#I got a box of mango black tea the other day and it’s so yummy

[daily-tango-doodles]

Day 49: idk I wanted to draw cozy tango because I’m eepy

[victakestaipei]

WEEK 4 RECAP: “Power, Chase Bank Complaints, and TYPHOON SEASON”

As I stated in my previous posts, I’m really really really sorry for the delay here on my WEEK 4 RECAP. Granted, my weeks have started to become pretty routine; But I still like to keep my word with you guys and blog every weekend, despite the topic being my humdrum weekdays.

Anyway, let’s get to it:

Monday: 

My monday was one for the books, honestly. I stayed in bed all day long blogging and doing homework and just being a bum. It felt awesome. We got in from the Philippines early this morning, and I didn’t actually get in the bed until about 4am, so I took the liberty of playing hooky, and NO RAGRETS! 

I only left the house to get breakfast with Bunny... We went to this breakfast joint by our house and I splurged on an egg scallion pancake, a breakfast sandwich, orange juice, and a hash brown patty. It was bomb, but who am I kidding, it’s always bomb. I didn’t end up doing my homework until later in the evening, which ended up backfiring because I had SO MUCH HOMEWORK TO CATCH UP ON. It was actually pretty insane, but I still got it all done. For dinner Bunny and I picked up some potstickers from the place right outside our dorms that you all have already heard SO much about because we literally go there multiple times a week. Like I said in my intro... HUM. DRUM. 

Tuesday:

Today we went to the bakery before class, I had my daily tea, and barely survived the 3 hour period. After class we went to the gym, and I did leg day today. My legs were shaking so much, it was like they had turned to jelly over the weekend. I think this is due to the fact I took 4 days off🙄 but I managed to get my mile down to 8:30 today!!! Y’ALL!!! BASK IN THE GLORY!!! Progress!!! Slowly but surely!!!  

After the gym we went to a restaurant on the Shi Da market for lunch, and ordered fried chicken curry with rice and veggies. It was super good, and only 100 NT! (About $3.35 US).  

Afterwards, we went home and I took the longest shower ever, and then a nap (I really really needed it). I got up just to do homework, and then crawled back into the bed. I found a website that lets me watch Power online so that I can FINALLY catch up to the new season. BLESS UP!!! I started watching this show over the summer, but then I got caught up with other stuff so I never caught all the way up. I last left off on Season 2 Episode 7, but I heard the new season 4 is BATSHIT CRAZY so I need to catch up PRONTO. (Also, can I just take a minute and say I freakin’ hate Angela??? Ugh. Tasha is a ride or DIE and Angela comes waltzing in and I’m just mad as hell. Ghost is such a punkass. I literally cannot deal. Let me shut up while I’m ahead before ya’ll comment and spoil something for me.)

...He still fine as hell though... :-’)

For dinner we went to the Gong guan night market to get Gua Bao (remember those pork hamburger things from my “WEEK 2 RECAP” post? “Gua Bao? Gua BOMB!”) and egg scallion pancakes. We didn't leave the house until after 11pm, so alot of our options were closed at that point. 

Wednesday: 

I actually got up on time to head to the bus, and I was WELL RESTED!! Wow, such a rare occurance. In class I got a 95% on my dialogue quiz today. I’m getting used to pulling these A’s, but our lessons have gotten significantly harder so I find myself reviewing the characters twice as much as usual. Ew.

At the gym I did chest/shoulders/abs. I wore the wrong leggings to the gym today... I wore my normal black leggings instead of my work out leggings, so I didn't do cardio because I didn't want to be all sweaty in my normal cloth leggings... I don’t know I'm weird I guess?? But my ass was looking PHAT at the gym since I had normal leggings on hehe

After the gym Bunny and I tried this Italian spot by our school. They have a lunch menu where you can get a dish AND a side for 99 NT!!! (3-4$ US). What a deal!! I ordered pesto penne pasta and pumpkin soup as my side. Pretty plain, but still super yummy!

