The weekend is so close! I am really looking forward to it for a variety of reasons. The three biggest ones?
- Friday night blogger dinner (details to come!)
- Valentine’s Day 🙂
- Sleep, sleep, sleep
I am definitely feeling the effects of lack of sleep right now. This morning I woke up early for my workout, and it was painful! But I battled through. I went to the gym first and did 40 minutes on the ellipitical, then came back and did the Chest, Shoulders + Triceps workout from P90X. It was my first time doing this one, and it was SO hard. I definitely had to do “easier” versions of the push-ups and couldn’t get through all the reps. Oh well, it’s something to build upon, right? Then I did the Ab Ripper X. Then I was totally “fatigued” – my muscles had nothing left to give, but in a good way! That meant it was time for breakfast.
I had another go at pumpkin oats this morning – mainly because I still have a gigantic jar that I need to use up as soon as possible! I used the same recipe that I used on Tuesday and enjoyed it just as much, too.
Then I had my usual morning “indulgence” 🙂 It really looked like one today!
Hubba, hubba!!
I did some organizing around my room which really means I moved a pile of junk from one end to the other, and then I was off to my day of class. I brought a Pure Protein bar to munch on while learning about the psychology of diversity.
After my classes, I had a couple of group meetings for projects I’m working on over the weekend. When I finally arrived back home, my tum was growling. Then I saw the box addressed to me and smiled.
I received a package of POM Wonderful, which has been making its way around the blogosphere. I can’t wait to try it. I love pomegranates. Thanks to Daniel for sending some my way!
For lunch, I started with leftover tofu fries, which taste even better reheated.
Then I had my newest obsession: Greek yogurt, vanilla protein powder + flax!! Seriously, I can’t get enough. I added 1 tsp. maple syrup for extra sweetness.
And to end on a sweet note, I intended to heat and eat this VitaBrownie. But…I really didn’t like it! It’s weird because I really like the taste of the muffins, but this brownie didn’t do anything for me. I probably had 1/2 of it before deciding it wasn’t worth it.
I spent the rest of the afternoon doing a little homework, a little reading – I’m currently into Angels & Demons, and it’s REALLY scary! – and talked to an amazing blogger on the phone. Then it was time to head to the studio for our sports newscast. I rolled the video, then had some dinner via Panera.
I love the Asian Sesame Chicken salad! I decided to get the full salad instead of my usual You Pick Two. I’m glad I did – it was huge and really filling.
I also opted for the French baguette tonight. It’s so much doughier than the whole wheat one! I know it’s technically “refined” carbs, but it doesn’t hurt a girl every once in a while.
Random Question
What, if any, book are you currently reading?
I’m almost done with Angels & Demons and could use some ideas 🙂
Have a great Friday! I’ll be back at night with a bloggie dinner recap. Yay!
Peace, love, and Coffee Cocoa,
The Food Revolution by John Robbins (just started it). I actually like the vitabrownies – I’ve never tried the muffins but maybe I’d like them even more.
Get some rest tonight Jenn!! You DO have an amazing weekend ahead!
Oooo Angels and Demons is SO good…I like it better than Da Vinci Code I think. Can’t wait for the movie!!
I’m currently reading Wuthering Heights, and I’ve been reading it literally since the beginning of January. I only read in bed at night if I’m not too exhausted so my nightly reads have been few and far between lately!
omgosh – angels and demons sounds good!
and jenngirl – i read wuthering heights a few years ago… and boy, i fell in love. it’s a beautiful, dark piece of literature, but so so memorable.
i’m currently reading a memoir called “My Lobotomy.” It’s written by a man who was one of the youngest patients to receive a lobotomy, and it basically details his life from pre-lobotomy to post-lobotomy to present day. it’s horrifying how such a procedure was considered “helpful” just a few decades ago. he went through an MRI a few years ago, and if i recall correctly, the doctors told him that because of the lobotomy, his brain was severely damaged, to the point that if doctors had just seen the MRI results without knowing him (the author), they would’ve thought that that individual would’ve been institutionalized for the rest of his life, or a vegetable.
Oh my gosh, such delicious eats! I really want that vitabrownie!
And right now I’m reading The Yellow House.
SO funny-i bought the Vitabrownie, and it totally BLOWs compared to the vitamuffin!! Great minds still 😀 If you like funny books, I recommend HIGHLY HIGHLY, anything by david sedaris or augusten burroughs…they are amazing. I have millions more, I’ll think of some good ones..we can go to the bookstore togeths when u come out here :D!!
I’m not reading anything right now but I am about to start For Whom The Bell Tolls by Hemmingway for a book club I’m joining. I think I read it in high school but don’t remember the story.
