Valentine’s Day was just another normal day for this single gal. Don’t worry, I made sure to get my hearts in!
Hearty <3 Breakfast (and heart smart too!):
Pink oat bran w/ a heart-shaped black bean brownie and strawberries. Hello, cutting skills 
Don’t ask how I got it to be pink
Faux cookie dough that my friend Amanda sent me a recipe for. I’ll post it once I get the proportions right.
More strawberries (from an on campus eatery):
I went on a 40 min. walk while reading and had a heart to heart phone chat with my Momma. I was anticipating working out in the afternoon but kept putting it off for hours so I never committed to a real meal. Hence, lotsa random snax!
Pumpkin Kefir w/ pecans and Kashi GoLean:
Ezekiel English Muffin w/ almond butter and pumpkin butter. While snuggling in my pink bed and working on my Trader Joe’s presentation.
I accidentally I took a 2 hour nap (it was supposed to be 20 min)!!! I never take naps because I have a hard time falling asleep at night as it is. Oopsies. I guess I needed it.
FINALLY, at around 7pm, I went to the gym for a heart pumpin’ workout! Before I left for the gym, my stomach was growling so I had one of these:
My workout consisted of 50 min. elliptical + 13 min. stationary bike. It was pretty quiet at the gym for a Sunday night. A great time/place to meet single people, eh?
***
Dinner (prepped before my nap):
2 egg whites + brie cheese on a Whole Wheat Nature’s Own Sandwich Round.
I found these at an on-campus convenience store yesterday for $2.50!! Every time I go grocery shopping, I am tempted to get these. However, I know I have access to bread on campus (using my dining points) so I refrain. For once, something on-campus wasn’t severely overpriced.
Side of Broc:
Beta-Carotene Trio: Kabocha squash, carrots, sweet potatoes
After dinner I had a HUGE craving for chocolate, V-Day style. I had no chocolate though!! Too bad I ate an entire bag of chocolate chips last week, huh?
So I made hot chocolate with:
- 1 tbsp chocolate protein powder
- 2 tsp Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup water
- stevia
Microwaved!!!
I <3 chocolate!!!!
I was still hungry and craving more chocolate so I had a Luna Bar.
***
I <3 TJ’s
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I spent the rest of the night working on my Trader Joe’s presentation. Researching about Trader Joe’s has made me fall even more in love with them–if that’s possible!
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Quirky Q’s
1. What’s one of your favorite products from Trader Joe’s? Ummm besides kefir, I’d have to say Pineapple Chips and Carrot Ginger Muffins. That’s 2 products, I know.
2. Are you a person that takes naps? Normally, no. Only when I’m sick or by accident while I’m reading.
3. What did you do for V-Day??
{ 50 comments… read them below or add one }
pretty cool that you get to do a project on TJs! love the pink oat bran, looks so pretty and the black bean brownie heart is the perfect addition! mmm strawberries are so good, i finally got a hold of some this weekend! you can read while you walk? impressive, i’d prob crash into a pole or somethign!
I bought some of Nature’s Own sandwich thins last week…there great. I’m loving your Vday breakfast too. Strawberries are a must!
What cute breakfast looks delish, I never take naps I just can’t sleep in the day.
We have the same mac! x x
1. What’s one of your favorite products from Trader Joe’s? I’m in England…there IS NO Trader Joe’s! :’(
2. Are you a person that takes naps? NOOOO never! If I took a nap I’d never get to sleep in the night :s
3. What did you do for V-Day?? Worked and revised and cooked – me time, it was so romantic
I hear about Trader Joe’s SO much on blogs, that the other day I actually went on their website to see if I could see all their stuff online (and poss buy some :p) – alas I could not! Probably better for my bank balance that way
Have a great day!
Wow I never thought of using black bean with something sweet like oatmeal or in brownies like the recipe you linked.
Trader Joe’s = my favorite store ever! I love their uncrystallized ginger, whole wheat pizza dough, and banana protein muffins. Happy Valentine’s Day!
That is so awesome that you’re doing a project on Trader Joe’s! After I started shopping there I researched the company a little bit, and everything I learned made me love it EVEN MORE (didn’t think that was possible!)
