You'd Better Work

You'll see what I'm referring with the title later in this post...
I bet you won't be able to guess what spice is in this bowl of oats. Give up? Its Garam Masala Oats! I got the idea from Kailey and it's actually really good!
-1/2 cup oats + 1/2 cup hempmilk + 1/2 cup water
-cinnamon & garam masala
-spoonful flax
-scoop homemade Cinnamon Agave Almond Butter
-sprinkle granola
Speaking of homemade almond butter...
I printed out this adorable label from Emily's blog. It's so convenient for me since I save all my old jars for future uses.

The only other blog-worthy meal I had today was lunch. I re-heated the other Seitan "Steak" (recipe to come soon), made Israeli Couscous from V'Con and steamed some Broccoli. It was a very delicious meal with so many flavors and textures. I also had a couple handfuls of animal crackers...because I can ;)

Referring to the title, I had a photoshoot with the kittens today!

Here is Bloo and Sweet Potato. Whenever I finish my afternoon snack, I like to go into their "area" and spent at least a half hour with them (I spend more time with them throughout the day too). At that time they are very playful and happy to see me. Their bellies are full and they have been resting in the sunshine all day. I'll walk in there and sit down, where they proceed to climb all over me. They don't leave my lap until I have to go do something. Sweet Potato even climbs up my leg when I walk in. Sweet Potato is very photogenic...

Pretending to be bashful (check out her eyes!)...

Striking a pose...

Relaxing (for once)....

Then Bloo takes pictures like this...

And this...

And this...

I finally got him to stay still long enough to take this picture...

But he still has a funny look on his face.

Alright, I'm sure you didn't come here to see kittens so I'll be back with more food tomorrow. Have a great night!

Back for Another Round

Today was much better in the confidence department. I still had a couple negative thoughts...but nothing I couldn't put out of my mind. I did have a lot of pain in my ankles and shins though. Since I've been going on the treadmill and running outside for gym, I've noticed my ankles have started to hurt. At first I thought it would go away because it only happened when running, but today is was every time I took a step. I think I'll just up the yoga and stop running for a while. Yesterday I realized I was all out of sweet potatoes! Then, I saw a can of pureed sweet potatoes in the pantry. I knew right away I was making Sweet Potato Oats.
-1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup water
-1/2 cup sweet potato puree
-1/2 tbsp flax
-scoop Mighty Maple
-sprinkle carob chips
This bowl was SO creamy and rich. If only I blended it, that would have been to-die-for.

I'd been wanting to combine the Wildwood Soyogurt I received with some Indian food. When I saw a new Fire-Roasted Channa Masala recipe on Happy Herbivore, I had to make it. It was very simple to throw together and had such amazing flavor! The spices were so earthy and warming, and the cool, tangy yogurt was a perfect accompaniment. I also had a slice of sprouted grain bread to round out my meal.

Since I baked late last night, I had to wait until my afternoon snack to sample a piece (I actually took it out of the oven right before I went to bed). I had so much sweet potato puree left I decided to make Sweet Potato Oatmeal Bread. This recipe has been on my "to-make" list for a while now and I'm so glad I finally got around to it because it is phenomenal! It's very simple to make and filled with healthy and delicious ingredients. It has a very moist, chewy texture, with a sweet but not overly so flavor. Perfect for a snack and scrumptious with a schmear of Mighty Maple and carob chips.

As I was getting dinner together I received this in the mail...

A second box from Wildwood Organics! Dustin from Wildwood informed me I would also be getting a goodie box filled with cool stuff. I received an adorable t-shirt (which I'm wearing right now), a couple pens (I totally collect pens), a bottle cooler (which I totally didn't know what it was at first because it was flat...I'm such a blonde), a supercool highlighter, a magnet, and a small tote bag. Thank you so much Dustin, this is so generous!!!

Moi, showing off my new shirt =)

I was craving some greens really badly so I made up a huge Salad. In it...

-baby spinach

-cucumbers

-carrots

-edamame

-homemade seitan

-hummus

-honey mustard dressing (find my explanation on honey here)

I forgot home much I love making my own seitan! It is so easy and really delicious too. The new hummus I was telling you about yesterday was the Hummus Quartet from Trader Joe's. It contains Plain Hummus, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, Roasted Garlic Hummus, and Parsley Scallion Hummus. I've used the garlic and scallion hummus so far and they are both really delicious. Let's see how long this container lasts me...

