Not Yet a Yogini

If you've been following my blog for awhile, you'll know that I'm not a yoga person. As much as I want to love it, it just doesn't jive very well with my overactive mind. But, seeing as how one of my March goals is to push my comfort zones and try new things when it comes to exercise (something I'll go into more detail with tomorrow), this evening I decided to take a beginner's yoga class.

I'm generally a morning workout person, so I wondered how a night class would work for me. It turns out that the later time of day really helped me relax: I knew I could go home and chill afterwards, so my mind wasn't consumed with the day's to-do list. The instructor was also male, which I'm pretty sure was a first for me, and I liked his method of teaching- very lighthearted and open. It still wasn't love, but I'm going to try to make a few more classes this month and see if it changes my opinions!

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For dinner before class, I inhaled the salad I'd forgotten this morning:

Baked tofu (just pressed, drizzled with olive oil, sea salt and pepper, then baked for about half an hour at 375), roasted beets and carrots (same method as the tofu), and a diced tomato, all atop a bed of spinach and finished with Amy's lite honey mustard vinaigrette. 

The vinaigrette was a new item for me, and I really liked it. Normally I stick with thicker toppings like hummus or salsa because I think they coat the veggies better, but I really enjoyed the light sweetness.

I enjoyed my salad alongside two unpictured pieces of sprouted grain toast with hummus, as well as my usual apple and dark chocolate plate for dessert.

And I'm currently snacking on a small sweet potato with Sunbutter. It's already almost bedtime- this day has flown by! G'night loves!

Do you practice yoga? If so, how long did it take you to get "into it"? What helped you to enjoy it the most- the teacher, the studio, the style?

I'm Blue (Da Ba Dee Da Ba Di)

My outfit today has got the blues!

 - Loose cobalt blue top- Gap
 - Navy blue cardigan- J.Crew
 - Skinny jeans- 7 for all Mankind
 - Navy blue wellies- Hunter

Even better? My raincoat is bright blue as well. Talk about a monochromatic color palette! I'm not surprised though- I'd say about a third of my wardrobe is some shade of blue. Pink might be my favorite color, but blue is definitely my favorite color to wear. I'm also a fan of black in the winter, and white in the summer.

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I had packed myself a salad with baked tofu for lunch today, but completely forgot it in my rush to get out the door. Fortunately, convenient and healthy meals are pretty easy to come by in this city!

I picked up another serving of V-Spot's vegan lasagna from a deli, and added a container of pineapple to round out the meal. My Blackberry camera doesn't do it much justice, but this lasagna is really delicious and comes in a generous portion size.

For some reason pineapple just seems like such a special fruit to me. Maybe because I'm too scared of cutting it to buy a whole one for myself?

I was feeling snacky after classes, so I'm currently eating my second handful of walnuts. Then, it's time to buckle down and get to work!

Hope you're having a wonderful start to your week :)

What's your favorite color to wear? Does it differ from your favorite color in general?

In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

February 28 already?! I can't say that I'm sad to see this month go. I always look forward to the first signs of spring in March! Hopefully the lion won't stick around for long and it'll go out like this....

Baby animals brighten my day.

I was planning on reviewing my February goals this month, but looking back on old posts I realized I never set any. Oops-a-daisy. That's probably a good thing though, considering that if I can't remember to write them down, there's no way I would have remembered to accomplish them :) I've already got two goals lined up for March though, so I'll talk about that tomorrow.

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While straightening up my cabinets last night, I discovered a container of Minute brown rice I'd totally forgotten I had. I decided to incorporate it into this morning's breakfast and put together a bowl of protein-packed vegan rice "pudding."

Last night, I combined:

 - 1 c brown rice

 - 1 mashed banana

 - 1 scoop vanilla Sun Warrior protein powder

 - about 1/2 c almond milk

 - maple syrup to taste

I let it all sit in the fridge overnight, then topped it with walnuts and cinnamon for a little flavor and healthy fat.

The result was delicious. I love the texture of rice puddings!

Time to get this day started- happy Monday!

What's the March weather like in your neck of the woods? Is next month looking lion-like, lamb-like, or a combination of the two?

And the award goes to...

As I'm sure you all know, it's Oscar night!

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I don't pay for any TV service in my apartment and didn't realize I actually get ABC via public access until fifteen minutes ago, when I checked it on a whim. So I'm currently enjoying the red carpet coverage!

I must say that I usually haven't seen most of the Oscar-nominated films. However, the Academy definitely has a knack for knowing my favorite movies....

Duh. (Still tied with All About Eve for the most nominations, 14! Won 11, tied with Ben Hur and Lord of the Rings.)

