I am happy to say that Hannah has gotten a verbal acceptance froim Roosevelt University as a transfer student! She won’t get the official letter until she completes this semester and sends them her final transcripts, but it’s a done deal.
I am so excited for her. To be 20 and have your whole life ahead of you full of possibilities. I wish I had known what I wanted to do way back then. I wasn’t the best student, so after they dropped the field hockey program I was in after my freshman year, I was going to “take a year off” and just get a job.
Well, here I am, 25 years later, and I never went back. It’s probably the biggest regret I have was not graduating from college. I wish I would have know back then how much cooking would have given me so much joy. I could have gotten a degree in home economics, become a recipe developer, worked at a magazine like Cooking Light.
Instead I make copies and have to wait until I get home to start cooking – which is really when I feel my day begins. 
So proud of you Hannah – I know you’ll do awesome! We have a campus tour and meet with her advisor on May 16.
Guess what? I didn’t have a breakfast parfait yesterday – I know shocker! But you know what the good news is? I wrote a couple days ago that I bought Stoneyfield Farms Greek yogurt and it didn’t taste anything as good as Chobani, so my good friend Emily at Chobani is gonna hook me up with some yogurt – she asked which flavor I wanted and I said “anything!” Thanks Emily!
I had an everything bagel – it started out at 4 ounces, but I picked out the inside dough of the bagel and brought it down to 2.5 ounces – still get all the great bagel flavor. I had it with a slice of mortadella, egg beaters and 1/2 an ounce of swiss cheese.
It was partly cloudy, but chilly when I started my walk. By the end the sun came out and I didn’t even need my jacket. I ran/walked for 50 minutes at lunch.
We had a work lunch I had to pick up at Panera so I decided to pick up their Thai Chopped Salad. This is so good – it’s described as:
All-natural, antibiotic-free chicken, romaine, Thai cashews, fire-roasted edamame, red peppers, carrots, fresh cilantro & wonton strips all tossed in low-fat Thai Chili Vinaigrette and drizzled with peanut sauce.
The vinaigrette and peanut sauce make this salad – the whole thing comes in at 470 calories, 19 fat, 45 carbs, 5 fiber and 36 protein.
I had chicken parmesan on the menu, only to realize while putting it together, I had no bread crumbs. My stuffing mix from Thanksgiving that was in the back of the pantry? Saved the day. I just put it in my mini chopper. Tony loves buttered noodles, so I made bow tie pasta on the side. Although he accused me of not putting enough parmesan cheese on his noodles – if it were up to him he’d have parmesan cheese with a side of noodles. 
Why I made us two chicken breasts I have no idea – they were huge. We both ended up eating only half, and now I have to figure out how to use the leftovers. Any ideas? I added a tablespoon of red pepper pesto to my noodles – a bit of spicy goodness.
I was super snacky yesterday for some reason. I had a cookie and two cinnamon twists at work yesterday – simply because they were on a table right by my desk and I just picked them up as I walked by. And last night I had some snack mix – CVS sells generic brands of snacks – this bag of snack mix and generic funyuns are both $1 each!
While it’s a small bag, Tony and I (well, mostly me) ate almost the whole bag last night while watching t.v. I need to drink lots of water today in the hopes of getting rid of all the sodium before my weigh in tomorrow.
My brother posted this on facebook:
And now, for your reading pleasure, it’s the complete cancer story, told only as Charlie Hills can tell it, in IMAX 3D. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll wish you’d spent five minutes doing something else.
Check out my brother Charlie’s Blog post – he’s started writing again! You can keep up with him and how his cancer treatment is going at his blog, Back to the Fridge. I love you Charlie!
I loved everyone’s comments yesterday about difficult bosses you’ve had – but I think Skippy’s takes the cake!
Stats for the day:
- 1608 calories, 63 fat, 176 carbs, 11.5 fiber and 68 protein
- 45% calories from fat, 34 from fat and 21 from protein
- 50 minute walk/run at lunch
Question of the Day: If you were 20 again, what would you change, or would you change anything?
Make it a great day – Happy Friday!
If I were 20 again, I would have taken the last 2 semesters and finished my Associates and THEN get married and it would have transferred and yada yada, I’ll finish school sometime here in the near future!
That salad looks really good, I had Panera for lunch over the weekend and forgot how much I missed/loved it. We really need to get one here in town.
