wow….I can’t believe its Monday already and spring break is over! Back to the crazy schedule of work and school. I’m def. struggling to get back in the swing of things and I’m sure it will take me a few days to re-adjust my body to not getting home until midnight and waking up early to workout before work. Like I said before spring break, I’ve started to work everyday during the week at Roy’s to make some more $$. This morning I woke up early and went out for a run. Before my run, I snacked on half a banana with almond butter and I ran about 30 minutes around my community as the sun rose. I gathered the mail which had not been got in days and what I found really made my day already. 🙂
I got two presents in the mail this morning!!!!!!!!!! The first one, from Lisa in South Africa, is a lovely bag of chocolate covered Brazil nuts! Can you only imagine??! And straight from South Africa! She sent a lovely note and when I opened the box, tons of confetti fell out. Thank you Lisa! I can’t wait to enjoy these 🙂
I also got, from Patricia, the cutest little hand painted box from El Salvador. It is absolutely perfect to keep my jewelery in while I go to school (I can’t wear jewelery at all at school). I love it and it found a rightful home in my bathroom next to my perfumes.
I can’t thank you enough, girls. I’ve been feeling down yesterday and today and this really made me smile! Actually, it almost made me get teary eyed. Thank you for your kindness 🙂
Now: on to breakfast and lunch!
When I got back from my run I finished off the box of Ezekiel Almond cereal. I had it with nonfat soy milk (WestSoy brand) and the other half of my banana. It hit the spot.
Of course I had to pack my lunch today for work. Over the weekend I was thinking of fun things to pack this week and I came across Lindsay’s sweet potato soup that she made last week. It looked so incredibly simple—only using 2 sweet potatoes and some lite coconut milk, so I gave it a try last night. I only tasted it but I’m already excited to have it for lunch today! Her recipe yielded a very thick (I mean THICK!) pale orange soup. Its also very creamy due to the coconut milk. The recipe said it made about 1.5 cups but I only got less than one cup I think. Strange, but perfect for my lunch box. Maybe because my potatoes were smaller? I even added some water to thin it out a little bit.
With my soup I packed some kiwi and then a brown rice cake with almond butter for later in the afternoon. I might have to stick a chocolate covered brazil nut in there as well for a treat 🙂
Have a good Monday everyone! My calender says, “Here comes summer………”!
VeggieGirl
April 7, 2008 at 12:35 pmAhhh, I too can’t believe that it’s Monday already!! My birthday yesterday went by so quickly, especially!!
Such LOVELY gifts – always nice to receive packages from friends :0)
Enjoy your Monday, Jenna!! The weekend will be here before we know it! ;0)
hk
April 7, 2008 at 12:51 pmBack to monday, it always takes some getting used to! Love those gifts, what fun!
I’m excited to hear about the soup, I love sweet potatoes, and a simple puree sounds great 🙂 have a nice monday!
VTgirl
April 7, 2008 at 1:01 pmomg those gifts are so cool!!! are they from blog readers? presents on a monday morning is totally the right way to start off monday morning! i know what you mean about the summer countdown…i have all the days numbered off in my planner…!!!!!! summer is almost here!!!!!!!!!
Rebecca
April 7, 2008 at 1:10 pmThose gifts looks so great! I just read your post from last night, but if you and your roomie have been friends for 14 years, then distance won’t matter- you all will still be best friends 🙂
Rebecca
April 7, 2008 at 1:10 pmA lot of people on this site seem to really love avocado or guacamole. I would love to incorporate either in my diet since it is such a healthy fat. Besides turkey sandwiches and tacos, what other ways do you all incorporate avocado? Any tasty salad combos and dressings? I really have no idea what goes well with avocados. Thanks and hope everyone has a good Monday!
Betsy
April 7, 2008 at 1:25 pmwhat great gifts!!! those brazil nuts look especially yummy.
i hope your monday goes well and it perks up a little!!
Romina
April 7, 2008 at 1:29 pmHappy Monday!! Your gifts are so cute!
Kristen
April 7, 2008 at 1:47 pmRebecca–I love to make black bean burgers topped with sauteed mushrooms and avocado. I also enjoy wraps made with whole wheat tortillas stuffed with hummus, avocado, cucumber, and sprouts. Just a couple of suggestions! 🙂
Cara
April 7, 2008 at 1:47 pmI hope your week gets better!