I read all of Angels and Demons on a seven-hour car ride in college (I wasn’t driving, obviously). Loved it.
That breakfast looks exactly like the one I had this morning! I guess oatmeal will be like that, huh?
Yikes! Protein powder mixed into Greek yogurt?! That combination packs quite the protein punch–I bet it kept you full for a while!
Currently I am reading Light in August by William Faulkner. It’s for a class, so I am not sure that counts…
Jenn!
That Coffee Cocoa is beautiful, like a nice chocolate and caffeine infused whipped cream white rose. This may be my favorite flower 😉
I made Humbecue Pizza tonight. SO GOOD.
I have about 50 things on my night stand, including my Bible (1 Corinthians in Feb. HOLLA!), In Defense of Food, Intuitive Eating (reread), New Moon (still NOT finished) and a couple of magazines.
I am so looking forward to the weekend too! Have a good Friday!
I love that pomegranate stuff!!!! I hope you enjoy it!
Haha…that’s totally how cleaning ends up being at my house – moving junk from one location to another, with plans on sorting through it later. Weird how later never comes.
As for what I’m reading…I think I have 3 books with bookmarks in them currently: Veganomicon, This Is Your Brain On Music, and Platypus. I also have the newest issue of Clean Eating & a Rolling Stone magazine on the go. I’m really bad at finishing reading things. And as you can see, I don’t read fiction. Is that weird?
we have the same bowl for oatmeal!!!!! 😀
currently I’m reading chinese medicine’s book about food in chinese!
The tofu…the salad…those are my favorite eats in this post! I cant wait to hear about the blogger dinner.
I’m sure you saw on my blog but I’m reading “The China Study” right now and it is fascinating. It’s been a while since I’ve read any fiction…have you read “Eat Pray Love”?
P.S. Thank you for your last comment on my blog–really sweet!
I love the VitaMuffins, but i totally agree on the brownies…
I’m reading “Something Borrowed” by Emily Giffin…its hilarious!
Yum, I love that Panera salad, and I totally agree with you on the french baguette vs. the whole wheat one at Panera – for as infrequently as I go to Panera (there’s not one in my town), I always opt for the french over whole wheat. 🙂
And LUCKY YOU on that POM!!! Gosh, I LOVE POM…I thought I had gotten some yesterday and got SO excited, immediately incorporating it into my dinner plans….and then I realized it was a reused box for my Secret Cupid package (which was still just as exciting and wonderful!)
A&D what a fabulous book!! I want to see the movie when it comes out!
PANERAAAAAA – my lack of sleep may push me to the Pdizzle today after seeing that dinner 🙂
Book recs: Atonement, Blindness (it can be annoying to get into but it’s good once you get sucked in), or Time Traveler’s Wife
Great eats, especially the cupcake 😉
Gotta make that baked tofu!!
I have angels and demons waiting in the “wings”, now you have me scared to read it!!lol
Mmm I love that tofu! I’ve got to make some soon.
Pumpkin Oats!!! =)
Angels and Demons sounds really good. Currently I’m reading Unpredictable by Eileen Cook. It’s pretty hilarious so far.
I’m reading a collection of short stories by Stephen King (my favorite author).
Can’t wait to read more about the BLOGGER MEET-UP!! 😉
I loved Angels & Demons, I liked it more than the Da Vinci Code too. I just finished reading The Kite Runner for the second time. It’s an amazing book and I couldn’t recommend it more.
I loved that book! SO good! I liked the The Thirteenth Tale too. It was very good!
Happy (early) Valentines Jenn! Hope you and Bobby have some big plans 😉
I also hope you get some rest in today, it sounds like you need it, and have a load of fun too!
As far as what I’m reading: textbooks…but I got a fun book from my sister for Christmas called “Bonk” and it’s about the science behind sex. I’ve been reading that a bit too. I’m a dork and like to read health-related books a lot!
And I am a bit behind in the blog reading, but I just noticed the shout-out. Thanks! I’ll be emailing shortly 🙂 Have a great day!
Your Panera makes me SO jealous!!!
I’m almost done reading a random murder mystery. It’s pretty good but I’m really bad at remembering authors/titles of some books!
I’m still loving your oats- such a great combo.
Currently, I’m not reading anything except the Marketing book that I wrote about on my blog, but I would recommend The Glass Castle.. it’s a memoir and it’s awesome. Everyone I know who had read it fell in love…
for a while my grocery store only carried the vitabrownies so that’s all i could try and i didn’t like it either. for the life of my i just couldn’t figure out what all this vitamuffin hype was about because the brownies sucks. Then I finally found the muffins and everything was finally right with the world : )
i hope you have an amazing weekend and get caught up on sleep! Have fun!
im not reading anything at the moment but magazines.. i just finished The Red Tent last week though!
