Category Archives: summer

Please Don’t Go

Posted on August 31, 2010 | 3 Comments

I seriously think I’m in denial that September has begun. I know that a lot of people are ready and eager for fall. I get it, that yearning for the favorite feelings and comforts of one’s favorite season. I guess it’s just like I yearn for summer every February when I’m buried under snow. Summer, please please please don’t go yet. I’m just not ready to say goodbye. I guess lucky for me, DC temps will be in the 90s all week and then I’m going home where you don’t say the word fall until at least October. Whew, seasonal affected disorder crisis averted for now!

So as promised, here are my thoughts on class last night. I am taking a total of 4 classes this semester but the business school divides the semester into two modules. I will juggle no more than 2 classes at a time this way, thankfully. I’m starting with Organizations & Leadership and Financial Accounting. Both were pretty interesting and I really appreciated my OL professor talking about the benefits of a business education. He tried to assure us we were doing a good thing by beginning our grad school careers.

I apparently decided to torture myself by scheduling my 2 classes back-to-back on a Monday from 4:30 – 9:40. At least I’ll then be done for the week yet I have a feeling I’ll need the rest of the week to recover. Monday night I practically fell into bed and yesterday I had big issues getting my brain to work. I wanted time to organize and process everything I learned! I guess that’s part of this adjustment period though and I at least am interested in going back to class in 2 weeks (we’re off on Labor Day, woohoo!) instead of quitting so I’m taking it as a grad school victory!

I was really happy that my brain decided to wake up after lunch yesterday. I’m guessing the huge salad helped restore my mind and body. Perhaps I’ll have to switch up my morning routine and refuel differently after a 12+ work and class day.

All in all, it was a good start to my grad school experience even if it means that summer is on the brink of fading away.

Are you currently enrolled in graduate school? How do you handle work and school? Do you find yourself eating differently so that you stay alert and clear-minded?

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Posted in grad school, summer

Sugar Plums and Fig

Posted on August 1, 2010 | Leave a comment

Whoa – it’s August 1st. I can’t believe another summer month has flown by! Where did it all go? It seems like just yesterday I was in shock that June had ended…

I woke up this morning with a grumbling stomach and was excited for a new twist on my July favorite: overnight hot cereal. Yesterday while picking a few plums, Toby, Michelle, and I were discussing the brown sugar and fig scented stuff at Bath and Body Works. I actually haven’t been in the store for years but admitted to loving figs, my family’s fig trees in our yards, and my grandmother’s homemade fig preserves. I actually have plans to ~~smuggle~~ bring back the jar she’s saving just for me when I’m home in September. Party. Animal. Anyways, I immediately knew what I would want for my next breakfast.

I hopped out of bed and got to work on my cereal mix and then got back in bed to read while it chilled. This bowl contains the standard cereal mix (1/4c BRM hot cereal and buckwheat groats, 1/4c unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1/2c water, cinnamon, 1/2T chia seeds) a drop of maple syrup, one small golden plum, chopped, and 1tsp of fig jam. Topped with 1/2T of almond and peanut butters. Plus an egg white with some green tea.

I’m now digesting and then heading to the gym. I’m really determined to kick off the month on the right foot (pun intended…and it was the left foot…) Also on my to-do list today:

~~writing some blog posts for the week~~ - Get excited!
clean and freeze berries from yesterday
packing list for Miami
tidy up the apartment
GMAT studying (which is more whim than routine right now)
a going away party
reading for fun!

What are you up to today?

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Posted in breakfast, gluten-free, summer

It’s all about the mouth

Posted on July 31, 2010 | 1 Comment

Hey there. I hope you’ve had a great Saturday. I know I have!

It started this morning with sleeping in (even if I stayed up a bit too late doing who knows what) and whipping up a quick breakfast before heading out the door. I had some strawberries plus an egg white on a piece of toast with spinach and red pepper spread. PS – have you noticed my addiction to it? There might need to be an intervention – I bought a new jar yesterday for when the current one runs out!

I then met one of my friends Toby on campus to drive out to the suburbs. On the agenda – berry picking!! Yes, I did just go at the beginning of June. Yes, the beets I cooked yesterday were the last of the ones I picked on that June trip. Clearly, I can’t get enough of delicious summer goodies!

