The Paisley Vegan

Vegan on Vacation

2011-06-25T11:29:00.003-05:00

Maybe I should have said 98% vegan on vacation...

I recently took a four day trip to Duluth, MN with my husband and three children. I packed plenty of snacks for the drive, brought my own stuff to put in my coffee, and hoped for the best when it came to food.

I think I did pretty good as far as finding vegan choices, or at least the best I could do when I am at the mercy of a restaurant that doesn't really care...at a Mexican restaurant I ate mediocre veggie fajitas, blah refried beans (after I scraped off the cheese), only to discover when I was finished that there was a tiny piece of meat among the leftover veggies. WTF? How does that happen? I don't really wanna know...

I was worried about breakfast, but it worked out well. The first morning there we ate at a very expensive, fancy, revolving restaurant at the top of our hotel. I ordered oatmeal (no milk) and fresh fruit. The oatmeal came with brown sugar, raisins, and cooked apples. I skipped the raisins, and only put in a little of the sugar, and it tasted like I was eating apple pie for breakfast. Grace and I shared the fruit, and the coffee was delicious.

On the trip, I also ate two veggie burgers (one that might not have been vegan), a lot of french fries and onion rings, and some veggie pizza with no cheese. At Perkins I ate dry toast with strawberry jam and some breakfast potatoes and fruit, and more oatmeal. I also drank coffee that was not organic.

Even though some of the food I ate wasn't too junky, I was sick to death of eating out at a restaurant after a couple of days. My body was not happy with me. I had a craving for a real smoothie that felt like an ache in the middle of my stomach, kind of like where it hurts when you miss someone that you love. I didn't actually gain any weight on the trip, but I feel sluggish, and I need a detox. Here comes days of fresh veggies, real fruit smoothies, and delicious, homemade food. Also lots of water, juice, and hopefully kombucha if my batch turned out all right. It's detox time, baby. Off to make that smoothie...

Comedic Therapy

2011-06-25T11:24:00.002-05:00

Mmmmmm!

2011-03-03T20:17:00.004-06:00

I am coming down from my food high. It was pretty intense. I came across yet another awesome recipe on Oh She Glows- Tahini Avocado Chickpea Salad- and tonight was the night to try it out. I worked out on my elliptical machine (twice this week, oh man!), then turned on some tunes and got out the food processor. Grace heard the sounds of my getting ready to make food and she was there faster than Drew on a can of Root Beer.

But seriously, what could have gone wrong here? It's like mixing all of my favorite flavors all together into a bowl of ecstasy and delight. Chickpeas, avocado, tahini, onions, spinach, cumin, for god's sake...

I don't think I ever want to eat anything else. Except some fruit for dessert. This is the perfect way to get veggies and healthy fats and flavor that will knock your socks off. The dressing is perfectly creamy and slightly spicy with the cumin and coriander. A perfect combination.

There is a potluck at work tomorrow for the paraprofessionals. It's supposed to be healthy food. I doubt there will be anything vegan, unless someone brings fresh fruit. I don't care. I am bringing this salad for sure. At one work potluck, a co-worker saw me eating my soup while the rest of the staff chowed down on potluck food and Christmas treats. She commented that I must be jealous of everyone. Really? I don't think so. It's not like I am being forced to eat this way. It's my choice. And seriously, if I am eating stuff like this, they should be jealous of me. For sure.

Perfect!

2011-02-27T10:27:00.002-06:00

Mac and Cheeze with Broccoli

2011-02-20T12:27:00.005-06:00

Two posts in two days? That's insane! I must be bored. Or actually cooking real food! Or maybe it's because here in Minnesota we are having yet another snow storm, this time with some freezing rain thrown in for fun. So here we sit...

I make this Macaroni and Cheeze with Broccoli a lot. I mean a lotta lot. Like maybe every other week during the winter. I can't even remember where I found the recipe, I just know it was on someone's blog. It is so freaking delicious, you don't even know. It's so delicious that every time I ask Garrett if he wants me to make it, his eyes get really wide and he nods his head vigorously.

This is sooo cheezy and easy. Imagine the amount of calories and fat it would have if I really used cheese. Yuck. This way is pretty low fat in comparison. And healthier by a long shot.

I usually use whole wheat penne pasta for this casserole, but this time I opted to use the box of quinoa pasta I found at the B&D for like 50 cents or some outrageously low price like that. I had never tried quinoa pasta before, but I am always willing to experiment with other kinds of pastas, and I feel a person should eat a variety of things, including gluten-free options. It was sooooo yummy! Grace was eating it while I was trying to mix things up. It was lighter than wheat pasta, if that makes any sense.

Since I can't really link to the recipe, and I have changed it up a bit over the years, I am going to share it with you. Lucky you! Comfort food at its ultimate best. No joke.

Mac and Cheeze with Broccoli

1 lb box pasta
1/4 cup vegan margarine
1/2 cup flour
3 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
A few dashes black pepper
2 tbsp. tamari sauce (or soy sauce)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
pinch or two of turmeric
1-2 tbsp. canola oil
1 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 -1 cup chopped broccoli
bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray. Boil noodles and drain. Melt margarine in a saucepan - add garlic and cook for two minutes. Whisk in flour, then add the 3 1/2 cups water, tamari, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Stir until it starts to thicken- a few minutes. Then whisk in the oil and nutritional yeast flakes. Add half the sauce to the pasta and broccoli and mix well. Then pour the rest of the sauce over everything, top with bread crumbs and sprinkle paprika on top. Bake 20-30 minutes, then cool for at least 10 minutes to let it thicken up. This stuff is seriously better the next day.

Lemon-Lime Detox Smoothie

2011-02-19T16:13:00.004-06:00

Who needs detoxing? Probably everyone. I know for sure I do. I have been consuming sugar in unbelievable amounts while I sit around, aching all over, depressed, fat, and miserable. It's a vicious cycle and I must stop it now. For real this time.

This recipe is my first attempt at a green smoothie. I have always been afraid that my blender will suck and not mix the greens enough and I will end up chewing my smoothie. I am going to ask for a new blender for my birthday/Mother's Day (same day).

I had the lemons and limes already because I have been slicing them up and putting them in my water bottle at work everyday. It really helps me get the water I need each day, and it's addicting and delicious. It always elicits comments from my students, and there is one student that will get to eat a slice of lemon from my bottle if he gets his work done first.

Tip: Do not cut yourself while cutting up a lemon. Yow!

I decided to put the ingredients in a glass jar and use my immersion blender, thinking it would do a better job at chomping up the spinach. It did pretty good, but you can still see some small pieces in there. No problem...you can't taste the spinach at all. Seriously.

How does it taste? SOUR! But super-duper delicious and lemony-lime refreshing. I am so gonna make this one again. I feel inspired to get rid of all the processed sugar - again. I can do it. I can be well.

Vegan Alfredo

2011-01-30T17:15:00.002-06:00

My son Drew will eat spaghetti anytime. Really, anytime. Since he eats so few foods, I made it just for him yesterday. He can live on the leftovers for a few days.

Since I was boiling the spaghetti noodles anyway, I got the idea to make this Vegan Alfredo sauce from Vegan with a Vengeance. I freaking LOVE this recipe. ADORE it. Lick-the-plate-moaning love it.

The creaminess of the sauce must come from the pine nuts. Also, anything made with nutritional yeast is my BFF. Seriously, I could eat that stuff every day and marvel at the bright yellow-ness of my pee.

I always saute mushrooms to go with this dish, but this time, I felt like adding broccoli as well. How on earth could that go wrong? It just can't. I was not disappointed. I can't wait to eat the leftovers tonight for supper.

I haven't opened up my VWaV book in a while, and that's really a shame. I need to go back and make some more of those recipes again, and try some of the ones I haven't tried yet.

Curried Lentil Soup

2011-01-19T20:23:00.003-06:00

This winter in Minnesota stuff is not for the weak. Right now it's 3 degrees Fahrenheit, and the temperature is dropping. The next two days are going to be worse, with highs barely reaching zero, if they do at all.

Hanging in there....getting through this January stuff. I think I'm going to make it...

Last night I came across this recipe on Oh She Glows. So I made it. It was really easy. I have made soups like it before. Ah....the soothing sounds of my music, chopping onions and carrots, letting it simmer...

If we each have our own personal heaven, mine will smell like curry simmering on the stove.

The soup was good. Really quite good. But thick. And after a while, I got tired of all the lentils. I think that's the only way to explain it. I just didn't feel like chewing them anymore.

It looks like vomit, but many of the best dishes do.

I am sure I will make this soup again. But I may add more veggies, use less lentils, and add rice or couscous or quinoa. But then it will just be another soup. Oh, well.

Meat Meat Meat

2011-01-17T16:32:00.003-06:00

I am right now writing an article for the paper on the new meat locker/processing plant/butcher shop/house of torture in town.

I knew this would happen ever since the building was first being planned. I live here. It's only natural they would ask me to write about it.

I waited for my boss to ask. I didn't offer it up.

I stressed about it a little for a week before the interview came up. I felt sad and torn and disgusted. What would I see? What would I have to hear about? Could I handle it? I almost turned it down and said no.

It wasn't too terrible. We sat in the front room so I didn't have to see anyone carve up a carcass. There was some blood on the owner's apron, but that's all. I didn't tell her I was vegan. I didn't say anything. I asked about the animals - turns out they are alive when they come and they "take care of everything from start to finish." Except, of course, when deer hunters bring in their already-dead deer.

It was hard, though. And the place smelled like death. If I would have heard a live animal in the back, I would have walked away.

I just don't get it. How people can look at the animal, living, breathing, scared, and then butcher it. How the pile of guts and blood and bones and tissues can be okay if it's a farm animal, but would be gross or wrong if it was your dog or cat. How these people can look at the meat and think that it looks tasty or delicious.

To me, it's absolutely no different than looking at roadkill and thinking it looks tasty.

Anyway, I survived. And now I am writing the article. Then I will be done with it all.

I wish I could write an article on a tofu factory. Or the new vegan restaurant in town. Ha!

Holiday Cooking

2010-12-31T16:05:00.003-06:00

Ah, the holidays are over. If you don't count New Year's. I get to stay home with the kiddos tonight and drink sparkling apple cider and eat popcorn from the movie theater and watch movies. There is freezing rain tonight, so not really a good night to go out anyway. Not that it's important to me. I have been home with the kids all week, and we have barely left the house. Monday I went to the new Trader Joe's that's only an hour away and that was super fun. I have done some cleaning, taken care of sick kids, read, watched several movies, and all around really enjoyed it. Today I need to work on cleaning the kids' rooms.

Christmas was the usual. I made my green bean casserole (again) and I ate the whole thing myself over three or four days. I also made the "turkey" roast (again) and gravy and it was splendid. It does get old bringing my own food to family get-togethers though. There are always people looking at my plate with curious looks, wondering what the heck I am eating. My MIL did make me my own baked potato and sweet potato on the side, though, which was thoughtful of her. I ate way too much food, especially the sweets. I think I gained three pounds. I feel gross and fat. This must change.

Tonight I am making barbecued pork ribs for the family, and the BBQ tofu from Veganomicon for me. The recipe makes so much barbecue sauce that I froze some last time. Unfortunately, I don't believe in such things as labeling all those frozen containers, so I had to open them and smell them. I hope I am thawing out the right one! I am also making mashed potatoes because Grace loooooooves them. And broccoli. We will celebrate the new year together eating a good meal.

But no more cookies. Seriously. I just ate two chocolate chip cookies and I feel sick. I need to stop this lazy eating. I need a freaking salad. I need a few days to detox. I need to try some new recipes. I will let you know how that goes.

Have a glorious and healthy 2011, everyone. Eat well. Be happy. :)

Protein Power!

2010-12-11T19:56:00.008-06:00

It has been too long, I know. The truth is, I have not made anything blog-worthy since the last post. This time of year is always a struggle. I come home from work every day, curl up in my recliner with some cinnamon toast and coffee, and write. Lazy. Depressed. Tired. Craving carbs. As a result of this sugar-filled apathy diet, I actually got a cold. Not a bad one, but still. One day in English class I had a sneeze attack so bad I had to go in the hallway until it passed. I could feel the unhealthiness, and my body was craving something nutritious, a way to fire up my immune system so I could feel better.

I must break the cycle!

We are snowed in today. Even as I type, there is a blizzard going on outside. A real one. Tons of snow falling, lots and lots of wind to blow it around, and ice underneath the snow. Roads and major interstate highways are shutting down and they are pulling plows off the road. Tomorrow we will be lucky if the temperature reaches zero degrees Fahrenheit. We were planning on doing some Christmas shopping tomorrow, but it's going to have to wait.

I am okay with that. I have nowhere to go. I have food in the house, and coffee. I have writing I want to do.

And it seems I have my mojo back.

I found this recipe for a Protein Power Goddess Bowl on Oh She Glows , which is a great vegan website for recipes and inspiring stories of health and happiness. And unbelievably delicious food. She is also a great photographer, making her food look so appetizing it makes me drool as I read about it. This recipe looked kind of strange, but it had a few things going for it right away. First, I had all the ingredients. Second, the tahini dressing. I am completely GAGA over any dressing made with tahini. It is delicious, creamy, nutritious, and filling, and has enough fat to make you feel satisfied. Also, this one had nooch in it. Nutritional yeast and tahini all at the same time? I am all over that. Third, all of the garlic. Enough said, really.

I made a few changes. I used green peppers because that's what I have. Red would have been delicious, and of course, prettier. Also, instead of brown rice, I used a packet of Kashi grains. It was good, but next time I will use rice, or maybe quinoa. I also used sun-dried tomatoes, but ended up picking them out.

The tahini dressing was so creamy and lemony and garlicky. :)

I don't know how I ever survived without my cast iron pan. It was a Christmas gift from my in-laws last year. Makes me so happy!

The final result was sooooo delicious! My husband came in the kitchen and asked what the horrible smell was. The lentils were cooking. He wasn't impressed. I made all sorts of moaning noises while I ate, but it didn't do anything to change his mind. He had frozen pizza for supper.

And I had vital energy and health. It felt so good to be eating this creamy goodness, the spinach, the lentils, everything. It filled me up and left me satisfied. I can't wait to eat the leftovers. I will definitely make it again next time, but maybe change it up a bit with different veggies. Who knows?

Oh my god, that tahini dressing...

And a kiwi for dessert! I forgot just how amazing this food makes me feel compared to the sugary crap I have been eating that makes me feel gross afterward. I must remember this!

Thankful for Food

2010-11-26T11:59:00.008-06:00

I spent most of the day yesterday cooking, baking, and doing laundry.

My husband watched football and took a nap. But I am not bitter...not at all.

I had some help, though. I hope Grace doesn't outgrow the desire to help her mommy cook. She is so much fun.

I decided to make myself some sort of seitan "turkey" like thing. I found this recipe and decided to give it a go. Grace helped mix up the dough and knead it. It was incredibly easy to make.

I had some cheese cloth, but I ran into problems there. I had trouble rolling it up and having the seitan fit inside. I also could not find a string to save my life. Eventually I decided to just skip the cheesecloth and let the roll of dough simmer in the water free-form. No problem. After simmering for an hour, I baked it in the oven for 30 minutes. It was kind of crispy on the outside.

Grace and I ate some. It was a little bit blah, so I sprinkled a bit of sea salt on it. We just kept eating it. We couldn't stop! Every time I came into the kitchen, I tore off another piece and popped it in my mouth. Yummy and chewy and delish.

I wanted to make a gravy to go with it, so I tried the vegan gravy recipe from Oh, She Glows Thanksgiving Menu. It was easily the most flavorful yummy gravy I have ever tasted. While making everything else, I kept picking off pieces of the "turkey" and dipping it into the gravy.

By the time we had to leave for the relatives house, I had eaten so much of the seitan, I decided to leave it at home. I made my usual green bean casserole that I just love. I also made the usual pumpkin cheesecake that is to die for.

Garrett had some fun with the whipped cream on his pie.

And Grace was excited about the pumpkin cheesecake that she helped make.

It was a successful meal. I ate my green bean casserole (nobody else touched it). I also had some cranberry relish, pickles, and a bun. The potatoes and corn were swimming in butter, so I skipped them. But I was not deprived. We went to the new Harry Potter movie afterward, and I could barely eat any popcorn, I was so full. We had a good time, though, and there are plenty of leftovers for today. We are staying inside where it's nice and warm, relaxing, and eating. Sometimes, life is good.

Thinking Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T18:29:00.004-06:00

The more I think about Tasha's post about becoming an omnivore again, the less I like it.

Her post is overly dramatic, and quite frankly, hard to believe.

I don't doubt she was having those health problems. I do have doubts that veganism was the only culprit. And I do doubt that the instant she ate her first steak, she felt better.

It also bothers me that she recently tweeted the praises of bacon and how she can't believe she lived without it. Ewww!

I feel a little betrayed. Whatever. She can do what she wants. As for me, I am busy making myself some vegan pumpkin cheesecake for tomorrow. We are getting together with the hubby's meat-eating, deer-hunting, close-minded, turkey in the deep fat fryer family. Also making my favorite green bean casserole. I really should make a "meat" loaf or something as well. Better think about that...

In the meantime, this video rocks. In a disgusting, horrifying, goddamn good thing I'm a vegan way.

Vegan Thoughts

2010-11-20T11:07:00.003-06:00

One of the blogs I follow regularly, The Voracious Vegan, posted yesterday that she is no longer a vegan. She has been suffering multiple terrible health issues for a long time, and she has struggled relentlessly to fight it, but she found health again by going back to being an omnivore.

She has, of course, received tons of criticism. She has been told a thousand times that she is just not doing it right. I don't believe these people. I believe that what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. Our bodies are all so incredibly different and individualized. The fact that she has found her health and happiness again after suffering so much pretty much means everything for her life.

It got me thinking about my own choices. Are we wrong to think that being vegan helps to save the earth? Are we wrong to think that it's bad to eat meat and products made from animals? It made me think about the fact that I recently ate cheese and I have not been as fussy as I used to be about whether something has a minute amount of milk or eggs inside it. Is it really true that for life there must be death?

I have not suffered any ill effects from my diet. I enjoy being vegan. I love the peace I feel inside when I eat without any animals having suffered. I like the way my body feels when I eat food that is good for my body. I don't want to change any of that for any reason. And I think the diet is good for my body, as well as my mind. My high cholesterol level plummeted to a happy normal level. I think I look better, as a person looks when they are healthy. I also think it's the best thing for the planet, whatever people might say.

