Healthy Eats for a Busy Life

This week has been very very busy. I’m trying to get as much as I can out of this free Equinox pass (for the intenSati Warrior Challenge) and work is pretty crazy and I’m also trying to have a social life. Is that impossible? I wish I didn’t have to sleep.

I have eaten some very yummy things, though. These are steamed Japanese sweet potatoes:

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I just cut up a humongous ‘tater and steamed it for about 6-7 minutes. The chunks were small enough that it cooked quickly. Tasted kind of like a ripe kabocha, but not quite as good. I miss kabocha squash – I should definitely make an effort to get some. I think I had this sweet potato with some maple syrup. Those are paint chips in the background.

AM New York (a free paper that I get going in to the subway) has had coupons recently for $5 off at Energy Kitchen. Energy kitchen is a fast food store that only sells dishes that are under 500 calories! I love it. I got this total tuna sandwich the other day:

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It has 290 calories. Obviously you can’t just have one dish from there, because it wouldn’t be much food – but if you get a sandwich and have something extra like an apple, it’s a really yummy, healthy, satisfying lunch. I wish I had pictures of the other things I’ve tried: the veggie egg wrap with broccoli and onions (274 calories), the ostrich (!) burger (271 calories), the steamed broccoli side (kind of boring), and the sauteed mushrooms and onions side (very good!). My coworker likes Energy Kitchen too – his new year’s resolutions had to do with being healthier and eating less meat, so we like similar stuff!

Last but not least is this great salad I had a few weeks ago when I was in NJ for new year’s:

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It’s called the Whole Earth Salad (named after the Whole Earth Center in Princeton, where my dad and sister got it). I wrote down what I think is in it so that I can try to recreate it: kale, almonds, rice/bulgar, cabbage, carrots, sesame seeds, marinated firm tofu, and a lemony dressing. It’s vegan (and vegetarian).

Off to snuggle. What are you doing this weekend?

Thanksgiving Recap

Before the recap – look what I did!

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I got a milk frother at the Foodbuzz Festival the other week and I finally used it… for coffee. Did you know you can froth coffee? I did not. It’s really cool. Unfortunately this is decaf instant coffee courtesy of Nescafe, but the froth made it better.

Yesterday Bobby and I (and we brought our friend, Justin) spent the day in New Jersey with my family. My Grammie hosts Thanksgiving every year and I was really excited and happy to see her – I hadn’t seen her since January!

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Everybody futzed around in the kitchen for a while (Mom, Grammie, Dad, Bobby)…

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More futzing (Justin, Uncle Rudy, Aunt Mattie)…

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Playing with cameras (Rob, my brother)…

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Then it was time for the food. Somehow we ended up with 3 Tofurkeys (!), but it was actually the perfect amount. They were cooked with onions (from the garden), carrots (from the garden), and potatoes (not sure – probably from the garden). We also had sparkling cider (I opted for sparkling wine instead). Everyone in my family (grandparents included) loves Tofurkey.

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Dinner is served! (Julia – sister, Rob, Dad, Justin) This was actually lunch; we ate around 1:30 or 2pm.

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There was real turkey too, of course. A little dry, but remedied with lots of delicious (vegan) dressing.

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Creamy chestnuts were great – always a favorite of mine.

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My mom’s sweet potato pie (from the Moosewood cookbook) stole the show. It had pecans and a cheddar-poppyseed crust.

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I didn’t get a picture, but there was also a bowl of pureed squash that I attacked without mercy. Grammie made it – must get the recipe from her. She wasn’t sure what kind of squash she used; it was bright orange (but not kabocha, butternut, buttercup – possibly hubbard).

Other things that were unpictured: Brussels sprouts, stuffing (one vegan and one from the turkey), cucumber salad thing, pickled beets, … I think that was it.

Dessert was impossible pumpkin pie, apple pie, and an apple-pecan dish. Served with whipped cream.
I actually skipped out on dessert in the afternoon (though I did have a generous bowl of whipped cream – real cream) but I brought home leftovers and had them last night with supper (more leftovers).

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I think my favorite was the apple pie; the apple-pecan thing was amazing but a little bit sweet for me. And the pumpkin was pretty delicious as well… I just have a fondness for apples.

I didn’t do any Black Friday craziness today, but I’ll probably go out for a walk in a little bit and maybe do some yoga later.

How was your Thanksgiving?