Vegan For A Day

I am a Vegan!  Just for today.  Michelle and Katy set up this challenge for the week and I was so excited to be a part of it…

I am always up for trying new things, especially when it comes to food!  Being a vegan is a tough assignment.  It means ditching some of my loves:  cheese, milk, yogurt and… did I say cheese?  Yeah, that’s a hard one.  But, I can try anything for one day, so I signed on for Vegan For A Day where on Thursday everyone could be a vegan!

First, I started the day off with a yummy breakfast of Fat-Free Pumpkin and Raisin Biscuits …

and a steaming pot of French press coffee…

Then, I was off to meet my MIL.  She was taking me to an open house at a quaint tea room called The Painted Tea Cup…

The tea room is set in an old Victorian-style home built in the 1900’s …

The interior has been transformed into a charming gift shop and tea room.  For the open house, the tea room’s seating was removed to make space for the holiday decor and gifts that were available for purchase.  It was a sight to see!  There were so many interesting items to explore including  jewelry, home decor, crafts, beautiful teapots and cups, Victorian- inspired decor, handmade gifts and of course food items!

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My focus always goes toward the food items!  I spied a display of dip mixes that were so delicious sounding, I knew a few would be coming home with me…

This one was especially interesting…

How good does that sound?!

There were shelves filled with homemade jams and jellies…

and candies…

As we browsed around the store, the owner offered us a cup of Apple Cider Spiced Tea which was amazing…

There was a nice offering of dips to sample…

I had to sample 2 teeny bites (don’t look vegan friends!):  Pineapple Pecan dip and Raspberry Zinfandel  which the owner told us won top honors at the Fancy Food Show…

There was also another appetizer tray of water crackers piped with a mix of  homemade Red Pepper Jelly and cream cheese, all dusted with powdered sugar.  I didn’t sample these, but they looked fabulous…

Such a festive morning!  Of course, I came home with 3 different dip mixes which I can’t wait to try!  I’m looking forward to going back for High Tea soon.  And maybe, more dip mixes :)

After my minor detour from the vegan way, I got back in the game at lunch.  I made it quick and easy with a Health is Wealth Chicken Free Patty …

served on an Ezekiel Hamburger Bun.  This seeded variety is my favorite…

I put it all together with some baby spinach, a drizzle of Cranberry Honey Mustard and a juicy orange on the side…

Then, it was time for some vegan fun-in-the-kitchen!  I had an idea for a fun dinner involving “pepperoni”!  A couple of years ago, I dabbled in vegetarianism and had a blast researching and making all kinds of cool recipes.  One of those recipes included a fake-out “pepperoni” made from seitan.  Seitan (pronounced SAY-tan)is a vegetarian/vegan source of protein made from wheat gluten and has a chewy texture similar to meat.  It can be seasoned and cooked in a variety of ways, but my favorite way is with this “pepperoni-type” seasoning and then baking it.  During my vegetarian stint, I played with a few different recipes (here is one) but, one I would use the most was found on a veggie web board (unfortunately, I don’t know whom to give credit to – I had this written on a scrap piece of paper!)…

Baked Seitan

• 1.5 cups vital wheat gluten
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne
• 3/4 c. cold water
• 4 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tbsp. ketchup
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. worcestershire or soy sauce
• 1-3 cloves garlic, crushed well ( I used garlic powder)

Mix dry ingredients.  Whisk together wet ingredients, then add to dry.  Knead for a few minutes.  Form into a log, tightly wrap in foil, twisting ends.  Bake for 90 minutes at 325 degrees.  Unwrap and cool completely before storing in refrigerator.

The main ingredient…

Ready to bake…

The end result…

This version actually tastes a lot more like bacon than pepperoni, but I think I was light on the spice (red pepper flakes would have spiced it up more) this time.  Bacon is okay, too!

