I am really feeling the stress of this semester and I haven’t even been to all of my classes yet!! I have quizzes every Monday and Tuesday and a major test (sometimes two!) every week starting the third week. The perfectionist in me is freaking out, but I must remain calm because I do not have to get straight A’s!!! The work load itself isn’t that bad, it’s just a LOT of testing. I talked to the husband tonight about dropping Stats, but we agreed it made sense to stick it out after weighing the pros and cons (no, we didn’t weigh them on the food scale 8) ) I don’t know how all you college people do it – and how I ever managed 4 years at Davidson without pulling my teeth out!
On to the Taco Salad Mountain!!!
This meal was so easy to whip together and tasted wonderful!!! All the healthy stuff is on the bottom 😉
Ingredients:
- Handful of lettuce
- 1/2 cup (plus a little more) low-fat refried beans
- 1 chopped roma tomato
- 1 oz chopped avocado
- 1/4 diced bell pepper
- 1 tbsp minced jalapeños from a jar
- 1 oz colby cheese
- 2 Garden of Eatin’ Blue Corn Taco shells, toasted and crumbled
- Fage
- Cholula
Some parts were warm, others were cold – but all together it was sooo good!!
Total kcal around 450:
I also had half a piece of the husband’s new rustic bread – which took him 18 hours to make from rise to cool! No photo since he shoved it in my mouth with delight when I walked in the door!
By Request…
My shoes!! (This is one shoe from each pair, if you didn’t figure that out 🙂 )
I wore the copper ones today and they were VERY comfortable. I did get a few blisters on the back heel, but I think that is just new shoeness that will go away when they break in a bit more. The black ones are really comfy too!! Makes me want to go buy TONS of these kind of shoes – I just love that you can wear them with dressier pants or with jeans and a hoodie!!
Going to answer> some questions and then read in bed. I should be studying!
arimcg says
Apologies if this is a dumb question 🙂 but what’s Cholula?
Anonymous says
I love Garden of Eatin’. I didn’t know that they make taco shells. What section of the market do you find that in?
the husband says
Cholula is the BEST of the commonly-available hot sauces! Not as vinegary as Texas Pete or Tabasco, so much more smoky flavor, and a nice medium thickness. Here it is:
www.cholula.com
Ala says
LOVE the shoes!! I hope the blisters go away soon, those are no fun!
Kath says
Arimcg,
My favorite hot sauce!
Anon,
I got them in the regular taco shell section.
Kath
Anonymous says
What did you get your bachelor’s degree in? Where you planning on going into publishing then?
Kath says
History and no! I had no clue what I wanted to do – which is why I’m totally changing directions from what I started a career in.
Kath
Christianne says
Mmmmm. That’s looks good. I was wanting to make taco salad the other night but didn’t want to use ground beef — hate the texture. What kind of refried beans did you use? Oh, I made your sweet potato, black bean, salsa concoction and I really liked it. I had to sub light sour cream for fage b/c my regular grocery store doesn’t have it. It was still really good though. Thanks for the ideas! Keep up the good work!
avelina says
i am really enjoying your blog.
my doctor told me that i have to gain a few pounds and eat more fats. i have been eating a lot lately but my weight hasnt gone up much. i walk about 2 miles a day. sometimes i would do a dance workout video for 40 minutes and some pilates. the dance workout videos aren’t really cardio since my heartrate barely goes up. i strive to eat 2500 calories a day. i am also 5’2″ 85 pounds and 14 years old.
can anybody please give me tips on how to gain weight healthily? my parents are telling me to eat more ice cream and faty meats. but i know that is not the path to go.
Christianne says
I forgot I have another question — There is a window of time between dinner and when I go to bed (dinner by 5:30 or 6:00 and bed by 10:30) so sometimes I have some vanilla yogurt that I top with sliced strawberries, blueberries and Fiber One. After the yogurt I usually get hungry again before I get to bed do you think that could be b/c the yogurt is sweet and just stimulating my appetite more? Do you think switching to plain yogurt would be better than vanilla? I try to eat a good amount of protein and fiber at dinner and I try to quit eating when I’m satisfied but not stuffed. What do you think?
Hayley says
Avelina,
The best way to gain weight is to add more healthy fats to your diet (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) like oils (olive, canola, etc.), avocado, nuts and/or nut butters, salmon. These are all healthy foods that are higher in fat. Also, adding some weightlifting to an exercise routine will help you to put on some weight because muscle weighs more than fat. Keep in mind, though, that when you’re active and growing, you need more fuel for your body (more calories). Good for you for knowing that ice cream and junk food are not the way to go!
kim says
Hey Kath:
I’m trying that taco salad tomorrow! I know the Stats can be challenging, I struggled with it but it really helped me look at research data with a critical eye/use it much more than I’d ever orig. thought. I’ve lost 7 lbs this month. Woo hoo. 25 to go. Your blog is really inspirational and upbeat!
