Everything I ate today!

Well Vegan MOFO is over and I did- eh- ok for my first time and without any planning, I guess. I definitely slacked off there at the last half of the month, but it wasn’t because I didn’t want to post or was too lazy. I was busy and due to the busy-ness, I just wasn’t making blog-worthy meals. Anyway, on to something new…

Since I log my food daily for Weight Watchers, I figured I could blog about it too. This way I can have a visual record of what I’m eating- and really see how balanced (or not so much) my diet is. What seems to be working, what leaves me hungry or tired, etc.

Yesterday I busted out and dusted off my grandmother’s old Champion Juicer (thanks, Grandma!). I made some carrot/apple/cucumber/key lime juice and it made me feel so vibrant and healthy! With the time change I was able to get up early enough this morning to make myself a nice glass- I added in some celery, too.

I juiced:

3 small carrots

1 large celery stalk

1 large cucumber

1 large jonagold apple

2 key limes

It made about 18 oz of juice- and about 2 WW ‘points’. A really yummy way to start off the day. I sipped this all morning- while I was getting ready for work and then on my drive to work and then finished it up at my desk.

I waited about an hour or so and then made myself a pot of coffee- when I say ‘pot’ I mean a tiny French press which makes enough for one mug. (I drink organic dark Sumatra- my all-time favorite!) I drank this with a splash of unsweetened soymilk, sometimes I use Silk Creamer- Original flavor. Along with my coffee I had a bowl of steel cut oats (I make a double batch the night before since it takes 30 minutes to cook) with soymilk. This was satisfying and filling for another couple hours.

Around 10 o’clock I had some jicama slices and fat free spicy black bean dip. This was so delish it was worth the effort of peeling and cutting the tough outside of the jicama yesterday. I sliced it up and now I have easy snacks for the rest of the week.

I ate lunch at noon-ish. I made something I’ve wanted to make since my veg conversion- Mock Tuna Salad. I made the recipe from Skinny Bitch in the Kitch which calls for grated parsnip and then some other typical tuna salad ingredients (celery, onion, sweet relish). While it is slightly reminiscent of tuna salad, it is absolutely delicious! I used just enough reduced-fat Vegenaise to hold it together. Spread onto two slices of Ezekiel bread it is a hearty lunch! (I have to admit that I ate it with a few potato chips- I just love a sammy and chips lunch- reminds me of childhood) Alongside, I enjoyed a nice navel orange.

By 3 o’clock I’m always ready for a snack so today I had half of a Sweet & Sara Peanut Butter S’more and another cup of coffee. I don’t often drink a second cup of coffee- but I’m babysitting a 6 year old and a 3 month old this evening… so I have a good excuse.

Dinner was one of my go-to and favorite stir fries. Szechuan tofu with sweet potatoes. I peel and cube a medium sweet potato and then partially cook it in the microwave (if I’m pressed for time- which is usually). Meanwhile I cook minced onion and garlic in a bit of cooking spray. When the onion is translucent I add the potatoes, then I add other fresh veggies- red or gold bell peppers, carrots, zucchini, cabbage, whatever is on hand. Finally, I toss in a serving of Pete’s Soyganic Szechuan tofu (sometimes I use the teriyaki variety, sometimes I use plain tofu, but the Pete’s has just enough sauce to flavor everything and it is so easy). I add a dash of salt to taste and voila. I had it with a tortilla tonight because I was in a hurry to get to my sister’s house to babysit my darling baby niece and nephew. But I also eat it with couscous, quinoa, brown rice, jasmine rice, you get the picture.

I feel really good about today’s eats. Lots of produce, plenty of whole grains, plenty of water. And I stayed well within my Weight Watchers Points allowance.

And PS- I finally ordered Alicia Silverstone’s book since it apparently is not available at Borders OR Barnes & Noble in my town! It should arrive soon and I’m super excited to devour it. In the meantime I’ve been devouring her new site! Check it out- www.thekindlife.com

Spicy Crusted Tempeh Bake

No post yesterday- I forgot to take a pic of my dinner before class because I cooked it and ate it while I was talking to my mom on the phone! But- it was delicious and simple enough to cook and eat while chatting, so I will definitely post about it soon. It is something I eat regularly.

But tonight, I finally made the Spicy Crusted Tempeh Bake I've been wanting to make for a while. It was good, too. I got a new stove top griddle/grill (it's reversible!), so I made it on that. Here's a photo of the potatoes and the crusted tempeh on the griddle:

I used chile powder, ground thyme and salt as the seasoning for the potatoes and the tempeh. For the tempeh I made some breadcrumbs and mixed in the spices before wetting the slices with water and then coating and placing on the griddle. I sprayed the slices with some olive oil cooking spray to help the crumbs crisp up a little.

The potatoes came out delicious, but the tempeh needed to be finished off in the oven (that is how it was supposed to be cooked- but I wanted to use the griddle so bad!). The tempeh was a little dry, but the flavor was nice. I dipped both the potatoes and the tempeh in BBQ sauce.

Next time I'll probably steam the tempeh first and then follow the recipe more closely, but all in all, for a quick dinner when I was starving after the gym, it was good. I should have had some veggies too, but I forgot till I was already eating it... :)

BBQ Tempeh & Roasted Veggies!

