Vegan Week Part 2!

I had so much fun during my vegan week challenge a few weeks ago, that I have decided to do it again! I learned so much about the foods we put into our bodies and what they do (or don't do) for us, and so much about new foods I didn't know about before. 

This weeks recipes come from another food blogger, Sarah Matheny. I discovered her website, Peas and Thank You, only recently, but am already loving it! I went to Borders yesterday (I was trying to wait for the next set of markdowns before getting in there, but couldn't wait any longer!) hoping to find some treasures, and I did! As I made my way to the cookbook section, I perused over to the vegetarian/vegan shelfs and found, there on the very bottom shelf, all alone laying face-up, the brand new cookbook Peas and Thank You! I'm not kidding, this cookbook just came out a few weeks ago! I snatched that baby up so fast, and nabbed the last copy! And with the Border's close-out markdown, it was a serious score! I couldn't wait to get home and dig in; in a matter of minutes I had a weekly menu planned out and a grocery list ready to go! Thanks to my previous vegan week, the pantry is pretty well-stocked with the staples, so this list was mostly produce, a fraction of the cost of last time!

Due to a little too much Sangria last night (is there even such a thing as too much Sangria? :), I went to bed last night forgetting to make my overnight oats. A bowl of Cheerios and soy milk did me just fine, however. Simple, that's how I like it in the morning.

Lunch was tofu...don't go running for the hills just yet! This recipe can make a tofu lover of even the harshest critics! One day last week I was craving some good tofu (it's true), and found a dee-licious recipe! It has been such a hit, I've made it three times and yesterday my mom requested I make a triple batch! It is so simple to make: Slice a block of tofu into fourths, wrap in paper towels and weigh down, allowing the water to press out, anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours. Combine marinade in a pot and bring to boil and reduce to simmer until ready. Combine 1/2 c. water, 1/4 c. red wine vinegar, 1/4 c. Tamari (Tamari is similar to soy sauce, it has a deeper flavor but is more healthful, it is both wheat and gluten free), scant 2 1/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (I think coconut oil would work well here too, to boost the health factor), 2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar or mirin, 1/2 tsp. each oregano and cloves, 1 tbsp. sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. I added red pepper flakes to mine, I like things spicy! Place tofu and marinade in a shallow dish or bowl, cover and let sit in fridge overnight, stir occasionally. In the morning grill it up, and slice into cubes. I added cilantro and peanuts, and a little reserved marinade back in (just enough to coat, you don't want it swimming) and refrigerate until ready to eat. So simple, so good! I had seconds...and thirds. And by the way, Fresh and Easy has the cheapest tofu I have found, 98 cents! Delicious AND easy on the budget, double win!

I've loved Larabars for a long time, and stocked up on them today as they were on sale. These treats taste indulgent, but are one of the healthiest products on the market, and leave all other protein/energy bars in the dust: every bar is gluten-free, vegan, raw, kosher, low carb (carbs that come from natural fruits and nuts only, I'll take those carbs!) and contain no colorings, additives or preservatives. How they manage to do all of that and still produce a quality product is beyond me, but I am so glad! They actually are the best tasting energy bar out there, in my humble opinion. While I found them on sale today and am happily munching away on one as a snack while I write this, they aren't always budget-friendly, so you can make your own! Oh She Glows has several recipes for the different flavors; each with only a few ingredients, each one so tasty! I would really like to try my hand at making them myself one of these days, if I do I'll let you know how they turn out!

Thai food was on the menu tonight! I LOVE Thai food. It's probably my favorite ethnic food ever, I could eat it every night of the week! I usually refuse to cook anything strongly ethnic (I also adore Indian food but will not ever make it myself, how could I possibly compete with the professionals at my favorite restaurant??), but the recipes and accompanying photos were drool-worthy, so I decided to give it a go...

 Dinner was Seitan Lettuce Wraps and Thai Crunch Salad (from the Peas and Thank You cookbook). The lettuce wraps were almost ridiculously simple to prepare, it took mere minutes! Seitan is a meatless...meat-like...thing. Lol. I guess it's kind of like tofu, but more substantial. I'm actually not entirely sure that I used the right product, but wasn't willing to make the trek to Whole Foods to be certain I got the right product (they always have the name brand or exact product I'm looking for, too bad it's so far away!). Anyway, 

Seitan? Who knows, but it was for dinner in the form of lettuce wraps, and it was actually good! I combined it with chopped water chestnuts and mushrooms in a pan, and added a sauce of Tamari, brown sugar, garlic salt and pepper, and sauteed until done, yum!

The Thai Crunch Salad was so good, but would have made a better lunch than dinner. The crunchy cabbage and carrots and peanuts contrasted nicely with the creamy edamame and Lime Ginger Dressing, it was made with almond butter and again, seemed so rich but was really so light! 

Dessert went out the window when my hubby called halfway through dinner. :) Nothing stops me from Skyping with my love when he's halfway around the world!

Overall, a great start to the week, can't wait for tomorrow!

Living the Vegan Life - Day 3

Another successful day!

For breakfast it was Cheerios once again, I promise tomorrow breakfast will actually be a vegan recipe!

