I am taking a short hiatus from blogging, so that I can get caught up with some things in school and my personal life. I plan to be back in a couple of weeks...probably over spring break. Rest assured, I will still be eating cheap & healthy, and I encourage you to do the same! See you soon :)

Breakfast
Today was my early day at work, and I hardly got any sleep last night...so I'll go ahead and apologize for the shortness of this post.
Breakfast was eaten in two shifts, as I typically do when I have to get up at 5 in the morning. I need something to get me going this early, but then I need more "fuel" later in the morning so I can make it through lunch.
Breakfast # 1: a cup of fat free (Dannon) vanilla yogurt mixed with a cup of frozen (thawed) strawberries and blueberries, 1/4 cup of granola cereal, and 11 almonds.
Breakfast # 2: a small bran muffin and a 2 egg omelet made from egg substitute (compliments of the kitchen after breakfast ended).

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 2 oz whole (1/2 from granola cereal and 1 1/2 from muffin)

Fruits: 1 cup (blueberries and strawberries)

Vegetables: 0

Milk: 1 cup (yogurt)

Meats & beans: 3 oz (almonds and eggs)

Oils: 1 teaspoon (almonds)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $2.39

Lunch
I had a piece of leftover veggie lasagna from last night, along with a cup of raw baby carrots. I forced myself to walk on the treadmill for 45 minutes, even though I would rather have taken a nap. The walk actually gave me some energy...funny how exercise works that way! I will definitely be taking a nap when I get home, though.

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 1/2 oz (about 2 lasagna noodles)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 2 cups (veggies in lasagna and carrots)

Milk: 1 cup (mozzarella and cottage cheese in lasagna)

Meats & beans: 0

Oils: 1 teaspoon (pesto sauce in lasagna)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $1.63

Snack
I did take that nap when I got home, and I think I slept a little too long! I had to "start over" when I woke up by having some coffee and juice. I made a latte with a cup of skim milk and had that along with a 6 ounce cup of OJ. We're going to a 30th birthday party for a friend tonight, so I needed to get going again!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 0

Fruits: 3/4 cup (juice)

Vegetables: 0

Milk: 1 cup (skim milk in latte)

Meats & beans: 0

Oils: 0

The cost of this meal was approximately: $0.47

Dinner
We were kind of in a hurry to get going tonight, so rather than cook dinner we went by Crazy Bowls & Wraps (CBW). I got a power bowl this time, which the menu boasts is "everything your body needs in one bowl!" Well, I'm not sure I agree with that statement, but it's a pretty good mix: brown rice, beans, chicken, romaine lettuce, corn salsa, and a little cheddar cheese. It comes with corn tortilla chips, which I like to dip in their awesome hummus and salsa. I estimated what I ate from the bowl (it's a pretty big portion), and also counted about 6 of the chips that I had.
I didn't get to do my nightly yoga poses tonight, because by the time we got home from the party it was pretty late, and I was completely beat! I'll try to make up for it tomorrow. Right now, the biggest gift I can give myself is some sleep!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 2 1/2 oz, 1 1/2 whole (1 from chips and 1 1/2 whole from about 3/4 cup of rice)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 1 cup (beans, salsa, lettuce and hummus)

Milk: 1/4 cup (cheese)

Meats & beans: 3 oz (chicken)

Oils: 1 teaspoon (fried chips)

The cost of this meal (if I had prepared it at home) was approximately: $1.47

How did I do today?
Grains: 6 oz out of 6 oz (5 were whole)
Fruits: 1 3/4 cups out of 2 cups
Vegetables: 2 3/4 cups out of 2 ½ cups
Milk: 3 cups out of 3 cups
Meats & beans: 6 oz out of 5 ½ oz
Oils: 3 tsp out of 6 tsp

Total cost for the day: $5.96

Breakfast
I had oatmeal this morning: 1/4 + 1/8 cup of quick oats cooked with a cup of skim milk, with 3 tablespoons of walnuts and a medium sliced banana added. I also had a cup of OJ.
This is going to be a very long day, because I have an appointment this morning, then I have school, then practicum in the evening. It's not even lunchtime yet and I already need a nap!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 1/2 oz whole (oatmeal)

Fruits: 1 3/4 cup (banana and OJ)

Vegetables: 0

Milk: 1 cup (skim milk)

Meats & beans: 1 1/2 oz (walnuts)

Oils: 1 1/2 teaspoons (walnuts)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $1.13

Lunch
I had enough time to come home for lunch before running off to school. I made a peanut butter & jelly sandwich on toasted whole wheat bread (Sara Lee). I love PBJ like this, because the peanut butter gets all melty and gooey...yum! I also had an ounce of baked potato chips and a cup of fat free Dannon yogurt topped with a little cinnamon. Adding the cinnamon makes it seem more like a treat for some reason!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 2 oz whole (bread)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 1/2 cup (chips)

Milk: 1 cup (yogurt)

Meats & beans: 2 oz (peanut butter)

Oils: 2 teaspoons (peanut butter)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $1.52

