The Bento Box Snapshot: Late Night Classes

Grad school. It can be overwhelming and exhausting with all the reading, late night classes, projects and papers, and discussions. In most cases, you have on campus nourishment to get you through the lectures when they’re taking place during mealtimes, usually in the forms of drip coffee and a sandwich.

There are some gluten free options provided such as fruit salads, chips, nuts, and meal bars, but I prefer bring my own food to ensure certified Morri friendliness. That, and it has been a substantial amount of time since I’ve posted a BBS.

Leftovers are the perfect starting point for delicious and filling bento boxes. There was some red and white quinoa and a sweet potato to enjoy, and I was feeling inspired to make sushi. The answer: quinoa nori rolls. Although I didn’t do it on purpose, the entire BBS turned out grain-free and vegan. It helped keep me alert and satiated up until class had ended at 10:00 p.m. 

(And I will admit I beamed at it with pride when more than one of my peers commented on how pretty it looked.)

The Bento Box Snapshot: Another Week of Pareve (and a recipe!)

Making pareve (parve, parv, or whatever you call it) Bento Box Snapshots have been quite exciting to eat. I have enjoyed thinking outside the box (heh.) with my creations, and the combination of flavors I created every day.

As I’m rather behind in posts, I’m simply going to post the photos with their descriptions below, along with a dried fruit and seed bar recipe I think you will enjoy as much as I did.

 

BBS 1: Sliced veggies (not shown) with ricotta cheese and hummus, and short-grain brown rice with sun-dried tomato slivers, toasted sesame seeds, and a dash of Living Intention's Salad Booster.

 

BBS 2: Cucumber sushi, raw veggies, and refried beans.

 

BBS 3: Vegan quinoa salad (not shown), baby zucchini and sugar snap peas drizzled with tahini, Parmesan cheese wedges, and homemade dried fruit-seed bites (recipe below). 

BBS 4: Cold noodle salad dressed in coconut oil and lemon juice, more raw veggies, and my  homemade dried fruit-seed bites (yes, it's that good).

Many of the kids at the camp are allergic to nuts, so I thought I’d give “nut-free” a go. It’s definitely a pareve sort of food, and it’s vegan and grain-free too! 

From this...

... to bite-sized delicious energy!

Nut-free Cinnamon Raisin Sesame Bites

30 g Pepitas, raw and unsalted
66 g Sunflower seeds, raw and unsalted
27 g Hulled sesame seeds
40 g (5) Dried Black Mission figs
75 g (6) Medjool dates, pits removed
45 g (6) Prunes
50 g Thompson raisins
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
Pinch of Sea salt

Place all of the ingredients in the food processor and pulse until it starts forming into a ball (it should be fairly combined, but clumps of individual ingredients are encouraged).
Lay the mixture in a small, square baking pan lined with parchment paper, and lay another sheet of parchment paper on top.
With another pan of the same size, press down into the mixture to flatten it out.
Continue folding and pressing until you have reached the desired size and thickness of the bar.
Remove the large “bar” from the pan and place it onto a cutting board, where you will cut it into the desired number of bars (or bites, as I did).

 
It makes 5 – 10 servings, depending on if you want a bite-sized snack or a meal great for on the go.

The Bento Box Snapshot: A Week of Pareve

Much like my summer internship last year, I really have had to focus on what I am able to eat for my job as the camp’s art specialist. As I mentioned before, the community center I work at is Jewish-oriented, as is the camp, so that meant following their dietary laws as well. In the beginning it was impossible to tell which meats the kids brought to camp were kosher, so all lunches are now required to be either dairy or pareve.

BBS 1: Carrot risotto, fresh veggies, mozzarella, and daily apple

Since I’m not Jewish, I was worried about offending people with the food I brought. Regardless of my food intolerances, I took on the challenge to make a week of bento lunches that:

1. Observed the dairy and/or pareve rule as written in Judaic law
2. Consisted of things I could and would eat
3. Were nutritionally balanced
4. Kept me full until dinner

Let’s just say that all my lunches were total successes.

BBS 2: Homemade hummus, rice, and dipping veggies (not shown)

For one thing, I learned that size does matter for a bento box. The one Daddy-O gave me last Saturday on our way back from the National Harbor is just perfect for my active lifestyle and appetite. It is two-tiered, which gave me the ability to either make two small meals, or one lunch with a variety of ingredients.