Patricia
April 7, 2008 at 2:04 pmHi Jenna!
I’m glad you liked the box. 🙂
Have a good week!!
Becky in MD
April 7, 2008 at 2:10 pmJenna,
Do you have a link to your lunchbox? I know you got it as a present, but I love the containers, and would really like to get one. If anyone has a link, that would be great! Thanks,
Becky
Mel H
April 7, 2008 at 2:21 pmHave a great day Jenna !! Only 5 more days until the weekend!! Visiting your roommate will make your relationship even better and stronger!! My bestfriend moved away for college and we love visiting each other bc we get to catch up and laugh about old times..it makes spending time together more precious!! good luck today!! Happy Monday everyone!
fashionista
April 7, 2008 at 3:50 pmyahoo.
God knew you needed a little something extra special today…
I am so happy the package arrived. Enjoy every bite! I hope they survived the long journey… 🙂 I am sure a few seconds in the microwave would make them that much more yummy!
I’ve also heard so much talk about Rooibos on this blog! I’ve been obsessed with it for about 8 years now ever since my cousin married a South African and now I am in South Africa (w/ my South African man 🙂 ). It. is. amazing…. It only grows in one place in the world- which is about 2 hours from me ,so you can imagine the abundance we have here in Cape Town! I only wish I could send you all some!!!!!!!!
Have a wonderful week everyone.
loves from Africa.
Stacy
April 7, 2008 at 4:40 pmHey Everyone! There was a great book conversation a couple weeks ago (where I should have wrote down suggestions) and I have a question for all of you. I’ve got a 4 hour flight by myself coming up this week plus a couple hours of lag time in the airport after I arrive and I’d like to find a great long book to kill the time.
I like to read all different types of books. I’ve read almost all of the Philippa Gregory books and loved them, I like chick lit as well, animal stories, historical fiction, or just anything with a great story.
If anyone has suggestions I would appreciate it!
Stacy
nicole r.
April 7, 2008 at 4:43 pmROOIBOS IS MY FAVORITE TEA EVER!! Ah you are so luckyyy, lisa! And to get to enjoy all the fab south african wine as well 🙂
Sorry about your roommate, jenna. I lived alone when my roommate went abroad for a semester and it was kind of a shock. I hope your week gets better!
linds
April 7, 2008 at 5:57 pmI remembered seeing the ‘endangered species’ chocolate bar on your blog once and after noticing the brand at my grocery store I picked up a bar of the 72% dark… and oh my god….I’m so glad I did. I’m pretty picky with my chocolate, but this stuff is amazing!!! I just bought a bar of the dark chocolate mint today and it is just as good. You have great taste haha 🙂
happy herbivore
April 7, 2008 at 6:08 pmso in addition to having a HOT oven i apparently also have big produce. 😛
Reese
April 7, 2008 at 6:14 pmhello everyone!
so i am looking for some recommendations… i want to buy a friend a vegan baking cookbook for her birthday. i was thinking of either “joy of vegan baking” or “my sweet vegan”… out of these two which do you all recommend? or are there others that you all like more?
thanks!!
Rebecca
April 7, 2008 at 7:53 pmNicole R, are you in med school? How do you check blogs so much and not get distracted from school (This is not an insult at all, but I am only in college- and I find they are almost worst than facebook (time sucking wise)!
Jenna, love the blog……..but I check it way too much 🙂
Susan
April 7, 2008 at 7:53 pmAnyone know how to search on Eat Like Me’s blog?
melissa-little runner
April 7, 2008 at 8:03 pmI wish I could see summer in sight! Happy Monday.
bikergurl
April 7, 2008 at 8:06 pmOh wow, it’s so interesting to see people from all over the world here! Chocolates from South Africa is sooo cool 🙂
CR
April 7, 2008 at 8:41 pmSusan, quick answer: Ctrl+F. What are you trying to search for and on what part of the blog?
jenna
April 7, 2008 at 9:21 pmBecky in MD,
My mom got it from pottery barn…you might try the company’s website! I believe its http://www.potterybarn.com