Vegan Kickstart: Day 20 (Almost There!)

Just one more day, y'all. One more day and I go back to my normal chocolate-eatin', beer-sippin', processed food-eatin' ways. I love the healthy eats and all, but a girl needs her junk food too. Day 20 of the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart plan began with a hearty slice of Spinach & Mushroom Frittata with Rye Bread:

Now I'm well aware that this may be the ugliest tofu frittata ever photographed, but it was pretty tasty. Lots of spinach! I seasoned it with black salt to up the eggy taste. This was five million times more satisfying than yesterday's breakfast smoothie.

Lunch was three Quickie Quesadillas made with corn tortillas, roasted red pepper hummus, green onion, tomatoes, and salsa:

It started snowing here around noon! This has been the craziest winter ever for Memphis. Snow twice is January .... unheard of! Most people left work early to pick up kids from closed schools or just because, hey, it was snowing. Snow day! But I had lots to do so I stayed at work all day and enjoyed my snack of Cheezy Dill Popcorn in the peaceful, deserted office:

Dinner was one of my top faves of the cleanse — Mung Bean Pasta with Chunky Ratatouille Sauce and White Beans:

The sauce was made from red wine, eggplant, fire-roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, celery, onions, and garlic. So tasty! And the mung bean pasta is so ridiculously good.

I skipped my dessert on Sunday because I just wasn't feeling it, so I made up for that lost dessert tonight! This Chocolate Banana Smoothie was everything a smoothie should be — a snack (not a meal), banana-y, and heavy on the chocolate soymilk. No fancy health powder add-ins here. Just yummy bananas and chocolate.

Before I close out, I want to let y'all know about an exciting event. From February 25th-27th, the Farm in Summertown is hosting a Vegan Cooking Retreat and I'll be doing a presentation. I'm planning to demonstrate several dishes from my upcoming cookbook, so if you're in the area (or if you feel like a road trip), come on down to the Farm!

Other presenters include Louise Hagler (Tofu Cookery!), Alan Roettinger (author of Speed Vegan), Barbara Bloomfield (one of the Farm's best cooks! I know from personal experience), and Cynthia Holzapfel (managing editor of the Book Publishing Company). Click here for more info.

Vegan Kickstart: Day 19 (with Taste!)

I have my sense of taste back! Well, at least in the eating sense. I've never really had the best taste for style. But you know what I mean. I'd lost my ability to taste yesterday as a result of a nasty case of bronchitis, but I'm feeling much better today.

Breakfast on Day 19 of the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart plan was a Green Goodie Smoothie — pineapple juice, soymilk, frozen peaches, raspberries, and Amazing Grass Superfood powder. The recipe suggested using spirulina, but I couldn't find small sample packets of that stuff. I didn't want to buy a whole jar of spirulina because it's pricey and I know it will go to waste. But the Amazing Grass contains spirulina and lots of other healthy stuff, so I grabbed a one-serving packet from Whole Foods:

Lunch was a simple Tomato, Cucumber, & Basil Salad. I wasn't all that excited about this dish because I'm tired of salads. But it was tasty dressed with a little fig balsamic vinegar:

Although the salad was the only item listed for lunch, that wasn't enough for my massive appetite. Thankfully, I had lots of Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and Pita left from Monday's snack, so I added this to my lunch:

I had a meeting after work, and I was glad to have some homemade Berry Applesauce to tide me over until dinner. This was made from cooked-down Fuji apples and frozen mixed berries:

Dinner was Dining Out: Italian Night, the last dining-out day on the cleanse. So many Italian joints serve fresh pasta (made with eggs), but according to Vegan Express, several of Macaroni Grill's items are vegan so that's where we went. The boyfriend and I made a dinner date of it. I started with a bowl of Mediterranean Olives:

And I ordered the Capellini Pomodoro — the same dish I always order here. It's baby-fine capellini noodles tossed with extra virgin olive oil, fresh tomatoes, and basil. I normally only eat half and save the rest for later, but I downed this whole plate! I was hungry.


What vegan items do you order from Italian restaurants?

Vegan Kickstart: Day 18 (and No Tastebuds)

I've been sick with a nasty case of bronchitis now for 5 days. Over the course of this illness, I've had a nagging cough, a slight fever, body aches, a runny nose, a stuffy nose, you name it. And all of that sucked. But nothing sucks worse than losing my ability to taste and smell. That's what happened today — ALL DAY!