After lunch I went home to shower and do my homework and relax. Bunny and I got dinner around 9 because we were STARVING more than usual. I guess the soup and pasta didn’t do it for me. We hopped on the bus to head to Gong guan, but we missed our exit so we ended up taking the bus all the way to our school to go to the Shi Da night market there. MIND YOU I LOOK LIKE A CRAZY CAT LADY. I twisted my hair up and put on two bandanas after taking a shower and putting product in... and I had on a long flowy printed dress I got from the Philippines. Needless to say I looked crazy, in my shower flip flops. We got the soy sauce noodles to-go, with green beans, udon, cabbage, broccoli, and tofu. I also got to chat with my mom on skype tonight which was nice, after struggling to get her speakers to work (for like 20min) so she could actually hear me. I stuffed my face while on the phone with her, and she cheekily said “how come whenever I get you on skype you ALWAYS EATIN??” Then proceeds to laugh hysterically and say “you gonna regret it!! It’s gonna go straight to your hips!!!” ......So charming *eyeroll*, gotta love her lol.... 

I went to bed super late because I had the migraine of a lifetime. I think it might have been because I didn’t get a tea this morning... Caffeine headaches will be the death of me.

Thursday: 

I woke up with the same migraine, and was moving slow because I was so tired and my head was banging!! It was like the drummer guy from Whiplash was putting in WERK on my forehead. I was about 10 minutes late to class... I tried to rush because I knew we had a test in class, but I just couldn’t bring myself to get out of the bed on time. Kokoro (the Japanese student in my class) and I rode on the same bus to class, he was late too because he had gone clubbing last night! On a Wednesday??... Turns out, it doesn’t matter what day of the week it is here, it’s lit at the club every night. 

Class was good today. It didn't feel like it dragged as much. But, I was starving the whole time because I didn’t have time to grab some food before strolling into the class. Our teacher referenced the upcoming typhoon today! Meaning, it will be pouring, dumping rain all next week, starting this weekend. There will also be fierce winds. She told us how many people stay home and grocery shop a lot beforehand because transportation and a lot of businesses are closed. For those of you who don’t know, a typhoon is basically a hurricane. I'm not mentally prepared. Our teacher said that typhoon season lasts three months, starting in August. I’m nervous about the food aspect because we don't have a fridge in the dorm so I'm about to be eating perishables all week... canned beans and rice? God, I’m not excited. But maybe class will be cancelled a few days this week? A girl can dream!!!

In the gym it was leg day yet again! My legs weren’t half as shaky as tuesday so that’s good. I ran a 8:45 mile, after almost DYING on the first treadmill I hopped on. I was adjusting the speed and the treadmill skipped and I almost flew the fuck off. My arms were flailing and I let out this loud/awkward noise and everyone was looking at me. I caught my balance and didn't die, but I definitely quietly turned off the machine and moved to another treadmill shortly after. I think that messed up my mojo because while I was running I was constantly paranoid of the same thing happening on the machine next door. 

After the gym the three of us went to Shi Da market. I pulled out cash from the ATM but was pretty bitter about it because I looked at my bank statement and my bank (Chase Bank) charges a $5 FEE WITH EVERY NON-CHASE ATM WITHDRAWAL that I make... THAT ADDS UP?!!! Are u kidding me??! I’M BROKE AS IT IS CHASE, CUT ME SOME SLACK!!! I'm so salted. I hate Chase Bank. They suck ass. Do you know how many WITHDRAWALS I’VE HAD TO MAKE WHILE HERE??? I need a Charles Schwab account because it seems like they’re the only bank not trying to PLAY US.

I tried a new place for lunch where they had these small fried dumplings. I would show a picture but I inhaled it so fast that I didn't get to. So here's a picture of the box...hehe

I also got some more dragonfruit today    V   so so good.

After the gym I came home, showered, and relaxed. I ended up napping around 8 and woke up at like 10:30pm... I did my homework in class so I'm probably just going to eat something small and crawl back into the bed. I got a banana at the Family Mart convenience store and some apple juice and a pack of yan yans. Yan Yans are those pretzel stick things that come with the chocolate dip and they’re super good?? I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. I talked to Karis on the phone, and then Paris shortly after that. It was SO GOOD to see Paris’s face and hear his voice after so long. :-’) I miss you roomie!! I knocked out again after hanging up with him.

Friday: 

This morning I woke up to a power outage on our Gong guan campus. If this is any tell of how the rest of the weekend/next week is going to be with the upcoming typhoon, I am not ready.