I also believe this isn't a contest to see who the best or hippest vegan is. Yeah, I eat honey on occasion, but that doesn't mean someone who is more hard-core is better than me. Everyone makes the best decisions they can at any particular moment in their lives. It's all about me, not pleasing you, or what a label means.

I think Voracious Vegan was brave to post her experiences the way she did, and I wish her the best.

Thanksgiving is next week and I am going to look through some fabulous recipes for this vegan to bring with her. Because this food is delicious, satisfying, and makes me happy. And that is really all that matters.

Cooling Rack Full of Love

2010-11-13T15:19:00.003-06:00

It's cold here. It's 41 degrees (Fahrenheit) according to my computer. I haven't ventured outside to feel it, because 1) I don't have to, and 2) It's raining.

I bought groceries yesterday and stocked up one some canned pumpkin. It's a generic brand, but I think it will be okay. So after eating my soup for lunch, I decided I needed to do some baking. And wa-la - I Stumbled Upon this website, which has this recipe.

Ah, pumpkin and chocolate. One of my all-time favorite combinations. Does this call for some afternoon coffee? I believe so...

Next time I am leaving out the almond extract. The almond flavor should be more subtle than it is. But they are still great muffins, perfect for the oncoming of a Minnesota winter.

Vegan Meme

2010-11-08T19:33:00.002-06:00

What is one food you thought you’d miss when you went vegan, but don’t?

Cheese. Despite my recent digression.

What is a food or dish you wouldn’t touch as a child, but enjoy now?

Squash

What vegan dish or food you feel like you “should” like, but don’t?

Raw tomatoes :( They would be so beautiful on a salad.

What beverage do you consume the most of on any given day?

Coffee and water

What dish are you “famous” for making or bringing to gatherings?

In the summer- the Mexican pasta salad. For the holidays - the vegan green bean casserole. And cookies.

Do you have any self-imposed food rules (like no food touching on the plate or no nuts in sweets)?

I really don't like nuts in my sweets. But that's it.

What’s one food or dish you tend to eat too much of when you have it in your home?

Cookies!

What ingredient or food do you prefer to make yourself despite it being widely available prepackaged?

guacamole

What ingredient or food is worth spending the extra money to get “the good stuff”?

Vegennaise

Are you much of a snacker? What are your favorite snacks?

Big snacker. Have I mentioned my love of cookies? But my favorite snack is probably pistachios.

What are your favorite vegan pizza toppings?

Mushrooms are a must. Pineapple. Black olives. A bit of Daiya vegan cheese.

What is your favorite vegetable? Fruit?

Broccoli. Avocado. Strawberries. Nectarines. It's hard to pick just one.

What is the best salad dressing?
tahini

What is your favorite thing to put on toasted bread?

Peanut butter!

What kind of soup do you most often turn to on a chilly day or when you aren’t feeling your best?

Chickpea noodle soup

What is your favorite cupcake flavor? Frosting flavor?

Mmmm...probably the S'mores cupcakes from VCTOTW. Frosting? Maybe chocolate. But I'm thinking about something coconut right now.

What is your favorite kind of cookie?

Chocolate chip. Or oatmeal pumpkin. Or chocolate chai.

What is your most-loved “weeknight meal”?

Tacos. Plenty of guacamole

What is one dish or food you enjoy, but can’t get anyone else in your household to eat?

Tempeh bacon. But then there's more for me!

How long, in total, do you spend in the kitchen on an average day?

1-2 hours

How many fingers am I holding up?

What kind of things are you doing for VeganMofo?

Reading lots of awesome blogs.

Confession

2010-11-07T15:40:00.002-06:00

I have not been a very good vegan lately. I don't know what it is. Laziness? Depression? Apathy? Addiction? Whatever the reason, I had a hand in helping my kids finish off their Halloween candy. Even the non-vegan chocolate that contained milk.

Blech!

This stuff used to not even tempt me.

I knew that if I put something bad into my system, I would feel bad. I had no urge.

Now it's like I want to make myself feel bad. Like I don't deserve to feel good and healthy.

And then the ultimate sin. Last night we had pizza in the house and I was craving a piece so bad that I just ate one. With cheese on it. Real cheese.
........
.......

OK, OK, I ate TWO!

It was like eating despair.

But it did something good anyway. It made me feel so yucky that I no longer have the urge. I need to remember all of the reasons I became vegan in the first place. I need to think about my health, and about those animals. Especially the animals suffering for their entire pathetic lives so that we can order a pizza and drink the milk and stuff ourselves with ice cream and cheeseburgers and cholesterol and death.

Karma.

I am not perfect. Not even close.

I do care. Enough not to fall into what is easier and more convenient and more socially acceptable. Enough to say what I think and do what makes me feel like me. Eating that pizza did not feel like me.

Now, if I could get my hands on some more Daiya vegan cheese, that would be me.

Tomato Soup

2010-10-25T17:33:00.003-05:00

Man, I love making soup! Almost more than eating it. Okay, not really. But in the cool fall days, it really warms you up inside. And I love to smell it simmering on the stove.

I made a half of a batch of the Tomato Brown Rice Soup with Roasted Garlic and Navy Beans from Veganomicon. Sweet! I had no navy beans, but I used great northern beans and I am pretty sure there's no difference.

This soup was yummy, and comforting. I like tomato soup, but this was different. The rice and beans make it such a complete meal. The subtle spices were perfect. I highly recommend it.

Who knew there were so many things to do with a can of crushed tomatoes? I have used it for barbecue sauce, spaghetti sauce, and now tomato soup. Lovely.

I had never roasted garlic before, and it didn't go so well. I think I roasted it too long, although I did the 45 minutes the recipe called for. It was messy trying to squeeze the garlic out of the roasted cloves, but I survived. It was a great addition to the soup, and I will try roasting garlic for other recipes.

My picture doesn't do the soup justice. It was still steamy, and there are shadows, and you can't see the beans, but that's okay. Trust me. I haven't had a lot of time (or energy, or enthusiasm) to make anything too fancy lately, but it felt good to make this soup, and great to eat it. One more bowl for supper tonight, though, and that should be enough. Time to move on to another soup!

Crunchy Like That

2010-10-11T16:20:00.005-05:00

This weekend was gorgeousness and gorgeosity all rolled into some beautiful, sunshiny weather. I spent the majority of it sitting outside with a book, a crossword puzzle, or my laptop to do some writing. It was pure bliss. Unseasonably warm for October. Still is today. I had nothing major going on this weekend (besides grocery shopping) so I did some cleaning, helped Garrett with his American Indian project for school, and finally got around to making that granola I have been meaning to make.

I admit there was some trepidation in starting this process. Friday night I was sure I had lost all of my mojo, and I was really worried. Everything I made that night bombed, and bombed horribly. I wanted to make brownies, and I had a box mix, so I tried to make it using flax "eggs" instead of real ones. I have no idea what the hell went wrong. I checked on them after ten minutes or so, and the batter was boiling in the pan. It was very surreal. And sad. It all went in the garbage.

Then Drew wanted pancakes for supper, and the pancake mix had moths in it, so I attempted to make them from scratch. I used the recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance, which is a kick-ass recipe. Where did I go wrong? I don't know. They were horrific pancakes. They, too went in the garbage. I was frustrated, depressed, and exhausted. I told my my kids to feed themselves. I gave up.

Saturday things went much better. :)

A while back I won a free giveaway from the lovely people over at Sunfood. I received sample packs of jungle peanuts, maqui berries, and goji berries. Sample packs because this stuff is not cheap. They are raw delicious superfoods, and I was so happy to win. I ate the jungle peanuts right away. I knew if I made granola, I would not be adding the peanuts because of Grace's allergy. The berries I saved for the perfect raw granola recipe.

I spent some time online searching for the perfect raw recipe, then decided to combine a few and make my own. The oats I added are raw oat flakes that I found at my favorite food co-op. The walnuts pieces are not raw. The cashews are raw, as were the flax seeds and sunflower seeds. I made a date paste, then decided to make a larger batch, so I threw in more oats and added some agave nectar without measuring. I mixed it all together, with the help of my lovely daughter.

We ate some right away, then I dehydrated the rest for what I'm guessing was a couple of hours, but I don't know for sure because I never bother to check the time when I do things. I just dried it until it was the right kind of crunchy for me. Then wa-la! A healthy, delicious, super-packed-with-nutrition snack or breakfast, or even supper for that matter.

Possibly the recipe for this granola, give or take this or that:

1 cup flaked oats
18 small pitted dates, soaked, then processed into a paste
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped cashews
2-3 tbsp raw blue agave nectar
1/4 cup whole flax seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
pumpkin seeds
dash of cinnamon
dried fruit - I used goji and maqui berries. Just throw them in.
Chocolate chips or cacao nibs would have been nice as well :)
I should have added some raw flaked unsweetened coconut

Mix well, place on dehydrator sheets - Dehydrate at 105 degrees for a couple hours or until it reaches desired crunchiness. Or skip that part and mold it into bars. Whatever you want.

Isn't it pretty? I can't wait to try different variations of this. A much better snack than chips or cookies or brownies like I have been eating lately!

Have fun with this. You really can't go wrong.

Warming Up

2010-10-06T16:40:00.003-05:00

Boy, it's almost like I have been too busy to blog or something! Imagine that.

The high school where I work is not a very efficient building. The district is also broke as hell, so they won't turn on the freaking heaters until maybe December or something. OK, maybe that's an exaggeration. But the nights here in Minnesota have been really chilly, even though the days have been gorgeous and sunshiny, with temps hovering around 70 degrees. During the day, the school stays colder than the part of a witch that would nurse a baby if the witch had a baby. For serious. I am a hot-blooded person, the kind that can hardly even wear a long sleeve shirt because I get too warm, or feel claustrophobic or something. Forget sweaters! I hated wearing sweaters. I couldn't bear to be bundled into one until I began working at this school. Now I need them.

This week in English class the teacher had to teach with her gloves on. I sat in the back with my arms inside my sweatshirt and my legs pulled up under me, trying to keep warm. My nose was cold. Kids were wearing their winter coats. The next day she brought blankets to school so some of the kids could cover up during her lesson. She wore her big warm scarf while she taught. I kid you not.

The thing was, the custodian wasn't going to turn on the furnace when there was an expected high of 70 degrees. Kids were escaping to go outside and warm up. Hell, I was escaping. I went outside during my lunch today to soak some of it up for about 10 minutes.

What's the point of my rambling? There really isn't one. I am getting to the food part, though...

I ate a salad for lunch one day at work, and while it was a good salad full of delicious fresh veggies, it wasn't really a salad kind of day. I needed something warm. There are a few problems to this...

One, I am really low on provisions around here. I do have food, but it's the kind of food that you need to get creative with, and take some time and do some planning with. My life has not allowed for this.

Another, and the saddest part ever, is that I am losing my ambition. Maybe it's winter coming on, and the fact that I have to fight the hibernation urge. Maybe it's because I am so freaking busy I can't see straight. Maybe because it's really getting to me, and I am starting to shut down, little by little. Maybe because every spare second my brain has is used to think about my book.

I made some rice and beans, because that is my back-up recipe. I have written about it before, and I have even written about it in my column. There's nothing that fancy or innovative about it, but it's brown rice and black beans and tomatoes and spices and all that stuff all thrown together. It's easy, the stuff is almost always on hand, it's nutritious, and it's delicious. Most importantly, it's warm...

This time, I had to brilliant idea to slice an avocado and place it on top. I had never done that before, and I didn't know how it would be.

Yes, it was awesome! It's an avocado. Was there ever any doubt?

I threw some corn on top, too. It was fabulous.

Sigh. I really need to get back into the groove of trying new recipes, new foods, new ideas. I am in a rut...

Also, a belated apology for my crappy pictures. I can't find any decent lighting in my house. I wish I was better at photography, but who has time for that when all I think about is writing?

Vegan MoFo is coming up in November. I am not going to participate this year, but maybe with all that blogging going on and the fact that I follow like 40 blogs will help jump start some creative cooking juices for me.

Happy eating!

Pumpkin Time Again!

2010-09-21T19:47:00.003-05:00

I guess it's pretty obvious by my lack of posts on either blog that school has started, and I am back to work. It's not like I work really hard while I'm there. It's just that it takes up so much of my time! This leaves so little time for anything fun, like blogging, trying new recipes, or even cooking a decent meal some nights. I am bogged down by meetings, finding time to write my articles, cooking supper, keeping up on laundry, helping both boys with homework, filling out forms and writing out checks for the school, packing lunches, doing dishes, and sometimes remembering to take a shower.

I also had a party this last weekend that I had to clean and prepare for. I DESPISE cleaning, so this was a challenge for me. My friend is now selling bags, purses, and accessories so I invited a whole bunch of people to come over. I decided to make three different kinds of mini muffins, so people could try different kinds. The kids asked for chocolate chip. I wanted to make them all homemade from scratch and vegan, but life got really freaking stressful (we're talking tears here), so I bought box mixes for the chocolate chip, and found a box of brownie mix for 88 cents.

I did, however, make one kind vegan and homemade. I L.O.V.E. The Best Pumpkin Muffins from Vegan with a Vengeance, because they truly are the best.

I have recently learned to get everything ready before I begin. After all these years, I may become organized yet!

They were easily the best in the bunch (I'm sure) because they were homemade. But all the muffins were so cute and tiny! I bought a package of 100 mini liners and used all of them.

Three people showed up. Well, four, if you count my cousin's little girl who tagged along. Well, five if you count my mother-in-law who came early to look at the stuff, then took off. And one was my mom, who pretty much has to come.

I was thinking it would be fun for a change to host something, to make something for people, to have all these people that I like frolicking around my home, visiting with each other, laughing, having a great time, loving my muffins, saying things like, "These are vegan? Really?"

But it was not in the cards. I did have several outside orders which means I will get some good deals when I buy myself a new purse. And I am not mad at anyone who did not make it to the party. I understand there are a million legitimate reasons people couldn't be there. We had a good time anyway, and I had a LOT of muffins leftover! These four in the picture (three now, I just ate one) are the only ones left. This is a good thing because I am going to gain some weight if I keep eating these things!

There's nothing like pumpkin...with cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger, molasses, and all that....om nom nom nom...

Happy Autumn - full of pumpkins, squash, baking, Halloween, sweaters, beautiful leaves, soup, and scary movies. Hopefully I will be able to make something blog-worthy soon.

Cupcake Fun

2010-09-01T12:27:00.007-05:00

Yesterday was a crazy day. I had an article to finish, pictures to email in, blah, blah, blah. It doesn't sound like much, but when you have three children nagging at you all day long, it gets really hard to get stuff done.

Grace had been begging me all day to make cupcakes. She even found the right cookbook, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. So I saved my work and made the basic chocolate cupcakes. I haven't even made cupcakes for many months now, since I am trying to get off all the fat and sugar. But these are the best chocolate cupcakes ever. I licked the spoon when I was done mixing. And I only ate one cupcake, and after that I didn't feel like having any more! Kudos to me!

I also made the vegan buttercream frosting, which turned out a bit too runny, but I was out of powdered sugar, so we lived with it. I made three different colors for the kids, and let them decorate their own. It was a mess, but it was fun.

Grace's masterpiece.

Then I went back to work, and I got it all done by 8:30 last night. Then I had a smoothie, and that was my supper. I ran out of my usual bag of frozen mixed berries, and I had to use some strawberries and blueberries that I bought locally this summer and froze myself. HOLY SHIT! The difference was unbelievable. The taste of the berries was heaven. It was the best kefir smoothie I had ever made. I am fantasizing about one right now.

The other day my mom made a comment that she doesn't really like smoothies. I just stared at her, not sure that I heard her right. Is that even possible? It's like not liking the Beatles. It's just not natural.

I think I will listen to the Beatles while I drink mine today.

What's your favorite thing to put in a smoothie?

Cheeeeeezy!

2010-08-30T20:02:00.004-05:00

Tonight the kids wanted to go to the park. I told them I would take them if I could sit in the van and read while they played. No pushing on the swings. I still needed to figure out something for supper.

I brought along a few cookbooks and started reading. I thought about the broccoli in the fridge that really needed to get eaten up. I thought about pouring some cheezy kind of sauce over them. And everything else just fell into place.

Grace and Garrett had veggie burgers and I had a leftover black bean burger I froze the last time I made them. I was going to bake potatoes, but I didn't have any, so it was french fries in the oven. And gorgeous, lovely, steamed broccoli.

I found the recipe in The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook. I almost forgot about this book, so I felt it was time to try something out. The recipe I chose was for All-American Cheez Sauce, and it was heavenly. For the liquid, I used half almond milk and half water (I needed to use up the almond milk, too). Mmmmmmm.....I just want to heat this up and dip everything I can into it. I could have an awesome '70s fondue party, and we could go crazy. Pieces of bread would be great, and for some reason I am thinking sourdough would be perfect. Any kind of cooked or raw veggies. Potatoes. Whatever. I could pout this over an entire plate of food and not have all the fat, calories, and plain grossness that is cheese. And there is a whole bunch of leftovers.

I <3 you Nutritional Yeast! What would I ever do without you?

Animals and Activism

2010-08-26T15:13:00.004-05:00

I follow a lot of blogs. There is one blog this is all about animal activism. There was a post one time about the author being frustrated that more vegans are interested in baking brownies than really doing any activism.

I am not the activist type. I honestly do not have time to be doing tons and research to spread around, writing letters, attending protests, and the like. I believe in what people are doing, and I admire people who stand up for what they believe, no matter what.

The thing is, I am doing more by being a vegan than just searching for the perfect brownie recipe.

I live in a very small farming community. I don't know for a fact that I am the only vegan, but I would not be surprised. I have heard rumors of a couple of vegetarians. Farming animals and crops is the way of life around here. It's practically blasphemous to some people that someone would choose not to eat meat. I have personally offended more than one person just because of my diet, not by anything I have said. I have been attacked verbally more than once. I know there are people who think I am crazy, because people have said it.

But there are also people who are curious. Every day I am surrounded by students who have no clue what it means to be vegan, and they have no clue what a vegan would eat. I answer any questions they have, and they have many. Some of them just shake their heads at how ridiculous I am. Some of them respect my choices.

There is one guy who graduated, and he came back to visit one day. He had been working on a dairy farm. He said to me, "I thought about you the other day, Jade. Remember when you said something about taking the baby cow away from its mom?" I said I remembered. He shook his head. "Well, now I'm the asshole who does it."

