National Wear Red Day

Anyone else love peanut butter + banana + sprinkled cinnamon on toasted whole wheat bread?

 

Such a yummy lunch it was today!

Random thought of the day:

Last night I saw actress Kristen Bell on the comedy show Chelsea Lately. She was talking about her obsession with animals and how she just adores them. I never really had a strong opinion about her either way, but she seemed so cute and relatable on the show.

Then, today I was reading Self magazine, which she happens to be on the cover of. I found out that she doesn’t eat meat, and she said something in the interview that really resonates with me:

“I’ve been a vegetarian since I was 11, because I couldn’t understand why if we didn’t eat the dog I should eat a burger. I love animals, and I stand by my values.”

That sounds a little bit familiar, only I think I was 10 when I became a vegetarian!

So  yeah, I think I’m a fan of hers now because I’m pretty sure if we knew each other in real life us two quirky vegetarian animal lovers who enjoy cooking would be friends 😉

Dinner

Walking home from the gym this evening, I was thinking about what I wanted to eat, as I didn’t have a dinner idea planned. I came up with 2 answers: soup + pasta. So I combined the two to make a filling meal!

In the mix:

• 1.5 cups of Trader Joe’s organic tomato & roasted red pepper soup 
• 1.5 oz of Barilla whole grain medium pasta shells
• 1/2 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1/4 cup of Italian shredded cheese
• Basil, to taste

Boil a pot of water and cook pasta according to directions. At the same time, saute zucchini in a small pan with a bit of water or white cooking wine until soft, around 5-7 minutes. Heat up soup in the microwave or on the stove, then combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Nutrition stats: 400 calories, 13 g fat, 16 g protein, 58 g carbs

I think I’ve had a theme of super easy & quick meals this week – nothing wrong with that though right!

Today is…. 

National Wear Red Day, to help increase awareness of heart disease. According to the CDC, heart diseases is the #1 cause of death in the U.S., equating to 2,200 deaths every single day. Although some risk factors for the disease can’t be helped  (i.e. family history & age),  your chances of getting it are greatly reduced by adopting a healthy lifestyle. YOU have the power to lower your risk by exercising daily and eating a heart-healthy diet that includes tons of fruits, veggies and whole grains. I challenge you to get up and do something active this weekend. Go for a long walk or hike, bike, take a dance class, do some yoga, whatever! HAPPY WEEKEND! I’m looking forward to relaxing, and of course, watching my GIANTS WIN THE SUPER BOWL!!