I decided to use this as my topping for Pepperoni Pizza Potato Skins…

Do you see the melty cheese on there?  It’s legal!  I used Road’s End Organics Chreese (sorry for the blur)…

I’ve used this product quite a bit.  Little daughter was on a vegan diet for the first 5 years of her life due to a milk-protein allergy.  I had to school myself on this allergy (honestly, the docs weren’t much help) and found that milk-protein is in a HUGE number of products.  But, I was able to find some great products to add to her diet and this was one of them.  Their Mac ‘n Chreese is also terrific and the daughters still ask for it sometimes!

I mixed it up (just the packet and boiling water) and added it to my baked potato skins with homemade marinara sauce and the diced Baked Seitan.  I served the skins with some green beans – delish!

I couldn’t let this adventure end without delving into a vegan dessert!  I decided to try out this recipe for Lucky Chocolate Cake.  The black-eyed peas sounded interesting!  I was able to find some yummy vegan chocolate chips in my grocery store, too…

The result was a gooey, chocolaty cake…

A little too gooey – I could’ve baked it a bit longer.  But I snagged a taste from the corner and it was like a fudgy brownie!  This could be dangerous…  :)

***

What a marathon post, right?!    Sorry to blog your eyes off! 

I have to say that I really enjoyed this adventurous eating day.  It was fun trying out new foods!   I give vegans tons of credit for sticking with this lifestyle.  It does require a conscious decision and a certain diligence in finding foods that fit the diet and avoiding foods that don’t.  Overall, it was a great experience and thanks to Michelle and Katy for launching such a cool challenge!

I leave you with this long post for the weekend.  I’m going to spend the weekend playing catch-up ( my Google Reader is out. of. control ) and finishing up some projects.  Oh, and celebrating my birthday on Sunday!  Age – let’s not even go there.  OLD sums it up :) 

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

I Play Sports Now!

Hi Everyone!  Hope you had a great weekend! I needed to unplug this weekend, although I miss not posting when I do! 

But, I had a fun time hanging out with the husband and daughters and the weather was beautiful so we got in a lot of outdoor activity.  I was able to get in both my runs – Saturday was 2 miles and Sunday was 3 miles.  After my runs, I joined the hubs and daughters for soccer drills and basketball. SO FUN!!! 

The best line of the weekend comes from the husband:  I can’t believe you play sports now;  this is great!!!

Yes, it’s true.  And I can’t believe it either!  I have never been one for playing sports.  Throughout my entire childhood, I hated sports.  With a capital H.   I especially hated gym class.  I always felt like the biggest, clumsiest and most uncoordinated girl in the class.  I felt embarassed and often feigned illness so I could sit on the sidelines.  It makes me sad to think that I may have missed out on so many good times, but I can’t get those years back.  Now, there will be no more sitting on the sidelines for me!  I’m not saying I will try out for some women’s sport team (I’m still laughably uncoordinated!), but I can run around with my family;  up and down the basketball court, back and forth on the soccer field and not feel like I’m going to die of a heart attack.  Being healthy and fit feels fantastic!

Before all of this outdoor fun, I started off with some tasty eats.  I have not been feeling breakfast at all lately.  Nothing seems to excite me and I'd happily eat a Chobani every morning, but I know that gets boring after a while.  I rummaged around and found this box of Triple Berry Bran Muffin Mix from Trader Joe’s and thought it would be a nice change…

These guys are hi –test!  One little muffin packs some serious fiber…

They contain a blend of whole wheat flour, wheat and oat bran, rolled oats, ground flaxseed, cranberries, blueberries, raspberries and some spices.  You need only add eggs and water and bake…

Perfect with coffee…

After church, we stopped home for lunch.  I was getting pretty hungry, but didn’t want to overdo it before my run.  I settled on a Health is Wealth Chicken Free Patty on an Ezekiel Hamburger Bun with a slice of asiago and spinach and a sweet Gala…

I let that digest a bit, then it was off to the trail/park.  The training schedule called for 3 miles and part way into the first mile, I was wondering if I was going to make it!  My legs felt weak and sluggish, but as soon as I hit the end of the first mile, I talked myself into the rest and finished stronger and faster than how I started out.  Why is that first 10 minutes so rough sometimes?!