I am not optimistic or foolish enough to believe that he is going to change his diet or the way he lives. But I planted something in his brain that actually made him think about what he was doing, and the effect it has on the animals. I felt sorta victorious that day.

I don't have to preach or protest or be obnoxious or outlandish to spread the word about being a vegetarian or vegan.

This morning I finished reading Jonathan Safran Foer's Eating Animals. This should be required reading for everybody. People should be educated about where their meat comes from and what happens to the animal before it gets to your plate. This book is not preachy, it is just what Foer found out about factory farming during his extensive research. His amazing writing skills make it seem like he is just having a conversation with you while you read it. It's very straightforward as he talks about the meaning of suffering, food, family, tradition, culture, and the effects of factory farms (where 95 percent of our meat comes from) on the economy, our health, the environment, and the animals themselves.

When I was a teenager I became a vegetarian because I couldn't stomach the idea of eating a piece of dead animal. I still ate dairy and eggs, because I rationalized that no animals had to die for them. I had no idea the kind of suffering that laying hens and dairy cattle go through. I had no idea that there was a lot more suffering going on in an animal's life than just the end, when they are slaughtered.

Although I have been vegan for more than two years now, this still shocked me and horrified me, and at one point, brought tears to my eyes. I have been able to live without the guilt of eating meat for some time, but now I have another guilt. How can I let my kids eat this stuff, when I know how it affects their little bodies, the hormones and antibiotics, the filthy shitty living conditions, the diseases that have been born from factory farming, the terrible consequences it can have on their health? How can I let my son eat a chicken McNugget when I know that's it's not even food? It's some processed version of factory shit, formed into a nugget with more than 30 ingredients that are harmful to his mental and physical health?

At least Garrett has quit eating meat. And Grace is a vegetarian about half of the time. I don't think she quite yet understands what it means, and I hope that when she is more educated she will make the right decision. Should I be educating her more right now? How much should I tell her about animals and the way they are treated? I don't know. I am working on that.

I am going to read the book again, this time with a highlighter in my hand. There were many parts that I wanted to be able to go back and find. It was brilliant. It may have been the best non-fiction book I have ever read. It hit me hard.

Kale and Cabbage Slaw

2010-08-25T12:31:00.003-05:00

Oh, so pretty!

I bought the kale at my favorite Amish farm that I always go to. They know me by name, they know what I like, and they go pick it right out of their (chemical free) garden and hand it to me for such a small amount of money that I almost feel guilty.

The recipe came from Ani Phyo, and it was very simple and full of flavor. The Greek dressing was just some apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, and thyme. After I mixed it up and ate a big bowl, I found a green inchworm on my kitchen counter.

"Oh, cute!" I said. "He must have been living in the kale!"

He instantly became Grace's new pet. We put him in a container with some grass. I gave him another leaf of kale to eat, and we discovered an even smaller inchworm on that piece. Two new friends! Grace was in heaven!

Huh...

Yesterday I went to eat another big bowl of this slaw and, of course, there was a dead inchworm in there. Maybe more. I don't know. I had washed the kale first (well, ran water over it quickly), but not carefully enough. The whole salad had to go. Inchworms are not vegan.

The poor little thing must have drowned in my Greek dressing.

The other two died eventually. I don't know how to keep inchworms alive.

I wonder if I ate any the first time I had the salad...

I have more kale, and I am not throwing it out. I am going to very thoroughly wash it before eating it. Maybe Grace will find a new friend or two.

But I will make the salad again. In fact, I am really into trying my own homemade dressings lately. How simple, delicious, and cheap! And better tasting than anything that comes in a bottle at the store.

Baking in the Heat

2010-08-13T11:54:00.004-05:00

This week has been unreal as far as temperature and humidity go. Most days I stay in the house where the AC keeps things nice and comfortable. But every so often I venture outside and sit and feel the sauna-like air, try to breathe it for a while. It makes me appreciate the central air even more when I go back inside.

Yesterday I was a total idiot and did a lot of baking and cooking, even though the temps were in the 90s. I recently bought a GIANT zucchini from an Amish farm and needed to do something with it. Thankfully, VegWeb decided to email me a bunch of zucchini recipes, anticipating an issue I'm sure many people have right now: an overabundance of zucchini.

The recipe for Superfantastical Banana Carrot Zucchini Muffins looked wonderful, so I went to work, with my little baker girl right there to help, of course.

I used like a cup of zucchini for these things. I am going to need a LOT more zucchini recipes, or else make a whole bunch of these and put them in the freezer. Hey, that's a good idea. Because they are really, really delicious!

I had to post this picture because it's a rarity these days. Grace tends to go into screaming fits when I pull out the camera, which breaks my heart. But after a little persuasion, I was able to snap this one of her filling the muffin pan.

These muffins were pretty low fat, made with half whole wheat flour, and full of veggies and fruit and happiness. Mmmmm....

In the background my tofu is pressing. I also spent a ridiculous amount of time and energy and heat making the Indian Baked Tofu I love so much. I make it not only because it's crazy awesome, but because Garrett loves it and begs me for it. "Ooh, make those little yellow things!" he says. Then he whines all night wondering when they will be done, because I don't start the pressing, marinating, and roasting early enough and we never get to eat until 8 p.m. But it's all worth it. I also boiled some tiny little red potatoes from the Amish, and threw what veggies I had left into a pan and steamed them. It was very satisfying.

True story: While I was dicing up the tofu, I had to stop Grace from eating all of it. RAW. "See, it's not gross, mommy!" Whatever floats your boat, I guess.

Another true story: Grace so desperately wanted to help grate the carrots, even though all I had was some baby carrots. I was afraid that she would cut her finger. She said she didn't care if she cut her finger, and went to get a Band-Aid so she would be prepared. She worked her tiny little fingers hard. Thankfully, nobody was hurt.

Breakfast

2010-08-09T14:15:00.004-05:00

For the past eight months, I have been drinking a soy kefir smoothie for breakfast pretty much every day. But lately I have been switching things up just a bit. On my new fave vegan blog, Oh, She Glows, I found a recipe for Vegan Overnight Oats and decided to try it out.

This recipe is awesome and can be made in many different ways. I added cinnamon, because oatmeal and cinnamon go so well together. And it's so nutritious - almond milk, oats, mashed banana, chia seeds all sitting in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning the oats are mushy and you can add all you want - almond butter is so damn delicious! A touch of maple syrup, raw cacao nibs (haven't tried that yet), canned pumpkin and pumpkin spices, whatever you want. What a healthful, filling, delicious breakfast! And yes, eat it cold. It's great, I swear.

And check out other things on the website. I have found it to be very inspirational. There are a lot of great recipes. I want to glow! That's all I have ever wanted!

Health and Weight and Love

2010-08-06T12:10:00.004-05:00

When I was growing up, I was skinny. When my husband and I started dating, I only weighed 115 pounds. I didn't wear a bra because I barely had any boobs (plus, it felt rather liberating). I ate whatever I wanted my entire life without ever once thinking about a calorie or fat grams or what my scale said. I didn't have to try on clothes at the store because when I brought them home, they always fit. I am going to tell you something that normally women don't like to share. Something happened, because when I was 20, I still only weighed 120, and when I got married at age 22, I was at 165 pounds.

Something being my medication? The fact that I was now living on my own with my own money and could buy and eat food whenever I wanted? The fact that because I had never thought about it, I didn't really know how to eat well, so I was eating brownies for breakfast and making Hamburger Helper for our supper? I don't know. A combination of everything, I suppose.

After I had my second child, things got worse, and when I finally joined Weight Watchers, I weighed 176 pounds. Eek, I hate even typing that! I struggled through more than a year of Weight Watchers meetings, losing weight, but losing it slowly and painfully. I will never forget the day I went shopping and had to buy size 12 clothes to replace the size 16 that were too baggy. What a natural high! I had done it! I had worked hard at something and accomplished it!

My goal weight that I was focused on was 135. When I got down to 143 pounds, I got pregnant with Grace. I started eating whatever I wanted again, because I was pregnant and felt it was a good excuse. I gained 30 pounds with the pregnancy. I am still carrying around about 15 of those.

Being in Weight Watchers taught me a lot about my food choices, and just how horribly I had been eating. I learned a lot, but I will never join again.

One reason is that I was way too focused on that magic number, and way too focused on how many points I was eating. It really hit me one day when I realized I was eating the most tasteless piece of crap sandwich I had ever eaten. Low-calorie bread, fat free turkey slices, and fat-free cheese. It was only three points! Blech! How could this be acceptable? I was also drinking diet soda and other drinks with artificial sweeteners. Not good.

These days, Weight Watchers really pushes so many processed meals, snacks, bars, etc. that it is ridiculous. There are desserts, muffins, cookies, all with the Weight Watchers label on them, but still NOT healthy food choices.

I no longer look at fat and calories in my food (if I even buy food with labels). I look at the ingredients. If it has things I don't want in my body, I am not going to eat it.

I work with a woman who thinks she is a big health nut. Her husband has cardiac issues, and she and her family changed their eating habits. This is a good thing...but in my opinion, she is a bit misguided. Every day she eats a Fiber One bar as a snack, and she made a comment that it is delicious, and good for you too! I asked her about the sugar content. She answered, "Only 10 grams." That means nothing to me. I said, "What kind of sugar?" She looked over the ingredient list, and rather sheepishly, answered, "High fructose corn syrup..."

Exactly.

Another thing is, when I was eight pounds away from my goal, I was happy. I was still in the category that was considered "Overweight," but I felt great. I was thin. I looked good. I was a 30-year-old minivan-driving mother of two boys, but I had guys looking at me and totally hitting on me on a regular basis. Not that my goal is to be hot for the guys by any means, but still...how is that not a confidence booster?

I was at a happy weight. I was fine, no matter what the scale said, or what the charts think I should weigh. And my goal was high, too. According to the charts, 135 is the absolute MOST I should ever weigh since I am only 5'3" tall.

Right now, I weigh myself every single morning, and sometimes at night. Some days my weight has gone down a couple pounds, and I feel light and happy. The next day it has gone back up, and I feel miserable and depressed. I really want to stop depending on that stupid number for my happiness.

Nobody else cares what that number is. My husband has loved me through all of my weights and body shapes. My kids couldn't care less. Grace calls me "My beautiful mommy."

But I still feel disgust when I walk by the mirror and see my big belly, and my fat thighs, and I still wish they were gone.

I have been walking this summer, but I haven't been doing much more than that. And I have been eating really well most of the time, but I still need to exercise more. I still need to stop hating my body and worrying about the number on the scale. I need to throw away the scale and just take care of my body until I am at a happy weight, whatever that number is. Until I feel good in my clothes.

When I go to the swimming pool, I feel a bit self-conscious in my swimming suit. But when I get out there, I look around and see that every single person there is a different size, and a different shape, and that is perfectly okay. They are all beautiful. We need to all stop hating our bodies and feeling that we will never live up to some ridiculous, impossible standards set by media, society, movies, magazines, etc. that are made to make us feel inferior and unhappy. Life is not like that.

I know a fellow reporter that works for another paper and we always visit at meetings. She is in her 70s, and she looks great. She said she always wishes people would listen to her when she tells them to exercise, and how important it is for your health. I told her I would listen, and it really did hit me. This woman has been through many health issues, including leukemia, and she has survived and remained in shape and younger looking. If I don't start taking care of my body soon, I will regret it someday.

I'm going to finish my coffee, and this afternoon I'm going to do a rigorous yoga routine with Garrett. And it's going to feel great. I think I will skip weighing myself tomorrow.

Raw Scramble

2010-08-04T13:57:00.005-05:00

Enjoying a good lunch here and thought I would share.

Ani Phyo again...I love her!

I kind of fell off the health wagon the past few days (we had Oreos in the house). I have found that I really notice how my body reacts to crap, and I don't like it. I feel all bloated and fat and gross when I eat a lot of fat and/or sugar. And I find myself craving the good stuff.

I had to get up really early this morning to drive out of town for a story, so I just had a banana before I left. When I got home I made my usual smoothie. Then I had coffee and then water. For lunch I felt like having something light. I made the Garden Scramble from Ani Phyo's Raw Food Kitchen. Raw almonds and sunflower seeds in the food processor, along with a pinch of salt and some turmeric and water. This is the base called the Love-the-Chicks Pate. When that was done, I mixed in some veggies I had in the fridge; mushrooms, green onion, green pepper, and tomato. I placed it on a bed of my best friend kale. Spinach would have been better, but I am out. I am eating it right now. You should be too.

Tonight is lasagna night. I am making a regular lasagna for the omnis, then a vegan one for Garrett and me. Using Daiya vegan mozzarella. I will make some tofu basil ricotta cheese for the middle. And mushrooms, of course. Lots of mushrooms. Hope it's good!

Pizza of the Gods

2010-07-31T15:53:00.004-05:00

I have made a lot of homemade vegan pizzas in my day. Most of them were just okay. I have used other vegan cheeses before, and they were just okay. I have made it many different ways. Never before I have I fallen in love like this.

The very best pizza I have ever made. EVER.

Homemade crust. Pizza sauce (from a jar, regretfully). Mushrooms, of course. Black olives. "Pepperoni" crumbles made with TVP. And to top off the magic, Daiya vegan cheese, both the cheddar and mozzarella.

Really there aren't many things that I have missed since going vegan two years ago. Maybe Dove chocolates. But definitely pizza with cheese. And here I have it. Not the healthiest meal, obviously, but good god! A woman needs pizza once in a while. Like Spongebob says, it's good for your soul.

Baking It

2010-07-29T16:39:00.003-05:00

I am feeling physically better after hurting my back the other day. There's nothing worse than being laid up on the couch unable to cook for myself or anything. I was so thrilled to be able to do dishes again and try out some new recipes with all my rockin' ingredients. I can't believe I was thrilled to do dishes, but it's true. I don't like being helpless. But thank goodness I have some awesome kids that like to help their mom. They are capable of much more than they let on...

Anyhow, I took some strong drugs the other night to get some sleep...and wow, did I sleep. I slept a lazy, pain free, comfortable, floating on a cloud, swimming in my mind sleep. And while I lie there in my Vicodin-induced stupor, it occurred to me that I am losing my sweet tooth. This is not 100 percent true, but I am losing my craving for processed sugar. At least the "gotta have it now or I will die" kind of cravings. I am also losing my taste for cooked food, although I suspect when winter comes I will get that back. I just LOVE the way I feel when I eat raw, healthful meals. L-O-V-E love it. I feel energetic, clean, pure, radiant

I have been eating mostly raw the past week or so. I try to make the morning and afternoon raw and eat a cooked meal at night with the family. Last night I made stir-fry with fake chicken, and although it was delicious, I don't care to have any more tonight. I am going to try out a new recipe from Ani Phyo, one that involves marinated portabello mushrooms and a broccoli mash.

I have also been eating a ton of fruit, but that's so easy this time of year. I kept track of what I ate the other day and it turned out by the end of the day I had eaten eight or nine servings of fruits and veggies.

Yesterday I made the Black Sesame Sunflower Bread from Ani's Raw Food Kitchen. It took about five hours in the dehydrator, then I broke it into pieces and put it in the refrigerator. Today for lunch I made some guacamole and went to raw heaven...

Last night was craving something chocolate, because that has not completely gone away. I also wanted something relatively healthy. I found a recipe for Banana Bread Macaroons that was unbelievably simple. I mean, come on! Mashed bananas, almond meal, coconut, chocolate chips, and cocoa powder. That's all! Other than the chocolate chips, there was no sugar.

While these were baking in the oven, two kids came in at different times wondering what that horrible smell was. Then Grace tried one right away and didn't like it. Too bad. More for me, I guess. I thought they were yummy. And they cured my sweet tooth for sure.

Off to marinate my mushrooms, do some yoga, shower, and try to get some writing done. Happy eating!

Pudding and Grilled Cheeze Love

2010-07-26T13:26:00.003-05:00

I was sooo excited to discover on Saturday that my favorite health food store is now carrying Daiya vegan cheese. OMG EXCITED! I bought two bags ($4.99 each, ouch!), one cheddar, one mozzarella. I haven't tried the mozzarella but I am planning a homemade pizza night soon. Yesterday I made the most amazing grilled cheeze with the cheddar and some flatbread. Grace got a hold of it and took half of it from me, then made me make her another one. Then Garrett got in on it. Grilled gooey cheeze perfection. I should have taken a picture, but there was no time with all the nom nom nom going on around here. The cheddar tastes unbelievably like American cheese when it melts on a sandwich. This stuff rocks!

Last night I made a recipe from this fabulous web site called "Oh She Glows." I am loving this site so much...I tried the chocolate pudding and it was really good...very rich and sweet. Almost too sweet. I used half the amount of agave nectar called for, and it was still sweeter than it needed to be. My pudding did not look at tasty as hers, though. It was not as dark brown, it was runnier, and it looked like something I won't mention here because it's a food blog. I couldn't taste the avocado, which was a good thing. I once tried an avocado pudding that was really nasty tasting. I love avocados, but I don't want to taste them with chocolate.

The almond butter is what sold me on these. I could taste that, and sweet chocolate. Much healthier, easier, and tastier, than any other puddings. I have made other ones with silken tofu. To tell you the truth, I am getting tired of making everything with soy. This pudding is goooooood stuff!

Now that I have tons of groceries and great food in my house to make whatever I want, I am off to look at my cookbooks and plan my meals for the day.

Stocking Up

2010-07-23T19:06:00.003-05:00

Sigh. I'm exhausted after a long day of shopping with the kids. I put on a lot of miles today driving all over the countryside and across state lines to get all the food I wanted at the best deals. My first stop was my fave Amish farm, where I spent a whopping twelve dollars. And I got kale! She had kale! She commented that only myself and one other lady buy the Swiss chard and kale.

I also got a bag of peaches, green beans, zucchini, cucumbers, red onions, two tomatoes, and green peppers. I then went to the B&D, where I had fabulous luck finding great things. Not Vegenaise great, but still. TWO bags of almond meal at a dollar a piece! I can't find it in a store for less than $10. I also snatched up some cans of coconut water, some soy flour, organic ground flax meal, and two bags of organic whole flax seeds. Then Garrett and I let out a collective gasp of pleasure when I spotted our favorite chips there for 50 cents a bag. I cleaned them out.

