Eat Like a Soldier

This post sponsored by FH!  Something a little different for y’all!!

Eat Like a Solider Day!

When FH was away for training in November he brought home some treats for the blog.  Military issue Individual Meal Packages.  aka: IMPs.

These packages have been sitting on top of our cupboards ever since.  Honestly because I was afraid!!  These packages are reportedly like 3000 calories each!!  I mean, they are intended to feed starving soldiers that have been toiling away in the boonies under serious physical duress for a couple of days.  Those boys need their big eats.  Um, but this girl does not!

So last night we chatted about it and agreed that today we would open them up, but I didn’t need to feel obligated to chow down.  Taste testing, sharing and tossing out were all viable options.

Phew!

FH felt that I needed to be dressed like a soldier in order to make this authentic.  How unflattering! 

We had breakfast, lunch and dinner packages.  Each package has the main meal, dessert, bread, and all kinds of condiments, drinks, treats, etc.

The main meals and desserts are boil-in-bag (but can also be eaten cold which is generally what ends up happening because of time constraints in the field).

I was happy to discover that the meals themselves were no more than a few hundred calories each.  If you ate every last bite of stuff included in the package I think you might top out at 1500 calories per meal.  Still high for a normal day, obviously…but not so scary for our tasting party!

Breakfast consisted of Sausage & Hashbrowns…

Review:  not too bad at all.  Kind of just tastes like those breakfast sausages you would get at Denny’s or some place like that.  The potatoes are a bit mushy, but all in all totally edible.  I had a few bites.

Lunch was Chicken & Gravy…which I apparently didn’t photograph.

Review:  gross.  Chicken floating in flavoured water.  Water flavoured like what I think cat food would taste like.  Neither of us made it past one bite.

Dinner was Beef Bourguignon…

Review:  Well, it ain’t Julia Child’s beef bourguignon but it was tasty enough.  Basically tasted like Chunky soup.  Beef and spuds in beefy sauce. 

Side dishes were strawberry oatmeal, buttered rice, onion flavored mashed potatoes, and cream of celery soup.  Each of these is just an add water thing.

Oatmeal was yummy (haha, of course).  It was actually “crispy cereal” which can be mixed with hot or cold water.  We used hot and I ate almost the whole thing.  It was better than regular instant oatmeal!  Kind of granola-like.

Rice was fine.  Like minute rice.  I hate that it actually said “MSG added” on the package.  I don’t wanna know!

The potatoes smelled horrible and tasted worse.  Blech.

Same with the soup. Disgusting.  Although I did get a mouthful of undisolved powder so maybe that did me in. I spared you a photo.

And then there is the bread.  The bread that is packed up airtight with one of those anti-moisture packets you might find with your new shoes.  FH calls it the “good for 10 years bread”.

 

I don’t want to know what they put in it, but it was actually fine.  Looked like bread, tasted like bread.  I had a couple of bites but it freaks me out so I stopped.  LOL.

FH also stirred himself up one of the powdered drinks.  Basically it’s a Gatorade-type mix for the soldiers to keep their electrolytes up.  This one looked just like Tang!

We saved the desserts and a bunch of the condiment packages.  No peanut butter in this selection but lots of honey and such.  We threw out the instant coffee and powdered creamers. There is a mint hot chocolate I have dibs on!

FH got the Hershey bar treat from the lunch kit and I get the Peak Freans from dinner.

At the end of our “meal” I said that all in all it’s not terrible.  I mean it’s not like they can eat gourmet in the field, but it’s nice to know that most things taste pretty good.  Too bad for all of the preservatives and lack of vegetables (that’s why the desserts are fruit I’m guessing) but everything is designed by dieticians so I’m sure they have their reasons for everything. 

Pretty fun experiment though!! 

(don’t worry I only had a few bites of everything…I’m guessing maybe 400 calories worth…if that)

Followed a little later by a yummy green smoothie to help flush out all of that sodium…

The basic green:  ice, 1/2 banana, flax, Amazing Meal, spinach, UVAB

And dinner tonight was just some leftover Chicken Alfredo…

Canada vs USA in Olympic Hockey tonight!  I think a few snacks might be needed for this!!  There is a bag of popchips with my name on it. I hope it’s a tense game that ends well for our Canuck boys!!

Go Canada Go!!

Lovely Sunday

New friends, girlie time, good food, and Olympic Gold.  Sounds like a good Sunday, no?  :)

I was up bright and early yesterday morning to get a few things done before heading out for the day.  Saturday night I baked up some sugar cookies so I packed a few up for the blog girls lunchtime get together.

Made a basic green smoothie to get the day going…

Headed out a bit early with the idea that I would pick up some Heart Day baked goodies for FH and I, but unfortunately I was too early for Susie’s.  I had to go back after lunch and just missed the last red velvet whoopie pie by like 12 minutes (why did he tell me that!? ha!).  I went home with a big ol’ Death by Chocolate for honey (inhaled before photographic evidence could be taken) and a Red Velvet cupcake for myself.

