Penne Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage (C3)

Penne Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage (C3)

Adapted from a recipe from Kroger Penne Rigate box

Serves 6

8 oz whole wheat penne pasta
1 lb ground turkey or ground beef, lean (originally called for italian sausage)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
12 oz Libby's Pure Pumpkin
1/2 cup plain unflavored yogurt (replaces cream)
Sweetener to taste (to make the yogurt not so tart)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Pinch ground cinnamon
Salt and black pepper to taste
Low fat grated cheese of your choice: romano, parmesan, mozzarella

Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions; drain and set aside.

In a medium skillet, brown the ground turkey/beef and set aside.

In a skillet over medium heat, add oil and saute shallots and garlic for 3 minutes.

Stir in chicken broth, pumpkin, adjusted yogurt, crushed red pepper, cinnamon, salt and pepper.

Reduce heat and simmer 8-10 minutes to thicken.

Stir in cooked penne, ground turkey/beef and cheese.

Note:
Since the yogurt is being heated, it does not count towards your probiotic serving (heat destroys probiotic qualities).

If you want this to be good for C2, you could put this over some slightly cooked cabbage or some riced cauliflower.

Sunday Steals #13 and a Crunchy Fruity Snack

Happy Sunday Steals!

Since I have some sales rack finds for you guys and a fruity, crunchy new snack review, we'll just get right down to business!

Oh, but first - today is the last day to enter my first international giveaway and win some yummy raw vegan treats!

Quilted Panel Wristlet for $9.99 ($19.90) @ Express

Sleeveless Peter Pan Shirt for $12.99 ($42.90) @ The Limited

Chevron Tie Belt for $9.99 ($24.50) @ J. Crew

Detachable Collar Cut Out Dress for $26.39 ($43.99) @ Romwe

Hyden for $19.98 ($40.00) @ Aldo Shoes

Cute and classy on a budget, just how I like it!

Now it's time for that healthy, yummy, super convenient snack that I promised you.

It's North Bay Trading Company freeze dried fruit!

North Bay Trading Company is a small family-owned business that sells freeze dried fruit, freeze dried vegetables, wild rice, and beans and soups. They're all about delivering the most high-quality products possible, so their wild rice is 100% certified organic and all of their products undergo voluntary third party food safety inspections, in addition to the standard ones.

They also make sure that what's in your crunchy fruit snack is just the delicious, nutritious fruit that you're going for - no sweeteners, no artificial flavors, no preservatives, and no salt. It's just fruit - but freeze dried so that it lasts long, gets that awesome sweet crunch (fruit -> chips with virtually no nutritional loss).

That's the back of the bag of freeze dried bananas - they're really good! It's like banana chips, only not greasy and much healthier as an everyday snack. 

North Bay Trading Co Freeze Dried Bananas

Another advantage of freeze dried fruits? 

North Bay Trading Co Freeze Dried Strawberries

While they're super sweet (like candy), delicious, and nutritious, they're also super portable. If you're traveling, camping, or even just going to work or lecture, it's a lot more practical to have a little pouch of freeze dried pineapple in your handbag than it is to whip out a fresh pineapple and make a big mess. 

North Bay Trading Co. Freeze Dried Pineapple

So you get the convenience of a bag of chips with the tastiness and healthiness of fresh fruit. I have so fallen in love with freeze dried produce!

North Bay Trading Co. Freeze Dried Fuji Apples

And if you're just at home, they also make a great addition to smoothies, cereals, salads, desserts, trail mix, and yogurt-granola-nut butter bowls :)

What's your favorite way to eat freeze-dried fruit?

What's your go-to handy snack on-the-go?

Which of the Sunday Steals items do you like the best?

High saturated fat consumption is associated with a longer life in type one diabetics

This study was published in Diabetologia 2012 Aug;55(8):2132-41

 

Study title and authors:

Dietary saturated fat and fibre and risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality among type 1 diabetic patients: the EURODIAB Prospective Complications Study.

Schoenaker DA, Toeller M, Chaturvedi N, Fuller JH, Soedamah-Muthu SS

Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8129, 6700 EV, Wageningen, The Netherlands.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22526612

The study investigated the relationship of diet in cardiovascular disease and total death rates in type one diabetics. The study lasted for over seven years and included 2,108 type 1 diabetic patients aged 15-60 years who were free of cardiovascular disease at the start of the study.