Then it was off to a real grocery store for some other things...tons and tons of fresh produce. Blueberries to freeze, raspberries, pineapple, watermelon, bananas, avocados, apples, kiwi, grapes, a few more veggies...and then one more stop that was twenty miles away for a few more things. And the worst (best?) part is, I need to make one more stop tomorrow at my favorite health food store for some raw nuts and seeds.

I'm sure nobody cares what I bought at the grocery store. Blogs are really so narcissistic. But whatever. I am really excited about what I can make now that my refrigerator is full again. I am eager to try more raw recipes and make some new salads. I am eager for my friend to come over so I can make a beautiful raw dessert for us, and I hope that it turns out. I can't wait to blog about the new recipes.

But not tonight. Tonight it's something easy and fast, because now I am lazy.

Raw Cheeze

2010-07-19T16:15:00.004-05:00

I checked out this amazing book from the library the other day, and I never want to take it back.

I read through it like a novel the first day. And today I tried my first recipe. I was in the mood for some sort of spread or pate. I have never made a raw cheeze before, but I certainly will be doing it again! I found the recipe for Italian Pizza Cheeze and saw that I had all the ingredients. I cut the recipe by 1/4, because I only had 1/2 cup of macadamia nuts, but that's okay, because the recipe is for four servings. I used my little baby food processor that I bought years ago for making baby food. Man, I love that thing! It really comes in handy sometimes.

I picked the basil off my plant, and threw in some fresh oregano for fun. And man, was it garlicky! My breath is going to reek for a while, but it was totally worth it.

I chose to eat this with Triscuit crackers. For one thing, it was pretty much all I had in the cupboard. For another, as far as processed crackers go, Triscuits aren't that bad. They only have a few ingredients, and no sugar or HFCS. I would rather have used a raw cracker, but I didn't have any made. Whatever. It was delicious.

I could have blended it longer to make it more creamy, but I was getting really hungry. And it didn't matter. As it was, it reminded me of ricotta cheese. How can blending up some nuts and lemon juice and herbs taste like cheese? I don't know. It is magical. And unbelievably healthy. And fabulously delicious.

I need to buy more nuts!!

Seriously considering another raw food fast, but for a week this time. All I need to do is be prepared, and organized (ah, that sounds so easy!), and I can eat tons of good food without being hungry.

Tonight, a raw banana split, made with frozen banana chocolate "ice cream."

It's so much fun I could burst!

Giveaway!

2010-07-16T19:13:00.004-05:00

You must check out this blog, it's very cool. Although it's not always vegan, I still follow it. She likes to post food that is sugar free, gluten free, and dairy free. She is also awesome because she is giving away some really cool stuff. I like that, as you know. Right now she is offering some really wonderful ingredients that I could do some great things with. Small tapioca pearls, organic cashews, chia seeds, and liquid stevia.

I have been meaning to get me some chia seeds. I have heard they are really nutritious and make a great addition to lots of recipes, including puddings.

I really wish that I had access to some young coconuts. They are almost impossible to find around here, and I really can't afford to order them online. I could make so many raw recipes, and I could use them in smoothies, or just eat them raw and get all the nutritional benefits.

The name of the blog is The Spunky Coconut. That's what made me think of coconuts. It wasn't totally random.

Holy Heat Index

2010-07-15T13:44:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was unbelievable. The temperature was around 90 degrees and the humidity was off the charts. Thankfully, I have no life and therefor sat in my AC-cooled house all day. Except the time I had to run to the store for a few things...walking out the door felt like stepping into an oven; a wet, steamy oven. It was hard to breathe. I knew that I did not want to cook anything, and especially did not want to use my oven.

I looked up salad recipes for a while, trying to decide what I wanted. I found a few recipes, and decided to wing it and make my own. I used quinoa, because it's awesome, and I haven't cooked any for a long time. In it I threw some of my favorite things: broccoli, red pepper, green onion, garbanzo beans, and diced avocado. For the dressing I just threw together a bit of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, and Mrs. Dash.

The result? It was okay. I think it needed more dressing. It was a little bit blah. But I am going to keep working on it.

I ate this salad outside. Then I had to come back in. When I walked in the house, it felt like a refrigerator in here compared to the outdoors.

I'm sure there are people (like Tonya from Texas) who think this heat is nothing. I don't care. I would rather be inside than trying to breathe and function without passing out in that kind of tropical weather.

Today, however, is a different story. The humidity passed with the storm we had last night. I am heading out now to read a book in the shade and eat some fresh pineapple.

The Holy Grail

2010-07-11T22:09:00.004-05:00

At last the day has come. I have been searching in vain for the perfect vegan brownie recipe. I have made several attempts. Some of them I have mentioned before. Nothing ever quite did it. And tonight I came across the simplest, easiest, fastest, most slap-in-the-forehead why-the-heck-didn't-I-try-this-before recipe ever.

It has everything a recipe shouldn't. White flour. White sugar. Oil. Stuff I usually don't bake with. Herein lies my problem. I threw aside any concerns for my health and just went for pure gooey ecstasy.

And then I added chocolate chips.

Instead of copying someone else's recipe I will just give you the link. Click on it now.

You're welcome.

I am in serious need of a glass of soy milk now.

Sorry about the quality of the picture. They were still really hot and I couldn't wait any longer.

Apology

2010-07-06T10:34:00.002-05:00

I really hope that last post did not make me sound like a know-it-all douchebag that thinks he/she is smarter than everyone else. That was not what I intended. I don't know everything. I just believe that the average American doesn't know or care about just how bad their diet and lifestyle is for them, or for the planet. I just wish more people really cared.

That's all. Carry on.

Vegan Venting

2010-07-05T12:00:00.003-05:00

This weekend was full of family get-togethers, food, fireworks, and rain. Saturday was hot and humid, and we had a party at my cousin's house for her birthday, which also coincides with a city-wide celebration that ends in fire works. It was a fun time. I made a broccoli cauliflower salad that was delicious, and brought veggie burgers for Garrett and me. There was also fresh fruit to eat, so I was happy. My uncle, who is a meat-eating machine, grilled burgers and brats and hot dogs for everyone.

At the end of the night, after everyone had been drinking for a while, my uncle started picking on my vegan diet. My uncle is awesome; I love him dearly and he has always been my favorite uncle. He teases me because he loves me. He is a lot like my dad in some ways (they are brothers). He tries to get me all riled up because he thinks it's funny.

He started in about how it's just as mean to kill plants, and he doesn't see the difference. My husband joined in the good-natured ribbing. I usually avoid any kind of discussion about it, because there is no point. They will never see my point of view, they will never even remotely come close to understanding why I do it. I forget sometimes how strange it is to them, how extreme and crazy it must seem. This is how I live, and I am quite used to it.

The people that give me the worst time about my diet are 99 percent of the time one or more of the following: overweight, on medication for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart problems, type two diabetes, etc.

I just want to glare at them and say, "Seriously? Are you fucking kidding me? You're giving me a hard time?"

I fell for it, I opened my mouth. Instead of going the poor animal route, one that they don't give a shit about, I went for the health argument. I said, "If you go to the doctor and you are having heart problems, are they going to tell you to eat more meat? Suggest that you aren't getting enough bratwurst? I don't think so!"

There was some laughter and that was that. I know they were not attacking me personally, but it still made me feel sad, and I couldn't shake it. It really reinforced the feeling that there is nobody

NOBODY

NOBODY

around me in my everyday life that gets it. (Okay, Garrett kind of gets it.)

And I felt really alone for a moment.

The part that makes me feel the worst is that these people that I love and are surrounded by are damaging their health in ways that I can see, and they cannot. These family members that love meat and cheese and eat tons of it every day are going to get sick, they are going to love shorter lives, and during the shorter life, they are probably not going to feel well. It kills me that I have knowledge I could share with them about how to eat better, not just pushing veganism or saying I'm better than them, but eating better, taking care of your body, and nobody is interested.

This includes my husband. I would like to have him around for a long, long time. I feel completely powerless.

I believe that food is more than just something to fill our bellies until the next meal, something that we need to survive. The food we eat, and the things we choose to put in our bodies, affect our minds, our mood, our karma, every cell in our bodies, our behavior, our complete and total well-being. We have a choice as to what we can do, how we want to feel, and we need to take notice, pay attention, word hard, and stand up for it. No matter what.

No recipe today. I just needed to vent.

Sammiches!

2010-06-23T19:56:00.004-05:00

I have been eating these things for a few years now. I got the idea from someone else, who made me a sandwich that probably was nothing like this one. I remember there was cheese, and basil leaves. Anyway, my own version is made with focaccia bread, because that tastes the best. My local grocery store doesn't have much, but they do try. They sold tofu there briefly...They do have Boca burgers if I am desperate. They also have expanded to include more gluten-free flours and grains. They sell a bag of quinoa for almost $12. Shyeah right! Like I'm gonna pay that! But the bakery does make an awesome round loaf of focaccia bread that is sliced and totally vegan. I put it in the freezer, and when I crave it, I put it in the microwave for 20 seconds and spread Earth Balance on it and I'm in heaven.

Garrett loves these sandwiches, too. I was trying to think of something for supper, and I remembered that I have a jar of roasted red peppers at home. I went to the store for the bread and some mushrooms, and here we are.

Veggie Panini or Sandwich or Whatever

Focaccia bread
Fresh spinach
Basil
Mushrooms, sliced thinly
Avocados (of course!)
Roasted red peppers in a jar

Place the spinach leaves and basil leaves on the bread. Then pile on the red peppers, mushrooms, and sliced avocado. You could also mash up the avocado if you want and spread it on the bread. You can do whatever you want. You could add other veggies. You could spread vegan mayo on the bread. Or vegan cheese. Or not. Then place the other piece of bread on top, naturally. Place in the oven (400 degrees) for about 15 minutes or so, until the bread feels dry and crusty. Slice in half and enjoy.

If you are lucky enough to have a panini grill, this would be EVEN BETTER.

A note: I used basil from my basil plant I purchased, which I discovered is actually a lemon basil. While this smells and tastes delicious and would be awesome in, say, pesto or something, the flavor overpowered this sandwich and I ended up picking it out.

Green Day

2010-06-21T15:49:00.004-05:00

The sprouts were a total success, and the easiest thing I have ever done. The kids loved to watch them quickly grow and fill the jar they were in. In three days (yesterday) they were done, and I rinsed them and put them in a container in the refrigerator. Grace and Garrett went all crazy over them! Crazy! They were grabbing them by the handful, chowing them down like candy, fighting over them. I made chickpea salad sandwiches and put lots of fresh sprouts on them. Yum, yum, yum!

I love it when the kids go nuts over healthy food. But last night we went to a movie and they drank sugary drinks and ate candy and went just as nuts over that. Sigh. I do the best I can. Life is not perfect.

I made this salad today and realized that the only veggies I have left in the refrigerator are green. But that's okay. It was delicious. The salad was delicious, especially since there was avocado and my own sprouts in there. It can be seen here surrounded by the freshly picked chemical-free strawberries I bought earlier. More to eat and freeze.

I ordered some raw cacao nibs for making raw chocolate desserts. I bet I can find something with chocolate and strawberries. If I do, I will share it with you.

Happy Summer Solstice, everyone!

Raw Crackers

2010-06-19T14:45:00.007-05:00

So far today:

Tropical Kefir Smoothie- soy milk kefir, mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple, banana
Coffee - two cups with soy milk and stevia/sugar mix

Big salad made of spinach, green onions, avocado, broccoli, cucumber, red pepper, topped with a bit of Trader Joe's Goddess Dressing
Raw almond meal crackers made in dehydrator all day yesterday
Fresh strawberries and raspberries

YOGA!

SHOWER!

If I could eat like this all day everyday, that would be great. I always start out my day so fabulous, then things fall apart in the afternoon when I get major munchies and cravings. I also am thinking (again) that I need to get rid of the coffee in order to really get rid of the candida issues, and to lose weight. But the very idea makes me feel sad. I know that I would feel great after detoxing from it (and the caffeine), but wow. I have quite an emotional attachment to coffee.

I have been walking with a friend twice a week (when it's not raining!), and it feels good. At first I was really sore, but it has gotten easier, and I can do the same two miles in less time. Now I am starting a yoga routine on days that I am not walking. This is major progress for me, who couldn't walk two blocks without being in agonizing pain less than a year ago.

These crackers rock my world. Alas, I am now out of almond meal, and I don't think I can afford to buy any more, unless I find it at the B&D for 75 cents again. At the HFS it costs about $10 for the same size bag.

I love my dehydrator. I plan to use it even more.

I now have baby sprouts! This is day two and they are growing so fast! I think tomorrow they will be ready to be put in the sunshine to get a little green. Then I can eat them up! It is so easy, I can't believe I was hesitant about doing this. Kefir is way more complicated, and I can handle that.

These crackers are healthy and addictive and raw. Well, if you use all raw ingredients. I used tamari sauce instead of Nama Shoyu because I don't have any of that. And if you keep it below a certain temperature, which I can't think of right now. Maybe 150 degrees? And I used my own parsley! Nothing better than making your food, realizing you need parsley, and getting it right on your front porch, picked fresh off the plant. Yummy! I did not have any tomato so I skipped that part. Same with the cilantro.

Almond Meal Crackers

1 cup sweet white onions, chopped
1 cup tomato, chopped
1 cup almond meal (or ground up soaked almonds)
1 cup golden flax meal
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Nama Shoyo (or tamari, or soy sauce, or Bragg's liquid aminos)
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 cup cilantro
2 cloves garlic

Blend all in food processor. Process until smooth-ish. Spread on teflex dehydrator sheets 1/4 inch thick. Score with a dull knife or pizza cutter. Dehydrate for 5 hours, then flip over onto mesh screen and dehydrate another 2-3 hours until dry and crispy.

I just finished my lunch, but I am craving more food. Maybe more crackers and fruit? Something to drink? A raw sweet treat to curb the cravings? I don't know. I have some work to do, but I think I can do it.

I used a new template for the blog, and my label cloud magically reappeared! I like the fresh new look.

Have a great weekend, and take care of your body and mind. :)

Subway Memories

2010-06-12T20:47:00.004-05:00

My first job as a 16-year-old girl was at one of the three Subways in my hometown. (There are now about 20.) It was a fun job, and I really enjoyed it most of the time. My favorite sub was the chicken fajita, and my heart broke when they quit selling it. I always smelled like onions and mayonnaise whatever I did. I remember vividly working in the evening, then going into the bathroom to remove my braids and brush my hair and get ready to go to my boyfriend's house. In his basement, we would sit in the dark watching cheesy horror movies while he tried to grope me under the blanket. But I digress...

The cookies at Subway are awesome for some reason. I haven't had one for many years now. I rarely go to Subway anymore, but when I do, I get the veggie sub (duh) with no cheese, all the veggies, and spicy mustard. On wheat bread, which I recently realized contains honey. Not vegan. And then I pay the same amount of money as people who pile cheese and meat on their subs. But whatever. It's okay if we are on the road and my choices are Subway or McDonalds. That's a no-brainer.

When I worked at Subway, we were allowed to eat a sub for free during our break, and we were allowed all the free pop we wanted. We were not allowed free cookies, but occasionally I had to sneak into the freezer, steal a frozen cookie, and eat it quickly before I was discovered. My boss, a very large man, sat in the back room smoking cigars all the time.

I came across this recipe the other day for Subway chocolate chip cookies, veganized. These are the healthiest cookies I have ever seen. It changes the way I think about making cookies. I mean, there's no flour, no grains. Only almond meal and cashews ground up fine. Maple syrup instead of sugar, coconut oil instead of oil or shortening. There is fat, of course, but good fats. Obviously, they needed to be made. And today was the day.

I ground up the raw cashews in my coffee grinder, which worked wonderfully. I already had some almond meal. Everything came together wonderfully, and the batter tasted good. My only complaints were the recipe only made maybe a dozen cookies, so I would double it next time. Also, I had to cook them a bit longer than suggested, and even after they cooled, they fell apart quite easily.

Other than that, YUM! I wouldn't really say that they taste just like Subway cookies, because I can't really remember. But that part doesn't really matter. The fact is, they taste really good. Garrett has been munching away and they are almost gone. I better go get one more before they disappear.

Vegan Randomosity

2010-06-04T12:24:00.003-05:00

*Actual quote from an actual person speaking to me: "Yeah, but beans are in the meat group!"

*Trader Joe's is coming to a town near me! I guess all I have to do is blog my wishes and they come true!

*I wish I was married to Alicia Silverstone and she cooked vegan food for me all day long.

*I feel thinner but the scale hasn't moved.

*Thinking about starting my sprouts today. But as I sit around all day doing pretty much nothing and thinking that I can't believe I am bored already, I wonder when I will possibly find the time to rinse the sprouts twice a day.

*I have become addicted to grilling. I cut up veggies, drizzle a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, and place them on the special pan my step-mom bought me for my b-day last year. Grill until tender and heavenly delicious.

*Shoot. I'm out of olive oil.

*Growing my own basil, oregano, and parsley plants. So excited to try them out!

*Reading Jonathan Safran Foer's Eating Animals. This man is an excellent writer. The book is so wonderful to read.

*I found out while reading that Americans eat less than .25 percent of the edible food on the planet. That is excruciatingly sad.

*Growing bored with this, so you must be too. Time to quit.

Pesto Pasta!

2010-05-26T10:45:00.004-05:00

I love this pasta salad. I have only made it a couple of times. It's actually a pretty expensive salad. I would never make it for a get-together or anything like that, because I am selfish and want to keep it to myself. Pine nuts are anything but cheap. And I bought fresh basil, too. I recently found some boxes of spelt pasta at the B&D, and it is so delicious! I think it's nice to have something other than wheat once in a while.

And the artichokes really make the salad. So yummy and salty and tasty. Grace even liked the salad. It's such a fun bright green color. And the taste of basil...ahh heaven.

Artichoke-Pesto Penne Pasta Salad

1 pkg whole wheat penne pasta (or any variety, really)
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
olive oil
1 cup pine nuts
handful baby spinach
2 handfuls fresh basil
1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes (or Parmesan cheese, if you swing that way)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 can artichoke hearts
salt and pepper

Cook pasta, drain and rinse with cold water. Saute garlic in a bit of olive oil until it starts to turn brown. Turn off heat and toss in pine nuts for a minute. Put garlic, nuts, basil, spinach, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice in food processor and blend until smooth. Slowly drizzle some olive oil into the processor until it reaches a nice creamy consistency. Drain and chop artichoke hearts, then mix with the pasta and pesto. Add salt and pepper to taste.

