Ingrid Improves

I'll Be Brief

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Fri, 24 May 2013 02:05:00 +0000

I know we're all waiting for the long weekend, so I'll keep this post short!

(Not pictured: carrots, walnuts, kombucha)

This weekend, I'm going to make my "summer list", and start the count down to June 5th (the last day)! What are your plans for Memorial Day Weekend?

Colorful Eats

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Wed, 22 May 2013 01:08:00 +0000

My breakfast was reminiscent of a winter breakfast by Shen. Grapefruit Sage Kombucha and an energy bite from Whole Foods. I actually purchased a couple of the bites a month ago and forgot about them! Whoops!

Lunch included a quinoa dish and another juice I intended to drink on Sunday, but did not.

Broccoli, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes (all three leftover from the party tray a week ago), pine nuts, garlic, and quinoa that I cooked in veggie broth.

Lots more veggies:

An intense desire for peanut sauce came over me, so even though I'm trying not to eat meals out of house I picked up the cleanest dinner I could think of:

Veggie Salad Rolls (and peanut sauce!!).

See you Thursday! Have a great night!

Lighten Up

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Mon, 20 May 2013 01:39:00 +0000

I've been eating out far too often these last few days, and so I wanted to take today to re-set my system (portion wise). I started with a desire to pump my body full of this:

A liter of freshly pressed juice - it took me all day to get through it, but I feel good as a result. The Kombucha was enjoyed before breakfast. Here's a close up:

Not as many "floaties" as other brands, and it tasted pretty good. I have another flavor that I'll try tomorrow. My late breakfast: toasted everything bagel, Tofutti, and cucumber.

The liter of juice kept me pretty full throughout the afternoon, but when hunger did strike - here's how I handled it (about two hours apart):

(my kale chips are still better)

When dinner-time rolled around, I was ready to eat. I cooked a red potato, topped with green chile, broccoli and nooch.

My dogsitting duties ended yesterday, and I've had the chance to get myself ready for the week! I hope your weekend has been wonderful!

Nourishment Update

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Wed, 15 May 2013 22:46:00 +0000

The dogsitting and week goes well, just a little tired and behind on my workouts. Nonetheless, here are a few things I've eaten over the last few days.

Onion bagel toasted with Tofutti and cucumber.

Asparagus and farfalle in avocado sauce

Tofu Scramble with nooch, Daiya, and salsa - served with a tortilla.

I picked up the leftover veggie tray (and HUGE bag of romaine) from my brother's party on Saturday. I've put a few dents in it, mostly snacking but also:

There will be more salads in my future, although I want to mix up the ingredients.

Two more days till the weekend! Woo hoo!

Graduation, Eats & More

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Sun, 12 May 2013 22:14:00 +0000

As mentioned in my last post, a lot of family came into town to celebrate my brother's graduation:

A few of my eats over the weekend: toasted everything bagel with Tofutti, Grilled Tofu & Veggie Bowl from Tokyo Joe's, and tofu spring rolls with peanut sauce. Apparently, my meals involved all things tofu.

There was also a lot of hummus, crackers, and veggie tray consumption at the open house / graduation gathering at my parents' house. Remy did a lot of begging and hanging out near the grill. Occasionally he took time to relax (facing the snack table).

We had really beautiful weather, a little rain here and there - but mostly picturesque. This is from Friday evening:

I spent today (all morning and into the afternoon) with the whole group - this time celebrating all of the mothers.

The craziness will continue as I am house and dog sitting this week (back and forth between both places most likely), but I will definitely be reading and commenting - my posts might be a little erratic, however.

I hope your weekend has treated you well! See you soon!

Theater & Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Fri, 10 May 2013 01:52:00 +0000

Last night, a colleague friend invited me to use her extra ticket to Sense & Sensibility: The Musical.

(Denver Center for the Performing Arts)

(A peek at the set in the upper left)

It was witty, well performed - but the costumes, holy moly! Absolutely divine. Previously unknown to you, dear reader, is that I am a lover of all things Jane Austen. If I could time travel, Austen's 19th century England would be one of my destinations.

Nonetheless, I was late to bed - late to rise, and didn't get a picture of breakfast. Same cereal as Tuesday. I did snap my prep of lunch:

Happy Herbivore Eggless Salad with spinach on spelt bread, and:

Pre-dinner snack:

For dinner: Whole Foods Hot Bar. It was apparently Vegan Mexican Night.

Red Chile, Cilantro and Lime Rice, Green Chile, Black Beans, Tortilla.

