HodgePodge

Long, long, long, long time no post.  I have said this before but I really did think that finishing up last semester would mean more time to blog.  It really just means more time to do other things (without documenting them, woops.)  The only thing I have been busy doing is job hunting.  I have had the same summer job for six years now so I didn't realize how tough it can be to find one.  Especially one I might enjoy!  The search continues...

On a better note, I'm signed up for the Healthy Living Summit.  I'm so excited that it's in Chicago this year.  I think it will be a really awesome opportunity to learn and meet a ton of great people.  Hopefully it will give me a kick in the rear to be a better blogger as well.

Foods lately have been a hodgepodge of stuff.  Keefer was here for almost a whole week so we made (and ate out) some great food, some of which I snapped pics of, some of which I did not.

The first morning he was here he made this awesome om with mushroom, onion, tomato and avocado.

We also made Mexican dip which was so good but we ate far too much of it in one sitting.  The rest we used on salads but it def should have lasted us longer than it did.  We layered refried beans, avocado, sour cream, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, onion, and olives.  The olives were yummy ones from the olive bar however I think I would have liked just plain canned black olives.

Our school had $5 Cubs tix on sale a while ago so we bought some.  It was my first Cubs experience and it was fun but a little too chilly.  I'll go back when it warms up a bit more.  ;)  I love the atmosphere at baseball games!  A bunch of fans enjoying the day while eating hot dogs and drinking beer...even though I skipped on the hot dog.  (Keefer was here too but somehow he snuck out of this.)

(Yes, I did rock my Tigers hat at a Cubs game....I'm new to Chi and have no Cubs gear...yet.)

After the game we headed to http://www.gooseisland.com/.  I loved the beer and the vegetarian chili was good too!  We also split the spinach artichoke dip which was super tasty!

Keefer and I are both on a student budget so we tried to find fun things to do for free/cheap in Chi.  One of the days we went to the Botanic Gardens.  It was SO huge and SO pretty.  Such a nice walk.  We stayed for a few hours and although it would have been nice to have it warmer, it was so nice to see all the plants and flowers!  

After the gardens we went to a small restaurant, Dimitri's which we though would be pricey when we walked in but it turned out to be pretty reasonable.  We both ate for around $24.

I started with a greek salad

and Keefer started with minestrone soup.  We both love minestrone so we are on the lookout for a good recipe!

I ordered a porkchop which I had been craving that came with some veggies.

Mine was good but Keefer's gyro was so much better.

Another free thing we did was hit the Lincoln Park Zoo.  For being free, we thought it was a great zoo.  We had a lot of fun!

Keith is coming again next week to stay for a bit so we are going to try to find more things to do for cheap, cheap, cheap!

Now for more hodgepodge...

I'm moving in a week so I'm not grocery shopping, just trying to eat what's in my cupboards.  It will be nice to not move so much stuff but I'm in need of more food in my fridge!

I laid out for the first time this summer, yesterday and got pretty fried so I'm off to aloe up.  My body looks like a tomato!

Tara (:

Open Screens

It is so wonderful to be back in Michigan and to hear the birds chirping, the ducks quacking and having the screen doors open to let the warm breeze flow in.  It really feels like summertime.  Today I even put on my bathing suit and sat out on the deck.  The trees don't have leaves yet and the plants aren't in bloom but the nice weather just makes it beautiful outside no matter what.

As always when I'm home, I forget to snap pics but I did take a couple.

Before I left Wednesday morning I made some awesome oatmeal with blueberries.  I am getting addicted.

Keith made a delicious spaghetti sauce for dinner on Wednesday.  It was suppose to be old but we decided it would be better heated up.

Keith also made me pancakes the next morning.  Such a treat!

Hope you're all having a great start to the Easter weekend!

Tara (:

Let's Go State!

TGIF!!  Only one ten minute meeting with my director stands in the way of my weekend.  We are all meeting with her to discuss our goals.  Tonight I'm going into the city to meet up with one of my best friends and college roommates, Kristi.  We are going to watch MSU WIN tonight!  GO STATE!  I'm going to stay overnight with her tonight and we are going to hang around the city tomorrow.  I'm excited!

Yesterday I made some eggs to start my morning with some toast.

I had a nice workout with Hannah yesterday before class and then had some munchies in class that I forgot to take a picture of.  When I got home I spent some time working on a project dealing with different diets.  Look at this stack of different diets for different disease states, eek.

For dinner I had some Trader Joe's Pesto Tortellini and a yummy salad.  Milk too of course!

After class last night I went out for a couple drinks with the girls.  Always nice to end the night/week like that.

This morning I just wasn't in the mood for anything but cereal so I ate some mini wheats.  I'm sure I'll be hungry sooner than later.

Have a great weekend!

Tara (:

Sign

Made it through hump day!  

