Healthy Living On A Budget

Riveting Garbage

Sep 1st, 2010 by Lily

Before I forget to tell you all, something exciting happened this summer!

Lily’s Health Pad was featured on About.com’s Vegetarian Food Blog because Jolinda wanted her readers to read a non-vegan’s review of vegan macaroni and cheese.

Check out:

Lily’s Health Pad featured on About.com

My Nutritional Yeast Mac N’ Cheese post

Also, I wrote a guest post for Tina at Faith, Fitness, Fun. You can find it here: Lily’s Q & A.

***

Sunday evening, while Bob’s Raisin Bread was cooking away in my oven, I decided to make a large batch of Irish oats in order to save time on this week’s breakfasts.

(oats with chia seeds, dollops of pear preserves and Barney Butter, and a sprinkling of raisins)

Let me tell you, I have been SO thankful for this week’s pre-made oats. They have expedited the morning breakfast process, thus allowing me extra minutes of precious sleep.

And oh, how I need sleep! I’ve been dragging since Monday night’s impromptu decision to stay up well past my bedtime and watch the Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion show.

I don’t know why I concern myself with such garbage.

But I do know I’ll be tuning in next week for Part II.

Lunch was a frozen meal.

But not the kind I used to eat.

Did anyone else grow up calling these tv dinners? (Please say I’m not the only one.)

This “tv dinner” is actually homemade adzuki bean stew!

Check out the goodness of this soup.

Adzuki beans, sweet peppers, cilantro, onion, carrot- chock full of nutrients.

I’ve been eating a lot of these homemade frozen meals for lunch since I began my new job. The convenience just can’t be beat!

Dinner was a chickpea curry.

This is the best chickpea curry recipe known to man! It totally beats the recipe I posted last December.

Finally, once I hit ‘publish’ I’ll be indulging in the 2nd half of this deliciousness.

Question: Who’s your favorite Real Housewives character of all time (from any season)? Least favorite?

I’m off to watch some Gossip Girl before bed. Season 3 came available on Netflix this week!

Tags: Adzuki Beans, chocolate, curried chickpeas, curry, oats

Posted in Food | 7 Comments »

New

Aug 30th, 2010 by Lily

Greetings!

A lot has happened since my last post. I moved to a new city. Rented a new apartment. Joined a new gym. Started a new job.

FYI-There’s been another ‘new’ addition to my life, but I shall save that for another post.

This weekend, I traveled home to spend some time with my family. I’ve been living in my new city for about a month now, and I’ve missed them!

Lots of fun activities were engaged in. (How’s that for passive voice?)

My mom and I visited our favorite grocery store.

And I came home with two huge boxes of loot!!

My dad and I had Sunday lunch at Ruby Tuesday’s.

Eating at Ruby Tuesday’s is a father/daughter tradition of ours. We always order the salad bar. Nothing more, nothing less.

When I was an undergrad student at Clemson, my dad would periodically come to town and treat me to a salad dinner. One Valentine’s Day,I specifically remember having a boyfriend-less V-Day Ruby Tuesday’s date with my dad.

Since arriving back at my apartment, I’ve crossed a couple fun things off my to-do list.

1) Planting herbs

I received this herb planting kit months ago when I hosted my Earth Day giveaway. At that time, I had nowhere to put these plants.

But now, I have a deck!!! I can’t wait until fall. I am going to enjoy sipping some hot tea while enjoying the crisp weather.

My babies are currently outside receiving some sunlight. I hope they sprout soon!

2) Baking cinnamon raisin bread!

From a mix…

Bob, usually, I heart you.

But not this time!! This bread mix is a big fat fail.

The taste is just so off! I don’t even know where to begin. It looks pretty enough…

Do you buy Bob’s Red Mill products? Any faves? Or not-so-faves?

I’m off to Body Attack!! See you all later.