New Shopping Adventures

2010-05-24T12:04:00.006-05:00

I had a great weekend hanging out with family and friends and consuming some alcoholic beverages and laughing and crying and food...I had a few firsts this weekend. My very first visit to a Trader Joe's. It was excellent. So much fun! Such great prices! Why can't there be one near me? I bought things there that I usually buy elsewhere for much more money. Goddess Dressing for $1.99 a bottle!!! The next day we went to Whole Foods. The great thing about that place was not the low prices (although I did find a few things there priced lower than what I'm used to paying). I had to ask someone, but I was able to find the Daiya vegan cheese. They only had the cheddar variety, and it was $4.35 a bag, so I bought two. I also bought a frozen cheeseless pizza. Guess what I had for supper that night?

Tada!

It was delicious! It melted and had texture eerily reminiscent of cheese. It tasted almost sweet, and not enough like actual cheddar to fool a real cheese lover, but still, a lot like cheddar! I should have bought more. I will have to make regular trips up there to stock up. I just know that this cheese will make an unbelievable, melty, gooey, grilled cheese sandwich.

Sometimes something is so outrageously priced for what it is that you just have to buy it so you can say, "You'll never believe what this cost!" I bought a vegan S'more that was almost four dollars. It was very rich, and after I ate it, I felt a little bit sick to my stomach. It was yummy, but I should have just stopped after a few bites. Hard to imaging the marshmallow part was vegan, as it was just like any marshmallow I remember. Meh. I can live without marshmallows. But here's me eating my overpriced treat on the way home.

I am feeling recharged after my weekend getaway. I have some fresh basil in the refrigerator, and I am going to make an artichoke pesto pasta salad for lunch. I have some new raw recipes I am eager to try, and some foods from Trader Joe's and Whole Foods that I am excited to eat.

Off topic, but I have searched high and low and redone everything over and over and cannot retrieve my label cloud. UGHHHHH!!!

Food Rut

2010-05-16T16:21:00.005-05:00

It occurred to me the other day that I am in a rut. I have not cooked anything new for a long time, and have been very scattered about my blogging. I just haven't even felt like it much. I have also been really bad when it comes to eating sugar lately. I fell off the wagon again, and I need to get back on. I really want to work on making my diet include a lot more raw foods. This summer should be a good opportunity for that. I need to detox, I need to walk, and I need to feel good.

I have even been forgetting about my kefir lately. I have had to throw out a few batches because it sat too long. I have yet to do anything worthwhile with my water kefir. I just now started a batch that should turn out really good. I put a slice of organic lemon in it, and I plan to make lemonade when it's done.

I must also confess that I have, from time to time, fallen off the vegan wagon. Before you freak out, let me explain. Every single one of the incidents involved sugar, and 98 percent of them were chocolate. I have found that when I get desperate, even the fact that there is a bit of milk in it hasn't stopped me. Blech! I can't believe I did that. It makes me double-pissed at myself, both for eating crap that is bad for my body, and for eating something not totally vegan.

But alas, I am human, and therefore I make mistakes all the time and hopefully learn from them. I need to work on listening to my body again, and only putting things in it that make it happy. That will work to make my mind happy as well.

So hopefully I will be blogging more, and sharing my cooking (or not cooking) experiences now that summer is upon us. I can hardly wait to eat the local organic produce, to freeze the organic strawberries I am going to buy from the Amish, to sit outside and eat a lot of fresh nectarines while I write my best-selling novel that will make me rich. HA!

Winner Again!

2010-04-29T14:50:00.002-05:00

Yes, it does pay off to enter every single giveaway you come across. I have been seriously enjoying my free cookbook, 1,000 Vegan Recipes. And now, I have won another prize. This time, I won some Organic Raw Coconut Oil from Nutiva, as well as some Raw Cacao Butter from Artisana. Actually, that link shows raw coconut butter, so I am not sure exactly what I will get. But who cares? I am going to do some awesome kinda-healthy baking when they come. Or make some really healthy raw treats. Yummy! That shit's not cheap, either.

My plan is to head to Minneapolis this weekend to visit one of my daddies and my younger sister and my daddy's super-sweet girlfriend. I don't know what we will do, but I am definitely heading to Whole Foods (for the first time ever) to purchase myself some Daiya vegan cheese. I have no idea what it will cost, but whatever. I can't wait to make a homemade veggie pizza with mushrooms, black olives, maybe artichokes, pineapple, and gooey cheese all over it. Cruelty-free cheese, soy-free, allergen-free, lovely cheese. I will post the results here, I promise.

Don't know what to make for supper tonight...but probably something with the delicious bunch of kale in the refrigerator. If it's interesting, I will share it with you. If not, too bad.

Sprouts and Dehydrating

2010-04-11T12:02:00.002-05:00

I am bravely moving on toward a food adventure I have never tried before: sprouting. I bought myself a sprouting jar and a whole bunch of sprouting seeds. I have a bunch of alfalfa, a big bag of protein seeds, and a salad mixture containing broccoli, among other things. Why am I doing this? I love sprouts! They are delicious on salads and sandwiches. They are tiny little things packed with flavor and nutrition. And two of my kids love them as well. They can also be used in a lot of raw recipes and in my dehydrator.

Speaking of my dehydrator, I made my first ever batch of fruit rolls the other day. The only ingredients are strawberries and unsweetened applesauce. That's it. I pureed them together, spread it on the dehydrator trays and let it fill my home with the strawberry aroma all day long. I didn't actually time it, but later that day they were done. I peeled them off, cut them and rolled them in plastic wrap. But not after trying some and sharing it with the kids. HEAVENLY! So SO sweet and packed with flavor! Garrett begged me to put some in his lunch for school. He shared it with all of his friends, who also loved it. I tried to get Drew to eat some. He likes the heavily processed sugary store-bought kind. I thought he would eat them, and it would be a good way to get him to eat fruit. No luck yet.

I can't wait to try different kinds of fruits and add things like coconut to them. YUM!

As for the sprouting, it will have to wait until I am on summer vacation. It looks like they need some attention with rinsing twice a day and all that. It makes me nervous to try it out, but I know I can do it. After all, I have been making my own kefir for almost four months. In fact, my tiny little kitchen is being taken over by jars of soy milk kefir and my new water kefir grains growing. Next there will be little green sprouts growing in my own little factory of good food.

Your Head Will Spin

2010-03-29T15:59:00.004-05:00

The first time I made this Cream of Potato and Broccoli Soup was for a potluck at work. We were supposed to bring comfort food. I thought soup would fit the bill, and I was right. I had a great opportunity to use my immersion blender that I received for Christmas, and it worked perfectly. The only thing was that I decided to puree all of the soup, and it looked like puke. A pile of green puke. My husband called it "Exorcism Soup." I was afraid to take it to work. Nobody would eat this, I was sure. But I brought it, and I stuck a sign on it so everyone would know what it was. It was scarfed down in no time, and nobody knew it was vegan. Well, maybe a few people who knew that I made it and know I am vegan. But OH MY GOD delicious! Warm, thick, tastier-than-hell, comforting soup for the soul.

I made it again this weekend because it was chilly outside and I know my soup days are numbered. Garrett, Grace and I oohed and aahed over bowls of it. We dipped focaccia bread in it. Garrett couldn't believe how yummy it was. I wish I had some more!

Fruity Fun

2010-03-13T12:45:00.003-06:00

I know it has been a while...things have been crazy and I guess I haven't made anything new, or anything worth blogging about anyway. I was sick for a couple of days this week and pretty much lived on cold cereal.

But this morning I found a recipe and just had to try it. This Strawberry Tofu Fruit Dip could be used in many ways - I used it to dip sliced apples, and it was delicious. I imagine there would be other fruits that would be fun to dip. I should try it with jicama, pears, fresh pineapple, maybe even kiwi. Yummy!

Garrett and I just ate this dip and had fun making our apple slices go swimming in it. Refreshing, mostly healthy, delicious, and a good way to get more fruit into your diet. Not that I need much help in that department. I eat several fresh fruits every day. I really need to work more on getting more veggies in...Next up, a good recipe just for that!

Strawberry Tofu Fruit Dip

1/2 block silken tofu
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or agave nectar, or brown rice syrup)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries

Blend all in blender - dip away and enjoy!

Recovery

2010-02-20T09:39:00.003-06:00

Well, my smugness at not having caught that cold everyone had is over. I officially have it. But it's not that bad. A little sore throat, minor congestion, and I coughed a couple of times this morning. I can fight this. I am working on it right now with my kefir and orange juice breakfast...then a banana. I bought groceries last night and got plenty of fresh fruits and veggies. NO sugar for me today. I swear. Plenty of fluids and vitamin C is how I plan to get rid of this.

I have also been checking out some raw food recipes and planning on incorporating more of them into my diet. I bought a couple of coconuts, and if I can get them open, they can be an awesome part of several different nutritious recipes. I also came across this:

These are raw cinnamon buns from this great website. These look unbelievable...I might try them out in the near future. The only thing I am leery of when it comes to raw foods is the use of so many different nuts. While I love nuts and know they are incredibly nutritious, I am technically not supposed to have them around because of Grace's peanut allergy.

But still, I am going to fight this cold with diet, not tons of chemical cold medicine that is harmful to my body. I am going to use my immune system to take care of things the way it is supposed to, and I am going to help it along with delicious, nutritious whole foods.

Two things:

1. I am now craving those cinnamon buns.

2. Where the hell did my label cloud go?

Hippie Loaf

2010-02-15T16:09:00.003-06:00

Sometimes you just need to eat food in a loaf shape.

I made this Hippie Loaf for Christmas...and I didn't really like it. I thought there was waaay too much Italian seasoning. Other than that, I liked the taste of the black beans, mushrooms, and quinoa all mashed together. Last night I tried it again, with no Italian seasoning at all, and it was delicious. Especially with ketchup, although I am assuming it would be wonderful with gravy as well. It is also gluten free, which is great for some people. I used oat flour instead of the brown rice flour.

The picture is the loaf before I put it in the oven. It is so yummy, and so nutritious. Chopped up onions, mushrooms, garlic, carrot, quinoa, mashed up black beans, mmmmmmmmm...... I ate it with some broccoli and a baked sweet potato. Garrett was brave enough to try it again, and this time he liked it as well. Good, filling comfort food. There must be some sort of comfort in this icy-cold, snow-filled winter.

Leftovers tonight!

Spaghetti and Beanballs

2010-02-09T10:50:00.004-06:00

I have been craving something with tomatoes and pasta, and this recipe from Veganomicon was calling out to me. Last night was the night. I was busy busy in the kitchen making two different sauces for the family. I used the marinara sauce from the book as well, and it was simple and delicious. The beanballs were easy to make too. I baked them instead of frying them. I think if I would have fried them, and made them smaller, they would have been chewier. They were a bit mooshier than I wanted them to be, but very yummy. I will make them again sometime. I served the meal with steamed broccoli.

I have also made one recipe from my new cookbook, 1,000 Vegan Recipes. I made the Mushroom Black Bean Spinach Quesadillas one night, and ate them with guacamole. Very, very yummy!

I have a whole menu planned for my next adventure. Samosa stuffed baked potatoes (from Vcon), vegan Toor Dal (a curried red lentil soup), and homemade chapatas (an Indian flatbread from 1,000 Vegan Recipes) with mango chutney. Who's coming over?

Medicinal Soup

2010-02-08T15:32:00.003-06:00

This weekend I watched the movie Julie and Julia at my mother's insistence that I would love it. Pretty sure my mom has no idea how grossed out I would be by the TONS of butter used in the film, or the cutting up of animals, and boiling lobsters live in a pot. UGH! But still, the movie was OK. It made me feel like cooking, anyway.

Grace has been sick with a cold over the weekend. She had a fever, runny nose, and nasty cough. I made her some Chickpea Noodle Soup from Veganomicon. I did not use the soba noodles because it said they would swell up a lot if it wasn't eaten up right away. I broke up some whole wheat linguine instead, and it was perfect. I also added kale (of course) for the nutrition, color, and taste. It was a steaming bowl full of chickpeas, noodles, mushrooms, carrots, onion, garlic, kale, vegetable broth, and dried herbs. It was also a steaming bowl full of nutrition and vitamins Grace needed to fight off her cold, and I needed to keep the cold away (so far so good!).

Grace hadn't eaten much all day except a bit of a smoothie, but when I gave her this soup, she scarfed it down, and then asked for more. I was so excited!

Grace just informed me that she feels better, even though she still has "the coughs." I like to think this soup helped her little body along. Plus, it was really delicious.

Off to eat some good food to help keep my immune system up. Being surrounded by sick people at work is not fun.

Stir-Fry Story

2010-02-01T21:18:00.006-06:00

I have not made a stir-fry for a long, long time. I have been thinking about it for weeks now, and finally got around to it tonight. I realized when I started that I did not have fresh mushrooms. I reluctantly pushed on...it was snowing and cold and I didn't want to run back to the store. Then I saw that my garlic was also gone, and that was that. I bundled up, left the kiddos at home, drove to the store, and was back in about six minutes. I timed myself.

Grace has been going through a nightmarish phase lately. I guess she's making up for being a perfect, adorable, loving angel the first few years. I may start a photo album of her tantrums, because they are pretty funny. What else can you do when she has fallen to the floor, screaming, thrashing and crying in the middle of the store for the tenth time but laugh at it?

Despite all of this, I absolutely adore cooking with her. It has always been her favorite thing, and I am in love with the fact that I get to share this with her. She is really good at it, too. She can even use a sharp knife and is very careful (although it makes me nervous). And I try to explain things as we go along. Here she is after I chopped up all the vegetables:

I love the outfit she wore today.

I pulled out the wok I have only used a couple of times because I needed the room. I had a lot of veggies that needed to go in. Grace insisted on helping with that.

Stir-frying the tofu.

Then things got all weird with the wok. The tofu was sticking and the bottom was getting burned and I didn't like it and it's an old wok anyway so I gave it up. I moved on to a different pan for the veggies. It turned out most of them were green. Broccoli, pea pods, green peppers, zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, and onions.

Making up for the lack of veggies in my diet this weekend.

For the sauce, I did not have my usual organic tamari sauce, so I had to use plain old soy sauce instead. I just mix some soy sauce, water, garlic and cornstarch together and dump it in the veggies when they are done cooking. The result? Meh. It was okay. The broccoli was awesome, but the zucchini tasted funny, and the tofu left some to be desired. The sauce was saltier than I like. Things just went downhill from there...Grace refused to eat hers, and demanded chicken nuggets. By the time I was cleaning up we were back to this:

Ah, well. It's good for a laugh, anyway. And a blog post.

Mushroom Soup

2010-01-27T16:09:00.005-06:00

Garrett is quick to point out to me when something I make looks like a pile of vomit. I am then quick to tell him that some of the greatest meals I make look like vomit. Especially Indian curry dishes. That does not mean they are not delicious.

Case in point - this photo of the Porcini Wild Rice Soup from Veganomicon. I absolutely love mushrooms, so this soup looked like a winner to me. I used a small package of dried porcini mushrooms, as well as plain old white button mushrooms. The soup had a very deep, earthy flavor. The only complaint I have is that I kept having to add water, which meant I had to adjust the spices as well. Other than that, super yummy! Very filling and warm to the body, which is great when you live in Minnesota and the temperature hovers around ZERO degrees for several days.

BBQ Love

2010-01-13T20:33:00.002-06:00

Well, Veganomicon, you have done well for the second time. Tonight I planned ahead a little and made the BBQ Baked Tofu for supper, along with a baked sweet potato and some garlicky kale. The sauce had to simmer for some time, and I was also making barbecued chicken for the omnis, so I was a busy girl in the kitchen tonight.

It was easy to make, despite having to simmer and needing time for pressing the tofu. It was chewy. The sauce was unfreakingbelievable. Seriously. The tastiest barbecue sauce I have ever eaten. I did not add as much crushed red pepper as called for, or as much liquid smoke, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. The only problem was that it made about three times as much as I needed for one pound of tofu. I didn't want to stop eating this tofu! But I did...and I even have some leftover for tomorrow.

My little brother was over for supper (age 9). Garrett was eating his kale and telling him how great it was, so he tried some, and he actually liked it. Woo-hoo!

Now I have to do all those dishes...

Sunshine for Breakfast

2010-01-11T11:10:00.003-06:00

Yesterday I made my first recipe from Vcon, and it was a success. I haven't made muffins for quite some time, and the recipe for Carrot-Pineapple Sunshine Muffins looked really tasty, and semi-healthy. And, as a bonus, it had crushed pineapple in it. I have found many ways to use up those 5 cans I found in my cupboard, all of them delicious.

I made the muffins, and ate one when it was still warm. It was kind of mushy in the middle and I was afraid that I had not cooked them long enough. I have a tendency to screw up muffins for some reason. But this morning I had one (okay, two) for breakfast and they were perfect. I was going to use applesauce instead of oil, but my applesauce was moldy, so these are the real deal. And mostly whole wheat flour, but they don't have that dry "healthy" taste to them. I left out the raisins because Garrett didn't want them in there, and then he didn't eat them anyway. Ugh! Garrett and Grace love to help, and Garrett was very happy to grate all of the carrots for me while I talked on the phone with my grandma. They made a mess, but they had fun!

Yum!

Laziness Pays Off

2010-01-07T19:41:00.003-06:00

I am tired...we got out of school early today because of the weather (blowing snow). This afternoon I decided to take a nap on the couch. When I woke up I felt groggy and strange. I tried to find something quick and easy to make for supper. I was torn between using a boxed wild rice mix or making guacamole and a black bean dip. I had some mushrooms and spinach in the refrigerator that needed to be used, and an idea was born.

While the rice was simmering, I sauteed onions and mushrooms in olive oil. I threw in a whole bunch of fresh spinach that I just tore with my fingers and cooked it until it wilted. When the rice was done, I threw in the cooked veggies and some cooked chickpeas. Wa-la, a fast and easy supper. And wow, was it ever delicious! Much better than I thought it would be. I turned an ordinary processed side dish into a semi-healthy meal. This will happen again, although maybe I will use plain rice and add my own seasonings.

I am going to find some fruit to eat for my dessert.

OMG I WON!