Dinner
I've been thinking of making veggie lasagna for awhile now, and was fully inspired tonight when I saw this dish all evening long at my practicum. I went by the store and picked up the rest of the items I would need, and threw together a quick dish when I got home. I kind of made it up as I went, but I think this is what I ended up with, layer by layer:
marinara sauce
noodles (no-boil kind)
cottage cheese mixed with pesto sauce
fresh spinach
noodles
cottage cheese w/pesto
frozen peas & carrots
mozzarella cheese
marinara sauce
noodles
spinach
marinara sauce
I baked it, covered with foil, at 375 for about 45 minutes. It turned out great! I only made an 8X8 dish, and cut it into 4 portions. I had one square, along with a Boca "chicken" patty to add some protein to my meal, and a 6 ounce glass of Old Orchard 100% berry juice blend.

The yoga series I chose for this evening was Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One-legged king pigeon pose); Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog); Balasana (child's pose). I mostly chose pigeon because it is one of my favorites and I haven't done it in awhile-the other two are just nice transitions for it, although child's pose is great anytime. I was sad to find how much flexibility I've lost in pigeon. I am going to have to start practicing this one more often so I can get it back!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 1/2 oz (about 2 lasagna noodles)

Fruits: 3/4 cup (juice)

Vegetables: 1 1/2 cups (marinara,spinach, peas and carrots)

Milk: 1 1/4 cups (mozzarella and cottage cheese)

Meats & beans: 2 oz (Boca patty)

Oils: 2 teaspoons (Boca and pesto)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $2.64


How did I do today?
Grains: 5 1/2 oz out of 6 oz (4 were whole)
Fruits: 2 1/2 cup out of 2 cups
Vegetables: 2 cups out of 2 ½ cups
Milk: 3 1/4 cups out of 3 cups
Meats & beans: 5 1/2 oz out of 5 ½ oz
Oils: 5 1/2 tsp out of 6 tsp

Total cost for the day: $5.29

Breakfast-introducing the "Dena McMuffin"!
I tried something new for breakfast today. I topped a toasted "light" multi-grain english muffin with a fried egg (I don't know the proper name, but I cracked it in the skillet and broke the yolk so it would be flat), a Morningstar Farms soy sausage patty, and a slice of fat free American cheese. I also had a whole orange and a cup of fat free vanilla yogurt. This meal ended up being a little expensive (those Morningstar Farms products are a bit pricey), but it was delicious!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 1/2 oz whole (English muffin)

Fruits: 3/4 cup (medium size orange)

Vegetables: 0

Milk: 1 1/2 cups (1/2 from cheese and 1 from yogurt)

Meats & beans: 2 oz (1 from egg and 1 from "sausage" patty)

Oils: 2 teaspoons (sausage patty and the egg was fried in Smart Balance)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $2.60

Snack
I had a mixed berry Nutrigrain bar as my late morning/early afternoon snack before I went to the workout room during my lunch.

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1/2 oz whole
The cost of this meal was approximately: $0.31


Lunch
I did about 30 minutes of very brisk walking on the treadmill today, followed by 15 minutes of ab work. It was a great workout! I brought some leftover whole wheat spaghetti (1 cup) and pasta sauce (3/4 cup) for lunch today, and topped it with a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese. I knew if I left it in the fridge much longer, it would get thrown away and I have been trying to be better about wasting food. There is really no excuse for it! I also had a banana and a 6 ounce cup of fat free blueberry yogurt. This day is going by so fast...I suppose that's a good thing when you're at work :)

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 2 oz whole (spaghetti)

Fruits: 3/4 cup (medium size banana)

Vegetables: 3/4 cup (marinara sauce)

Milk: 1 cup (1/4 from cheese and 3/4 from yogurt)

Meats & beans: 0

Oils: 0

The cost of this meal was approximately: $1.39

Dinner
Matt already had dinner going when I got home from work (he is so awesome!) We had Morningstar Farms soy veggie burgers with fat free American cheese on whole wheat buns, with Alexia potato wedges and steamed broccoli. I had about 1/2 cup of the potatoes and a cup of broccoli with a teaspoon of Smart Balance Light. I also decided to finish up the grapes-there was about a cup left, but I only ate about 3/4 cup because some of them were a little too squishy for me. These probably wouldn't have made it another day either...no wasting!!
Tonight I did 3 hip-opening yoga stretches: Baddha Konasana (bound angle pose)
, Gomukhasana (cow face pose), and Agnistambhasana (fire log pose). I chose these because my hips have been feeling very tight lately (probably from sitting too much), and also because these are all good for stress relief. I can never get enough of that! I stayed in each one for about 2 minutes. It felt so good, and really made me want to get back into a regular practice.

