Monthly Favorites: Chickpeas, PF Changs and Dead Computers
When your calendar hits the month of September, what dates do you have circled in red? Maybe the first day of school or, as in my case, a 21st birthday. Now that September is almost over, though, I know my calendar might as well functioned as the Red Carpet considering the amount of important events, the first tests of my last semester or fun memories I don't want to forget.
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What is the weird craving that hit me during a 100 degree heatwave? What unexpected bucket list item did I cross off on my 21st birthday? And what happened to my beloved laptop?!? Keep reading to find out!
Bowls of my homemade veggie soup - even though my school is in the middle of a heat wave. Go figure that I'd crave soup as I'm drowning in sweat in the almost 100 degree weather...
Plenty of cookies...for no real reason besides that they taste flippin' delicious! As I'll share in a blog post coming up soon, I've started adding more processed foods to my diet. Not only have I been craving treats - like Snackin' Free's insanely rich chocolate chip cookie or spicy and soft cinnamon raisin bagel or Enjoy Life's new mini cookies - but my body needs the extra calories now that my weight lifting class has started.
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| Just a few of my sweet treats! |
Anything chickpea related. Ever since I first tried garbanzo beans at Whole Foods, I've been addicted! On pesto pasta, topping baked potatoes, with a side of roasted veggies...I've decided you can't go wrong with chickpeas!
Veggies stuffed with everything but the kitchen sink. As my Instagram followers know, this month has been all about the veggies (maybe that's my body's way of balancing out the cookies?). Besides my spaghetti squash obsession, I've also enjoyed an old favorite, the zucchini boat. It figures that anything topped with Daiya cheese, avocado and homemade tortilla chips would get my roommates (enviously) drooling!
What I'm Doing
Surviving my last college semester one day at a time. I won't lie and pretend that this last month has been easy. I'm back to the routine of less sleep, too many obligations to balance and plenty of nights walking back into my apartment with no idea what I'm going to make for dinner. It doesn't help that, on Friday - the day I work virtually for Entity Magazine - my laptop decided to go to sleep and never wake back up. Thank goodness for the Apple Store (who summed up my problem as "very weird" - AKA, the story of my life) and emergency money to invest in a new computer...plus lots of granola to reward myself after a very long day.
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| A good representation of my face all day on Friday... |
Crossing "hammocking" off my senior bucket list! For those who haven't visited my college, "hammocking" involves finding two trees on campus (preferably with a stunning view of the ocean) and setting up a hammock between them. Watching the sunset has never been so comfortable.
Embracing new challenges - in class and out. Even though it's only been four weeks, I've already been petrified by my share of class sessions. In Investigative Journalism, I'm searching for and interviewing sources for my own article, (barely) surviving my first night class and learning that failing quizzes doesn't mean I'm a failure at life. With my work at Entity Magazine, I'm constantly learning more tricks about online publishing, editing and working a "real job." And I'm still determined to learn how to do a handstand in my hot yoga classes...though that goal is a little more slippery than others!
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| The "before" and "after" PF Changs photo cracks me up! |
Setting aside time for friend dates. Trips to Whole Foods with the roomies. Nights of homework partying with my friend rockin' her new flying squirrel onesie. Eating my dinner in my usual slow fashion at PF Changs (well, at least slow compared to my lightning-fast companion). And plenty of walks around the cliffs that I know I'll be missing three months from now.
What I'm Planning
Spending an awesome weekend catching up with an amazing bestie of mine visiting from Arizona! Though she'll have to share me with homework, I can't wait to talk to one of the best people I ever met at PLNU (and one of the original "Gluten Free Peas in a Pod.")
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| Kendall and I during my freshman year! |
Focusing more on balance. Sure, I need to crank out my (eleven!) grad school applications, do my work for Entity Magazine and my Teacher's Assistant position, and kick butt at classes...but I also need to make sure I get the rest and fuel my body needs (regardless if other college students can live with less).
Blogging as much as I can and enjoy. As much as I'd love to say that this website is my number one priority, at this insanely busy time in my life, it may fall to the bottom of the list some weeks. Don't worry about me totally dropping off the blogosphere, though; I still have plenty of blog posts (not to mention a few AMAZING product reviews and/or recipes) coming your way soon. But if I miss a day here and there, just know school hasn't killed me...maybe just trapped me in my room surrounded by textbooks!
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| This is my mindset for October! |
Each month has its highlights, both planned and unplanned, good and bad. While my September calendar boasted plenty of all of the above, I know October will be just as busy. All I have to say? Bring on another month-long rollercoaster!
What were some of your highlights this September? Do you ever get hit by major cookie cravings? What are you planning this next month? Tell me below!
I really wish that I loved chickpeas more!! For some reason those little suckers are hit or miss for me. Im thinking about baking some in BBQ and using it as a salad topper though. For some reason that sounds amazing to me!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds amazing to me too!
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