Wedding Day!

Hello all! I just had finished getting my hair done (I'll post pics next time), so I have some time to kill before heading to the church for pictures. I have had so much fun in the past few days! As soon as I got out of my (4-hour) anatomy lab on Thursday, I've been mingling with family and friends non-stop. I got a chance to talk to my grandmother (the dietitian), and we had a good conversation about the importance of nutrition in everyday health. I am such a health dork!

Here's what I've been chewing lately:

Wednesday
I made an excellent smoothie out of frozen cherries, cherry Spirutein, nonfat organic plain yogurt, and granola (of course). I found that increasing the amount of frozen fruit and decreasing the amount of yogurt makes my smoothies even tastier!
Thursday
After a quick run and a shower, I needed a lickety-split breakfast before heading to my 10 AM class. I settled on a simple bowl of Kashi GoLean with almond milk and some plain soy yogurt with fresh blueberries.
I packed my lunch to enjoy between classes. I ended up eating it outside on a bench while on campus. Great way to eat a meal! I packed an almond butter sandwich on whole wheat, roasted soy nuts, crudites, and a small apple. Don't you just love the lunch containers?! The bag that they go in is mocha/Carribbean blue.

For dinner we had a few relatives over for Stouffer's lasagna and salad. I decided to make a variation by combining tofu, broccoli, Classico pasta sauce, garlic, basil, and whole wheat rotini.
The shake for the evening consisted of banana, banana Spirutein, and peanut butter.
Friday
Before my run yesterday, I noticed a gorgeous bowl of cherries sitting on the counter--I just had to take a picture! Having a blog is makes me notice beautiful food now...Anyway, for breakfast I had some of those cherries along with some of that multigrain hot cereal and sliced almonds. I added a dash of cinnamon too.
We had a bridesmaid's luncheon yesterday at which they served chicken salad, fruit, quesadillas, and ice cream. Luckily, the chicken salad was served in an avocado half, so I ate most of that and the fruit. I was still hungry when I came home so I made a hummus sandwich with a slab of tofu too and a big spinach salad.
We had the rehearsal dinner last night, and I had a baked potato with various veggies. I had an emergency Clif Nectar bar that I ate halfway through the evening. The other offerings were steak and shrimp, if you're curious. Sorry no pics!

I will try to take some pictures of the copious amounts of food at the reception tonight. I'll leave you with a picture of my sisters and me with a few relatives at the luncheon yesterday.

Belated Anniversary

In the midst of my cooking fugue last week, I forgot to mention that May 9th was my blog's two month anniversary! I am so glad that I decided to join the blogging community. Blogging has provided me with a network of fellow foodies whom I can count on for support (and cooking tips!). Here's to another two months, and beyond!

This past weekend at the lake was thoroughly enjoyable. My sisters and their spouses all joined my parents and me for a summer kick-off. It was nice to be at the lake and actually see water there--last summer's severe drought made the lake more like a desert canyon.

Although I love the lake, it's definitely part of rural Alabama, so our only grocery store options there are the Super Wal-Mart and a small Winn-Dixie; neither carry the foodstuffs to which I've grown accustomed. This limited grocery selection made cooking a bit difficult, plus my sister had to borrow my camera for the weekend. She was taking pictures for her Mother's Day gift:) These facts, combined with my desire to just relax, made for a bit of a culinary hiatus. However, I still have a few pictures to share with you all.

Friday

Just after I finished my last post, we started packing up the car. My parents heated up some Jimmy Dean Delight sandwiches (egg, turkey sausage, cheese on an English muffin), but I opted to make a tasty vegetable wrap with mushrooms, tomato, and organic mozzarella on an Italian flatbread. I nuked it for a couple seconds in the microwave, and it turned out delicious! Next time, I might try grilling it on my George Foreman :) I also had a big organic apple on the side. I didn't have to time to scarf down anything else!

Saturday

On Saturday morning (pre-grocery run), I was faced with bare cabinets and expired refrigerator contents. Since I had a delightful experience with peanut butter oatmeal a few weeks ago, I decided to make that again. Plus, it requires just two ingredients that we always have on hand: oatmeal and peanut butter. Yum! I've included two pictures, because I want to show off the cute bowls that I get to bring back for my apartment next year. I love square bowls and plates, especially ones with adorable flowers on them!