2010-01-07T13:34:00.007-06:00

I enter giveaways on food blogs about once a week, and have done so for a while now. I have never won. Until yesterday. On my favorite recipe site, VegWeb, I entered a giveaway for Robin Robertson's cookbook, 1,000 Vegan Recipes. Yes, that's ONE THOUSAND!!!! Yesterday I checked to see who won and saw "paisleyvegan is the winner!" and squealed in delight.

Yay me!

I think I probably own enough vegan cookbooks now...maybe.

Very excited to look through and try out the recipes in both Veganomicon and this new book. The one that I won. The one I am getting for FREE.

W00t! W00t!

OK, I'm done now.

My Happy Happy (My Yeah Yeah Yeah)

2010-01-06T16:14:00.004-06:00

This morning before school, Garrett drank a soy kefir smoothie with bananas, strawberries, flax meal, and blueberries. I drank mine, too. I remarked at how healthy they were, full of vitamins and energy. I said it was a great breakfast. Garrett sucked his threw a straw and said, "It tastes more like dessert!"

Inside my heart went all aflutter.

Yesterday my brand new hard cover edition of Veganomicon arrived at my house. Yes, I have finally decided to purchase the Bible of Vegan Cooking and Cookbook That Only Loser Vegans Don't Already Own. I read through a lot of it last night. I haven't decided yet if I like it. You all know my sweet love for Vegan with a Vengeance. It just seems there are a lot of recipes in this book that I would never be interested in making. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I don't have to make them exactly like they do, with exactly that kind of sauce on it, or whatever. We shall see. I did find some recipes with seitan and tempeh, so that will be good. I will be sure to inform you how my new cooking adventures turn out.

Oh, and my new food column came out this week, titled "Food for Life." I have received a ton of great responses from people, and it makes me feel all warm inside. I am already brimming with ideas for the next several. Too bad it only comes out once a month.

Kefir Smoothies

2009-12-30T11:16:00.004-06:00

Success! I actually made my own batch of kefir out of soy milk. Or else we just drank some rotten milk, I don't know. But it was delicious.

I had originally tried to make it with coconut milk, but I am ridiculously air-headed sometimes, and I used unsweetened. I'm pretty sure there needs to be some sugar in there, but I could be wrong about that too. I don't have a clue what I'm doing. So I tried it with soy milk.

I rinsed the grains (they were grown in goat's milk) with spring water and placed them in the glass container with soy milk, then let it sit for two days. I strained it, then did it again for two days. I noticed that there seemed to be more grains, and the milk was thicker. It looked quite nasty, to be honest. I strained the milk and took a tiny sip. It tasted a bit like yogurt. I made strawberry banana smoothies out of it, and it was delicious. Garrett and Grace loved them too! I have another batch that I think will be ready later today.

Am I on the road to finding balance within my body? I hope so. At least it will be a yummy adventure.

Embarking on a New Adventure

2009-12-29T12:55:00.004-06:00

My nine-year-old son Garrett is serious about no longer eating meat. I knew this day would come, because he gets really upset when we walk by the meat counter at the supermarket. He has been asking a lot of questions about what he can eat. I have put no pressure on him at all, and told him that it's completely his choice what he wants to eat. I will not be angry with him if he chooses to eat meat. But I will support him and teach him how to transition. I remember when I stopped eating meat a few years ago, at first I wasn't sure what to do. I just replaced the meat in my diet with fake meats or tofu. My diet was a work in progress, and it still is. I didn't get rid of everything all at once.

Yesterday I was watching a segment of Ellen (love her!) in which Jonathon Safron Foer (love him!) was talking about his new book, Eating Animals:

I called Garrett into the room to watch it with me. I want to educate him, but not pressure him. I want him to know that animals in factory farms are not treated well, but I don't want to traumatize him with visions of pigs being slaughtered. He really, really wants me to buy this book so we can both read it.

I'm so excited I just want to squeal!

I have also been telling him some of the health reasons that I do not eat animal products, and what a meat-filled diet can do to your heart and body.

While we were watching this interview on TV, Garrett said something that really struck me. He said, "It's gross that we are meat, and we eat meat."

Gross is right. We don't need it. I need to buy that book now.

Overdosed

2009-12-28T13:09:00.002-06:00

I don't think I would eat a cookie right now if someone paid me. Okay, I would, but it would have to be a significant amount of money, as in enough for me to buy myself something I really want. After this past week or so, I can't even bear the thought of making another sweet thing, let alone eating it. I feel bloated, gross, fat and sluggish. Why do we do this to ourselves? I don't know. It's a minor form of self-destructive behavior. An apathetic "whatever-I'll-worry-about-it-later-I-just-don't-care-life-sucks-anyway-I-might-as-well-be-fat" behavior that MUST STOP NOW.

I am sitting here with strong cravings for vegetables. I have kale in my refrigerator that needs to be eaten. I am planning on making green smoothies later. I can't wait to bake tofu tonight and scarf it down. And broccoli, dear broccoli...

I should add a recipe here for something that is not full of processed sugar and evil white flour. Something to restore energy and life to my body. But since I can't think of anything right now, I will simply leave you with this picture of one of my favorite X-mas presents. My step-mom knows of my love (lust?) for avocados, and this is something I didn't even know existed: a Flexicado - avocado slicer. Yay me!

Oh, and Garrett has decided that he is a vegetarian. Except for Subway, because he could not live without the turkey subs there. I am going to do my best to help him replace the meats he loves with cruel-free options.

Delays and Fermentation

2009-12-24T11:15:00.005-06:00

Well, the weather is making life difficult for those people who have family get-togethers planned. Do we make the turkey, or not? What about the pies? I don't have to worry too much, because all of my cookies are in the freezer.

I made the chocolate coconut cups last weekend as well, but we ate them up already. Sooooooo delicious! Just like a Mounds bar, only better. Luckily, I bought ingredients to make more of them, this time a double batch.

I also made a lot of vegan chocolate truffles. What a freaking mess that was! The filling never got hard enough to roll into a ball, even after being in the freezer. Then I had to dip the "balls" in melted chocolate. They look like crap. All of this work would be worth it, but they aren't even that great tasting. True, I have still been eating them, but I don't think I'll bother with that recipe again.

After the holidays are over, I am seriously taking a vacation from sugar. It is doing some crazy things to my body that I don't even want to talk about. I have recently discovered Kombucha tea through a friend. It is a fermented tea that has many heath benefits, including detoxifying the body, helping with digestive issues, and many other things. It is full of probiotics and good at getting rid of candida problems, which I believe is my main issue. I bought some at the health food store (a small bottle for $4) and tried it out. The smell reminded me of beer at first (which I hate), but I tried it. It was bubbly and tasty. The more I drink it, the more I like it. They sell different flavors. It is also easy to make at home. I have not tried it yet, as I need to get some of the culture from my friend to start my own batch. It's hard to explain the feeling I get from drinking it. It makes me feel clean, I guess.

This friend also makes her own kefir, which is kind of like yogurt, only better for you. She makes hers in goat milk. I have done extensive research on growing it in water or soy milk. She gave me some kefir grains and I am working on converting them to coconut milk. The kefir also has many probiotic benefits, and can be used anywhere milk is used. I think the coconut milk kefir will make for a delicious smoothie. Yummy! I don't really know what I am doing, but hopefully I get the hang of this. I believe I can restore balance to my body and start feeling better soon.

I'm craving kombucha right now. When I start brewing my own, I will share the results with you.

Enjoy the delicious food with your families, and enjoy this clip; everyone's favorite Saturday Night Live skit:

Holiday Baking

2009-12-20T11:03:00.002-06:00

The Holiday fun just never ends!

All right, that's not exactly the truth. But I am planning on having some fun today. I spent all day (well, let's be honest...all afternoon) yesterday making cookies. I baked a double batch of the Chocolate Chai cookies. I realized after mixing the dough that I hadn't followed the directions, but they still came out delicious. My mother-in-law stopped by while I was baking them and she tried one. Her exact words? "Boy, are these ever good!"

I also made a TON of those Ritz cracker/peanut butter things dipped in almond bark. Those are yummy, but almond bark is not vegan. I made them specifically for my husband. Garrett and Drew were in charge of the red and green sprinkles.

Today is gingerbread day. The kids are going to help me roll out and cut out holiday shapes. I am guessing that there will be more sprinkles. I am also planning on making some vegan chocolate truffles and coconut/chocolate cups. Ambitious, I know. We'll see how it goes. If things turn out well, I will share some recipes.

Being the only vegan in the family, I also have to think of some other things to bring to be sure that I will have something to eat besides cookies. For Christmas Eve at my aunt's I am thinking about making some seitan. I am going to make a broccoli salad and some homemade applesauce. For the in-laws on X-mas day, I am in charge of bringing vegetable soup.

Also lots of presents to wrap...this is going to be a busy, crazy week. At least I will have some good food to enjoy.

More Pie

2009-11-30T16:37:00.006-06:00

Well, I had my final Thanksgiving dinner for the year yesterday at my aunt's house. On Saturday I made my green bean casserole, and the caramel apple pie that I found on VegWeb. Let me just say that when people hear the words "caramel" and "apple" together, they go completely pie-crazy. The pie was gone in like three minutes. And even though there were plenty of pies there, everyone kept asking for this one. And nobody knew that it was vegan. Thank goodness I grabbed a piece when I did, because it was heavenly. I wouldn't say there was a strong caramel flavor to it, but definitely something more than just a plain apple pie. And it was easy to make. It was my first attempt at an apple pie, and I must admit, it was a success. It even looked pretty! You can't really tell from my photo; I had to snap a picture of Grace eating hers because by the time I thought to get out my camera, my plate was empty.

Pumpkin Heaven

2009-11-26T19:59:00.004-06:00

Ahh...my belly is really, really full. I just ate leftovers from lunch, topped off with a piece of vegan pumpkin cheesecake. Wowza!

There are a jillion recipes for this online, and most of them are probably about the same. This is the most delicious pumpkin pie I have ever had, vegan or not. I have not been a big fan of pumpkin pie since I was a kid and my brother and I attempted to eat an entire leftover pie on Thanksgiving night. I went years not touching the stuff after that. In fact, I always passed it up, until I made this version. I promise this will be my last pumpkin-related post for a while.

Today we ate lunch at my in-laws. I ate my delicious green bean casserole (I can't stop eating it!), corn, fruit salad, cranberry apple relish, a bun, and a sweet potato (no butter or anything because once again I forgot my Earth Balance). For the cheesecake, I was lazy and used a store-bought graham cracker crust. I then managed to forget the flour, but it made no difference. It was sublime.

Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake

1 12 oz. package silken tofu
1 container vegan cream cheese (I used Toffuti)
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup natural sugar
3 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4-1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp baking soda

Puree all ingredients in a food processor. Pour into graham cracker crust. Bake 50 minutes at 350 degrees. That's it. Seriously. You're welcome. Happy Thanksgiving!

Day of Food

2009-11-24T16:10:00.002-06:00

We are almost to Thanksgiving already, and naturally, I am thinking about the food I will be making for myself. I was informed that my mother-in-law is making the corn with no butter in it and setting aside a baked potato just for me. Awww...how sweet! But still, I am going to make my favorite vegan green bean casserole. I am also going to make my favorite pumpkin "cheesecake." I just finished off a batch of pumpkin oatmeal cookies. I think I might turn orange, like Garrett did when he was a baby and loved to eat squash and sweet potatoes.

I also ran across a recipe that I MUST try. Caramel Apple Pie. Oh, yeah. It's real. It's vegan. It's fattening. It looks easy. I think I will bring that to a family get-together I am attending this weekend. Along with more green bean casserole, of course. And a lovely fruit salad, because I can't live without fruit.

Sometimes it's hard to feel thankful for all that we have. Sometimes the terrible things stand out more than other times. Here's to pushing the nastiness aside and enjoying each other. And enjoying great food, as well.

I'll share some recipes later.

Fake Meat Blues

2009-11-18T15:37:00.003-06:00

I ate the veggie lunch meat a few times, and I can honestly say that I am not going to eat any more of it. Maybe I just got sick of it. I don't know. I think it is actually too much like real meat, and the thought of even eating it again is making me feel sick. I really don't need anything to replace the meat. I have plenty of other foods that give me wonderful, healthy protein.

Not that it wasn't tasty. I don't mean any kind of disrespect to Vegan Dad.

My favorite Cuban beans and rice recipe is on the menu for tonight. Along with some steamed broccoli.

I am getting paid on Friday and I am soooo excited to go buy groceries. How lame is that? I was thinking today that I am a pretty low-maintenance kind of girl. No makeup, no fancy hair styling or coloring, no expensive jewelry, and I get my clothes at thrift shops or on the clearance rack. Once I had a purse that I bought at a garage sale for 10 cents, and I used that purse for about three years. I save money in so many areas, including food, that I feel justified in buying the best ingredients, and trying out new foods as well.

Just no fake meats for a while.

Holy Cow I Did It!

2009-11-15T11:28:00.003-06:00

A long time ago I read a post by Vegan Dad on his seitan lunch "meat" and went on with my life, never imagining that it would be something I could actually make myself. I don't know what it was that intimidated me so, but I figured since my last attempt at seitan went so well, maybe I could do this one as well.

EASY!
PEASY!

If you can measure, use a blender, and mix things together, you can make this stuff.

Funny note- His instructions said to use a blender to mix the beans, water and spices before adding the wheat gluten. Stupid me thought for some reason that I should use my food processor. After three seconds of that and wiping up the mess, I decided that it was pretty presumptuous of me to think that I knew more than Vegan Dad. Use a blender.

I rolled the dough into a log and wrapped it in foil like a tootsie roll. For the steamer, I used my bamboo steamer that I have never used before. I put water in my wok and placed the steamer with the seitan over the water, covered it and let it steam for an hour. The thing was, I had to add some water after a while. Then later I forgot about it and it ran out of water, and my wok had a big black spot on it and my house reeked of burnt wok and almost-burnt bamboo steamer. But all was well. It was ready for the oven anyway.

After it cooled in the refrigerator for a while, I sliced a couple of slices off and made myself a sandwich with whole grain bread and Vegenaise. Grace shared it with me, because she does not have the ability to eat her own food. It was DELICIOUS! I am betting it would be even better with lettuce and more veggies on it. Woo-hoo! I am Super Vegan Woman! I can do anything!

OK, not really. But, still. It was fun.

Yes, I am aware that my photo sucks. And I am aware that it doesn't look much like Vegan Dad's lunch meat. Those things just do not matter.

The Big Question

2009-11-12T17:42:00.003-06:00

We have a new lady at work and she found out today that I'm a vegan. So came the question vegetarians and vegans always get: "What do you eat?"

She imagined that I spent my days eating salads. Oh, if only that were true, maybe I wouldn't be overweight. Quite honestly, there are days when I don't get enough vegetables. Like when I am not feeling well and really lazy and just have a sandwich for supper.

This lady was very nice about it and was just curious about the kinds of things I eat, and how my family eats. She said, "So you're pretty limited on what you can eat then."

I don't see my diet as very limited, unless I am at certain restaurants or looking through my children's Trick-or-Treat bags. I don't need all that candy, and I don't need fast food. So, in certain circumstances it is limited, but it's worth it to me.

Sometimes it's annoying to be asked questions, partly because I don't like to have attention focused on me like that. But it's also a good thing, because I had a chance to educate someone about an animal-friendly diet. Where this person lives, she may never meet another vegan/vegetarian again in her lifetime. It also depends on how the question is asked. There's a difference between real curiosity and the beef farmer who is personally offended by how I eat and not afraid to give me a lecture about how we need meat to survive.

The main reason I started this blog is because I get asked that question so often. It's nice to show people that there are different ways to eat, and that I have oodles and oodles of delicious choices every day. Food and nutrition for me is fun now; an experiment, an exciting adventure. I mean, how often do people really think about what they are eating? How often do people enjoy every single bite they eat, experience all the flavors together and really appreciate it? People need to do that more often.

Because I Can't Get Enough Pumpkin

2009-11-05T15:28:00.003-06:00

I tried a new recipe last night for a Pumpkin Pie Shake. I found the recipe HERE.

It was a little different drinking something that tasted like a pumpkin pie, but it was really yummy. I am going to drink my leftovers right now!

Seitan Worship

2009-11-02T15:37:00.003-06:00

Yesterday I didn't have a lot to do, and I was feeling really good. I got really ambitious and decided to make myself some homemade seitan. I have never done it before; I had never even eaten it before. I was always quite intimidated by the whole process of making my own, which ended up being pretty easy. I used the recipe from VWaV, and it turned out perfectly. In this picture, the dough that I kneaded and sliced is simmering in the broth. I swear, when this stuff was done, it looked exactly like roast beef. The texture was chewy and meaty. But, thank goodness, it didn't taste like roast beef. It tasted wonderful. A new world of fake meat has opened for me, beyond tempeh and tofu. Think of the possibilities! I can stir fry it, make a sandwich, barbecue it...

I pulled a double-duty and made two meals at once last night. I made homemade hamburger stroganoff for the boys, and the Seitan Portabella Stroganoff from VWaV. My recipe turned out to just be okay. Nothing spectacular. But I have leftover seitan, so I am off to my favorite recipe sites to find out what is for supper tonight.

More Pumpkin

2009-11-01T11:15:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I finally made the pumpkin bread, and it sooooooo delicious and moist. The recipe in Vegetarian Times had eggs in it, but I used flax eggs to replace. I use 1 tbsp. of flax meal (or ground up flax seeds) and mix it with 3 tbsp. water to make one egg. Always works wonderfully, and this was no exception. You should really use pure maple syrup if you can. There's nothing better. It's very expensive, but I was lucky to find two large jars at the B&D for $3 each. You could also buy it in bulk from your local food co-op and not pay an arm and a leg. Believe me, it's worth it.

Maple Pumpkin Spice Bread (recipe used without permission from Vegetarian Times magazine Nov/Dec issue)

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup canola oil (or unsweetened applesauce)
2 flax eggs (or real eggs, if you want)
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts (optional- I didn't add any nuts)

Preheat oven to 350- Spray 9x5 in. loaf pan with cooking spray or coat with oil. Mix together flours, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and allspice in large bowl. Whisk together maple syrup and oil in separate bowl. Add eggs or egg replacer, then pumpkin and vanilla. Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture and mix. Add nuts if using. Pour into loaf pan. Bake 40-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on rack 5 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely. Eat this stuff warm, and add a little Earth Balance margarine if you want.

