Tag Archives: vegan

When I Dip, You Dip, We Dip

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I’ve been pretty productive since last posting… For example, while I ate my watermelon (❤) I watched an episode of “The Dollhouse.”  I discovered it this weekend and I’m in love; why do I always discover shows after they’ve gone off the air?!?  Meanwhile, Adam and I split a serving of Salsa Kathy’s Krackers.

How gorgeous is that?

Also, I joined Adam for a trip to the gym.  Since I’m turning 25 in a month I don’t think my incidental exercise walks are going to cut it by themselves.  I did an easy season on the treadmill (remind me that I’m NOT to run for more than 15minutes until next week!), that was actually not that easy.  Can we say out of shape?

  • 5minutes walking warm up
  • (3minutes running + 2minutes walking) x 3 = 12minutes intervals
  • 6minutes running
  • 4minutes walking

I ended up covering 2.5miles in my 30minutes.  Then I finished up with some stretching and pt.

Post-shower I made a delightful, dippable dinner.  Boco Meatless Nuggets,

oven roasted yellow squash, zucchini, and potato.

All together, with honey mustard dipping sauce.

I was still feeling hungry after dinner, probably because my day was pretty light on proteins and fats, so I made myself a revolutionary snack.

Protein pudding sans icky fake protein powder – into the blender went

  • 1 large banana
  • 1 serving silken tofu
  • 1T maple syrup
  • 1T peanut butter

And finally, I worked on my oral presentation for Thursday.  I actually have a test tomorrow but I’ll work on that in the morning 😉

Now I’m going to go accomplish bedtime.

What is your favorite dipping sauce?  Mine is 1000island, with everything!

Good + Great = Better

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Today started off with a healthy, hearty breakfast.

A serving of Van’s Buckwheat and Mixed Berries Waffles with 2T maple syrup,

and a chopped nectarine on the side.

Perhaps not so hearty though, since I’ve basically been ready to chew my arm off all day!  We haven’t had peanut butter in the house for months (we can’t find the brand we like here) but I bought some yesterday to have for a recipe.  Apparently I missed it?

Yes, there was a lot of spoon-dipping going on this morning 😀

Adam wanted to go super early today so I ended up driving to and from school instead of walking.  My toe ring toe has been developing a callous so perhaps my feet with thank me.  We got out of class 30minutes early due to a fire drill, so that was good news.  And I was glad to leave early because I felt like my stomach was eating itself!

A rocking lunch is a great cure for over-dramatic hunger pains.  I stared with a So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk Yogurt.

I think I might have a So Delicious addiction.  The carton came with great nutritional stats and a fun fact –

This yogurt is awesome because it doesn’t pretend to be “normal” yogurt, the coconut flavor definitely peaks through.  The vanilla scent was unbelievable.  And the texture; oh the texture!  It wasn’t Greek (that’s asking a little much of a vegan product) but it was soooo perfectly thick.

Really, can you improve on yogurt like that?  Hells yes!

Oh yes that is watermelon, and it was fantabulous!  This is the sale watermelon I lugged home the other day and it might just be the best watermelon I’ve ever had.

The combination was pretty much to die for.  Watermelon with yogurt easily takes down roasted brussels sprouts and joins my top 10 foods list!!!

I also munched my way through the rest of the Siracha Peas.

And since, as I might have non-dramatically mentioned, my stomach is eating itself, I’m off to find a snack!  The plan for the afternoon is couch + South Park, so I’m leaning toward the fries, popcorn direction.

Any fantabulous new food combos you’ve discovered lately?

Hunger Monster

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I have a test tomorrow morning (and you know I haven’t studied!) so I’ve got to keep this quick.  I didn’t eat anything that exciting today anyways.  Mostly I just at a LOT.  I was a hunger monster today.

For breakfast I made the husband and myself smoothies with silken tofu, frozen strawberries, honey, and So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk.

How awesome is that color?

During my 2.5mile incidental exercise walk home I snacked on a vegan chocolate chip cookie.

And when I got home I tried something new to me – Rutabaga Fries!

The husband peeled and sliced a big rutabega up for me yesterday and today I baked it for 30minutes at 400*.

I’ve seen this all over blogworld recently but I wasn’t sure I’d like it so I only used part of the rutebega.  Well one bite in I hopped up and put the rest of it into the oven!

It was amazing.  The flavor and texture are a lot like oven baked potato fries but they had this awesome nutty aftertaste.  I highly recommend that you go out and get a rutabega and try this for yourself.

I’d been wanting popcorn all day long so I finally caved and bought a bag.

