brown-bag challenge!

i have come to the realization that it is going to be impossible for me to continue my frivolous lunchtime spending habits.  i have a honeymoon jar to fill, after all!

so this week, i am going to challenge myself to five days straight of brown-bagging.  it shouldn't be hard, since i recently acquired this cheery lunchbox for myself, so i can tote my snacks to school in style:

so, what have i packed in my lunchbox for today?


-green sandwich, featuring three-grain bread from big sky, hummus, cucumbers, avocado, and roasted red peppers (although i lament the lack of sprouts, which are usually a staple for this sandwich)

-honeycrisp apple slices

*UPDATE*

the quality of this sandwich increases gajillionfold simply by toasting the bread.  heaven.

i love packing lunches on mondays, since our fridge is freshly stocked with the bounty from our trip to the sunday morning farmer's market.  if there is any avocado left by the end of the week, i might have to repeat this sandwich a few more times before resorting to the traditional pbj.

any other suggestions for creative veggie sandwich delights?

bye-bye, buzz

it has been well over a month since i had my last sip of coffee.  it is something i decided to give up kind of on a whim.  one summer morning at a music festival, i was groggy and sleep-deprived.  wanting to get a little jump before dancing and listening to music all day, i had a cup of coffee someone made for us at our campsite.  but instead of getting the caffeine high that i was hoping for, i felt jittery, queasy, and edgy.

thinking it was perhaps just a product of being sleep deprived and over-stimulated, i tried to give it another chance a few days later, after i had a chance to fully recover from raucous festival-induced debauchery.  slowly sipping an afternoon cup of coffee, the same effects took hold of me: cue heart-racing and cirque-de-soleil trampoline performance in my stomach.  knowing how terrible and unlike-myself i felt after drinking it, i knew it would not be difficult for me quit coffee cold-turkey.

since i have cut coffee out of my diet, i really do feel so many benefits!  i am much more in tune with my body's sleep cycle, i have a lot of energy in the morning, plus i've got a few extra dollars in my pocket since i am not spending 3 bucks a day for my extra tall cafe au lait!

i have to give myself props, however...the week after that festival, i started my second (and final, and most stressful) year of grad school, but i haven't needed to drink a cup yet!  my morning now starts with a cup of green tea, which has a host of benefits all its own.  plus, i have been trying to cut out as much dairy as possible, so drinking super-milky coffee every day isn't exactly conducive to this goal.

it was a little bit hard the first few mornings, i must admit, but after the "withdrawal" symptoms went away (which mostly consisted of me feeling groggy), i have been feeling better than any cup of coffee has ever made me feel!

so, y'all...what do you think?  is anyone else up for the coffee-elimination challenge?

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