Tags: Amazing Savings, Bob's Red Mill, Body Attack, Travel

Posted in Food | 15 Comments »

4th of July Weekend Recap- Part II

Jul 8th, 2010 by Lily

Sunday

Sunday (The 4th of July) I awoke once again to the smell of sweet, savory buckwheat waffles.

My mom’s waffles were such a hit that she made them again for Sunday morning breakfast. I’m one lucky gal to have been able to eat these two mornings in a row!

My mom and I each had one serving of Lily of the Desert Aloe Vera Juice to complement our breakfast.

Thankfully one serving of aloe vera juice is only 2 ounces! Let’s just say, it’s taste is quite unique.

People generally drink aloe vera juice to aid digestion, clean harmful bacteria from the colon, and improve circulation.

Also, here are some of the benefits listed on the back of the juice bottle:

As far as I can tell with my cursory Google search, not all of the benefits listed above have been supported by research. Nonetheless, I do find the potential benefits if aloe vera juice intriguing, so when I saw a large bottle of it at Amazing Savings for $3.99, I decided to snatch it up and give it a try.

After a delicious breakfast, Stephen and I got in the car and headed back to Charleston for the week.

Unfortunately, Stephen and I spent most of the 4th in the car. When we reached Charleston, it was already evening and we weren’t really feeling participating in any festivities. So……

We went to the movies instead!

Let me clarify here that I am NOT a Twi-Hard. I happened to read the books, and I thought they were ok. They are certainly no Harry Potter! And honestly, if you think the Twilight series is the best set of young adult books you’ve ever read, I think you need to do a lot more reading. (Just a personal opinion- I’m not trying to offend. I know these books have one large following.)

That being said, I think Meyer’s storyline translates to the movie screen very well. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed each of the movies, and Eclipse has probably been my favorite installment thus far.

Monday

On Monday, I attended an Express Body Attack/Body Pump class, and then I spent the rest of the day with Stephen. Notable facts about Monday were:

1) I tried Siggi’s for the first time.

Siggi’s is a very thick yogurt, and it’s quite tasty. At $2.50 the price is a bit outlandish though. And I thought Oikos was expensive! Also, before trying this grapefruit flavor, be mindful that it tastes quite a bit like the actual fruit – bitterness and all.

2) I cooked a FANTASTIC dinner.

Check out this calzone!

Expert edges and all.

This calzone was stuffed with spinach, tofu, mozzarella, parmesan, and basil. This is most definitely Stephen’s favorite dinner of the year! I’ll have to post the recipe if you all are interested.

3) I baked a healthy-ish dessert.

A peanut butter/white chocolate chip blondie. Ingredients included whole wheat pastry flour and wheat germ. In retrospect, I wish I’d added a bit more demerara sugar. These just didn’t taste dessert-like enough for me.

***

Well, I’m unplugging just in time for Bethenny Getting Married. In previous seasons of The Real Housewives of New York, Bethenny was one of my least favorite characters, but now I’m starting to enjoy her.

Believe it or not, LuAnne used to be one of my favorites! (Currently LuAnne is probably at the bottom of my list.)

Question: Do you watch any of the Real Housewives series’? Which one is your favorite? Least favorite?

My favorite is New York. This past season just can’t be beat!

My least favorite is Atlanta or New Jersey. I don’t know how much more of the ‘gang up on Danielle’ story I can take.

Posted in Uncategorized | 19 Comments »

4th of July Weekend Recap- Part I

Jul 6th, 2010 by Lily

Greetings! And happy belated 4th! I had a delightful long weekend, so let’s get right down to it.

Friday

First off, I got to spend Friday with my long lost friend Cathy.

Cathy and I went to graduate school together, and she has been in Alaska completing her internship, so I haven’t seen her in a year! But everything was just like old times!

We didn’t do anything special-mostly chatted and gossiped. I’ve missed Cathy, and it was so wonderful spending the day with her.

She and I ate lunch at Jasmine’s, one of our favorite restaurants.

