But before I get to that, let me tell you about the first half of my Tuesday.

Instant oatmeal for breakfast, a little on the watery side, but I did add extra raisins for flavor and to up the filling-factor.

Homemade ice coffee!

Dried apples slices for a morning snack.

For lunch I used my leftover quinoa.  I mixed it with broccoli, chicken, and salsa and then melted some cheddar cheese on top.  I also snacked on 2 more squares of a Lindt dark chocolate bar that I opened while at home on Monday.

I hit the gym around 2:45 pm, after I had plenty of time to digest.  I ran 2 miles for speed, running at 7.5 mph, and then walked for 4 minutes to cool down.  I used the foam roller and the myo-release ball.  But the highlight of my workout was spending 10 minutes in the sauna reading a gossip magazine!

Showered and changed.  Back in my work attire!

I snacked on a Special K bar around 4 pm because I knew I wouldn’t be able to eat dinner right away.

I met Jared and his coworkers at Gaslight around 6:30 pm.  Apologies in advance for the lousy photos.  I didn’t want to use the flash and make a scene so everything looks slightly blurry.

I started with the Spring Dug Parsnip Bisque with Shaved, House Cured Jambon de Gaslight.  Smooth and creamy with a slight hint of flavor from the ham.  This bisque was decent, but I wish it had been served warmer.  After a few bites, the lukewarm temperature was a bit of a turnoff.

Each restaurant week meal came with a complimentary glass of red or white wine.  I chose the Chateua Abbaye de Saint-Ferme Merlot.

For my entree I chose Smoky Braised Beef Brisket with Ratatouille Stuffed Cabbage Leaves and Sauce Braisage.  I thought the brisket had a nice flavor and it paired well with the Braisage sauce, but was a bit dry.  I didn’t eat the cabbage, but I enjoyed the vegetables in the ratatouille filling.

The Lemon Fool with Brandy Macerated Fruits and Crème Chantilly was too bland and dry for me.  I didn’t even notice a hint of lemon.  I ate most of the fruits and bites of the cream, but I left the “fool” in the dish.

Jared ordered the Chocolate Ganache Tartlette with Peanut Butter Mousse and Caramel a la Crème.  This was the star of the meal!  It was rich, indulgent, and reminded me of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.  I only had a few bites and was 100% satisfied.  Delicious!

I felt a little rushed to place and order and eat the first two courses, but waited a long time between the entree and dessert.  The waitress actually brought the check before dessert had even been served.  Overall, I probably would’ve enjoyed Gaslight more had I come for a regular meal and not for restaurant week.  I normally enjoy French food and would’ve been happier with an order of Steak Frites for dinner and Profiteroles for dessert.

Typical Sunday night =Sushi + the Amazing Race

I ordered Sweet Potato Tempura rolls and Kappa Maki rolls.  Jared’s fishy fish rolls were squeezed in between my nice veggie rolls.

Mmm, plus edamame on the side.

I had some Kashi cereal for breakfast on Monday morning.  Then I snacked on some almonds when I got to work.

Completely unbalanced lunch!  I ate a mini-loaf of banana bread and sucked down an ice coffee.  Of course I spent the rest of the day craving fresh vegetables!

My Half Marathon training has been throw a tiny bit out of whack.  I expected this so I’m not concerned.  I didn’t find time to go on a longer run this past weekend.  Ohh well.  Still plenty of time before the race!

I ran 2 miles on the treadmill during my lunch break at 6.5 mph then stretched and went back to work.  I was supposed to run 3 miles with Jared after work, but that fell through.  He really needs new sneakers before he runs again so I think he’s going to get fitted on Thursday night.

To fulfill my fresh vegetable craving, I made a plate of peppers and cucumbers with hummus as soon as I got home from work.

I bought ingredients for dinner from Don Otto’s Natural and Organic Market.  See…organic pasta and responsibly made pork sausage.  Making those positive changes in the way I shop for food.  (While dinner was cooking, I cleaned out the fridge and tossed anything that was old, unhealthy, or just not going to be eaten.)

