If we took a Holiday, took some time to Celebrate

I handed in my last take-home exam at 10:00 AM this morning and I am DONE! And I am excited. And wiped. And packed full of sugar.
HELLO HOLIDAYS

And hello POPCHIPS!

Most exciting knock at the door all week. Thank you! So pumped.

 

I did manage to get a small dose of holiday spirit before exams were over. Saturday night Ugly Christmas Sweater Party? Don’t mind if I do.

Even though I may have had an exam the next morning at 9am. Yes, a Sunday morning exam. Didn’t know that existed? Neither did I until my exam schedule said so. But don’t worry folks! I studied plenty beforehand. And no I did not drink. A late night out before an exam is one thing but writing an exam hung over? NO thank you.

And it IS possible to have a fun time despite being likely the only sober character in a house of drunken holiday hooligans.

Even when they’re rocking tight sweaters and mad Christmas bling

 

On the food front…

Not going to lie, I haven’t been getting nearly enough of this lately:

I blame it on the holiday spirit alongside the spiritless Grinch that is Exam Time.

But I have been getting plenty of this:

(Definitely not my images. I wish!– weheartit’s x2 + google’s)

However I’ve squeezed in a nutrient or two (albeit not many green ones) here and there:

Microwaved sweet potato + hummus, cottage cheese, salsa

Dippy egg, toasted english muffin, ketchup

and obligatory coffee.

Honey Mustard Butternut Squash – do it up! + zucchini slices

And today I got to have my first COSTCO trip in a couple months now?! I have had NO time to make the adventure to one of my all-time favourite shopping quarters and today, first day of holidays, was the day.

A nice big leafy plate is always necessitated after a trip to Costco, which brought the spinach, tomatoes and hummus to the plate. I also ate plenty of Naan bread and popchips along with this.

I don’t know what I would do without Costco double packs of my absolute favourite hummus. Actually, I’ve been living without it for at least a month now and it’s been troubling to say the least.

I have never tried a hummus comparable to Fontaine Sante.

Umm… can I also talk for a second about THIS…

First NEW Larabar sighting alert! I had not seen these anywhere yet. Then again, I’ve hardly left the house this whole last half of fall term…but whatever. I found a box of the new Larabars. These holidays are starting out well!

I also got some of my Christmas shopping out of the way which is a relief. Hadn’t had a chance to do that yet either. I don’t know how some of you balance all of the stuff you have on your plates, I accomplish nothing outside of school work when the term gets busy.

 

To keep my raving sweet tooth satisfied without the mad chocolate high that I keep getting from all the goodies and sweets that seem to never stop rolling in this month, I’ve tried baking a few slightly healthier goodies to keep on hand.

It hasn’t worked, but they tasted pretty good anyway.

I made Elise’s Pumpkin Banana Bread only halved and with a bunch of changes because of what I had on hand.
My changes: I had no coconut oil or stevia baking blend so I added 1 T creamed coconut, 1/4 cup FF vanilla yogurt and 2.5 T agave to the mix, and carob chips on top of half instead.

Elise’s is likely a lot better but this turned out a-okay to me. I’d make it again.

I also baked it in a square pan, not a loaf pan. It’s flat and lovely.

 

I also de-bittered Alex’s Grain-Free Bitter Chocolate Cake for One. I’m definitely not 100% dark accustomed…yet. Someday! Though it might take a little while to wean my taste buds off of all the sugar after this holiday.

I had no squash puree so I used fat free sour cream…working with what I’ve got! Sweetened up a bit with sugar free eggnog syrup (Bad idea. I don’t love this syrup), and a packet of stevia (this helped). Plus milk chocolate chips. What can I say.
This was good though! I think I could almost handle the full bitter version (maybe with just one packet of stevia…) mixed into yogurt or even oatmeal or something. Future experiments to come…

 

But first, sleep time.

Only THREE DAYS left until CHRISTMAS. I hope you’ve all got your shopping done, your cookies baked, and your Santa hats on.

Falalalala…

Happy Holidays!