I almost didn’t post the above picture since red curry has already made numerous appearances on this blog, but I just couldn’t help myself.

Cathy will be in town for the remainder of the summer, so expect to see more of her on LHP in the near future!

After visiting with Cathy, it was time to drive to the upstate for the weekend. Traffic was really bad, so Stephen and I did not reach my parents’ house until around 11:00.

Saturday

I awoke to the smell of waffles wafting into my bedroom.

My mom had prepared buckwheat waffles! She served them up with real maple syrup and blueberries.

Might this be the most beautiful breakfast you’ve ever seen?

After breakfast, my mom and I took a special trip to Amazing Savings. I picked up numerous items, the most exciting of which was kombucha! Kombucha has temporarily been taken off the shelves at both Whole Foods and Earthfare, so I’ve been in deep withdrawal.

I’ve actually never tried Honest Kombucha before. The nutritionals of this brand just don’t live up to the GT’s and Synergy brands as it contains added sugar, lacks in probiotics, and doesn’t have the added B vitamins. But on Saturday, I was just so happy to find kombucha in a store that I snatched it up without a care for nutritional info.

Overall, the taste was similar to other kombucha flavors I’ve tried. It did not disappoint.

After a satisfying trip to Amazing Savings, my mom and I decided to try a new workout DVD: Jackie Warner’s Power Circuit Training.

(My parents may have an even smaller television than I do.)

As my mom and I were workin’ it out with Jackie, we noticed we had a spectator.

Clearly, Beatrice is confused about the level of activity going on in the family room.

Yet eventually, she was inspired to engage in a workout of her own.

However, Beatrice gave up quickly, and by time my mom and I completed the DVD, Beatrice was fast asleep.

Faith’s Wedding

After a decent workout, it was time for the weekend’s main event: Faith’s wedding! Faith has made several appearances on my blog. She and I have been friends since I moved to South Carolina in the 8th grade!

Stephen and I pre-wedding

Faith and Cole’s first dance. How gorgeous is the back of Faith’s dress?

Check out the cupcake tiers! Faith had two flavors of cupcakes: strawberry and lemon, both with delicious butter cream icing.

Me with the beaming bride

Couples shot

Stephen and I agreed that Faith and Cole had one of the most beautiful weddings we’ve been to in awhile. We had a wonderful time celebrating our friends’ marriage!

***

P.S Stephen has officially started the Insanity program. Every now and then I do the workouts with him. It’s been a fun experience.

Questions: Has anyone else tried Insanity?

What’s your favorite workout DVD?

Posted in Uncategorized | 14 Comments »

The Great Grain Request

Jul 1st, 2010 by Lily

Question: So what am I doing during this work hiatus?

Answer: All the things I love!

I’ve mostly been watching Netflix DVD’s, catching up with my favorite tv shows, exercising, baking, cooking, reading, and eating chocolate.

Speaking of chocolate, did you know that Ghirardelli has trans fat?

It’s true. The proof is in the label. I don’t even check labels for trans fat any more, since most companies have removed it from their products, but this proves that I should be! There are plenty of chocolates to choose from, so from now on I’ll be choosing a variety that is trans fat-free.

The Great Grain Request

This past weekend, Stephen said to me, “You know, I’d really like to stop by Whole Foods later, so that I can pick up some alternative grains.” When I heard this, I had to hold back my shock. I kept a very calm exterior but inside I was singing! This person requesting a trip to Whole Foods is the same person who crinkles his nose when I try to substitute brown rice for white rice.

At Whole Foods, we made a beeline for the bulk section.

Have you ever seen such a beautiful sight? I <3 bulk bins! [And I think Stephen is starting to like them too. ]

Here’s what we ended up with (from left to right): spelt berries, rye berries, wheat berries, quinoa, and bulgar wheat. The spelt berries and rye berries were actually purchased by myself. I’ve never used them before, but I’m excited to try them out!