Much of what I packed were leftovers from dinners the night before, tons of veggies, and freshly made spreads like guacamole and hummus. Beans and rice were common, though I did enjoy tuna salad spring rolls and salmon cakes immensely. Cottage cheese and blueberries showed up twice on the top tier (the one that is split into two separate compartments) upon finding that I loved the combination.

BBS3: Salmon cakes, quinoa salad, cottage cheese & blueberries

I hope to have another week of Bento Box Snapshots this time next Sunday, along with: other recipes that may or may not end up in my lunch box, food from my family’s July 4th festivities (i.e., a Grill day), and the camp’s field trip picking blueberries.

Goodness, I love summer.

BBS 4: Tuna salad spring rolls, and cottage cheese with blueberries (not shown)

Commemorating Summer with a Meal

Summer is the season of extremes, the season of hot, sticky weather and the season of powerful storm-fronts. Clear blue skies and the scorching sun make beaches a preferable environment and grilling the cooking method of choice.

After all, who wants a kitchen heating up the whole house when it’s the perfect time to cook outside and the cool indoors can welcome you?

We celebrated the first day of summer on Thursday (it was within the first twenty-four hours EST, so I’m counting it), and the grill seared the lamb pieces and caramelized the squash and eggplant in their aluminum foil pockets. Mama Dazz and I took turns watching the grill as I put on the finishing touches of my quinoa tabouli and mint watermelon lemonade (recipe below). Everything was prepared with care (sipping on New Grist gluten-free beer all the while). Everything was eaten with gusto. Everything was delicious and harmonized well together in flavor, texture, and presentation. Everything I took a bite or sip of reminded me of the beauty of the summer season.

The first days of summer have been filled with preparation for summer camp at the community center: learning the morning dances; decorating the rooms and the “Art Cart” (I’m the Art Specialist for the first three weeks); attending conferences in regards to team-building, creating a nurturing environment for the campers, customer service, and the ethics and principles we should bring with every day; and making friends with such an amazing group of people.

I wish summer camp went on like this all year long, because I love this program. I hope to update you all with the art projects the kids make, many Bento Box Snapshots that adhere to Judaic principles (the community center and camp is Jewish-oriented, though many who participate, such as myself, are not). I will be working on keeping my lunches and snacks as kosher as possible, and the camp is willing to work with me around my dietary restrictions.

I love this job already, and I’m so excited for the challenges ahead.

The watermelon was initially going to be part of a virgin watermelon mojito drink, but I only had lemons on hand. It was refreshingly light and yet harmoniously flavorful with amount of ingredients. The amount of each ingredient wasn’t measured out, so I suggest tasting as you go, but the watermelon should be the main ingredient, followed by the peppermint and then the lemon juice. You can put it all through the juicer, or use a powerful blender and strain the pulp.

Mint Watermelon Lemonade

1 “Small” (between 9 and 12 pounds when whole) watermelon, cut from the rind in medium-sized chunks
1 handful Peppermint, coarsely torn into pieces
Juice from 4 – 5 Lemons* (depending on how “lemony” you want it) 

In small batches, blend the watermelon chunks on a low pulse until it has a gazpacho consistency and strain the pulp over a large bowl to catch the juice.
Continue blending in small batches, the last one containing the mint and lemon juice, and place the drink in glasses to serve for any summer feast.
Serve chilled or slightly below room temperature.

Makes 6 – 8 glasses.

*If you would like to make mojitos from this recipe, simply replace the lemons with lime and add rum (or keep it kid-friendly, if you prefer). It really doesn’t need additional sweetener, but do so to your preference. And I'm sure you could make an amazing soft drink with some sparkling water added to it.

The Bento Box Snapshot: Tandoori Spiced Chicken, Lemon Parsley Quinoa Salad, & Gooey Sweet Potato

Before I write about the major flop I made the other day (think the offspring of a muck monster with a vegan muffin), I thought I’d share my night of shenanigans with a Bento Box Snapshot. 

I know. It’s been a while since I’ve posted one of these.

I’ve been working at the community center’s BASE (Before and After School Enrichment) program since last fall, and I can honestly say it is the first job I’ve ever had where I felt part of a team. We work together to help each other, to making it a fun experience for the kids that come every day, and it is a growing experience. I’ve learned the art of communication, of true conflict resolution in its purest form, and how to be a team player. Yesterday night we celebrated a friend’s new job by going to Auld Shebeen, the one and only Irish pub and restaurant in Fairfax. I had always wanted to go, and I finally had the chance!