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 1/2 oz whole (bun)

Fruits: 3/4 cup (grapes)

Vegetables: 1 1/2 cups (broccoli and potatoes)

Milk: 1/2 cup (cheese)

Meats & beans: 2 1/2 oz (veggie burger)

Oils: 2 teaspoons (1 from burger and 1 from Smart Balance)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $2.56

How did I do today?
Grains: 6 oz out of 6 oz (all were whole)
Fruits: 2 1/4 cup out of 2 cups
Vegetables: 2 1/4 cups out of 2 ½ cups
Milk: 2 1/4 cups out of 3 cups
Meats & beans: 4 1/2 oz out of 5 ½ oz
Oils: 4 tsp out of 6 tsp

Total cost for the day: $6.86

Breakfast
I was in a hurry to get out the door this morning (no big surprise there!) so I didn't have much time to get creative with breakfast. I made oatmeal with a cup skim milk and threw in 1/2 cup of (thawed) frozen blueberries. I also had a cup of 100% OJ. I get to go to my favorite class this morning (Community Nutrition), followed by my least favorite class (Biochem). It's going to be a long morning/afternoon!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 1/2 oz whole (oatmeal)

Fruits: 1 1/2 cups (blueberries and OJ)

Vegetables: 0

Milk: 1 cup (skim milk)

Meats & beans: 0

Oils: 0

The cost of this meal was approximately: $1.24

Snack
We had a very interesting guest speaker in Community today. One of the counselors from my school came and spoke about eating disorders. She gave some very startling statistics as far as the prevalence of these disorders, and told us how to recognize signs in our future clients. I've never really thought about how I would handle it if someone told me they were experiencing disordered eating habits. It was good to plant that seed just in case, as well as get some advice on how to handle it. Very good information!
I had a Fiber One bar (oats, strawberries and almonds) as my pre-biochem snack. I needed something to get me through, since I won't be eating lunch until later in the afternoon.

All together, this meal provided:
Grains: 1/2 oz whole
The cost of this meal was approximately: $0.50

Lunch
Matt and I went on our usual Tuesday date today. These have become very important to us; it's a day that he's off work, and I get finished with school relatively early, so we have some time to spend together. Yes, it usually involves going out somewhere and yes, it involves spending money...but with my school schedule becoming so hectic, I need to set this time aside especially for us. I would like to come up with some inexpensive/free date options, though. This might be more feasible once the weather gets nicer so we can spend some time outside. I am so ready for spring!!
We went to Cicero's in The Loop for lunch. I have lived here all my life, and I'm pretty sure this is the first time I have eaten there. I ordered the salmon wrap with a salad topped with fat free raspberry vinaigrette dressing. The wrap was awesome, and just the right size for a meal! I estimated the fillings...about 5 ounces of salmon, 1/4 cup of cooked spinach, and a spicy cream cheese sauce to dip in. I didn't really need much of the sauce...the wrap was great by itself! I had nearly the whole wrap, and about 1 1/2 cups of the salad.
After lunch, we went down the street to Meshuggah's coffee house, where I treated myself to a cafe mocha made with skim milk. It was so yummy and chocolatey! I don't know when the last time was that I had such a good mocha. We hung out and made good use of their free wireless internet for awhile before heading out. It was a really great afternoon!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 1/2 oz (tortilla)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 1 3/4 cup (spinach in wrap and salad)

Milk: 3/4 cup (skim milk in mocha)

Meats & beans: 5 oz (salmon)

Oils: 0

The cost of this meal (if I had prepared it at home) was approximately: $2.15

Dinner
I made my whole wheat pizza crust for dinner tonight. I topped it with pesto, canned (no salt added) diced tomatoes, broccoli and mozzarella cheese. I suppose this can count as my "made from scratch" meal for the week, since I prepared the dough myself. I had two slices and about 3/4 cup of grapes on the side.
I did do a few yoga stretches tonight, as I promised myself I would. My leg muscles have been getting so sore from my lunchtime treadmill excursions, so I did some leg and hip stretches tonight. I really need to remember to stretch more often, because I could definitely feel a difference afterward.

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 2 oz whole (pizza crust)

Fruits: 3/4 cup (grapes)

Vegetables: 1 1/4 cups (broccoli and tomatoes on pizza)

Milk: 1 1/4 cups (mozzarella cheese)

Meats & beans: 0

Oils: 3 teaspoons (pesto sauce and olive oil used on crust)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $1.77

How did I do today?
Grains: 5 1/2 oz out of 6 oz (4 were whole)
Fruits: 2 1/4 cup out of 2 cups
Vegetables: 2 1/4 cups out of 2 ½ cups
Milk: 3 1/4 cups out of 3 cups
Meats & beans: 5 oz out of 5 ½ oz
Oils: 3 tsp out of 6 tsp

Total cost for the day: $5.67

Breakfast
I have my presentation today...I think I'm ready, but I just want to get it over with! It's not even a big deal, only about 10 minutes...but still, that whole public speaking thing is never fun for me. Today I had 1/2 cup of scrambled Better n'eggs with a slice of whole wheat toast and a cup of fat free vanilla yogurt with 1/4 cup of granola cereal mixed in. Have I mentioned I really like the Dannon Light & Fit? It's definitely going on my shopping list for this week. I used about a teaspoon of Smart Balance Light between the scrambled eggs and the toast. I also had a cup of OJ.

