Category: food

I want to be a wino

by Ariana Peters, posted in food

Hi everyone!!!!!! 

Generally the only wine I have ever like was sweet wine, like the sweet stuff that males normal wine drinkers gag, total dessert wines. I probably get this from my mom because that is all she drinks. I’ve done a few wine tastings but without real guidance or good food pairings I’ve never found anything else I liked. 

A few weeks ago I saw a post by Monica on her blog RER about Weekly Tasting. I was intreged and I checked it out. I liked the premise of it and signed up. I really liked that I don’t have to slip anything or worry about forgetting to opt out, I have to deliberately go on the website or app and choose to buy that week. 

With your weekly tasting purchase you get your 750ml bottles of wine, a recipe card for a food pairing for each wine as well as a 10 min video by the sommelier who picked the wine and their pairings. And of course you get the expertise of the sommelier who is picking the wines and their pairings. 

I will say there is no way I can or would order the wine pack every week. Firstly it is a little rich for my blood and secondly I could never drink 4 bottles of wine in a week. I am not doing this to get drunk, I want to get better at some pairing so I would have at most 1 glass with a meal. Therefore it will take me about 2 months to get through each 4 pack hahahaha. I will tell you guys about 1 wine at a time probably every other week. 

This is the 1st wine I tried:

Let me tell you I have never said yum about a red wine in my life. 

I listened to the part of the video about this wine while I did my initial tasting.

I poured 1-2 is for a taste test as well as made a piece of sourdough with a little bit of pasta sauce on it because this pairs well with red sauces . 

I smelled it and sniffed for what the video talked about

I could smell most of it, but not everything, need to refine my nose more. It was very fruity actually, not sweet fruity just pleasant. 

Next I looked at the wine and the color (I did these two out of order)

I have no idea what I’m looking for hahahaha, maybe I will figure this part out as I continue 

Then came the taste!

I could actually taste most of what they said in the video and…….i like it!!!! I was pretty surprised that i liked this red wine even to the point of enjoying just sipping on it. 

After tasting it by itself I tried it with the pasta sauce on bread and it was good. 

That is my initial tasting! Now for the pairings. 

I made a spaghetti Bolognese with beef and bell peppers 

Delicious!!!

Stone fires pizza and salad.

It had the red sauce and the char that the sommelier talked about. Once again super delicious! Totally had this for lunch on a Friday. Day drinking!!!!! Hahahaha

Tidbits from the week

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying, training

Hello from California!!!!! I love when I get to come down and visit my friends and family! My goal is generally to come down at least once a year.

Here is my food from the week:

Remember I am on vacation so cut me a little slack lol. 

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Frozen mashed potatoes, restaurant cheeseburger w/fries, Starbucks tall non-fat, no-whip extra shot caramel frappachino, and for dinner a shot of vodka and a buffalo chicken salad. 

Thursday

Turkey burger at TGIFridays with a side salad after my friends graduation. 

Friday

Starbucks tall non-fat, no-whip extra shot caramel frappachino and an egg white, cheese and turkey bacon breakfast sandwich. 

2 cheese enchiladas w/rice and beans, chips and salsa, and 2 mimosas!

1.5 strawberry margaritas, half a TGIFridays chicken quesadilla and half of their pretzel and cheese 

Today was bad day lol. 

In non-food news:

Went for a little 3 mile run walk with the roommate Sunday night.

 I finished my first ever bottle of red wine and LOVED it! I didn’t open the bottle on Sunday though lol I had a glass each night with dinner for a few nights. But more about wine later…….

Monday was my last full school day of this quarter!!!! So excited!!!!!

Tuesday I went for a short treadmill run

I wanted to run longer but my back was killing me. 

Wednesday we had a cleaner come which I am so happy about!!! And i flew to California!!!

Thursday was my best friend Nicole graduation! I am so proud of her!

After graduation we all went out to dinner. 

Friday morning I met my oldest friend for coffee before she had to go to work. We have known each other since we were 2!

After that I went to lunch and hung out with my friend Chanelle

This morning I slept in a bit and this afternoon/evening I have a banquet for my graduate friend!!