Regarding saturated fat consumption, the study found:
(a) Total death rates decreased by 30% for every 10 grams per day increase in saturated fat consumption.
(b) Those who consumed the most saturated fat had a 16% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those who consumed the least saturated fat.

The results from the study reveal that a high saturated fat consumption is associated with a longer life and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in type one diabetics.

For more information on the role of saturated fat in heart disease see my book "Cholesterol and Saturated Fat Prevent Heart Disease: Evidence From 101 Scientific Papers".

Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Snack (C3)

Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Snack (C3)

Recipe Author: Susan Bojarzin

Combine the following ingredients and blend well, then enjoy!!!

Unsweetened chocolate almond milk
Strawberry whey protein powder
2 Tbsp fat free cream cheese

This tastes like chocolate-strawberry cheesecake!

Note: Almond Breeze makes the unsweetened chocolate almond milk (in case you're not sure what brand to look for).  That I'm aware of, that's the only brand of the unsweetened that's chocolate as well.

What I've Learned About Food Addiction

This post applies to all so read on.

I'm addicted to desserts and I can't keep them in the house. They just call to me. I can't simply eat a piece or a small portion—no, not me.  Once I start I can't stop and I have to eat them until their gone or I need to throw them in the trash—although sometimes, I’m embarrassed to say, I dig them out of the trash because I just can't let them slip away. And I never know when I'll get to eat them again. Avoidance—total avoidance seems like the only way—yet it never seems to work. I just have no willpower.

No, that's not me speaking—although these statements were certainly true for me at some point in my life. Yes, that time in my early twenties when my eating was emotionally driven and I had no idea what hunger and comfortable fullness felt like.  Rather, the comments above were spoken by many patients that walk into my offices—by the overweight who have unsuccessfully struggled to lose some weight with rigid diets and deprivation, and by those of average weight and below who now approach food in a black and white way, seeing food as the enemy. 

And why wouldn’t they, and you, feel that there is no hope, that you must be addicted to food in the way others are addicted to drugs? The debate about food addiction has again emerged, with media distortions and outrageous researcher conclusions on rat studies and MRI findings. And it will leave you feeling hopeless—unless you see how you are being manipulated and left to believe you are powerless.

Yum! Salted caramel.

The Wall Street Journal put out a rather balanced piece on food addiction. Yet the NY Times article on this subject is an embarrassment.  "Can Food Be Addictive?" makes reference to several studies suggesting that overeating is an addiction, perhaps not much different than addictions to drugs and alcohol. The examples cited?

"...Princeton University and University of Florida researchers have found that sugar-binging rats show signs of opiate like withdrawal when their sugar is taken away — including chattering teeth, tremoring forepaws and the shakes. When the rats were allowed to resume eating sugar two weeks later, they pressed the food lever so frantically that they consumed 23 percent more than before", they tell us. 

Well, I’ve never had my paws shake and my canines never chattered, but this sounds like sugar dependency is a serious culprit! That’s what they’re leading us to believe. But a more detailed review of this 2011 study sheds a whole different light on things. We learn that rats were first deprived, going 12 hours without food to eat, prior to being given the sugar solution. And, this binging was dependent upon the timing of the feeding. One blog describes how "... rats who had received only the food chow on this intermittent schedule, or had unrestricted access to food and sucrose, did not show these effects." That's right—not depriving the rats and actually allowing them access to food including sugar prevented binge eating. The blog reporting on this study appropriately summarizes:

I don't wait for special occasions to eat these!

“This means that after being deprived of the food or drug the rat will self-administer extremely large quantities of the substance once it is available again. This behavior tapers off once the animals are sated, but these binges will consistently occur after each period of deprivation.”

Ok, so they binged when given sugar. But more importantly the research actually confirms the very problem with food deprivation and the resulting out of control eating that we see in our clients who feel trapped in this cycle. No, there was no problem when they could freely feed on food and sugar as desired. Rather, the problem with binging resulted from the withholding of food for long periods, which set the rats and sets my rat-like readers up for trouble.