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 oz whole (toast)

Fruits: 1 cup (OJ)

Vegetables: 0

Milk: 1 cup (yogurt)

Meats & beans: 2 oz (Better n'eggs)

Oils: 1 teaspoon (Smart Balance)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $1.58

Lunch
I had a meeting for one of my organizations today, and this time they actually served what I expected them to-pizza (last time they threw me off with nachos). I had two slices of cheese pizza (not pictured because it didn't seem appropriate to pull out my camera during the meeting), and a cup of baby carrots that I brought along from home. I figure it's not bad etiquette to eat your own food as long as you eat something that was offered along with it. Am I right here?
It was hard to concentrate on the meeting, because from there I went straight to my class to give the presentation! Why do I get myself so psyched up about these things?! I just need to relax!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 2 1/2 oz (pizza crust)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 1 1/4 cup (pizza sauce and carrots)

Milk: 3/4 cup (cheese)

Meats & beans: 0

Oils: 0

The cost of this meal (if I had prepared it at home) was approximately: $0.96

Snack
The presentation was a success!! It went better than I could have imagined. I still have yet to receive feedback from my instructor and classmates, but I think it will be pretty good overall.
When I got home, I snacked on an ounce (about 30 total) of unsalted, dry roasted peanuts. Whew! I'm just so relieved about that presentation! Too bad it's really just a dry run...I still have to do it for the employees of my practicum site next month. One thing at a time, though...

All together, this meal provided:

Meats & beans: 1 oz

Oils: 1 teaspoon

The cost of this meal was approximately: $0.19

Dinner
One of my favorites..."fake chicken Parmesan"! A Boca "chicken" patty topped with 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese, over a cup of whole wheat spaghetti with 3/4 cup of marinara sauce (Classico, tomato & basil variety). I also had a cup of frozen, steamed peas & carrots with a teaspoon of Smart Balance. So easy to prepare, this meal is becoming a weekly staple for me-especially when I'm busy and don't have a ton of time to plan out meals.

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 2 oz whole (spaghetti)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 1 3/4 cups (peas & carrots and marinara sauce)

Milk: 3/4 cup (mozzarella)

Meats & beans: 2 1/2 oz (Boca patty)

Oils: 1 teaspoon (Smart Balance)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $2.09

How did I do today?
Grains: 6 1/2 oz out of 6 oz (4 were whole)
Fruits: 1 cup out of 2 cups
Vegetables: 3 cups out of 2 ½ cups
Milk: 2 1/2 cups out of 3 cups
Meats & beans: 6 1/2 oz out of 5 ½ oz
Oils: 4 tsp out of 6 tsp

Total cost for the day: $4.82

Weekly wrap-up: 2/9/09-2/15/09

How did I do this week?

Average serving/day:
Grains: 6 oz
Fruits: 2 cups
Vegetables: 2 1/4 cups
Milk: 2 1/2 cups
Meats & Beans: 4 3/4 oz
Oils: 4 teaspoons

Average cost per day: $5.10
Total cost for the week: $35.72

I feel off a little on the veggies, milk and meats & beans this week...but I'm doing much better on the oils! Snacking on a few almonds really makes a difference. I kept the weekly cost low too, although I did have a couple of expensive days, it all evened out. I'm going to try out some new options for meat substitutes this week...hopefully I can keep from falling short on the protein foods again.

Breakfast
My presentation is tomorrow...and I still have lots of work to do on it. Unfortunately, I have to go to work all day...darn that need for an income!!
Breakfast was 1 1/2 cups of Kashi Honey Toasted Oats cereal with a cup of skim milk, an 8 ounce glass of OJ, and a medium sized banana (which I ended up saving for after I got to work).

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 1/2 oz whole (cereal)

Fruits: 1 3/4 cups (OJ and banana)

Vegetables: 0

Milk: 1 cup (skim milk)

Meats & beans: 0

Oils: 0

The cost of this meal was approximately: $1.27

Lunch
I continued my lunchtime workout routine today. I'm so glad I have started doing this for myself, otherwise I wouldn't get any exercise at all! Ever since I canceled my membership at Gold's to save money (I really wasn't getting enough use out of it anyway) I have really struggled with getting my physical activity in adequate amounts. This is especially bad when it's cold outside and school is going on...two big roadblocks in one! I walked on the treadmill for 40 minutes today, very briskly with a pretty steep incline. I wanted to do some free weights at the end, but I was running out of time (and getting very hungry!), so I guess I'll try to do a little lifting when I get home.
Lunch was leftover Moroccan chicken from last night-about 4 ounces of meat with 3/4 cup of brown rice, a cup of broccoli and 1/2 cup of sauce. I also had a 6 ounce cup of fat free cherry yogurt. This meal was even better the second day...thanks Time for Dinner!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 1/2 oz whole (brown rice)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 1 1/4 cups (broccoli and tomatoes/onions in sauce)

Milk: 3/4 cup (yogurt)

Meats & beans: 4 oz (chicken)

Oils: 0

The cost of this meal was approximately: $2.09

Dinner
Matt surprised me by bringing home a Chicago style pizza from this Italian place down the street. The only topping he added was broccoli, which was perfect with the chunky tomato sauce and cheese. I had about 2 slices total, and estimated the toppings as best I could. This type of pizza is very messy, and requires the use of a fork and knife to eat it. The last time I had Chicago style pizza was actually in Chicago, and this definitely measured up. Yum! To add some extra veggies, I steamed a cup of frozen Brussels sprouts in the microwave and added a teaspoon of Smart Balance and some Mrs. Dash seasoning blend.