I got a 99 on my quiz today... I. AM. HURT. It was so so close I could taste the perfect score!!

Today I brought my umbrella to class because the typhoon starts this afternoon/evening. Class breeezed by because there was only 7 of us today. It was back day at the gym, and it was great! I’m definitely going to be sore. And I did some booty workouts on the floor afterward. After the gym we went to Gong guan market (the one by our house, not the Shi Da one by campus) to get some food and look for a SIM card for Bunny’s phone (so that she can have a local phone number and consistent data). We stopped and got pork buns and mango before heading home. 

When I got home I finally was able to decompress from the long week. I relaxed for a few hours before leaving the house at 10pm to go to the grocery store with Bunny. When we got to the grocery store, it was about an hour or so before closing, and it looked like the apocalypse hit. All the shelves were sweeped, but we got some food to get us through the weekend.... Like wine and rice and potatoes and eggs and snacks. After the grocery store we headed home to relax and shelter away from the upcoming typhoon.

Saturday: 

I made breakfast this morning after finally leaving the bed at 1:30 pm. I made eggs and papas!! - An old fave. (Jaylene I miss you). I also cut up some apples too to eat with peanut butter. It was good, but the papas weren't up to par because I only had two seasonings... Sad day. 

The rest of the day was spent in bed, watching Power and being a couch potato. At 8:30pm our power went out again, but only for a few minutes. It was getting pretty crazy outside at this point. You could hear the wind howling and tree branches swinging and water pushing its way through the cracks in the closed windows of the bathroom/bedroom. 

At 9pm is when I spilled my Pink Moscato on my laptop. HOW COULD SOMETHING SO SWEET BETRAY ME SO HARSHLY?? My computer immediately died after letting out this depressing noise and became completely non-responsive...and so did I. I was on the brink of a meltdown. To keep from succumbing to panic, I put my phone on DND and went to sleep at 9:30pm. I literally knocked the hell out. That’s the best way to avoid problems/conflict right? Take ya ass to sleep.

Sunday:

I woke up by 4:45/5am, and reality set in. I spoke to my mom on the phone, and she helped calm me down and rationalize the situation. I was a mess. I still am a mess. I cannot afford a new computer right now, and I'm nervous about going to get it fixed because I don't want to be taken advantage of, and I wouldn't know the difference either way... I'm clearly foreign. But I have 8 years of memories and information stored on this laptop, so I'm not letting it go without a fight. I called a few places that claim to fix Apple products on Google, but none of them turned up with any real answers. So after 12pm, I ended up going to the Apple Store at Taipei 101. I took a quick shower and brought a bunch of stuff I figured I might need: my laptop, external hard drive, a flannel, umbrella, towels, a hat, and snacks. I've never been outside when there was a typhoon brewing so it's better safe than sorry right? As soon as I walked outside I could tell something was off. There weren't a lot of people bustling about, and there were countless fallen branches and leaves covering the sidewalks and roads.

I hopped on the bus, and then the MRT, to head to Taipei 101, the tallest skyscraper in Taiwan. I had this lingering thought in the back of my mind... let me illustrate... “Is it a good idea to go to the tallest sky scraper in Taiwan when there’s a hurricane with strong winds/ pouring rain just waiting to happen?”... All i could picture is the structure toppling over with all of us inside and causing this huge disaster, similar to something straight out of an Apocalyptic movie like 2012.... Anyway, I arrived just before 1pm, and come to find out, the Apple Store is CLOSED. I’m salty. All the lights are on and the store would otherwise look open, it's just that there's no one inside. It's completely empty. Even all the devices on display are powered on. It was kinda errie... Like those paper towns the military sets up, where it looks like a normal town and everything, just no one lived there...  I looked online (again) and went to their actual website where it says today (and only today) they open at 2pm instead of 11am. So I just waited around the mall for an hour until they opened. I found a bench and an outlet so I was just sitting here chilling....Glad I brought my snacks. ;)

When the time finally came to go back to the Apple Store, that overwhelming feeling came rushing over me again. I ended up crying like a PUNK to the customer service lady. So annoying!!! Ugh. I was a fragile mess. I spoke to two different managers who both spoke perfect English, and they helped to reassure me that they would try their best to help me. I have to come back tomorrow for a walk-in appointment with the Genius Bar. Fingers crossed they can help me, or at least retrieve/save my information. 