Might I add that we are not rats in our ability to step in and change our situation. We are not limited to our cages—we can choose to step out of our environment and to control our triggers. And we can certainly avoid deprivation—the biggest trigger for binge eating. You didn’t need a rat study to tell you that, though!

Another study referenced by the NY Times article to support the food addiction theory drew equally absurd conclusions. Researchers at Oregon Research Institute surveyed 151 teens who were in a healthy weight range about their eating habits and food cravings. Then they did brain-scan studies on them while the kids looked at pictures of chocolate milkshakes—more activity in the brain was considered to be linked with greater cravings. Next, they gave them a milkshake to drink while they were having an MRI scan. The kids who'd reported eating the most ice cream over the past few weeks prior to the MRI scans registered lower activity in their reward centers from the milkshake—in other words, less craving for the milkshakes. To me that’s a good thing. Those very kids who had access and consumed these items regularly did not have their brains light up as if they were getting some big reward when offered a milkshake—no, it was no big deal to them.

Yet the NY Times states that these findings "suggest that just as drug abusers and alcoholics need increasingly larger doses over time, children who are regular ice-cream eaters may require more and more ice cream for the reward centers of their brains to indicate that they are satisfied."   One study author similarly concludes that not having as great a response to eating the food (based on MRI) is problematic—that “over consumption of these foods down regulates reward processes. That may, in turn, make you eat more." Really? That's quite a strange conclusion to draw, in my opinion, especially as these kids were not overweight. (in spite of their more frequent ice cream consumption.

Further, this study attributes possible addictive-like qualities of ice cream shakes, made with Haagen Daz ice cream, to the high fat content.  But if it is about the fat, why don’t we have addictions to such high fat items as prime rib or deep fried chicken? Or whole milk, even? No, this just isn’t seen. 

High fat and satisfying!

So maybe it's not the nutrient, the fat or sugar (as implicated above) content at all but the conditions under which we eat. Is it any surprise that those reward centers of the brain would light up in MRIs, similar to what occurs with other addictions, when these very food items are used in our culture as rewards? You know, you had a hard day, so you indulge yourself with an ice cream, ironically just as the old Haagen Daz ads suggested? Or as a young child, you scrape your knee and your mom gives you some cookies to feel better. If we could only allow ourselves to enjoy such pleasurable foods as ice cream without the value judgment we add to it!

The take home message.

What's not in question is how you feel. Clearly, when you experience out of control eating you feel as if your are addicted to food—that you have no control over certain food items or types and that it therefore must be out of your hands to seize control. And with the recent studies I referenced, you might be convinced this is true. But the only clear link with what feels like food addiction is food deprivation. 

This is not a meal!

Continuing to use food as a reward for a hard day or for eating healthy all week is a huge mistake. 

If you’re feeling like you’re addicted to food, consider changing your relationship with food and move from black and white thinking, giving yourself permission to eat those foods you enjoy but think are forbidden. 

Eat in a balanced way--and I don't mean by following the My Plate way. Rather, make the foods you eat enjoyable. Sure, include satisfying less processed foods, too--but not at the exclusion of other foods. 

And take charge of your environment—focus on mindfully eating and truly enjoying your food so you know when you have eaten just enough.

Read more about this approach in some older posts below: 

http://www.dropitandeat.blogspot.com/2012/04/0-false-18-pt-18-pt-0-0-false-false.html

http://www.dropitandeat.blogspot.com/2010/06/you-dont-understandi-cant-have-just-one.html

http://dropitandeat.blogspot.com/2011/12/following-vegan-diet-and-gluten-free.html

http://dropitandeat.blogspot.com/2010/12/recovering-from-slip-coping-with.html

http://dropitandeat.blogspot.com/2010/11/twinkies-for-weight-control.html

Apple Pie a la Mode Shake (C3)

Apple Pie a La Mode Shake (C3)

Recipe Author: Susan Bojarzin

3/4 cup Greek plain ff yogurt
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder (optional)
1-2 drops vanilla
1 individual serving size unsweetened apple sauce
Heavy sprinkling of cinnamon
Small sprinkling of nutmeg.

Whip everything together.

Delicious!

My daughter even suggested heating for a yummy winter drink! I hope you all enjoy!

Go Raw Review

While I'm not a rawist, I do think raw food can be incredibly delicious. So I was super-psyched to review some Go Raw snacks!

