I hurt all over...

Just checking in to say that the Callanetics video kicked my bootie. My body hurts from head to toe...well, from neck to thighs. Went on a bike ride today for 90 minutes and thought that would help...I suspect I will be even more sore in the morning.

Peds almost done, OB here I come!

This coming week is a week of lasts...my last week in Peds, my last week EVER of having to go to the hospital to pick a patient, and also my last week EVER of doing pre-clinical prep. And you can bet your sweet tookus there's a bottle of champagne chilling in the fridge to celebrate the moment I finish my last write up. I am soooo excited to be done with all that prep work...we don't choose patients the day before in OB and we don't do it with preceptorship either. This is the end of an era folks...the end of the stress, the concept maps, the sick feeling that I surely missed something. I. Can't. Freakin'. Wait!

So, let's see....school is going well. Got a 96 or so on my first peds exam and a 95 on my second OB exam. Woo hoo. We've got a Peds test coming up this Friday and I really should be studying for that instead of listening to 5-0 radio (police and fire scanner app on the ol' iPod) and updating this blog. But I am seriously suffering from senior-itis and all I want to do is jick-jack around and pretend I'm a "normal person."

I've been thinking a lot about my ICU vs. M/S dilemma for 4th semester and I really really really want to go the ICU route. I love it too much to even think about doing anything else, and even though the job prospects aren't as plentiful I also have to remind myself that I will never have this opportunity again and I should take it. Besides, I plan on kicking total booty during my preceptorship, so I am hopeful I'll make some connections that will help me land my dream job. After all, I throw down like nobody's business :-)

Any other news? Guess not...just finishing up some group projects and looking forward to Spring Break. Believe it or not I am actually going somewhere this time...heading to Oregon to spend 5 days on the beach. It's going to be quiet and lazy and beautiful. Just what Nurse Mo ordered.

Callanetics Experiment Part II

The reason I thought the "Great Callanetics Experiment" sounded familiar was probably b/c I keep stopping and starting these "experiments." Not sure why I do that since I am notoriously bad at finishing things...great at starting things, crap-tastically cruddy at finishing them.

Anyway, I am once again embarking into the world of Callanetics. I always peter out right when I'm starting to see results AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHY!!! Probably some weird psychological weirdness, but that's for my future therapist to figure out.

So this experiment entails completing 50 Callanetics workouts by my birthday in 15 weeks. That's 3-4 workouts a week. And because I love rules (as long as I'm the one that makes them), I have come up with some rules for this experiment...I'm calling it the "Fabulous by Forty" experiment. Catchy, eh?

1) If I do 4 workouts in a week, then 1 of them can be one of the short 15-minute workouts (hips or legs) and one of them can be one of the Bar Method videos...don't want to get too bored!
2) Stick as closely to my vegan diet as I can...I'm at about 80% compliance (it's the darn cheese that gets me!)
3) Drink 64 oz of water each day...this is probably a 50 oz increase over my usual water intake.
4) 3 glasses of wine each week (instead of 2 glasses each day...can you say hellloooo to herbal tea?). I expect this little rule by itself to result in a few pounds of weight loss all on its own.
5) Use my whitening toothpaste 2x a day.
6) Never ever ever go to bed with makeup on. Ever. (this is a tough one for me)
7) Deep condition hair once a week (also a difficult one for me to stick to)
8) At least 5 servings of fruits and veggies each day (this one is also tough for me)
9) 2-3 cardio workouts each week...either a walk or bike ride. Running is out d/t my old lady hip issues I've had off and on since I was 30.
10) Measurements and pics after each block of 10 workouts. Oh the shame. Oh the humiliation.


Week 1, Day 1, Callanetics 1:
I did the original Callanetics video today. Not so bad, except I petered out on the first leg exercises and the blasted, evil pelvic rotations. I also had to support my neck during about half of the ab exercises, but I suspect I'll only have to do this for the first 4-5 workouts or so. I was supposed to go on a bike ride, but my friend cancelled and since I can't be trusted to do anything like that on my own, I went shopping instead. Plan for tomorrow is either a bike ride or a walk in the morning. Leaning torward an hour long walk, b/c I have got to get back home and start studying for my Peds exam coming up on Friday. Oh, and I measured...but I'm not posting the numbers until they shrink a little. It's too horrific and this is a family show (ha!).