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 3 oz (thick pizza crust)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 1 1/2 cups (broccoli and tomatoes on pizza, and Brussels sprouts)

Milk: 1 cup (cheese on pizza)

Meats & beans: 0

Oils: 1 teaspoon (Smart Balance)

The cost of this meal (if I had prepared the pizza at home) was approximately: $1.08


How did I do today?
Grains: 6 oz out of 6 oz (3 were whole)
Fruits: 1 3/4 cups out of 2 cups
Vegetables: 2 3/4 cups out of 2 ½ cups
Milk: 2 1/2 cups out of 3 cups
Meats & beans: 4 oz out of 5 ½ oz
Oils: 1 tsp out of 6 tsp

Total cost for the day: $4.44

Breakfast
This morning I made oatmeal with a cup of skim milk, a sliced banana, 3 tablespoons of chopped walnuts, and a generous sprinkling of cinnamon. I think this is one of my favorite ways to eat oatmeal...it's the perfect combination! It looks like it's Cooper's favorite as well :)!
I also had a 6 ounce glass of OJ. Today is going to be a busy day. I have to work at my practicum until 3, then I'm coming straight home to (hopefully) finish my presentation that's due on Monday. I've hardly started it. Yikes!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 1/2 oz (oatmeal)

Fruits: 1 1/2 cups (banana and OJ)

Vegetables: 0

Milk: 1 cup (skim milk)

Meats & beans: 1 1/2 oz (walnuts)

Oils: 1 1/2 teaspoons (walnuts)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $0.80

Snack
I decided to take some snacks along today, and just planned on eating a late lunch when I got home. I had a mixed berry Nutrigrain bar and a 1-ounce handful of almonds (about 11). I was so busy that I hardly noticed I was hungry, until I looked up at the clock as saw it was almost 1:00! I knew I had to take a quick break if I was going to make it through the afternoon at that point.

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1/2 oz whole (Nutrigrain bar)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 0

Milk: 0

Meats & beans: 1 oz (almonds)

Oils: 1 teaspoon (almonds)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $0.48

Lunch
Finally....I get to sit down! It's not as if I was doing hard labor or anything, but just being on my feet for so long is kind of tiring! I assembled gooey butter cakes for 4 hours today...but the nice thing is, since I was doing such a repetitive task, I had time to think about my presentation. I actually came up with some pretty good ideas!
For my late lunch, I made a grilled cheese sandwich on whole wheat with 2 slices of fat free American cheese, and a teaspoon of Smart Balance Light on the bread. I also had a cup of raw baby carrots (about 12) and 1/2 cup of grapes. Now, I must finish this project!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 2 oz whole (bread)

Fruits: 1/2 cup (grapes)

Vegetables: 1 cup (carrots)

Milk: 1 cup (cheese)

Meats & beans: 0

Oils: 1 teaspoon (Smart Balance)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $1.12

Dinner
I brought home one of the entrees from my practicum site for dinner. I wanted to make something good for dinner tonight, since Matt and I are staying in and far away from all the v-day hype. However, I knew I didn't have time to prepare anything substantial, and, well, that's kind of the point of the place-they are a meal preparation service, where you can go and make entrees to keep in your freezer and prepare quickly when you need them. I got the Moroccan chicken, a spicy dish with kind of an Indian-style flair. The sauce and chicken were all ready to go in the bag; all I had to do was dump it in a skillet and heat. I made brown rice and steamed broccoli as sides, and served the chicken and sauce over the rice. I had a cup of rice, about 4 ounces of chicken, 1/2 cup of sauce (which contains about half tomatoes and onions), and 1 1/2 cups of broccoli with a teaspoon of Smart Balance Light. I also had a cup of fat free vanilla yogurt with cinnamon on the side with mine, to get the rest of my milk for the day. It was almost like a dessert! This meal was so good, and easy! Now I know why they call the place "Time for Dinner"!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 2 oz whole (brown rice)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 1 3/4 cups (broccoli and vegetables in sauce)

Milk: 1 cup (yogurt)

Meats & beans: 4 oz (chicken)

Oils: 1 teaspoon (Smart Balance)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $2.63

How did I do today?
Grains: 6 oz out of 6 oz (all were whole)
Fruits: 2 cups out of 2 cups
Vegetables: 2 3/4 cups out of 2 ½ cups
Milk: 3 cups out of 3 cups
Meats & beans: 6 1/2 oz out of 5 ½ oz
Oils: 4 1/2 tsp out of 6 tsp

Total cost for the day: $5.02

Breakfast
I made a sugar free caramel latte with a cup of skim milk to start the morning today. The sugar free syrup is good, but I've learned to use it in very small amounts-otherwise, it's too overpowering. I really enjoyed my fruit and yogurt snack yesterday, so I made it again this morning but added some granola cereal (store brand-honey & oats) to the mix. I used a cup of fat free vanilla yogurt, 1/2 cup of granola cereal, 1/2 cup of frozen (thawed) blueberries, and 11 almonds. It was so good! I really like the Dannon yogurt-I'm so glad I tried it.