Contest

2009-10-30T17:23:00.003-05:00

Happy Herbivore is having another giveaway on her awesome blog, and I have still not won anything. This time she is giving away Riceworks gourmet brown rice chips, which are totally vegan. Cool beans. I dig me some tasty chips, and these look really good.

*Crossing fingers*

I hope I win!

Off to make some pumpkin bread.

Pumpkin Fun

2009-10-29T20:20:00.007-05:00

Last night we had our ritual carving of the pumpkins. Things have certainly changed over the years. Todd and I used to carve triangle eyes and a nose and some sharp teeth and it was great. Now they want complicated things...Drew had a skull, Garrett ended up with a bat, and Grace wanted a puppy. We were short on time (and artistic ability) so she ended up with a scary face. It is always a fun time when we do this, as you can see by the photo that Todd took. For some reason, Drew lost his shirt in the process.

The reason I am posting this hear is because this year, for the first time, I decided to roast the pumpkin seeds. You can find recipes for this anywhere on line, but since you're here right now, I'll tell you what I did.

First, I dug through all the slimy guts and picked out as many seeds as I could. I rinsed them, getting all of the pulp off them. I then put them on a large cookie sheet and let them dry overnight. Today, I tossed them with some olive oil, salt, garlic powder and onion powder. I didn't measure, just threw some in. Any spices could be used here; some cayenne pepper if you are so inclined, or maybe some cumin would be lovely. Put them back on the cookie sheet and bake at 250 degrees for about an hour, stirring every 15-20 minutes. Wa-la. You're done. You are snacking away on the salty goodness. They were nice and crunchy and kind of addictive. I will definitely do that again sometime.

Speaking of pumpkin, I found a recipe for Maple Pumpkin Bread in this month's Vegetarian Times. I love cooking anything with pumpkin, but add some pure maple syrup, and I'm in heaven. I think I will make the bread tomorrow, if I get the time.

GO VEGAN!!

Eat your Veggies!

2009-10-27T16:53:00.002-05:00

As soon as it becomes cooler outside, I no longer want a crunchy, cold, raw salad. I want to get my veggies from a nice warm soup. I used to be in Weight Watchers years ago, and they had a recipe for a vegetable soup that was zero points. That's how this recipe started out, but I have changed so many things about it that I can now call this my own. It's easy, especially because I use a bag of frozen veggies. But still very delicious, extremely nutritious, beautiful, versatile, and hot. Also good for the cold I can feel coming on! Measurements are estimates, as I usually don't measure and I do it differently all the time. This time I threw in some kale and mushrooms, and that was a great idea.

Vegetable Barley Soup

2 tbsp olive oil (or coconut oil works well too)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
6 cups water or vegetable broth (I used a no-chicken broth base)
1/2 bag frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, green beans)
5-6 white mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup Quick Barley (just a guess)
chopped kale
dried herbs of choice (I used basil and parsley)

Saute the onion and garlic in oil until soft. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat, add the veggies, mushrooms, herbs, and barley. Simmer for a while -until veggies are tender and barley is cooked. Add as much kale as you would like and mix it in. Simmer a while longer until kale is wilted.

I am now wishing I would have made a double batch because it was so tasty.

Chocolate Chai Love

2009-10-26T15:59:00.003-05:00

I ran across this recipe for chocolate chai cookies on Vegan Joy. Holy cow! I was making them last night when in the middle of it, I realized that I was out of black tea. All I had was about five boxes of green tea or herbal teas. So in my pajama pants and my flour-covered t-shirt, I ran to the store to purchase some. One of my students was working there. "You're buying tea for cookies?" he asked. I explained what kind of cookies I was making. I told him that I make the best cookies ever, and they are always soft. Guaranteed. He told me to bring him one today, so I did. He liked it.

I absolutely love chai tea spices, and they are perfect in these cookies. Grace helped me make them (of course) and she enjoyed rolling the dough into balls and rolling the balls in the sugar. The molasses makes for a nice touch. I think I will add these cookies to the list of things I will be making for Christmas. The only thing about Christmas that I am looking forward to is the cooking. I can't wait to make gingerbread men with my kids again. I should start planning the delicious foods that I am going to bring with me to the parties right now, since there are very few vegan options for me. It would be SO sweet if I could host Christmas this year and make it totally vegan, but I'm afraid nobody would come. Or if they did, all they would eat would be these awesome cookies.

Broccoli Soup

2009-10-22T20:10:00.005-05:00

Definitely soup weather these days. We had another wet and cold one today. All day I was planning on making chicken noodle soup for the omnis and a cheeze soup from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook. I added some steamed broccoli to it, because almost everything needs broccoli. It was pretty good, nice and creamy, and I ate two bowls of it. Grace ate some, too, because she loves broccoli. I wish all my kids ate like Grace.

As for the bowl, it's the only bowl I eat soup with. It's supposed to be an asparagus. I got it for my wedding from an old man I worked with at the time, John. It came in a pair, but the other one broke a long time ago. When I got it, it had some powdery broccoli cheese soup in it. John was a funny old guy, genuinely nice. He had a million and one stories to tell, and I think most were exaggerated, if not completely fabricated. He would pop up and say things like, "Did you know I had coffee with Robert Kennedy the night before he was shot?" As the story went on, you would find out that he had coffee with a LARGE group of people that included Robert Kennedy, and it was probably a month before he died. He was also on a cruise during the Perfect Storm. He traveled a lot and told stories of haunted hotels he had stayed at. He loved musicals and showtoons.

So anyway, it was good soup and made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Cheez Please Soup (from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook by Jo Stepaniak)

1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup vegetable broth or water

Put these things in a pot and boil. Reduce heat, simmer, stirring a couple of times, until vegetables are tender.

In a bowl, mix the following and add to the cooked veggies:

12 ounces firm silken tofu
1/2 -1 cup nutritional yeast flakes
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Puree all of this in a blender until really smooth. I added a few pieces of steamed brocoli to the puree, and put a few large chunks in as well. Put pureed mixture in a soup pot, add 1 cup soy milk or water. Heat and serve!

Tofu and Kale Heaven

2009-10-21T20:18:00.006-05:00

I can't believe I pulled together an awesome meal today. I have been dragging so badly...we have had cool, dark, dreary, rainy, wet, sloppy, depressing weather for what seems like weeks around here. I have been so tired...and this afternoon after work I had to write an article that was long and boring and took forever. In the mean time, I was determined I was having this for supper tonight.

This is easily my favorite way to make tofu these days. I have eaten an entire block of it before...and Grace just helped me do it again. I found the recipe in my usual place - "somewhere online." This tofu takes time to prepare, so it's good to plan ahead. I am not good at doing this, so when I make it, I usually eat around 8 p.m. It's SOOOOOOO worth it, though. I also made the garlicky kale with tahini dressing from VWaV. This recipe introduced me to kale, which I now love, and tahini dressing, which makes me moan in ecstasy. I also made a butternut squash that was perfection, but I had already eaten it before this stuff was finished. I was hungry!

Indian Baked Tofu

For this recipe you need to press the tofu. I use one package, or 14 oz. of firm tofu. I press it by slicing it in half width-wise and placing a cloth napkin over it on my cutting board. I then place my hardcover illustrated edition of The DaVinci Code over it (the only purpose this book serves) and let it sit for about a half-hour. This way the tofu will soak up the marinade better. After that I combine the following ingredients in a zip-lock plastic bag:

3 tbsp olive oil (organic extra virgin cold pressed, of course)
1 tbsp lemon juice (or juice of half a lemon)
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
pinch of turmeric
1/2 tsp salt

Cut the tofu into 1 inch cubes, place in bag and toss around really well. Place in refrigerator 30-45 minutes, turning once in the middle. Bake in a baking dish or on a baking sheet for about a half hour, or until it is chewy and tough on the outside. Mix it up every now and then. You can then broil for a few more minutes to get it crispy, if you wish. This is not a really spicy recipe, so feel free to add more curry if you want.

When I first became a vegetarian, I was afraid to try cooking with tofu. I had no idea what to do with it. I didn't learn about pressing it for a while, so sometimes it didn't soak up the flavors well, or else it was rubbery. I remember for a while just frying it in olive oil and putting a mixture of ketchup, mustard, vinegar and brown sugar over it. After many trials and errors, I have learned the secrets of great tofu, although I still have some failures once in a while. There are so many things a person can do with tofu that it's mind-boggling, and so much fun to try.

Oh, yeah - VEGAN MOFO!!

More Cookies

2009-10-17T20:32:00.003-05:00

While getting groceries yesterday, Drew threw some cookies in the cart, those ones that you simply place on a cookies sheet and bake. He followed me around the house with them today, hounding me until I finally made them for him. Naturally, they contain eggs, so Grace could not have any. She was screaming, crying, sitting on the counter, touching the chocolate chip cookies lovingly, trying to "just smell them." I wanted to make the pumpkin oatmeal cookies for us, but she was insisting on chocolate chip.

Now, I think the best vegan chocolate chip cookies in the world come from VWaV. However, the recipe calls for one cup of Earth Balance. I am way too stingy with my precious vegan margarine to part with that much. Also, that's a lot of fat. Instead I pulled out Vegan Planet, which I rarely go to. In fact, the only recipe I make regularly from that big fat book is the Ultimate Veggie Burgers. Absolutely the best veggie burgers I have ever made. But I digress...

I got her to calm down quickly by helping me bake the cookies. She loves to pour things in the bowl and stir. She sat on the counter and I sang Cloud Cult songs to her as we baked and jammed out to the music.

The cookies were pretty good, even though I over baked the first batch. I used flax meal for the egg replacer. Once again, mommy saved the day by allowing her to eat what her brothers were eating.

Vegan Mofo Survey

2009-10-16T11:09:00.003-05:00

1. Favorite non-dairy milk?

Plain soy milk or almond milk. Hemp milk is also quite delicious in cereal, but very sweet (and expensive) so that's for once in a while.

2. What are the top 3 dishes/recipes you are planning to cook?

I am going to make apple crisp for a family get-together tomorrow. I have some pumpkin left over so possibly pumpkin oatmeal cookies from Vegan With a Vengeance. And I am going to make a broccoli frittata whenever Carissa gets her butt over here for a visit.

3. Topping of choice for popcorn?

Salt

4. Most disastrous recipe/meal failure?

Oh, man. Which one? I know! The pistachio rosewater cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. YIKES! They ended up in the garbage.

5. Favorite pickled item?

Pickles.

6. How do you organize your recipes?

They are written on recipe cards and put in alphabetical order in a recipe box my hubby made for me. Or else printed out on a paper and stuffed alongside said recipe box.

7. Compost, trash, or garbage disposal?

I recycle what I can and throw away everything else.

8. If you were stranded on an island and could only bring 3 foods…what would they be (don’t worry about how you’ll cook them)?

avocados, chickpeas, broccoli (I'm going to assume there is fruit on the island)

9. Fondest food memory from your childhood?

Hmmm....I just remembered picking strawberries with my cousin, and then he made some homemade jam with them.

10. Favorite vegan ice cream?

I don't eat it much, but one time I bought some chocolate ice cream made with Coconut milk and it was freaking awesome!

11. Most loved kitchen appliance?

Food Processor.

12. Spice/herb you would die without?

Cumin

13. Cookbook you have owned for the longest time?

As far as the vegan ones, probably the whole, natural foods one I got from someone. I can't remember what it's called and my friend has it right now.

14. Favorite flavor of jam/jelly?

strawberry

15. Favorite vegan recipe to serve to an omni friend?

I don't serve much to omni friends, but I like to share baking and salads, and the artichoke spinach dip was a huge success.

16. Seitan, tofu, or tempeh?

tofu - I love tempeh but am ashamed to say I have still not tried seitan.

17. Favorite meal to cook (or time of day to cook)?

Supper, in the evening.

18. What is sitting on top of your refrigerator?

Cereal boxes and crap I am trying to keep away from the kids.

19. Name 3 items in your freezer without looking.

strawberries, bananas, flax meal - my smoothie staples.

20. What’s on your grocery list?

A lot. I am going shopping today.

21. Favorite grocery store?

The Good Food Store. But I can't afford to get everything there, so I get a lot at a store in Iowa that has great produce at a great price. I try not to shop at Wal-Mart...but it happens.

22. Name a recipe you’d love to veganize, but haven’t yet.

Beef Stroganoff

23. Food blog you read the most (besides Isa’s because I know you check it everyday). Or maybe the top 3?

Vegan Dad, Happy Herbivore, Yeah, that "Vegan" Shit

24. Favorite vegan candy/chocolate?

I have a terrible weakness for Oreos. I wish they weren't vegan. Otherwise, I prefer my own vegan cookies.

25. Most extravagant food item purchased lately?

Yesterday I splurged and bought the LARGE size Vegenaise for 6.99. For me, that is a big deal. But I have two kids constantly begging for chickpea salad sandwiches. And the small version was $5.00.

Sweets and Comfort

2009-10-14T10:23:00.005-05:00

I am not doing a great job of posting every day. Oh, well. That's life. I am, however, eating every day. Last weekend I had to bring a pan of bars to my husband's grandpa's 80th birthday party. Since I knew damn well I would have nothing else to eat while there, I made mine vegan. I used a recipe I found on the Post Punk Kitchen website for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Just so you know, I only use 1 cup of sugar in them instead of the 1 1/2 cups called for. Instead of shortening I use canola oil (or appleasauce if I feel like being healthy). Instead of soy yogurt, I add about a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to some soy milk. The cookies always turn out so cake-like and moist that I like to make bars out of them. They are the perfect bar, and I have received so many compliments from people who can't believe they are vegan. And they are AMAZING. So AMAZING that I probably gained a few pounds that day. I love to make things with pumpkin. And chocolate. Which reminds me, I still have some pumpkin in the refrigerator that I need to use up.

Last night I was in a casserole mood. It's cold and snowy here already. I remembered a creamy baked risotto that I made last year at some time and really loved. I dug through my recipes and found this one, hastily scrawled on a recipe card, no title or anything. It didn't make a lot of sense to me, especially at the end where it said 2 tbsp chives et. al. WTF does that mean? And it called for parmesan cheese. I don't know what I used last year (probably nooch), but I added some of the Buffalo Mostarella cheeze I made last week because I need to use it up. It turned out really creamy, comforting, and delicious.

Creamy Mushroom Spinach Risotto

2 cups brown rice
5 cups vegetable broth
3 tbsp vegan margarine
3 cups (or so) mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup vegan parmesan, or nutritional yeast flakes
2 cups fresh spinach
salt and pepper to taste
dried herbs of choice (I used basil and oregano)

Toss everything into a baking dish except the spinach and herbs. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 45-50 minutes, stirring ocassionally, until rice has absorbed all the water. Remove from oven and stir in the spinach until it's all wilty. Add the herbs as you please and enjoy.

So Cheezy!

2009-10-11T15:58:00.003-05:00

One of the vegan ingredients I could never live without is nutritional yeast. I recently bought The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook by Jo Stepaniak. Man, I wish I would have had this book a long time ago. I decided to make an attempt at one of the block cheezes and made the Buffalo Mostarella. I cooked it yesterday, put it in a loaf pan and let it cool overnight. Today I took it out of its mold, sliced some of it and took a picture for this blog. Unfortunately, Grace was playing with my camera today, and somehow, there are no pictures on the card anymore.

Anyway, you will have to take my word for it. This tastes nothing like mozzarella cheese, but it is very yummy. It doesn't slice easily, and it's still kind of mushy, but that's okay too. I made a grilled cheeze with it for lunch, and it was delish.

Funny side note - I am doing a series of stories for the paper about farming in the area. First was crops, then dairy, and I am now working on the hog story. Of all people to go interview these farmers...I feel bad for the dairy farmers who are hemmorhaging money, but inside I am cheering when they say things like, "Dairy consumption has decreased over the last year..." I wish that while interviewing them, I could ask things like, "So how much pus really is allowed into each gallon of milk?" and "Did you know that the animal protein in milk is actually bad for your bones?"

Wait until I get to the beef story- I'd like to bring up the fact that red meat is the leading cause of colon cancer. But, of course, I won't. I will bite my tongue.

Back to the cheeze...I am going to put some on a pizza this week. I have some whole wheat flat bread that is going to be the crust. I'll let you know how it goes.

Frozen Pizza and Birthday Cake

2009-10-05T15:53:00.003-05:00

This weekend was a bit crazy getting ready for Grace's 4th birthday party. I spent a lot of time on Saturday grocery shopping with the kids, which can either be a complete nightmare or a lot of fun. Then I had to bake a couple of cakes for the party we had on Sunday.

I really prefer to make things from scratch these days, but somehow I ended up buying two box mixes. Because of Grace's egg allergy, I used the box Egg Replacer from Ener G. I haven't used that very often, and never with a cake mix. While cutting and serving the cake at the party, it totally fell apart. On the positive side, it was quite delicious. However, from now on I am going to go homemade vegan. Nobody will ever know anyway...

The fam had pizza for supper Saturday and I ate my go-to pizza for when I am too lazy or don't have enough time for a real pizza. I discovered that Kashi has a frozen pizza that is made without cheese, and it's oh, so yummy. It's called Sicilian Veggie, and it has kale (!) eggplant, roasted red peppers, carmelized onions and so forth. As healthy as pizza is going to get, really.

I also discovered that while signing up for Vegan MoFo, I gave the moderator the wrong web address. I made a correction, but who knows if she will see it or make the change. Oh, well. I don't really mind. I'm a little embarassed to be included with such amazing blogs anyway.

Not sure what is on the menu for the week...I really need to make some sweet potato black bean burritos soon, though. Anyone want to come over for horror movies and vegan food?

Faking It

2009-10-02T20:15:00.007-05:00

I have no problem eating fake meat. It's much better to eat something that slightly resembles meat in texture and flavor than to actually eat a dead animal. I don't, however, eat a ton of pre-packaged veggie burgers, faux chicken, or veggie dogs. They are very heavily processed, and not the healthiest foods to eat.

Today is Grace's 4th birthday, and she requested chicken nuggets for supper. I was going to go to the store to buy her some, but she fell asleep on the couch and refused to wake up. I got hungry and found this recipe on VegWeb. Thank goodness I had those chickpeas in the freezer, huh?

I did cook Grace some popcorn shrimp that she likes, but my chicken-nugget-type-things were done first, and she devoured two or three of them. And they were yummy. Nothing like a chicken nugget, of course, but that is totally fine with me. They had a wonderful flavor to them. However, there were a few things I did not like:

-I fried them in oil, and that was not very healthy
-After eating several of them, I became sick to my stomach from all the oil
-I also burned my arm on splattering oil
-They became a bit chewy after sitting for a few minutes.