Gosh, I just love how fresh and colorful ALL your meals are!
Aw, your breakfast is too cute
How was that Quaker square? I saw them the other day and the flavor certainly caught my eye, haha.
As far as TJ’s goes – I’m one of the deprived ones who has NO TJ’s or WF’s within a 150 mi radius
It’s my lifelong dream for one to come around here, lol.
I can’t take a nap to save my soul, but I know if I do, it was desperately needed! If I’m a little tired, I’ll just relax in bed with the TV or computer or a book
I’m not a napper but I LOVE Trader Joe’s: Pumpkin pancake mix, vegetable flax chips, chai tea… even my soap and face wash!
I just love your Vday breakfast- yum! So fun you get to do a project on TJ’s. What a great topic! I’m in love with their dark chocolate covered peanut butter filled pretzels. If that’s not heaven, I don’t know what is! I’m not a big napper, either.
My guess for the pink oat bran is fruit puree or some kind of juice.
I didn’t know strawberry season started this early! Lotsa red for Valentine’s Day I guess. 
Those sandwich rounds are a total rip-off of Arnold’s, no?
Favorite Trader Joe’s product… hmm, that’s tough. It’s a tie between ginger chips and lentil-potato crunchies. :] I don’t take naps, even though I probably should sometimes. And I basically did nothing for V-Day except eat chocolate, haha.
Have a lovely day~
ox candice
I think I adore everything from TJ’s!!! My husband wants to open one so badly and has a perfect location picked out. Too bad they don’t franchise it out to people. Or at least that’s what we got from checking into it.
Also, I don’t nap either. Unless sick or pregnant. I nap a LOT when I’m pregnant. LOL
I like so many things from TJs – everything crackers, cranberry apple butter, peanut butter, etc.
I do enjoy the occasional nap, but I tried to keep them under 30 minutes or an hour.
I babysat last night, for a family friend & her husband. She is going through chemo so I really wanted a chance for them to go out alone.
Hey, Allie! Looks like you’ve had an amazing V-day! Delicious meals, as always. I simply LOVED all of your yesterday’s eats, haha. Haha. Have a great day! Brazilian XOXO’s, Gabriela
I love the colorful coffee mug at the top of the post!
I love taking naps!!! If I could take one every afternoon I would!
Beautiful v-day breakfast!
I used to take naps ALL the time, but now I hardly ever take them. When I do take them now, I wake up feeling so groggy and gross! Bleh! I’d rather just go to bed early!
Loving the pink oatbran!!!!!!!!!!! Love the chocolate heart!!!! U are amazing girl!! Such skills!!!! What a great way to celebrate Valentines Day!!!!!
Trader Joes , I love their cereals, they have some great ones and their trail mixes rock too, as do the pb chocolate covered pretzels!!!
Katie xoxo
Love that black bean brownie heart!
Hmm, I like Trader Joe’s greek yogurt (it’s super tangy though), and their prepared meals are great- the Middle East Feast (falafel, pita, hummus, tabbouleh).
I looovveee naps but I really do wake up more groggy and tired then when I lied down so I don’t take them too often. They are typically 2 hours though, so that’s a biiigg nap.
I spent V Day at home, relaxing with my boyfriend, eating everything chocolate, pink, and sweet. Perfection.
Have a wonderful day!
Love your pink oatbran! Wow, your Trader Joes is so much nicer than ours. I guess I should just be happy I have one! I just got the Quaker True Delight Quakes in vanilla creme brulee flavor..they are so good!
what a LOVELY day! first of all-the heart shape brownie is so cute! and that chocolate you made looks delicious! I had similar cravings, and had a mint jocolat bar and chocolate chia pudding mmmmm!
1. tj has my favorite organic natural pbs-and its only 3 dollars!
2. i don’t take naps-never have. I used to wake up in an awful mood and start crying when i was little, because i was upset i had missed something while sleeping. i don’t find them refreshing at all.
3. this has actually been one of the best v-days i have ever had. I went to acro-yoga, then a hardcore bootcamp class. then i went with some friends to a pole dance class-so fun and amusing! the evening consisted of watching figure skating in Vancouver, and then dancing/a drink with another fabulous single lady. twas lovely.
enjoy prez day!