They make a great variety of delicious, nutritious, raw vegan products, but here are the ones that I've tried!

Simple Granola:

I think calling it granola is a bit of a misnomer, as it's really just buckwheat groats and celtic sea salt. They're a nice crunch though (great for adding to yogurt bowls, smoothies, or ice cream creations!) and the simplicity is nice. They're one of those things that really grows on you. After having them a few times, I was totally addicted as a yogurt or ice cream topper - or even a crunchy mix-in for cereal!

If you want something that's more of a sweet granola, they also have a Chocolate Granola, an Apple Cinnamon granola, and a plain granola. But I did like this a lot on already-sweet ice cream creations!

Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds:

Okay, I'm officially addicted. They're so flavorful, almost smoky in flavor, that you'd never believe they're raw! Plus, pumpkin seeds are full of great-for-you minerals and stuff, so eat up :) I recommend topping coconut ice cream with liberal handfuls of pumpkin seeds for optimal yummy-licious-ness.

Flax Snax:

These are the unflavored variety (there are also flavored ones) and they have a great crunch, but really do need something else to add some flavor. This means they're great as scoops for guacamole or spread with jam or Rawtella, though!

I liked the grainy crunchiness of these and flax seeds are so good for you, with all their healthy fats.

Raw chocolate was pretty exciting idea, and I like how they're individually wrapped (as my apartment can have a bit of an ant situation now and then).

This is the mint one and it's made out of 3 organic raw ingredients and that's it - cocoa, agave nectar, and peppermint oil.

I think some of the oil must have separated out, and that's probably what formed that kind of greasy white bit there:

But it's still delicious! It was really creamy and the peppermint flavor is strong - it's like a raw Andes mint!

There's also a plain chocolate one:

Which also seemed to have the oil separation issue (admittedly, it was quite hot for several days and the bag of chocolates was just sitting out, so that could be the weather's fault).

But, again, it was delicious! Velvety smooth chocolate. I seriously think raw and vegan chocolate is chocolate's best kept secret. 

Since I'm not a raw foodist, I really enjoyed it on bread with almond butter. YUM. I hope that's not offensive in anyway...

But I don't think there's anything wrong with anyone - whether vegetarian, vegan, omnivore, pescatarian, carnivore, SAD, etc. - enjoying more raw foods. I don't think there needs to be an all-or-nothing attitude and when raw food is this delicious, there's no reason not to incorporate it into a normal diet!

Yum. Yum. YUM.

These yummies are the kind of delicious, nutritious food that are perfect to get (and keep) me energetic for my third Boston Fashion Week runway show in four days.

Add in papers and... yeah, guys? I'm going to need some sleep after this.

Like, a lot.

Have you ever had raw chocolate?

Have you tried Buckwheat Groats?

What's your favorite seed?

Don't forget to enter my first international giveaway for your chance to win some raw vegan treats of your own!

Analysis of 72 trials shows that statins increase the risk of diabetes by 9%

This study was published in QJM 2012 Feb;105(2):145-57

Study title and authors:
Adverse events associated with individual statin treatments for cardiovascular disease: an indirect comparison meta-analysis.

Alberton M, Wu P, Druyts E, Briel M, Mills EJ.
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21920996

This paper sought to identify different risk effects of statin therapy. The paper analysed seventy-two trials involving 159,458 patients.

The paper found:
(a) Statin users had a 9% increased risk of diabetes compared to non-users.
(b) Statin users had a 31% increased risk of elevated aspartate aminotransferase levels compared to non-users. (Elevated levels of aspartate aminotransferase indicate damage to liver, heart, muscle, kidney and brain tissues).
(c) Statin users had a 28% increased risk of elevated alanine aminotransferase levels compared to non-users. (Elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase indicate liver damage).

The data from this analysis of 72 trials shows that statins increase the risk of diabetes by 9%.

GYMspiration: What's a Workout Without Cute Clothes?

Everyone gets their gym inspiration, or GYMspiration, if you will, from somewhere. For me, it's workout gear.

I am beyond obsessed with cute workout clothes. When I finally get my dream body (giggle), I want to be one of those girls who effortlessly glides around Manhattan on the weekends in chic running capris and tank tops with messy hair that looks like it belongs on Nicole Richie - not a homeless lady in Central Park. 

