummed when I woke up feeling under the weather yesterday, but when I woke up feeling 10x worse today, I was almost in tears – just my luck!
Fortunately, I don’t have class until 12:30pm, so I’m thankful to have the entire morning to hang at home and pity myself : ) I thought a bright red bowl of oats might cheer me up:
1 cup water
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 d’anjou pear
1/2 T ground flax
1/2 T agave
1/3 cup almond milk
cinnamon
I’ll be laying low today…something I don’t do particularly well. No exercise. Lots of tea.
Enjoy your day & stay healthy pretty please!
~ Hillary
***
Pink & Chocolatey GIVEAWAY: Enter Here!
11 comments February 11, 2010
Breakfast for Two
Good morning! Well, my Sunday is so far so good! I got up at a decent hour – 8:30 am is pretty darn early for a college student on a Sunday, wouldn’t you agree? Well, that’s because I had breakfast on my mind! The thought of breakfast is what gets me out of bed each morning. It is my absolute favorite meal of the day, and I had plans for a double breakfast today.
Breakfast #1
2 Van’s Low-Fat Waffles, Dollop of Greek Yogurt, Drizzle of Agave & Fresh Blueberries
Breakfast #2
After Breakfast #1, I got to baking Blogger Banana Bread (Muffins). I did not add chocolate chips or pecans to this batch, but instead, walnuts, a dash of cinnamon and sprinkling of raw sugar on top.
Enjoyed with a C ‘n’ C iced soy latte. If only I had a stainless steel straw like Tina : )
I wish mornings lasted longer. Must get going with my day…
~ Hillary
7 comments January 31, 2010
Zen
Hey hey. Happy Friday! I’ve had a rather peaceful day here — always a good way to start off the weekend. After my classes this morning I went to the gym and took a yoga class. It was a lot different from the hot yoga I did last week, but worthwhile nonetheless. It was all about deep stretching…and boy, did I need it! It was extremely calming – a perfect way to end the week. I didn’t break a sweat, so I’m hoping to do that at a spin class tomorrow morning. I think I’m really going to get into these group exercise classes this semester : )
I’ve been home since doing laundry, picking up, and maintaining the yoga zen with Mr. Amos Lee. I made a Carrots ‘n’ Cake iced faux latte this afternoon – mmm! This one’s for you, Mom:
Kona Drip Coffee + Soy Milk + Agave
Thanks for the sweet comments about yesterday’s vent. Ya’ll are great about turning my frowns upside-down. Off to a b.ball game tonight with the roomies…
Take care!
~ Hillary
10 comments January 29, 2010
Greek ‘N’ Granola
Beep beep. Snooze. Beep beep. Snooze. Beep. Snooze. Beep. Snooze.
That was me fighting with my alarm this morning. I had this terrific idea of waking up early and getting in some a.m. cardio (running), but it was really difficult to motivate myself. I miss my running girls – Stacy, Amy, Courtney…
Add 1 hour to my initial alarm, then I was up. A relaxing morning eating breakfast and blogging was just what I needed wanted. I’ll save the exercise ’til later.
Brex: Let’s play a little guessing game, shall we?
What is in my breakfast bowl?
Ding, ding, ding! We’ve got an answer!
It was definitely a Greek ‘n’ Granola day: plain nonfat Greek yogurt, Humboldt Honey Granola, 1/2 banana, 1T ground flax, and a drizzle of agave – yummm!
My Thursday looks a little like this:
- Brex & Blog
- Get ready for the day – it’s a process ; )
- Statistics
- Food Lab
- Gym
- Dinner
- R & R
Have a greate day!
~ Hillary
3 comments January 28, 2010
It’s a new day!
HAPPY Friday!
Hope your weekend is off to a great start. Do you have any festive plans? I am planning on going to an Ugly Christmas Sweater party Saturday, Christmas shopping, and getting my Christmas cards in the mail…perhaps I’ll get some baking done too : )
Anyway, my day began on a healthy note (always good, right?)…
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup oat bran
- 1/4 cup blueberries
- walnuts & agave
I am really enjoying all of the holiday blog posts and give-a-ways. Lovin’ the holiday spirit and abundance of recipes!
~ Hillary
5 comments December 4, 2009
