10.23-10.28.11

I know, I'm behind... again.

It's been a busy week between the stomach flu, meetings and the daily stuff that I have to get done.

I've been perfect as far as vegan goes and have done really well as far as not eating any fried dough/ much wheat at all.

Here's an outline:

10.23.11

Cooked two delightful things:
1, tomato basil soup with farro.
Five ingredients, tastiest thing ever.
I didn't food process/ blend- I like texture
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/19/dining/farro-and-fresh-tomato-soup-with-basil-recipe.html

2, vegan tempeh wraps
I also cooked up some extra tempeh to make galumpkis (no idea how to spell that right!)

And made a third piece of deliciousness:
Sunflower butter puffed rice treats with espresso chocolate topping. Amazing.
http://www.singerskitchen.com/2011/10/sunflower-butter-rice-crispies-with.html

I didn't have good chocolate in the house, so I improvised with unsweetened bakers squares and some cane sugar and the resulting texture was magical.

I've decided that macaroons are the perfect dessert and made some on Wednesday.  Just used six dates, juice from one lemon and unswt coconut. Will use a little less lemon next time, but the macaroons were so delicious.

Main things I've eaten this week:

Vegan bento box from the coop
Rice and beans
Tempeh wraps (wrapped in cabbage)
Toast with earth balance (the stomach bug required something brat-y)
Sprout sandwiches
Tomato farro basil soup- I've bought all the stuff to make a massive batch of this- I plan on freezing a ton and enjoying this winter.
Vegan sushi from the coop with some vegetable protein- I need to look into what this is and if I should get a bunch of it because the sushi with gluten-free soy sauce or tamari is delightful.

On the docket for this weekend is making roasted mixed root vegetables, picking up a rosemary tree, more tomato farro basil soup, cranberry sauce, galumpkis, pumpkin torte and squash risotto.

Wish me luck!

10.20-10.22.11

Oh goodness!

What a few days.  PT, the trainer and a long walk/ run today and I'm ready to curl up on the couch and watch some Pride and Prejudice and drink hot cider on this chilly and drizzly day.

The good news:

1. I am quitting flour. No more fried dough.
2. I'm quitting refined sugar. I have a sweet tooth the likes of which the world has never seen. So it's time to take a gander at some vegan sweets.
3. I'm quitting potatoes. Tonight will be my last round of roasted potatoes and I'm not buying anymore.

What I did buy today was a pie pumpkin and some crazy looking squash. It's called a buttercup squash and looks like what happens when an acorn squash and flying saucer have a baby.

Here's what I've been eating:

10.20.11
Breakfast
Homemade apple crisp
a couple now or laters

Lunch
Roast potatoes
Beans

Dinner
Roast potatoes
fried dough

Dessert
Chocolate

10.21.11
Breakfast
Nothing

Lunch
Roasted potatoes

Dinner
Roasted potatoes
Beans
Chocolate

10.22.11
Breakfast
Chocolate macaroons

Lunch
Black rice salad (peas, peppers, onions and spices)
Dolmades

Snack
Walnuts
dates
cider

Dinner
Roasted potatoes

To expound on the good news today- I just received clearance to run a 5K in December and was allowed to do my first development run today.  I was only allowed to run a half a mile, but embedded in my 3 mile walk, it was delightful. I'm stoked to get to continue.

I have a ton of cooking to get to: tomato basil soup, pumpkin risotto, squash torte with a spinach crust and caramel apple crisp. I'm trying to do serious food prep on the weekends and eat from it the rest of the week. We'll see how it works.

Have a great day!

10.20.11

I'm in tummy-ache city and feel miserable.

All day, all I've wanted is potatoes and fried dough and I had them and now I'm over tired, over stuffed and ready to pray to the porcelain god before I hit the sheets.

Did lots of apples today- made a pseudo apple crisp. It wasn't stellar, but it served its purpose. More updates after I get rid of the nausea.

10.19.11

Grrrr....
I'm tired, hungry and miserable.
But my Malaga Wine colored nails and my rose tea are rocking my world.
It's the little things, but I digress.

Today was an incredibly delicious day.

Breakfast
Water
Apple

Lunch
Water
Apple
Peppers, fennel and hummus

Dinner
Pizza Fritte
Potatoes
Fried Eggplant

Snack
Tea and chocolate

And now... bed time!

10.16.11-10.18.11

This isn't working as planned. I should be used to that by now and bob and weave... roll with the punches if we're going to take the boxing metaphor all the way.

There are two prevalent issues:
1, I'm so bored with it. I read posts and think, poor fifty people who've checked this out. They must skip to another page thinking, "wow, that's fifteen seconds of my life I'm never getting back."

2, Some days I forget to post and other days I don't remember everything I've put in my mouth... that didn't sound right, but you get the idea. besides Sept. 17th, I've been perfecta at this.

How to make this more exciting?

Anecdotes and yummy vegan findings.

I'm used to the comments from fellow faculty members I've shared meals with.