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 oz whole (cereal)

Fruits: 1/2 cup (blueberries)

Vegetables: 0

Milk: 2 cup (milk in latte and yogurt)

Meats & beans: 1 oz (almonds)

Oils: 1 teaspoon (almonds)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $2.05

Snack
I had Fiber One bar as a snack about an hour before I went on my lunch break. This time, I tried the Oats, Almonds and Strawberries variety...so good! It even had a chocolate drizzle over the top. What a delicious way to get your fiber!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1/2 oz whole

The cost of this meal was approximately: $0.50

Lunch
Leftover pasta, once again. I had about a cup of pasta with pesto, peas and carrots left, so I decided to bring that for lunch today and finish it off. I added about another cup of veggies, because there weren't many left in the container. I also made a mixed fruit salad (about 1 1/2 cups) of red and greeen grapes, frozen strawberries and blueberries. The grapes were on sale and the quality didn't look too bad so I picked up about a pound of them. By the time I got around to eating my lunch, the frozen fruit had thawed so it worked out perfectly. It was a pretty light lunch, but I ate late so I should be good until dinner without a snack.

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 2 oz (pasta)

Fruits: 1 1/2 cups (mixed fruit)

Vegetables: 1 cup (peas and carrots)

Milk: 0

Meats & beans: 0

Oils: 2 teaspoon (pesto)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $1.58

Dinner
I did not have a plan for dinner tonight, and I spent the last half hour of work mentally scanning what I had at home that might be made into a meal. I couldn't come up with a thing, so I went by the store and picked up a few items to make "breakfast for dinner" with. I ended up making scrambled eggs with hash browns and soy sausage, topped with reduced fat cheddar and salsa, with whole wheat toast. I bought real eggs this time instead of the egg substitute, inspired by an article I read today that said eggs are no longer considered to contain bad cholesterol. I have heard mixed views on this for awhile now, but seeing it in print was helpful to sort it out. Eggs do have many additional vitamins and minerals that are not found in egg substitute, which is essentially just egg whites. All the good stuff is in the yolk. I will probably still continue to use the substitute for some things, but I realized that whole eggs are much more economical price-wise. I got 12 servings for $1.99, where I only get 8 servings of the Better n'eggs for $2.39. Sounds like a deal to me! My serving contained 2 eggs, about 1/2 cup of hash browned potatoes, 2 Morningstar Farms soy sausage patties (1 oz each), 1/4 cup of reduced fat cheddar, 1/4 cup of salsa, and two slices of toast with a teaspoon of Smart Balance Light. I took a picture of it looking pretty before I mashed it all up together! Yum!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 2 oz (toast)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 1 cup (hash browns and salsa)

Milk: 1 cup (cheddar cheese)

Meats & beans: 4 oz (eggs and "sausage" patties)

Oils: 1 teaspoon (Smart Balance)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $2.78

How did I do today?
Grains: 5 1/2 oz out of 6 oz (3 1/2 were whole)
Fruits: 2 cups out of 2 cups
Vegetables: 1 3/4 cups out of 2 ½ cups
Milk: 3 cups out of 3 cups
Meats & beans: 5 oz out of 5 ½ oz
Oils: 3 tsp out of 6 tsp

Total cost for the day: $6.91

Breakfast
I had all kinds of crazy dreams last night because I watched Lost...that always seems to happen for some reason. I guess it's because I watch it right before I go to bed, so it's stuck in my mind...maybe I'm a little obsessed with that show?? Either way, I was ready for a big cup of coffee this morning when I woke up. Once I was nice and awake, I started in on reading Biochem. I do not want to get behind again, although it seems inevitable with that subject. I am truly afraid to find out what grade I got on that test...part of me hopes she doesn't hand them back today, because I'm not ready to see it.
For breakfast, I had a cup of Raisin Bran cereal with 3/4 cup of skim milk, and a large orange. I love oranges, but they are so messy-and kind of a chore to cut up and remove from the peel. I guess that's why I reserve eating the whole orange for mornings when I don't have to run out the door-juice works better on those days.

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 oz whole (cereal)

Fruits: 1 cup (orange)

Vegetables: 0

Milk: 3/4 cup (skim milk)

Meats & beans: 0

Oils: 0

The cost of this meal was approximately: $0.93

Lunch
I had leftover pasta from last night: 1 1/2 cups of rotini pasta tossed with a tablespoon of pesto and 3/4 cup of steamed veggies. There were already some peas & carrots in the pasta, but I added a little broccoli as well. I topped it off with some lemon juice and a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese.

