Chem test went very well – I think I got a 100, but I’m sure I made a few mistakes. We’re learning all about blood in Physiology – I cannot believe how our bodies evolved to work. Amazing stuff.
Given that we have tons of navy beans on hand (we’re planning them for Friday’s dinner as well), I stuffed a whole wheat pita with 1/4 a cup mashed with a little EVOO and avocado. Delicious! I broke the pita in half for easier eating.
I’m loving oranges these days – especially eating them this way on the peel. It’s a little messier than peeling/slicing because the juice squirts out, but it’s SO much easier to prepare. This wasn’t a blood orange (ewww I don’t like those!) but it was on the pink side!?
I had the TJ’s honey greek yogurt today. While there was absolutely nothing Greek about it (it was as runny as any ole’ yogurt), the flavor was great. I might buy this again, but it was rather high in calories for only 5 oz so I’d probably enjoy a bigger portion of plain with fresh honey more. That’s volume eating for you. Topped with sliced almonds –
When I was trying to come up with a fourth component of my lunch I went through the food groups to see where I was lacking:
Fruit -check
Dairy – check
Protein – check (beans, almonds, yogurt)
Whole grains – check
Healthy fats – check (avocado, olive oil, almonds)
Veggies?!?! Missing!! But I wasn’t in the mood for cold cucumber or peppers and I didn’t want to stuff anything else in my sandwich. So I opened the fridge to give it a good stare (I do this sometimes for bright ideas…) and the pumpkin jumped out at me!! I added a tsp of splenda and some pumpkin pie spice and was set to go. At the last minute I threw some Kashi H2H in with my almonds for some added crunch.
This lunch was 500 calories, 17 grams fiber and 28 grams protein.
I’m still a little “hungry” but judging from these numbers, I should be satisfied – which tells me I need to drink some water. I didn’t have enough this morning and I know that’s what’s really irking my stomach.
I have a slight headache coming on in my shoulders – I bet it’s all spurred by Chem lab 👿 I hope it goes away or I might not be able to take all those boring chemicals!
See you tonight 🙂
Katherine says
What are the benefits of sprouted bread.
I am hoping someone will know the answer to this. I have been hesitant to buy sprouted bread because we are supposed to avoid spouts due to salmonella. Wouldn’t the way the sprouted bread is grown create the same salmonella concerns?
Thanks!
Comrade GoGo says
Your impromptu pumpkin mixture sounds yum! It reminds me of when I was a kid and I would make recipes for my parents to taste. Only I would combine stuff like Hershey’s syrup with Cheerios and fruit roll-ups. Heh.
BethT says
Is that orange a cara cara orange? I just tried those recently and they, too are a little pinky on the inside. Interested!
Katherine says
Just to add the website says that:
The sprouting process naturally converts starchy grains into easily digested maltose and other complex sugars.
so wouldn’t that mean I would get hungry faster than when eating wheat bread?
Kiala says
I love blood oranges! You really don’t like them?
Anyhooters, do you ever watch You Are What You Eat on BBC America, Kath? I kind of love it.
Anna says
Kath,
You need an orange peeler and slicer from Pampered Chef! They are only 75 cents and peels oranges perfectly.
https://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=18&words=orange%20peeler
No matter how many times I use mine in my staff lunch room, there is always someone amazed by it. 🙂
Susan says
I know you love epsom salt baths what are they? I remember doing some weird pink bath when I was little and had chicken pox.
vegan blog tracker says
Anna – I feel silly, but I’ve NEVER heard of an orange peeler. $0.75?! What’ll they think of next?
Tina says
Very creative with the pumpkin mixture!
Tina says
Forgot to ask, do you used canned pumpkin or do you mash up the real stuff?
JenP says
The Case of the Missing Veggies….sounds intriguing! 🙂
Elizabeth says
Susan,
Kath posted this link in her post the other day. This used to be one of her clients. http://www.epsomsaltcouncil.org/ If you click on the “About Epsom Salt” section, you should be able to find lots of information!