They also had Beyond Meat products, grilled vegetables, and vegan tamales.

Way to go Whole Foods.

No work for me tomorrow - my younger brother is finished educating himself, and we must celebrate with Pomp & Circumstance and out of town relatives.

Finally Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Wed, 08 May 2013 02:08:00 +0000

It's over 60 degrees, rain showers (as opposed to snow, like last week), green grass, and spring produce. I'm so happy it's finally here!

Kashi Oat Flakes and Blueberry Clusters, almond milk.

The last of Happy Herbivore's Mock Tuna and spinach on spelt bread. . .

and luscious strawberries for lunch.

Afternoon snack: garlic hummus and pita chips.

A dinner of halves:

Half bunch of asparagus (snapped into halves), half cup of farfalle pasta, half recipe of Angela's avocado sauce.

Considering making this for my mother this Sunday. Or maybe this.

El Quinto

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Mon, 06 May 2013 00:44:00 +0000

"The fifth" for non-Spanish speakers. My fifth of May was full of neutral colors, not very festive-like. Ha ha!

Hold your applause - I broke down and bought a mix. The result has vegan subs thrown in: Ener G, grapeseed oil, vanilla almond milk. Maple syrup, black coffee. Completely stuffed.

Pita chips, carrots, garlic hummus for lunch.

Vegan Tamales from Whole Foods.

Also from Whole Foods, the bottomless cup of overly sweet, can only have a spoonful once in a while, vegan chocolate mousse.

Back to the grind tomorrow, I hope your weekend has been enjoyable!

Not So Green

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Fri, 03 May 2013 02:05:00 +0000

Nothing like a May Day snow storm to switch up the food around here. (This is from this morning - the sun was in full force all day, and took care of most of it.)

PB & J Toast

Asian Chopped Salad with mandarin oranges:

Crackers and hummus in the afternoon.

Mexican Hash and beans:

Red potato, tofu, green chile, nooch, avocado.

(Notice the lesser amount of snow in the background!)

This dinner, and tomorrow's happy hour tequila, should cover my Cinco de Mayo participation, right?

A Spinach Accent

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:05:00 +0000

Yes, Spinach - not Spanish. ;)

Apple Jack Smoothie (but I forgot about adding a banana - oops!) and walnuts:

Mock Tuna Sandwich on spelt bread and spinach.

A Sarah-inspired quesadilla: refried beans, spinach, Daiya shreds, avocado, and green chile in between two brown rice tortillas.

Tomorrow: giving Spinach the day off. Calling in Kale to cover her shifts.

Slow Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 01:54:00 +0000

I didn't do much, but I think a relaxing day was in order! I made the decision to skip my Tone It Up workout for today after a visit to the chiropractor (my hip was really out of whack - so took it easy today), and will get back to the gym tomorrow. Interestingly, she suggested that I check out Pilates for strength and flexibility.

Strawberries & Kombucha:

Burrito bowl from Chipotle, but only guacamole and lettuce.

Just kidding:

Oven roasted in a teaspoon of olive oil and black pepper - asparagus and medium red potato.

Back to productivity tomorrow. :)

A Warm Up

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 01:25:00 +0000

What snow?

This is from our walk at the park late afternoon / early evening. Cool and a little muddy.

I also snapped this interesting shot from a parking lot:

Kashi Vanilla and almond milk:

Cuban Black Beans and kale:

A little garlic hummus and pita chips post walk and before dinner.

Dinner: tofu scramble with spinach and a brown rice tortilla.

What's new and exciting in your part of the world? Any plans for the weekend?

See you soon!

Tepid Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:38:00 +0000

But, it'll be 70 degrees on Saturday (and it's already melting).

Kashi Island Vanilla and almond milk:

Cuban Black Beans and kale for lunch:

Unpictured apple in the afternoon.

Tostada for dinner:

I've also been drinking a lot of hot green tea throughout the day; it's warm and tasty! The ladies from Tone It Up are putting together another workout series that I'm joining, so you might be hearing about that on occasion. ;) See you Thursday!

Sixty Degree Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:52:00 +0000

Open the windows and let it in - our first sixty degree day in weeks! It's going to snow tomorrow, but whatever. Today was glorious, and thus all photographs were out of doors.

Toasted everything bagel half, Tofutti, Soy Latte.

Vietnamese Tofu Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce:

Snacktime: Half of this bottle of Kombucha:

And a few spoonfuls of:

It's like chocolate frosting, so it's going to stay in the fridge for "sweet-craving-emergencies-only".