Spanish Lessons in Costa Rica

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying

I was going through old photos on my computer and realized I started this blog after my adventure in Costa Rica so I thought I would share some of the photos and stories. It will help me get pumped for my Europe trip!!! (as if I actually need help to get pumped to go to Europe hahahaha)

Back story:

If you have read the about me section you know my dad died when I was 20 and it rocked my world. When I was getting back on track and starting to do well in school again, I was in a class and someone came in and did a quick presentation about a student volunteer organization called ISV, International Student Volunteers. This presentation was enthusiastic and awesome and I said to myself, yep I am so doing that. I was 22. I went to their website and looked around and chose Costa Rica, mostly because their adventure tour sounded the best at the time.

I tend to do things to the extreme, remember when I walked into the wilderness by myself after quitting my job to try and thru-hike the PCT? LOL. In keeping with that I signed up for 1 week of Spanish lessons, 2 weeks of volunteer work, a 2 week adventure tour, and 1 week hiking the Andes to Machu Picchu. Here is what happened:

I had never traveled internationally alone, or even really nationally alone. I had driven from Nevada to California a few times by myself but that was it, so while I was with a group, they were all strangers to me and ISV had made it very clear that we were adults, if we did anything wrong we were on our own.

The adventure:

I got to LAX about 5+ hours before my flight took off, this was before everyone could check in 24 hours ahead on their phones and the internet. Some of the other people who were traveling from other places said they would get to the airport early so I thought I could join them and get to talk to some of them ahead of time. Checking it that early meant I got bumped up to first class!!! To date that is my first and only time in first class hahaha!

When we landed there was no guide to meet us we just headed to the front to look for our host families. I got into a car by myself with a complete stranger in a foreign country…..she knew my name so it had to be her right? Thankfully all turned out well.

I had my own little room and was given a key.


My host family said I was free to come and go as I please. Thankfully I was only a few blocks from the school where I would be studying because I walked to and fro each day by myself.

I had no Spanish knowledge so I was in the very basic class……it was so boring hahahahaha! We had Spanish lessons in the morning then were free to do as we pleased in the afternoon and evenings. They had dance classes everyday that I went to and thoroughly enjoyed. I remember that my dance partner was there learning Spanish because he wanted to be a doctor with doctors without boarders.


One day we also had a cooking lesson, or more a cooking demonstration. Best part was that we got samples!!!

 

Here was my beginners class with out teacher


We were a bunch of misfits hahahaha!!!

We went on a few outings that were guided by the school. Usually lunch around town or to look at something historical.

 

One night I also went out with a bunch of people from the school to a local bar/dance club. It was fun but part of picking myself back up after my dad died meant that I had completely stopped drinking until I could get myself under control so going to a bar with people who just wanted to get drunk was not the best idea, I was bored and miserable the whole night. I wasn’t ready to be able to have sober fun in a setting like that.

When we graduated we all got little certificates saying we had learned for a week hahahaha


This week was my first time ever staying with a non-family member or friend by myself, first time using an international phone card, first time using an internet café, first time using my passport to get into a bar, first time navigating a foreign city by myself, first time trying to really communicate with people who spoke a language I didn’t, first great adventure as an adult.

I had had one big international trip before this, I went to South Korea with my family when I was in the 5th grade, it was wonderful but this was 100% different, doing something on your own as an adult is very liberating and you learn so much about yourself. I am so excited for Europe!!!!

I’ll tell you more next month!!

Monday Motivation**June 5, 2017

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying, training

Good morning!!!!!!!!

 

(Image from google)

Holy cow it is already the last week of classes in my spring quarter!! That went fast, probably because I was super busy but I was happy so that is all that matters.

Workout goals-3-4 workouts. I am going to have to work to fit it all in. I have my last day of classes and need to start cramming for finals as well as a trip this week so its going to be busy, busy, busy. But if I am smart about it and keep the amount of crap I eat on the trip to a minimum I should be able to pull it all off. Wish me luck and I’ll keep you posted!

What are your plans this week?

Tidbits from the week

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying, training

Last week!!! Let the finals cramming begin!!!!!

Food for the week

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

What’s been going on this week:

Sunday was the BF’s birthday. My roommate gave me gift cards to take him out so we went to claim jumpers. It was nice to go out and really nice to not have to let him pay. I got to treat him and that was awesome so big shout out to my roommate who made that happen.

Since I’m low on money I made the BF coupons he can use in the relationship for his gift hahahaha.

We ended May,

22 miles, that is nothing in the running world but I’m happy my mileage is slowly increasing.

Tuesday I got a nice run in on the treadmill

Thursday the BF came over after work and we got in a little evening run together

It was super fun. Then I made us a super simple Bolognese sauce over fettuchini with some wine.