Just so you know, the merlot is fantastic.

Anyway, as I was fairly certain not much of anything on the menu was Morri friendly (save the wine list), I made a bento dinner and ate it outside the community center, reveling in the beautiful weather before joining the group to wish our friend Matt well. 

I had a chicken breast from the tandoori inspired meal we had on Wednesday on top of a lemon parsley quinoa salad (similar to tabouli), and a perfectly baked sweet potato on the side. 

This BBS kept my tummy happy and able to be with my friends while they ate without wanting to eat the table. And come on, if it has sweet potato in it, it has to be good.

Health Update: What Getting Glutened, Candida, and a Grain-Free Bento Box Snapshot Have in Common

I can happily announce that I am once again among the living! Last week was the week of being voiceless, glutened*, in pain, hungry, and sleeping throughout the day. Maybe it was getting glutened that completely destroyed what was left of my stomach flora, all of that wonderful natural bacteria and enzymes that broke down nutrients and gave my body what it wanted, but I felt something was amiss.

Grain-Free Red Quinoa & Carrot "Pancake"

I’m used to getting sick around and on my birthday, but it had never been this bad. (Except the year around my seventh birthday when I had lice and I couldn’t play with any of my toys because they were in plastic trash bags for over a month). Just getting out of bed to feed myself was a chore, and don’t get me started going up and down the stairs or using the bathroom. What was even more interesting was the craving for fruits, lots of rice, and additional honey in my tea. I didn’t want to take medicine and it hurt to be touched, and after a week and a half of this my family started to get worried. Would I have to go to the doctor’s? Was it serious? Was my sore throat somehow affecting my lungs? 

On Sunday I was doubled over in pain and in tears, right around the top of the small intestines. I was immediately given two packets of FiveLac Probiotic and after twenty minutes it was as if I hadn’t been sick at all. I’m not a big fan of the taste, but if it works and makes me feel better I can’t complain (It tastes a lot better going down with lemon water).

I had many of the symptoms of flora imbalance, but especially:

•     Abdominal gas and bloating
•     Headaches
•     Migraines
•     Excessive fatigue
•     Anxiety
•     Cravings for sweets
•     Inability to think clearly or concentrate
•     Mood swings
•     Constipation
•     Itching
•     Eczema (particularly on my hands and elbows)
•     Depression
•     Sinus inflammation
•     Pre-menstrual symptoms
•     Dizziness
•     Poor memory
•     Persistent cough
•     Muscle weakness
•     Irritability
•     Learning difficulties
•     Sensitivity to fragrances and/or other chemicals
•     Cognitive impairment
•     Thrush
•     Sore throat
•     Indigestion
•     Acid reflux
•     Chronic pain

Sadly, I’ve been experiencing many of these symptoms for a while and it had never occurred to me that I may have Candida overgrowth.

(source)

As of now, it’s Day 2 of taking FiveLac three times daily before meals, and I’m feeling better than I have been for a while. To make it easier, I’ve gone “grain-free” and “white carbohydrate-free" (amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, beans, and sweet potatoes are okay) and have limited my fruit intake to one per day. Sweeteners such as honey, agave, and maple syrup will be removed from daily consumption (you know, the huge amount of half to one tablespoon) until I can eat brown rice without my stomach growling at me. The other immediate change I’ve noticed is that I’m not ravenously hungry as I once was and I can do cognitive tasks such as studying on an empty stomach.

Going “grain” and “white carb” –free for the time being (and just in time for my birthday) has been a little difficult, especially for breakfast and dinner. I have had success with egg “crepes”, and I’ve been thinking about using soaked buckwheat for parfaits, but I’m finding that replacing grains means the loss of calorie intake, and I do want to nourish my body correctly. That, and I don't want orthorexia nervosa rearing its obsessive head.

I did have success with making a grain-free Bento Box Snapshot, however, made with chicken, peas, Iris’ recipe of perfectly cooked onions, and plain ol’ buckwheat groats. But I do need some inspiration for other meals, and any advice or recipes would be greatly appreciated.

As for going full throttle into the Anti-Candida Diet, I’m not sure. If that is that case, particularly when I talk to Cheryl about it, I’ll be looking to Ricki from Diet, Dessert and Dogs for inspiration.

* I found out what did me in: Ultra Greens.

