The Healthy Everythingtarian

What did YOU do this weekend?

…scares you.

Perhaps a 6-mile run at 6:30am? Even though I slept a solid 9 hours (after falling asleep at 8pm in my work clothes and proceeding to wake up at 5am looking like a hot mess of a hungover college girl who had just woken up in some random guy’s bed), it still took every ounce of energy I had to run.  That and a slice of PB+J toast with black coffee.

…comforts you.

Yes, more PB+J+B toast and black coffee. No shame.

…gives you a sense of accomplishment.

For me, that was working diligently all morning and getting thisfrickinclose to finishing a few projects at work while sipping on a TJ’s Raspberry Lime sparkling water + POM juice mocktail.

…makes no logical sense whatsoever.

Like purchasing an overpriced KIND bar when you’re trying to stick to a budget and brought your lunch to work. Then, if at all possible, devour it in 0.02 seconds and never actually take the time to taste it.

…is completely new to you.

You all know I love my yog messes. That’s just plain fact. However, I think the apple mess is totally the new yog mess. Mark my words Zac Posen. Just take 1.5 cups of unsweetened, natural applesauce and add 1/2 cup of strawberries + 1 crumbled Dark Chocolate Muffin. Mess and eat.

…that involves the word ‘balls.’

If for no other reason than it’s good for an immature chuckle. And let’s be real, we need more immature chuckles in our lives. Whether it’s Caitlin’s Flax-Encrusted Sweet Potato Balls (below) or one of Averie’s Famous Raw Ball recipes, just say balls. It will immediately make you smile. Balls. I dare you. Balls.

…includes peanut butter + chocolate.

For obvious reasons.

…makes you feel like you are back in 6th grade.

Like ROLLERBLADING! I went rollerblading with my friend Steph after work for an hour. Did I almost biff it multiple times? Of course. But when you get sunny, 80 degree weather in Wisconsin, you soak up every last droplet of warmth and forget about falling face first in the grass.  Then you come home and while dinner is cooking, devour some of Gena’s delicious Banana Soft Serve…

2 small frozen bananas
lots of cinnamon
1/2 T peanut butter

…is just plain good for your body.

Today, that meant veggies…LOTS of veggies! I took 3 heads of kale, and with the help of coconut oil, salt, garlic salt, crushed red pepper + a 400 degree oven, turned them into a mean batch of Kale Chips. Then I nuked a sweet ‘tater in the microwave for 6 minutes (poke holes in it first) and topped it with a bit o’ real buttah. And yes, I ate the skin. Mama Everythingtarian says that’s where all the fiber is.

…requires no thought at all.

Watch Glee, LOST (requires some thought) and Pray the Devil Back to Hell in bed with the same clothes you went rollerblading in, do some dishes while listening to Pandora, take a warm bath and go to bed without overthinking a single minute of your day. If you figure out how to do that last one, please let me know.

Fill in the blank. Do something everyday that ________, and give me an example from your day!

…the tough get going.

Don’t believe me? Just listen to Mr. Billy Ocean in all his 1980s glory tell it like it is:

This video makes me happy.

Anyways…pardon the usage of such a cliche, but it’s true. When we’re faced with things that seem so hard and insurmountable, we really need to take it one thing at a time and just get going with it.

I believe the tough peeps in the world do this with the help of two things: to-do lists and schedules.

And if you are a regular reader of my blog, you will know I am horribly bad at both. I’ve ruminated on both topics several times before. Honestly, I LOVE the idea of both to-do lists + schedules, which is probably why I make them on a daily basis.  When it comes to following through with them however, my right-brained, don’t-tell-me-what-to-do free spirit self rebels and well…they just don’t happen.

For example, yesterday morning, I meant to wake up at 5:30am, get some much-needed things done, arrive at work early and have a very productive Friday (if that even exists?). Instead, I woke up at 7am, cursed the world, tripped over the large pile of laundry in my bedroom and threw together a bunch of ingredients to hopefully make something sort of resembling a large strawberry pancake…

1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 T protein powder
1 egg
splash of vanilla extract
splash of milk
splash of canola oil
cinnamon
baking powder
vanilla NuNaturals stevia drops
1/2 cup strawberries + 1/2 mushed banana
peanut butter

Even though I got to work more than an hour late with a frizzy halo of flyaways crowning my egg-shaped head, this breakfast surprisingly turned out quite well.

If I had scheduled myself appropriately, I would have packed a lunch in order to save some desperate $$$. But I didn’t. Instead, I went out to lunch for the 5th time this week…

(clockwise from top left)

• two vegetable samosas
• chana masala
• lots of naan
• aloo baigain
• chicken tikka masala
• salad

Since it was a buffet, I naturally went back for a second plate. There is no to-do list or schedule that needs to remind me to do that. Plate #2 included more naan, aloo baigain + one veg samosa. Don’t know what any of this food I speak of is? Check out my Reader’s Request: Indian Food post!