Cajun Shrimp and Rice Bulgar

I decided to try out a new recipe with Stephen’s grains. This cajun shrimp and bulgar was very tasty, very flavorful, and very healthy! YUM. The original recipe called for rice, but I subbed bulgar wheat for an added nutritional boost. Bulgar is a great rice substitute as the texture is similar and the flavor is mild.

Check out this nutritional comparison bulgar and brown rice!

Bulgar Wheat Nutrition Data

(1 cup cooked)

Calories- 151

Protein- 6 grams

Carbohydrates- 34 grams

Fiber- 8 grams

Iron- 10% RDA

Brown Rice Nutrition Data

(1 cup cooked)

Calories- 218

Protein- 5 grams

Carbohydrates- 46 grams

Fiber- 4 grams

Iron- 6% RDA

So, Bulgar has more protein, fiber, and iron. And it has less calories than it’s more commonly eaten counterpart!

Have I convinced you to give bulgar a try?

***

What’s your favorite grain? I like them all, but right now the chewiness of wheat berries is probably my favorite.

Tags: bulgar wheat, bulk bins, chocolate, wheat berries, whole foods

Posted in Food | 9 Comments »

Movin’ on Up

Jun 29th, 2010 by Lily

A lot has happened since my last post! Let me fill you in.

News

I moved out of my apartment.

My stuff is sitting in my parents’ garage until the end of July, at which point, I will be moving in to a NEW apartment in a NEW city!

Farewell, apartment 346.

And farewell Spartanburg! It’s been real, but your lack of gym selection just won’t do. My new location boasts FIVE Gold’s Gyms. Yes, FIVE.

I’m going to be in Les Mills heaven. I can finally say goodbye to the lame Body Training Systems knockoff programs.

For now, I’m living with my parents and/or Stephen until I move into my new apartment. Let’s just say Stephen et. al. are NOT thrilled about moving me into another 3rd floor apartment!

Here’s my beau cuddling on the couch with Beatrice after a grueling moving day. Beatrice goes crazy over Stephen. I’m pretty sure she thinks he’s her boyfriend.

Fort Dorchester State Park

Last post, I blogged about Stephen and I’s trip to Francis Beidler Forest. We’ve been on a outdoorsy kick lately, visiting lots of Charleston’s local attractions. The other day, we went to Fort Dorchester State Park. I had no idea what to expect, but this place was really neat!

The site of this state park was once a trading town on the Ashley River that existed from 1697 through the Revolutionary War.

Here’s a model of what the town used to look like. Most of the village has been destroyed, but remains of a fort and a church are still intact.

Here I am next to the fort wall. I was amazed at how well the fort withstood the hands of time. Especially since, up-close, the wall looked as if it had been constructed with sea shells.

Across the way and through the trees still stands the old Anglican church.

During the walk through the trees and to the church, I encountered this mushroom. Who knew fungi could be beautiful?

As I was walking along and enjoying the lovely scenery…

I was immediately caught off guard by the sharpest, most debilitating pain in the back of my ankle. I literally fell to my knees, and I couldn’t get up and walk for a few minutes. It took me awhile to realize that I’d been stung by something.

This was NOT your average bee sting, folks. I’ve been stung before, and it had never hurt like this! I don’t know what it was that got a hold of me (a wasp? a yellow jacket?) but this insect sting was NO JOKE!

I did live through the sting, and eventually I did make it to the church for some obligatory photos.

Food

As far as what I’ve been eating these days… This week, I’ve been meal planning. Sunday night I made this buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese.

I found the recipe in a Food Network magazine, and I knew I had to try it. I healthified it a tad by using whole wheat flour instead of enriched flour, whole wheat macaroni instead of white pasta, Kashi whole wheat crackers instead of panko bread crumbs, and skim milk instead of heavy cream.

But in general, this recipe is not particularly healthy as it calls for LOTS of cheese. I’ve never been one to shy away from eating cheese though!

