WIAW: At school, episode 3!

Hello my dear readers! It’s Wednesday again, and we all know what that means...Hindi/Urdu and Contemporary Asian Socities! Erm I mean…it’s What I Ate Wednesday! I’m a touch on the busy side today. I’ve been loaded with reading and script practice the past couple of weeks. Not that I’ve not been enjoying what I’m learning, because I am…but I’ve been so busy I’ve been barely able to breath, muchless blog (although my workload is pretty light today…)

And in the midst of it all, I’ve become stuck in a major major food rut. It’s hard to think about coming up with new, healthy, innovative dishes when you have hours of reading about (for example) the history of Islam or the state of the democracy in India in the 1990′s. All interesting…but so much reading is not exactly conducive to a good eating environment.

But I’m managing. I’m sticking between 1100-1200 calories a day (I apologize if by mentioning this number I’m triggering anyone – I don’t mean to, I just want to be 100% honest with you all about what I am doing, in hopes of imporving myself and my own situation at hand), doing 60 minutes of cardio week days (more on Fridays and the weekend), strength training 3 times a week, and at least 30 minutes of yoga every morning, every day. The goal for me isn’t quite to gain weight yet, and I’m honestly hoping that I haven’t. Unintentional weight gain is what I fear…I will focus on gaining when the time is right. Just not quite now (not to say never).

Enough of this idle blather…on to the eats! Thanks, as always, to Jenn for hosting this loverly blog party!

I tried my hardest to break my food rut today…that started off with my usual 30 minutes of yoga, getting ready for heading to campus, making breakfast and such.

Breakfast consisted of a variation of some yummy eats from the other day! I was far too lazy to boil up cauliflower, so I made these instead…pumpkin (kaddu) falafel.

Yes. I was busy baking falafel at 6 am.

Kaddu “Falafel”

Yields 4 balls

Ingredients:

• 1/8 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tbs cooked lentils
• 1/2 tbs besan flour
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ginger powder
• 1/4 tsp coriander powder
• a small squirt of braggs liquid aminos
• an even smaller squirt of sriracha

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400F.

Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper, and spray that with nonstick cooking spray.

In a smallish bowl, mix together your pumpkin, your cooked lentils, besan flour, seasonings, braggs, and the sriracha. Mash everything together, form the mixture into four balls and arrange on the baking sheet. Spray each one with a little bit of non-stick and bake for 20 minutes.

Flip them after 20 minutes, spray again, and bake for another ten.

Serve in a salad, in a wrap, with some pita, with some hummus, with some dhania chutney…however you’d like it.

Breakfast, pre-transtit

Just as tasty as the cauliflower ones, with the added kick of pumpkin deliciousness. I had them with some curried squash, broccoli, spinach and lentils, with 1 tbs soy yoghurt and a teeny drizzle of liquified dhania chutney. And coffee (bold pick o’ the day). With a side of Islamic history. Yum. I ate half in the Student Union whilst I was reading my Islamic history book, and the other half in Hindi class. Where this evil bitch girl just had to ask: a. What was that I was eating; b. Do I eat that for breakfast all the time; and c. What spices do I use in it – apparently she always smelled something in the classroom, but never knew what it was. Apparently she assumes that smell is always my breakfast. Well FYI chick, that was the first time I ever ate in that room so shove it! *ahem* Sorry. Perhaps I’m being paranoid and she meant no harm with her comment. I throughly enjoyed my falafels, and that’s all that matters.

Following class, I went to my apartment’s gym and biked for a half an hour (reading everyone’s WIAWs on my ipod!), followed by returning to my apartment, making lunch, and then returning (yet again) to campus for class.

Of course, before class comes coffee. Coffee always goes with class. I really enjoy my Contemporary Asian Societies course…we only briefly discussed some Indian history today. Much of which I already knew. Interesting all the same.

After class came lunch. Which consisted of this beauty of a soup.

Sexy. Sorry for another thermos shot. It’s all I have to tote around my soup in. It’s a Moroccan-inspired Carrot Soup. Mighty tasty.

Moroccan-ish Carrot Soup

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped cauliflower
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped winter squash (or another 1/2 cup chopped carrot)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbs water
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp ketchup
• 1/2 heaping tsp: ginger powder, garlic powder, onion powder
• 1/4 heaping tsp coriander powder
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbs cooked lentils
• (optional) 1/8 block lite firm pressed cubed tofu

Directions:

In one saucepan, boil together the cauliflower and 1/2 cup of carrots in enough water to cover and not boil dry. Boil until very very tender.

In a separate saucepan, boil the remaining 1/2 cup veg (either squash or more carrots) until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and set aside.

Now drain your mushy-tender veggies and blend them until very smooth with the 1/2 cup of water, lemon juice, ketchup, and spices. Stir in the cooked veg, the lentils, optional tofu, gently re-heat and enjoy!

 Of course, after that came another trip to the gym and thus another 30 minute biking session. Followed by supper. The usual…

…I know, I’m boring. I just really like this for supper. Plus, I wasn’t very hungry…odd considering I had just worker out.

I did add a little twist…I drizzled 1 tsp of soygurt, 1 tsp mango puree and some liquified dhania chutney atop it. Which was a tasty change of pace. It took me forever to eat, though, mainly because I was concentrating on doing some Urdu practice. And some finishing up of my chapter for Islamic Cultural History. Damn, it was a long chapter. ‘Twas all about the Muslim community in history. Very interesting and insightful, but LONG. I had this whilst reading/waiting for my nightly squash to roast, because I realized it had been a few hours since I had last eaten.

‘Tis 1/2 cup coconut milk kiefer, 1/2 cup mango puree, 1/8 tsp cardamom powder, and 1/2 cup kamut puffs. Yum. Surprisingly filling.

After I finished all of my homework that’s due **in the immediate future**, I decided to do some strength training while my squash was finishing up…around 15-20 minutes worth. Not much, but enough I suppose.

My reward was squash. And kale. And a maple flavoured almond milk-xanthan gum shake. Weird. But good.

I ate that.

Chatted on the phone with mum.

Did some more Hindi note taking. And then had…

…some pumpkin mousse and

…an oat bran mess, topped with my fave Greek Style Coconut Milk Yoghurt and powdered peanut paste! Mmm!

Well, I think today was pretty good, variety-wise. Not too too much repetition. Not enough to be boring, anyways. I do need to work on eating more earlier in the day. I had every intention to…but apparently my intentions did not manifest into action. Oh well. There’s always tomorrow.

What was the best thing you ate today?

How do you react when people make *somewhat rude and unwelcome* comments on your food?

What are you doing this Sunday? I am NOT watching the stupid-bowl. Hah. I’m watching Sholay instead. Rollin’ with Bollywood, yeah!