If I really wanted to get tough on the going, I probably wouldn’t have purchased this overpriced, homemade candy bar after eating my body weight in Indian.

Zang…

Zing…

Zingermans!

source

Two words: FOOD COMA.

Two more words: CAUSES UNPRODUCTIVITY.

By the time I had shuffled my Indian food child back to the office, my hour-long lunch was more than up and the clock read 1:00pm. I would be much more inclined to schedule myself more efficiently if my hours didn’t feel more like minutes. I digress.  There are never going to be enough hours in the day.

I left work at 4:00pm and headed home with a major to-do list in hand.

First on the list: stop being lazy and make something for dinner.

Okay, okay…so maybe black beans + rice isn’t exactly the most posh dinner, but it did require me to cook up a batch of brown rice. Throw in a can of black beans and some spices – you’ve got yourself a fine PROJECT CLEANOUT dinner.

The key ingredient? This lovely spice I received oh-so-long ago…

The rest of the night was spent getting things done that I hadn’t intended to get done on Friday. Confused by my cryptic words? I think this shall help everything make sense…

I told you I like to-do lists + schedules. I do. I really, really, really do. Without them, I would never remember anything or remember to get anything done.

So, in the midst of my A.M. tardiness yesterday, I somehow found the time to make this comprehensive, day-by-day list of things I need to get done. Complete with colored highlighting, a necessity. You see, this weekend is the last free weekend in the next *cringe* month and a half I have to be somewhat productive. Therefore, I NEED to make this weekend count.

No ifs, ands or excuses.

As you can see from the above checklist, I was productive. Just on all the “wrong” days. Screw it. Its Saturday morning, and I have everything done for the day. Thank you Friday!

This meant extra time this morning for an extra large, extra delicious pancake.

1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 egg
splash of vanilla
splash of milk
splash of canola oil
cinnamon
baking soda
vanilla NuNaturals stevia drops
1/2 mashed banana

Topped with more cinnamon, PB and a NEW jelly find, it was amazing! No offense to the popular protein pancake in blogland, but I firmly believe pancakes taste much better sans the powder.

Per Caroline’s advice, I bought the low sugar jam and it was DELICIOUS! In fact, I think I like it better than my true love, the high fructose corn syrup-laden Smucker’s Red Raspberry preserves (with seeds!).

To return Friday’s favor, I suppose if I want to be tough, I better get going on that 8-mile run.

I wonder is Mr. Ocean would care to change the name of the song to “When the going gets tough, the tough get eating?” It would make my life so much easier.

First, thank you for all your lovely comments + e-mails on my last post regarding frustration. I never say it enough, but all you readers constantly amaze me with your insight, wisdom + support! I appreciate you letting me release my feelings via writing (the best way I know how) – it has given me such confidence to pursue my writing dreams.  And for that, I thank you.

Second, do you ever have one of those days where everything that could go wrong inevitably does go wrong? As in, you walk out your front door at 6:45am only to find yourself holding the broken doorknob in your hand and locked in your apartment? How’s running into a car accident, train crossing and every single red light possible on your way to work?  What about a hole in your favorite skirt, massive paper cut across your thumb and shoving down lunch while cleaning up after people who just ate?  Do you ever have a two-inch-long centipede fall from the ceiling into your bathtub as you are bathing then proceed to jump out of the tub screaming at the top of your lungs like a 13-year-old girl at a Justin Bieber concert?

Or wait, is that just me?

Yes, it was that kind of day.  Luckily however, I got to meet up with three lovely ladies at The Green Owl Cafe – the only vegetarian/vegan restaurant in Madison!  If you know Madison at all, this is an incredibly surprising fact, seeming as this homey Midwestern town is known for its liberal, hippie ways.

How’s about some “Home-style Vegetarian & Vegan Food for People Who Love Food?”

Yes please, preferably with a side of kale chips.

Feeling quite frisky (maybe it was the 4-mile run beforehand sending those endorphins flowing?), I started with something completely new to me…

PASSIONFRUIT KOMBUCHA (!!!)

You know how I mentioned kombucha scares me? Well, call me a convert, because I downed this sucker – bacteria and all.

Then, I went to town on this Vegetarian Meatball Sub….

Those would be homemade eggplant balls.  <insert inappropriate joke here>

With it, I got my side of kale chips crisps…

I am a firm believer that a pickle makes a meal complete.

Devoured.

Homemade vegan desserts?

Well, don’t mind if we do.