Tina,
Kath’ll have to correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe she uses canned pumpkin…not the filling for pumpkin pie, only pumpkin.
Hope that helps! Have a great day!
hk says
Tina-in the past, kath has mentioed she uses Libby (brand) canned pumpkin puree (not to be mistaken for pumpkin pie mix). I also use the Libby’s brand, but whole foods has their own puree as well. Either way, I’m sure the canned will cut down the prep. Time to virtually instant put-together time 🙂 it’s YUM!!!
Christin says
Kiala, I always like reading your comments, they crack me up! Where do you come up with stuff like anyhooters? too funny 🙂
Susan, if you had a pink bath, that was most liekly calamine lotion in the water to relieve the itch. epsome salts are clear…I bet goalie can give you a rundown of what they are exactly…:)
Christin says
Susan, I googled epsome salts, and attached the wikipedia rundown…it tells you what they are and thier uses…the picture makes epsome salts looks like powdered sugar or drugs or something though…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium_sulfate
Kelly says
Kath-
Do you eat your bean pitas cold or hot? I was thinking of doing something similar with FF refried beans and adding salsa to get some veggies in. I can’t decide if it would be good cold or not.
Katers says
Hey Kath and everyone,
I have a question about sleep and exercise. For about 3 weeks now, I’ve been getting up at 7:15 to exercise a few times a week (2-4 times). (I’m lucky that my gym is right across the street, so I get in a good 45 min workout). I usually get in bed by 10 to read, chat with my bf (who gets home from work late between 8 and 9, or even 10 if he goes to the gym after work). I’m usually asleep by 11, midnight at the latest. That gives me 7 hrs of sleep on average. The first two days of the week, waking up isn’t a huge problem. It’s tough, but I don’t feel tired 5 min after I’m up and moving around. But by the third and fourth days, I’m exhausted and feel like sleeping another hour instead of getting up, even after walking around a bit.
Do you guys find you need more sleep as your schedule wears on you through the week? Any ideas on things I could do? Currently, my bf turns on the coffeemaker at 7, so I usually sip coffee in bed until 7:15, which helps me wake up some.
Thanks guys!!
NC says
hi Kath, just wondering… what did you mean by
(I’m going to try to include these more since I changed my food diary to include them for each meal).
Did the CK tracker thing say you were falling short of your protein and fiber recommendations? Or are you just trying to emphasize these instead of fats and carbs?
What do navy beans taste like? And why did you soak and cook the dry ones instead of using canned? Is it the sodium in canned? I thought you could reduce the sodium in canned foods just by rinsing them before using.
Tina says
Hi Katers,
More sleep could definitely be it. For me, Monday and Tuesday are a piece of cake. Wednesday and Thursday are a little more difficult…and I almost always sleep in on Fridays. It could also be a mental thing. For example, I am much less motivated at work on Fridays too– I think it’s my TGIF attitude that influences my morning workouts. I actually put some tips on my blog to help with morning workouts. You should check it out.
Ash says
Kelly – I totally did the refried beans/salsa mixture for part of my dinner last night! Ate it as a dip with baked tortilla chips. YUM! I heated mine up, but I was also curious about eating it cold. Would probably be good in a sandwich, but not as dippable if you wanted to eat it with chips.
Another Kelly says
Katers,
I would try sleeping a little more. 7 hours would definitely not be enough for me. It takes 8-9 hours for me to feel well rested.
VeggieGirl says
Kath, I’m sure that you DID ace that examination – you seem to really know your stuff, so don’t fret! :0)
I love the mashed bean/avocado combination – it’s quite satisfying in sandwiches, for sure!
The headache is mostly likely due to the stress you’re feeling from the chem lab, and from the weather – feel better soon!!
Katers says
Thanks Tina!