I would have went to college and stayed there. I also wish I knew then what I know now AND wish the internet was around back then. I would have ruled the world! Anytime I don’t know something, I google it and research it. Love your blog, I’m a fellow Chicagoan heading off to Jury Duty today
Thanks Linda! Rats – hope you don’t have to go to 26th and California for jury duty!
You know it’s not too late to go back to school…I met a guy who went to law school when he was 60.
That salad looks amazing!
I wouldn’t change anything about life when I was 20. I’m pretty happy with how things have turned out. The only thing I would have changed was when I had my son, I would have gone back to work PT instead of FT. Man, I was sick as a dog that winter. Not enough sleep/too much work.
If you have leftover chicken, make a Chicken Party. It’s something I made up once and it’s pretty good. I call it that because you start with chicken and then it invites all its friends. Basically: cook and crumble some breakfast sausage (or I suppose any kind of sausage you like). Remove (most of) the grease. Dice the chicken into pieces. Add to the sausage. Chop some cashews and throw them in. It’s a party, at this point you may still invite others. When it’s closed to “cooked” (everything is already cooked going in, after all) top with shredded cheese and let it melt.
Oh wait. Never mind. This is about healthy eating. Move along . . .
You had me at breakfast sausage – but somehow I don’t see spinach or zucchini in your recipe!
Glad you can eat deviled eggs Charlie! That’s a meal to me.
Congratualtions to Hannah! ah…to be 20 again…my daughter turns 20 this year as well…she is a sophomore at Kent State University, studying Fashion Merchandising…and yes, her whole life ahead of her! I can say, I don’t think I have any regrets with my life…I went to school, became an RN, married my best friend and was fortunate enough to be a stay at home mom…which I consider a priveledge. I think, like you though, if I would have followed my passion for food instead of the other direction I went…maybe things would be different for me right now…IDK…everything happens for a reason. So no…no regrets.
I had a leftover breaded chicken cutlet last week I topped with some grainy mustard, a slice of deli ham, and a slice of lowfat swiss for a quick chicken dijon for lunch…it was YUMMMMMMY!
I will have to check out Charlies blog! So glad he feels up to going about his business as usual.
That’s actually a good idea! I also thought of making a version of Burger King’s parmesan chicken sandwich. In 8th grade we would walk to BK every Friday and I am still shocked I ate it back then because I was such a picky eater!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_Chicken_Sandwich
haha…I used to WORK at BK when I was in high school…saw one of those original chicken patties defrosted one time…looked like saw dust…cured my cravings for them for a lifetime! haha ( but they were tasty before I saw that! lol )
That salad does look good! I haven’t been to Panera in ages. Cheese is pretty amazing…I’m with Tony
Congrats to Hannah! If I were 20 again….well I’m 29…so i’m technically still in my 20′s 
. I don’t think I’d change anything! I would maybe consider a job more in the food field
I was engaged at 20 – ended up leaving school mid-junior year, and unlike you, never wanted to go back. Not a lot I would change, except for getting on the whole healthy eating bandwagon a lot sooner. But because I did what I did at 20, I have two great kids and a nice husband, so it worked out just fine for me.
That said, I do hope you realize your chef/business owner dream soon, and can put the boring days of making copies behind you.
P.S. Big congrats to Hannah! Way to go, missy!!!
Congrats to Hannah! After reading the comments I have to kinda laugh, I went to college, got my degree (Criminal Justice) and got burned out in that field. I’m a secretary and want nothing to do with the C.J. field again. So, maybe things worked out the way they did for a reason
Chicken chopped up and tossed with a nice big salad!
Going to check out Charlie’s blog, it’s good he even feels like blogging
Congrats Hannah!
And that Panera salad is my favorite salad EVER. so many delicious flavors, and they work so well together! I actually like it better without the dressing though, at least until I get through the lettuce with the peanut sauce on it. That peanut sauce is just too good!
Have a great weekend, Biz, and glad to hear that Charlie is writing again.
Sarah
You aren’t even 20 yet, are you? The world is your oyster Sarah!
Congrats to Hannah!!! I’m so glad she’s going to be able to transfer to where she wants to go!!!
And gosh, I have tons and tons of things to tell my 20 year old self…like, kick that eating disorder’s butt before it gets any worse. And have more fun.
Happy weekend!
