To Hemp Or Not?

A great way to get out of a food rut is to try new foods to tantalize you taste buds. On today's shopping trip I was so excited to see that Almond Breeze milk was on sale. I decided to seize the opportunity and see what all the fuss is about. I wonder how it will taste since it is unsweetened. I have been drinking soy milk for years so we will see how this compares. Stay tuned....

Oh Oh Sloppy Joe

During my 3 day stint off from the hospital I decided to get my cooking skills on. On today's agenda was my Sloppy Joe's. The lean ground beef was on sale so I decided to take advantage of the great offer. My recipe hails from my favorite magazine Cooking Light and has been a staple for me for many years. In this great creation I add corn to create some extra thickness and add fiber. I also serve my Sloppy Joe's over yellow rice (my favorite rice) instead of on a bun. I usually make a huge batch of the 2 and freeze them in single serve tupperware for easy grab and go for work. I cannot wait to back to work this week so I can enjoy this for some good eats.

Rise and Shine Sunshine

Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day because it sets the tone for the rest of your day and food choices. Always a good idea to start off right with a good mix of carbs, protein, and fiber to keep you fuller longer. A good breakfast food to help create a winning combination is eggs and toast or in this case, a bagel. Eggs and egg whites have always been given a bad name such as high fat content or their lack of inconvenience for on the go people. All I can say is give eggs a chance, you do not know what you are missing.

Breakfast Combination

• Lender's cinnamon raisin bagel
• Egg white omelette
• Banana boats topped with cinnamon
• Crystal Light- tangerine sunrise
  
  
  

Blueberry Beer?

I love a good ole glass of wine with dinner but never have I been a big drinker of beer much less flavored beers. But I feel a change in the winds as I attempt to expand my food horizons. For tonight's taste testing I have Wild Blue Blueberry Lager and Kashi Sicilian Veggie pizza. I hope that it will be a winning combo as I watch March Madness, GO FSU SEMINOLES!
http://www.kashi.com/

http://wildbluelager.com/

Well, dinner is over and my tummy is very full. I love, love, love running but I hate how it can make my appetite soar to the sky. I especially notice this on double digit run days such as this with my 10 miler this morning. Sometimes my hunger will just hit me and I am starving. Even when my tummy is full, I still feel my appetite is not satisfied. My fiance and I both tried the Wild Blueberry Lager with our pizza and we both agree that it was a little too sweet for our taste buds. I would recommend it to anyone for a desire to tantalize their taste buds once in a while. As for an everyday beer, this would not be my pick. The Kashi Pizza was very good, light yet filling with the right balance of sauce, crust, and toppings. Nothing was overloaded. I cannot wait to try another flavor. Go Kashi!

Tootie Fruity

The sun is shining, the wind is blowing and I feel like spring is finally here to stay. After a trip to the grocery store my lunch fullness had left me and I was in need of some good eats. On this occasion I decided on 3 Quaker Rice Cakes, topped with fat-free caramel yogurt, cinnamon, sliced strawberries, and blueberries.

GO HAWKS!!

Fun, Fun, Fun in Atlanta. Here are 2 pictures from the Hawks vs. Mavericks game tonight. Great seats, great food from Taco Mac, and a fired up crowd. Perfect night!

Power-packed breakfast

I am sure that I have professed its greatness before but oatmeal is a very versatile food. The many combinations are endless and it's CHEAP! This mornings spread started with 2 great cups of Christopher's Winter Wonderland coffee with hot coco mixed in. I was able to slowly wake up, complete my daily devotion, and contemplate the many different options for the future. I have recently applied for 6 jobs all in Clinical Research Nursing with concentrations in different areas that range from cancer to asthma to HIV research. The jobs are with the University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Florida in Jacksonville, Duke University in Durham, NC. My future is in God's control, a great feeling because He knows what is best for me.

After waking and allowing my hunger to guide my breakfast decisions I decided on a big bowl of oats. For those of you who are trying to lose weight, oatmeal is your friend. Here is this mornings concoction:

• 1/2c. Quaker Oats
• 1/2c. pumpkin
• Cinnamon and splash of vanilla
• 3/4c. egg whites cooked
• Banana and PB on the side
  
  
  

Just a little something

I love being called off from work because it gives me time in the morning to play on the computer, eat a relaxing breakfast, and watch the morning news. For those who do not know, being called off consists of a 5am phone call from the hospital to say their census is low and my nursing services are not needed. The bad part is, it's only for 4 hours. At 9am I must call the hospital to see if the census has picked up and do they need me to work after all. So here I am waiting....

The pictures above are from my 2 birthday dinners, the first at Cheesecake Factory and the second at The Sundial (just taken after we got ENGAGED!!)

Lara, where have you been all my life?

Bars have received a bad reputation over the last few years but I am here to proclaim their greatness. The many new food revolutions and technologies over the years has created many new creations to tantalize your taste buds. I have my staple bars like Cliff and Kashi or Zone when I need some extra protein. In an effort to expand my foodie horizons I made a trip to Whole Foods and bought a few single samples of different types of bars. Big themes for many of the new types were vegan, raw, and green bars. Today's new taste test and by far my favorite was the Lara Bar- Pecan Pie. Just the right amount of nuts, fruit, sweetness, firmness, and chewy texture that was perfectly paired with my Golden Delicious apple. I was so pleased with it, I made a trip to Trader Joe's to buy a few new flavors.

I Love Cake!

I have always loved the taste of birthday cake, wedding cake, any cake will do. So I am always thrilled when there is any reason to eat some. This past weekend I made a trip to FL for a Bridal show and to meet with my cake baker. As much as I love cake, I am still feeling the sugar high and need a hiatus for a while. Here is what my wedding cake will look like except the monogram letters will match mine and my new husband. What does everyone think?

Miss Me?

Just wanted to let everyone know that I am still here. Life has been very fast-paced for the past couple of months with the holiday season, traveling and then I got ENGAGED! Planning a wedding has become like a second career that I have a love/hate relationship with. Let me just say to all those out there still not married, if you can, be living in the city you want to get married in. I know this is not a reality for most so invest in a Blackberry or have access to email at all times. Be back soon everyone....I hope?