I’m reading Eat Love Pray and I really like it. It is by Elizabeth Gilbert.
I just had some yogurt with protein powder and flax myself! 😀 Is that Angels and Demons by Dan Brown? I liked that book! I’m currently reading the 3rd book in a series by George R. R. Martin, series called Fire and Ice. Whoa these books are awesome (sort of Lord of the Rings setting) but not for the faint of heart. They are long, the third one is about 900 pages. I thought they were a little challenging of a read at first because there are so many people, places, events to get familiar with, but once you do it’s pretty easy from there on out.
I’m so jealous! Blogger dinner! The fab Veggie girl lives by me, but that’s about it, otherwise no one travels to Cleveland!
All of the books by Jen Lancaster are HYSTERICAL – I read them all so quick. She is super sarcastic and so funny! try them!
I also prefer the muffins over the brownies. My dear husband like the brownies, though.
I haven’t tried any of the vita brownies but i do love the vitamuffins, thanks for the review, I’ll just stick to the muffins!
This is embarrassing but I started a book about a month ago and I think I’m a chapter in, I’m reading “The world without us” it’s not that it’s not interesting I’ve just been lazy with my reading lately.
Hope you have a great weekend!
I am trying to finish Eat, Pray, Love – which i have been reading for months. I fall asleep every time I try to read it. 🙂
I so agree with the brownie comment! It’s not as soft as the muffin at all!
I’m excited to hear about the blogger dinner. You tease!
I’m reading Existential-Phenomenological Alternatives for Psychology to help me with my thesis data. It helps me go to sleep!
I usually have a paperback cook book on the nightstand too 🙂
Your oats look so good! I’m currently reading The Cronicles of Narnia. I’m in the first book and it’s fun.
Gosh I miss panera! Anyway, I recommend Digging to America by Anne Tyler, for a quick but interesting read!
OOhh, blogger dinner? I can’t wait to find out more 🙂
Happy early Valentine’s Day!
Hey Jenn,
I hope you get some well needed rest this weekend as you sound so busy. Sleep sleep sleep – so important. I’m working on getting more in my life these days for sure!
You didn’t like the Vitabrownie? I actually like those more than the muffins. They seem more hearty to me.
I am so excited to hear more about your blogger dinner. So fun, this blogging community. 🙂
I just finished Eclipse. It took me forever, because I’m only reading at night before I go to bed as I just don’t seem to have any time during the day…then I force myself to put the book down so that I can get more sleep…but all I want to do is read about Edward and Bella…and now I keep watching movie clips on youtube…you’re a bad bad influence Miss Bender. 🙂
Oh Angels and Demons was awesome – even more so than Da Vinci Code, I think! I must be on a wavelength with Heather because I’m getting towards the end of Eclipse myself. It’s the devil because it’s like, awesomely bad! I alternate between swooning and rolling my eyes, haha 🙂 Won’t stop me from finishing the series!
I totally did the pumpkin oats with banana this morning too!!! 🙂 OH geez, and panera actually gave you a “real” amount of chicken. I always get upset about the lack of chicken I get whenever I get salads! Grrrrr. And Asian salad dressing rocks. There’s not such thing in Asia, but whatever! Its tastes so good. THANKS for all your advice…i’m gonna go answer that email now.
Your indulgence looks incredible! I’m actually re-reading Jane Eyre. It’s my favorite!
Sarah
http://sarahdbelle.wordpress.com/
I’m not currently reading any books except school books… so thanks for reminding me that I should get myself to the library, stat!
I’m rereading Twilight! Its actually kind of nice to be rereading it becuase I am not in such a rush to know how its going to end, I am taking my time and just enjoying a chapter a night. It’s like falling in love with Edward Cullen all over again. 🙂
Great idea mixing yogurt and protein powder! I need to try that! I am currently not reading any books because I am trying to catch up on my stack of 10 magazines! I have Time Traveler’s Wife ready to read though!
Angels & Demons is great! Have you read all of Dan Brown’s books? If not, you should 😉 I’m currently reading The Pact by Jody Picoult – her books are all amazing.
yayyyy weekend!! the “sleep sleep sleep” is my favorite part of your plan … but the other stuff sounds ok, too 😉
i’m reading this book called Escape about a woman who escaped from her flds community with her 8 kids … so fascinating!
PANERA is so yummy!! That salad looks rockin!
