Lunches For Big Kids

All my 28 years, I’ve suffered from a problem with lunches. I don’t like sandwiches. I was that weird kid who didn’t want to take lunchmeat slapped in the middle of two pieces of bread. I HATED crusts even more. Ick.

My poor mother, how she must have equally suffered. As a parent, what the heck do you buy your kid if they don’t like sandwiches? She tried every cracker-cheese-meat combination possible till' it was played right out of my grade six vocabulary. 

Well, 28 years later, here I am, and I got it down to a grind now.

I’ve had a few years to experiment and pull recipes from Pinterest, providing me a nice variety. I wanted to give a few examples of some awesome lunches that students can bring to school, something to give them energy and fill their hungry tummies that rumble all day at campus.

10 Tips for a healthy lunch:

Dying to grab that box of poutine from the commons? Here's why it's important to pack a lunch the night before while your in post-secondary.

1.) Water.

Bring those bottles friends. Hydrate yourself. It will fill you up so you feel less hungry, and if you're drinking cold water, it will keep you from putting your head down and falling asleep.

2) Skip The Bread.

Choosing a low fat, high-in-fiber bread is important. If you have too, choose a multi-grain type. Try crackers or a pita wrap instead of the traditional loaf of bread. You'll get more nutrients, which is important in maintaining diet and staying healthy.

3) Soup It Up.

There are a million different soup recipes out there, what are you waiting for!? Soups offer a low-calorie lunch option, and an easy way to fill up and stay full. Depending on what soup you can have, the benefits are endless. 

4) Fruit.

You've been hearing this since you were little. Eat your fruit, it's nutritious. Funny, they were right. Fruits provide another source of energy, as they are packed with vitamins and minerals.

5) Veggiezzz.
Red, orange, and green vegetables are legit. i.e. tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli. Another great source of energy, packed with vitamins and minerals.

6) Protein man. 

Protein increases energy. Put down that Red Bull and eat some chicken!! Other sources of protein are: peanut butter, fish, eggs, beef, soy and dairy.

Sample lunches below

Lunch #1:
hardboiled egg

pretzels

yogurt

trail mix (pumpkin seeds, craisins, chocolate chips, sunflower seeds)

apple

salad w/ balsamic dressing

water

Lunch #2:
pizza wrap (recipe below)

popcorn

cottage cheese

cantelope

snap peas

water

Lunch # 3:

hummus

triscuits

yogurt

kiwi (REMEMBER: green fruit = good)

edymeme beans

water

avocado mixed with Greek yogurt

veggies to dip (carrots, celery, cucumber)

grapes

water

bran muffin

Recipe for pizza wrap:

1 whole-wheat wrap

3 tbsp pizza sauce

Sliced pepperoni

¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

Lay whole-wheat wrap flat, evenly spread pizza sauce.

Top with pepperoni   and cheese.

Roll wrap tightly.

Cook for 1 min in microwave or until cheese melts.

Eating at the spa

I had a really great reading week, although I did tons of homework, as expected.

Since I’ve been working up a storm, my mom thought it would be nice to take me out for a day; she said to relax a little.

So here I am. Back from my day at the spa, and I feel gooooood!

Pretty cliché, but we went to check out Thermea spa. I’ve been to a few spas in Winnipeg, and I have to say, this one was quite unlike any other I’ve experienced!

Wow. I felt like I had stepped out of Winnipeg for a short impromptu vacation.

We arrived to the establishment, and I was pleasantly surprised about how secluded the spa felt.

It was very rustic, with deer antlers hanging amongst the hanging ceiling lamps at the top of the vaulted ceiling.

We were given robes and sandals, and directed to the fitting room.

When we were ready to go, we started off in a dry sauna, in which we sat for 15 minutes before going into an ice-cold pool called the “Polarer”.

Next, we went into a pool with medium temperature water – not too hot, but not too cold – and then into the hot tub for ten minutes.

After the hot tub, there is an aromatherapy sauna, one orange and the other eucalyptus.

The last step is the relaxation room. Tea and water are provided before lounging on heated stones with headphones that provide relaxing music.

Another room features several mats and pillows where you can lie down and take a nap or rest.

Of course, the spa has a very interesting restaurant called Restö. Guests of the spa are welcome to enter the restaurant with robes and sandals.

Obviously it follows a health theme, for example, they have an appetizer called a “restorative.”

The two restoratives include bison and barley broth, winter vegetables and caramelized carrot soup, rosemary oil, lemon.

For a lighter fare, you can enjoy a roasted seeds, cream cheese, beets, cucumber, sprouts sandwich.