The Bento Box Snapshot: Sweet Pumpkin Chili & Pumpkin Basil Pesto Risotto

It’s about time I incorporated my love and borderline addiction for pumpkin into a Bento Box Snapshot! So here it is in all of its orange glory, and used in creative ways if I don’t say so myself.

The wonders of pumpkin will be explained another day, but I will say that it is an amazing vegetable. Perfect for any dish, sweet or savory, day or night, I am more than content to simply eat pumpkin puree from the can, season it with cinnamon, and eat it with my bunny spoon.

In all of its gloriousness, my BBS consists of a jar of chili with Penzey’s Chili 3000 spice mix and unsweetened cocoa powder with a heaping spoonful of pumpkin mixed in and topped with red onion. In the bento box itself is a salad with Thai basil, radish, red bell pepper, cucumber, carrot, salt and pepper, sesame seeds and unrefined apple cider vinegar as well as a pumpkin basil pesto risotto (that I want to make again as a post) made with pumpkin puree, basil pesto, cooked brown rice, and raw pepitas plus a Thai basil leaf as garnish.

October is definitely going to be a pumpkin-oriented month for "Meals With Morri" (and traditional Halloween foods from all over the world), so I apologize in advance. But I do want to know… what innovative ways you use pumpkin and why?

Chunky Roasted Tomato Soup

I swear to you, I have been cooking. I’ve been cooking a lot. In fact, I think I’ve been cooking more so than usual. But after being sick for roughly two weeks, school came first – that, and meetings… oh, and working out too – and taking photos was just something I didn’t have time for. I did quite a few Bento Box Snapshot worthy recipes, and I had many recipes I wanted to try in attempt to get the family out of our meal rut. However, sometimes I either had too few of the ingredients I needed or didn’t have the majority of the ingredients to begin with, so the recipes I was eager to make, photograph, and post were merely written down for another day.

There were also a lot of “What would happen if…?” moments in the kitchen. In other words, I simply threw things together to see the result of said experiment. They often turned into a “Not Quite What I Was Expecting” when it was still edible and delicious. And in some cases they were regarded as “Flops”, or "Not Quite What I Was Expecting" meals that weren’t edible or delicious at all. The latter, thankfully, happens few and far between but it still happens.

Buttermilk Oatmeal Donuts with a Banana-Almond Butter Sauce

My Bento Box Snapshots have been Stew-Salad combinations. There was the hearty beef and vegetable stew with salad. There was also kabocha soup (or puree) with almond milk mixed in for a silky texture with seasoned buttery rice, black beans, and a salad. I’ve noticed I’m not as hungry after dinner as I used to be, and I don’t feel guilty about eating when I am still hungry. So far, I’m dreaming zombie free dreams and not ravenous in the mornings.  

I have plans and deadlines for recipes this weekend, so be prepared for an onslaught of tastiness. This is where I’d laugh maniacally in a villainous fashion, but something tells me you all won’t mind it so much. In the meantime, as September comes to a close, I’d like to tell you what I’ve learned.

1. I learned that my getting up early was the result of drinking coffee in the afternoon. Once I cut down my caffeine to the mornings, I’m sleeping deeper… and longer.
2. I learned that my zombie nightmares were the result of my being hungry while I slept. I started eating more (either with bigger meals around 500 calories or by snacking), and I’ve yet to see a rotting corpse.
3. I learned that eating more doesn’t mean I’m going to gain weight. It means I’m not hungry and starving myself. It also means I am back on a normal menstrual cycle (hopefully).
4. I learned that spirulina and chlorella are great detoxifiers and have the minerals I've been lacking for much too long.
5. I learned that I’ve been feeling detached from the people I love, simply because people are living their own lives as I am, so cooking has been my outlet in order to feel an intimate connection. (Ah, the joys of being a commuter student about to graduate in a few months.)
6. I learned to be persistent and not to be afraid to make a flop or two. It’s a proven fact that the more you flop the more likely you’re to find success.
7. I learned that feeling good means you’re honest with others and yourself. After the trials and errors revolving around my health, social, exercising, and eating habits, I’m not afraid to respectfully tell people how I feel.
8. I learned that there are directions in recipes for a reason. Read every line thoroughly… and twice.
9. I learned that socca. Is. Delicious. I haven't perfected it yet, but the Pure2Raw twins Lori and Michelle have definitely made me a lover of the stuff.

And that homemade roasted tomato soup which could be made into a bangin’ sauce that just so happens to be vegan? So yummy.