I ate a bowl of penne with 1/2 of a pork sausage.  I topped the penne with a swirl of flavored olive oil, a tiny bit of sauce, and some Parmesan cheese.

I made a smoothie for Tuesday’s breakfast using:

• 4 ice cubes
• 1 cup of almond milk
• 1 1/2 cups of frozen berries
• 1 cup of spinach

I spent almost 20 minutes fighting with my smoothie maker in order to get everything to blend.  Grrr.  But when my Not-So-Green Monster was finally ready to go, it tasted fresh and healthy.  If preparing and cleaning up weren’t such a pain, I’d make smoothies more often.

I made some “berry” yummy oats with the last of my bag of stove top oats:

• 1 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of oatmeal
• 1 tablespoon of blueberry flax seed
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• 1 cup of frozen mixed berries
• sprinkle of dark chocolate chips

I also completed by taste test of my last bag of Boston Common Coffee, Nicaragua Segovia.  I drank it hot yesterday and it was AWESOME.  My iced version this morning was equally good.  Boston Common has the best roasts.  The Nicaragua Segovia roast has “wonderful body, acidity, and exquisite aroma.”  I can’t wait to get more.  And it doesn’t hurt that I love supporting a local company!

Now I’m taking a break from vegetarian info to tell you about one of my fashion obsessions:

House of Harlow 1960 (photos courtesy of ShopBop)

I’ve been loving the jewelry from Nicole Richie’s line for months, but now that it features shoes, I’m an even bigger fan of her line.

Such old school Hollywood glam.  I love it!  And surprisingly well priced.  I may not be buying any shoes in the near future, but a lot of the jewelry is affordable.  Most pieces are under $100.

Really lusting for this peacock necklace.  And some of the big-ass cocktail rings are so cute, but come in sizes that are too big for my fingers.  The collection also features quite a few pieces featuring keys or horseshoes, two items that I love to see in jewelry form.

• Roast profile: A central American single-origin varietal from Bill McAlpin’s LaMinita estate.  Considered a premium coffee, it is meant to be roasted light to light-medium to accentuate its characteristics, which are a pleasant acidity, sweetness, and nice body.  A very clean coffee with a smooth finish!

To properly test these beans, they were ground in a separate grinder, just prior to brewing.  The beans were VERY aromatic!  The first pot of coffee to test these beans was brewed using 6 oz. of filtered water.

I sweetened my cup of coffee with 2% milk and 1 packet of Splenda.  To my undignified palate, I thought the Costa Rica LaMinita tasted awesome.  I couldn’t pick out any specific flavors, but I was quite happy with each sip.  I tend to steer clear of coffee once it reaches room temperature, but this brew was even good when it was luke warm.  Because of the nice body, I wasn’t left with a funky coffee after taste.

Jared’s dad Bob, a true coffee afficienado, helped taste test and drank his first few sips black.  He noticed the very pleasant acidity and the mellow, but full-bodied flavor.  Bob even put the coffee to his own personal test:  He added Swiss Miss hot chocolate mix, and found that it still tasted fantastic!

Here are some important facts to make sure you’re getting the most out of each and every pot of coffee you brew:

• Use 6 fl. oz of water for every 2 tablespoons of ground coffee.
• It is CRUCIAL to use filtered water or spring water to brew your coffee.  All it takes is one bad mineral or contaminant in your water supply to ruin coffee.
• At brewing, water should be between 195 and 205 degrees.
• Use coarser grinds for French presses, electric perk brewers, etc.
• Use medium grinds for drip and auto drip brewers.
• Use finer grinds for espresso, Turkish brews, etc.
• Buy whole beans and grind at home if possible.  Pre-ground coffee becomes stale very quickly.
• Only grind the amount of beans you need for brewing.
• Store your coffee in an air-tight container.

For the past 2 months, I’ve been e-mailing back and forth with Patrick Maloney, the roastmaster at Boston Common Coffee Co.

I’ve been learning some great facts about coffee, different growing regions and coffee varieties, etc. etc.  I think about coffee as something I sip on in the morning so I can get a quick pick-me-up.  For Patrick, it’s so much more than that.  I’m really excited that I’ll be able to share information about Boston Common Coffee with you guys as I sample 4 different types of coffee and eventually take a trip to the Roasting Facility in Hopedale, MA.

