Happy Earth Day fellow hippies! This is one of my favorite days, and in New York, the going green theme has been stretched out – lasting a whole week – so I’ve been enjoying it to the fullest.
Last year on Earth Day I tried (unsuccessfully) to start a bike-to-work initiative at the hospital where I work. And this year I’m doing the same thing. Some may think it’s silly (given that I will only be an employee there for another two weeks), but I don’t care. We had a saying in my soccer days that you score 0% of the shots you don’t take. So if you are passionate about a goal in life, always try to remember, as difficult or far-reached as it seems to be, if you don’t go for it, you have NO possibility to succeed. Hopefully my second attempt at creating a more bike friendly hospital environment during the warmer (bike-able) months will make larger waves this time around…
Anyways, enough deep thoughts for a Thursday.
For now I have some Earth friendly work lunches coming at you from the past few days…
I was SUPER excited to try these EasyLunchBoxes. Kelly, the owner & creator, and fellow UCLA alum, contacted me on twitter to see if I was interested in them…ummm, HELL YEAH!! As any of my regular readers know, packing my own lunches is VERY important to me, as is being as green as possible.
I feel like these EasyLunchBoxes were practically made for me! They contain NO Lead, Vinyl, PVC, Phthalates, or Bisphenol A (BPA) and they came with a cute reusable bag that they fit perfectly into, too!
Since my lunches tend to be of the large-and-in-charge nature, I used two of the bento style containers. I was pleasantly surprised at how much they were able to hold. The depth of the pockets can be deceiving, and I think I actually ended up bringing more food to work even though it took up WAY less space to carry.
The first contained a bunch off chopped carrots and a simple salad with spinach, raw corn, red bell peppers, and more carrots.
The second held a pita, spinach artichoke hummus, and pretzel sticks.
Rather than eat each item individually, I stuffed the pita with hummus and some of the simple salad and enjoyed it as a big sando/wrap thang, and it was grrrrrrrrrrrreat.
I also had two apples as well, and guess what? It ALL fit in the bag cooler!
Even better? It kept my food cool!
This may come as a shock to you all, but I have never stored my food in the fridge at work (it’s small and gross and the nurses lounge is too far from my patients’ rooms to eat anything unless I’m on my lunch break). So, I just leave it in my backpack and, although it’s never warm by the time I get to take my lunch break, it isn’t exactly chilled either. It was nice to enjoy a crispy salad for a change, and I was amazed by how simple it was to fit everything in the bag and then in my backpack.
For the life of me, I’m trying to see the differences in this day’s packed eats…but the only real change between these containers and the previous ones is the hummus.
This time I went with roasted red pepper hummus. I also jazzed up my salad a bit with the addition of pepitas, cherry tomatoes, and raisins (in addition to the spinach, raw corn, bell pepps, and carrots).
YUM.
After work yesterday (at 7 pm on the dot), I swapped my scrubs for clothes not coated in C. diff (awesome), and attempted to slap some life into my face since I was headed to midtown to meet up with Kyle for a UCLA MBA school event. Ironically, yesterday Kyle found out he was ALSO accepted into UC Berkley’s MBA school. Decisions, decisions.
I had a glass of red wine while mingling with the other business peeps, but I was relieved that Kyle suggested going out for dinner as we left.
That is me, starving, and trying to decide what to order at Candle Cafe.
If that’s not one of the best predicaments to be in then, I don’t know what is (oh, wait, yes I do…it’s trying to choose between two fabulous MBA schools both in CA…).
I’ll post on the delicious meal we had at Candle Cafe later.
Before I sign off, I wanted to tell all my fellow New Yorkers that Origins is having an awesome GREEN giveaway. All you have to do is bring in one of your old skin care products (empty or not) and they will exchange it for a FREE full sized cleanser.
Glad you like them! I think all the little compartments would be a good reminder to pack a variety of snacks.
Happy Earth Day chica! Totes ma-goats on them green tupperwares. I want that!
p.s. Hurray California! But I root for L.A. 😉
So happy for you and Kyle! What a win-win situation you guys are in… Love your lunch box ideas and i wish i could find those in Canada, once again! 🙂 Ah, i will be broke the second i move back West. And for the record, i plan on biking into work today as well. Even though i do most days, it feels more “earthy” today, haha.
Love those lunch boxes, how cute!
Wow, thats amazing of Origins! And i love your blog – I can tell you really stand behind your “green” behavior. Soo important!
um, way to go kyle! thats INSANE to get into both!
i am obsessed with tupperware. my roommates think i have issues.