I tossed the lame bag popcorn in some melted Smart Balance Light and 2T sugar to make some homemade vegan kettle corn.  Mmmmmmn!

I was still hungry so I made some homemade pizza dippers.

I sliced up a mini pizza crust and sprinkled it with garlic salt before baking.  Dipped in marinara.

And for the second half of “dinner” I ate a serving of Van’s Homestyle Pancakes with maple syrup.

Not my healthiest day by far, but a very very tasty one.

And I’m out.  See you after my test tomorrow.  Don’t forget to enter my yogurt maker giveway!

Accept No Substitutes

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Tonight’s dinner was all about one of the main perks of the vegan challenge – it reminds me to cook from The Holy Grail a.k.a. Dreena Burton’s Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan.  It seems I never turn to this book unless I’m “forced to,” but I’ve loved every single thing I’ve ever made from it.

You might have noticed that unlike the last vegan challenge I have yet to eat 10billion vegan sticky pecan blondies (my very favorite thing from ED&BV, and in fact my very favorite dessert of all time).  In vegan challenges past I’ve gotten so excited about vegan baking that I ate more sweets than is normal even for me.  Since my 25th birthday is coming up in July and I recently had to buy bigger pants I’m just not quite as entranced with the baking.

I’m also making an effort this month not to buy “substitute” products.  At last glance my grocery store carried vegan options for hot dogs, sliced meat, cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, blintzes, ice-cream, cheese and more.  If I ever went vegan for longer than a month I’m sure those products would seem like godsends, but for this challenge I’m trying to keep things pretty natural.  The point of this month (for me) was more about skipping the cheese than making it vegan.  {Note – I’m aware that Allison has recently bought some of these products, more power to her, this post is NOT criticizing that!  Why would I want to insult my self-proclaimed blog twin?}

At 15days in we are officially halfway through vegan month.  I have also officially been vegan for a day longer than any time before.  This challenge has been surprisingly easy for me.  There have been a few times I’ve been jealous of what’s on Adam’s plate (like extra randomly when he ate a cheeseburger at the bbq and I almost cried because I wanted a bite so badly; I haven’t eaten red meat in 10years, wtf?!) but in general there’s nothing I’ve been wanting for.  I definitely feel like I’ll make it through to the end without breaking a sweat.

Back to dinner.  While I waited for Adam to get home I at a serving (2oz) of ww sourdough with Smart Balance Light.

Tonight’s main course was my 2nd favorite recipe from Ms. Burton, Tempeh Hash Brown Casserole.

Yumtastic!  This dish is the perfect example of Unami!  I can’t share the recipe here, but I promise that buying the cookbook is worth it for the blondies alone!

On the side we made pan steamed spinach.

All together now.

Do you ever buy vegan “substitute” products?  Why or why not?

Funky Mood to Funky Monkey

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I ate 75% of my meals yesterday out of the house, which made it particularly annoying that I forgot my camera at home.  Hence yesterday’s missing post.  To be completely honest my funky mood hasn’t fully cleared up either.  I’m betting it has something to do with my lack of exercise; not moving makes me cranky!  I know that I have so so so so so much to do this week that planning formal exercise isn’t realistic, so I’m trying to have the husband drive me as much as possible so I get the 2.5mile walk home.

Today was one of those days I walked.  Since I had 1.5hours to sit at school and read before class I get breakfast there.

Not to worry, I’m still vegan, that leftover yogurt container housed a sliced up mango and a nectarine.

I also brought a ONE Coconut Water with Passionfruit to drink.

I did not love the taste of the coconut water, although I did finish it.  I’ve loved ONE in the past so I’m inclined to think that I prefer the good old simplicity of plain.

After class I walked home, stopping halfway at The Spot to finish up a Sociology chapter.  While finishing my walk I munched on a pack of Funky Monkey Purple Funk.

Thank goodness I had a snack to hold me over for my late late lunch!

Said lunch was made as soon as I got home.

A veggie skillet of half an eggplant, 1/2cup of frozen peas, and chilli garlic sauce.

The husband just called to say he’d be home late (i.e. late dinner) so I guess my late lunch was a blessing in disguise.

P.S. It’d been a while since I had the chilli garlic sauce, insanity spicy!  I cooled my mouth down with a glass of So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk,

and some salt and vinegar chips.

Phew!

What are your thoughts on coconut water?  I pretty much adore coconut in any form.

Noteworthy Nibbles

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Most of today was spent at the nearby amusement park, Darien Lake.  We had a fabulous time (and season passes, so we’ll be back soon!) but it was raining when we left so I didn’t bring my camera.  Since I don’t have pictures of everything I’m going to take a page from Cait’s plate book and just do the highlights.

