Bunco Bash

Good evening, everyone! I write to you from a Chicago hotel room, freshly showered and eager to share some food pics. I realize that I am a bit behind on posting--my usual Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule was interrupted by a busy travel itinerary. A full report of the Chicago eats will be posted soon, but for now I will update you on the latter half of last week.

When I signed off last time, I asked for some nutritious party snack ideas. The overwhelming majority of you suggested fruits and vegetables, so I did indeed decide to center my food contributions around nature's bounty. The snacks were for an alleged Bunco party. I don't even know what Bunco is, nor did any of the guests participate in any kind of game...in other words, the group just needed an excuse to mingle. More on the party later...

Wednesday

Double mango smoothie! I used mango-raspberry Soy Delicious and frozen mango chunks. FYI: Foods with a faint green tinge can be delicious. I promise.

Thursday

I needed a quick breakfast before heading out for some errands with my mom, so I just toasted up some Van's waffles and stole an idea from fellow bloggers--I topped them with mashed banana and nut butter. I added my own twist though, by using Sunbutter instead of the traditional PB. I know, I'm such a rebel.

I was starving by the time lunch rolled around, so I needed something hearty. I turned to a simple dish, red beans and rice. I added chili powder, S + P, and a dash of cinnamon. It turned out to be delicious, plus it is a complete protein! A spinach salad and peaches with sliced almonds filled out the meal.

Immediately following lunch, I started on the dips for the party. After considering your valuable feedback, I decided to make fresh guacamole and the Creamy Cashew Dip from ED&BV. I served the guac with fresh veggies and baked Tostitos Scoops; I heartily recommend those chips by the way--they boast a short ingredients list, they're low in fat, and most importantly, they can shovel a lot of dip at once! With the cashew dip, I served fresh strawberries, plus some cinnamon Teddy Grahams. Hey, a little Teddy love never hurt anyone, did it? Oh, and my sister Katie (the hostess with the mostess) prepared some authentic pigs in a blanket. Maybe I could convince her to make vegan ones for the next party? When pigs fly...(Sorry, I couldn't resist).After the party, I returned home famished. The party food was good, but it was no replacement for dinner. After a few minutes of shoving random things into my mouth, I decided I would just make a special smoothie. Frozen cherries make anything special in my book.

That's all I'll post until my Chicago recap. Get excited for the next post--think tofu crab cakes, plus asparagus in multiple forms...Ciao.

Wal-Mart Gourmet

If there's one thing I've learned over my past few weekends at the lake, it's that you can eat healthfully, no matter where you are. Unfortunately, I sometimes participate in food snobbery: I eschew trips to the regular grocery stores for jaunts to Whole Foods; I scoff at rural Alabama's culinary tastes. I know, shame on me. This past weekend at the lake, I was able to create perfectly delicious and nutritious fare with a few simple items purchased at the local Super Wal-Mart. Granted, you won't find tofu or soy yogurt at this low-cost destination, but you will find fresh produce, whole grain breads, natural peanut butter, and organic dairy. You might even save a few bucks in the process. While I don't agree with everything that the Wal-Mart corporation represents, I do think they are trying to provide their customers with more healthful options.

OK, now that my musings on food snobbery have ceased, I'll continue onto the fruits of my 'Wally World" excursion.

Saturday
Much to the shock of my housemates, I made a breakfast of scrambled tofu. "You mean you eat soy sauce, tofu, and peanut butter for breakfast?" "I promise, it's really good!" And this scramble truly was delectable: tofu (the shelf-stable kind--I brought it from home), soy sauce, mushrooms, and PB (no tahini at Wal-Mart). I also had a big, shiny apple.

I made myself a big lunch, but when I sat down to eat it, I wasn't all that hungry. Nonetheless, I managed to polish it off eventually. I stuffed refried beans into two whole wheat tortillas, and along with it I had fresh watermelon, a side salad, and some almonds (purchased from the baking aisle!).
For dinner, my sister and her husband prepared hamburgers and hot dogs, Stouffer's macaroni and cheese, and some other traditional cookout foods. I tried to blend in with a Publix brand veggie burger on a wheat bun (I later added LOTS of onions, pickles, and ketchup), some steamed squash, a peach, and a handful of walnuts.
Later that night, my sweet tooth struck, and I needed some calcium...so I made chocolate soymilk! I shook up 12 oz. of plain soymilk (bought at Wal-Mart!) with some chocolate syrup. Not as healthy as my usual cocoa powder/stevia combo, but delicious, nonetheless. I also had a big bowl of snack mix: Fiber One, Honey Nut Cheerios, and a few dried cherries. This big snack cause a bit of a sugar overload! It sustained me through late-night Sex and the City watching with my sisters:)
Sunday
I made my (almost) weekly batch of banana pancakes yesterday morning. I had never used the lake house's griddle before, so I was a little surprised at how hot it gets! My pancakes burned a bit, but they still tasted good--the charring just added a bit of that "creme brulee" flavor. I used the only whole grain flour available at Wal-Mart: Hodgson Mill Graham Flour. (FYI Graham flour is another name for whole wheat flour). It seemed to work just fine! I drizzled it with some pure maple syrup (another surprising Wal-Mart find).
Before heading out the door to return to reality, I made a quick Mexican salad: lettuce, leftover refried beans, onions, mushrooms, and salsa. I also had a bowl of watermelon, a handful of peanuts, and a few crackers.
I went to Whole Foods yesterday after returning to Birmingham, and I picked up some whole grain graham crackers. I tried them with some almond milk. Tasty, but definitely nothing like the Nabisco variety.
For dinner I put together a dish inspired by the Ashram Recipe Book. I used some of those lentils and rice from last week and added lots of spices (including garam masala that I purchased at Whole Foods). It was a wonderful dish. In addition, I made Dreena's Creamy Cashew Dip for my strawberries. I think I found a new favorite food--this stuff tastes like a healthy version of those iced animal cookies I used to eat as a kid (remember the ones that came in a hot pink bag??) I also added some much needed veggies.
For my smoothie last night, I combined peach Spirutein, frozen peaches, soymilk, and lots of granola/granola plank. Tasty.
Monday
I went to the funeral of a family friend this morning, so I needed a quick breakfast: GoLean with almond milk and lots of flax. I also had some watermelon.
I've been having an intense craving for Waldorf Salad lately, so I picked out a recipe from Vegetarian Express (see sidebar). This dish included apples, raisins, and walnuts; I substituted soy-based mayonnaise for a vegan version of the recipe. I also topped some greens with Cranberry and Stuffing Tofurky and balsamic vinegar; crackers added some necessary starch.
I've also been craving taco meat lately--thus the inspiration for my dinner: TVP with cumin, chili powder, garlic, oregano, and paprika. I stuffed it inside some corn tortillas with mashed avocado, organic cheddar, and salsa. Broccoli, a side salad, and a peach balanced it all out.
OK, now I am off to relax--no tests this week! Perhaps I will waste some time on Amazon...Ciao for now.