For lunch I made a Mushroom, Onion and Spinach Tart with 'Goat Cheeze'...it was so good! I used whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose, it paired well with the macadamia nuts in the 'goat cheeze', so yummy! It seemed like a rich meal, but really wasn't, so healthful! Normally I am not a fan of substituting one food for another, but in this case it really worked well, I didn't feel that the tart needed cheese because there was something similar to it, and tasty!

Dinner was Enchiladas, and to quote my sister, were bomb! The sweet potato, black bean and spinach filling was spot on, I couldn't even taste to spinach ;) and with the avocado sauce on top, the cheese was never missed! The spice factor was just perfect as well; when I eat Mexican food I expect spice, and these babies delivered!

Dessert was Chilled Strawberry Almond Butter Soup, this was the first recipe that pretty much no one but me enjoyed, I thought it was great! A perfect ending on a warm summer night, the juicy strawberries with the creamy almond butter went great together, I will definitely be making this one again!


I spent several hours this afternoon in the kitchen, prepping and cooking and baking away many vegan dishes, I can't wait to share more! I realized that I haven't shared any photos yet, I will work on remedying that! In the meantime, here are a few I snapped today:

The grocery list I made for the week. Yikes there is a lot! It was a pretty hefty grocery bill as well, but really, what cost is your health?

                           I made out a meal planner using a word template, planning out each meal for the week. I haven't gone by this strictly, as with last night, things happen and you never know where you might end up for a meal. It is a great guideline and keeps me on track, seeing it all laid out in front of me helps me with perspective, and is great for looking forward to trying out specific meals.

For me, eating vegan means trying out new foods. Here are some very different, yet very yummy itemsI've been commonly working with this week:

Quinoa is a super-food, it is a complete protein source, and is also gluten-free.

Tahini is made from sesame seeds. Much like peanut butter is made from ground peanuts, Tahini is made from ground sesame seeds. It's commonly found in hummus, and adds a great nutty flavor to sauces, spreads and the like.

Vegan crackers: I found these at Fresh & Easy, they are vegan, gluten-free, wheat-free, dairy-free, non-GMO, kosher and organic...and actually tasty, too...for real! It's nice to have some item that are ready-made, making snacking easy!

Nutritional Yeast: that's the yellow stuff in the baggie. Nutritional yeast, when combined with certain foods, takes on a cheesy taste, helping make everything from macaroni and cheese to alfredo actually taste cheesy! I don't really know too much else about it, other than that it is good for you. :)

Coconut Oil: This is pretty much the healthiest oil on the market today. It comes in a solid form but cooks exactly like any other oil. It's much pricier than other oils, but is so much better for you. Again, what is your health worth?

Chia Seeds: I've learned that with the author of the recipes I'm using this week, chia seeds are a staple! Everything from granola to oatmeal gets chia seeds. They are rich in Omega-3's, help benefit diabetes sufferers, they help reduce blood pressure, they help make you feel fuller faster and best of all, they help aid in weight loss by reducing food cravings! No matter where this food journey takes me, I will definitely be incorporating chia seeds into my daily diet!
Brown Rice Pasta: made from nothing but brown rice and water, you can't get my more healthy than this pasta! It is organic and gluten-free as well, something I'm learning to look out for, and choose when possible. 

Almond Butter: I love this stuff so much, I am actually starting to prefer it over regular peanut butter! So far the creamy almond butter from Fresh & Easy is my favorite, there is only one ingredient: roastedalmonds. SO good!                                       

I came home this evening to a house full of bunco players, with loads of snacks laying all over, including one of my all-time favorites, licorice! It was pretty hard to just sit there, with all that junk food staring back at me, and not eat any. I may have been more tempted to cheat, but my family was all around, and probably would have tackled me to the ground lest I fail my challenge! My mom was great about getting it out of my sight quickly, but it was a good lesson in discipline and self-control; I'm not eating vegan because of convictions or food allergies, I'm doing it for me health, and eating candy certainly does not qualify.

My hope for this challenge is that by the end of the week, I will love eating vegan so much that I will incorporate it into my daily diet, being aware of what I put in my body, and reaching for the healthy options, rather than the convenient ones. I hope that my body will be so cleansed from all the chemicals, preservatives and all around junk that I will no longer crave it, that I will want to continue eating foods that nourish and fuel my body, enjoying new and interesting flavors and foods along the way. 

My Vegan Adventure

For one week, I will become a complete vegan. No animal product of any kind will pass through my lips, and I will place an emphasis on gluten-free, organic meals as well. I will be cooking and baking everything from scratch.
What prompted this (extreme) challenge? The vegan lifestyle has always intrigued me, but I have long hesitated doing anything about it. Well, the time has come, everything has lined up, and I have no excuse not to! I will be using recipes exclusively from Angela Liddon at http://ohsheglows.com/, and reviewing each one.
I feel like my body needs a bit of a cleanse, and a re-charge. I want natural energy, rather than a coffee dependency. I want to feel good about the foods I am eating, and strong and healthy.
I think the hardest part will be devoting a large portion of my time to preparing all of the meals, but I am up for the challenge, and hopeful that this is the beginning of something wonderful and healthful!

I am also going to be starting p90x, eek! I am totally nervous for this challenge, but my body needs exercise and a gym membership is not in the budget! I am telling you this mostly to keep me accountable, that I will actually do it, every single day!

Cheers to a wonderful week!