Torn between two lovers....

For some reason that song pops into my head when I think about putting in my preferences for precepting next semester. I am torn between the ICu (which I love but am not likely to get a job in right away d/t the horrible hiring situation here) and good old fashioned M/S (which will get me a good solid basis, invaluable time management, organizational skills...and maybe a job). UGH!

It seems whenever I talk to the seasoned nurses they tell me to go the M/S route, but then I talk to others who went straight into the ICU, and those people tell me to follow my heart. Torn torn torn. I also kind of like peds, but I think the reason I've liked it so far is that I haven't had to do anything with a child that really requires their total and complete cooperation. For instance, I haven't had to put an NG tube in a child or a Foley...I certainly haven't tried an IV or even given an injection to a tiny little tot. I know how "not patient" I am, and I also know that causing pain to someone who doesn't understand why I'm doing it would be really really hard. So, even though the kiddos are cute as heck and don't have nearly the same degree of smelliness as their adult counterparts..I just don't think I can go into peds (at least not right away).

I really need to figure out what I'm going to do...I am sure I want to work in the ICU...I am 100% certain of that. I love all the gadgets and technology. I love the pathophysiology and ability to totally focus on one or two patients. I love things that are complicated and challenging, but at the same time I am absolutely scared to death. The idea of being "the nurse" for any patient (critical or not) freaks me out to no end. Right now I can take some comfort in knowing that if I can't figure something out, I just go get "the real nurse." I am reminded every time I go to clinical how NOT READY I am to take care of patients. At all.

Again...torn, torn torn. Sigh...

3rd Semester is Underway

Just a quick note to say hey...just finished 3rd week of 3rd semester and so far so good. I don't want to jinx myself, but I am nowhere NEAR as stressed or freaked out as last semester at this time. Basically this semester I have only TWO classes (more or less). I have OB and Peds...technically each of those have a skills class associated with it but we don't meet every week so I tend to not even count it. Peds skills does have a community health component to it, so yes...I am still driving to the ghetto to provide nursey stuff to under-served populations. This is something my school is very into...and I think I end up with some kind of certification in community health nursing as well...honestly, I don't even know. I'll see what my diploma says when I get it. Ha!

I started this semester in Peds rotation...kinda glad to get it over with for a couple of reasons. 1) clinical preps are such a pain in the neck...only four more to do! 2) kids don't take a deep breath whenever you ask them to, they don't hold still for their BP or temp, and they generally wiggle pretty much all the time. They are, however, much more cheerful than adults (for the most part), so that's a nice change of pace. The downside is that you can't have a meaningful conversation with them, and we all know how chatty I am.

This past week I was in pediatric oncology and next week I get to do two clinical days (joy joy)...both are basically observation days and the first day I'll go to an endocrinology clinic in the morning, and urgent care in the afternoon...on Wednesday I go to the NICU in the morning and the PICU in the afternoon. The bonus to this week is no clinical preps and I won't be in charge of anyone...can kind of take a mental break which is perfect timing since I have a Peds exam on Friday. Gah.

After this first Peds exam, the semester gets into its normal routine and I am hoping really hard that I'll be able to take one day off a week. I spoke to a 4th semester student the other day who said she was able to take the entire weekend off....can you imagine???? That would be absolutely INSANE!!! Just thinking about it makes me all giddy and squishy inside.

Off to study kiddie-sized respiratory disorders with a schmummy glass of Jeff Runquist wine. In the den. With my feet up. Chillaxin. To see the irony of this statement, refer back to some of my first semester posts to see what a head case I was:-) Not sure if this new attitude will last...but I'm embracing it for as long as I can.

