Ch-ch-changes

I am loving all of your valuable feedback! I haven't made any final decisions on how I will change the blog once I get to school, so please keep on comin' with the suggestions and comments. I want to make this blog intriguing and enjoyable--for you and me.

Anyway, I have been making the most of my last few days at home. My mom and I made a few last minute shopping trips, and I've been doing my favorite running route this week. I made my current favorite recipe last night (Cashew Ginger Tofu), plus I also did a little experimenting of my own in the kitchen. A nice way to relax before the storm of academia enters my life...

Monday
I discovered a great combination--cherries and strawberries. To be honest, I got the idea from the HempShake package, which pictures cherries, strawberries, and raspberries, among other things. I switched up my topping too--I used Clifford Crunch instead of granola.
Tuesday
I tried a new component for my parfait yesterday morning--Annie's Bunny Love cereal. Frankly, I chose the cereal 1) because it was on sale and 2) well, because it's bunny-shaped! It turned out to be a pretty good purchase; it reminds me of slightly sweeter, more porous Cheerios. Anyway, it went into the parfait glass with plain organic yogurt, Enjoy Life's Mountain Mambo, and a mix of strawberries and blueberries.
After several hours of packing (and going up and down stairs), I needed to refuel. With a can of refried beans I need to use up, I made mini Mexican pizzas. I topped 4 corn tortillas with the beans, salsa, and sliced avocado. Spinach salad and peaches with wheat germ and cinnamon also made an appearance.
As mentioned earlier, I made my fave dish of the moment, Cashew Ginger Tofu. I really am addicted to that sauce--maybe I should just make a huge batch of sauce and put it on...broccoli?
It's been a while since I had whipped up a chocolate-y shake (and by a while I mean a few days). I decided to bust out my artistic skills with the chocolate syrup.
Wednesday
I had another doctor's appointment this morning, so I needed a quick and portable breakfast. Smoothie and cereal to the rescue! The slurpable component was a combination of strawberries, blackberries, and soymilk; the crunchy component was Clifford Crunch, honey-roasted peanuts, and Nature's Path Oaty Bites.
A workout and a few errands later, I was famished. I experimented with a new way to make mock-tuna--I combined chickpeas, Nayonaise, a touch of dijon mustard, lemon juice, olives, and dill. This dish presented a host of new flavor pairings for me, and I really enjoyed it. I plopped the mixture on a bed of spinach and served it with an Ezekiel pita and an organic nectarine.
Tonight is my dad's first night of classes for the semester, so my mom took the time to make meatloaf for dinner before he darted off to teach. I wanted to follow suit, so I had planned on making a tofu loaf (something I have never tried), but I nixed the idea when I read that the recipe required pureeing the tofu. Call me crazy, but I think the best part about tofu is its texture, you know, being able to bite into it. Plan B turned out pretty well--I made tofu cutlets instead. I dredged the tofu slices in sage, dry mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, and dried parsley; I also threw baby bella mushrooms and diced onion into the pan. Add a zigzag of organic ketchup, and you've got a tasty dish. In an effort to continue the "meat and potatoes" theme, I also had a baked sweet potato, brussels sprouts, and salad. Completely satisfying.
With that, I bid you farewell until my next post--from Durham! Remember, keep contributing your thoughts and suggestions for future blog changes. Thanks in advance!