Happy Earth Day, lover! I LOVE those tupperware containers… they keep everything neat and pretty! I used to have one like that, but it got lost 🙁
the tupperware is so great – it looks like a perfect way to consolidate my usual 3 or 4 container lunch! i might have to buy myself an earth day present haha
Um, you BETTER be coming to LA! Tell Kyle I have my yellow belt and I will come kick his ass if he drags you up north instead!!!
wow, those containers look AND sound great. completely eco (i actually typed “ego” at first haha) friendly and perfect for packing is exactly what i’ve been looking for. not to mention the goodies you packed inside aren’t to shabby themselves.
have a lovely day (&happy earth day–how appropriate!)
xox
p.s. i’m quite jealous of your voyage to candle. i would definitely take starving at candle, unable to decide, over… well, most anything. i’ve only been there once but would go back in a heartbeat. too bad i won’t be able to until this summer when i’m back in NYC. how will you ever survive without it in cali? 😉
I bike to work every day 🙂 I think maybe a few other people in my office do too? Not sure, though… Good luck getting the bike to work initiative to work this year!
Congrats to Kyle! Do you have a preference for where he goes?
The Origins deal is actually good nation-wide, just FYI 😉 Isn’t that a crazy awesome deal?!?
And, um, spinach artichoke hummus?! Are you freaking kidding me?! That would be like heaven in my mouth…
Courtney
happy earth day!! I love how passionate you are for the cause 🙂 and I love how intently you are studying that menu. serious business!
Goin’ back to Cali! Congrats girl!
http://www.bellabroccoli.wordpress.com
Congratulations to Kyle! Haas is definitely a very tough school to get into… A friend has decided to go to Haas this fall so Kyle and him could possibly be classmates.
On another note, I lead the bike-to-work initiative at work the last 2 years…you might fail but it’s totally worth it to keep trying! Good Luck Elise!
Congrats to Kyle!
I’ll throw my completely unimportant vote in for Berkeley! It’s all about Northern California… and in Berkeley you’d be right by SF – lots of great hospitals there (Oakland too – but I actually know about the SF hospitals). Psh, okay, they might have a hospital or two in LA – but the traffic – and the lack of easy public transportation. Bay area – live near a BART station, work near a BART station, and you’re set.
I need those containers – they look awesome! I dont put my lunch in the fridge either, there really are no good places at the hospital and the fridges often smell SO bad!
I’ve been thinking about getting some of those containers and your pictures have just about sealed the deal. O.k. they have, the only question is when do I order them?
Classic shot of you trying to decide what to have- it captures menu studying perfectly 🙂
Happy Earth Day!
ironically i was going to bbm you today to find out if kyle got into berkley! CONGRATS to him! eeee what are you gonna decide!!
TWO WEEKSSSSSSSS thats hugeeeeee
btw i feel like the words “simple salad” should never come out of your mouth
touche! simple salad with me means less than 10 ingreds 🙂 only FOUR more shifts at work!!!!
im gonna do a giveaway soon, so stay tuned!
thanks girl!! origins was out of the free products by the time i got there…but they still recycled my old containers 🙂
ahahha…me too!!!! we are a unique breed.
im gonna do a giveaway soon…
haha…dont worry, its gonna be UCLA 🙂
i can only hope there are several vegan places in LA LA land to replace my beloved Candle Cafe, Blossom, and Peacefood obsessions…fingers crossed!
im pretty open to whatever…northern or southern california, ill be happy to be closer to fam and friends.
the origins deal was good, but they ran out before i got there. they still recycled my old product containers.
spinach artichoke hummus = taste bud bliss
thanks emily 🙂
thanks for the email Lika…we are leaning towards UCLA, but still thinking…
ack! dont confuse us further!! hahaha. so hard to decide :-/
my dad works at kaiser oakland 🙂
i know right? why is that?!?!
What!? Did Origins at least give you a rain check or something so you can get your free product eventually? That sucks if they didn’t! I would not have been a happy camper…I am all about the freebies…
Kaiser SF has a farmers market every Wednesday 😉
Although… while the staff in cardiac ICU was AWESOME there, we did notice (and from talking to people) that the pre-op area was a bit more tense – less collegiate than some of the other places we were. But, Kaiser Santa Rosa is really focusing on diet change for cardiac patients – you probably don’t want to commute to Santa Rosa – but I think you’d fit in really well there (ya know, from all I know about you based on your blog 😉 hehe). You could help bring the importance of diet to some of the ICU patients!