I found a new blog today called Iowa Girl Eats and she is giving away a bunch of her favorite things in celebration of her 1 month Blogiversary!

Animal Crackers in My Soup

Quick Post tonight, I'm tired! Waking up at 4am to clean up kitten messes is not fun! The kittens have actually moved out of my room into the downstairs bathroom. I couldn't deal with the poop stains and it's so hard to get out of the carpet. I've been making sure to visit them often though so they don't get lonely =)
Vanilla Protein Barley! The grain is actually Barley Flakes and I got them out of the bulk bin at Whole Foods. They are exactly like oatmeal in texture and come to think of it...I didn't really notice a different taste. Still delicious!
-1/2 cup barley flakes + 1/2 cup almond milk + 1/2 cup water
-1 scoop Sun Warrior Vanilla Protein Powder
-cinnamon + vanilla
-scoop White Chocolate PB
No matter how much I love to cook, leftovers will always be my favorite meals! Today I had the last of my Lentil Soup topped with Wildwood Soy Yogurt, red & black pepper, hot sauce, oregano, and a mini-bagel. The yogurt added a nice creamy consistency and a tang that complemented the flavors very well. It was a filling and delicious meal that warmed me up on this colder (than it has been lately) day.

I was out running errands with my mom so I got home a little later for dinner. I decided on a quick Hummus Sandwich (with a new hummus, review coming soon!) with Sugar Snap Peas and Honey Mustard Dressing, and TJ's VEGAN Animal Crackers. Oh how I've missed eating animal crackers! Either they weren't healthy or they weren't vegan and I was so disappointed. Animal crackers used to be one of my favorite snacks. When I saw the word VEGAN on the package at TJ's, I was so happy (my mom proceeded to look at me weird). They taste just like I remember too.

Tomorrow I have a baked good to reveal, it's in the oven now and I can just smell how delicious it is! So tempting!

Enjoy your night everyone! <3

Born to Be Wild

I have not been feeling good at all today. I've been bloated and uncomfortable and my self-esteem has been going downhill. I really have no idea why this is happening or what is causing it, any ideas?


In happier news, look what I received in the mail...
Plain Unsweetened Wildwood Organic Soyogurt! I have been looking for this brand ever since I heard of it because I can't stand how sweet some soy yogurts are. When Dustin said he would send me some samples I was beyond excited. When I opened the smaller container for breakfast this morning I sampled a bit straight up. It was very tangy, which I liked, and the nutritionals were great too. 6 grams of protein and probiotics is something you don't see very often in soy yogurts. The only downside was that it was a bit runny but the flavor made up for it. I like how versatile it can be. You could use it in a savory dish, you could add smashed fruits, or you could sweeten it a bit with stevia and cinnamon. Oh, the possibilities! Dustin was very kind to send me the amount he did and it got here very quickly. Thank you Dustin!

I tried it in a Yogurt Mess this morning.

-1 container Wildwood Organic Soyogurt

-1 pkt stevia + cinnamon + vanilla

-few handfuls Kashi GoLean

-sprinkle TJ's Low-Fat Granola

-blackberries

-scoop Mighty Maple PB

It was just perfect in this bowl. The tang of the yogurt contrasted perfectly with the sweet berries and cereals so I didn't overdose on sugar this morning haha.

I wanted to make something new for my afternoon snack and I had just bought some Chia Seeds, so Chia Pudding it was! I used Heather's idea and mixed

-8 oz. water

-1 scoop Sun Warrior Vanilla Protein

-2 tbsp Chia Seeds

I left it in the fridge for about 24 hours and stirred it occasionally. It turned out nice and thick. I then added cinnamon and GoLean and devoured the scrumptious concoction. I can't wait to try more recipes with Chia Seeds as they are delicious and fun to work with!

A Tofu Scramble was my dinner tonight. I never get tired of them as they are so easy to change and add new things into. I used...

-zucchini, mushrooms, and broccoli

-1/3 block silken tofu

-2 tbsp hot salsa

-1 glug BBQ sauce

-2 tbsp Nutritional Yeast

The addition of BBQ sauce really sent this over the edge! The flavors were just delicious and all the veggies left me feeling great. I've been lacking in the greens department lately (time to go shopping!).