3rd Semester Starts Tomorrow :-) or :-( ?

School starts up again tomorrow and I can't say I'm happy about it. On the one hand, I'm ecstatic that I've made it to the halfway point, but on the other...it's only halfway???? Seriously?

I've spent the past few days grocery shopping, cleaning, doing laundry, and getting organized. I was supposed to be studying, but I just haven't been able to bring myself to do much. I'm sure I'll pay for it later. But even the fear of impending immense stress cannot tempt me into opening up my books. I guess that's the difference between the first semester me and the me that I am now....tired, stressed, broke...the list goes on.

Frontloading starts tomorrow...Monday and Tuesday are an all-day lectures for OB...Wednesday morning is a breastfeeding workshop, then we have Wednesday afternoon off! Bliss! Thurs and Fri are all-day Peds lectures. Fun Fun. The rest of the frontloading (which takes up the first two weeks of the semester) is more-or-less the same, with some hospital orientations thrown in for good measure. Then our regular schedule kicks in with lectures on Friday, labs on some Thursdays and clinical 1-2 days a week. We also have to do a boat-load of community health and service. So I guess that will get sprinkled in here and there.

As for clinical, I'm starting out in the Peds rotation which is Wednesdays for 12-hour shifts. I've never done a 12-hour shift before, so we'll see how that goes. OB is my second clinical rotation...and one of the great things for this is"no patient prep!". So, technically, I'll be done doing patient preps in 8 weeks...as in DONE FOREVER! Yayayayayay!

Another positive is that I have heard that this semester isn't nearly as bad as 1st or 2nd...so I'm hoping that holds true. I could use a break.

Here's the deal...

2nd semester was a bitch. Like a total and complete bitch. I have never in my life been so busy and gotten so completely sick of school! Buuuuuut, the good news is....it's OVER! And, all my obsessive hard work paid off!!! Ended up with a 98% in Mental Health, a 96% in Advanced Med Surge, a ridiculous 100% in Nursing Research (thank gawd for extra credit and a humongo-curve on one of the midterms) and an A in Gero...(don't know the percentage, which is driving the OCD side of my brain crazy!). You can be rest assured I've already emailed the instructor to ask :-)

Like a moron, I went into this semester thinking I was going to be LESS busy than the previous one. HA! It was insane. Not only did we have two clinical days a week, but we had this ridiculous one-to-one mental health assignment that took about 6-8 hours every Friday. Add to that all the classes, clinical prep, huge-ass projects and exams and it was one busy busy semester.

This past two weeks have been back-to-back marathon study sessions for our 6 finals...four exams and two ATIs. When I hit the "submit" button on my Med Surg ATI my heart was about to pound right through my skin...I have never been so tense in an exam! Luckily I passed on the first try because I seriously don't think I could re-study for that test...by far, the hardest test I've ever taken. It's really sad when a score in the 70's puts you in the 98th percentile...now that's a hard test!

Ok, off to go do something decadent and lazy. Like watch a movie!!!!!

Mental Health...a little less crazy.

Ok, I promised to pop in with an update. I got a 94% on the exam, but I'm pretty sure she's going to toss out at least one really bad question. VERY happy about this! I have a shot at getting an A, and not the dreaded A-.

Yippeee!

No, I'm not dead...

I have just been absolutely freakin' buried. I did the math the other day and realized this semester is about 98 hours a week of work. I am one tired kitty.

So far things are going well...I'm doing great in all my classes (knock on wood), except that I am on the cusp in Mental Health. The school has a new lecturer who is HORRIBLE, so I can't say my enthusiasm for the class has been high. Oh well...I am basically approaching it as a self-taught course at this point, so we'll see how I do on the exam this Friday. How many college professors do you know that not only read the PPT slides word-for-word, but call on students to do the reading for them? And no, I am not making this up.