And we watched Bridget Jones Baby. It was a really fun and relaxed night.

The BF is out of town this weekend on a bachelor party camping trip so I gloriously did nothing on Friday. I went to my last lab, picked up the puppy, we ran some errands and picked up lunch then I sat on the couch with them and binge watched TV. It was pretty great hahaha.

Tidbits from the week

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying, training

Holy crap only 2 more weeks!!!! I am so excited for this quarter to be over, I feel like I am going to be swimming in oceans of time. Next quarter (summer) I am taking medical terminology online so I am going to have so much more time.

Food from the week:

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

The bf and I also walked to baskin robins and got ice cream. 

Friday

 

Last Saturday my great friend was in town for the quickest of visits, she was here for a funeral, my boyfriend and I met up with her and her friend after work Saturday afternoon. When your friend is in pain and drinking it away and asks you to drink with her, you do. So I did. I don’t drink much and when I do its usually a glass of wine or something (though I will be trying more wine soon but more on that later) but I try in general to limit myself to 1 glass of whatever it is. I wasn’t the best with my limits in college and I don’t ever need to go back to that. Anyways, I ended up drinking 4 cans of Mike’s black cherry hard lemonade, this is how much of a lightweight I am now, I got drunk off 4 cans basically fruity beer hahahaha. We were at a golf course and ended up just staying there so I ate a hot dog. Thankfully I was in bed by 10pm because I had to be up at 5am for work. But those 4 cans were too much for me, I woke up sick at 2:30am and needed to get something in my stomach, I ate a pop tart. I was hung-over the next day, hence the Mexican food on Sunday and Monday. I cannot believe how long it takes to recover from a hangover now!!!! Like the whole week to feel 100% again. Anyways that was my weekend lol.

Monday I relaxed in between classes but Tuesday I got my butt out for a walk and a run. The roommate and I did 1.3 miles walking then I did another 4 miles on the treadmill.

Wednesday the pup and I got out for about 1.5 miles walking in between classes

Thursday I went out for a run and got 3 miles in. This run was quite tumultuous and will do a whole post on it in a few days. Beware for TMI hahaha.

Friday the BF, the pup and I went for a little hike. 9.4 miles. I will do a more in depth review on the hike next week.

This was a pretty big jump in miles for me this week and I am feeling it in my legs and feet. But I am excited, this is how to get back in shape and lose weight!   19.2 miles total for the week between walking, running and hiking.

Can’t wait to see what next week brings!

How was your week?

Did you get any miles in?

What is the best meal you had this week?

Tidbits from the week

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying, training

7 Weeks down, 3 to go!! The end is NEAR!!

As I mentioned on Wednesday I have challenged myself to 30 days of no fast food.

Here is my food for the week:

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Smoothie, 2 corns on the cobb, half a homemade quesadilla, Lo Mein, homemade frittata on toast

Friday

I forgot pictures: Smoothie, a few bites of leftover Lo Mein, coffee and 3/4 of a biscotti, teriyaki burger and fries, a shared hard cider with the BF and pizza oh and a coke.

On Monday Artemis and I went for a little 1.5 mile walk in between 1st class and 2nd. I made pasta for dinner for Monday night and actually looked up what a serving size is and how to measure it. Normally I just pour the pasta in the boiling water until it looks like enough. Turns out a 2oz serving of dry pasta is 3/4 cup (I couldn’t find the 3/4 cup so I used 1/2 and 1/4 hahaha) and this is what I got………holy cow, I normally pour about 3x that.

Apparently I really need to start looking at my serving sizes.

Tuesday I ran 3 miles on the treadmill and walked about a mile with the roommate outside before rain and hail then random bits of sunshine shone through.

Thursday I got out for a very short run, I felt a little funky so I cut the run short.

Friday the BF and I went to a place called tree2tree adventure park where they have all rope courses and zip lines and stuff you can play on. I took a few pre pictures but cameras/phones weren’t encouraged when actually up the trees in case you dropped them. The courses ranged from 5 feet in the air up to 35 feet in the air!!!! We took a little road trip on the way there to make a day of it after I got out of lab.