Thanks Another Kelly. I actually have been tracking my sleeping for about a month now. I find that if left to my own devices, I can sleep a full 10 hrs and still feel tired. 7-8 hrs a night is when I usually feel my best, if I’m not doing morning workouts. But with the morning workouts thrown in, I start to feel more and more lackluster as the week goes on.
KatieB says
Hey Kath,
You said you tend to pack your lunches the night before – I try to do that too so I’m not rushing around like a crazy person and/or late for work 🙂 Last night I made myself a delicious whole wheat pita with hummus, cucumber, tomato, greens and onion but by lunch today it was pretty soggy. You bring sandwiches with lots of veggies and similar ingredients sometimes – do you have any tips for keeping it crisper? Or do I have to suck it up and make it in the morning? Thanks! 🙂
sarah says
mmm, that sandwich looks good — i can’t believe how many more lunch ideas i have since discovering this blog just a few days ago. yay!
also i agree that the TJ’s greek yogurts are very un-greek (ie: runny) but i actually like their consistency a lot. they are still silky smooth and creamy (unlike many other nonfat yogurts i have tried like stonyfield farm and the like)
i am going to try the pumpkin thing sometime too although i will probably add brown sugar & cinnamon rather than splenda 🙂
Jessie says
Just want to THANK EVERYONE for the advice on the low cal drinks yesterday! I love how nice everyone is on here and how eager everyone is to share with each other! Keep up the good work everyone 😀
HealthyEater1 says
Sorry if this is kind of gross, but do the beans and pumpkin make you flatulent??
Tara says
I bought a pack of pita bread and it tasted AWFUL…it tasted soooo processed (Matt – waiting on pita recipe….(-: ). Has anyone discovered a goooood store bought whole wheat pita brand?
Also, Ezekial bread is supposed to have a pretty dry crust, right? Before I ban this stuff from my kitchen, I just want to double check and make sure that it wasn’t just a one-time bad purchase.
JennS says
matt, i also request a pit bread baking attempt! 😀
NCCarter says
Tara – I’m glad you noticed the dryness of the Ezekial, too. Sometimes I can’t even pull the frozen pieces apart without breaking them. I think it makes good toast, but I don’t like it for sandwiches. I do, however, love that Peperidge Farm small slice bread. I’ve had the 100% whole wheat and the oatmeal, and I think the texture is really good on both. Plus, it’s only 60 cals/slice, so that’s not bad at all.
Anne says
Hey Kath (or anyone)! I have a question… I’m interested in trying an Epsom Salt bath. Do you avoid getting any of the water (with the salts in it) on your face when you are taking these baths? Or would that not cause harm? Just curious.
hk says
pita-searchers: I really like the “Bread for Life” whole wheat pitas, as well as Thoma’s Sahara Whole Wheat pitas. They come in sandwich size (150 ckal) and mini’s (70kcal). They’re great, and freeze really well if needed.
enjoy!
hk says
oops, Thomas’s Sahara whole wheat pitas **sorry
Kelsey says
I love ezekial bread, but find it it to be a little hard/dry sometimes too (especially since I keep it in the fridge!) I pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds and that helps a lot!
Kiala says
Oh, thanks Christin! I don’t think I can take credit for anyhooters. I believe I read it on Go Fug Yourself.
Now THOSE girls are some funny.
Christin says
lol! right on, Kiala, I’ll have to check that out 🙂
hey have you guys tried the Ezekiel tortillas yet? They, like the bread, are a bit drier, but they are so much more filling than regular tortillas, and I love using them for quesadillas, tortilla rolls, etc…
HokieShelley says
Hey KatieB! I pack my lunches the night before too, and when I pack something like hummus with veggies on bread or something that could get soggy, I pack each component separately (or at least the bread separate from the potential causers of sogginess) and then put it together when I eat it. Soggy bread is the worst!
Casie says
Kath, do you find white bean pitas more filling than hummus, I have seen you eat the white bean ones more often.