Anyway, after the exam in MH this Friday then I am looking at a more mellow schedule for the rest of the semester. Not really "mellow", but all of my big projects will be finished and all I'll have to look forward to are exams and two ATIs. Med/Surg clinical ended yesterday with a couple of highlights...I got to see two codes (one successful, one not) and do my first Foley. I realized immediately doing a Foley in the ER isn't quite the same as doing one in the lab with your drill-sergeant professor critiquing your every move. It was actually not stressful at all! Yay!

I also got to go to the MICU and the NSICU this semester, plus spent three weeks on the cardiology floor. I can definitely say I like taking care of ONE patient a whole heck of a lot more than I like taking care of multiple pts...but boy was I nervous when my ICU nurse when on her lunch break, leaving me with a vented and coughing patient. STRESS!

For this next clinical rotation, I go back to Mental Health, and for this segment we focus on community health. I'm pretty sure Ih have to go to a 12-step meeting of some kind and give a presentation about a health topic. That's about it. Mental Health rotation is SO MUCH easier than Med/Surg (but also not nearly as fun!)

I am also now the proud owner of a superbly craptastic 22-page gerontology paper that is the most repetitive pile of poo I have ever written. The grading rubric is such that the repetitive nature of the paper was completely unavoidable so it's not my fault! The really sad thing is, I can sum up the whole idea of the huge pile-of-doo-paper in a few words...oh, I did...it's the title!! Anyway, I am extremely bitter about this project...not only because it is so lame, but because it took about 30-40 hours...and get this...it's a 2-unit class! (Insert scream of despair and frustration here). I swear this class is making me not even like old people. Ok, not true, but I am extremely bitter!

OK, that's enough kvetching...sorry again for the humongous delay...I guess that's what 2nd semester does to you!

I'll try to remember to pop my head back in here to let you know how the Mental Health exam goes!

My butt has been kicked and handed to me in so many new and innovative ways...

I have come to the realization that nursing school administrators believe students operate in a dimension where time stands still. The amount of work that I have had to do in the past few weeks (and namely this week and the weeks to come) is mind boggling. After spending two weeks on "frontloading" which is a nice way of saying "cramming as much information down your throat as we possibly can", clinical started this week. Some folks are starting in Mental Health where they get to go sit and chat with a mentally ill person for 2 days a week (did I mention the no-prep-work part of the mental health rotation? I am soooo looking forward to that!), and other folks (like yours truly) started in Med/Surg. Among that group some lucky ducks got to start in the ICU where they got to take care of one really sick patient and do all that super cool, super OCD ICU nursey type stuff, and others (like yours truly) got to start on the Med-Surge floor. Insert heavy sigh here.

Our professors were nice and apparently realized we hadn't taken care of two patients except for one weekend last semester, so they let us ease into it by taking care of one pt on Tuesday and then picking up another one to take care of on Wednesday, so that we'd end up with 2 on Wednesday. Can I just say that the evil part of this plan was the TWO NIGHTS IN A ROW of doing my clinical prep. OMG.

For starters, I'm at a new hospital this semester and know next to nothing about the electronic charting system. So, it took me almost 4 HOURS to get all the pt info I needed to even start my prep. Don't ask my how it took that long, but I think I just spent a lot of time searching for stuff on the EMR, getting all paranoid that I was going to miss something! Oh, did I mention my first patient had 39 meds??

Clinical the first day wasn't bad, except I'm pretty sure I was charting my assessments in the wrong place all day (oops), but the RN I worked with figured it out and all is good. I did better by the end of the day, thanks to the aforementioned awesome RN I was working with.....but still...a more thorough and detailed training on how to use the EMR is definitely in order.

So, after taking care of one pretty demanding pt all day, I had to pick a second pt, then go home and write that patient up. I do not do well on 4-5 hours of sleep...I just DON'T. By the time end of day Wednesday rolled around, I felt like I'd been abducted and probed by aliens for the past three days. I logged 42 hours of work for ONE class in those three days. ONE CLASS! I have three other classes, and one more starting this week. WTF and I going to do???? Clone myself????