Dinner: the last spoonfuls of yesterday's hot bar (curried cauliflower with peas)

and homemade Cuban Black Beans garnished with green onion:

I hope you enjoyed your Sunday and your weekend! See you soon. . .

Here Comes the Sun

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 02:20:00 +0000

Spicy tofu scramble in a brown rice tortilla: (my tortilla rolling skills are a little out of practice)

Tofu, spinach, green chili, Daiya

Lunch: the same asparagus and cauliflower combo from Tuesday.

All things bean, veg, and grain from the Whole Food's hot bar:

Veggie Tangine and Rice, grilled veggies, green lentils, and quinoa with black beans and corn (it was by far the best of the bunch).

After three days of constant snowfall, today the sun revealed itself and the melting commenced. Hallelujah! See you this weekend!

Foiled Again!

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 01:06:00 +0000

A continuance of wintery eats, as we seem to be stuck in winter. It snowed all day yesterday, and has been sticking around (8 inches total). Hopefully we'll melt off by the weekend. Above: baked oatmeal with cashew butter.

Taken to work for lunch: Pasta Con Broccoli from AFR and an apple.

There may or may not have been crackers at work in the afternoon. Emphasis on: may have been.

Dry roasted cauliflower (dusted with Old Bay Seasoning) and oven roasted asparagus for dinner.

Cuteness in the snow:

I hope your week is warm and furry. Yes, furry. Go snuggle with an animal after you leave a comment. ;)

Blue Sky and Produce

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 22:55:00 +0000

Friday afternoon I left work early and made my way to Kansas for my grandfather's 90th birthday - it was a quick turnaround (36 hours) before we were back in the car and on our way home. I didn't take many pictures, but I wanted to share two: the first, from our drive out. . .

(The Into the Great Wide Open chorus comes to mind -- you should watch the linked video because Tom Petty is awesome, and I forgot about Johnny Depp and Faye Dunaway being in it.)

Another scenic shot, this time at sunset while we were out at the farm. The eight grandchildren present (I am the oldest, in case you were curious - even though all of us are close in age), were seated outside catching up and emptying the beer cooler. Family gatherings are stressful, but this was a great moment.

Upon return, I picked up some produce for the week:

Carrots, cremini mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, red bell pepper

Gala apples, cauliflower, collard greens

Now I'm off to listen to the rest of Tom Petty's Greatest Hits. And maybe do some work. Or not. ;)

Lunch Lately

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 01:10:00 +0000

With the exception of Tuesday, I've eaten the same thing for lunch all week - and it's something that until now, I had never tried: a mock tuna sandwich. I used Happy Herbivore's recipe, sweet onion sprouts, and winter berry bread (it has wheat berries in it - from the same company that makes the sunflower whole wheat you've seen here before).

It's pretty good, considering I don't have kelp powder or vegan mayo (I threw in a spoonful of cashew cream). I like the fact that it makes a non-microwave usage, filling lunch. I will probably make it again.

I've accompanied this sandwich with celery or an apple - or both, just one eaten as a snack later on.

The rest of the meals have been all repeats: cereal, miso soup, tostada. . .

I hope this short post finds you well! Here comes the weekend!

April (Snow) Showers

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:47:00 +0000

SNOW DAY! WOO HOO! In all honesty, the accumulation hasn't been near the totals projected but the 50 degree drop (72 yesterday, 24 today) along with heavy winds have made this a worthwhile stay-in-your-slippers-and-inside kind of day. I tip my hat to the weathermen who convinced the majority of the city to shut down. Remy and I have enjoyed the day together: napping, snuggling, and overall laziness (with a few rounds of living room fetch thrown in for exercise).

Kashi Oat Flakes & Blueberry Clusters. Black coffee.

(Cue LL) "Don't call it a comeback":

I bought everything to make these over a week ago. Why did I wait so long?

Brown rice tortilla and refried beans toasted under the broiled, topped with green chile (medium strength), avocado slices and shredded lettuce. Messy goodness.

Cheezy kale chips (one tray worth - about two and a half stems of kale)

Appetite for Reduction's Pasta Con Broccoli.

That's some serious natural light being reflected off of the snow! It looks like I ate dinner midday.

Anyone to the east of Colorado - enjoy the storm, should be outta here by tomorrow night. We're sending you another one next week, too. I'll have a chat with everyone and see if we can make it rain, as opposed to snow. ;)

Visions of a Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 01:32:00 +0000

A little Colorado art. . .

I didn't eat anything you haven't seen before, so I just photographed my favorites:

Tofu Vietnamese Noodle Salad with peanut sauce.