Not exactly a replacement for chicken, but a very nice chickpea patty or croquette. The thing is, right now I feel so gross that I may never make them again. Perhaps I will try baking them. I think I better make a cup of tea to help ease my stomach...

Snickerdoodles

2009-10-01T18:03:00.009-05:00

Today was really cold, and it was dark and wet and dreary all day. While I was working, I was fantasizing about what I was going to bake when I got home. I knew I would be blogging about it, because today is the first day of Vegan MoFo. I have a major weakness for cookies, so when I got home I asked Grace what kind of cookie I should make. She answered, "White ones." I looked up vegan sugar cookie recipes (I have never made them before!), and I came across a recipe from Vegetarian Times for Snickerdoodles that I thought looked even better. I cranked up the oven to help warm up the house, and set to baking.

I don't know why I am bothering with a food blog, I really don't. I have no great photography skills, no fancy camera equipment or great place to take professional, appetizing pictures of my food. But whatever. A picture of Grace, fresh out of the bathtub, eating the cookie will have to suffice.

These cookies are really tasty! Vegan cookies are so soft and perfect, just like a good cookie should be.

Snickerdoodles

1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch (seriously!)
1 tsp. baking powder
4 oz. or 1/2 cup vegan margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vanilla soy milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Cinnamon-Sugar

1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cinnamon

(Mix together on a large plate.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together flour, cornstarch, baking powder. Beat margarine in a separate bowl until soft. Add sugar and beat until fluffy (mine never got fluffy). Beat in soy milk and vanilla extract for 30 seconds or until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat 30 seconds until smooth. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place on baking sheet and flatten a little. Bake 10-12 minutes. Try not to eat them all in one sitting.

Chickpea Mania!

2009-09-30T18:58:00.004-05:00

The last time I was at the B&D, I found bags of dried chickpeas and black beans for 30 cents each. ORGANIC. What would you have done? I went crazy. I don't know how many I took, but I had to store them in the garage in a bag.

The other day Garrett was begging me for a chickpea salad sandwich. This kid is not even vegetarian (although I think he will be one day; he gets really upset when we see the meat at the grocery store). I told him I was out of canned chickpeas, and his reply was, "Well then I'm not eating ANYTHING for supper!"

Wow! I pulled out a bag of dry chickpeas and soaked them overnight. Yesterday I cooked them a while and I got enough for a large batch of chickpea salad, and two freezer bags full for some other time. All organic, all for 30 cents. Am I awesome, or what?

Today I made the chickpea salad, and we had sandwiches for supper with fresh spinach and alfalfa sprouts. The kids insist on the sprouts. Well, not Drew, he wouldn't eat a sprout if his life depended on it. But at least there is hope for the other two.

This is the recipe that I use for these unbelievable sandwiches. It's not my own recipe.

1 can or 2 cups cooked chickpeas, mashed
1/4 cup vegan mayo
1 large dill pickle, chopped
1-2 green onions, chopped (or red onion)
1 tsp tamari or soy sauce
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
black pepper to taste

Mix it up. Pile it high one some good whole wheat bread, with spinach and sprouts. Eat the rest of it with a fork right out of the mixing bowl. Blog about how awesome it is. Talk about it until people are sick of hearing about it.

Salty Vegan

2009-09-25T16:42:00.005-05:00

My doctor says I need to eat more salt. I have taken this as a free pass to eat all of the tortilla chips I can possibly ever want. Last night was Mexican night; I made a layered dip with refried black beans, vegan queso, guacamole and salsa. I just finished off the last of the queso, along with Grace, and am planning on licking the bowl clean as soon as I finish this post. It's that good. Maybe I will share the recipe with you sometime. But you have to beg.

October is VeganMoFo...the Vegan Month of Food. Bloggers all over the world go crazy and try to post something vegan every day. I don't know if I will sign up. I mean, this is a pretty pathetic blog. Who is gonna care? There are thousands of awesome vegan blogs out there that are professional looking, and people that have good cameras that can actually take appetizing photos of the food they are eating. These people make up their own recipes and write cookbooks. I am, as always, a dork in a sea of people that are cooler than me. But I enjoy blogging. And eating. So I may take the challenge.

How will I get some more salt into my diet so that my blood pressure isn't so close to a dead person's? How much weight will I gain in the attempt? How can I use up those three cans of crushed pineapple? Why did I buy them in the first place? Will Grace ever stop whining? Stay tuned to find out.

More Pasta Goodness

2009-09-15T18:00:00.005-05:00

Last night I was thinking about supper and thinking about the veggies in my refrigerator. I was thinking about how warm it has been, and how I should fit a few good salads in before the cold weather sets in. I went to one of my favorite recipe sites and found a recipe for pasta salad that looked good.

I used a bag of gluten free elbow macaroni made with rice and soy flour because I had bought the bag at my favorite Amish store (which will here on out be referred to as the Bent & Dent, or B&D for short) for 50 cents. The pasta was delicious. I recently splurged on a jar of Vegenaise for $4.99 plus tax, because the stuff is just that good. The Italian dressing I had was fat free, so that helped the fat content some. Other than the fat from the Vegenaise, which is expeller-pressed canola oil high in omega-3 fatty acids, the salad was pretty low fat. And ohmygodican'tstopeatingit good. Seriously. TONS of flavor. I think this will be my staple for every family picnic or potluck I ever attend. Easy peasy. I have a ton left over. I ate it for lunch today and I'm looking forward to a big bowl for supper, and most likely lunch again tomorrow. And that's okay with me. I'm copying this recipe here because I made it a bit differently, and really, who the heck is gonna know? I don't think there's anyone reading this blog anyway.

Summer Pasta Salad

12 oz pasta (your choice)
1/2 red onion, chopped
1-2 large carrots, grated
1 green or red pepper, chopped
broccoli, chopped in bite-sized pieces
1 large cucumber, peeled and diced
1 cup Italian dressing
1/4 cup vegan mayo
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp dill
salt and pepper to taste
1 can chickpeas

Cook pasta - drain and rinse well with cold water. Add the chopped veggies. Whisk together the mayo, dressing, mustard, dill, salt and pepper. Add to pasta and veggies and mix well. Mash chickpeas with a potato masher until crumbly, then add to salad, mixing well.

Mexican Pasta Salad

2009-09-09T17:36:00.004-05:00

I have been eating this stuff like crazy all summer and I can't get enough. I looked at my original recipe that I found somewhere online, and realized that I don't follow it hardly at all. So that means that the recipe I make is all my own. And that means I am going to share it with you so you can enjoy the spicy goodness. My daughter Grace loves this stuff. L-O-V-E loves it.

Mexican Pasta Salad

1/2 pound pasta (I prefer something small, like little shells, but I usually use Isreali couscous - quinoa would work as well)
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles (or one can of diced tomatoes and one can chiles)
1 red pepper, diced (or mix up green, red, yellow, whatever)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
dash of salt and pepper
1-2 Hass avocados, diced

Cook the pasta. Combine rest of the ingredients except avocado. Rinse pasta with cold water, add to bowl. Stir in the avocados last. You can wait until serving the salad before adding the avocados, but they really do hold up well in this salad, even the next day. Eat, enjoy, and thank me later.

OK, I have an anecdote to share. I made this for a family picnic this summer, and I used the little shell pasta. My aunt was eating it (she loved it) and she asked me, quite honestly, how I got all those black beans inside all of the shells. It was really an accident, but I should have told her I slaved all day filling the shells with the beans to get it just right. Yeah. Cuz I got nothing but spare time...

Back to work!

Alabama Caviar

2009-09-03T18:27:00.003-05:00

I ran across this recipe a couple of days ago. Since I was having a friend over today, I decided to give it a try. I had a bag of black eyed peas in the cupboard, so I soaked them overnight and cooked them yesterday. As usual, I forgot about them and cooked them too long and they became mushy. But whatever, they were still good. I had recently bought a package of different colored peppers so I cut them up, along with a bunch of cherry tomatoes out of my step-mom's garden. I changed a few things about the recipe - I didn't use as many beans as called for, but I still used the same amount of dressing (the balsamic vinegar and raw sugar). This was not due to some great idea or purpose, I just tend to do stupid things like that. When I halve or double a recipe, there are always a few things that don't get halved or doubled. In this case, it was just fine. I added some red onions, because you must have those. Even though the recipe doesn't call for them, the picture seems to have them in there. And I added a couple tablespoons of olive oil just for fun.

The result was beautiful, and delicious. I ate it for a salad today at lunch. When my company came over, we ate it as a dip with tortilla chips. Either way, it was so tasty and addicting and healthy (well, the chips not so much).

I think I will chill out in front of the TV tonight with a bowl of this and my bag of chips and watch a movie. I am ready for my four-day weekend!

Time for Soup

2009-09-01T10:16:00.003-05:00

This has been the craziest summer. Technically, even though we have started school, it's still summer. But this weather sure feels like autumn. It has been chilly here, especially in the mornings. In typical Minnesota fashion, I used my heater in the van yesterday morning, then used my air conditioning in the afternoon. The kids came home yelling at me because I made them wear pants to school and it got too warm.

So last night I was in the mood for soup because I love it and I haven't made any for a few months. I made one of my faves, a curried lentil couscous soup. I found this recipe somewhere online and changed it a little and added some chopped up kale. I love how it adds color (and nutrition) to the soup. For the couscous I used the Israeli variety because I really like those little round circles of pasta. The measurements are hard for me, because I pretty much eyeball the spices. I also had to add quite a bit of water after the lentils cooked, so then I just dumped in some more spices.

Soup is really easy to make, is filling and comforting, and can be full of nutrition. Lentils are one of my favorite ways to get protein; they are just so yummy and versatile. And anything with curry powder and cumin is going to fill my house with one of my favorite aromas as well. I made a LOT of soup, and I'm the only one eating it (unfortunately), so I may freeze some and see how that works out.

Curried Lentil and Couscous Soup

2 cups lentils, rinsed
8 cups water or vegetable broth
1/2 cup carrots, sliced or chopped
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup couscous
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp paprika
2 or more tsp madras curry powder, depending on your tastes
1/2 tsp turmeric (no big deal if you don't have this)
1/2 tsp cumin
1-2 cups chopped kale (or any other greens)
salt to taste

Saute carrots, onions and garlic in some olive oil until tender. Add water or broth, bring to a boil. Add the lentils, couscous and spices and simmer for about a half hour or so (I really don't know, I didn't time it, just watch for the lentils and couscous to get done). Add more water if necessary. Add the kale and stir around, cooking until kale is wilted. Serve with some bread and fresh fruit and it's a perfect meal for a cool night. I put a bowl of strawberries on the table and the kids and I ate them all up with our soup.

My Pantry

2009-08-22T15:16:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I took the kids to get groceries and I stopped at my favorite Amish store. This place sells dry goods that are sometimes past the expiration date, or else the package has been damaged, but sometimes it's neither. This stuff is so damn cheap that I'm like a kid on Christmas morning when I go in. I mean, cans of chickpeas for 25 cents? Come on! I am all over that shit!

The great thing about this place is that I find things there that I cannot find anywhere else. There are a lot of organic items, and also many items that are so expensive elsewhere that I can't justify buying them. I have also tried some new things. Yesterday I found tapioca flour for 75 cents, and a large jar of PURE maple syrup for $3.50 (a steal - this stuff is expensive).

The bad thing about this place is that I buy too much! I get home and I don't know where to put it all. My cupboards are crammed full. I now have six cans and four bags of organic coffee shoved away. I cleaned out my pantry cupboard thingy and realized my biggest problem is not even realizing what I have at home already. I found four cans of crushed pineapple stuffed in there!

But I can't pass up a good deal. If I see something I love there (like the occasional Vegenaise) I take whatever they have because they might never have it there again. I'll find room for it somewhere.

We also saw something horrible there...cans of pork brains. I kid you not. I showed them to Garrett and he was mad at me for grossing him out. On the front of the can they had a little illustration of a plate of pig's brains on top of some potatoes or something. Jesus...the cholesterol level was 1050 percent of the recommended daily allowance. *Shudders*

Now that I know what I have in my pantry and have it all neatly organized, I feel like cooking. I am going to read my cookbooks and go online and find something great to make with all my new ingredients. And I think I better make something with pineapple in it.

Ooh- good news...there is a lady who has a food column in my paper and she let me know that she is quitting. Hopefully I will get another chance at my own food column!

The Non-Vegan World

2009-08-18T11:18:00.004-05:00

Being a vegan has been difficult at times, but after more than a year, I have survived a lot. Family get-togethers, cook-outs, restaurants, and the holidays. Restaurants are particularly miserable. Grace and I recently went out to eat with my grandma, my mom, and my aunt at a chain Mexican restaurant that I would NOT have chosen, but it was my grandma's birthday and she wanted to go there. Most Mexican restaurants (heck, most restaurants) have a vegetarian section. I thought I would be able to get some sort of vegetable fajita or something, and some good guacamole. But not really. I had to be a pain in the ass and order a spinach mushroom enchilada with some major changes. I don't want any of the garlic butter sauce, and no sour cream. And all that's inside is the spinach, mushrooms and onions, right? Right. Great. Then all our food came and my enchiladas had melted cheese all over the top of them. Sigh. I checked it out quickly; could I scrape it off? No, it was baked right on. Do I just keep my mouth shut and eat it? Hell no. I had her take it back and bring me a new one. While I ate it, it tasted good, but I was very suspicious. I wouldn't doubt it if the rice had been cooked in chicken broth, the beans had lard in them, and the inside of my enchiladas had been cooked with butter. I couldn't really enjoy it. And the guacamole SUCKED. My own guac I make at home is ten thousand times better.

Tomorrow we are taking the kids on our little mini-vacation for the summer. We are going to the Mall of America to play all day, then back to a hotel with a sweet water park. They also have a restaurant and the kids eat free. I don't have any idea what I will be eating. I think I should pack my own food, or at least some soy milk for my coffee in the morning. At the breakfast buffet, I will be eating the fruit. I think I will bring the homemade granola I made because it was really good.

I certainly won't starve to death, that's for sure. All of these little bumps in the road are totally worth it to me. There's no way I'm going to give in just because it's easier. I just really wish the world was more vegan-friendly.

Day Three- The Final Day

2009-08-13T18:08:00.003-05:00

Being a raw foodie has been easier than hell today. I think this adventure has been a success. I don't feel any cravings for sugar. I can't believe I have gone three days without any sugar, and not even slice of bread. I have some raw almond meal crackers in the dehydrator right now and they smell delicious. I am going to eat them with guacamole when they are done.

I just returned from a shopping trip with the kids. I went to my favorite Amish farm and bought some produce. This time she had some Italian eggplant so I bought a few of those. They are long and skinny. I also bought a big zucchini, broccoli, a bag of red potatoes, a bag of peaches, a really funny-looking white squash, and kohlrabi. I have never tried kohlrabi before. I spent a total of nine dollars.

At the grocery store I bought a coconut, so we will see if I can get the damn thing open and enjoy it. Among the other fruits and veggies I bought, I picked up some apples to dry in the dehydrator. I might sprinkle some cinnamon on them.

I managed to survive the trip by singing loudly to Tom Petty songs while the kids fought, screamed, cried and threw things at each other in the back of the van. I feel so good that I can handle anything.

I made some gazpacho and it is marinating in the refrigerator. The tomato juice is not raw, but that's okay. I have done well. Tomorrow I am going to eat some cooked food, because it is sweet corn season, and I have a veggie Italian sausage I need to grill. But I am going to still explore some of the raw recipes I have found and try to eat a lot of raw foods.

Okay, you don't have to hear about my detox anymore. It was very difficult, especially yesterday. Last night I was really tired and as I was lying in bed I felt really depressed and didn't think I could do another day of it. Maybe I will do it again sometime, but try to go longer. I enjoy a challenge, and I do NOT like to give up.

It suddenly occurred to me that I might be the luckiest woman alive.

Symptoms

2009-08-12T21:21:00.003-05:00

I read a great little article about the effects of detoxifying your body. It read, "When the quality of the food coming into the body is of higher quality than the tissues which the body is made of, the body begins to discard the lower grade materials and tissues to make room for the superior materials which it uses to make new and healthier tissue."

Some of the side effects of the cells rejuvenating and getting rid of the junk inside are headaches (check) irritability (check), fatigue (check check), physical aches and pains, nausea (check) and vomiting, colds and fevers. These are your body's way of getting rid of the nastiness and healing itself.

I'm starting to wonder if three days will really be enough time for a detox. I picked the time period on my own, I am not going by any rules here. I just felt it was a realistic time that I could do it. And there are many ways to do it. I just picked raw because there are no restrictions to how much I can eat, fat or calories, and there's no way in hell I am drinking juice for a week. I think that after tomorrow I will slowly ease back into eating cooked foods and still have the major part of my meals be fresh fruits and veggies. And for treats I will make my little raw treats that are so yummy. No matter what, it will be good for me.

Having some hot flashes and I feel like going to bed. But I'm going to drink a smoothie. I may attempt to write, but my brain doesn't feel like it's all there.

Clarity

2009-08-12T17:49:00.002-05:00

I'm sitting here in the middle of an article for the paper and something has become very clear. I am not hungry right now. In fact, I feel quite satisfied. The last thing I ate was a big salad at lunch. Oh, man that was a good salad. Baby spinach, broccoli, cucumbers, carrots, green onions, and avocado all with a bit of the Goddess Dressing on top. Then I had a carob bar and shared a couple of oranges with Grace. When I got home from running errands, I had a small glass of pineapple juice. I think I am going to make it one more day. Maybe I will even go longer, except I have non-raw food here that I need to eat. I don't like to waste food.

I am tired. I am stressed out. My house is a mess; there are toys on the floor, dirty dishes in the sink, and my kitchen floor looks filthy. I have no time to deal with this right now. Being with the kids 24/7 is starting to make me feel really, terribly, claustrophobic and frazzled. But I feel something changing inside me. This brain-fog and weirdness I feel (probably my body detoxifying) is starting to clear and I am feeling a strange elation.

I think that after this my body is going to be satisfied with less food, and I am going to lose my cravings for sugar and salt. I am actually going to crave good things, and prefer the sweetness of fresh fruit to other things. I am going to re-learn how to eat only when my body is actually hungry, and to stop when my full. I used to know how to do that, but it's so easy to lose.