Sure, you can still see the grass poking through, but any accumulation is a big deal in Memphis. People freak out and buy all the bread and milk in every grocery store the day before even the slightest flurry is predicted. And yes, I also freaked out and made an emergency vegetable/flaxseed/hummus run to Whole Foods on Tuesday when I heard that snow was in the forecast. Turns out that it only snowed enough to coat everything. The roads were just fine.Now for the delicious. The past few nights, I've been enjoying this uber-tasty dish from Go Dairy Free by Alisa Fleming — Sesame Soba Noodles with Calcium-Rich Kale and Tempeh:
Since I'm allowed cooked food at night on the ACT cleanse, this healthy dish made from whole foods fit the bill. I used 100% buckwheat soba since I'm off gluten for the duration of the cleanse, and damn those noodles were expensive! Whole Foods charges almost $7 a package (with only four servings)! But I shelled out the money because food is my number one spending priority. I'll go without new clothes or shoes or whatever, so long as I'm eating tasty stuff. Ah, the life of a poor foodie!Now for the ugly news. I've been off coffee for seven days now, and I'm really starting to feel the effects. If you're friends with me on Facebook, you've likely read my whiny status updates about not having my daily java. But seriously folks. I'm so addicted. Without it, I'm tired and sluggish. I'm cranky, and I even cried for a second this morning when I dropped some jeans in the floor.
And like a true addict, I cannot wait until the day this cleanse is over so I can go to Starbucks and order a venti soy toffee nut latte (yes, I know Starbucks is evil ... but it's a guilty pleasure ... I promise to follow that visit with a stop at a locally-owned coffeehouse for a second cup). No matter what other long-term changes I make after this cleanse is over, giving up coffee will not be one of them.
For now, I'm allowed green and white tea, as well as yerba mate (which I haven't tried yet). But I've been downing multiple cups of tea each day and it just doesn't cut it. Flavored hot water. That's what it tastes like. Ugh! Coffee, I miss you! Only 19 more days!
36 comments:
Food is also my #1 spending priority. I wouldn't say it's a bad thing...
I would be superrrr cranky without coffee!
You can do it!
stay strong! your fb status about the jeans cracked me up.
My Louisville friend got me started on Yerba Mate and I picked up a bag of it at the Brazillian market one town over. It certainly doesn't taste like a delicious soy toffee nut latte, but it has KICK. And it doesn't leave me jittery, so I recommend it. Definitely more of a coffee caffeine effect than regular tea.
This noodle dish is beautiful, I would love to have it for dinner tonight. Simple and hearty at the same time.
Good luck with the no coffee, keep it up!
Yerba is disgusting in my opinion... it tastes like hay. But i guess if your into that stuff it could be good to you! Good luck deary
You're being so strong! I would have cracked after a few hours, I think.
Stay strong -- only a few more days! Datsun is so cute with the branch in his mouth :)
Your dinner looks awesome! Sorry about the coffee withdrawal though :-(
Aww, Datsun! What a cutie! We have some snow here today too. It makes the squirrels extra hyper!
Yep. That's the life of a poor foodie! Food is my number one spending priority too.
Hang in there with the coffee withdrawals! You can do it! You can do it! Wait, let me grab my pom poms. *B.I.A.N.C.A. Gooooo Bianca!* :-D
you've got it, Bianca - hang in there! i remember day 2 of the cleanse for me, i cried because i knew i couldn't have this cookie i really wanted. it made me so upset, but when you think about it, it's only a small number of days without compared to all the days you've got throughout your life. you're doing great!!!
we woke up this morning to a light dusting of snow - julie loves to eat it. ah ha ha! cracks me up. Datsun = the absolute cutest! awwwwww!
hooray for some serious tasty looking soba noodle dish - and hooray for just 19 days left! yay!
You can do it! In 19 days you'll be feeling so great, coffee will be the furthest thing from your mind. The soba looks yummy (mmm, kale)! Enjoy your snow. You didn't even have to shovel!
You are doing great!!! My once weekly Starbux drink is now a huge treat and I totally appreciate it, whereas before I just kind of gulped it down. Hang in there!!
Never in my life will I ever ever give up my coffee. I'll sell one of the rugrats first.