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 3 oz (pasta)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 1 cup (peas, carrots and broccoli)

Milk: 1/4 cup (Parmesan cheese)

Meats & beans: 0

Oils: 2 teaspoons (pesto)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $0.63

Snack
My teacher didn't give our tests back today...all she said was that of the papers she's graded, there were some good grades-and some not so good grades. Not very comforting! I'm going out to happy hour with a few girls from work tonight, so I thought it would be a good idea to eat something before I left. I had a some tea with a cup of fat free vanilla yogurt (I bought a 32 ounce tub of Dannon Light & Fit) and mixed in 3/4 cup of thawed frozen blueberries and strawberries and 15 almonds. I have been craving different fruits (something besides oranges and bananas) so much lately, but I just can't break down and buy the fresh stuff yet...it's way too expensive, and I know the quality will not be good enough right now to match the price. I can't wait 'til spring when things start to come in season!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 0

Fruits: 3/4 cup (strawberries & blueberries)

Vegetables: 0

Milk: 1 cup (yogurt)

Meats & beans: 1 1/2 oz (almonds)

Oils: 1 1/2 teaspoons (almonds)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $1.81

Dinner
Happy hour was so fun! We've been trying to do these "girls night out" things monthly, but it's hard to find a time that's good for everyone since we all work such different shifts. There were just 4 of us tonight, but we had a great time. I paced myself and only had 2 drinks, partially because I was driving but also because I knew I still have some things to do for school tonight. I'm not feeling extremely motivated right now, but I'm going to try anyway.
The girls ordered some appetizers, but since I had my snack before I got there I wasn't hungry (yes, that was premeditated) and waited until I got home to eat dinner. I made veggie burgers tonight (Morningstar Farms-I had a coupon). I had mine on a whole wheat bun with a slice of fat free American cheese, with a baked sweet potato and 1/2 cup of Brussels sprouts (frozen, steamed). I used 2 teaspoons of Smart Balance Light: 1 on the potato and 1 on the sprouts. This is another one of my favorite quick and easy dinners, which I rely on when things are busy. I truly do love cooking and trying new recipes though, and I hope I have some time in the near future to do that!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 1/2 oz whole (bun)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 1 1/2 cups (sweet potato and Brussels sprouts)

Milk: 1/2 cup (cheese)

Meats & beans: 2 1/2 oz (soy burger)

Oils: 2 teaspoons (Smart Balance)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $2.13

How did I do today?
Grains: 5 1/2 oz out of 6 oz (2 1/2 were whole)
Fruits: 2 cups out of 2 cups
Vegetables: 2 1/4 cups out of 2 ½ cups
Milk: 2 1/2 cups out of 3 cups
Meats & beans: 4 oz out of 5 ½ oz
Oils: 5 1/2 tsp out of 6 tsp

Total cost for the day: $5.49

Breakfast
This morning I needed an extra jolt to get me going (could have something to do with having a half bottle of wine last night at dinner). I had my regular cup of coffee, and then made a latte with a cup of skim milk a bit later. For breakfast, I scrambled 1/2 cup of Better n'eggs and topped it with 1/4 cup of reduced fat shredded cheddar and 3 tablespoons of salsa. I also toasted a slice of whole wheat bread and had that with a teaspoon of Smart Balance Light and an 8 ounce glass of orange juice. It was nice to have something a little different for a change...no cereal today!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 oz whole (toast)

Fruits: 1 cup (OJ)

Vegetables: 1/4 cup (salsa)

Milk: 1 cup (cheddar cheeese)

Meats & beans: 2 oz (Better n'eggs)

Oils: 1 teaspoons (Smart Balance)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $1.66

Snack
I had a large banana in the early afternoon as a snack (I'm at work today). I like to go walk on the treadmill before I eat lunch, and I knew I wouldn't be doing that until around 2 so I needed something to hold me over. I'll be honest...I was so tired today that I was not feeling up to working out. However, I have found that those are the times I really have to persevere and do it anyway-otherwise I'm letting myself off way to easy. I was glad I did it today-it really gave me some much needed energy to get through the rest of the afternoon!

This meal provided...
Fruits: 1 cup
The cost of this meal was approximately: $0.31

Lunch
I pretty much had my standard "work lunch" again today...PBJ on whole wheat with 2 tablespoons of PB and a teaspoon of J. I also had a 6 ounce cup of fat free blueberry yogurt and 12 baby carrots. I started to lose my energy toward late afternoon/early evening, but it picked back up again as we got busy tonight and I needed to stay focused. I was definitely glad when 7:30 rolled around though :)

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 2 oz whole (bread)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 1 cup (carrots)

Milk: 3/4 cup (yogurt)

Meats & beans: 2 oz (peanut butter)

Oils: 2 teaspoons (peanut butter)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $1.21

Dinner
I made my simple pasta with veggies tonight...rotini pasta (enriched, with Omega-3 added) tossed with pesto sauce (Classico-from the jar) and frozen steamed peas and carrots. I think this is my new favorite "quick fix" meal. It only takes about 20 minutes to make, and it tastes great. I had about 1 1/2 cups of pasta with a cup of veggies and about a tablespoon of pesto, topped with a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese and a little lemon juice. By the time we finished eating dinner, it was time to watch Lost! I have a few other shows that I like, but that is the one that I really look forward to watching every week. This season has been pretty weird so far, and I always have a million questions after it's over (I guess that's what keeps me coming back). Did anyone else tune in tonight?