Anyway, that's enough bitching and moaning...now on to the good stuff....clinical was awesome! I definitely got into more of a rhythm on the second day, and was able to "almost" keep up on all of my work. I got to do my first suppository (ok, maybe "got to" isn't the proper way of putting it), hung two piggybacks (my CI had to help a lot for the first, and only a little for the second, so I'm hoping to get checked off on that completely next week). I learned I am a really slow bed-bath giver and how to say 'thank you' in Russian. I learned that some patients SLEEP WITH THEIR FREAKING EYES OPEN, and that some people just want to be heard. All in all, a good week.

Math Test? Nailed it!

Ok, so maybe I should study with wine more often. Got 100% on the math test!!!! Yippee skippy!

After the test we had 4 lectures back-to-back...talk about a looong day. We had two lectures on respiratory disorders, one on mechanical ventilation and one on the communication needs of the ICU patient. Lots of info really really fast. So tonight I am typing up my respiratory notes...we'll see how much of that I can get through. Tomorrow is ABG lecture along with central lines and drains...and that's the end of the "frontloading" lectures for M/S. Whew!

Next hurdle: soft check-off on 7 skills this Thursday, then mental health exam in three weeks.

More wine anyone?

Drinking wine and studying....what a difference a semester makes!

How do you know you're no longer a first-semester nursing student? When you start drinking wine while studying! Ok....this probably won't happen every night, but we had a pretty light first-day of classes and now I'm just reviewing for my dosage calc test (tomorrow A.M.) and maybe doing a couple of other small-ish homework-type things later. Nothing too major and my hubby just brought me a glass of Crane Lake Chardonnay (yummy and cheap and Trader Joe's!), so I can't just let it sit here on my desk looking all golden and delicious...this wine must be drunk!

So, we're back in it. For the most part, people seemed pretty bummed about it overall. I guess now we know what we're in for, and it's hard to get all pumped like we did last semester. In general, I think I'm ready to be back...it's just a matter of getting back in the swing of things...back into my groove. Someone today told me I was a "legend" of our class, which makes me feel like a) these people need better role models, and b) I have to live up to my own high expectations. I guess I have a reputation for being super organized and on top of things...not sure that's entirely true, but I guess that's the image that I project. It's interesting to hear how other people see you, because I have a different impression entirely...the words stressed, exhausted, worried and unsure all come to mind. Anyway...we shall see how things shake out!

As for the first day of 2nd Semester...we had Advanced Med Surg orientation and a lecture on blood administration. Next we had Mental Health orientation and lecture and ended up getting out at around 3:30-ish. For some reason, this first-day feels a whole heck of a lot different from our first day last semester...not sure if it's because we know what to expect or if it really is less overwhelming. Check back in with me at the end of the week though...things may get dicey. Tomorrow is our dosage calculations exam (90% to pass, which isn't too horrible...keep your fingers crossed for me), and then we've got respiratory disorders lecture for 6 HOURS!!! Wednesday is another 6-hour lecture day and then Thursday is skills lab...so that will be a nice break. Friday is another mental health lecture and then orientation. Clinical doesn't start until week 3 and I believe I start out in the cardiology unit...should be fun!

Now you are officially caught up!

I was tagged...I feel so special!!!

Wow, welcome to the Blogosphere!!! I have been tagged with "The Honest Scrap" award and I now must do the following:
1. “The Honest Scrap” award is not one to hold all to your self but it must be shared!
2. First, the recipient has to tell 10 true things about themselves in their blog that no one else knows.
3. Second, the recipient has to pass along this prestigious award to 10 more bloggers.
4. Third, those 10 bloggers all have to be notified they have been given this award.
5. Those 10 bloggers that receive this award should link back to the blog that awarded them “The Honest Scrap’ award. (i'm not sure I know how to do that, but I'll give it a whirl)