Katie M says
Hey, did you have a tip about weight loss in the Parade magazine from this Sunday’s newspaper? I read a comment from a “Katherine” that touted the benefits of oatmeal as an afternoon snack (in a column about weight loss). This “Katherine” had also lost ~30 pounds. Just curious 🙂
Jen says
X2 to the gaining muscle mass – but try with a trainer. you are in prime bone growing time and don’t want to hurt yourself.
also, if the volume of food or the high fat content, gets to be too much, you could ask your doc about a dietary suplement drink. — the anti slim fast kind! i needed to gain and my trainer suggested muscle milk. also carnation makes high cal complete nutrition shakes that are often given to people as meal replacements in hospitals if they can’t eat solids. they would probably be a yummy healthy drink with a meal.
but the good old fashioned way, also told to be by my trainer – “eat peanutbutter sandwiches, lots and lots of peanutbutter sandwiches!” 😉
Jen (Simpsons quote girl) says
p.s. Kath, i just got an A in stats. I was a miserable math student all the way through college, passing on my teachers’ pity. if it could click for me, it can click for anyone.
Dena says
You have to try Body Glide for your blisters. If you don’t already know about it from running, it looks like a stick of deodorant and you can rub it anywhere on your body to prevent chafing, blisters, etc. It works wonders preventing blisters when you wear new shoes! You can normally get it at any sporting goods or running store.
Fig says
Kath- for Stats. Get in with a TA now. Many people get lost in the beginning foundations which sets them up down the line.
Also keep in mind you can get some help here if needed! (wink)
Btw: I am really enjoying this blog. I did in fact post about my concerns of weighing in foods earlier.
I am hoping that wasnt taken as an insult or dig to you. I have grown to enjoy the chatter here and wanted to voice an idea for you to try to progress in your healthy mindset and eating goals. I tip my hat.
As Always-
Fig
Brianne says
I just wanted to suggest some high-calorie healthy food for Avelina. Avocado, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, flax, flax oil/hemp oil (add to smoothies), nut butters, granola, hemp milk, healthy baked goods, soy ice cream (soo good and not full of sat. fats), protein powder, pasta, sprouted grain bread and even a little butter and dark chocolate.
I would suggest adding good fats to everything you eat, I eat a lot of fat because I am breastfeeding (need more cals) but it all comes from healthy sources. Add butter or olive oil to veggies, dip fruit in nut butters, add dried fruit, nuts and seeds to full fat yogurt and oatmeal, add smashed avacodo to sandwiches, add healthy oil to smoothies. Also, at 14 I don’t think you should really be counting calories unless you think you will really undereat if you dont. I wish you the best with adding on some healthy pounds!
Kath says
Avelina,
Thanks to the other readers for the suggestions – they said exactly what I would have told you! Calorie-dense foods yet healthy ones. Way to go for recognizing ice cream and junk food is not the right path 🙂
Christianne,
I doubt the yogurt is making you hungry. I would say two things:
1) Are you thirsty?? Sometimes after dinner I just need a big cup of tea or glass of water in the summer to calm my “hunger”. Are a can of string beans appealing to you at that time? If you don’t want string beans, it’s probably not hunger but thirst or cravings.
2) Perhaps you’re not eating enough during the day. If it IS real hunger, then try making your breakfast and lunch bigger and see if that helps at all.
Hayley, Jen and Brianne,
Thanks for the smart responses!
Kim,
Congrats on the weight loss! Keep up the good work. Glad you like the blog 🙂
Katie,
Yes! That was me – good eye!!
Jen,
Thanks for the support! I think i’m going to stick it out. I was good at calc., but they say if you’re good at calculus you’ll be horrible at stats!
Dena,
I’ll look for Body Glide! Thanks for the tip.
Fig,
No hard feelings! I didn’t respond because of the vacation, but thank you so much for commenting in the nicest way possible – I really appreciate that. I’m eyeballing my foods more and more and am hoping to improve my eye for portions this year.
Kath
kristin says
Thanks for giving us college students some slack and acknowleging that it’s hard. “Adults” often think that college is a breeze and all about partying and living off your parents. But it is HARD studying, taking tests, attending lectures and working then trying to fit in some me-sanity time :). I am super perfectionist and I let the stress get to me last spring semester and was miserable. My eating suffered and I was on edge all the time! Good thing you are putting things in perspective for yourself and being realistic! Go you!
arimcg says
I am definitely checking out that Body Glide. Thanks Dena.
Alison says
That taco salad looks amazing! I’m definitely making it this weekend. Thanks for all the great meal ideas, Kath. I’m learning a lot from your blog.