One Last Play Day
I’m officially back at school for two more weeks plus one week of finals then I can breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy the winter holidays.
I had an awful night sleep. My nose was stuffed up and I couldn’t breathe so I just tossed and turned and finally got up at 7:45 because I was sick of trying to sleep.
Green Monsters do my sore throat good.
Even if I have to make them in my bathroom to avoid disturbing my sleeping roommates.
But even that didn’t help. Sorry Joey…
Then I got my sweat on my doing a 30-minute interval workout on the stationary bike. I stopped 4 times to do a one minute plank then called it quits because I had a hot date.
With bestie Jenn 🙂
Deciding where to go was easy.
Besides the fact that I end up scrapping off about half of the cream cheese every time I go, Hole in One Bagels (aka “The Bagel Shop”) is the best.
So nice to put off homework and do some catching up with my lovely friend.
When I got back home I returned to drinking hot tea like it’s my job.
Dear cold, please go away, I have other things to worry about like finals and how I’m going to stay awake till 2 a.m. during extended library hours for the next two weeks.
I almost bailed on my mom and sister but since my mom had already bought the movie tickets I joined them for a Sunday matinee.
Packed some snacks.
Like a fig (my first ever!)
So cool looking on the inside!
Sidenote: While at Best Buy perusing the camera section on Saturday a lady approached us and asked what we would need a new camera to do and she seemed quite confused when we hesitantly replied “to take pictures of food…” Joey then explained that I write a food blog and she admitted she had no idea what a food blog was but that she’d had another lady recently purchase a camera for her food blog!!
If I had had $700+ dollars I would have a new camera and you would be able to see those fig seeds. Unfortunately I don’t have that kind of money to spend on myself and you’ll just have to use your imagination.
Also brought 2 dates, 2 graham cracker + peanut butter sandwiches and some cashews.
These snacks may have been the best part of Love and Other Drugs. Jake Gyllenhaal sure is cute but the movie just didn’t appeal to me.
Back to drinking tea and moping over the fact that it’s Monday and I’m at school.
Shopping on a Saturday
Black Friday, who? I do my Christmas shopping on the following Saturday.
Oatmeal for two was cooked this morning. I swear it’s just wayyy creamier when I make it for two as opposed to one.
When I asked Joey what toppings he wanted he replied with “just brown sugar” — talk about boring!
I went with granola, Justin’s Choco Hazlenut and apple butter.
I think I’m in a topping rut but I did just pick up my first jar of Crofter’s + a new granola so hopefully things will change.
After breakfast, meal planning ensued. I love when meal planning goes quickly and this was one of those weeks, yahoo!
We made stops at various stores for Christmas related purchases and returns (plus a trip to Whole Foods, because I just can’t resist). We also entertained ourselves with some snowglobes.
He was about to make it in!
We returned home for a late lunch of leftovers (for me at least) and some homework, bleh. So not ready to go back to school 😦
Lunch cheered me up a bit.
I guess since I keep eating this soup I should give up the recipe, huh?
Easy & Hearty Minestrone Soup
- 1t olive oil
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 small zucchini, chopped
- 1T Italian spice blend
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained and washed
- 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes + juice
- 3/4 cup small pasta (I used elbows)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Add olive oil to a pot over medium heat, then add onion and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes.
- Add carrots, zucchini, celery and Italian spice blend, stir and cook 2-3 more mintues.
- Add broth and turn heat to high. Bring soup to a boil.
- Turn down heat and simmer for ten minutes.
- Add tomatoes/juice, beans and pasta and cook 15-20 minutes or until vegetables and pasta are cooked.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
After I refrigerated the soup the liquid disappeared so I simply added some water and it was good to go.
Plus half an Udi’s Eggplant Panini that I microwaved then stuck in the broiler to re-toast the bread.
With our hunger taken care of we were free to return to shopping, groceries included.
Ended the night with dinner at PF Chang’s (thanks for the free gift cards, Denver Rock’n’Roll Half Marathon) and my favorite couple, aka our roomies Hannah and Josh.
Sunday already? Grooooooaaaaaaannnnn.
Thanksgiving Continues?
I thought Thursday was Thanksgiving but yesterday felt like a holiday too and I for one was not complaining.
I watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade EVERY year but this year I was running a race so the parade was taped and watched a day late. Turns out I was very okay with it because it made it feel like Thanksgiving wasn’t over.
By the way, remember how I refered to Black Friday shoppers as “crazies”? Yeah, I was one of those crazies last year and Joey was one this year. He got up at 3 AM to snag a new tv and even though he was in line at Target 45 minutes before it opened he still didn’t get the tv. I learned my lesson last year and stayed in bed.
We woke up, cooked some food (I was hungry so I guess I didn’t overdo it yesterday!), picked up some starbucks and dined in bed while watching the parade.
Soy because I have a bit of a cold and milk doesn’t help.
Macchiato for Joey.
Doesn’t our carpet make a nice backdrop?
Lazy oatmeal = banana whipped oats + sprinkle of granola and maple syrup. Plain and simple but delish.
At noon I finally dragged myself out of bed but only because there was promise of leftovers and fresh out of the oven Great Harvest bread at my parents’.
In other words I was the epitome of lazy yesterday.
I had a taste of everything and it was just as good the second time around! The stuffing is officially gone 😦 Can’t wait to see it again for Christmas.
The bread is gluten free and pretty darn tasty. I was excited to identify the flax seeds inside 🙂
Got a massage after lunch (told you I was lazy today!) then went home and lounged about.
Dinner was leftovers of our minestrone soup, which looks more like stew now that the liquid has had time to absorb.
We ate this on Wednesday night and while it was delicious I definitely woke up at 4 in the morning and HAD to go eat a snack. I was so hungry I thought I was going to die.
Sure looks pretty though.
Pumpkin Muffin from Great Harvest is calling my name, see ya!
Lauren Loves Good Food 