Awww my love!! I will be your valentine!! If you’ll let me!!
Can I just say that your food- it’s colors, presentation, diversity, yummyness- EVERYTHING always just makes me so happy and tickled inside?! I love the way you eat!! Those True Delight granola bar things sound tasty!! And i loveeeeee all of your valentine’s day themed eats!! The red and the pink and chocolate! adorable!!!
my valentine’s day was low key in India, but at least I got to talk to the Boy for a bit!!
hope you have a wonderful Monday, deary!!!!
I love your V-Day themed post! I actually worked at our school’s rec center on Valentine’s Day evening/night so nothing exciting here.. besides the copious amount of chocolate that was consumed. But a lot of people had the same idea as you.. to go to the gym last night!
1. I’ve never had the privledge of going to a TJ’s…we don’t have them in Iowa:(
2. I love naps!
3. V-Day was spent going to church, making dinner, watching the Olympics, and playing with our baby!
Aww I love your V-Day breakfast!
And everything else there! lol
And I absolutely loooooooove Trader Joe’s–my fave thing to get might have to be the 2 buck Chuck!
Awh, what a cute breakfast.
It sounds like your Valentine’s Day was well-spent. My boyfriend and I went on a shopping trip to Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. I love both so much!
I love Trader Joe’s. Their well priced almond butter, dried peaches, honey sesame almonds, granola…can’t limit it to one favorite product! It would be awesome if you could share some of your TJ research once you’ve completed your project!
Sounds like a pretty good day, Allie!
Seeing as TJ’s is 4hrs away from me, I haven’t had a chance to try too much from there, but I do LOVE the raw almond butter.
I don’t normally nap because I find I feel worse after I wake up. If I do take a nap it’s likely because I’m under the weather.
Your V-day breakfast looks adorable and delicious! I love your cute little coffee mug!!
-emily http://www.emilyeatsclean.wordpress.com
I love TJ’s!! Sadly we don’t have them here
I’m always tempted to drive 4 hours to Jersey just to hit one up.
I’m a huge fan of their pasta sauce, Tilapia Citronette and PB w/ Flaxseed
ok first of all, you have major photo skills- as i always tel you. that valentine’s day breakfast is SO cutee!!! lovee love it. and yeah 2.50 isn’t bad at all!! i love TJ’s pretzel slims but obviously ther eare 2903582 other things (like their hummus!!) I love too! so good. I def take naps!
1. Trader Joe’s hummus is the BEST i’ve tried taste and price wise, I love the stuff.
2. I love naps but with my college schedule I sleep in until 10 or 11 am so theres no real need for naps anymore.
3. My boy took me to the Melting Pot and we made it a two day event- sat and sun! (yay for me!)
I have many favorite TJ’s products, but I love their dark chocolate almonds & Truffle Brownie Mix <3
My favorite product(s) at TJ’s is their sunflower seed butter, which is DELISH on all types of fruit and their plaintain chips, which I love munching on.
I love naps! hehe I’ve always been a late to sleep-late to rise person, even since a toddler. When I had to get up for school and work it wasn’t uncommon for me to take a small nap when I got home. Now that I’m just doing school I try to get up earlier so I’m not a slug all day, but sometimes I lay back down in the afternoon for a rest that turns into a quasi-nap.
Valentine’s was nothing special. We ran some errands, stopped by J’s parents’ to eat b/c his mom made a turkey dinner (??), and I had a bowl of cereal for dinner while we watched Amazing Race! We’re going to “celebrate” on Tuesday when it’s not so over-priced and crowded. Mayyybe Frontera (I’m nervous/excited) and the Lincoln Park zoo!
your first bowl made me smile!
soooo cute!
Tj’s fav product? mmmm….so many, English Muffin for example. but what I like most shopping there is its environment, the energy of the people who work there and always new products.
not a nap person, if I nap, it’s short, 20 min.
I did nothing except cleaning the snow to pull out my car, not fun!
Love the pink oat bran!