My absolute favourite thing was the cheese and meat plate. You can choose 3 for $18 or 5 for $28, and options include smoked provolone, MB Trappis Monk Oka, garlic onion loaf and bison salami, to name a few.

It's a great deal to go to Thermea, Monday to Thursday the rates are $45. Weekends are only $4 more. There was different types of massages and facials as well, but they were all booked up.

Smoothie Up, Friends!

Everyone’s drinking smoothies!

This has been a huge deal in the last couple years. Everyone and their dog seem to be adding “mixologist” to their resumes.

So how do you know what to put into your cup?

I’ll let you know the certain benefits we can get from fruits and veggies and why it’s good for you to ingest!

Benefits to smoothies:

-Reduces inflammation which leads to clear skin

-Eliminating free radicals allows us to control anti-aging

-Boosts collagen

-Vitamin C

-Opportunities to heal dry skin

-Overall health

-Nourishes body and mind

TAHITI TREAT

BLEND:
3/4 cup orange juice

2 frozen bananas
1 cup of strawberries
1/2 cup of raspberries
5 peeled kiwis

STRAWBERRY KISS:
1 cup coconut water
1/2 cup plain yogurt or greek yogurt
1 cup strawberries
1/2 cup rasberries

My favourite ingredient in a smoothie is coconut. I always keep a coconut extract in the cupboard to add an extra bit of flavour.

Coconut water is great after a workout since it's considered a natural sports drink that replaces potassium in your body. Here's a great post-workout smoothie recipe:

Orange fruits and veggies offer heaps of nutrients called carotenoids, which repair the cell damage that happens during workouts. Meanwhile, coconut water rebalances the electrolytes you’ve lost through perspiration.

POST-WORKOUT

2 cups spinach

1 cup frozen mango

1/2 cup baby carrots

1/2 ci[ coconut water

1/4 cup orange juice

2 mandarin oranges, peeled

1/2 cup greek yogurt

BLEND all ingredients until smooth.

NUTRITION (per serving) 364 cal, 12 g pro, 80g  carb, 12 g fiber, 62 g sugars, 2.5 g fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 321 mg sodium
Found on prevention.com

Good food, good beer, and good coffee—The Good Will

Winnipeg's known for its thriving hospitality business. Everywhere you look, new restaurants and new lounges are popping up in our multicultural city.

There’s nothing I hate more than going out with my friends, and then stopping at McDonald’s on the way home for a double big mac and large fries.

That’s a disgusting lie.

I love everything about going out with my friends, and then visiting Ronnie (McDonald's) at the end of the night.

But, this is clearly not a healthy habit to adopt. Lately, I’ve been trying to eat healthier, so McDonald’s doesn't quite fit in my meal plan.

So how do I solve the issue of eating better when going out dancing with my friends? And no, dancing doesn’t eliminate future McDonald’s calories….

There are several establishments introducing eateries. Not only do you get to go out and enjoy the entertainment and atmosphere, but also you get to sit down and order a hearty meal (healthy or non-healthy) of your choice.

Last week, I checked out a new place called The Good Will.

Located at 625 Portage Avenue, The Good Will is a "social club" that provides: music, coffee, pizza & beer. What else do you need to exist? NOTHING.

I think this is a pretty cool concept, considering these words are like antonyms, ie. coffee and beer. 

When I arrived, I noticed first and foremost the eatery. The business "A Little Slice of Heaven" provides an array of menu options, from pizza to nachos. Beside the eatery was a really cool rustic looking table that reminded me of a glorified cafeteria setting. 

An abundance of people were sitting at the benched tables, stuffing their faces, just as I would. On the other side of the wall, a large room housed the live bands, and an "L" shaped bar. 

In another tiny corner, a sitting area with board games and old throwback items were encouraged to bring out and use/play with. 

A pretty cool concept if you ask me. All these different activities: eating, board games, dancing, eating, drinking coffee, taking shots, drinking beer, stuffed all in one room.

Please don't ever make me leave.

So what did I have? Heres a few things from the menu;

-Kettle—Cooked chips with dip $4

-BBQ Chicken Pizza—Chicken breast lathered in tangy BBQ sauce with green peppers, red onions and mozzarella

ONE PIE
M – $18
L – $24

XL – $28

-Nachos—Tomatoes, onions, green peppers, jalapeños, black olives, cheddar and mozzarella $10

Another thing worth mentioning is Winnipeg's Bogosian's own creation, "#44 BOGO’S BUFFALO CHICKEN".

Pretty neat.