In general, Stephen and I enjoyed this interesting take on mac n’ cheese, but we both agreed we prefer the more traditional version. We’ve eaten this for dinner the past 2 nights, then cut it up into individual serving sizes and froze the rest for another week.

Tonight I whipped up a new dish, but you’ll have to tune in tomorrow to see what it is.

***

I hope you all are doing well!

P.S. Who watched the Make it or Break It premier last night?? I think it’s gonna be a gooooooood season!

Tags: Beatrice, Body Attack, les mills, mac n' cheese, Make it or Break It

Posted in Exercise, Food, Travel | 18 Comments »

Francis Beidler Forest

Jun 6th, 2010 by Lily

Hey, hey! Anyone else watch the Kate Plus 8 debut?

I’m not sure which ‘do is worse…

Short and spiky OR long and fake?

Honestly, I’m not a Kate hater, as many are. I do, however, have major issues with her hair and clothing style, especially as of late.

But anyway…

Stephen and I have been enjoying our summertime. The sunny weather and warm days have been enticing us to spend our time outdoors. During the past week, we’ve had the opportunity to visit several parks on our “to go” list.

Francis Beidler Forest

The Beidler Forest includes 1,800 acres of old-growth swamp forest. Many of the trees in the swamp are 1,000 years old. Stephen had visited as a child, and he has wanted to go back for some time now.

For an $8 fee, Stephen and I were admitted to walk a 1.75 mile nature trail.

Most of the hike consists of walking on an elevated boardwalk.

The key is to walk slowly and quietly in hopes that a glimpse of an animal can be seen.

Stephen and I got lucky!

We spotted the rarest of the 5 types of snakes living in the swamp.

The Red-Bellied Water Snake!

Other interesting wildlife was spotted.

It was a very eclectic mix.

All in all, Stephen and I had a wonderful experience at the swamp. I don’t know about you, but I’d never been to a swamp before this trip! Very cool.

Goodnight all!

***

P.S. Last week, I secured a job. A very good job. Thank Heavens! I am a very lucky gal. Thank you all so much for your kind words on my last post.

Question: Do you enjoy hiking? Where is your favorite place on earth to enjoy nature?

Tags: hiking

Posted in Exercise | 19 Comments »

Give Thanks!

May 29th, 2010 by Lily

Hey, hey! I know I’ve been absent for the past week or so. The truth is. I’m stressed!

It’s no secret that I’ve had a rough couple of week as I’ve alluded to my distress a few times in previous posts:

Crummy Days

Sometimes…

Sometimes… The Sequel

Why am I stressed? You ask.

Well, remember how I just graduated? With graduate school and my internship complete (as of Friday), I need a job! And let’s just say…job hunting is getting the best of me.

I am overwhelmed with applications, interviews, phone calls, traveling, and the most dreaded thing of all…wait.

All of this has taken quite a toll. Let’s just say, I certainly haven’t felt like myself. (Something must be wrong if my body doesn’t feel like exercising or eating!)

***

Ok, enough lamenting for one post! Honestly, I have many blessings in my life to be happy about. The key is to remember them under times of great stress.

So, I’m taking a cue from Diana and dedicating tonight’s blog to some of many things I am thankful for.

5 Things I’m Thankful For

1) Stephen

Stephen is my buddy! Although he doesn’t necessarily share my passion, he puts up with my health nut tendencies and is even willing to be featured on my blog from time to time. He’s a good boyfriend.

Curious about how we met? Read The Stephen Post.

2. My Education

Receiving my MA+ degree took much time and effort. But I am proud of my accomplishments. And thankfully I’ve chosen a specialty that is still somewhat in demand, despite the slow economy.

3. My Family

I’m thankful for my sissy and her beautiful family. What would and auntie do without a niece and nephew?

And of course, I am grateful for two wonderful and healthy parents. (Excuse the picture. This is me before junior prom. It’s the only photo of my dad I could find on this computer.)