This morning I was excited because Marie and Gaby had to come to my hospital for a fair on National Nutrition Month which meant I didn't have to ride the train alone.  I don't usually mind because I read a book but it is always so much more fun to talk to people.

I started with some cream of wheat with agave but knew I needed some protein so I scrambled up an egg too.

Doesn't this almost look like a scoop of vanilla ice cream?

At the hospital we did a healthy snack demo and made fruit and yogurt parfaits.  Unfortunately they ran out so I didn't get to eat one but I snacked on some of the popcorn, my carrots, PBJ and a fiber bar.  We got out a bit early so I headed to the gym.  When I got out it was 4:15 but I was SO hungry so I decided to just eat dinner.  I had leftover pasta dish from the other night with asparagus that I topped with olive oil and parmasean cheese and grilled (my fav) and some cottage cheese.

I know I would be hungry later in the night but I suppose I just couldn't wait for dinner.  

I signed the lease for my new house tonight!!  I'm moving in the end of May and can't wait!!  It will be so great not to live in a studio anymore and to have roooomies!  I'll be counting down the days til I'm out of this apt!

I finished up some homework tonight and then my tummy started grumbling.  I made a salad topped with sprouts, avocado, onion, tomato, sugar snap peas, pepper and balsamic vinaigrette and it was yummy.  Then to cure my sweet tooth I finished off the pudding I made the other night.

I can't believe a week from today I'll be going home for Easter! Time is flying by!

Tara (:

Spring in my Step

Hello bloggies!  Hope you all had a great weekend.  Mine was wonderful and relaxing!  Keefer came this weekend because I was dog/house-sitting for my mom's friend and didn't want to stay there alone.  It was nice to not be crammed in my studio but it's always good to be back in my own place with my own things. This weekend was filled with some good eats so here goes a mixture of my weekend...

Breakfast...

My usual cream of wheat with bananas.

Scrambled Eggs.

Old fashion oats with dried cranberries and cinnamon.

Keefer's hashbrowns.  YUM

Breakfast out!

This served as breakfast...and then again for lunch later.

Mine too!

Monday fuel.  Lots of eggs this weekend it seems, huh.

Lunch...

For lunch we tried this little place in town called Alpine Deli.  It was SO good and cheap.  I love finding these little gems.  It was cheap too!

One of our snacks...

Dinner was courtesy of Ellie Krieger this weekend.  She really has some amazing recipes.  This weekend we decided on tuscan roasted chicken and vegetables.  We added acorn squash, mushrooms and onions to the recipe.  It was SO good.  I cannot wait to eat the leftovers!

We paired it with some garlic bread we bought from the Alpine Deli...again, SO yummy!  This may be my new fav place.

Last night we prepared Ellie's penne roasted tomatoes, garlic, and white beans.  We used whole wheat shells instead of penne and pinto beans.  It was a GREAT recipe that I also can't wait to make again.  I think I may add spinach and more tomatoes next time though.

I also made salads topped with tomatoes, onions, sprouts, mushrooms, olives, croutons, avocados, pepper and balsamic dressing.  Green beans on the side too!

This wasn't everything we ate this weekend but it's everything I remembered to take a pic of.  (There may have been some brownies in there too haha.)

Last night I made a batch of pudding and we topped it with a banana!

Keefer got to stay a bit later tonight so we got to go for a nice walk.  It's beautiful outside but still a little chilly.  I LOVE thinking that summer is getting so close.  Can't wait to have warm weather and a year of grad school under my belt.

(So glad I was walking and not taking the train anywhere today!)

I'm off to ask for donations for National Nutrition Month and hit the gym.  Happy Spring!

Tara (:

Accounting Sucks

I had my accounting exam tonight and it completely killed me.  UGH.  I will NEVER be a CPA, EVER!!!!!!

Anyways....I set my alarm to get up this morning and made myself some eggs over easy with coffee.  Delish!

I met Hannah at the gym around 11 to work out before my class.  I love our weekly gym sesh because it gets me out of bed and moving so that I can meet her.  I thought my bfast was big enough to hold me over but NOOOOO.  I was SO hungry before my class started at one so I grabbed a tuna sub from the cafe shop on campus.  It was actually more yummy than I thought and pretty cheap too!  I didn't get to snap a pic though because I was scarfing it down in class and I didn't think it would be appropriate to snap a pic.

I was on campus most of the day studying for my exam so by the time that awful thing was over I came home and heated up leftover spaghetti and grabbed a cheese stick before heading down the street to meet my friends for a drink.

I also got a salad because I was in need of some veggies when I got to the bar but forgot to snap a pic of that.  I did snap pics of beer and me!  I'm on the right in the green!

I stayed up late last night talking to my best friend for an hour and a half!  I'm extra tired so I'm resting up for our sports nutrition conference tomorrow!

Tara (: