living like a grown up

The day after my birthday I had to work, so it was back to reality. The C pod was super mega patient overload (to quote black rob, it was "like whoa"). Each patient was so heavy, there should have been 5 more nurses at least, but of course there were just two of us left to hold down the fort. The day started off with a nice starbucks soy misto, but since I was running around like a mad woman all morning, my stomach was growling by 9 and eating itself by 10. Thank the lord I had my vegan oatmeal raisin cookie from the night before (my BDAY cookie!!). It was awesome! Dense (but not in a heavy way), crumbly, oaty, so good. I may have to find out the recipe.
I didn't get away for a lunch break until way late in the afternoon, so it's a good thing I had the cookie to hold me over. I made a sando with california style A street bread (see pic below).

The picture of the sandwich is nowhere to be found. My camera is dying. Now in addition to crappy pictures, they are spontaneously deleting, apparently. Anyways, for the record, the sando had smart deli "turkey" with hummus, mustard and lettuce. I also had a baggie full of dried edamame and raisins (can't beat salty and sweet).

I hit up the gym after work, but only for a mini run. I was done after 30 minutes. I was really in the mood for comfort food. The weather got COLD all of a sudden, and I seriously wanted something warm and hearty. (Shockingly) I had the self control and presence of mind to come up with a healthier alternative. I settled on "Boca" chik'n nuggets with lots and lots of dip (I love mixing BBQ sauce with honey mustard).

I don't know why they consider one serving 3-4 nuggets. I don't even know what that MEANS? How do you eat 3-4? How do you not eat all of them? Confusing.

Wow, my camera is barely hanging on...

I ate a few dates and soooo many yogurt covered raisins, but all I captured was this little bit. Makes me look like I have moderation - well, looks can be deceiving!

Birthday #26!!

Hooray, it's my birthday!! I am going to do nothing all day, and not feel the least bit guilty about it. I grabbed a soy latte from starbucks and then curled up to watch the view...now that's just my idea of heaven. Once I woke up a little bit more, I headed to the gym and got my endorphins going.

For lunch I had a GN veggie burger with hummus...lots and lots of hummus.

I LOVE sabra.

I then headed out to go shopping and brought a bag of edamame with me for snacking.

I didn't end up buying anything, but window shopping is sometimes just as fun. I then walked down to midtown to meet Kyle at his work for our dinner reservation at Candle Cafe. I have been wanting to go here FOREVER, since it is one of the best rated vegan restaurants in the city. Kyle and I got edamame to start as well as vegan wine. For my entree I got the Tofu Club with grilled tofu, tempeh bacon, lettuce, & sprouts on mixed grain toast with coleslaw, pickles and vegan mayo. OMFG! Then I got a vegan oatmeal raisin cookie for the road, after stealing some bites of Kyle's Chocolate Mousse Pie. I actually ended up being too full to eat my cookie, so now I'm saving it for tomorrow.

Sunday sunday sunday

So after starting out the day looking at my favorite food blogs, I have decided I NEED to try this new restaurant called Candle Café (on East 79th and Lexington). I could order the entire menu in a heartbeat. Looks like I have another thing for my to-do list.

I am including this photo because I had a couple handfuls on the late night as a snack. I think I only got hungry because Kyle was making a monstrous ice cream chocolate peanut butter milkshake. So even though I was on my 8th Snapple I decided something salty would be the perfect way to end the evening.

I again relaxed and watched TV and drank coffee with my baby cakes this morning. I had one cup and 2 sips from the second cup. I was MASSIVELY soar from yesterday’s run. I simply couldn’t stretch enough to ever feel normal. Every single muscle in my legs (including new ones I never knew I had before) was agonizingly unable to function. So I decided the gym trip would be short and sweet. I stretched for the first 15 minutes and did some ab work, and then did reverse elliptical work for a little over 3.5 miles (maybe 40 minutes). I’m still totally soar.

For lunch I got fresh fruit from the market on the way home from the gym. I also had some activia light vanilla yogurt with dried cherries from our whole foods. The dried cherries were SO delish I had a few more handfuls plain on their own. SO good. Basically it was a fruity lunch, so now I am all sugared up for the day.

After lunch we went to the Natural History Museum for a couple hours of educated wandering. Nice Sunday afternoon activity. I had a snack of more of the dried salty edamame before dinner. For dinner I had a veggie soufflé (Healthy Delites’ roasted vegetable soufflé is all natural and fat free and a good source of fiber). Also, I had a vegan sushi roll from whole foods. I love the yummy texturized vegetable protein!

I had all 6 pieces in the roll. SO great. Plus the veggies soufflé is so healthy and is only 120 kcals! I still wanted a little bit of something, so I had another handful of edamame.

It looks as good as it tasted. Plus it is so colorful J I also stole some of Kyle’s corn that he made for himself.

Of course I needed some dessert later on in the evening, because I needed a pick-me-up before the work week. I have an intense schedule this week (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) so I am getting myself all geared up. I figured 50 yogurt raisins and a cup of chocolate sorbet was the way to go.

Yogurt covered chocolate raisin deliciousness!!! Mmmmm…although I am kinda rocking a mega sugar high now.