To start things off, it’s important to know that even though many coffee drinkers attribute the “strength” of their coffee to a roast level, that’s just a common misconception!  Strength of coffee is actually related to things like brewing methods, ratios of water to coffee, grind levels, etc.

Still confused about coffee?  Good cuz I’m going to have lots of information for you over the next few days!

Celebrated Halloween Eve with some pumpkin coffee from DD.

I snacked on crackers with Laughing Cow cheese.

We had a Halloween Party at work.  They handed out cookies that looked eerily similar…

…to Miles’ dog treats!

Dinner was BBQ chicken and a baked potato topped with cheddar cheese and plain Chobani.

We celebrated the good news of my being cleared for graduation with a glass of champagne!

Then we watched Interview With a Vampire, which I read the Wiki for just to make sure I remembered the plot, and I sipped a Harvest Moon beer.

Miles wanted to help me with some blog work.  I wore my ghost pajama pants to be extra spirited.

Saturday…

Happy Halloween!  Decked out in Black and Orange to go to the BC game.

After the game we went to the Cambridge Brewing Co. for the Great Pumpkin Festival.  Everything was pumpkin themed!  I tried several types of pumpkin beers including Great Pumpkin Ale (CBC beer), Biere de Gourde (CBC beer), Ich Bin Ein Kurbisweisse (CBC beer),  and Pumking (Southern Tier).

Nicki and Drew were so cute, matching Swedish Chefs!

Even the menu was entirely pumpkin!  We all split the Pumpkin Apple Bisque for an appetizer.  Mmm!  I ordered the Pumpkin Pizza with garlic confit, fingerling potatoes, kale, and Vermont goat  cheese.  It was SO good.

Sunday…

The Boston Vegetarian Food Festival was mobbed.  It was so crowded that it was really difficult to walk, let alone try to take tons of pictures.

Amazing Grass!

Trying my first sip of Amazing Grass blended with apple juice.  I liked it!

Peanut Butter Co.  I Love Peanut Butter!  I tried a few samples.  So yummy!

Tomatoes that we tasted as part of Bruschetta.  Must buy and recreate ASAP!

But this was my obsession….

Vegan desserts!

Beautiful fall day in Boston.

Cute streets in the Back Bay/South End area of town.

Mario and friends as pumpkins!

And one final parting gift to celebrate the end of Halloween Weekend…

(Good thing we picked up the laundry that morning.  Jared was able to put a clean bundle of socks to good use!)

I had a cup of Jamaican Me Crazy coffee when I woke up this morning.  Thanks to Daylight Savings, I was able to sleep in, yet it seemed like I was up and at ‘em since it was only 8:30 am.

Breakfast was a mini whole grain bagel  with cream cheese and strawberry jelly.  I accidentally toasted my bagel for too long so it was extra crispy.

It was a lazy Sunday so I showered just before lunchtime.  I made a sandwich on my last Arnold Thin using hummus, carrot bits, and some Laughing Cow cheese.

That didn’t fill me up for very long.  I had a VitaMuffin, nuked to perfection and 1/2 of these candy pumpkins.  Jared ate the rest. (Any attentive readers notice the hidden message?  I’m such a geek!)

We took the T to Roxbury Crossing to go to the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival.  It was SO crowded.  We tried a bunch of samples and I took pictures with my camera.  I’ll update tomorrow when I get my USB cable!

We went to Shaws after the Veg Fest.  I was so happy to get home and have a huge glass of water with fresh lemon slices.  So refreshing!

I used the coupons Stonyfield sent to me to buy Oikos Greek yogurt.  Can’t wait to give this a try tomorrow.

Jared was craving pizza for dinner so we ordered NY style pizza from Bostone Pizza.  We ordered a large (takes 2 boxes), but a small would’ve been plenty.

My 1/2 of the pizza featured chicken, artichokes, and broccoli.; I’m going to be eating leftovers all week!  Plus a Harvest Moon beer.  These aren’t my favorite, but there are a few more left in the fridge and I want to get rid of them.