We came home near dinner time and we were all starving from our outdoor fun.  Pasta was on my brain!  I made Angel hair with Ricotta, Zucchini and Asparagus.  My serving was huge…

Trust me, there was a ton of angel hair under those veggies!

I was full, but couldn’t help snagging a few more forkfuls while clearing the table because it’s pasta and I have a hard time with a “normal” serving of that!

Before I go, I wanted to share a few things with you all.  First, this coming week marks my One Year Blogiversary!!!  Wow, I can’t believe it’s  been a year!  I have a special GIVEAWAY planned of lots of goodies from my favorite place/home away from home (can you guess?), so stay tuned for that!  Also, I have some changes to the blog in the works.  It’s been a long time coming and I’m so excited about it!  There is so much more I would like to do here and I’m looking forward to being able to add more of my personal touches(recipes pages, FAQ’s, etc.) to the blog.  I am humbled by the fact that you all come here to read and as much as I blog for myself, I also try to provide information that you would be interested in hearing about or seeing.  As I’ve said before, I am always open to suggestions, so if there is anything that you would like to see more of (or less of – like my dopey attempt at trying to be funny!), please feel free to let me know!

Have a great day, everyone!

Life Is Like A Bag Of Chocolates

Hey guys!  I’m a little off my blogging schedule – not enough hours in the day, ya know?  I’m faltering with my “to-do list”!  I started off great but, I got side-tracked with other things and now my list is a mile long again.  Pffft!!

The morning began with the growl of my stomach.  That is one annoying alarm clock ;P  Breakfast was definitely in order before gyming it.  I munched down a Thomas’ Light Multigrain English Muffin with homemade almond butter and a pear…

Almond butter is so good.  And sooo hard to control!  I could eat gobs of it, but I have to keep reminding myself:  A serving is 2 tbsp., a serving is 2 tbsp.  Yes, I chant this as I spread it :)  I have received some requests for this recipe, so here it is…

Homemade Almond Butter

• 1 cup whole almonds, roasted
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 tsp. olive oil (not extra virgin)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place almonds on a baking sheet and roast for 7-10 minutes. Watch closely to not burn.
2. Place nuts in food processor and pulse until nuts are fully chopped.  Add salt, honey and oil.
3. Continue to process until creamy;  this may take 5-7 minutes.
4. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.
5. Try not to eat the whole thing.
6. Good luck with that :)

Then, I drug myself to the gym.  I know that’s not a word, but it is when you don’t want to go to the gym.  Drug is way worse than dragged ;P  I usually like the gym, but since I’m restricted to the recumbent bike  til this dizziness goes away, I’m less than thrilled.  For some reason, the bike just doesn’t do it for me.  It’s boring and I don’t feel like I’m doing much of anything  for a workout.  I did try to pump up the resistance, which definitely was a challenge, but it’s still just “meh” to me.  Maybe, I’ll learn to like it??

I was ready for lunch after my non-exciting gym experience.  I couldn’t wait to get some food.  It was one of THOSE days.  Lunch was a Health is Wealth Chicken Free Patty on a deli flat with guacamole, chopped tomatoes and spinach.  Some soy crisps and carrots filled up the rest of my plate…

But not the rest of my stomach!!!  No, really my stomach was full, but my brain did not get that memo.  It was too focused on these Halloween candies…

My favorite…

A close second…

What I thought I should have instead…

What I did have… all of the above.  And CHEEZ-ITS!  I hate those friggers!

Dinner, as if I needed it, was a delicious bowl of Cheesy Polenta with mushrooms and asparagus…

I used this Polenta recipe from Everyday Food …

 

It was a beautiful thing.  So is chocolate.  I know it so well :)

ONE GOOD THING:  I did not eat 105 pieces of chocolate :D

Question of the Day:  What is your favorite exercise machine at the gym/home?

What Do I Do Now?