So....my ten things are:
1) I took pictures of myself in my underwear today (trying to log my weight loss progress without getting on the scale)
2) Sometimes I get french fries at McDo and then hide the wrappers so no one knows my dirty little secret
3) I am painfully shy and self conscious
4) I hate advertising and think it's the stupidest endeavor ever and can't believe I wasted so much of my life doing it
5) Every now and then I feel maternal...but then I make a full recovery
6) I have an unhealthy obsession with pens
7) I used to drink way too much but now I don't
8) I absolutely love how quiet my house is
9) I called a pet psychic after my cat died. Twice.
10) I realize #5 makes me sound bitchy...it's not the kids I don't like, it's the parenting, watching, babysitting, constantly-making-sure-they-don't-kill-themselves-ing, the cajoling, the negotiating, the disciplining, the repeating, the diaper changing, the potty training, the cleaning, the burping and the noise that do not appeal to me. This is why I am better suited for Aunt-hood.

Ok, so I guess I have to do some linking now...I guess I'll just tag the people whose blogs I read...

http://livingdeadnursepsychoward.blogspot.com/
http://nzstudentnurse.blogspot.com/
http://wardbunny.blogspot.com/
http://nursinganatomy.blogspot.com/

Ok, that's enough linking for someone who doesn't know how to do it very well or efficiently. In fact, I'm not really sure what I do now? Blog Newbie here! I do know that I really need to get on the big stick and blog more so I can win one of those cool blogger awards!!! Nothing like setting your sights high, I say!

3rd Callanetics DONE!

Here's an update on the official Callanetics Experiement. I have completed the workout three times and have already seen a half inch decrease in my waist! Yippee! I took a few other measurements, but it's so hard to remember EXACTLY where I put the tape measure, so I'm not trusting the other measurements just yet. I think there could have been a half inch or quarter inch drop in the thighs, but until it's down a full inch I can't be sure I'm measuring in the same spot. But all in all, this is very promising!

Yesterday I did the workout without the video, and I have to say it was MUCH less boring! I just printed out the sequence and watched something interesting instead. In general progress:

-I didn't have to take a full break in the first leg exercise, but this is probably because I was able to pause when things got hairy. Granted, I paused in the plie, so it wasn't a full pause!
-I felt like I curled up higher in the ab exercises...yay!
-The pelvic rotations hurt, but I didn't curse at anyone this time.
-I swear that I can see a "line" defining my quadriceps from my leg fat...in the right lighting, of course...but still!!!

My goal is to do the Callanetics workout 18 times in January, which will bring me up to a total of 20! So far, I have done 2 of those 18. Go me!

The great Callanetics experiment

Have I started a Callanetics experiment before? It sounds so totally familiar, but even if I did I am SURE I did not finish it as that would go against everything I believe in. Ha!

Callanetics is a form of deep-muscle exercise developed by Callan Pinckney way back in the 80s as a way to alleviate her severe knee and back pain. The exercises are rooted in ballet, but are actually very unique and INTENSE! She has a book that I read back in high school (so it must have just come out actually...see what a trendsetter I am?) called "Ten Years Younger in Ten Hours"...the routine takes about an hour to do, hence the name.

I have the book (I think I do anyway...will have to search the bedroom closet after hubby gets up) and three of the videos: Callanetics (which is based on the book), Quick Callanetics for Hips and Behind, and Quick Callanetics for Legs. I have started and stopped this routine several times, but I'm not sure why. Whenever I take body measurements after 3 or 4 sessions there is always a loss of inches. SO, I am going to STICK TO IT for 10 whole sessions over the course of the next 2.5-3 weeks and re-measure after I have completed by 10th session of the one-hour program (I'll count each Quick video as half a lesson).

The reason I am tracking this experiment on this blog is A) I'm bored and on summer vacation, and B) while there are a lot of snippets of Callanetics anecdotes out there, there isn't much in the way of following someone through their experience...and since that's what I was looking for, I thought I'd just do it myself. (Geez! Do I have to do EVERYTHING???) :-)

So, my recap for Session 1: I found that I was really glad the ab exercises are toward the beginning of the video, because I always dread those and they're over before you know it! I'll also have to FORCE myself to do the entire warm-up, but I can see how that could get skipped by someone if they are short on time. But, in the interest of being experiment-y, I will do the warmups. They're just kind of boring, but they must be there for a reason. By far the hardest things for me to do are the leg exercises...I can't do all the pelvic scoops without stopping several times and the pelvic rotations make me want to hurt someone.