(1) Breakfast = Van’s Homestyle Pancakes with homemade Banana Roux and a sprinkle of cinnamon-sugar.

The pancakes were good, but the Banana Roux might just  be my most genius idea of all time.  You can click the title for the recipe page, but this batch used Smart Balance Light and Silk Almond Milk.

Note – yesterday’s Berry Breakfast Topper has its own recipe page as well.

(2) Dessert, homemade milkless milkshake.

Genius + more genius = holy frick this is amazing!  I took Diana’s maple slushie idea and made it into a milkshake.  Into my blender went 1serving silken tofu, half a tray of ice-cubes, 1cup So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk, and 1/3cup maple syrup.

 Yum!

What were some of the highlights from your weekend?

Hun-grrrr-E

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I was a hunger MACHINE this evening!  I had to run some errands and pick up the husband and by the time I got home my hunger had hit me like a train.  FYI – if you are participating in vegan month and are not eating honey then several of these items are off-limits for you.

First I ate a serving of Sriracha Peas.

I randomly grabbed these at Wegmans today (they were on sale) and they are so good!  Same concept was Wasabi Peas but a much deeper taste.

Next I ate 1.5servings of Gardein meat-free Buffalo Wings with honey mustard dipping sauce.

Product review note – I actually don’t like these wings at all.  The texture is great but the spice is over the top and has a weird chemically flavor to it.

Then I downsized a recipe from Women’s Health to make a single serving of honey eggplant (I baked instead of microwaved).

It was ok but not quite what I was expecting.  What is with me and the so-so recipes lately?!?

Next 1.5servings of salt and vinegar chips (I was craving something salty like you wouldn’t beleive!).

And finally another serving of sriracha peas.

Honesty, I’m still pretty damn hungry, but we don’t really have anything else for me to eat.  If I figure something out I’ll update later.

****Updated to add – I ate a cucumber.

Ecstasy and Irony

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I haven’t been all that impressed with my Sociology class.  I like the content a lot because it’s so similar to Anthropology, but my classmates aren’t exactly honor students.  Therefore, I’m always kind of torn about what to wear to class because I don’t like “wasting” a cute outfit.  Sometimes I just go with it though –

Looking spiffy just for me (and the husband during our carpool time) is worth it because it puts a smile on my face.  Today’s awesomeness went far beyond the outfit though ….. Note – this post is filled with bragging and over-excitement; you’ve been warned.

Perhaps today was extra awesome because breakfast was so tasty.  This combo rocks my socks off –

I topped my bowl of Kashi Strawberry Fields and Silk Pure Almond milk with a big handful of blueberries.

Gaaah!  This is the best almond milk on earth.  It is thick and creamy and has none of the nasty aftertaste I’ve found with other brands.  This is also the best Kashi variety in the solar system.  The crispy flakes have achieved a level of perfection in the sweetness and the freeze-dried berries get the best consistency when they start to get soggy.

After I dropped the husband off (and he told me how cute I looked) I headed to school early to get my study on.  I like the subject matter, but apparently not enough to study for my test the night before.  And I really wanted to study in the hour before class, but mostly I just daydreamed about what I’m making for breakfast this weekend.  (It is important to my bragging that you note here that I didn’t exactly break a sweat studying for this test)

I also snacked on a serving of Apple Cinnamon Kathy’s Krackers.

Class went well.  We talked about deviancy and, oh yeah, I scored a 47/50 on my test.  Highest score in the class (most of the other grades were below a 30/50), go me!

After class I had some errands to run so I decided to combine grocery shopping and studying into one.  I picked up some Wegman’s hot bar and sat and read.

I tried to keep my portions pretty small to save $.  Asian bbq tofu and wok seared veggies.

The tofu was not awesome.  More like inedible; here’s what I ended up leaving on my plate –

Thank goodness I had a pack of Banan-a-peel Peeled Snacks in my purse.

They were super chewy and took me awhile to eat so I had time to feel full before I started shopping.

On the way home I developed a new workout plan: 1. Move to a neighborhood with terrible parking.  2. Purchase a humongous watermelon because it’s on sale for $3.99.  3. Trek from your parking space to your apartment carrying said watermelon.  Repeat as necessary 🙂

When I finally got myself home I discovered the other awesome excitement –

I think this wins for most ironic moment of vegan month!  A few months ago I submitted a recipe in a Foodbuzz contest and I won a year’s worth of free eggs!  I think that qualifies for a 2nd go me!!!!!  Our budget has been severely restricted for next year and this will definitely help our grocery bills.

Go ahead and brag, tell me why YOU are awesome!