I'm on Day 18 of the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart plan and I was pretty stoked about breakfast — Van's Gluten-Free Buckwheat Waffles with homemade Berry Applesauce:

Unfortunately, I took one bite only to realize that I couldn't taste a thing. The dish had a nice texture though. Bummer. I was sure my tastebuds would be back in time for lunch, and I was pleased when I could sort of taste my leftover Buckwheat Pasta with Seitan:

But only sort of. I had to blow my nose between bites to really catch the flavor. Since I ate at my desk today, I didn't want to blow my nose every five seconds lest I gross out my co-workers.

My snack today was Grapes, and though my sense of taste was mostly gone again by snack time, I enjoyed the squishy texture.

I was way excited about dinner — a wholesome bowl of Zippy Yams and Bok Choy Over Brown Rice:

Okay, they were actually sweet potatoes, but the recipe called them yams so I'm doing it too. These were seasoned with soy sauce and curry paste, and thankfully, I was able to vaguely taste the first few bites. But then my sense of taste died again. So sad. I don't see much point in living if you can't taste. I would rather be blind or deaf than lose my tastebuds. Let's hope they're back tomorrow so I'll have a reason to go on (and yes, I am kind of a drama queen).

Which of your senses is most important to you?

Vegan Kickstart Day 17: Asian Day!

So I'm still sick. But I'm feeling just a tad better. Lucky for me, we had the King holiday off from work and that meant an extra day to recover. Day 17 also happened to be an awesome day of eats on the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart plan.

I felt awful when I first woke up, but this warm bowl of Steel Cut Oats with Peanut Butter and Maple Syrup soothed my sicky soul:

After breakfast, I went right back to bed and slept until about 11:30 a.m. That's when I forced my stinky sick self into the shower. Today was Dining Out: Chinese day for lunch, and I wasn't about to miss that! I made myself look somewhat presentable and headed to Pei Wei Asian Diner. Not my first choice for Chinese, but the Kickstart plan instructs you to seek out healthy Chinese food with brown rice and no MSG. The only place in Midtown that offers healthier Chinese fare is Pei Wei.

I settled on the Spicy Korean Vegetables & Tofu with Brown Rice:

This was damn good y'all! Best thing I've ever tried from Pei Wei. It featured a generous amount of baked tofu, carrots, mushrooms, and green beans in a spicy white pepper sauce.

My snack was supposed to be soy yogurt, but I had lunch so late (around 2:30 p.m.) that I just wasn't hungry at snack time. So I waited until the evening meal to eat again. This Lentil Artichoke Stew really hit the spot. Perfect sick day food!

Red lentils, fire-roasted tomatoes, and tender artichoke hearts. It doesn't get much better than that.

Vegan Kickstart Day 11: Money Talk

Though the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart Plan utilizes leftovers, as you'll see again in today's post, it's definitely cost me way more than I typically spend on groceries in the average week. I usually spend about $85 or so for two weeks worth of groceries, but I've spent closer to $100 or more for the ingredients in weeks one and two.

Some of the extra expense has gone to pantry staples that I just didn't have, like buckwheat flour and oat bran. But I've shelled out the most on fresh veggies and fresh or frozen fruit for the varied meals and snacks throughout the cleanse. In a normal week, I might make two or three large meals and eat the leftovers for lunch and dinner all week. But the Kickstart plan has me making more dishes per week than usual. I enjoy the variety, but I couldn't afford to eat like this all the time.

Luckily, today was mostly a leftovers day, and that means saving money. Breakfast was the same old Smart Bran with Blueberries and Soymilk:

Lunch was leftover Creamy Broccoli Soup from last night and the last of the Missing Egg Sandwich spread on rye:

My snack was grapes — a new snack on the list. I ate lots of these at my desk and again after dinner during True Blood Tuesday:

Dinner was a little new since I made this Farmhouse Salad — a lettuce-less salad of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, capers, and chunks of multi-grain French bread:

I enjoyed my salad with more leftovers of last night's Quinoa Pilaf:

How much do you spend on groceries in a week? Do you rely on leftovers or do you cook every night?

Snow Day! Vegan Kickstart, Day 10

It snowed in Memphis last night! Snow is a crazy thing down here. We're lucky if it happens once a year. Before the first flakes fall, everybody freaks out. Grocery stores are jam-packed. Businesses close early. Working from home is a sure bet. That's exactly what I did today, and though I'd much rather be in the office, it was kinda nice working so close to my kitchen.

There's 11 more days to go in the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart meal plan, and working from home gave me easy access to today's meals. Breakfast and lunch today were made up of dishes you've seen me post before, but dinner was all new.