Chunky Roasted Tomato Soup

1 lb 4 oz (or 6 3.5 oz) tomatoes, halved
1 (11 oz) Red bell pepper, halved and seeded
1 (6 oz) Sweet Spanish onion, peeled and halved
4 garlic cloves
2 oz Olive oil
24 oz Water
6 oz Tomato paste
3/4 tsp. – 1 tsp. Water
1 Bay Leaf

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Lay the veggies on a foil-lined large baking sheet, and lightly drizzle the olive oil on top.
Cook for about an hour or until they are soft and bubbling. (For a more roasted flavor, place veggies under the broiler until blistered and blackened in some places.)
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the veggies into a medium-sized soup pot.
Add the water, tomato paste, salt, and bay leaf and cook on medium-high heat for at least fifteen minutes.
Remove from heat (and the bay leaf from the pot) and, while hot, use a hand blender to puree the veggies. (If you want to use your regular blender, you can do that also for a smoother soup consistency).
Serve immediately topped with finely cut basil and/or sour cream.

Makes 6 small servings (or 3 large servings).

*To make it into a sauce, reduce the water to 16 oz and add 1/2 tsp. each oregano, thyme, and herb de Provence.

The Bento Box Snapshot: Turkey, White Bean, and Quinoa Chili Verde

Yesterday my evening class was canceled, so I was able to come home for dinner and my Bento box was lovingly put in the refrigerator. It just meant I had a lunch already prepared for today, which is great because I tend to get hungry between 10:30 a.m. and 1:10 p.m. (the same time as my three-hour CAR Integration class). And since I’m feeling significantly better than I did this time last week, I think I’ll be going to the gym for an hour afterward. Along with the chili I cut up some veggies and corn tortillas and packed my daily apple and spirulina-nut butter spread combo (as well as a can of wild salmon in case I'm still hungry).

Despite my being a week behind schoolwork, everything is still merging into something wonderful. For one, I can see the floor of my bedroom and my desk is almost completely cleared off. For another, my life after college is coming into focus. At this point, because some crucial grades from my time in Sweden have still not transferred, applying for Grad school may have to wait. I had intended on starting immediately after graduation, but I think the Cosmos is trying to tell me something, and it's something along the lines of taking things slow and to enjoy the ride. Maybe I’ll apply to the various research assistant positions at the USIP or work at a restaurant to learn the tools of the trade. Maybe I’ll join the ranks of some bangin’ NGO or create my own non-profit. If Grad school wasn’t meant to be in January, I’m sure August will be a different story. It’s all about adaptation and timing.

I do my best to stick to other people’s tasty recipes (heck, my own), but sometimes I either don’t have a particular ingredient or don't have enough of it, and I tend to add and subtract others as I go. Sometimes it doesn’t go as I expected it to, but usually the result is extremely delicious and post-worthy. The philosophies found in cooking can be relative to those in life. So if something just isn’t going to happen no matter how hard you try or want it to, find something that will. You can always go back to it when you’re ready.

This Bento Box Snapshot comes with a recipe. It must have been Monday (getting sick turns days into one consecutive day) when I decided to try my hand at white chili, but ended up adding more chili powder than I had planned to and turning it flamingo pink. So it wasn’t white chili by definition, but it was very different than the chili we usually make. It wasn’t exceptionally spicy though there was a nice kick from the jalapeño and green chile, and there was a delicate sweetness the cut-up apple provided to balance it. The tomatillos that I replaced the tomatoes with gave it a green undertone beneath its pinkish coloring, and the ground turkey made it light but still comforting to the tender stomach. It also was a great dish to use up all that leftover quinoa we had.

Turkey, White Bean, and Quinoa Chili Verde

 3 tbsp. Olive oil
1.25 lb Ground turkey
2 lb Tomatillos, coarsely chopped
24 oz Water
1 can (15 oz) Pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (4 oz) Fire roasted diced green chile
1 Jalapeño, seeded, veined, and coarsely chopped
1 Red onion, julienned and finely chopped
11 oz (2 c.) Cooked quinoa (you could also use rice, millet, pasta, etc.)
1 Sm. Granny Smith apple (about 4.5 oz cored), finely chopped
1 tbsp. Chili powder
1 tbsp. Crushed garlic
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
1/4 tsp. Cracked pepper

In a large mixing pot, heat the olive oil on medium-high and separated the ground turkey into chunks as it cooks.
Add in the remaining ingredients (or cook up some quinoa if you don’t have any on hand and put it into the pot when it’s done), and let it simmer on medium heat for thirty to forty-five minutes.
Serve in your favorite large drinking mug or soup bowl, and garnish with your choice of cheese, fresh salsa, herbs, and finely chopped sweet onion or shallot.

