Ack, it’s pretty late for me to be getting around to this! I always expect to have so much extra time on my days off, and the opposite always ends up being true.
Anyway, I had today off since it’s my class day and Hunter is closed for spring break 🙂 I had lots to get done because I’m leaving for the weekend tomorrow — my old college roommate is getting married in North Carolina! I woke up around 8, got my laundry started at the laundromat, and then came back for breakfast:
That’s right, exactly the same as yesterday: tofu oat bran with prune groatmeal topping! Such a pleasant-sounding name, right?
I topped it with cashew-almond butter and unsweetened coconut again today, but
I decided to go wild and throw on a sprinkle of cinnamon as well.
Lunch, even though it was my day off from work, was the usual group effort.
I had a salad made with rescued brown and leaky roommate lettuce and Heather’s leftover lunch lettuce from work yesterday; half of an abandoned zucchini that I found on the conference room table yesterday (I think it was Inginia’s?) sauteed with olive oil, garlic, and a few thawed pieces of seared tuna from the Electrolux event a couple weeks ago; peanut roasted chickpeas; Newman’s dried berry blend; grated homemade parmesan; and the rest of my sundried tomato dressing from last night’s salad.
On the side, I had one of Myrna and Mildred’s empanadas from Heather’s baby shower and Heather’s leftover guacamole from her lunch yesterday.
I didn’t know whether the empanada was chicken or cheese until I took a bite.
Chicken it was! Delicious 🙂
Lunch dessert was another tbsp of peanut roasted chickpeas and the rest of the Newman’s berries:
After laundry and lunch, I went out on a mission of many errands. I walked down to Brooklyn’s poor excuse for a mall, Atlantic Center, and picked up a new pair of sneakers (in the white/berry/storm color) from DSW on sale for $60. More money than I’m really free to spend, but the health of my knees is worth it!
I also hit up Target hoping to find a cheap dress for the wedding that suits my new, ahem, “curvier” figure (thanks to the injury-induced reduction in running). No luck, though, so I’m going to have to raid my closet! I did, however, pick up a coffee bean grinder. I don’t like coffee, but my mini-food processor bit the dust after three batches of nut butter, and I thought (rather, I called my mom and she thought) the grinder might be a good and cheap ($15!) interim solution until I can get my hands on a powerful processor. Mom was right, and I made some sunflower seed butter when I got home. Sure, it took three batches (and I had to stop the grinder after every pulse to scrape the sides) to make 1/2 cup’s worth, but I now have delicious sunflower seed butter!
I also stopped into several grocery stores on the way back to try to put a dent in my stockpile of coupons. In addition to heavily discounted produce, I also picked up a free kashi meal, free tempeh, free cereal, and free yogurt 😀 The checkout people kept doing double-takes as they rang up my coupons.
By the time I got home, I had been gone for three hours and 3.5 miles of walking. I had a quick snack of a date with my last tsp of cashew-almond butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon:
And then I went out for an inaugural run with the new sneakers! I could definitely feel the difference in my knees. I felt like I was running on clouds, sigh. I made it about 22 minutes until the muscles started giving me grief, so I took a 20-minute walk/run/stretch pain-break. Once things had calmed down, I resumed a solid run for the last 10 minutes. I think I usually run by wildly throwing my legs out in front of me (yeah, I’m sure that’s part of why I’m injured, too) but I noticed today that I felt a lot less pain when I focused on lifting my knees UP instead. I’ll have to make a point of this on future runs. Anyhoo, stats: 55 minutes, 421 calories, 144 average heart rate, 168 max. It was probably around 4 miles total. After the run, I did most of the 20-minute Yoga for Runners — sometimes I just can’t keep my attention on it long enough to finish!
Now I’m off to go finish dyeing my hair, do a little wedding fashion show so I can figure out what to pack, and then start packing! I will hopefully be back soon — I should have a good amount of airport downtime perfectly suited to blogging tomorrow 🙂
Are your days off busier than your days on?
Erin at I Walk In This World is going to be hosting a bake sale/auction next week to raise money for the Jimmy Fund. Go check it out!
Tales of Expansion: Baby Butternut Edition 
My days off are “busier” mostly because I find even more ways to waste time than I do on my working days.
Sunflower seed butter sounds really interesting. I bet it has a unique taste. I think I’d like it.
Your breakfast looks good. It actually looked kind of like red beans.
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everything looks delish. Be careful with the grinder, I broke mine on the third use trying to make raw truffles! It it is great with nuts, but mine couldn’t handle sticky!
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Target is the best place to go for everything you never knew you needed!
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Have fun and take lots of pictures this weekend!
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oh i’m beyond jealous of the homemade empanada!
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Days off always end up busier than planned!! At least you fit in lots of good food…..as always!
Peanut Roasted chickpeas?!! Ohhh I need to find these!!
And yes! Score on all the free goods…..one of the many benefits of being a food blogger!
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I’m so lazy – when I have a day off, I tend to waste it… not good. That said, I have had this past week off from uni (have at been at home, studying) and I’ve been far busier than normal.. except today. I went to the gym, did some shopping and am now drooling over your date with cashew-almond butter 🙂
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You had a relaxing but busy day. Mine days off always turn out to be like that no matter how much I plan for a relaxing day. I guess when you don’t take days off often, you just need to do those things that you can’t in standard days like 3 hours of walk? wooo.. walk alone for 3 hours? on the neighbor??
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Love those peanut roasted chickpeas!!
I’m ALWAYS insanely busy, regardless of days off, haha 😀
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You had a lot of free coupons! That’s awesome!!! I love getting free stuff! 🙂
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have a safe trip!
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Mmmmmm sunflower seed butter!!!
I’ve always been curious about using a coffee grinder to make nut butter. Glad to hear it works!
And way to go on the run!!! Now i want new shoes 🙂
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Ah yes, a day off is always busy. I am glad the new sneaks helped a bit with the knees.
That is such an awesome tip about the coffee grinder! Have fun in N.C.
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Hey, here’s something to try for working on your running form! I sometimes have bad form, too, and my coach used to yell at me for “shuffling.” Anyways, we would do leg circles as a warm-up, which is doing high knees AND butt kicks at the same time. So your legs are going in an exaggerated running motion, with really high knees and butt kicks. Maybe doing some form drills like that could help?
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enjoy your trip!
p.s. considering that your contest was my first win (ever!) I feel like I should tell you that I am hosting a contest (http://eatingchalk.wordpress.com/2009/04/17/blogger-meet-ups-and-morning-bowls-and-free-stuff/)
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Re: your last post, you are a professional expansionist and I like your thoughts on the subject. Guilt is not something that should be attached to eating, because if we don’t do it, death ensues. Not so good an option.
So I hear you are meeting the KERF herself in NC! COOL! And yet we both live in Brooklyn and haven’t managed to do the same yet…that’ll have to change soon. 🙂
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My days off tend to be busier since I sleep late and then can’t get much done! hehe. good thing i don’t have many days off 😉 Have a great time at the wedding!! Post pics of the dress!
xoxo
sara
http://eatfabinnyc.wordpress.com
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Oh how I miss empanadas!
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