The Science of Beer

I'm glad I packed a backup snack today, because I ended up staying late at work. I had one of those crazy days that was full of meetings so I didn't feel like I got any actual 'work' done. I decided to stay an extra hour because I was finally focused on my (horribly tedious) task at hand, and I knew it wouldn't be easy to just pick it up in the morning.

However, since I stayed late and my girlfriend rarely cooks, we ended up going out for dinner. I was happy when she suggested Blue Planet because I know they have many healthy vegetarian choices. Unfortunately, I was unimpressed with my meal. This place has such great promise, but they always fail to deliver! I had a veggie bugger with swiss & Portobello and curry SunFries on the side (they're not fried, they're baked!) The burger patty was too thick and mushy. The flavor was off, too.

I will have to go back for breakfast sometime - they have homemade granola and steel-cut oats on the menu! Plus, the smoothie and coffee selection looks decent. I just want to support a place with these ideals - there are not many like it in Omaha! (from the website and menu):

Healthy People

• Hormone and Antibiotic-Free Meats
• Many Organic Fruits and Vegetables
• State of the Art Cooking Process with:
  • Natural Foods
  • Minimal Preservatives
  • No Deep Fat Frying
• Organic and Fair Trade Coffees
• Options Available for Special Dietary Needs, such as:
  • Gluten Free
  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan

Healthy Planet

• Recyclable or Biodegradable Products
• Energy Efficient Cooking Process
• Energy Efficient Lighting
• Biodegradable and Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
• Soy Based, Eco-Friendly Nontoxic Floor Stain
• All Eligible Waste is Recycled
• All Eligible Kitchen Scraps and Coffee Grounds are Composted
• Water Conserving Fixtures

After dinner, Katie and I met up with a friend for a talk on "The Science of Beer". I have to admit, this was way more chemistry-y than I was expecting! However, I love hearing about local companies and people who are passionate about their work. Zac Triemert of Lucky Bucket Brewing Company did a great job. He studied in Scotland and got his Masters in Brewing and Distilling - how cool is that?! If you are in the Omaha area, be sure to try a Lucky Bucket lager - and keep an eye out for the IPA which should be released in 4 weeks. They also give tours on Thursdays and Saturdays. If you are not in the Omaha area, ask your coolest grocery stores and bars if they can get it for you! During the presentation, I sipped a beer. I didn't get a Lucky Bucket, and I wish had!

I came home and packed my food for tomorrow.

For breakfast:

• muffin
• yogurt
• dried apricots

For lunch:

• Amy's lentil soup
• apple slices

Snacks:

• cottage cheese
• edamame
• celery w/Laughing Cow cheese for spreading

And then I got to open a new container of coffee...mmmmmm, smells so good!!

We got this puppy at Costco. It's bigger than my head!

Ok, time to squeeze in a quick leg workout, then shower and sleep. Yeah, I usually shower at night and sleep with wet hair. I risk having really goofy bed-head in the morning, but that's still better than waking up early to shower, in my opinion.