How much grams of protein do you aim for? Does a 1/4 cup beans really provide enough? I am afraid I don’t eat enough, but I eat similar lunches to your lunch today (i’m a vegetarian)
Casie says
Sorry, but just to add (someone else can give their opinon too), I eat a lot of low fat cheese for protein which I know is a sat. fat. My fat percentage def. is on the high end, I am not overweight though. Do you think this is ok?
KatieB says
Thanks HokieShelley- good idea!
Jessie – what day were all the low cal drink options posted?
the husband says
Anne,
You’ll be fine getting epsom salts on your face. You can ingest them as well (for a laxative effect). But if you get a few drops in your eyes/nose/mouth, you won’t notice anything.
mags says
kath –
i think you mentioned you were injured back in college and had to stop running. i am a huge runner but i think am going to have to back off because of a foot injury. what exactly was wrong with yours? do you have any other ideas for workouts with similar calorie burns? i always feel like i don’t get a workout without a good hard run!
also… any tips on decreasing kcals since i won’t be exercising as much?
mags says
that question is for anyone out there! not just kath!
anyone else a runner who goes CRAZY when you can’t run?!
goalie30 says
mags,
i used to feel that way when i was heavy into training/racing and ran 5-7 days per week, but now that i work 9 hours a day and also have other fitness interests besides running, like weight lifting! i tend not to miss it as much because i can kick my butt just as hard when i weight lift hard or get on the elliptical and crank up the resistance setting…when i can’t run more than 2 times per week due to the recent weather though i definitely get a little edgy and i think it’s because my body’s missing the sunlight it’s used to getting when i run outside 3-5 times a week in the spring-fall
BethT says
Mags, two workouts that do it for me: spinning and stair climbing!!! I like the stair climber that looks like an escalator – it burns mega calories, as does spinning. always gives me a similar burn to running.
Casie says
Kath when you ate portabella with your white bean sandwich last time how do you cook your portabella? Thanks 🙂
Hope chem lab went well………bio lab was the worst with counting literally hundreds of fruit flies!!
bev says
Kath , Have you tried the plain T J’s greek yogurt . I tried it and it was very thick and creamy. I loved it ( not running at all ).
Nadia says
mmm that looks delish…I have a can of white beans…i know what I’m going to have for dinner tomorrow. thanks for the idea 🙂
becks says
Kath, love the blog and it’s been SO HELPFUL in giving me new recipes!
Question for you…how did you determine how many calories you should eat per day? This always confuses me the most…I don’t want to eat too many, or too little. Calorie King told me that to lose I should eat 2000 per day?! That seems high for a 5’2” girl weighing 130, wanting to lose about 10lbs. What is your thought?
TrishT says
Hi Becks,
I am also 5’2″, I have gone from 141 to 129 pounds by eating about 2100 c’s a day. I averaged 2.5 pound weight loss per month. Depending on your factors it is possible!
Megan says
Sorry Kath but pumpkin is actually classified as a fruit!!
natalie says
http://deliciouslivingmag.com/mag/dl_recipe_659/index.html
Kath- I havent commented much but I think this is a “you” recipe! mmmm!
Serena says
Wow, I weigh 135 and want to get to 125 (and 5’5″) and calorie king told me to NET 1200 calories a day! It’s not hard to do that when I exercise, but on days when i don’t work out, geesh, it’s hard. i wonder how we got such different recommendations from CK?!
Jessie says
KatieB- it was under yesterdays post “Egg-a-licious” i asked for low cal alchohol drinks and got a ton of wonderful suggestions, check it out! 😀
Jen says
Hello Kath!
I’m pretty new to the blog, and im not sure if its been mentioned before, but i was wondering how you know exactly how many calories, grams of fat, fibre, etc, are in each of your meals, it doesnt seem like you’re roughly estimating. Thank you, and i really love the blog! 🙂
B_Hlthy says
hey ! I found these yummy chips! From Trader Joes… they are whole wheat pita chips, they have a bunch of different flavors but I tried the french onion. I think I would love the other flavors (like cinnamon and sugar) more but these are a great “cracker” type snack and were only 1.99 for the bag. I don’t like crackers or chips or snack type foods but I figured id give these a go for after work- on the way to class snack. Yum!
eliza says
i am 5 2 1/2 .. and weigh about 138 …
i really want to get down to 125
i eat about 1800 calories a day. is that too much?!
