National Convention = Travel-friendly, Healthy, Affordable Meals

This week has me traveling for work. Getting on a plane with a suitcase full of business clothes to arrive a few hours later at a convention center felt a little surreal. I am sure that in a few years, once I get a “real” job, that surreal feeling will give way to “this is such a pain,” but I will enjoy the excitement for now.

Being in a new city for a couple months, away from my family and friends and a familiar community, has got me thinking about the importance of relationships lately. Granted, I’ve been at least 800 miles from my family for over 6 years now, but every time I take another step in life (college, grad school, post-grad internship), I recognize my need for family a little bit more. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, as well as makes one realize that true loved ones are rare and to be cherished.

I was reading a blog that was shared by one of my former yoga instructors, who I dearly miss, and was struck by the exercise that was mentioned. It seems like a great self-care exercise and a reminder of who is important in our lives, as well as why we should value ourselves so we can take a step away from insecurity and a step towards loving others better.

I want to challenge you to do this exercise. Before reading it, make sure you are ready to actually do it. I think it works best that way, when you haven’t read it and had time to think through the whole thing before writing your response.

For the Exercise: Find a quiet, restful place, whether it’s on your yoga mat, on the couch  or simply your kitchen table -I prefer the open, vulnerability and simultaneous security of my yoga mat. Have a pen and paper ready.

…………….

Think of someone who loves you.

…..Did you pick your person? Don’t read on until you do, ok?

I’m giving you one more chance to not look ahead…

…………………..

Ok, promise me you’ve thought of your person and have a writing utensil and paper near you…

…………………….

Once you choose your person, write a description of yourself in the voice of that person, from their perspective.

How do they see you? Your potential? Your worth? Your value?

I’d love to hear your experience with this.

I thought of my mother. It was powerful to remember that she has such faith in me and believes that I really can obtain my goals and that she will support me whether or not they are realized. Let’s just say I got a little teary eyed and little things didn’t bother me so much the rest of the day.

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So back to that pesky traveling for work thing:

Food Packing List
(italicized denotes an item that may need refrigeration, so either pack in a cooler or buy when you get there, if you have access to a fridge)

Calcium – shelf stable milk, cheese, yogurt (fyi, I’ve switched completely to buying only plain, organic dairy)

Protein – high quality meat jerky, almond butter, protein powder, tuna, hummus, hard-boiled eggs

Complex Carb – old-fashioned oats (you can pre-measure into baggies), bread-like crackers (the funky kind at your health food store), wheat pita pockets, long-lasting bread, whole wheat tortillas

Fruit – apples, oranges, bananas

Veggie – carrots, green beans (raw, washed green beans are delicious!), raw broccoli

Random: cinnamon, curry, honey, flax seed, nuts, dried fruit

Category All Its Own: DARK CHOCOLATE (for any and every occasion, duh)

Potential Meals

• Tuna, nuts, chopped green beans,  curry powder, pita, (optional: yogurt or hummus)
  • Mix all ingredients (including yogurt or hummus, except pita pocket); fill pocket with that mixture
• Tuna, carrots, crackers, nuts, (optional: cheese or shelf-stable milk)
  
• Jerky, orange, crackers, shelf-stable milk (or cheese)
• Oats, banana, nut butter, shelf-stable milk (or hard boiled eggs)
  • Prepare oats with water, stir in mashed banana, and nut butter (cook in microwave or let sit overnight to become more like muesli). Enjoy with milk or eggs as a side.
• Carrots, pita, cheese, jerky (or hard-boiled eggs)
  • Fill pita with jerky or eggs and cheese. Enjoy with carrots.
• Banana, nut butter, pita, shelf-stable milk (or yogurt with honey and cinnamon)
  • Fill pita with banana and nut butter, enjoy with milk.
• Apple, jerky, nuts, crackers
• Jerky, green beans, crackers, shelf-stable milk (or cheese)
• Carrots, crackers, jerky (or hummus), nuts with dried fruit (or cheese)
• Apple, cheese, pita, jerky (or hard-boiled eggs)
  • Fill pita with sliced apple and cheese. Enjoyed with jerky or eggs.

Monster Cookies for Soldiers (Gluten Free!)

Monster Cookies. Great cookies for shipping across the world.

I don’t know about you, but I have two weaknesses: peanut butter and uniforms. Now the peanut butter can be on anything (oreos, bananas, pickles -my grandpa taught me that last one), but the uniforms… those are most likely to pull at my heartstrings when on young, American soldiers. So, it is the combination of those two things (well, me sending one of them to the other) that has brought about this post.

When I was in Argentina, I found out that a friend of mine from high school is currently serving in Afghanistan, so I made a note to myself that, as soon as I arrived home, I would make and send him cookies, not because I thought he really needed cookies, but because I want him to know that I appreciate the sacrifices he (and all of the men and women in uniform) is making.

However, I couldn’t decide whether to send classic chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, or peanut butter, since I consider all three to be sheer goodness for the soul.

After much searching, I decided that chocolate chips had too high of a risk of melting, raisins are just not exciting enough, and peanut butter doesn’t have chocolate and chocolate is a must if I am sending cookies across the world. That is how I come across these cookies. They have the chewiness of oats, the chocolate that won’t melt from M&M’s, and the uniquely American flavor of peanut butter. Perfect.

This dough is pretty messy when trying to form into balls to put on the cookie sheet, but don’t let that stop you from sending these to someone you love. To ship mine, I packed the cookies in gallon ziploc bags, then put those, along with some sheets of newspaper (comics, of course) to help to keep the cookies from shifting, into a cheap, but sturdy tupperware-like container. The tupperware container was then packed inside one of those flat rate USPS boxes and stuffed with a letter to my friend, as well as some more newspaper comics to help protect the precious cookies. I am told the cookies made it to my friend safely =).

To all the men and women who are serving in the armed forces, THANK YOU!

The making of a monster cookie.

Monster Cookies
Adapted fromPaula Deen
Makes 6 dozen, so feel free to halve or third the recipe for less

• 6 eggs
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla
• 4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 24 ounces creamy peanut butter (don’t use the “natural” kind or the batter will be nearly impossible to stir)
• 9 cups oats (gluten-free, if going for that) (old-fashioned, not quick)
• 1 pound M&Ms Preheat oven to 350.

Slightly beat the eggs in a very large bowl, then mix in sugars. Add vanilla and baking soda and blend. Cream in butter and peanut butter. Add oatmeal a cupful at a time, mixing between each addition. You may have to stir in the last cup or two by hand. Stir in chocolate chips and/or M&Ms. Form balls of batter and place on a greased or lined cookie sheet, allowing at least two inches for spreading. Bake for 10 minutes, then check cookies. Cookies will be done when puffy and turning golden. Allow to cool on cookie sheets for about 10 minutes (cookies will flatten out somewhat), then use a spatula to move to cookie sheets. Make sure cookies have cooled completely before packing.

Baked and ready to ship to far away friends.