Breakfast was more Oat Bran with Mashed Banana, Maple Syrup, and a splash of Soymilk (added after the shot). Check out that white snow in the background!:

Lunch today was another Sunshine Burger on Rye Bread with leftover Mexican Corn Salad:

My snack was a sweet, juicy Pink Lady Apple and Carrot Sticks:

Of course the gym was closed due to inclement weather, so I did a little floor work from the Skinny Bitch Body DVD. Then I made this yummy dinner of Creamy Broccoli Soup made with potatoes, celery, and broccoli (duh!):

On the side, I had this Quinoa Pilaf — a cumin-spiced grain dish with carrots, onion, celery, and garlic:

The best part of my day was probably that Pink Lady Apple. I don't eat enough fruit, and thankfully, this plan is correcting that bad habit. I always forget about Pink Ladies, but if I could eat one everyday, I would!

Do you eat enough fruit everyday? What's your favorite fruit?

Vegan Kickstart Weekend Wrap-Up (Days 7, 8, & 9)

Saturday marked one week of being on the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart plan. So far, so good. I feel great. I don't feel deprived (although I could really go for a vegan peanut butter cup right now). And I'm not hungry all the time. This weekend boasted a fabulous meal plan!

Friday
I started the last day of the work week with this hearty bowl of Breakfast Rice Pudding made from leftover brown rice, soymilk, maple syrup, cinnamon, and raisins:

Lunch was a giant Spinach Salad with Orange Sesame Dressing. The creamy dressing was homemade and simply contained ground sesame seeds, orange juice concentrate, and rice vinegar. I added chickpeas for protein:

My snack on Friday was this tropical bowl of Ambrosia — a fruit salad made with bananas, dried cranberries, pineapple, oranges, coconut, and almond extract:

Dinner on Friday was a big ol' plate of Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Simple Marinara Sauce and my leftover stir-fry veggies. The sauce was made with red wine and it was oh-so-yummy:


Saturday
I started the weekend with a hearty bowl of Oat Bran with Dried Apricots and Cinnamon. The plan suggested oatmeal, but I had to buy oat bran for another recipe and I wanted to get my money's worth. I'd never had oat bran before but it was delicious!

Lunch was a Missing Egg Sandwich with homemade Tortilla Chips and Salsa. The Missing Egg spread was like a tofu egg salad but it's made with silk tofu instead of firm. Different, but tasty. The chips were baked wedges of corn tortilla:

My snack on Saturday was Frozen Mango Cubes. I couldn't find plain frozen mango, so I had to pick the cubes out of a bag of mixed smoothie fruit. A few pineapple chunks made it into my bowl on accident:

Dinner was Barbecue-Style Portabellas with Quinoa and Steamed Kale. The homemade 'cue sauce was quite different from the sauce I'm used to. It featured a roasted red pepper and tomato juice base. The mushrooms were slow-simmered in the sauce. So far, this was one of my favorite recipes in the plan:


Sunday
This morning began with another bowl of Smart Bran with Blueberries and Soymilk. Simple and satisfying:

Sunday's lunch was another "eating out" option — Salad Bar! I chose the Whole Foods salad bar since it has the healthiest options of any other salad bar in town. This salad was piled high with raw kale, greens, spinach, chickpeas, orzo pasta, sesame sticks, wasabi peas, English peas, cauliflower, corn, bell peppers, radishes, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and balsamic dressing:

My snack today was Oranges and Raisins:

Dinner was Simple Bean Tacos and Mexican Corn Salad. These tacos were made by spreading refried beans onto corn tortillas and then warming them quesadilla-style in a dry skillet. They're topped with salsa, tomatoes, lettuce, and green onion:

I also got a dessert tonight — Berry Mousse. This was similar to Thursday's chocolate raspberry mousse but sans the cacao powder. Tasty and very pink:

Vegan Kickstart Day 6 (with Dessert!)

Six days into the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart plan and I finally get a dessert! The plan allows for four desserts spread throughout the three-week program. But before enjoying my much-deserved sweet treat, I enjoyed this hearty breakfast of Buckwheat Blueberry Pancakes and Fakin' Bacon:

The recipe for pancakes made 16 little pancakes, but today is the only day with pancakes on the menu. So I made one-fourth of the recipe and cooked two large pancakes. They're not all that pretty, but buckwheat pancakes never really are. They did taste delicious with a little warmed maple syrup though. The bacon, also made from a PCRM recipe, was unlike any tempeh bacon I've made before with hints of cumin and garlic. But it was so, so good.

Breakfast was mighty filling, so it was fitting that lunch was a simple snacky meal of Easy Bean Dip and homemade Tortilla Chips:

The bean dip was simply black beans, habenero salsa, and cumin, and the chips were made from baked corn tortillas. Much healthier than the fried chips I ate at On the Border last night.