Split four ways, we’ve got a slice of Vegan Marshmallow Mud Pie…

…as well as the winner for the most intriguing dish of the night, Vegan Parsnip Cake with Lemon Glaze…

Even though it had a distinct parsnip taste (as well as chunks of parsnips, right Allison?), I must admit this cake was good.  We decided it’s probably not something we would ever crave or order again, but I am glad we sampled it. Convincing myself I racked up one serving of vegetables eating it helped as well.

My adorable, lovely dining companions…

Allison + Kristie

Julie + I

In case you are wondering, I did go to dinner straight from that 4-mile run.  Turns out time management isn’t my strong suit.  However, I figured if you are to go to dinner a smelly, sweaty mess; you might as well be meeting up with other healthy living bloggers who understand the importance of exercise.

We may or may not have also gone to the co-op after dinner, and I may or may not have purchased another kombucha. Bacteria and all, I sense an addiction coming on.

Have you tried kombucha? This is my first time, and I can say – it was surprisingly refreshing.

What’s the most intriguing dish you’ve tried lately? The aforementioned parsnip cake was definitely something I had never tried OR even seen before!

If I were to take a cue from elementary school and make an acrostic name poem (which, when I was in 4th grade, I most likely called “a name poem where each letter of your name is an word to describe you”), it would look like this…

Happy

Optimistic

Likes to laugh

Loyal

Young

Usually.

Sometimes, I can be more like this…

Histrionic

Obnoxious

Lazy

Livid

Yappy

And if there was an F in my name, it would definitely stand for one thing: frustrated.

Because truth be told, I get frustrated easily. Very easily.

Sometimes, it’s as silly as articles of clothing that fade from one color to another…

source

Ugh, total pet peeve. No offense to anyone who owns articles of ombre.

Other times, it’s people’s stupidity that gets me…

source

Thank you Heidi Montag for reinforcing the cultural stereotype that women must be thin, well-endowed and answer to mercy of men.  How can us feminists ever thank you for delaying gender equality one oversized implant at a time?

Perhaps a double D-sized hug?

There is almost nothing that gets me more frustrated than rude people.  Yes, please walk by me without saying a word after I’ve asked said, “Hello, how are you?”  Or yes, please tell me all about your fantastic, wonderful day when you know I’ve just had a shitty one myself.  How’s about forgetting such simple things as “please” and “thank you?” In the words of Bon Qui Qui, rue.

There’s a silent D in there, FYI.

However, my biggest frustration?

ME.

I get mad at myself for starting the day off with a balanced, healthy breakfast…

1 cup organic skim milk
3/4 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 banana
2 T brown rice protein powder
1 cup baby spinach
sprinkle of unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup Not Sweet Vanilla Galaxy Granola

…only to stuff my face with such treats as a decadent (yes, decadent!) peach scone from the maker of the world’s best scones...

…as well as an insanely large number of uncontrollable handfuls of peanut M&Ms.

I do. I get frusrated.  I get mad.  And I let it get to me.

I try to channel that frustration into doing something positive, like giving my body the nutrition it needs via veggies + nooch-ified hummus…

1 cup cooked garbanzos
1 T tahini
1 T minced garlic
2 T olive oil
salt + pepper, to taste
1 T water
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (a.k.a. nooch)

Inevitably, I often just let other extraneous things bring me right back to frustrated.  Work, deadlines, people, goals, relationships, time, money, stress…you name it, I’ve been frustrated by it.

As always, that’s when I turn to Mama Everythingtarian.

Even though I know what she is going to say; for some reason, I still need to hear it from her anyways. Her wise words of wisdom are usually phrased something like this…

“Holly, don’t worry about what you can’t control.  Figure out what you can control, and fix it.”

Well said Mama, well said.

I can’t control most things.  Mother Nature has the weather taken care of; my bosses outline what I need to do and when it should be done; Target controls my bank account; and a higher power (whatever that is you believe in) usually takes care of the rest.

One thing I can control: my reaction to things.

I can cry, vent, yell, scream, get angry and frustrated, but then I need to let it go.  According to Mama Everythingtarian, I need to take a cue from Timbaland and just release.  Because even though I may be outta control and out of body, frustration gets me nowhere.

Being histrionic, obnoxious, lazy, livid and yappy most likely won’t get me anywhere either – unless it’s perhaps an acrostic name poem competition.

What I need to do is fuel my body the RIGHT way (with a protein pancake sandwich, of course)…

…and control what I can control, which at the moment includes finishing my freelance writing project, paying my bills and taking one, huge, long and DEEP breath.

Then, I need to get my eight hours of sleep and worry about tomorrow, well…tomorrow.

Because….

Releasing

Everything

Lets

Every

Action

Seem

Easier