Healthy Continental Breakfast

Hello again! It's that time of year again...back to school! As a university student, back to school means more than just that. It means back to my second home. There are so many great opportunities that are available through university life that I would never experience otherwise. I can't wait to share more about my sophomore year with ya'll!

Let's not get too ahead of ourselves though! Before moving in, my family stayed at a nearby hotel for a couple of days. After a not so great motel experience last year, a hotel was definitely the way to go. Besides the pool and hot tub, which are obviously the best perks, the hotel provided a nice continental breakfast every morning. The options were far more extensive than I imagined they would be, so I took on the challenge of creating the healthiest morning meal that I could. I poked around looking in every little tray and mini fridge before assembling my plate. Here is what I chose:

 

• Black tea with skim milk
• 1 hard boiled egg with a pinch of salt and pepper
• Quaker's Instant Oatmeal (maple and brown sugar) with a splash of skim milk
• Dannon's Light & Fit "mini" blueberry yogurt

I usually try to start my day off with a good amount of protein to keep me energized and satisfied for a long amount of time. At the hotel breakfast they had a variety of regular yogurts so I figured this would be an ok source of protein. In the past I couldn't stomach any yogurt besides flavored greek, but I've gotten less picky over the years. Greek yogurt still remains my preference because of its thickness and higher amount of protein, but regular yogurt will do in a pinch! I grabbed a little blueberry yogurt which must have been around 3-4 oz. Although it was a bit too sugary for my taste, it made a good side to the rest of my breakfast. 

The hard boiled egg was by far the most natural item on my plate, and added another source of protein along with some good fats and vitamins. 

The bulk of the meal was the Oatmeal. Of course instant oatmeal would never beat the real thing, but it is still tasty...especially if you choose the maple and brown sugar flavor! Despite all of the sugar in this oatmeal, you are still getting some fiber from the whole grain rolled oats and some protein. Not too shabby!!

And of course, some tea :)

So there you have it! Continental Breakfast with a healthy spin. Or you could be a little more traditional and just have this...

Bagels and Waffles

And what goes better with breakfast than a dip in the pool and the hot tub?!?

Do you see me way back there?

Mission: Montauk

Happy Friday everyone! I seriously cannot believe how fast this week blew by. I am starting to see the difficulties of consistently creating blog posts, but this is a challenge that I am willing to accept! Two days ago I went on a bit of an adventure with my mom to Montauk, Long Island. Driving out to the outermost tip of the Island was a highlight itself since it marked the longest amount of time I've spent at the wheel. I am quite proud if I do say so myself! 

I started off the morning with a short run around my neighborhood. Unfortunately I woke up later than I wanted to, but I was still able to squeeze in about three miles. With such a long day ahead of me I knew I needed some exercise for an extra boost of energy. I've always found it amazing how running makes me feel less tired throughout the day. 

Before heading to the very tip of Montauk, my mom and I decided to walk around the town to find a bite to eat. We stopped in a cute organic market called Naturally Good whose menu can be seen here. On our way inside, and exiting customer told with such enthusiasm how tasty the fish tacos were, that I was instantly intrigued. We ordered the Cajun Fish Tacos to split. Although the wait was rather extensive, the food was the perfect pick me up before setting off for the rest of our day.

First we went for a long walk across the beach and then visited a few shops on Main Street. Soon after we went to the Montauk Lighthouse at the true tip of the Island. It was so amazing to be engulfed by the beautiful water on all sides. I highly recommend the visit!

Headed up the lighthouse!

The breathtaking view from the top

Relaxing afterwards 

It was about 5:00pm when we finished up at the lighthouse, but the day was not over yet! Boy do I love how long a summer day can last :) Since we already walked through the town of Montauk, we decided to check out some shops in East Hampton. During the course of our window shopping, my mom kept noticing people with bags that read Citarella. I looked it up and it turned out to be the gourmet food market of the town. We had to go there ourselves! We ended up scoring some yummy almond paste cookies as well as an adorably small yet tall carrot cake for my brother's birthday celebration that is coming up. Looking at all the food in this place got our stomachs rumbling for dinner.

We came across a nearby restaurant with outdoor seating and settled there called Babette's. I wasn't expecting much, but as it turned out every single item on the menu appealed to me. This is not a common occurrence! The waitress had to come back at least twice before I was ready to place my order. My mom and I ended up splitting two entrees--one of the great perks of going out to eat with this wonderful lady.

Even the bread that they gave us was deliciously nutty and seeded. 

Lentil Vegetable Walnut burger served with sweet potato fries 

Salad with tofu, asparagus, olives, red potato, tomatos.


Although on the pricey side, we were in East Hampton and the meal was different and fun.



All in all a beautiful day and a great trip.