I really thought I was going to enjoy this adventure but wowza. I like the little ‘training camp’ area they  had to practice on, mostly the practice was on clipping and unclipping your harness when going from obstacle to obstacle and I was scared but enjoyed the easy levels which were anywhere from 5-10ish feet off of the ground. It was nerve wracking but pretty fun…….they we went to the intermediate one which started at about 5-10ft off the ground and went up to 35ft and started getting a lot more wobbly and difficult. The first intermediate one was 8 obstacles and 2-3 zip lines. About half way through the panic really set in and some hyperventilating like breathing started. By the 2nd to last obstacle I was holding back tears and talking to myself, the world drilled down to a pinprick in front of me and all I was aware of was me saying: you can do it, you can do it, one more step, one more obstacle, you got this, its ok, you are ok , you are ok, you are ok, don’t panic, don’t panic, its fine. I got to the end of that last zip line with my feet planted on the ground and could not get unhooked fast enough. I put my head between my legs and just breathed. The BF was sweet to me, we bought me a coke because I was shaking and I sat down for 20-30minutes.



After about a 20 minute break we went to do the other intermediate course, I didn’t really want to but we had paid $50 each to do this and I knew the BF was having fun so I tried to suck it up for him and get 1 more course done. This course stayed a little lower than the other intermediate one but was more difficult in that there were more unstable shaky obstacles. And unlike the others which all started on the ground this one you had to climb a ladder to get to it. I started climbing that ladder and said NOPE! I need a few more minutes, I was still shaky.

After a little longer I steeled my resolve and said, ok there are 10 things total, just get through them and you don’t have to get back up there. I rocketed through that course and didn’t talk to anyone but myself, didn’t hear anyone, the BF said he fell and made faces at me to show me it was ok, I didn’t see anything, I was so focused on the next step and getting the hell off there. Once again I was almost crying by the end but I did it. Then I convinced the BF to do the 1st of 2 advanced courses by himself while I watched and walked the course with him. So glad I didn’t go that one, it was half zip lines which made it a little easier but the obstacles it did have looked intense and I was mini panicking just watching him do it. All and all I am glad I did it, and it got us out of the house and I know that if I am ever on the amazing race I can force myself to do the insane tasks but I apparently scared of heights. Which is funny cause sky diving didn’t bother me at all except getting nauseous because I had an empty stomach, but I loved skydiving. Weird the things that affect us.

Money and Food

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying

In case I haven’t mentioned it (ya right?) I am a BROKE college student with lots of debt, and in case it hasn’t been made clear I LOVE food.

Because I am broke and in debt I have been making a budget for myself the last year-ish, I have all my bills typed up each month on an excel sheet that is always in plain view and I cross my bills off as I pay them so I don’t forget any. Doing this means I usually budget myself for all my bills, I try and remember gas and food.


Yet somehow even though I do this I seem to always be pinching even smaller pennies than usual by the week of payday and half the time I end of overdrawing on either my checking account or a credit card resulting in fees and overnight bill pay charges eating into my already small funds. I have slowly been getting rid of unnecessary luxuries and paring things down, I do a lot less amazon shopping and am trying to do this 3-day rule thing, if you still want it in 3 days then you can buy it if I can justify it to myself, it has helped a lot. But again somehow I always come up short.

So after I set up my new bill worksheet (I had reached the end of the old one) I decided to look at where my last paycheck went……………………………it went to a school payment and bills and a few cosmetic things, one or two small fun things but it still seemed like I blew through it way to fast…….where did a big chunk go……FOOD!

I try very hard to plan out my meals so that I can save money and not waste food but I have clearly not adjusted too well to my new schedule.

Problem # 1 I have this “you are broke don’t spend more than you absolutely have to at the grocery store”. So I go in and buy as little as possible; which is great I walk out of grocery outlet with a $25-$30 grocery bill I have even allowed 1-2 impulse buys…….but because I went in with that mentality instead of a carefully planned out menu taking all meals and snacks into account, I didn’t get everything I need so I go back to the store later in the week to pick up a few things and walk out $20 later……then I go back a few days later for a few more things and walk out $15 later and my $25-30 grocery bill went up to $60-70 bucks for 10-15 days of eating……say what?!

Problem # 2 My schedule. Saturday and Sunday are great I eat breakfast in the AM, head to work, have a packed lunch and 1-2 snacks then when I get home I have dinner. The week is where it gets messy. Since I haven’t yet figured out how to plan for every meal and snack here is how my week goes:

Monday/Wednesday- have a smoothie for breakfast, go to class, come home and have eggs on toast for a 2nd breakfast/early lunch, pack dinner and work things and then go to 2nd class, go from 2nd class to work but haven’t packed a snack/meal to eat while driving from school to train station to rush to work so I stop and a fast food place….there goes $3-5 (each day). Go to work eat my snacks throughout my shift and eat dinner between 7:30-8:30pm, I get off work at 11:05 and catch the last train back to my car and am set to get home just before midnight….but it has now been 4.5-5.5 hours since I have eaten dinner and I am hungry again. And again instead of having packed a snack I can eat while driving (and I don’t want to make one at home at 12:15 at night, my roommates are asleep in our tiny place) I drive through fast food again, there is another $3-7.