I know I say this every time, but this is my new favorite now.  :)  It really was a very moist and delicious cupcake, and the cream cheese icing was less sweet than some of the butter cream options.  Still a sugar overload no doubt, but in a good way.  Nom!

Anyway, I got ahead of myself.  Before returning to get the cupcakes I met up with some blog girlies for lunch at The Wooden Monkey.  Susan from The Great Balancing Act was in town from Fredericton and arranged for us all to meet up!

 

Susan, Angie, Katie, Renee, me, Lynn and Melanie.  It was nice to meet some new local ladies with similar interests!

Of course, as usual, the monkey lunch did not disappoint.  I had the Roast Chicken and Pesto Sandwich (which also has slices of apple in it!) with 1/2 roasties and 1/2 sweet apple salad.  I ate the whole thing.  I might have kept on going if there’d been more!

Sorry for the blah point & shoot photos.  Susan had her Rebel with her and it made me wish I’d brought along my James Dean!

Time flew by and then next thing we knew it was time for everyone to run off for their various errands, long drives, and afternoons with family.

I came home to find some Valentine’s Day loot from darling FH.

Yes, that is yet another Starbucks mug.  The man knows the way to my heart.  :)  With peanut butter cups.  *bliss*

Later in the afternoon we headed out for a quick coffee date.  I got a Non-Fat Vanilla Rooibos Tea Latte (which I’ve now learned they sweeten so I’ll be ditching that part next time). 

  

Dinner was just leftover Chinese food…

Followed maybe by one more cupcake.  I know, you wonder when I’m going to turn into a cupcake!  But these ones were made by our neighbor’s daughter and when she brought them over we couldn’t resist diving right in.  :)

A little heavy on the indulgences for sure (story of my life!) but thankfully I had a fabulous workout on Saturday and an extra hard cardio session this morning so I think it all evens out.  Even if it doesn’t… it was a great day and I wouldn’t trade it at all.   :)

Pun’kin Pancakes

A final hearty weekend breakfast before heading back to work (and oatmeal!) tomorrow.  Yesterday I skipped the bacon and eggs with FH in favor of a green smoothie, so today I wanted to partake in the bacon with some pancakes.

Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Pancakes to be exact.

Elizabeth included this mix with the care package from our cross-border exchange.  I had seen it a lot in blogland over the Fall and was super excited to receive it!

Since this was the first time using it, I followed the package directions exactly…adding egg, milk and butter to the dry mix.  Next time I’ll try to healthy it up a bit.

The mix smells AWESOME!  Nutmeg-y goodness!

The pancakes themselves are a little thin…we like ours a little fluffier…but the texture and taste were good.

I made a mini taster pancake for FH to try to make sure he liked them before serving him a whole plate. 

Verdict:  “They are good, but I like regular pancakes better.” – FH

But I added bacon to the plates so all was happy!

With coffee.

Now off to run errands, including finally putting my birthday Running Room gift cards to use on a new pair of shoes!

(The snow subsided last night and now it’s all clear to get stuff done!)

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Shout out!  Welcome back to blogging Jennie!  Everyone should pop by her new blog The Road to Happy, Healthy and Hot and give her a little support and blogger love!

Spoiled Silly

Holy moly it’s been a big year for gifts and loot!  Not only did my birthday prezzies continue to trickle in right up until yesterday but Christmas was also incredibly good to me!

As you all know, FH and I wait until our return to Halifax to celebrate our Christmas together.  We both arrived home yesterday…completely exhausted.  After a much needed nap (or two!) we exchanged gifts.

He got me an incredibly unexpected surprise!  A FABULOUS Kitchen Aid blender!!!!  *feel free to drool in jealousy here!*

He generally doesn’t like to A) buy appliances or B) ask my Mom for help…but this year he went against his usual methods and broke both his rules.  :)

  

Isn’t she pretty?  You know there will be much smoothie love going on in the New Year.  Is it OK to hug a kitchen appliance?

Just so you know that I too did good with my shopping…I will tell you that FH set up his gift today and has been happily “testing it out” ever since.  Beatles Rock Band for his Playstation 3 may possibly be the best last minute thought for a gift I’ve ever had.

I knew he would like it, but I’m pleased to report that he LOVES it.

You just know what we’re doing for our New Year’s gathering this evening.  :)

In addition to our gifts, I also came home to find gifties from the fabulous Miss Amy!  Not only did she choose me in our Blogger Secret Santa exchange, but she also sent along a belated birthday package!  What a girl!

Lululemon running gloves.  She knew I was coveting these.  Don’t you just love twitter?!  haha.

 

Also a gorgeous snowflake decoration, Xmas socks, and much beloved Burts Bees lipbalm for when I tackle the outdoor running.

And just to leave you with a little New Year suspense…the postman delivered my special Boxing Day package today too!!!

Any guesses?  (anyone following Twitter probably knows…haha)

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! 

MAY 2010 FIND YOU HAPPY AND HEALTHY!!!