Happy Thursday!
What a day it has been already and it’s only 2:30pm! I had to be up and out the door before the sun this morning to drive the 3 hour trek to Harrisburg for my weekly meeting. Unfortunately today’s drive was dark, rainy, slow, and gloomy. But, I did enjoy some quality car dancing and singing thanks to Brittney, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and DMB. I am so glad that this only has to happen 5 more times before I start my new role which will be based out of our NYC office! Every week I drive to Harrisburg at least once and that means having my breakfast and lunch on the go. Therefore, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to provide some tips for eating healthy even if the only option you have is a gas station!
1) Always be prepared! The night before, I put together my breakfast, snack, and lunch so the next morning all I have to do is grab my lunchbox and head out. Normally my on the road breakfasts are either a) greek yogurt, frozen fruit, and kashi b) whole wheat english muffin, 3 egg whites, 1 piece cheese c) refrigerator oats. These are pretty easy to eat while driving especially if you’re not in stop and go traffic. In addition, I always make sure to pack plenty of napkins, a Tide pen for any mishaps, and an extra fork and spoon. My favorite snack is an apple because it’s neat and I can just throw the core out when i’m done. Lunch gets tricky sometimes because I don’t know how long I’ll be in meetings but normally a sandwich, carrot & celery sticks, and a bag of Popchips or Soycrisps will keep well in the car and hold me over quite well.
2) Okay I forgot to prepare ahead of time- now what? Okay, so you overslept or you were too exhausted to pack the night before. In this case you have to be creative and a bit flexible. The best option is often a Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks. Even the gas station Dunkin Donuts offer their breakfast “lighter” flatbread option which is less than 400 calories and provides a healthy mix of carbs and protein. I love Starbuck’s oatmeal value meal which allows me to enjoy a latte and oats for less than $4! If you are watching calories stick to just the oats and some of the nuts as the sugar and dried fruits can be calorie dense. If they sell bananas you can grab that for some added nutrients and flavor. If your only option is a gas station or train station almost EVERYWHERE sells some type of fruit (apple, orange, banana), protein (nuts), boxed cereal, or bar. If you go the bar or cereal route make sure you check out the nutritionals. Your goal is to find something that will give you at least 200 calories, some protein, and not too much sugar. A few of my favorites that are normally available in the dingiest of rest stops are Cheerios, South Beach Bars, and good old fashioned Nature’s Valley granola bars. While I realize these are not all natural and have more chemicals than I’d like to imagine they will do the job if you are in a bind. If it’s lunch or dinner time and you’re on the road you can almost always find a fast food restaurant that has a salad. This is your best option IF you leave the high fat dressing 50 miles back and go with a no or low calories dressing and do your best to add some protein. During long road trips, Bo and I have ordered 2 salads and 2 chicken sandwhiches from McDonalds only to throw the bread away and cut the chicken up to eat with our salad. Another option is a baked potato with vegetables as long as you avoid butter or “special” sauces. Health Magazine has a great article regarding America’s “Healthiest” Fast Food Restaurants that is very eye opening! I highly suggest reading this for more ideas!
Okay, thanks to Kristin’s idea i’m going to join in Three Questions Thursday. I’d love to see your responses as well!
If you could have one super power, what would it be? Would you wear a cape? Ashley: I’d be able to twinkle my nose and arrive at my destination. My hips and butt are so sore from long car trips!
Bo: I’d be able to read people’s minds but
only when I wanted to have the ability. It definitely needs to be able to turn off and on.
What ’s your favorite “guilty pleasure” show? Would you believe me if I said that Monday night, while Bo was doing work, I laid in bed catching up on 90210 on www.cwtv.com?
Bo: Star Trek!? (Yeah so 5.5 years and I HAD NO clue he ever watched it!)
What would you choose for your ideal last meal on earth?
I would travel to Savannah and enjoy a dinner at home with my family and friends that was catered by Elizabeths on 37th for the appetizer, my dad’s ribs for the meat, my mom’s sweet potato casserole, and then her amazing yellow cake with choclate icing.
Bo: (Bo thinks it can only be one thing/place..so boring) Le Bernadin or Per Se.
Also, if you’re a girl who loves shopping and getting great deals then I highly recommend joining
Ideeli. Click this link
www.ideeli.com/invite/aerudolph to join!!
Last but not least, THANK YOU to all the wonderful folks who sponsored Bobbi (NHerShoes) for the San Diego Marathon! We earned the last penny today and she is signing up tonight!! Thank you goes out to Monica, Kristin, Melissa, Leslie, Sara, Jennifer, Lacey, Janetha, Shannon, and Danica!
This afternoon I was greeted with a package from Pop Chips and Newman’s Organics and can’t wait to sample the products! Our cave is getting very full, very quickly!! A thorough review will come later this week!
After what was hopefully our last weekend of moving, the last thing Bo and I wanted tonight was takeout or a meal that would take a long time to prep or cook. We walked downstairs to Food Cellar & Co in search of an easy, nutritious dinner that would leave us satiated while still provide us time to enjoy a movie together! Without further ado, I leave you with our recipe:
2 bags of Shirataki noodles
Freshly grated parm or pecorino cheese