Sunday

Upon our return from the lake last night, we didn't really have time to cook up something special for my mom, so we headed to Whole Foods. My dad got some salmon burgers, cole slaw, and curried cauliflower for the rest of the family to share. I picked up some Wild Wood Tofu Burgers and some of Rudi's Organic Whole Grain English Muffins. I smeared some avocado on it for a hearty sandwich. I had some fresh organic strawberries and a spinach salad on the side. I had never tried these tofu burgers before, but they are they delicious! They're pricey though, so I'll be sure to savor the other one that came in the package. Next time I want to try Sunshine burgers. What do you all think of them?

Monday

After a delightful run this morning (65* and sunny!), I concocted an equally delightful breakfast. I made a muffin parfait, which consists of crumbled up bran muffins (those same ones that I had in the freezer), organic plain yogurt with cinnamon, strawberries, and sliced almonds. I got the idea for this from a Fitness or Self magazine a few years ago, and it's been one of my favorite breakfasts ever since. I am a fan of soggy foods, so I love how the crumbled muffin soaks up the moisture from the yogurt and strawberries. This is a fun dish because you mix it up so many ways: use banana muffins, sliced banana, and chopped peanuts; use blueberry muffins with blueberries and walnuts....the variations are endless!

For lunch today, I made vegan nachos. After preparing my nutritional yeast queso (recipe from VegWeb.com--Thanks Vegan Nurse!), I realized I didn't have any tortilla chips! Luckily, I had some whole wheat tortillas, so I just cut them into wedges and toasted them in a 300* oven while I heated up my black beans. The end result was a mediocre plate of nachos. I may have to play around a bit with a few different recipes until I am satisfied. I also had a side salad with mushrooms. I am off to make dinner...I'm thinking of making the Blackened Tofu from ED&BV. I'll let you know how it goes. Happy Monday!

Run-around Friday

I was busy today! It's amazing how I can have absolutely nothing scheduled, yet I end up filling up the day somehow. I didn't even get to eat lunch until 4 PM! Considering my love of food, that's saying something!

After getting a pedicure, my sister and I went shopping for Mother's Day. We checked out Williams-Sonoma (one of my fave stores), but we decided on a few silver serving pieces from a local gift shop. We even picked out her birthday gift (June 1), so we are ahead of the game. My sister is getting married June 7, so we figured it would be a good idea to get things settled now, before the whirlwind of the wedding starts...

Anyway, I have been busy in the kitchen the past few days; I have been in what I call a "cooking fugue." Without much further ado, here are some of the most recent creations from Caroline's kitchen...

Wednesday

Wednesday night, I made a delicious shake using unsweetened chocolate Spirutein and Soy Delicious fruit-sweetened chocolate vegan ice cream (that was a mouthful!). The vegan ice cream is especially good for creating a "whipped" texture, so this shake was quite voluminous-the way like it. I added some chocolate syrup and a few chocolate sprinkles for fun:)

Thursday

Yesterday morning's breakfast was inspired by Chocolate Covered Vegan and Ruby Red Vegan. I made pumpkin oatmeal pudding, topped with sliced almonds and a squirt of agave. (The recipe you see beside my bowl is Ruby'sPumpkin-Pecan Raisin Pudding).

When lunch rolled around yesterday, I was in the mood for the white bean spread from ED&BV. So that's what I made. I love the combination of cashews, nooch, and white beans. A lovely sliced tomato and crispbreads rounded out the meal. I also had a big grapefruit afterward.

Due to the fact that multiple bloggers highly recommended it, I made the Low-er Fat Banana Muffins from Veganomicon yesterday afternoon. They are a hit! I love seeing the look on my family's faces, mid-bite, that they're vegan. Ha!

While my family feasted on spaghetti and chicken meatballs, I decided to make Veganomicon's bean balls for dinner. I wasn't in the mood for pasta, so I decided to make a beanball sandwich, Oh. my. gosh. Beanballs are definitely entering my regular rotation--'nuff said.

