Banana Berry Citrus Smoothie

I wanted something light and tasty for breakfast this morning, so I whipped up this smoothie.  I used almond milk instead of water which lead to a creamier consistency (yumm!).

Classes for summer start tomorrow, so I've been trying to enjoy these relaxed mornings and lazy days as much as possible.  The summer weather is also definitely making an entrance.  We've been in the 20C for a few days now, and they are only calling for more.  Bring it on Mother Nature!

Banana Berry Citrus Smoothie

1/2 banana
1/2 navel orange (peeled)
1/3 cup frozen raspberries (or fresh)
1/3 cup frozen blueberries (or fresh)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend away! Serve cold and enjoy :)

Final Crunch

Holy smokes where did all the time go?!  I only have 2 and a half weeks of school left! I can't wait for summer or the end of exams, but I also feel like every school year is going by faster and faster.  Well, in reality, I only really have one year left! YIKES!

Here are a few pictures of my meals from the week.  Since ending the food experiment I dove into a few weeks ago, I've been really craving some variety with my food.  And by this I mean adding things like ground flax, more fruit, maple syrup, leftovers etc, that I wasn't able to incorporate before. I've also really been trying to focus on keeping my gluten intake to a minimum.  I've been receiving most of my carbohydrates from vegetables, quinoa, and fruit.

Greek yogurt, Perfect Fit Protein, peaches, blueberries, strawberries.

Maple Balsamic brussel sprouts - they were SO good! I made these for dinner for my family at the end of the week along with Salmon Quinoa Burgers, and parsnip fries :)

Broccoli salad with quinoa and tomato.

I also made this vanilla chocolate chunk cheesecake recipe from This Rawsome Vegan Life blog, whom I've been OBSESSED with recently!  Her photography is amazing and all of the recipes look incredibly delicious.    Oh and she's Canadian :) Check her out for awesome vegan, raw recipes.

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

I've been thinking and thinking about moving out for my last year of university - which will be next year!  This involved trying to put a number on the amount of money I'd be spending on food every month away from home.  At first I figured $100 a month would be just enough, but quickly realized this was far from true.

My parents decided to let me put my test to work and supplied the cash to let me buy my own groceries for the next 4 weeks.  Originally we had planned on $200 for the entire month, but decided on $300 after my first grocery haul.  My official starting date was Friday, February 22 and I'll end on Friday, March 22 :)

Below is a list of everything I bought for the first week.  As a reminder, I live in Canada and am trying to buy very clean, nutritious and delicious foods.

Food Haul: Week 1

Produce
Apples (x4)
Bananas (x2)
Frozen fruit (berries and tropical blend)
Tomatoes (x2)
Peppers (x4)
Broccoli
Frozen corn
Carrots (3lbs)
Spinach

Grains, Fats, Protein
Quick oats
Quinoa
Almond milk (unsweetened x2)
Kashi granola bars (x6)
Tomato sauce (basil)
Kraft low-cal balsamic dressing
Eggs (1 carton)
Kidney beans canned (low sodium)
Chickpeas canned (low sodium)
Hummus
Frozen tilapia (x6)
Canned salmon (x2 low sodium)
Veggie patties (x4)
Crunchy peanut butter (all natural)
NF Greek yogurt (1 tub)
Avocado (x2)

This cost me just under $100 in total (my Mom "sold" me the NF Greek yogurt (full price) and the avocados for cheap since they were ripening rather fast).  I went out for dinner once and have a couple of Clif/Luna bars from my birthday (yes, birthday haha).  Spices are also not off-limits for me to use while I cook.

Overall it has been going really well!  I have planned my meals and snacks for every day of the week and I'm really learning to appreciate the food I have.  Even though it's not my personal money, it's my personal food and I feel like I'm developing a different approach to eating.  I eat when I'm hungry, only to feel satisfied not stuffed, and really savour each bite.  This may sound straight-forward, but I think you'd be surprised how often you eat without being in the moment - experiencing all the sensations and actually listening to your body as it responds to what you feed it.

I went grocery shopping last night to re-stock and was under my budget of $60.  For the last two weeks I'll be getting $70 for each.  Perhaps I will post a grocery haul vlog soon to celebrate! ;)

ASIDE from all of that, I experimented with a new recipe last week.  It involved one of my favourite healthy foods full of fiber, protein and healthy carbs. Chickpeas! I've heard about roasted chickpeas for a while and finally decided to try it myself :)

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp cumin
Several shakes of garlic powder, onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste

I followed The Lean Green Bean's guide to baking and put the pan of chickpeas in the oven BEFORE pre-heating to 425F.  I then cooked them for 45 minutes and stirred every 10 - 15 minutes.

Staying Motivated in University

I've been gone from the blog for a little while thanks to school work, so I thought the topic of motivation would be fitting for this blog post!

University is an experience like no other.  In high school, although the work load can be daunting at times, it's not overly difficult to complete.  University has taught me so much in such a short amount of time.  One of the hardest things I've experienced so far, is the work load; being in engineering, I think this is very true.  Endless assignments, midterms and trying to have a social life on top of it all.  So how do you stay motivated??

What Drives You

You can't think about it too much, but enough to understand what drives you.  For me it's a number of things: working with my friends in the right environment, my marks, goals for life after my undergrad and fundamentally, to make myself happy.  It's often hard to step back and see the big picture, but you're doing this for a reason.  If it's to go to graduate school, get a job, buy a house, start your own business, or just to say you could, it's always important to keep reminding yourself why.  Surround yourself with uplifting reminders such as quotes, post-it notes, pictures.  Always remember you can do anything you set your mind to.

Break It Down
I've begun to post a list of small goals for the day on my lock screen of my iPod.  Whenever I don't know what I should be doing, I take a look and pick whichever I feel appropriate.  These can range from simple chores, to assignments, to small steps of a big project.

These steps should all be part of a bigger picture.  Make sure your goals are attainable as well - push yourself but not to the extent that it becomes unrealistic.  It will take practice, but don't beat yourself up about something you weren't able to complete in a day.

Your Environment
It also helps me to work with the right people.  Engineering is all about working in teams, and it's important to find your own team.  Gravitate towards the people who you know have a strong work ethic and it will become addicting - trust me!  This drives me to do more: seeing other people work hard makes me want to do the same.  Sure, maybe you love talking to your good friends instead, but hanging out won't satisfy you as much as finishing your work.  If they really are your good friends, they'll understand how important your school work is.  Priorities are important when it comes to having a happy and successful university career.

Lifestyle
The first two years of university for me consisted of minimal exercise and pure focus to my studies.  After training and completing my first 5km race this fall, I realized how exercise can really help you focus.  It's a great stress reliever and allows you to think while building endurance.  Complimenting exercise means the right nutrition.  While a university students' life may be on-the-go, it's always important to remember that what you put into your body is personal fuel.  Planning meals ahead of time and seeking out healthier options on campus will be a guaranteed way to make the most out of your food.

For me this is one of the most important parts of my lifestyle. Sleep.  Plain and simple, but oh-so effective.  Although this year I've been averaging 6 - 7 hours a night during the week days, I know how important sleep is to the way I function.  Lack-there-of can mean a twitchy eyelid, migraine, or your lack of focus at school.  Set yourself up for a productive day with a good nights sleep.


Not everyone is perfect and it is completely normal to sway from your goals and plans!  I often criticize myself for this, but instead learn from it; make yourself a better person because of it.  Life is a learning experience and you should enjoy it as much as you can! :)