All in all, I felt pretty good after the workout...though my legs were a wee bit wobbly. Today I feel slightly sore all over, but nothing horrendous that will keep me from popping in a Quick video for later tonight.

One down, nine to go! (And yes, i took measurements...SCARY STUFF, so I won't post it here)

Still not studying...still cooking

I still haven't been able to force myself to study and why should I? I'm having too much fun making cupcakes! Who knew this would turn into a cooking blog when I was on break?

These little darlings are from the cookbook, "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World". I'm not a strict vegan or anything, it's just that when i cook I prefer to do it as animal-free as possible...plus I'm convinced it forces me to eat more veggies. Ok, I realize a cupcake is a not a veggie...sad but true.

Black Bean, Mushroom and Quinoa-stuffed Peppers

I cooked again! These are some yummy peppers I made (again from the VwaV cookbook). These little lovelies chime in at just under 300 calories each and are very satisfying! They get a tomato sauce before baking, but I took the picture prior to that because I thought they were so pretty! Ok, you may disagree...but it's my camera, I swear! They are YUM!!!

In other news, still haven't been able to force myself to study, but I did print out some study materials that were emailed to us a few weeks ago AND I got my fingerprinting done yesterday AND my 3rd HepB today. So, I'm doing stuff...just not studying!

Bon Appetit!

Black Bean, Mushroom and Quinoa-stuffed Peppers

I thought I was going to make a breakfast dish next, but then realized that would be about a week since it will take me that long to finish the batch of scrambled tofu I made.

So, for lunch today I made these yummy bell peppers from Vegan with a Vengeance! This is a picture of the peppers before I put the tomato sauce on top...they're so pretty!



The nutrition info is pretty, too! 294 calories per pepper, 11.4 g of Protein, NO cholesterol and a ton of Vitamin A and Vitamin C (62% and 232%).

I haven't tasted them yet, but I did sneak a bite of the filling before I put them in the oven, and I think we may have a home-run here!

Ahhhh....the delicious taste of summer.

Now that summer vacation is here in full force, I pretty much have time to do all the things I enjoy doing with none of that pesky studying getting in the way. One of my new projects is to cook my way through the Vegan with a Vengeance cookbook, so I started today with recipe #1, Tofu Scramble. It is super yummy, extremely healthy and pretty darn easy to make. It takes a while to make (mainly with all the chopping and cooking of the veggies), but if I make one whole batch I can eat on it all week long since my husband won't touch the stuff with a 10-foot pole...I guess cholesterol, saturated fat and factory farming are more appealing than healthy, cruelty-free food? Who knows...

So, keeping in mind that I'm not really a photographer, here is the scramble!



Next up is an Asparagus and Sun-dried Tomato Frittata!

Vegan Cooking Club

In the interest of celebrating health and vitality as I come to the tail-end of my 30s, I am starting a Vegan Cooking Club with a few friends (only few because I suspect some of the people I invited are teaming up and thinking of ways to avoid joining the club). Doesn't that sound totally fun?

Anyway, along those lines, I decided it would be a fun idea to cook my way through the Vegan with a Vengeance cookbook, otherwise I tend to prepare the same five recipes (kind of like when I go to Napa I go to the same ol' wineries every time...just call me Rut Girl). Anyway, I started this morning with recipe #1, Scrambled Tofu. It makes about 11 half-cup servings at 67 calories a serving...so even if you nosh out and go for a whole cup it's still a low-cal and high-protein, healthy-carb breakfast! Oh, did I mention the "no cholesterol" thing?

So, please bear in mind that I am not a professional photographer, but here is a picture of the completed scramble:


Next up: Asparagus and Sun-dried Tomato Frittata!!!!