Friday

For breakfast today, I tried something new: scrambled tofu. I used the recipe from the Chicago Diner Cookbook, which called for tofu, sesame seeds, tahini, and soy sauce. True to form, I didn't follow the recipe exactly; I added spinach and mushrooms for good measure:)

My belated lunch today consisted of leftover vegetarian baked beans (Amy's), oat bran pita bread, and an amazing salad. This salad included oranges, sliced almonds, and spinach with a dressing made of agave, red pepper, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. I used a Vegetarian Times recipe as inspiration for this dish. The original recipe required honey, but I used agave, and it also included sesame seeds. I opted to leave those out since I had so much sesame this morning for breakfast. The sweetness of the oranges combined with the saltiness of the soy sauce is phenomenal. I might make a big batch of this dressing for later use.
We are headed to our lake house in an hour or two. I am so excited! I haven't been since last fall, so I am looking forward to being near the water again. We often take long boat trips while we're there, so I'll need to think of some waterside snacks. What would you recommend? I'll probably bring a cooler on board, along with a good book and my shades:) Enjoy your weekend!

Spring? It's Practically Summer!

Sorry to post later than usual again. I was having a blast at an annual on-campus festival, Springternational. This event consists of a smattering of international cuisine, plenty of cultural dance presentations, and a small market of vendors selling global goods. I watched a few of the performances and just listened to a few (my room overlooks the main quad where the festival took place). I browsed through the market without buying anything (what do ya know? I do have self-control!), and I skipped the food. The festival fare ranged from the typical junk to the meat-eater's delight: funnel cakes, shaved ice, and Polish sausage. I was tempted to wait in line for a frozen, chocolate-covered banana, but the line was about three days long. The weather was sunny and hot, hot, hot. When i got back to my room, my computer's temperature gauge read 92*! The combination of the festival's laid-back atmosphere and the scorching temperature made me feel like it was summer already! Only two more weeks 'til I am done with exams!!

On another note, I have made a halfway decision regarding veganism. I am going to start phasing out dairy from my diet starting on Monday by buying soy yogurt instead of regular. I don't consume eggs ,really, and cheese only in small amounts, so yogurt is the most prominent source of dairy in my diet. I will call myself an "aspiring vegan" or a "vegan in transition." I aim to follow a meat- and dairy-free diet 75% of the time, for now. I am so excited to try this new lifestyle!

Now you get to see what I have been munching on since my last post:

Wednesday

Wednesday night's dinner was so good. I made tempeh sloppy joes, and I practically licked the plate. I combined organic soy tempeh with tomato sauce, mustard, lots of chili powder, and a little raw sugar. This mixture was piled on some warmed whole wheat bread, and on the side I had one of my famous voluminous salads, plus some raw cashews. So tasty!

Thursday

For breakfast yesterday, I gave my Kashi GoLean waffles one last shot. This time, I spread them with some homemade pumpkin butter and added a dash of cinnamon. A perfectly ripe banana completed the meal. I was left hungry again. I guess I will just have to save waffles for those times when I know I will be eating again soon:(

Thursday's lunch consisted of an Italian Pita, with raw cashews and organic kiwi on the side. This dish used up the last of my organic soy tempeh, but I still have some five grain in the fridge, unopened. Tomato sauce and spinach made this a tasty sandwich, not to mention quite reminiscent of the Italian flag!

Friday

Overnight oatmeal made another appearance this morning for breakfast. This combination featured oats, vanilla almond milk, Stevia, cinnamon, and my favorite, wheat germ. I had some strawberries on the side that were not quite ripe...

I tried something new for lunch today: I went for sweet rather than savory flavors. I was in the mood for peanut butter, but I didn't want the traditional PB&J or PB&banana, so I improvised--with sliced apple! I thinly sliced an organic Golden Delicious apple and placed it atop whole wheat bread and a smear of Justin's organic PB. I warmed the bread an PB before placing the apples in the sandwich, and the result produced a lovely contrast between the melty PB and the

crisp and cool apples. I also had a big salad with--what else?--chickpeas!

As I type this, I am on the brink of breaking a sweat, due to the hot weather and lack of AC in my dorm. Therefore, I am in dire need of a refreshing snack (of course!). What are you favorite cool-down snacks for the summertime?