The Inner Workings of a College Graduate

First off I have another new obsession – the Glee inspired station on Pandora! Not only does it play songs as performed by the Glee cast, but it has a great mix of Disney and other musical inspired songs. I have been jamming to Hairspray, Rent, and Grease at my desk all morning.

Have I ever mentioned that I was a huge musical theatre buff in High School?

I had it in my head that I was going to be a famous actress one day. I was in a few plays and did the whole drama camp thing, but it was painfully obvious that I couldn’t carry a tune and had no rhythm at all.

It was still fun and if I had the opportunity to perform on stage I would do it again in a heart beat!

Any other former musical theater stars out there?

My snack this morning was definitely on the sweet side. A serving of Pumpkin Spice Trail Mix from Target.

I loved this trail mix last year, but now I think it made me a tad too sweet to handle on its own. Perhaps it would make a better overnight oats or yogurt topping?

Thanks to the Thanksgiving Challenge my fridge appears to be a bit on the empty side and oddly enough my pantry has seen better days as well. All my pantry staples seem to have disappeared!  The one downside to the Thanksgiving Challenge is I can tell its going to be a very expensive trip to the grocery store once the challenge is over. I will need to restock all the staples I would usually replace on a here and there basis. This got me thinking that the bloated trip may cancel out the idea of saving money during the challenge if I just spend all the extra money once the month is over on stuff I would have been buying through the month in the first place. Thoughts?

In any case I headed to the freezer for lunch.

Leftover Chili with spinach and brie

Leftover Cornbread

Perfect Meal

For a Good Cause…

A wonderful blog reader, Kellie, just signed up for her first full marathon in February and has pledged to raise $500 for the Free Wheelchair Mission. If you have a dollar to spare please check out Kellie’s fundraising site and support a great cause!

*** Don’t forget to keep the votes coming!! ***

I have a new obsession and its name is ExerciseTV on Demand.

Having ready-to-go work outs at the touch of a button is just so easy and since there are so many options I feel like I never get bored. I do miss my days of creating my own living room or tennis court boot camps, but lately it has been nice to not think and just do from the instructors tell me to do.

I am hoping once my marathon training is over I can incorporate more personalized work outs back in my routine, but for now the Tank Top Arms and Buns & Thigh Yoga work outs I did this morning thanks ExerciseTv on Demand were pretty kick butt.

After having to politely decline on my supervisor’s French Toast Casserole yesterday, you know what was on the menu for breakfast this morning.

Delicious French Toast topped with Oikos, Pom, Flax Seed, and Cinnamon. Yum!

I am pretty basic with my french toast I simply dunk two pieces of bread in a egg white bath and then fry up in a little spray of oil on the griddler.

My Deepest Sympathies Georgia Fans….

UGA VII, Georgia’s beloved mascot, passed away yesterday of heart related causes at the age of 4.

I am not personally a Georgia fan, but when I heard the news on the radio this morning it broke my heart. Having lost my own puppy, Abbie, just a couple of months ago I feel the pain of all Georgia fans everywhere.

RIP UGA VII

Sam-E Good Mood Gig…

ekkkkk…. I checked the polls this morning and I am officially 2,000 votes behind!

So now the time has come to beg and plead for votes. Please, Please, Please, please click here and vote for me today. You guys are great and I truly appreciate every ounce of support!!!

I was in a bit of a rush for dinner this evening.

I had to drop Maddie off at my sister’s for the weekend and only had about 20 minutes to prepare and eat my dinner. In typical Meghann fashion when in a rush simply pull all edible elements from the fridge, combine, and enjoy!

From the fridge I pulled onion, canned pears, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, acorn squash, and brussel sprouts. I heated it all up on the stove top and served it on top of a bed of wilted spinach and drizzled a balsamic reduction on top.

Served with Kashi Crackers

Yes, this meal was vegan, but it was also something I would have happily prepared and ate whether I was trying to be vegan for a day or not.

Dessert was a bit disheartening.

My favorite frozen yogurt place just happens to be on my sister’s side of town and I don’t have the opportunity to drive by it very often. I was very tempted to pull over and grab a treat, but in the spirit of being vegan for a day and the Thanksgiving Challenge I waited until I made it home and had a Brown Rice Cake with Almond Butter and Vegan Dark Chocolate Chips.

Earlier I had a serving of Quaker Oatmeal Squares as my afternoon snack.

My Thoughts on Vegan for a Day…

I have to admit eating vegan for the day was quite a challenge. However, the challenge wasn’t in finding vegan friendly meals & snacks or feeling satisfied after those meals or snacks. The challenge stemmed from the fact I wasn’t 100% mentally committed to being vegan. In order to be completely satisfied as a vegan one has to be totally committed to that state of mind and I am not ready for that nor do I think I ever will be.

For me it drills down to the simple fact that dairy does not bother my stomach and I find organic dairy and locally raised meat to be humane alternatives to factory farming. I am a foodie at heart. I also love to try new foods that will on occasion contain meat or dairy. Living under the assumption I could not enjoy my favorite treats only makes me want them more. If someone told me to give up carbs for the day or week I would have the same reaction.

I believe the vegan diet is a healthy, obtainable one, but its not for me. Everyone needs to find what works for them and eating organic dairy and meat in moderation works for me.

Can I still count on your votes?