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Three words: "She fell funny."

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And all that jazz!

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My all-time favorite musical:

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"Maybe it'll stop you trying to be so desperate about making more money than you can ever use? You can't take it with you, Mr. Kirby. So what good is it? As near as I can see, the only thing you can take with you is the love of your friends." (Fun fact: I played a dude in this show in high school.)

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And you can't not love Julie Andrews.

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Food-wise, today has been pretty standard! I snacked on a bagel with Sunbutter this afternoon:

And for dinner, I made the oven do the work by roasting up some vegetables and tofu.

There were carrots and zucchini...

Firm tofu and red onion...

And beets with a whole-wheat tortilla.

All roasted in olive oil, sea salt and blacked pepper, then served with a puddle of mustard for dipping.

With an apple and a package of pretzel M&Ms for dessert.

Off to gawk at some pretty dresses. Enjoy the end of your weekend :)

What's your favorite Oscar-winning movie?

Ka-Pow!

The best part about switching gyms so far has been that my motivation instantly increased. I'm looking forward to workouts more than ever, and I'm more excited to try new routines and classes that challenge my body in different ways.  This morning, for instance, I took a kickboxing class that kicked my butt! I'm the least coordinated human being on the planet, so I'm pretty sure I looked like a total loon, but it was so much fun to jump around and pretend to be a badass while jamming out to pop remixes.

After the class, I had a complimentary fitness test with a trainer. She tested my maximal oxygen uptake, body fat, flexibility and a few other factors. I already had a good idea of where I was in terms of those things, but it's always interesting to see how your body is performing!

* * *

Before hitting the gym, I snacked on a sandwich thin topped with peanut flour paste (1/4 c peanut flour, cinnamon, stevia and a splash of water).

When I got home, I was craving something filling and refreshing, so I broke out the blender and made myself a green monster.

 - 1 banana
 - 1 apple
 - 1 grapefruit
 - almond milk
 - two big handfuls of spinach
 - scoop of vanilla Sun Warrior
 - two spoonfuls ground flax meal
 - agave

As you can see, this combination made a ton. It was good, but next time I won't be adding grapefruit. My blender here just isn't powerful enough to get rid of the pulp!

I also had a dense little chunk of raw chocolate cake for my sweet tooth.

Hope you're having a wonderful Sunday so far!

Have you ever had a "fitness test" done? Were you surprised by the results?

Zucchini Bread Breakfast

I told you last night's zucchini bread would be making an appearance at this morning's breakfast!

I slathered two slices (one regular-sized, one double-thickness) with a smear of Sunbutter sunfower seed butter. Even completely cooled, the bread was still chewy, dense and absolutely delicious.

On the side, I also enjoyed a banana for a serving of fresh fruit.

* * *

Last night ended up being totally low-key for me. Though at first I was kinda bummed about my lack of plans, eventually I settled down with some tea, zucchini bread, dark chocolate and Two of a Kind episodes on YouTube. I didn't worry about today's to-do list at all. It was nice to give myself permission to relax, especially since I usually feel like I always should be doing something productive. Taking the night off has made me far more motivated to work on today's agenda.

....which unfortunately involves lots of reading, paper-writing and the like. Off to get the homework party started. Hope you enjoy your Sunday!

Do you ever find it hard to just relax and do nothing? I feel like I can only really get into "nothing" mode when I'm at home in PA. Here there's just always too much to be done!

Vegan Zucchini-Walnut Bread

I believe that baking can be a solution to many of life's every day issues. Undergoing a stressful day? Bake. Nervous about a meeting? Bake. Have a pile of homework assignments to do and absolutely no will to complete them? Bake, of course!

This afternoon's baking experiment? 

Vegan Zucchini-Walnut Bread

 - 1.5 cups whole-wheat flour

 - 1/2 tsp baking soda

 - 1/2 tsp baking powder

 - 1/2 tsp salt

 - 1 tsp cinnamon

 - 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce

 - 1.5 tsp vanilla extract

 - 2 T ground flax meal, mixed with 6 T room temperature water

 - 1/2 cup maple syrup

 - 1 cup grated zucchini

 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350*F. Begin by preparing flax egg: mix ground flax meal and water with a fork, and allow to gel. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk applesauce, vanilla, flax egg and maple syrup with a fork until well combined. Add wet ingredients to dry, and stir until thoroughly mixed. Stir in zucchini and walnuts. Pour into an 8x4 inch loaf pan prepared with non-stick spray. Bake for approximately 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

I was worried that the loaf wouldn't be sweet enough, but the result was absolutely perfect. It tastes wholesome without being grainy or bland, and the texture is incredibly moist and chewy. I didn't break my walnuts up too small, so the larger chunks are the perfect juxtaposition for the almost sticky bread!