MMMMMMMM- I adapted this recipe from Vegan Express to fit what I had on hand.

I took 1/2 of an 8oz block of regular flavor tempeh and sliced it into inch long strips. I sliced a green bell pepper that had turned red (from my friend's garden), a little jalapeno (from the same garden), a handful of tiny yukon taters, and a big chunk of zucchini (also from said garden). I mixed it all up with some BBQ sauce and roasted it for about 30 minutes. Isn't summer produce the best? I don't think I can handle a garden myself- but I sure love indulging in the fruits (or veggies) of my friends' labors!

I ate it with the Fruitful Slaw for dinner and for lunch the next day. I cannot say it enough- I love tempeh! Maybe I should be the Tempeh Lush??

You may have noticed that I mention Vegan Express A LOT. That's because I use it A LOT. It has a ton of recipes that all use beautiful fresh produce and take less than 30 minutes from start to finish. In fact, this recipe isn't even supposed to take 30 minutes to roast- but I bumped the time up because I added potatoes that aren't included in the original recipe. I highly recommend Vegan Express to anyone that likes to cook, but also likes to get the goods on the table with little to no fuss. Another cool thing about this book is that every recipe has "menu suggestions" for sides, salads, etc. that are either also in the book or simple add ons, like a hot cooked grain, fresh veggie platter, simple salad, what have you. I ALWAYS feel healthier after eating a Vegan Express meal. :)

Meal Menus for the upcoming week

I like to write up what I'm planning to eat for the week, helps me get a grocery list going, use up stuff I have on hand that needs using, make sure I'm getting balanced nutrition... etc.

I go to the regular grocery store with my husband on Sunday evenings and then I go to Lassen's (small chain of health food stores in Cali) to get whatever else I need (and some treats like Sweet & Sara's choc/peanut butter S'mores!!) on my lunch hour on Mondays (they are closed on Sundays... boo for me- yay for them).

Breakfasts: Tonight I will make the zucchini/raisin muffins from Skinny Bitch in the Kitch and will eat them all week for breakfast slathered with almond butter and also some fruit (most likely a banana and whatever else is lookin' good at the market). (I got a beautiful, giant, variegated zuke from my friend's garden for the muffins!)

Lunches: For two days I will eat some whole wheat pasta with veggie marinara I need to use up, but I'll add some Tofurky for a protein boost. I'll probably make a little garlic baguette to go along with it.

For the other two work days I'll eat some veggie chili with the Gardein Good Stuff Santa Fe Chik'n breasts chopped up in it and a tortilla. I was intrigued by Gardein and they started carrying this at my local Vons. I don't love it because it is toooo "chicken-y", it freaks me out a little, but I think chopped up in some yummy chili it will be fine and I can use it up, rather than waste it and then never buy it again. :) For folks who love and miss chicken breasts- I'm sure it is a delightful option- but for those of us that don't it is just too authentic- texture, taste, everything.

Dinner: My favorite meal!

• One night I will make a cheese-less grilled veggie pizza.


• One night I will finish up the veggie potstickers I got from the frozen section at the market. I'll make a spicy dipping sauce with sweet/hot mustard and teriyaki sauce. (had this for lunch today- mmmm) I'll eat those with a huge bowlful of Fruitful Red Slaw- recipe from Vegan Express.


• One night (and I am REALLY looking forward to this meal) I'll make BBQ Roasted Tempeh with Veggies (Vegan Express recipe), and I'll have the slaw with this, too.


• One night I will have tofu and yukon homefries with fresh buscuits!


• And then Friday night I will go to dinner with David on Date Night!

I'm going to try, try, try to remember to take pics of my meals BEFORE I eat them! :)

Furlough Day Breakfast!

I don't work on Thursdays due to "this ecomony" (ha ha). Therefore, I do FABULOUS things on Thursdays! I hang with my cats in the back garden, watch whatever I want on TV, catch up on chores at a leisurely pace (or not!), go to cafes and eat muffins and drink coffee and read books, go to the movies with my girlfriends who are teachers and don't have to work in the summer, get pedicures, drink margaritas at noon, etc. (thank you 'economy' you have enriched my life by giving me an extra day even if you have taken $ out of my pocket)

So this morning has been glorious. I tried to sleep in but my cats didn't want me to sleep anymore so I got up, surfed the internet, let kitties go outside until barky neighbor dogs scared them, made a french press pot o french roast and drank it with plenty of Silk Creamer (original, NOT vanilla, which I now have to make a special trip to the health food store to get because Vons decided to stop carrying the original!!), and then decided to make breakfast!

I quartered some baby yukon gold potatoes (and my short cut is to partially cook them in the microwave for 5 minutes), sliced the last of my batch of organic gold and red baby bell peppers (apparently I'm into 'baby' veggies), sliced a bit of red onion, and cooked it all up in some safflower oil. Then I took a flour tortilla and threw it in the empty pan and toasted it up and it soaked up a little of the left over flavors. I gobbled this all up with a couple drops of ketchup and taco sauce. This is very similar to a dish I order at a little cafe and pay $4 for. And this way I didn't even have to get dressed!

I'm going to see Away We Go this afternoon at 3:30- I may not leave the house until 3:00.