I finally got to enjoy my dessert — Chocolate Raspberry Mousse — as an afternoon snack at my desk:

Though it was simply made from silken tofu, raw cacao powder, maple syrup, and raspberries, this creamy mousse tasted totally gourmet. I'd forgotten how much I love tofu mousse desserts.

I had a glass of Syrah after work at a sushi joint with a few co-workers (and a former co-worker), but I waited until I got home to eat dinner — Easy Stir-Fry and Always Great Brown Rice (their name, not mine ... though it was great):

This super-quick dinner was made from frozen stir-fry veggies, tempeh, soy sauce, and brown rice that I'd cooked the night before. The recipe suggested using a vegan chicken substitute or beans, but I'm trying to avoid processed foods during the cleanse and I'd eaten lots of beans at lunch. I did, however, have some tempeh left after breakfast. Delish!

Dining Out on Vegan Kickstart (Day 5)

Once a week on the PCRM 21-Day Vegan Kickstart plan, those following the meal regimen are rewarded with a "dining out" night. Tonight was that night! But my day started with a simple breakfast of Fantastic Fruit Smoothie — bananas, blueberries, So Delicious Agave-Sweetened Vanilla Soy Yogurt, apple cider, and hemp protein powder:

Sorry for all the flash photos, by the way. Keeping a daily food diary requires me to take some shots before and after daylight. It was still dark outside when I downed this smoothie at 6:50 a.m. Smoothies never stay with me for long, and I was starving by 11 a.m. But I held out until lunch for this leftovers plate of Curried Lentil Soup and Southern Beans and Greens:

My snack was Edamame with Cedar's Roasted Garlic & Chive Hummus on Pita Bread. I ate this at my desk around 4:30 p.m. before hitting the gym. This kept me satisfied through my workout:

For Dining Out Night, I was supposed to eat Mexican food. The plan urges you to make healthy choices at the restaurant, so I opted for On the Border (where the boyfriend bartends) because I know they have a great veg menu with plenty of healthier options. I chose the Sizzling Fajita Salad with portabellas, onions, black beans, guacamole, corn, pico, and a low-fat mango vinaigrette:

I also enjoyed tortilla chips and salsa, but unlike with most of my Mexican restaurant outings, I made a conscious effort to only have a few chips. I typically stuff my face with chips without even thinking about how much I'm eating. I also don't typically opt for this salad, instead going for the fried avocado enchiladas or the taco salad in a fried shell. I deserved a few chips for choosing the healthier salad. Oh, and I had another glass of merlot tonight with dinner!

What sort of healthy options do choose at Mexican restaurants?

Vegan Kickstart Day 4

Wow. Day four of my 21-Day Vegan Kickstart meal plan is almost over. Since this whole foods "diet" is based on hearty grain, bean, and veggie dishes, I've stayed mostly satisfied throughout the day. That makes this cleanse seem to fly by, very much unlike last year's ACT cleanse which drug on and on forever!

This morning, I was allowed another bowl of Nature's Path Smart Bran Cereal with Unsweetened Soymilk. This time, I added bananas instead of blueberries to shake things up:

The lunch suggestion for today just said "Vegan Soup and Bread" with a recommendation to try a healthier soup like Dr. McDougall's or Amy's brand. I opted for Dr. McDougall's Black Bean Soup with a slice of Rye Bread:

Dinner was DIY: Couscous, Lentils, and Kale:

Though the Kickstart plan provides most of the recipes or convenience food brand suggestions, DIY meals give Kickstarters the freedom to put a dish together sans recipe. I don't really need a recipe for a grain and veggie bowl, but this is a great feature for new vegans who may be using the Kickstart app as a way to learn about vegan cooking. DIY days allow newbies the freedom to be creative.

I topped brown rice couscous with sauteed kale (cooked in a little water, no oil) and tender red lentils. The dish was seasoned with Bragg's, hot sauce, and nutritional yeast.

Snacks for today were an apple and carrots. I ate a Granny Smith apple at my desk at around 3:30 p.m., but I forgot to take a picture. Of course, y'all know what an apple looks like. I saved my carrots to bring to True Blood Tuesdays with my bitches. We used to have O.C. Night, but we watched all of those. Now we're on to True Blood. Notice the Tru Blood drinks in the background. I didn't drink those:

I also enjoyed a small glass of red wine at True Blood night. I'm allowing myself to have a few glasses of red wine each week on the cleanse. The last time I attempted giving up alcohol for a month, my social life suffered. And that was incredibly boring. Thankfully, red wine has antioxidants so it's kind of like vitamins, right? :-)