I slept on the floor last night and Sweet Potato slept on my neck the whole time haha, so cute! Bloo also cuddled but he was in the crook of my arm. It was kind of hard to get up and turn off my alarm with a sleeping cat on my neck, but I managed ;)

Sweet Potato x2

Sunday already?! Where has the time gone!? It was so gross today with rain, rain, and more rain! I just stayed inside and cleaned the house. Nothing eventful but I didn't want to go outside in the nasty weather.
Today I made Lemon Oats, inspired by Jemima.
-1/2 cup oats, 1 cup lemon tea
-1 tbsp flax
-1 tsp vanilla & cinnamon
-2 tbsp applesauce
-pinch dried lemon peel
-1 scoop Smooth Operator PB (I swear this stuff is laced with crack)
I've never had lemon in my oats before and it was so refreshing. I love the tang along with the sweet applesauce and cinnamon. Delicious.
Here's the Agave Cinnamon Almond Butter I made yesterday. It's based off of this recipe and I've made it once before. It filled up this whole jar and it turned out smooth and creamy. Much better than store bought! I actually used it in my lunch today...

A Baked Sweet Potato with Almond Butter and Cinnamon-Lime Quinoa from ED&BV. The quinoa also had almonds in it so it brought together the flavors. Healthy Fats = Healthy hair, skin, and nails =)

I just finished dinner, which was a favorite of mine. We didn't have any spinach so I couldn't make a sandwich and I was already hungry so I wasn't cooking...what better than a Hummus & Guac Sandwich! I also added tofu to the mix and had an apple and baby carrots on the side.

I snapped a better picture today of the babies. Sweet Potato is very sassy. She likes to run around and climb up the furniture. Bloo is very mellow and sweet. I went up to my room a couple times today and Sweet Potato was waiting for me on the chair next to the door. Then are beginning to trust me and run up whenever I come in the room. Sweet Potato loves to be held and when I put her down she cries and wants to be picked back up. Bloo is a little more shy but he likes to be cuddled too. I forgot how much work kittens are though! I woke up at 4am to them meowing and trying to find me. I had to sleep on our (very comfortable) couch downstairs to get some sleep. I think I might actually sleep on the floor tonight so they aren't alone. Litterbox training isn't fun either. They've already has some accidents on the carpet but I know it might take some time. They are so worth it.

Secrets Revealed

It was SO NICE out yesterday! Then...today is was humid and rainy. Still warm, but too nasty to go outside. I hate the Midwest so much, the weather sucks! Too bad I'm stuck here for another year until I graduate.

I always like to make oat bran on the weekends because I have more time to get everything out and cook it on the stove (it doesn't take that long but still). Today I made Blended Brownie Oat Bran...only it didn't turn out too blended. I have been using my mom's ancient hand blender to try and blend my oats but it's just not working. I think were going to throw it out since no one can really use it now. Anyway, this bowl had...
-1/2 cup oat bran, 1/2 cup almond milk, 3/4 cups water
-1 tbsp cocoa powder
-1/2 pkt. stevia
-pinch of salt
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 tbsp Agave Cinnamon Almond Butter (homemade, more on this tomorrow)
Luscious doesn't even begin to cover it.


I was too anxious/excited about my surprise to take anymore pictures of my food, sorry! But I will show you what my surprise was...






A NEW KITTEN!!! First of all please excuse the gross hair, I just came in from outside and humidity was attacking my golden locks ;) Since last summer I had been wanting a cat. Specifically an orange one since I've had pretty much all the other colors of cats available (I had this one cat who ran around the neighborhood and ended up having like 6 different litters, why we didn't spay her...I don't know). A couple weeks ago I had told my mom I wanted an orange kitten named (the name will be revealed later) but she shrugged it off like she usually does when I ask for stuff. Then today she told me that my surprise was coming to me instead of us going to get it. It turns out a family friend had a friend that had kittens she was giving away. My mom saw them online and she knew the orange one would be perfect. I was SO surprised!!! She is so adorable and actually...We ended up with 2! The lady had brought one along for the ride and my mom wanted to keep him for my little brothers. The black one's name is Bloo (pronounced Blue) from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (one of my little brother's favorite shows). And my little orange girly is named...Sweet Potato!!! =)


I have to go set up everything in my room (hopefully the litterbox isn't too smelly) and finish up some homework.

Have a great night everyone!

Four Times Two

This week has been so long! I'm so glad it's over. I just got back from my nutritionist and it went really well. I'm exactly the same weight as before so that means I'm maintaining. Ed thought I would just keep gaining and gaining but I proved him wrong again. Listening to my body is becoming much easier.
PB Pretzel Oats again, my love <3
-1/2 cup oats, 1/4 cup hempmilk, 1 cup water
-cinnamon
-1 serving TJ's Pretzel Thins
-1 scoop White Chocolate PB
This combo never fails to delight my taste buds.
I had some leftover Lentil Soup for dinner with a Mini-Bagel for dipping. It was yummy.