We met at our other friend Michelle’s house and then headed for lunch. We went to Cheeburger where they have these amazing “Build Your Own Salad” options on the menu. I didn’t snag a picture but imagine a salad with mushrooms, carrots, sun-dried tomatoes, cucumber, baby corn, and salsa. I enjoyed it!

Then it was off to the farm. We headed for the plum trees first. Funny story – we did a full walk of the area where the plum trees were and found nothing. Then we were told that we walked the wrong row. It turns out we went to the correct place and most of the fruit had been picked they were getting ready to open a second plum area of the farm. The only good plums we saw were off-limits for picking They were changing the sign as we left later on. I guess that speaks to how fresh things are! Here were my few little plums I picked:

Then it was off to tomatoes and raspberries. Since I’m leaving town later this week I didn’t want to load up on too many things but also wanted to be able to freeze some of this summer tastiness to enjoy when I’m sad about winter. I found one plump, juicy, warm-from-the-sun tomato and have big plans for it this week.

Plus some red and yellow raspberries which I’m very excited about.

Blackberries were the most in-season fruit we picked today and there are not enough words to describe how delicious they are! At one point, I shared with my friends that “It is such a shame. Some of these ripe, amazing blackberries are falling off the bush and straight into my mouth.” Enter Toby with the line of the month “Sometimes your mouth just gets in the way.” Well-played Toby, well-played. If she only knew 8 hours later and I’m still amused by the comment…

Regardless, I was super happy to bring back a couple of pounds of blackberries and I’ll be darned if they go to waste! I sported purple fingers with pride.

On our drive back to the District, we stopped for Slurpees which were just what the doctor ordered. I got a small blue raspberry one and instantly felt better with a little sugar and having something cold. My mouth was happy.

I needed a small snack before dinner and craved salty. Enter a few brown rice chips plus a cracker with hummus. Again – happy mouth.

Then it was off to celebrate my friend Shelby’s 25th birthday. I was excited for dinner at Casa Oaxaca (wha-ha-ca) as the last time it was amazing. Things started off with a passion fruit margarita.

I ordered the vegetable tacos that had a mix of zucchini, onion, corn, and mushrooms served on freshly made corn tortillas. There was also black beans and rice and a little corn salsa. I got the cheese on the side.

These were amazing! So flavorful and fresh. There really is nothing as delicious as handmade tortillas. Nothing. I savored each and every bite and didn’t leave too stuffed. I even brought home 1 of my tacos and rice and beans.

Enjoying an amazing meal with friends is such a great experience. What a perfect Saturday. And, I know that if nothing else, my mouth agrees!

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Posted in breakfast, dinner, friends, gluten-free, restaurants, summer

Farm Fresh Routine Change

Posted on July 16, 2010 | 2 Comments

If you follow me on Twitter, you may recall that on Saturday night while I was babysitting I was able to finally watch the documentary Food, Inc. Overall, I really liked the documentary and think that it sheds much needed light on the food industry in America. After reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food, and copious articles on factory farming, organics, grass-fed beef, and more, I still came away with a few new things to think about (spoiler alert if you haven’t seen the film):

The best way to minimize the global impact of the food we buy is to buy local, fresh foods from area farmers at farmers markets and other places
The average chicken farmer goes into +$200,000 in debt meeting corporate standards of major poultry companies yet only earns on average $18,000 a year
One meat company has an agreement with local law enforcement to only deport a small number of illegal workers at a time so it does not impact the slaughter and production of its product

And that’s just a few of the things I learned!

I was inspired by the film to do a bit more produce shopping for this week at my farmers’ market as opposed to at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s, where I usually shop. I got all of the following items for only $9.65 and have yet to make a huge dent in it 5 days later!!

This would be a huge cucumber, green bell pepper, white onion, 2 summer squashes, 2 ears of corn, and peaches.

I felt really good about minimizing the waste that often comes with produce packaging (for spinach, bags for veggies, etc) and the taste can’t be beat! Not to mention, all of these foods are naturally gluten free, 0 pesticides, and are whole and nutritious foods! Especially during the summer, there are so many options for fruits and veggies that this practice might be something I aim to incorporate more fully into my grocery shopping habits! And, I want you, my friends and readers to try to hold me accountable to this After all, if part of summer is being outside in the sun and enjoying the weather, what better activity then shopping at a farmers market and enjoying some of the summer’s harvest?!

Enjoy some of my favorite market pictures from this summer!