I really enjoy Yerba Mate - I hope you do as well! <3
Hey, there is a Mate tea called "My Morning Mate" from Teavana, you can get it online or at the store. It's also called "the coffee kicker" and tastes really yummy, it might be a great morning treat for you?
I hope you have an asian market in your area, you can get those noodles for like 1/5 of the price! I promise they are still good. We have asian markets in my town but no whole foods, so I don't know what its like :)
I've given up so much that coffee (and a very rare Gin and Tonic or Pina Colada) is my only vice left. I commend you for giving it up for any length of time.
i've given up coffee before too - and while i'm not a serious addict, i totally missed.
i really only like cold tea, so in the morning i would have hot water flavoured with fresh lemon. give it a try and congrat for sticking to your cleanse!
you dropped jeans in the floor? wish i knew what that meant.
The mate might be helpful since it does have come caffeine. I've had it several times and really like it.
Good luck with the rest of your cleanse!
Well, since I'm probly gonna post the raw carrot cake recipe, you can make it yourself! :) For your next raw Tuesday...or wait, you're on a cleanse anyways, so you can make it any day!
Love that kale and tempeh dish, and it's good to see Datsun is enjoying the snow. I can make it without coffee on the weekends, but I can't imagine workdays without my morning coffee. Stay strong! :)
You're amazing Bianca!
I did a seven day juice-fast in the past (when I was even more nutty) with a week of raw foods before and after. That experience was one of the hardest, but probably one of the most rewarding things I've ever done in my life. Keep it up, lady!
The noodles look delicious, and Datsun is so cute!
Sorry about the coffee though. If tea isn't helping partially because it's not as flavorful as coffee, maybe try some homemade dark hot cocoa?
Just a thought.
Poor you! I'm doing Gena's 10-day cleanse beginning Jan 18th and I'm nervous about giving up coffee (and wine). Good on you for doing the cleanse though! All the best with the rest of it. I'm sure you can do it- you seem very focussed and committed, which is inspiring.
mmm...the noodle dish looks totally delicious! We got several inches of snow but with 0 degrees the dogs just want to stay inside. Datsun is the cutest!
I sympathize! I like tea just fine, but I LOVE my coffee. I justify my morning cup with the fact that coffee beans are loaded with antioxidants. That said, I'm planning on doing some kind of cleanse in the spring so I'm eager to see how this goes for you. Your dinners look fantastic!
Ha, well I think you're awesome for sticking w/ your commitment. I was rooting for you when you tweeted about watching your friends take shots while you sat by being good.
And I also love Starbucks. The coffee's just so damn good. Naughty naughty.
if it helps, i've heard a lot of the syrup coffees at starbucks are not vegan. yikes! stay away!
I'm with you on food being my #1 spending priority, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't cringe when I see my weekly total sometimes... It's not that being vegan is expensive; it's that I'm a sucker for food & just love buying everything that looks yummy/interesting. Nothing ever goes to waste, but dang. (I'd still rather be me & spend $$ on healthy, organic groceries than some of my friends who spend $20/week but go out all the time & eat crap...)
Good luck on the coffee thing!! I don't drink it everyday (probably 4 or 5 times a week), but I don't know how I'd react if I was *forced* to give it up... I might have whiny Facebook status updates then, too. :)
Oh, and Datsun is adorable & those noodles look AMAZING!
aw your dog looks like he's havin fun!
Man I feel for you. Coffee is my main vice. If I don't get my large mug of coffee in the morning, I feel it later, in the form of a migraine. I applaud you for getting this far, really.
That dinner looks super yummy, but yikes, 7 bucks per small box. I believe it. I'm poor and still get most of my food from whole foods. I'll go without many things but not tasty organic food!
So glad you like the recipe! Your photo of it looks scrumptious.
Hang in there, I have never been a coffee/caffeine person but have been told by many that the cravings ease after a few weeks. Good luck!
The snow was crazy, right? My mom told me it snowed in Florida on Saturday and it was hard to believe.
Sucks to give up coffee, but maybe you'll feel better at the end? Maybe?...
Hi - I haven't been keeping track of what the conditions of your cleanse is, but for the short term, you might also try Teecino which is a caffeine free herbal coffee. I find it to be pretty decent but then again, I'm no coffee fiend : ) You should be able to find it at natural food store or Whole Foods might have it. Good luck - I am sure you'll feel GREAT at the end!
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