I tried a slice for dessert this evening, and decided that it would be the perfect breakfast when smeared with nut butter. (I think I know what I'm having tomorrow AM!) My friend Jillian also tried a piece when she stopped by this afternoon and gave it a thumbs-up :)

Hope you're all having a wonderful Saturday night!

Holy Hams!

Yesterday's tough workout has made me one sore lady! Generally strength classes leave my upper body way more tired than my lower, but my hamstrings, glutes and lower back are definitely feelin' it today.

As a result, I kept today's workout light and simple: 30 minutes at level 5 on the elliptical, followed by some serious stretching. My body must have benefited because after some toe touches, pigeon poses, figure 4 stretches, cobras and a few other moves, everything felt much better. Getting the blood flowing a bit always helps!

* * *

Pre-workout, I breakfasted on a bowl of Cheerios with a banana and almond milk.

And for lunch afterwards, I fixed myself two sandwich thins:

One with mustard, a Boca vegan burger and lettuce, and one with baba ghanouj and lettuce. 

Along with my savory sandwiches, I also had a sweeter plate containing an apple with sunflower seed butter for dipping, and a small chunk of raw chocolate cake still left over from Valentine's day. 

I  leave you all with a random little something to smile at this afternoon!

If you don't melt at that video, you either really hate cats or you just don't have a soul :) Hope you're having a great weekend so far!

What's your favorite stretch?

Dos Caminos

Last night was a blast! After a few rounds of happy hour, Gracie, Mike, Mikey and I headed to dinner at Dos Caminos, a Mexican restaurant in Soho.

The main reason I was excited?

This massive bowl of fresh, homemade guacamole served with crispy refillable tortilla chips and three kinds of salsa.

Mikey, Gracie and I did some serious damage on the guac, and I probably ate 3-4 servings' worth of chips throughout the meal. I guess you could call that my entree!!

To drink, I ordered a Palomino: a Corona light served on the rocks with lime juice and salt. It was definitely different-tasting, and I liked that the small glass made me feel like I had three separate drinks, instead of just one.

Though the guac was outstanding, the restaurant was a little lacking in the vegetarian menu offerings. I wasn't really in a fishy mood, so I went with the Mexican chopped salad instead.

Lettuce, grilled corn, poblano chiles, apples, pinto beans, green olives, tomato, onion, crispy tortillas and toasted cumin vinaigrette. It was pretty mediocre- good enough to eat, but nothing to write home about. Thank goodness for that guac :)

Meanwhile, Gracie ordered the lobster ceviche, with a habanero infused coconut and citrus marinade, mango pico de gallo and red chile oil.

Afterwards, we headed out for the night!

It was a fun night, though Gracie and I both agreed while trying for twenty minutes to flag down an empty cab that we're ready for the warm temperatures of summer!!

Up and at 'em and ready to start the day. Hope you have a wonderful Saturday!

The First Feature Friday: Girl Meets Life

Happy Friday night everyone! I'm currently out and about, but have decided to let auto-post do the work for me by creating a new Une Vie Saine series: The Friday Feature.


Each Friday night, I'll be featuring a short post on a different blogger, celebrity, or person from my "real life" that I think you guys would find interesting or fun. There are so many inspiring people out there, so why not give 'em the spotlight, right? If there's anyone you'd like to see featured, feel free to drop me an email at uneviesaine at gmail dot com. I'm looking forward to sharing my favorite blogs, as well as to discovering new ones!

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Since this evening I'm actually out with one of my best blends (blogger + friend = blend), I'd thought she'd be a good person to start out with. I've read her blog since the beginning, and am lucky to know her in "real life" as well: Gracie from Girl Meets Life!

If you've been reading her blog for awhile, you'll know that Gracie changed her title a few months ago from "Girl Meets Health" to "Girl Meets Life." I think that the new name perfectly reflects why her blog is so great: she incorporates life into every post. From food and fitness to faith and fashion, she covers a variety of both light and heavier topics in a fun, approachable and honest way. I kind of see her as a constant voice of reason in this community!

Oh, and her recipes? Simple yet creative, and totally drool-worthy. Like her cake batter blondies (uh, yum?):

Now, head on over to GML and show her some love. Tell her Gabriela sent ya :)

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What's one blog you've been loving lately (new or old)? What do you like about it? I'd love to use the Feature Friday comments section as a blog recommendation list!