Tuesday is a little better-  I have a smoothie and eggs on toast for breakfast after a run then do some house chores. I have a simple lunch like today was top ramen, sometimes it is grilled cheese or pasta, whatever. Then I pack dinner and work things and head to work around 1:35pm. Go to work eat my snacks throughout my shift and eat dinner between 7:30-8:30pm, and again I get off work at 11:05 and catch the last train back to my car and am set to get home just before midnight….but it’s been 4.5-5.5 hours again since I have eaten dinner and I’m hungry. And again instead of having packed a snack I can eat while driving (and I don’t want to make one at home) I drive through fast food again, there is another $3-7.

Now I don’t actually get food every night, I would say 1 out of 3 nights I work but still. It adds up in the wallet and waste line.

I have potentially added anywhere from an extra $3-25 to my grocery bill in a week. And a few thousand calories to my week because its all fast food.

Figuring this out was eye opening. I know I have been rambling so if you are still with me here is my plan. Come payday I am going to withdraw $20 and put it in my wallet, that is my last minute food money that has to last me until the next paycheck, I can guilt free grab Starbucks or order a pizza or go to a restaurant, but once its gone, its gone. I am also going to better plan my meals and spend the extra $10 at the first trip to the grocery store so I don’t spend and extra $30 later. And I am only letting myself have that one trip, I cannot set foot back in the grocery store until the next weeks meal planning has been done and I am buying groceries for the next week. This should potentially save me about $50/paycheck which is HUGE for me.

Does anybody else ever wonder where their money goes?

 

Update since I wrote this about a week ago: I have started packing PB&J sandwiches for in between school and work and either another sandwich or a mini bag of chips or something for on my way home form work Mon-Wed and I am already doing so much better!!!! Also I have challenged myself to 30 days of no fast food (I don’t count good pizza as fast food, things like dominos, pizza hut and little Caesar’s totally count but not the good stuff). hahahaha.

 

 

 

Monday Motivation**May 15, 2017

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying, training

Happy Monday!!!!

 

(Image from google)

Workout goal this week 4 workouts. I have hit 3 workouts 2 weeks in a row so hopefully I can hit 4 this week.

It is hard to believe but there are only 4 weeks left in this quarter. It is FLYING by. I need to step my studying back up, I have slacked the last 2 weeks.

Saturday night I decided I was going to get Taco Bell and really enjoy it then put myself of a 30 day fast food ban. I have already cut back the last week but I need to cut it out or at least severely reduce it, I am hoping cutting it out for 30 days will help me do this. On Saturdays I will start posting my meals for the week to keep me honest.

Call me out if you see something that looks like fast food!!!!

Hope you all have a GREAT week!!!!! I am super excited for the BF and I’s outing on Friday, can’t wait to tell you all about it!!!

Tidbits from the week

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying, training

Week 6! Just 4 weeks left! That is terrifying but awesome, these quarters go by so quickly!!!!

Last week I took my Chem midterm and got a B woohoo. I took my Bio midterm on Monday and got an A.

I worked on Sunday then the BF came over for dinner, it was the healthiest mostly premade dinner you can probably do lol. We had brown rice, rotisserie chicken (those premade, precooked ones you can buy at the store) and corn on the cob.

Monday in between classes Artemis and I went on a little 1.5 miles hike, see all those stopping points on the walk, she found some really good smells hahahahaha!

I took some of that leftover chicken and made an awesome salad! I may have to do this more often. Then off to work I went.

What I am listening to this week:

Tuesday I got out and did a total of 3.2 miles running. It was 1.2 miles on the treadmill then 2 miles outside.

Wednesday I relaxed in between classes.

Thursday I got another 3 miles in.

I bf and I were supposed to hike on Friday but during Chem lab I started not feeling so well so we just stayed in an relaxed. We watched some Bear Grylls and got pizza and fell asleep at 6pm hahahaha. Apparently we both needed sleep. It was a good relaxing day but I am bummed about missing hiking.

3 workouts completed this week!