I left Taipei 101 feeling pretty defeated, so I got some McDonalds on the way home... I know it sounds silly but I needed comfort food and something that felt like home. I ordered the filet o fish (which I crave daily), with fries and a coke. This was not my best moment, but the whole meal only cost 95 NT!! (Less than $3.20). CRAZY! 

I came home and that’s when I started reading my book that I keep mentioning, “You Are A Badass” By Jen Sincero. It helped me to feel better and get into a better frame of mind. 

I took a break from reading to help Bunny make curry for tonight’s dinner. It was BOMB and came out fairly well if I may say so myself. I’ll definitely be making curry more often when I come back to the States.

I finished reading my book just before calling it a night. SUCH a good read I cannot stress this enough!!! I learned so much from Jen’s words and she adds funny stories/anecdotes and the way she describes things is just so relatable. If you have a chance to read it I definitely recommend!!!

I went to sleep pretty late, I was laying in bed catching up with Jay (via text) and other friends from back home. Before closing my eyes, I decided to practice meditation, which is one of the key concepts in the book. I wasn’t very successful the first time, because it was hard to clear my mind and just be still. I know it takes practice, so I’m going to try to dedicate time every day to meditate for at least 5 minutes! Feel free to join me on this challenge, it’s supposed to reap unprecidented benefits!

Also, please pray that when I take my laptop in tomorrow to the Apple Store they can fix whatever’s wrong!!! I need all the prayers I can get. I’m speaking it into existence now: MY COMPUTER WILL LIVE. IT WILL RISE AGAIN. IT WILL POWER ON.

Until next time,

xoxo

[howellrichard]

How to Pack a Healthy Lunch (for All Ages!)

Hiya Gorgeous!

One of the things I love most about working from home is the opportunity to make my own lunch every day. And though I generally don’t have time for anything fancy (and often devour leftovers from the night before), there’s nothing better than taking a mental break to get creative in the kitchen. Plus, because my hubby and I work together, our healthy lunch breaks give us a chance to connect, recharge and refuel—it’s one of my favorite mid-day rituals.

Now, you may be thinking, “that sounds lovely, but my life is too busy. I’ve got a gaggle of kids and a commute!” I hear ya. When I’m super-busy or traveling for work, it definitely puts a wrinkle in my routine. But I still make healthy eating a big priority, because that’s when I need my nutrient-packed meals the most! My health thanks me and so will yours.

So how do you make planning and packing a nutritious lunch simple and doable, while also ensuring you’re getting all your nutrition needs met? Well, today I’m going to show you and also give you some simple ideas to get your cooking inspiration flowing.

And here’s the best part: making healthy lunches a priority boosts your health, reduces stress and even saves money. Triple win! Plus, when you know how to pack a nutrient-rich meal, you can avoid the chances of eating something not-so-healthy on the fly, while also side stepping that afternoon energy slump.

Whether you’re preparing for yourself or the whole family, follow the formulas in the free download to make sure your nutrition needs are met (including protein, vitamins, minerals etc).

Now let’s dive into some lunch ideas for all the ages. Happy lunch packing, my friends!

Packing a #lunch saves money and reduces stress. Get my free guide to packing a healthy plant-based lunch @Kris_Carr

Simple Lunch Ideas for All Ages

Ages 4-8

Lunch 1: Easy Squeezy: 10 whole grain crackers + 1/2 cup hummus + 1/2 cup baby carrots + 1 fruit and veggie squeeze pouch + 2 nut-free Energy Bites + Honest Kids juicebox

Lunch 2: Chocolate Sammie Lunch: Half a chocolate soy nut butter sandwich on whole grain bread + 1/2 cup edamame beans + 1/2 cup celery sticks + 1 cup apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon + 4 oz vanilla oat milk

Lunch 3: Quesadilla Hot Lunch (in foil or thermos): 1 small tortilla heated with Chao cheese and black beans + 1/2 cup sliced yellow bell peppers +  5 sliced strawberries + 2 medjool dates filled with sunflower seed butter + 4 oz rice milk

