New BFF and New Recipe

Hey there, sunshines! How was your weekend? I hope it was full of love and tons of fun! In case you were on a blog hiatus, here is what you missed over in Kale land:

• The team at Mind.Body.Barre got started on our video project!
• I had a “really amazing” weekend.

Breakfast

Today’s morning meal featured a fruit I thought I wouldn’t be enjoying until late Spring/early Summer: strawberries! My dad picked some up at the grocery store this weekend and I apprehensively took them to school. Thankfully, they became perfectly ripe and went along fantastically with my bowl of Nature’s Path Flax Plus Flakes in unsweetened almond milk.

Daily Musings

Thanks to my Food Service Systems class, I now have a new best friend. This morning, our class played Jeopardy as a review for our exam next Tuesday (Are we five? Doesn’t matter because Jeopardy rules). Despite our team coming in dead last (Oops!), my professor took pity and gave out prizes to everyone. 

I chose a stuffed Veggie Corn Animal and, thanks to Sherri, named him Cornelius. See what we did there? Cornelius has crazy hair and we’re growing fonder of each other by the minute.  

How stinkin’ cute is he?! Cornelius likes to watch over me while I’m doing homework. Alright, I digress.

Lunch

After all of my reporting on the amazing nutritional properties of chia seeds, I knew that I needed to re-stock on the little gems. I did so this weekend and managed to incorporate them into today’s lunch. I put together the usual salad and garnished it with chia seeds! Perfection. They added a nice little crunch. Also eaten were some falafel balls (I’m addicted) with a complementary pool of organic ketchup.

Dinner

I am particularly swamped with assignments and studying for three upcoming exams. I’m trying not to stress and remain focused on doing the best that I possibly can because, in reality, that’s all we can do! After a few hours of homework, I headed to Butts & Guts. Kicked my butt, for sure. Clamshells are NO joke, my friends!

When I got back, I fixed myself a mish-mosh of ingredients that turned out to be an easy-peasy 15-minute pasta primavera: dorm room style! It featured a new-to-me product, tofu angel hair pasta.

 
I combined the pasta with some mixed vegetables, a crumbled Dr. Pragger’s Veggie Burger, and a sprinkling of Daiya for an amped-up pasta primavera. It was so delicious! I love it when meals on a whim turn out well.

Butternut Squash & Apple Bake

I take no credit for this one. My beloved mother created this incredible side dish this weekend and I may or may not have devoured half of it between Saturday and Sunday. Make this! Now. Go. I mean it. I’m watching you.

Butternut Squash & Apple Bake

Serves: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash
• 2 large apples (Mama used Macintosh)
• Earth Balance spread
• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
• Mix 2 Tbsp. melted Earth Balance and 1 Tbsp. brown sugar in a small bowl. Whisk together.
• Dice up butternut squash and apples into cubes.
• Spray baking pan with cooking spray.
• Add butternut squash and apples to the baking pan.
• Pour Earth balance and brown sugar mixture over the squash and apples.Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg to taste.
• Bake for 40 minutes. Add more cinnamon and nutmeg to taste.
• Devour!