Mmm, dessert!  Jared and I split a piece of vegan carrot cake from Vegan Treats Bakery.  I wish they were located in Boston so I could try more of their desserts.  This was SO good.

Last night, I dedicated a large portion of my time to decorating my Halloween-themed gingerbread house.  I accidentally added too much water to the icing so it was too runny.  I had a hard time preventing it from dripping down the front of the house.  Eventually, I just went nuts and drizzled orange and purple icing all over the place.  The house looks like it’s melting.  Reminds me of the “Drip Castles” I used to make at the beach.

(And FYI, the house came pre-assembled.  I have tried to construct my own gingerbread house in the past and it was a disaster!  I need all of the help I can get!)

I love the ghost and all of the little bats.  So cute!  I tried not to lick my fingers too often so I wouldn’t go to bed with a  sugar high.  Even though my decorating was a little sloppy, I had fun being creative and making a mess.   I managed to spill orange icing all over the rug in the living room and by the kitchen.  Oops, looks like I’ll need to borrow my aunt’s carpet steamer sooner rather than later.

I made a whole grain mini-bagel for breakfast this morning.  I topped it with black raspberry jam and almond butter.

Today was the first day I tried truvia in my coffee.  I didn’t notice a taste difference.  I thought my cup of “Jamaican Me Crazy” tasted delicious!

I snacked on some strawberries, mmmm!

I created a lunchtime fiesta:  a salad made with lettuce, cucumbers, baby carrots, shredded cheddar cheese, Ranch dressing, salsa, and tortilla chip crumbles.  It was delicious and really filling!  I liked the crunch from the tortilla chips best!

I started yesterday morning off right with a cup of pumpkin coffee and some Chobani.

I snacked on strawberries during the mid-morning hours.

I had a turkey sandwich and Wheat Thins for lunch.

I went to the gym with the mindset that I really wanted to sweat.  I ran on the treadmill for 20 minutes.  I did a 9:13 pace so I covered just over 2 miles.  Then I did a modified strength training circuit.  I did 20 push ups, 1 minute of reverse lunges with weights, 1 minute of alternating overhead presses with weights, and 1 minute of stability ball hamstring curls.  I only had time to complete the circuit 3 times, before I had to shower and head back to work for a meeting.

I snacked on this bar right after I received the dreaded e-mail about not being able to get my diploma.  I was really hoping for a tasty treat and the Kashi Go Lean Roll’s packaging made me optimistic.

I did NOT like this bar and I don’t think my mood had anything to do with it.  It was really tough and I was nervous for my teeth as I tried to break off bite sized pieces.  The flavor was good, but it was such a pain to chew.  Never again!

I met my coworker Molly and her roommate at Shecky’s Girl’s Night Out event.  Free entry and 5 drink tickets, not a bad deal.  I tried 3 drinks in an attempt to forget about my bad day.  I only bought 1 item out of self-pity:  a black flower ring.

Jared was in charge of making dinner.  He cooked chicken with pasta and used Alfredo sauce.  It was yummy.  I was a little disappointed that he used the new pasta I bought.  I had wanted to try a fun recipe with it.  Oh well, I’ll get another bag when I’m back at Shaws.

Watched the Biggest Loser, whined about BC, and went to bed by 11:15 pm.

I had a bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats for breakfast.  I am only in the office for another 20 minutes before I need to head to campus for my meeting and to grab 4 free football tickets for Saturday’s game.

Hope your Tuesday was better than mine!  And hope *everyone* has a great Wednesday!

When I went outside with the dog, I found the world’s tiniest snail crawling on our deck. Aww! Look at the little guy!

I made French Toast for breakfast. I mixed 1 egg, milk, and a bit of cinnamon together, and then dipped 3 pieces of wheat bread in the mixture.

Topped with some warm berries and syrup. Amazingly delicious!

The Polcari’s Coffee was SO good. The flavor wasn’t as strong as the smell, which was a good thing. I don’t like flavored coffee that is too sweet and overwhelming.

We watched last night’s SNL while enjoying cups of coffee.

Once we’re done digesting it’s going to be time for a RUN.