I created a Pinterest board called "Fitspiration" that was supposed to have healthy recipes, photos of protein shakes and inspirational mantras to get my ass-ets to the gym, but it quickly became a haven for me to hoard photos of sneakers and gym gear. Don't judge me.

Here are some of my topic picks. All photos courtesy Pinterest (you can dig through my board to get the source for each if you wish!)

I bought these and can vouch: they are just as cute as they are comfortable!

Obsessed with these capris. Spandex is your best friend when you have a giant ass that needs to be sausaged.

Adorbs.

Fashion meets function. I could live in these. Tres comfy!

Friday Foodie Finds #13

By now, you guys know the routine. This week's Friday Foodie Finds is taking a spin for the savoury. The theme is tempeh! The V tells you that the recipe is vegan.

Heidi's Maple-Grilled Tempeh V

Stephanie's Buffalo Tempeh V

Mama Pea's Better Spaghetti Sauce From A Jar V

Heidi's TLT Sandwich V

She's good at tempeh, this is her second recipe in the same Friday Foodie Finds post!

Laurie's Tempeh Maki V

And, lucky for all the vegan readers, all of this recipes turned out to be vegan!

Like these yummy raw vegan treats that I'm giving away - dont' forget to enter!

What's your favorite protein source?

Have you ever tried tempeh?

What's one type of protein that you HAVEN'T tried yet, but want to?

Pork helps to significantly increase nonheme-iron absorption

This study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2003 Jan;77(1):173-9

Study title and authors:
Nonheme-iron absorption from a phytate-rich meal is increased by the addition of small amounts of pork meat.

Baech SB, Hansen M, Bukhave K, Jensen M, Sørensen SS, Kristensen L, Purslow PP, Skibsted LH, Sandström B.
Research Department of Human Nutrition, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, LMC Center for Advanced Food Studies, Frederiksberg, Denmark.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12499338

The study investigated the effect of small amounts of pork on nonheme-iron absorption from a meal presumed to have low iron bioavailability. In the study iron absorption was measured in 45 women, average age 24 years, who consumed four different meals.

The meals consisted of:
(i) The basic meal: rice, tomato sauce, pea purée, and a wheat roll. (phytate-rich meal low in vitamin C).
(ii) The basic meal + 25 grams of pork.
(iii) The basic meal + 50 grams of pork.
(iv) The basic meal + 75 grams of pork.

The study found:
(a) The meal with 25 grams of pork increased absorption of nonheme-iron by 20% compared to the basic meal.
(b) The meal with 50 grams of pork increased absorption of nonheme-iron by 44% compared to the basic meal.
(c) The meal with 75 grams of pork increased absorption of nonheme-iron by 57% compared to the basic meal.

The findings of the study reveal that small amounts of pork (over 50 grams) significantly increase nonheme-iron absorption from a phytate-rich meal low in vitamin C.

Fashion Inspiration: Hercules

So I've kind of figured out in what direction I'm going with the blog by now and kind of what I like to write about. It's primarily a review blog, so I try to review new foods here often and aim for at least three reviews a week.

Oh, and I like to do giveaways fairly regularly, like the Kur Delights international giveaway that I'm running right now!

I 'm trying to make this a go-to source for handy, helpful food reviews, so if you have any feedback of things that would make my reviews more helpful to you, or the organization of my review database more transparent, please let me know!

You can either leave a  comment here or shoot me an email at livinglearningeating AT gmail DOT com. And let me know if there's anything you want to see reviewed!

Anyway, here's what my blog schedule (loosely) looks like. On Monday, Thursday, and Saturday I do reviews. Sunday is Sunday Steals and sometimes a review or a giveaway, too. Friday is Friday Foodie Finds (awesome recipes from around the blogosphere), Wednesday is What I Ate Wednesday, and Tuesday is Trendy Tuesday. And Thursdays, though they're not really a set thing, have become a day for random posts or, most often, fashion inspiration posts. Like today's Disney fashion inspiration post.

It's only fitting that I'm posting about fashion today, after all, as today is my first show in Boston Fashion Week!

It's also the day that my first paper of the term is due, but that's not really related. Other than to say that I'm busy!