Kath says
Kiala,
The “blood” weirds me out but I’ll eat them with my eyes closed! I haven’t seen that show but I’ll try to remember to DVR it. Email me when you know what times it comes on!
Anna,
How exactly does that orange peeler work!?
Kelly,
I eat them hot when I can, but cold when I’m on campus. Although I try to let them come up to room temp at least. I think refrieds would taste fine at room temp.
Katers,
For me, it gets easier to get up as the week goes on and my body clock readjusts from sleeping in an hour or so later on the weekends. I agree that it sounds like you could use an extra hour. I really need 7.5-8 hours to feel rested. I’m tired on only 7 too.
NC,
No, I’m not trying to work on protein or fiber, but I did change my diary to show these amounts in addition to calories (well, I’d been showing fiber for a while but I added protein) so I thought it was easy enough to share and would be useful.
Here’s what I said the other day about canned beans: When you soak the beans yourself you don’t have the added sodium of the canned beans (you can rinse them but there’s still lots absorbed into the beans) and they are much cheaper dry than canned. I think our bag made like 10 cups as was .$79 and that would be at least 3-4 cans at $1 each (unless you find that on sale too). I think they taste better too! But perhaps from all the hard work that goes into them 🙂
KatieB,
Sometimes my lunches do get soggy, but other times not. I’m not sure what’s contributing, but I definitely know pickles/jalapenos are bad to put on the night before. I could tell the egg salad would make it soggy too so I added that in the AM. I’m not sure what to recommend other than keep things like lettuce and cheese against the bread and the wetter things on the inside when you can mange that.
Tara,
I don’t find Ezekiel bread to be that dry, but I do notice a difference when I buy it fresh vs. frozen (EarthFare sells it fresh and Harris Teeter frozen). But the microwave usually fixes any dryness right away.
Anne,
No harm in Epsom Salt on the face! You can consume it as well, but it’s a mild laxative so be careful!
Casie,
I do find the mashed beans more filling than hummus, but mostly because I use more of them than I do hummus, which I use sparingly because of added oils and tahini making it more calorie-dense. I don’t really count protein, but 1/4 a cup fit perfectly in my pita.
Mags,
I had a fused joint that was causing horrible arthritis and could barely walk at times. I had no idea how to get high intensity workouts without running, which is partly why I gained weight the last 2 years of college. Now I know how to get the same intensity: spinning classes ROCK, the Stairmaster, high resistance on the ET, and swimming, if you have a pool. All of those get my heart rate up to 160s where it is while I’m running. Take care of that food!
Casie,
I believe we grilled the portabella, but you could also broil it or sear it in a pan. Just cook it until it’s tender. Olive oil tastes GREAT on mushrooms, so drizzle some of that too!
Becks,
2,000 NET?? That seems way too high. Are you sure that number wasn’t gross? I would choose your own NET based on your BMR, which is your weight in kg (lbs/2.2) x .9. That will be a baseline for a very sedentary lifestyle but you should add at least 100 back for some daily activity and of course add back any intentional exercise.
Jen,
I have an online food journal at CalorieKing.com that calculates it all for me.
Eliza,
Numbers are so subjective you really should see an R.D. to get a good idea of what your daily requirements are.
Kath
Anna says
The orange peeler has two ends – one for cutting into the peel and one for taking it off. I cut it into fourths and then use the other side to take the peel off. I then have a peeled orange that I’m easily able to open and eat slice by slice. No mess!
B_hlthy – The pita chips are fantastic! Stacy’s Pita Chips are even better though, in every flavor. I get a big bag from CostCo and enjoy them with hummus. Yum!