The last Hail Merry Raw Chocolate Macaroon:

I miss the weekend already. I hope yours has been entertaining and relaxing! See you soon. . .

Longest. Day. Ever.

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 01:05:00 +0000

Not a good day at work, and while I'm trying to shrug it off (90% of it is out of my hands - must be patient!), I'm at a loss for my usual upbeat banter. Please enjoy a succinct post tonight.

Blueberry Muffin Smoothie

Kale salad with tofu, walnuts, pomegranate dressing, and poppyseeds:

And. . .

Everything bagel, Tofutti, cucumbers

Until next time. . .

In Reverse

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:40:00 +0000

I thought I'd switch things up, and go in reverse today! I am fairly certain there will be a raw chocolate macaroon in a little bit. However, prior to that I enjoyed a steamy bowl of miso. It has been raining all afternoon and into the evening, also pretty chilly outside, but I photographed outside anyway.

An apple in the afternoon at work.

Lunch: Carrot Ginger Soup and mixed green salad

Breakfast: Cereal with almond milk.

A pretty colorful day. See you Thursday!

Spring Break Highlights #3

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 00:20:00 +0000

As mentioned in Thursday's post (a.k.a the LoDo tour / Reuben sandwich edition), this is my last installment of Spring Break highlights. I know we still have Sunday, but between Easter and having to actually write lessons - it's more like a return to work. It's been a welcome vacation from everyday life, and I'm glad I was able to re-charge.

I only have two food photos for you: first, a trip to Sweet Action for Vegan Cinnamon Ice Cream.

Second: a Vietnamese Tofu Salad from Whole Foods. Dressed in peanut sauce.

Friday, my mother took the day off and we went into the foothills for a gorgeous hike. Remy and my parent's dog also came along. We started in Morrison, and drove (the scenic route) towards Evergreen.

Evergreen Lake, below.

Near the lake:

From there, we backtracked a couple of miles and headed towards our hiking destination: Mount Falcon. (Colorado FYI: Foothills are baby mountains meant for hiking. Mountains are skied or climbed.)

Two miles down and back.

The clouds were in full cooperation for photos.

There are several trails, and I hope to try different ones in the future.

We made it to the ruins:

(Click the image above to read the story)

The view below from what would have been their living room (looks east towards Red Rocks Amphitheater - hard to see, but it's in the middle of the picture. The red rocks poking out of the earth.)

The mile back was mostly uphill (there are three hills to walk over, but this first one. . .holy cow).

Nature's stairmaster. I'll take it over the gym any day.

Thank you for taking a moment to read this lengthy post (and the other lengthy ones from this past week!), I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

Spring Break Highlights #2

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 23:49:00 +0000

Reading material:

(I'm re-reading this title as I'll be teaching it in the next unit)

(An article in a magazine featuring Bryant Terry recipes!)

A few items ingested over yesterday and today:

My first Reuben sandwich!

(I visited SubCulture for the first time, and ordered the Veggie Reuben. I asked them to make the necessary substitutions for a vegan version. It was messy, warm, and pretty good. But I love veggie sandwiches- and they have so many kinds! - that I'll be back to try other sandwiches in the future.)

Remy had two walks today, and for the second one we walked around LoDo (Lower Downtown).

(Cherry Creek)

(view from the pedestrian bridge -as seen in first photo - looking east towards downtown)

(There are other locations of the Tattered Cover, but this location is the best.)

For Molly:

As a reminder: five days ago, I was snowed in. Colorado is known for having 300+ days of sunshine a year, and as you can see - the sun has melted it all.

I'll see you this weekend for the third (and sadly, the final) installment of Spring Break Highlights! I hope your day is going well!

Spring Break Highlights #1

noreply@blogger.com (Ingrid) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 02:25:00 +0000

A walk downtown yielded a few pictures (didn't get too far due to windy conditions - brrr!)

The historic Brown Palace Hotel

16th Street Mall

From my kitchen: pb baked oatmeal, coffee. . .

Carrot Ginger Soup and Sunflower Bread

From restaurants: first, local art for sale at City O' City.

The best breakfast burrito ever. I took half home and enjoyed it for lunch.

Tofu scramble, pinto beans, potatoes, cashew ricotta, spicy green chile.

Did I mention it was amazing?

The Very Vegan personal size pizza from Pizza Fusion.

It's a good thing I'm back to daily workouts, because I've had some decadent meals! See you Thursday for Spring Break's next round of highlights.