I'm walking in three shows this week, but for tonight's show I have to wear 6.5" heels.

Me + Heels =

Please pray for me guys! Or send me happy vibes or whatever. Let's just hope this doesn't end in a KASPLAT.

Face your fears every day, right? Haha.

Okay, back to the point of this post - my Thursday fashion inspiration!

Hercules was never my favorite Disney movie, though it certainly had its strengths and awesome dance numbers.

It's still hard to believe that I haven't done a Hercules Disney fashion inspiration post yet, however, because Megara was certainly one of the more fashionable Disney characters of my youth!

So let's not waste any more time. Here's my Megara-inspired look! As always, it is NOT meant to directly mimic her outfit in the movie.

Also, in order to keep the look relatively budget-friendly, no individual piece costs more than $50.

Megara (Hercules) Inspired Look by livelearneat featuring cut out dresses

Cut out dress
$35 - allyfashion.com

ASOS ankle wrap sandals
$46 - asos.com

Long earrings
$7.50 - etsy.com

Oasis jewelry
$30 - oasis-stores.com

Lip stick
$21 - redstripeclothing.com

Beauty product
$9.95 - etsy.com

RGB red nail polish
$16 - beckleyboutique.com

Without the makeup, the outfits costs $118.50. With the make up (lipstick, nail polish, and eyeliner) it costs $165.45.

Which Disney character do you think had a great sense of style?

Is there any food/drink that you want me to review?

Have you ever been to a fashion show?

If you enjoyed this post (or another LLE post) please Stumble it! There's a Stumble button for StumbleUpon at the bottom of the page. Thank you!

Statin use increases the risk of type two diabetes

This study was published in the British Medical Journal 2012 Sep 13;2(5)

Study title and authors:
Do statins interfere with lifestyle intervention in the prevention of diabetes in primary healthcare? One-year follow-up of the FIN-D2D project.

Rautio N, Jokelainen J, Oksa H, Saaristo T, Peltonen M, Vanhala M, Puolijoki H, Moilanen L, Tuomilehto J, Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi S, Uusitupa M.
Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere, Finland.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22983785

The objective of the study was to examine whether the use of statins is associated with the incidence of type two diabetes among individuals at high risk for type two diabetes participating in one-year lifestyle intervention study. The study included 2,798 non-diabetic individuals, aged 18–87 years,  who had elevated fasting glucose levels.

Lifestyle counselling was performed either in group sessions or individually. Advice was given on diet, weight control, meal frequency and quality, physical activity, smoking, alcohol use and diabetes as a disease in general. Group sessions were mainly weight maintenance or exercise groups and lectures concerning diabetes and lifestyle changes.

Fasting blood glucose levels are used to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes. Elevated blood glucose levels can damage your eyes, kidneys, nerves, and blood vessels.

The study found:
(a) Statin users had a 17% increased risk of developing type two diabetes compared to non-statin users.
(b) Fasting glucose levels increased by 0.08 mmol/L (1.44 mg/dL) in statin users, but remained unchanged in non-users.

The data from the study reveals that statin use increases the risk of type two diabetes in individuals at high risk of type two diabetes.

Work That Body!

I don't know about you, but I am totally A.D.D. when it comes to workouts. I can get so into a routine and then become bored of it just as quickly.I'm always looking for something new and inspiring, so I thought I'd share with you guys what I've been up to lately in the gym. The whole routine takes about 45 minutes and I am sore every time (if I'm not sore, I don't count it as a workout!) 

And the best part? I haven't gotten tired of it yet!

What are your favorite workout routines? Share them with me below, I'd love to hear about them!

WIAW #57

I have something extra-fun to share with you guys this Wednesday! If you're a returning reader (thank you!) you know that I now officially have my first long-term apartment. I have a real-life grown-up lease, real-life grown-up bills (meh), and a real-life grown-up kitchen!No more meal plan for me, YAAAAAY! Last week we celebrated with a Chobani giveaway, but let's keep the celebration going with my first international giveaway of some tasty raw vegan treats!And I love fruits and veggies, so I was thrilled when Boston Organics sent over a sample box of their organic produce to try. This WIAW is going to be produce-heavy as I share some fun fresh foods that I've tried using the produce!For those of you who live in the Boston area, Boston Organics is a subscription service where you can order organic fruits and vegetables (either all fruits, all vegetables, 1/2 veggies and 1/2 fruits, or 2/3 veggies and 1/3 fruits, depending on your preference) to be delivered to your home (or office) either weekly or every other week. It's as practical as ordering a magazine, but much more customizable and you can cancel whenever you like without a fee!I was sent the 2/3 veggie 1/3 fruit box for $29 to try.