I’m feeling a bit of a letdown from the whole race scene.  I’ve been thinking to myself all day… now what?  It’s been a long time leading up to doing this race and I had so many emotions about it all.  But, I made it through and now, I can’t help thinking about what I can challenge myself with next!  Is this weird?  I’ve never been this tough with myself, so it’s a very strange feeling for me.  I embraced slackerdom with arms wide open in the past.  But, now I feel the need for challenge;  the need to spur myself on to see what else I could do.  Maybe it’s not too weird;  seems Carolina Girl was going through the exact same thing!  We both did our first 5K races this Saturday, so maybe it’s a first timer response!  I left her a comment that we are thrill-seeking adrenaline junkies now!  I agree with her that it is time for some new goals.  I think I have pushed one to the wayside while “trying a new way of eating”, but it looms in the back of my mind often…GOAL WEIGHT.  I have lots to tell you all about my experience with intuitive eating.  I know I haven’t mentioned much about it and honestly, I’m kinda saving it up for a big post.  But, along with intuitive eating, I need to find the right way to get myself to reach my goal weight like I initially intended.  So, my focus…my challenge for myself will be to get there.  Hopefully, soon :)

I was excited to get back to the gym today.  My body is a little sore, so I decided to take it easy.  I did a 30 minute stint on The Arc Trainer , but at a slower pace then I normally do.  Still worked up a good sweat though!

This time I remembered to grab breakfast before I left…

I have to say that I have been spoiled by greek yogurt!  I bought this Stonyfield fat free yogurt that was on sale at the supermarket to try out and I did not care for it at all.  The texture was all wrong, but I think it’s because I have become accustomed to the thickness and creaminess of greek yogurt.  It’s much more filling than regular yogurt, too!

After errand running and blogging, I finally got around to lunch.  I went with a Health is Wealth Chicken Free Patty on an Ezekiel Sesame Hamburger Bun (my new fave!) topped with my new go-to condiment – Trader Joe’s Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Tapenade.  It tastes good on everything!  I’m thinking of using it as a pizza topping next!  Alongside, I had a beautiful red pear…

I felt a little munchie this afternoon, but not exactly hungry.  The Cheez-Its were calling, so I put a small amount in a bowl along with a string cheese for snacking…

And I kept it at that.  Mainly because I had a reminder staring at me…

I decided to hang my bib number from the race in my pantry (right next to the deadly Cheez-Its) to remind me of what I can do if I put my mind to it…

Gotta take inspiration to conquer munchies wherever you can get it!!!

I had a nice, healthy dinner planned – Apricot Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin, roasted butternut squash and something new… kale chips!

I have been seeing kale chips all over the blogworld for a long time, but was always hesitant to try them.  Something about “crunchy leaves” did not appeal to me.  But, kale was dirt cheap at the produce store (1.50 for 2 huge bunches), so I thought I would give it a try.  They were…interesting.  Crunchy, but melt in your mouth and salty like a chip.  I wasn’t completely sold, though.  I couldn’t get the ‘raked leaves’ thought out of my head!  The daughters weren’t sold either.  Big daughter even tried dipping them in ranch dressing and still ended up spitting it out!  Now, here’s the kicker.  THE HUSBAND came home a bit later due to meeting up with a friend from out of town.  I had saved him dinner and gave him a heaping pile of the kale chips on his plate.  I went about cleaning up and he called out to me to ask what they were.  I started laughing, knowing full well that he was going to hate these, but to my surprise , here’s how it went down…

The husband:  “These are great!  They taste like a potato chip!”

Me:  “Are you serious?”

The husband:  “Yeah, really!  I think they are really good!”

Me:  *moving closer to smell his breath*  “Are you drunk?” I knew this wasn’t a possibility since he doesn’t drink, but I was just checking :)

The husband:  “No, really!  I like them! I don’t like the butternut squash though.”

Me:  “Oh no, girls!!!!  Daddy has swine flu and is hallucinating with a high fever!!!!”

Who knew??!!!

I enjoyed most of my plate…

Maybe, I’ll give kale chips another try… :)

I ended the night with some dark chocolate…

Good stuff!

ONE GOOD THING:  I was able to control the munchies this afternoon.  The box of Cheez-Its is still intact – lol!!!

Question of the Day?  Have you ever tried kale chips?