4. Irvin and Beatrice

Duh. You all knew I couldn’t forget to mention my fondness for my furry fam.

5. My Health

I have been a lifelong exerciser and never once have I suffered a serious injury. I’m blessed with a strong body that can do things like run marathons and participate in fitness expos.

Speaking of exercise, guess what class I will be participating in tomorrow?

If you guessed Body Attack, then you would be correct! I can’t wait. It’s been too long!

***

Sorry for the hiatus, friends. But never fear…LHP is back in business!

Bloggers: Do you ever need a break from blogging to de-stress?

Readers: Do you ever need to take a break from blog reading?

Tags: Beatrice, Body Attack, Irvin, marathon, Max and Clara

Posted in lifestyle | 17 Comments »

Waste-Free Projects

May 18th, 2010 by Lily

Remember when I overcooked my lentils because I was so engrossed in wrestling this bad boy into homemade coconut butter?

If not, here’s the proof:

Not being a food waster, I froze this batch of lentils for later use. It took me about 2 weeks, but I finally settled on the Vegetarian Lentil Burger recipe from 101 Cookbooks.

I am an voracious eater of Morningstar Garden Veggie Burgers. I love, love, love my Morningstar, but it’s much more cost-effective to make my own.

One batch of these homemade burgers made 8 servings. And right now, I have several stored in my freezer, ready for consumption as a part of a quick lunch or dinner.

Heidi’s recipe officially calls from black lentils, but I used red lentils because that’s what I had on hand.

I also added some extra spice. Everything tastes good with Indian flavors, right? Of course, I didn’t really select my spices specifically for this recipe. The frozen lentils already had added spice from my overcooked lentil dahl escapade.

Indian Lentil Burgers

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked ~~black~~ red lentils
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup ~~toasted fine (whole-grain) bread crumbs~~ crushed Kashi roasted garlic whole grain crackers
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp nutmeg

*Original ingredients are in green. My added ingredients are in purple.

For complete, step-by-step directions, visit 101 Cookbooks.

Served with bulgar and asparagus and drizzled in sriracha.

A tad spicy. Just the way I like it!

These burgers were a total success!

But one waste-saving recipe I made recently was most definitely not a success.

My muffins made from veggie pulp were disgusting!

Maybe I used too much pulp? Maybe I should’ve kept the lemon fiber separate?

Sorry there’s no pic. I know I took a picture of the final muffin product…but I guess my camera ate it?

***

Random Question: Is Spencer from The Hills crazy, or what???

And how old is too old for a person to be obsessed with The Hills and The City?

Tags: juicing

Posted in Food | 29 Comments »

A Motley Crew

May 17th, 2010 by Lily

Happy Monday! I hope you’ve all had a fabulous day .

Mine has been stellar! I came home to a spotlessly clean apartment, courtesy of Stephen. It was simply glorious to enjoy my evening without worrying about how the floor needs to be vacuumed and the dishwasher needs to be emptied!

So yesterday, I promised that today’s post would cover the last of my weekend’s events. Here ya go!

Sunday

Stephen and I stopped by my parents’ house for some lunch.

What my parents don’t know is that I really came over for a visit with these two punks.

Throughout my lifetime, my parents have owned the motliest crew of cats ever.

These two are by far the laziest.

The portliest

And the lounging-est cats I’ve ever known.

For lunch my mom outdid herself.

Wheat berry salad, tuna steak, and sweet potato fries.

Check out dessert! Applesauce cake with real cream cheese icing.

Stephen approved.

Side note:

My parents have the most beautiful back yard.

My dad works hard to keep his lawn perfectly manicured. And he is very proud of his product. I’m sure he’s beaming with pride now that his efforts have been featured on the blog.

After a deliciously filling lunch, Stephen and I headed downtown to take a stroll. I’m so lucky to live in this beautiful state! I truly think it may be one of the most gorgeous areas in the United States.