"Oh, you're eating turf again." or
"How are you getting your protein?" with a creepy wink.
The answers range from,
"You know what makes turf taste good? Silence." to "Last time I checked I didn't ask for your opinion. Enjoy the products of murder." to "Spinach is suiting me well. Pedal your wares elsewhere."

The middle one, I actually don't say, which brings me to my next point (hang in there, there is one).
I was listening to the radio and there was a comic on talking about how his worst first date ever was with a vegan. He told her, "Stop crying and let me enjoy my burger".

Not funny for two reasons: 1, not all vegans care what everyone else eats. I make decisions for myself and unless someone is being super out there, I don't feel the need to impose my beliefs on them.
and 2, first date at a burger joint? Seriously? What are you, fifteen? Not saying he's cheap, but if some dude wants to impress any lady, taking her to a sh!tty burger joint or family restaurant and picking up the fifteen dollar check isn't going to cause swooning. It doesn't need to be expensive... Try something interesting. Something creative. Something that isn't what every other man in America who's trying to get into any woman's pants would do.

Sunday and Monday were rife with potato chips... Tuesday was back to pizza fritte... Two things I'm learning, how to lessen the amount of refined carbs and that food isn't going to help anything.

10.16.11
Breakfast:
Conference homefries and bad coffee

Snack:
Almonds and pretzels

Lunch:
Apple

Dinner:
Tomatillos
Potatoes
Potato chips

10.17.11
Breakfast:
Coffee
Apple
Chocolate

Lunch:
French fries

Dinner:
Potato Chips
Saag

10.18.11
Breakfast:
Coffee
Trail mix
Chocolate
Apple

Lunch:
Pumpkin
French fries
Potatoes

Dinner:
Peppers and hummus
Eggplant
fennel
Fried dough

10.11-10.15.11

Last night may not have ended as well as planned.
The artichoke was taking forever to cook, so I decided to make myself some fried dough instead.

I was a bit better today:

Breakfast:
Peach
Clementine
Coffee

Lunch:
Vegan dumplings
ginger and soy sauce

Dinner:
Fried dough

I had conferences this weekend and didn't have time to post in the meantime. I was perfectly vegan all week- aided by pumpkin pie fill (sans evaporated milk) and the incredible gnocci I was served last night at the dinner.

10.9-10.10.11

My grandmother and mother both think I've lost weight. I think I'm still on a carb binge, but more on that later.

10.9.11
Breakfast
Coffee
Pineapple

Lunch
Oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar
Rye toast with jam
Home fries

Dinner
Strawberries and pineapple
corn soup
avocado
Pizza frite
Roasted potatoes
(I know, I know, don't judge me)

10.10.11
Breakfast
Coffee
Potatoes
Pineapple
apple cider

Lunch
more potatoes
raw red peppers
hummus

Dinner
steamed artichoke
avocado

I know that I need to kick gluten... any recommendations?
I think what I'm going to try is focusing on the water and any time I want a bread product to drink another glass of water and reassess if I'm hungry... this of course won't work for the stress mowing, but hey, it's a start.

10.6-10.8.11

10.6.11
No breakfast

Lunch
Pasta Fagoli
Pumpkin

Dinner
pasta fagoli
strawberries
Pineapple
potatoes
Pizza

10.7.11
Breakfast
Pizza
Pumpkin
Coffee

Lunch
Pasta Fagoli

Dinner
Vegan dumplings
Pizza frite

10.8.11
No Breakfast
Coffee

Lunch
Vegan dumplings
Pineapple and strawberries
Nectarine

Dinner
Pizza frite
Pasta Fagoli

10.4 and 10.5.11

Breakfast
2 clementines
Coffee
Water

Lunch
Falafel
black rice fagoli

Dinner
Black rice fagoli
Pizza
Cider

10.5

Breakfast
Lots of coffee

Lunch
two clementines and organic chocolate

Dinner
Cider
Black rice fagoli
Pizza
Potatoes

Dessert
Pumpkin with chia

9.29-10.3.11

Busy. Busy. Busy.

9.29.11
Breakfast
Absolutely nada.  Running super late for a flight.
Coffee on flight.

Lunch
Spinach salad with garbanzos and nuts
Lorna Doones

Dinner
Veggie Paella at the Latin Quarter

9.30.11
Breakfast
Coffee
Fruit
Pumpkin juice

Lunch
French Fries
Water

Dinner
Spinach salad
peanut butter toast
Drinks

10.1.11
Breakfast
Fruit
Coffee

Lunch
Peanut butter and molasses sandwich
Hummus sandwich

Dinner
veggie soup
Asian salad with shitake mushrooms
Potato chips
Drinks

10.2.11
Breakfast
Fruit
Garbanzo beans
chips

Lunch
Fruit
Salad
veggies with hummus
Wine

*** Huge B-day party-- I served cake and ice cream, but didn't eat any of it.

Dinner
Fruit
chips with hummus
peanut butter sandwich


10.3.11
Breakfast
Bagel
Jam

Lunch
Fruit
chips
hummus
salad

Dinner
Pizza
Pickles
black rice
avocado
Fagoli mix
Cider