A large green bin is delivered to your steps (you return it each week and get a new one, because they're a green business - woot, woot!), but what's inside varies week-to-week, depending on what's in season.

Here's what I got:

Sorry, the Delicata Squash (totally new to me!!!) is hiding under the lettuce - as are some of the kohlrabi!

Remember kohlrabi from my adventures abroad in Germany? They're the little purple knobby things above - but I've never had them in the US and I've never had (or seen) purple ones before! The ones I had in Germany where always green outside.

But these taste exactly the same and are every bit as delicious. You can cook kohlrabi, but I much prefer it raw. Just peel and dice, then sprinkle with a little pepper:

Delicious. It's what results if a cucumber and a stalk of celery had a love child (they're actually in the cabbage family, shhhh) and are juicy, crisp, mild, and a delightful appetizer salad before your meal!

Here's another side I made. I started with a base of olive oil and sauteed the last of the spinach I had in my fridge with some onions (chopped from the freezer) and a Boston Organics tomato and some of the fresh basil they sent. Just a few spices, some nooch, and...

...deliciousness results! I've never bought fresh basil before, but it's DELICIOUS. It just made this side taste so Italian!

Another side dish (this one in its own bowl, as there was a little purple sauce from my cabbage and I'm a little odd - I don't like that purple sauce getting all over my nice white potato or in my syrupy baked beans):

Some red cabbage sauteed with the chopped up green bell pepper and a tomato chopped in a minute before I turned off the heat. This was really good, so I made a bunch and stuck the rest in the freezer. Instant side dish for days when I'm busy!

With some of their crispy romaine mixed in...and nooch

But no matter how delicious the organic veggies are, you mustn't forget the fruit.I swear, this was the sweetest kiwi I can remember having ever had. It was so perfectly ripe and delicious and amazing - nature's candy, no joke!Which was actually a trend with everything. There wasn't a bruised piece of fruit or an over-/under-ripe anything in the whole lot! They did a much better job of selecting produce for me than I ever do for myself! I was very pleasantly surprised by that, as I hadn't really expected them to put such effort into delivering the best in their boxes. Frankly, I would have still been satisfied with a slightly less amazing bunch of fruits and veggies, but they weren't. That's awesome!If you're in the Boston area, I seriously recommend Boston Organics. Even if you're a household of one and don't think you can go through all that produce in a week by yourself - after all, (wo)man can't live on fruits and vegetables alone - I recommend the once-every-other-week delivery. I bet you'll love it. Anyway, here are some of my non-Boston Organics eats from this past week (not all of them, mind you - just a few when I happened to have my camera ready. You'd need to add a whole bunch of PB&J sandwiches, bowls of cereal, and cookies if you wanted an honest picture).I love kabocha, I love chocolate-covered fruits, I love candied nuts (and it's a hidden Mickey)!I'm well on my way to becoming a chocolate connoisseur, if this past week was anything to go by. A lot of chocolate was consumed - no regrets!Chocolate is as much a part of a daily healthy diet as fruits and vegetables, guys.

I still love lentils, cacao nibs, caramel, nut butters, and - old lady alert - prunes.

Yum, yum, to noochy kale-and-avocado stir fries with quinoa (which doesn't seem to have quite made it into the shot)!

Yogurt/soyogurt, granola, dried fruits, and almond butter need to make an occurrence at least once a day in my eats, or I'm just sad.

Yogurt parfaits are definitely on my favorite foods list.

And there is, of course, plenty of cereal that is consumed at night, while cranking out those papers. 

How are papers already due this week? I feel like the semester just started and I'm not in my groove yet!

Do you live near Boston?

What's your favorite city to live in?

What's something you eat every day? I have my yogurt-granola-nut butter-dried fruit messes daily, as well as chocolate and bread. They're staples! Oh, and apples :) I love apples.