Serves 6 – 8.

The Bento Box Snapshot: Broiled Plantains, Stew, Quinoa n' Beans

This particular BBS was a complete success! I felt a lot fuller and wasn’t ravenous at the end of the day. This was especially important since Thursday was a big day for me: a three-hour class, about an hour at the gym, and preparing for the CARmunity informational later in the evening. 

It was around the time I left home for the meeting on campus that the weather went from summer to autumn, with me dressed in my favorite olive green jacket (very light and extremely worn) with a pair of jeans and black ballet flats. Not very smart for a person who tends to get sniffly at any sign of a cold front, I know, and I have a feeling Rooibos Chai Lattes will be my official drink of the season.

Dr. Scambledstein's Monster: It's boiled... BOILED!!!

So what did I have that kept a grumbly tummy at bay? For lunch I had a hard-boiled egg (that cracked during the boiling process), a rice cracker sandwich with chèvre (goat cheese) and slices of cucumber and tomato, a Granny Smith apple with spirulina-peanut butter spread, and canned salmon.

For dinner, I went to the salad jar (pun intended), filled with peppers, tomatoes, avocado, carrots, and cucumber, marinated with coconut aminos, lime juice, and salt. In the Bento box itself were baked plantains (broiled for a minute or so on each side for that caramelized burnt crunch), leftover beef and butternut stew, quinoa, and kidney beans, garnished with black and white sesame seeds for texture and giggles.

The Bento Box Snapshot: Saucy Boiled Chicken, Sesame Peas, and Sweet Potato

It was last Friday when the Cosmos made everything right again, and the weekend when everything began falling into place. My whole perspective was given a one-eighty, and I was back to the Morri that found life grand, didn’t sweat the small stuff, and laughed often.

After what seemed like months, perhaps semesters long, I finally feel settled and back into the rhythm of things.

This is my first Bento Box Snapshot with Cheryl Harris’s perspective on my meals when I’m at campus all day. So I’ve altered how I packed my Bento Box, mainly because my love of veggies made it colorful but very low in calories. From now on my veggies will be packed in another container (or in a plastic bag). She had also advised me to pack a hard-boiled egg, a piece of cheese, or a small container filled with nuts to curb me over between meals.

Also, I noticed that when I use butter instead of peanut butter in my morning oatmeal, I am significantly fuller and don’t have the jitters a few hours later.

So what’s being served for today?

Mr. & Mrs. Eggston, newly hard-boiled.

For lunch, I have two hard-boiled eggs, slivers of carrot, red pepper, and celery, and a Granny Smith apple with peanut butter, spirulina, and chia seeds. It isn’t pictured, but I added a small chunk of Parmesan cheese to the equation.

 

As for the Bento Box itself, there’s boiled chicken marinated in tamarind chutney, petite peas with sesame seeds, and sweet potato. And in case I’m still a tad peckish, I packed a combination of raw pepitas and sunflower seeds.

 

Happy Monday, all. I have a feeling it’s going to be an amazing week, with quite a few recipes to share.

The Bento Box Snapshot: Pork roast with rice and veggies

Before my 4:30 class starts, I thought I’d post the first "Bento Box Snapshot" of the semester! I can tell my Mondays are going to be busy. From 1:30 p.m. to 7:10 p.m. I have class, with 1 hour 45 minute break in between. With fifteen credits to take to graduate (three classes or nine credits for my anthropology minor and one class or three credits for my last conflict resolution class as an undergrad), as well as CARmunity starting up again, applying for grad school and looking for a part-time job, I have a feeling BBSs will be rather common this semester.

And that’s fine by me.

For lunch I packed another rice cracker sandwich with roasted turkey and gouda slices with a granny smith apple and a dollop of peanut butter.

As for dinner, I sliced up last night’s pork roast with a side of a combination of sweet brown and black rice. Along with my protein and grain is a salad, consisting of Kumato (or Olmeca) tomato, carrot, red bell pepper, cucumber, and labneh. There is some coconut aminos sprinkled around… somewhere. Oh yes, and sea salt and cracked pepper brings it all together.