I love Trader Joe’s! I really love their raw almond butter!
i usually dont take naps either but i took at least 2 this weekend haha. i love those sandwich thins but my campus doesn’t sell them
my favorite TJs product was dark chocolate covered edamame lol. they also make great shrimp stir fry frozen packages that i like. have a great week
1. I lovelovelove TJ! My favorite products would have to be the Indian Fare Dal Shorba carrot & lentil soups, pumpkin pancake mix, & TJ nut butters
(I also can’t just settle on one!)
2. I have to be reeeeeally tired to take a nap because they mess with my beauty sleep at night and leave me way past tired the next day
3. For V-day I watched the Olympics with my mama & worked on some homework for a few classes. For the most part it was nice & relaxing.
Love the pink oat bran! The peanut butter filled pretzels from TJ’s are my absolute fave!!
I love your valentines day breakfast! so cute
I wish I lived closer to a TJ’s, but sadly, I do not… when I do make the special trip to one though, my favorite thing to buy is their cinnamon crumpets! I love them so much – they’re so light and fluffy! I also love their pumpkin butter!
also – how are those quaker squares? i’ve been interested to try them.. they sound pretty good!
I LOVE the pink oat bran! And I must find those sandwich rounds…they would be perfect for turkey burgers!!!
Hehe, I think we have the same little square appetizer plates–they’re so perfect for snacktime!
You’re probably giving your presentation right now–hope you’re rockin’ it!
Oh, and fave TJ’s products include honey sesame cashews and carrot ginger soup.
Mmmmmmm I love your DIY hot chocolate. I do that too, but I’m too lazy to wash mugs so I just use a paper cup leftover from alpine/saladelia coffee and toss it.
I never take naps! If I get enough sleep at night, I can’t fall asleep during the day, and if I don’t get enough sleep at night, I will wake up discombobulated and even more tired if I nap. :[
I like trader joe’s whole wheat multigrain bread. It’s only #2.49 a loaf and the slices are thick and big. I’m also a sucker for their trail mix/bagged nuts
oh and ALMOND BUTTER. they also have amazing gingerbread cake/cookie mix, but it’s seasonal :[
Fun day!! Glad you got lot’s of pink and hearts in
I’ve never had Kefir before, is it kinda of a mix between milk and yogurt? Looks pretty good!!
1. I am SOOO sad to say I have NEVER been to a TJ’s
We don’t have any around here (Memphis). I want to go so bad and once I do find one, I’m sure I will go crazy in the store! Haha
2. I normally don’t take naps either. I find they always end up making me more tired and kind of groggy for the rest of the day!!
3. For Vday, I just spent time at home with my fiance and puppy and watched the Olympics. It was nice!
I love your V-day eats. That’s so adorable! And definitely makes me want to chow down on some strawberries. I love Trader Joe’s as well. That’s great that you’re doing some research on them. It’s always interesting to learn more about the companies you love!
your eats are so cute!! those strawberries look really fresh, im jealous. lol right now ours are awfullll but i still eat them haha i cant wait for season to be in! it’s really cool that you’re doing a project on trader joe’s i love that place! we have one in our town and country mall it’s super cute.
amy<3
Sounds like a great V-day!! And I love those Nature’s Own Sandwich Thins, just finished off my bag today
1. I’ve NEVER been to a TJ’s…ugh!
2. I hate naps because I always wake up groggy and feel gross for the rest of the day…but sometimes they are necessary
3. dinner at a boy’s house
i don’t think i could pick 1 favorite TJs item!!! crunchy almond butter, pumpkin butter, corn n chile salsa, oat n wheat bran swirls cereal, dark chocolate covered pretzel slims, goddess dressing, sesame crepes!!! AHH too many amazing things!!!
i baked strawberry cupcakes with a dark chocolate ganache for Vday!!!
i like naps, when needed, but dont like napping too late so that it affects my night’s sleep
im not normally a nap person! but im like you-on occasions or if i am sick..they always feel GREAT tho! i dont have a tjs near me and it is SO sad!
ONE of my faves is the mini chocolate peanut butter cups. They are ridiculously good. I never buy them, but my mom always does, so I get my fix when I go by their house.
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