So jealous of your delish looking Pom package!! Its antioxidant decadence. 🙂
I’m currently reading the Twilight series. I gave in. I don’t like big commercialized series books like this but I decided to give it a whirl and its actually …..errr….really good :blush: blush:
petitfoodie.wordpress.com
I am feeling you on the lack of sleep, I too am going to catch up this weekend! I just adore that muffin still!!!! lol…I also can’t wait to hear about the blogger meet up!
HEY! I loved Angels and Demons- sooooo good. Maybe better than the code?
Josh and I agree- the muffins are way better than the brownies (which seems odd to me?
ENJOY your weekend. I need some sleep too
I just finished “The Time Traveler’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger .. it was really good and they’re making a movie out of it with Rachel McAdams!!
Try the website goodreads.com … you can create a profile and add books you’ve read, rate them, etc. You can friend people and even create groups. It’s a great way to see what your friends are reading and find good book suggestions!!
I totally agree with you on Angels and Demons…and you should check out the rest of Dan Browns books, they are awesome!! Also, anything by JOdi Picoult, James Patterson, John Grisham or Janet Evanovich….and I completely agree with Amanda on The Time Travelers Wife….EXCELLENT book!!
Im reading the Kite Runner…I picked it up on a whim, and its fabulous!
I’m reading Object Lessons by Anna Quindlen and it’s very good.
I just finished The Historian, which I enjoyed a lot. I also have to agree with the people who said A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin (The first book is called A Game of Thrones) my favorite series ever, The Glass Castle, and The Time-Traveler’s Wife. All excellent reads.
I struggle at reading books consistantly, but I have stacks of magazines to get through… I do have a “book list” though, and Angels & Demons is on it, maybe I’ll get to it before the movie. 🙂
I actually LOVE all the vita products-but I rarely buy it b/c they’re pretty pricey. Samsies on the weekend plans! I’ve got a din din tonight for a birthday, valentine’s plans, and Sunday is the day to CRASH. WOO-HOO! Have an awesome weekend!!!
I read Angels & Demons a few years ago after I read Davinci code. It’s awesome! I’ve read a few of the other books by Dan Brown and they are also good. Right now I’m reading I’m reading The Little Lady Agency- it’s one of those light fun reads.
I’m going to have to try the coffee cocoa on of these days! it always looks delicious.
Have a great weekend!!
lol @ your organizing, it sounds like mine! haha!
The Asian Sesame Salad is the only thing I’ve ever had at Panera’s and I loved it so much! So delish!
Ooh Angels and Demons, I read that a few years ago and really enjoyed it! I’m currently reading The China Study for non fiction and Clown Girl by Monica Drake. Both super good but I REALLY want to be reading Lamb by Chris Moore & the Charlaine Harris vampire series but I have to wait until my bday to get those :/
ooh i can’t wait to see those blogger dinner pics! how fun!
i’m exhausted this week too- hope you get some good rest!
every time i see panera on your blog it makes me wish we had a panera here with all of my heart. we have atlanta bread, but it’s nowhere near as good
have a wonderful v-day with bobby 😀
i just finished “remember me?’ by sophie kinsella (who wrote the shopaholic books) last night. it was really good fluffy girly not-anything-related-to-school reading 😀
I am currently reading The China Study, such a great books and very informative! The P90X videos always kick my butt too!
omg you’re going to love angels and demons…i actually liked it more than the de vinci code! I’m currently reading in the woods and it’s not going that well…but i’m excited for my next few books I have waiting to be read! i’ll let you know about those later!
i envy those oats every time you eat them…i so wish i liked pumpkin!! and that chocolate chip protein bar…how i wish i could find thee!!!
have a great weekend and i hope you get to do something nice w/ Bobby!
If you haven’t read them, James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club series is awesome!
They’re easy to read, but totally addictive. He has 1-7 done, and I think #8 is coming out in a few months.
The first one is called “1st to Die” and each one has a number in the title (i.e., 2nd Chance ,etc)
Those Kashi Bars are soooooo good!
I know I’m late, but I’m currently reading The Secret Life of Bees, and if you haven’t already read it, I’m just FLYING through it! I can’t put it down [even though I’ve got a TON of other school work that I should be doing!]
Thanks for the book ideas, everyone! I will try to compile a list of these soon so everyone can see the suggestions!
[…] compiled a list based on all of your fabulous book suggestions and thought some of you might like to see what others have been reading […]
I love Pom Wonderful! I started drinking it a few years ago when when of my nursing school friends told me that it is very rich in antioxidants. Since my mom had cancer around the same time I got into drinking it. It is very TART (as you have likely found out). Sometimes I mix mine with grape juice or cranberry juice, or a combination of them. Club soda or gingeraile are a good addition if you like carbonation. : )