Since one of the topics on my test on Monday is salad dressings, I guess making a new recipe with a homemade salad dressing kind of falls under studying. Right?
I threw together a recipe for Autumn Greens Salad with Sunflower Seeds (oops, it’s not autumn) from my Power Foods cookbook, but you can check out the recipe on the Whole Living website! It’s the first time I’ve tried: raw brussel sprouts, raw kale, or making my own salad dressing. A whole lot of firsts here!
The salad itself would be a better side dish but I took it to the next level and made the recipe my own.
Shredded Kale and Sprout Salad with a Sweet Twist
Salad
Ingredients:
brussel sprouts, thinly sliced
kale, shredded into small pieces
apple, diced
sunflower seeds
dried cranberries
turkey sausage (optional–but delicious)
Dressing
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tbsp maple syrup
3 tbsp olive oil
salt (to taste)
Warning: this is pretty tasty!
I just enjoyed mine at Starbucks, along with this free frappucino sample.
Like I said, it’s sorta like studying right?
I was productive today. As always when I “should” be studying I get things done that I’ve been meaning to, including my buttload of laundry! I also met up with Sarah for an afternoon run and managed to get ink for my computer. All the while I’ve been filling up that hollow leg of mine with yummy eats.
And trying not to get too distracted but I’m not going to lie: focusing in summer school is hard! And I’m always in this “Am I doing the right thing if I am this unmotivated to study?” space when I feel like I have to force myself to study. So I’m just going to be open and say that I have my doubts. Some people might think — well, geeze, when there are hardly any internships and you aren’t even sure, someone could read that — but I think, if I get to that applying point and want one, it will mean that I’ve had my doubts but worked through them and decided that it is the right thing for me! But my mind’s racing a bit now, and there are tons of possibilities, and you better believe I’ll be blogging my face off about all of this soul searching. 
At this point:
- I want to help people live better lives–whether it’s via a role as an RD (sports specific? ED specific?) or as something else, that I do not know and do not NEED to know right now.
- For a while I was scared to admit that I think my calling is helping other people find their way through their own struggles with ED, etc. — to this day actually. But here I go, saying that this is what I think my calling is: helping other people find their happy. The more I find mine, the more confident I feel that this is what I want to and need to do, and the less I feel pressure or anxiety over “how I’m going to do it.”
- I said today that I kind of wish I could just have a job where I could retweet motivational quotes and write/read blogs all day, sort of as a joke. But seriously, if there’s a way that I could do this and feel like I’m contributing something meaningful and doing what I need to do — and if I don’t know what it looks like (teaching fitness? freelancing? volunteering? working somewhere random?), that’s okay. What’s not okay is assuming that it’s impossible.
- I want to change the world. I want girls to stop freaking out over their bodies and start freaking out over their lives. Is that so much to ask?
What do you like to do instead of studying?
What do you think of the salad?
Steve Jobs is bringin home the quote bacon on this one! And he’s absolutely right, and you’re absolutely right – you don’t need to have your life all mapped out. You’re allowed to have doubts! and you’re allowed to get degrees and then not use them. I’m kind of having this issue right now as well (not knowing what I want to do “with my life” for a long term “career”…and feeling guilty about it), and my parents looooove to tell me that “most people rarely just do ONE thing for their whole lives – most people change jobs and careers frequently”, so…..you might THINK you have an answer now, but who knows how your life/heart/mind are going to change in five, ten, fifteen years? I think you’re MEANT to take action against this stupid eating disorder pandemic, and there are a million ways to do that, and you don’t have to limit yourself to just one
But in the meantime, you would also make a good chef, because that salad looks BOMBTASTIC!!! maple mustard? sign me up!!
BOMBTASTIC = LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE.
If we knew where we were headed, how boring would that be?! The key I think is to have fun while we figure it out, right? It sounds like your parents taught you a good lesson–and are really supportive–nice!
And I appreciate this comment, as always, because it made me SMILE and feel good!
I cook instead of studying… I blog instead of studying… I read blogs instead of studying… I clean instead of studying… I paint my nails instead of studying….
Oh Cheryl
I rather do so many other things than study 
Definitely did not study/do lectures today
OOPS
Lets do all those things together next year instead of studying okay?
I love that Steve Jobs quote! Thank you for sharing
I am definitely saving that and putting it on my desktop 
And that food looks amazing. You are living the dream!! I would love to take nutrition courses.
I totally support your calling to help people find their happy/get over their ED. You can definitely make a living off doing that – look at how awesome your blogs are (and you post so frequently, which I love)! Keep it up, girlie!!
Thank you so much! It’s the coolest thing in the world to blog and have people read it, besides your mom! I love this. Thanks again girl, you’re so supportive of me! It means a ton.
I mean I see studying in all of those photos
I love these aspirations you have, I am one of those people that get a lot out of sharing my story. I think it helps my recovery and also helps others mostly because I was so ambivalent and distrustful about recovery. I am interesting to see where you go with it because I do see a bright future for you.
Hahah thanks for the support and for all your comments and positivity! I love blogging!
I think helping others find happiness and feel god about themselves is what you were MEANT to do. You’re so passionate about it and you already do such a great job of it through this blog!
I like to cook, clean, bake, blog, read blogs, grocery shop, or watch the Food Network when I’m procrastinating on studying.
You’re such a foodie Chels–look at that list!