Not only that, but ALL her credits will transfer
Yep – I wish I could help you with your ED, you are so beautiful!
Big hugs and congrats to Hannah!
Congrats to Hannah!
And as for college… Well, college is no guarantee you will get a job in a field you like. It is no guarantee you will like your field once you are in and doing it. I have several college degrees and I am not doing anything with those degrees, although I am still paying them off at almost 44 years old.
Congrats, Hannah!
I was pretty aimless when I was 20, but I still wouldn’t change a thing about it. If I had finished college, I wouldn’t have met my husband at 21 and married him by 22. I wouldn’t risk messing up anything about our last 14 years together!
Both my husband and I were snacky yesterday. Must have been something in the air.
Great idea taking the doughy middle out of the bagel. I’ll have to remember that one.
First instince is to make a chicken parm sandwich on some of that lovely crusty bread you keep making! Also chop it and toss on top of a salad (only b/c I’m currently eating one and would love that w some HM). I was also wondering about the absence of WW+ points, I apologize if I missed the note. TIA
I got my Associates degree, but if I were 20 again, I’d go and get the 4 year degree and would do something creative. I type and make copies too!
Ah, it just shows what good parents we are when our kids do better that we do.
Marion
I still do points in the back of my head – I was going to do Operation Bad Ass – cut down the carbs, wine drinking, etc. and bump up the workouts. Um, let’s just say that I most likely maintained this month?
I’ll be posting both the calories and points again in May.
gotcha, keep that ‘bad ass’ workin’! you’re doing great (IMO)
That is great to hear about Hannah! I am so excited for her
That dressing and salad look phenomenal! Definitely have to make this one.
Biz, please know that it’s never too late to go back. ALL of my students are older than me. All of them have so much drive for good grades and the actual LEARNING process. It’s never, ever too late! I had a student this quarter who was older than my mom…by quite a lot
She was amazing and I admire her so much. She’s just doing it one class at a time…one quarter at a time. 
And I couldn’t be happier for Hannah
Your brother’s blog is great, I just read his entry. He seems to have a great attitude about what he is facing and that is SO important.
When I was 20 I picked up and moved from PA to AZ by myself and never looked back. I wouldn’t change that for the world!
That’s awesome! Thanks for checking out my brothers blog!
A very big congrats to Hannah!! And Biz, it’s never too late! Do the thing you have always wanted to do
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Well, I’m only 23 and about to graduate college, so I’m not far off of 20, but I would have told my 20 year old self not to date a loser for two years…
Haha, I kid. I would have gotten more involved with school and started running earlier (and smarter and then I wouldn’t be injured now)
haha Errign I totally just snorted!
Aww Beth it’s never too late!!!! You should totally do night school, or online school so you can do it anytime. I took a 5 year break and then got my degree online in like 2 years. I had grants that paid for everything and my school (Columbia Southern University) even had book grants that lets all your textbooks be free!
True story: my brother’s head chef that he started under here before he went to culinary school didn’t go to school to be a chef until he was in his mid-30s! He was a house painter, and now he’s head chef at a renowned, award winning restaurant!
You already have a huge following and bring a lot to the table- you cook, you bake, you can alter recipes, you know how to follow a specialized or restricted diet– all attributes in your corner!
Anyways, the peanut sauce looks awesome. I always choose peanut sauce or dressing when it’s an option. Also- for the leftover chicken I’d probably make myself a chicken parm/cutlet sandwich for lunch tomorrow!
Congratulations to Hannah! Great news.
I actually thought about this more than once in the past years. I don’t regret the choices that I made, not regarding my career and not regarding my life. I have a happy life. But maybe I would have wanted to go to the university when I was younger and studied the English language. It has always been a dream to become a translator. I thought about picking up this study a few years ago but it’s going to take me about 6 years to finish it and I din’t want to spend all that time because there are so many other things I love doing and I had to give up on a few of them.
Congrats to Hannah! That is awesome news. You must be so proud!
Sometimes I also say to be 20 again…and it was only 10 years ago! Be proud of yourself Biz, you have raised a wonderful daughter!
Congrats to Hannah, how exciting!!
I don’t have any big regrets, but I do wish I had figured out a way to study abroad in college – I was a chemistry major and since all my courses also had labs, I never wanted to double up two science courses in one semester so I could go, but I should have just done it!