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!

Hot, Hot, Hot

July has officially arrived; those lovely 80 degree days are a thing of the past. The hot weather has been considerably intensified in our house these past few days, however. One of our air conditioning units broke, so I might just break a sweat as I type this post.

Call me crazy, but I've still been cooking up a storm. Do you think gastronomy can be addictive?

Monday
My mom and I decided to make a spontaneous Target trip on Monday evening. I know, I'm such a wild child. Anyway, as a result it was close to 8 by the time we returned, so I just heated up a Helen's Kitchen meal. It was delicious!I don't have much experience with curry but this one made a good impression. Helen's meals are lower in sodium, vegetarian (this one was vegan), and organic--quite the triad if you ask me. I also had steamed zucchini, salad, and two dried figs. Another shake success! I used the Alive! Apples and Cinnamon flavor this time--like (green) apple pie in a glass:)
Tuesday
As per usual, a quick breakfast on Tuesday: GoLean with soymilk, sliced almonds, and a bowl of farmers' market blackberries. So simple, so tasty.
After class, I made a recipe out of my Healthy Vegetarian Recipes cookbook: Savory Sprouts with Avocado. The recipe involved raisins, garlic, parsley, and oregano. I really enjoyed the avocado/raisin combination, but the brussels sprouts kind of ruined the party. I also had a simple salad with chickpeas, cukes, balsamic vinegar, and crackers.
For snack, I tried a new cracker: Dr. Kracker. I wonder if his PhD is in cracker-makin', because I really liked these little guys. Beware--they're quite thick/hearty and require considerable chewing! Kath would love 'em.
For dinner, I made a baked eggplant sandwich (inspired by the Student's Vegetarian Cookbook) with roasted yellow peppers and dijon mustard. Also pictured are a Helen's Kitchen Tofu Cutlet, salad, and natural applesauce with honey-roasted peanuts. The sandwich was winner.
Chocolate has returned! My shake last night was as one might expect when using chocolate hemp protein--phenomenal.
Wednesday
Another simple breakfast today: frozen cherry-soymilk smoothie with a few handfuls of Corn Bran cereal. Oddly enough, this held me over until 2:30! Maybe it was the fiber?
For lunch I made a black bean burrito with avocado and tons of fresh salsa. I had some trouble closing up this one--perhaps I should have used the tin foil trick I read so much about. I also had a salad and a big bowl of grapes. I had quite a hearty dinner this evening.
I heated up the oven tonight, despite our lack of AC, to make Dreena's Orange Sesame Tofu. I was generally pleased with the dish, but I think I was a bit heavy handed with the maple syrup. Sometimes I just can't control my sweet tooth...Also pictured are steamed zucchini, whole wheat couscous with walnuts, and salad. As you might imagine, I am a tad full right now.
I am off to study the cardiovascular system. Be back Friday!

My Little Rewards

With my torturous lab test completed, I have been rewarding myself for the past 24 hours. I settled in last night to read a back issue of Clean Eating Magazine, and today my mom treated me to a few items on our shopping trip; I came home with two pairs of shorts, a dress, two summery shirts, and some underthings from Aerie. Plus, when I got home, there was a free sample of Kashi Vive in the mailbox. Cute underpants and free food in the same day?! A rewarding day, without a doubt.


Despite my little celebration today, I have some studying to do this weekend--two tests next week. Ugh. At least one of them is in my nutrition class, so studying won't be too painful:) Yes, I know I am a dork.

Well, I have lots to discuss today since my last post was earlier in the day, meaning Wednesday's lunch and dinner have yet to be divulged.

Wednesday
Talk about a random (and lazy) lunch. I dumped some things that had been lingering in the fridge onto my plate: leftover turnip greens, tofu cutlet (Helen's Kitchen brand), spinach with sliced almonds and balsamic vinegar, and Ezekiel pita and a bowl of sliced peaches.
My mom made chili for dinner, so I decided to follow suit--especially since I had some leftover canned tomatoes and pinto beans in the fridge. I added a few spices (cayenne, chili powder, lots of cumin) and topped it off with mashed avocado. A vegan cheddar muffin and salad finished it off right.
My snack was something out of the ordinary: not a shake, not snack mix but...dessert oatmeal! I've always wanted to try a chocolate-oatmeal combo, but I figured it would be too sweet for morning. For my evening oats, I prepared them with a cup of soymilk, topped them with dark chocolate chunks, and mixed in a mini Clif bar (chocolate brownie flavor). Let's just say that I burned my tongue several times with this one...I couldn't wait to shovel that melty goodness in my mouth!
Thursday
Quick breakfast again: Kashi GoLean with soymilk and strawberries with walnuts. Good stuff.
I packed my lunch to eat on campus again. This time my feast included a hummus and spinach sandwich, juicy grapes, raw veggies, and a few raw almonds. I think this tasted OK, but I was far too busy cramming in last minute study time.

I just needed a quick dinner, so I turned to Dreena's sandwich section in Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan. Tamari chickpea spread was the lucky winner...I dipped an Ezekiel pita into the mixture. Snap peas and a side salad added some more nutrients. Afterward I had a small frozen cherry-soymilk smoothie.
After 5-days of shake-free living, I returned to my addiction last night. The impetus was a packet of S'mores flavor Spirutein that arrived in the mail yesterday. (It had been on back order when I purchased my last round of packets from Lucky Vitamin). I mixed it with chocolate peanut butter So Delicious and almond milk. I dipped a few Whole Foods brand graham crackers in it for authenticity:)
Friday

Whenever I have some spare time in the mornings, I inevitably cook up some scrambled tofu. The combination today consisted of tofu, vegan cheddar, and caramelized onion, along with the usual spices. I attempted to eat it as a burrito but ultimately used a knife and fork. A not so tasty kiwi added some balance to this protein-heavy meal.

I was in no mood to cook lunch today (weird, I know). I just topped some Ak Maks with almond butter and a few dried cranberries. A salad and an apple added some fiber.
I was so psyched for my snack today because I finally bought some Annie's Goddess Dressing. As a recent convert to the wonder of tahini, I am quite enamored of this tasty goop. Aside from the veggies and dip, I also had some blueberry soy yogurt.

Dinner was rather free-style again: I threw some leftover chickpeas, jarred pasta sauce, and fresh eggplant into a pan; cook up those broken pieces of pasta at the bottom of the package, add a salad with jarred olives, and you've got a tasty meal!

Enjoy your weekend!