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 3 oz (pasta)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 1 cup (peas & carrots)

Milk: 1/4 cup (Parmesan cheese)

Meats & beans: 0

Oils: 2 teaspoons (pesto)

The cost of this meal was approximately: $0.71

How did I do today?
Grains: 6 oz out of 6 oz (3 were whole)
Fruits: 2 cups out of 2 cups
Vegetables: 2 1/4 cups out of 2 ½ cups
Milk: 3 cups out of 3 cups
Meats & beans: 4 oz out of 5 ½ oz
Oils: 5 tsp out of 6 tsp

Total cost for the day: $3.89

A much needed relaxing evening

Breakfast
I think I dreamed about biochem last night!!! What a nightmare! Along with my coffee this morning, I had 1 cup of Raisin Bran (Target Brand) cereal with 3/4 cup of skim milk, and a whole large orange. Now it's time to go get these tests over with!

Snack-I brought a mixed berry Nutrigrain bar with me to school, to eat between classes. I'm considering this part of breakfast because I had it kind of early.

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 1/2 oz whole (1 from Raisin Bran & 1/2 from Nutrigrain bar)

Fruits: 1 cup (orange)

Vegetables: 0

Milk: 3/4 cup (skim milk)

Meats & beans: 0

Oils: 0

The cost of this meal was approximately: $1.24

Lunch
Whew...it's over! One test went good, and the other, I'm not so sure about. I'll let you guess which is which. At least the majority of my class felt the same way, because we spent about 20 minutes complaining about it in the hallway after we finished! I'm over it though...time to move on. Maybe the next exam will be better...I can only hope!
For lunch, I had a can of Progresso 50% lower sodium Garden Vegetable soup. They were still on sale at Schnucks, so I stocked up...it's nice to have around for a quick meal. I also had half of a Lender's whole wheat bagel with about a teaspoon of cream cheese, a 6 ounce cup of fat free yogurt, and a 6 ounce glass of Old Orchard blueberry pomegranate juice. It was kind of a mis-matched meal, but it worked. Now, I get to bake some cookies and muffins for a bake sale that's going on at school tomorrow, then me and Matt are going out to celebrate our 3 year anniversary! The first part of the day might have been stressful, but the second part will make up for it :)

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 1/2 oz whole (bagel)

Fruits: 3/4 cup (juice)

Vegetables: 1 cup (soup)

Milk: 3/4 cup (yogurt)

Meats & beans: 0

Oils: 0

The cost of this meal was approximately: $2.30

Dinner
We went to one of our favorite restaurants to celebrate tonight. Mangia is a great Italian restaurant (on South Grand...if you live in STL you should try it if you haven't already), and has never disappointed in all the times we've been there. It's been awhile, and they actually had some new items on their menu that I was excited to try. We started off with some Merlot, along with french bread with olive oil and Parmesan cheese (I like to make a pasty concoction of the two, personally). We shared a spinach salad with goat cheese, pecans, and bacon with balsamic vinagerette dressing. Yes, I ate bacon!! I haven't had it in ages...honestly, I don't see the big deal with it-I find it a bit salty for my taste. There was only a small amount of it in the salad anyway. For my main entree, I got the goat cheese ravioli with grilled chicken added. The pasta was tossed in olive oil with fresh basil...yummy! I ate about half of what you see here...8 ravioli and (I estimated) 5 ounces of the chicken breast. It was an awesome dinner, and we had a really great time reminiscing about how much things have changed. It's hard to believe it's been three years...back when we started dating, I thought I wanted to become an accountant and live in a cubicle for the rest of my life. I never thought I'd be going to school to become a dietitian, and blogging about the nutritional content of what I eat every day. I'm so glad things changed for the better! Okay, I'm getting sentimental due to high amounts of red wine consumption. Time to get to bed!

All together, this meal provided:

Grains: 1 1/2 oz (ravioli)

Fruits: 0

Vegetables: 3/4 cup (spinach)

Milk: 1/2 cup (goat cheeese)

Meats & beans: 5 1/2 oz (chicken and pecans in salad)

Oils: 4 teaspoons (olive oil, salad dressing and pecans)

The cost of this meal (if I had prepared it at home) was approximately: $2.43

How did I do today?
Grains: 6 oz out of 6 oz (4 1/2 were whole)
Fruits: 2 cups out of 2 cups
Vegetables: 1 3/4 cups out of 2 ½ cups
Milk: 2 cups out of 3 cups
Meats & beans: 5 ½ oz out of 5 ½ oz
Oils: 4 tsp out of 6 tsp

Total cost for the day: $5.97