Ages 9-12

Lunch 1: Cheeseburger Mac Hot Lunch: 1 cup Vegan Cheeseburger Macaroni + 1/2 cup shelled edamame beans + 1 cup carrot sticks + 1 orange, cut into wedges + 2 pieces of dark chocolate + 8 oz almond milk

Lunch 2: Better than BLT Sammie Lunch: Hummus, Avocado, Lettuce & Tomato on whole grain bread (whole sandwich) + 1 cup sliced cucumbers + 1/2 cup grapes + 1 Chickpea Blondie + 8 oz flax milk

Lunch 3: Snackin’ Lunch: 2 oz Beanitos lime chips + 1/2 cup black beans stirred or blended with 1/2 cup salsa + 1 sliced green pepper + 1/4 cup no sugar added dried mango + 1 Healthy Vegan Banana Muffin + 8 oz fruit infused seltzer water

Teenagers: Ages 13-18

Lunch 1: Veggie Burger: Quinoa and Sweet Potato Veggie Burger on a whole grain bun with lettuce and tomato + 1 cup snap peas + 1 cup watermelon chunks + 2 Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies + 8 oz green juice like Sweet and Sour Green Juice

Lunch 2: Build Your Own Pita Pizzas: 2 small whole wheat pita breads + 1/2 cup marinara sauce + 2 slices Chao cheese, cut into strips + 1/4 cup sliced black olives + small romaine salad (2 leaves romaine plus 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar dressing) + 1/2 cup pineapple chunks + 4-Ingredient Chocolate Chia Pudding + 8 oz seltzer water with lemon

Lunch 3: “Tuna” Sammie Lunch: Chickpea Tuna Salad on 2 slices whole grain bread + 1 cup steamed, chilled broccoli + 1 cup raspberries with 1 vanilla Silk yogurt + 2 pieces of dark chocolate + 8 oz water

Adults

Lunch 1: Veggie Sushi: Vegetable Cauliflower Rice + Quinoa Sushi + 1 cup edamame in the pod + 1/2 cup baby carrots + 1 grapefruit + 1/4 cup cinnamon almonds + 8 oz iced green tea with mint

Lunch 2: Salad Lunch: Super Food Salad-in-a-Jar + 1 whole grain roll + 1 apple + 2 pieces of dark chocolate + 8 oz seltzer water

Lunch 3: Simple Soup: Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup + 10 whole grain crackers + 1 sliced cucumber + 1 cup melon chunks + Chocolate Chunk Bark + 8 oz green juice

Healthy Lunch Formula (Free Guide!)

Ready to whip up your own healthy lunches? I’ve created a simple resource to inspire you as you pack. Grab your free PDF with our healthy lunch formulas and sample food lists for inspiration below. Have fun mixin’ and matching grains, proteins, veggies, fruits, drinks and desserts. Print it out and keep it in your kitchen!

Get your free guide to packing a healthy lunch with our healthy lunch formulas for all ages and sample food lists for inspiration:

More Lunch Packing Resources:

Once you get in the habit of packing healthy lunches, it’s definitely worthwhile to invest in some high-quality reusable containers and bags, instead of relying on low-quality plastic materials. Plastic bags end up in landfills where they take centuries to break down—and also become a big hazard to birds and marine animals.

Do Mother Earth a favor and skip the cheap-o plastic packing products. Instead, opt for reusable BPA free or stainless steel products which are a much healthier (and safer!) alternative. Here’s some awesome products to try out:

Lunch containers

3-compartment lunch containers, BPA-free

PlanetBox stainless steel lunch containers

Bentgo Kids Leakproof Children’s Lunch Box (for adults too!)

Reusable sandwich and snack bags

Wegreeco Reusable Snack Bags

Yummi Pouch Snack Bags

BlueAvocado Re-Zip Seal Reusable Storage Bag Kit

Your turn: What’s your go-to packed lunch? Share your tips and ideas in the comments below. It’s a space for us to learn from and help each other out!

Peace & healthy lunches for all,

The post How to Pack a Healthy Lunch (for All Ages!) appeared first on KrisCarr.com.