Sorry for the lack of photos, I'm still coming down from this crazy week. But to make up for it...here's a survey of eights!

8 Things I'm Looking Forward To:
-My surprise this weekend (more on this in a bit)
-The weather FINALLY warming up (it was SO NICE out today)
-Getting a new laptop
-Going grocery shopping at Trader Joe's (I'm such a dork)
-Growing a couple inches (it WILL happen)
-Finishing junior year
-Fully recovering from my eating disorder
-Summer

8 Things I Did Yesterday:
-Showered
-Took PSAE test
-Ate food (haha)
-90 minutes of amaaaazing yoga
-Looked in the mirror
-Sang off-key to annoy my mom
-Tickled my little brothers (I am the tickle monster)
-Smiled =)

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:
-Walk past a mirror and not look at myself (or even a window...anything that has my reflection)
-Write a book
-My homework without being distracted
-Go to New York this summer
-Drive a pink Prius
-Go to Prom
-Slap someone across the face (I've never had a chance to do this and I'm curious as to what it's like)
-Be a better singer

8 T.V. Shows I Watch:
-Gossip Girl
-Chelsea Lately
-The Soup
-ANTM
-The Girls Next Door
-Project Runway
-Will & Grace (funniest. show. ever)
-Friends


So my mom said she has a surprise for me tomorrow...and she won't tell me what it is. I know, I know, it's a SURPRISE. I hate surprises! Well, not all but the ones I know about but can't figure out. All I know is that it's someone I don't know that is giving me a gift. I'm scared. haha

Highs and Lows

Testing is over! WOO! Now all I have is finals and I'm done with junior year (already?!). It wasn't a bad as I thought, time wise. I don't know how I did on the questions though. I tried my best and guessed on the rest and I'm not going to stress out about it. I can always re-take it. During the lowest points of my ED, everything I did had to be perfect. I had to get good grades or I would sit in my room and cry. I have to be good at everything I did or I would stop eating to deal with my feelings of rejection. Now I'm learning that I'M NOT PERFECT. I need to be able to learn and grow from my mistakes and not freak out every time something goes wrong.

Speaking of: I received a comment asking about the Honey Mustard dressing I use. A vegan technically does not consume honey, I do. It used to bother me but then I realized my food choices were becoming limited to what I was able to afford. Many cereals, breads, and other products that would otherwise be vegan, do contain honey. Like my beloved Kashi cereals. Now I realize that I can only try my best. I don't consume meat, eggs, dairy, gelatin, or any other animal product and the only honey I eat is IN products. I never eat it plain or bake with it. Just clearing this up because I know some were confused =)

Let's get on with the eats shall we...

I needed some brain power Wednesday morning so I would do well on the ACT's. What better that a big bowl of Vanilla Protein Oatmeal?

-1/2 cup oats + 1/4 cup hempmilk + 1/2 cup water

-1/3 block Mori-Nu silken tofu

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-1/2 scoop Sun Warrior Vanilla Protein Powder

-1 tbsp Naturally Nutty Vanilla Almond Butter

Oh man, this is up there with my favorite bowls of oatmeal. The creaminess of the blended oats with tofu, the sweet, buttery taste of vanilla, and the crunchy texture of the almond butter was enough to wake me up and make me feel confident in my testing abilities.

During the test break I had a Chocolate Brownie Purebar to get those healthy fats. I hope they helped during the test!

For a quick lunch I made a Hummus & Spinach Sandwich on TJ's Sprouted Grain bread. On the side I has an apple and a new product! Genisoy Apple Cinnamon Soy Crisps. These crisps contain 6g protein per serving...but I got about 12g! I doubled that serving size because they were just so good. I probably ate more than half the bag. Guilty? A little, but not nearly as much as I used to be.

When I went to the gym I actually ran into a friend from school. We've known each other for a while but we drifted apart and even though she's in my advisory...I never really talk to her. I just decided to be spontaneous and say hi. We ended up talking for a half hour! About how we wanted to leave this school, how people were stuck up, and how we didn't really spend time with people outside of school because of the way they acted. I'm really glad I started talking to her again, it feels good not to be so isolated and cut off from people. I'm really proud of myself.

I had a little bit of barley left in the fridge so I decided on some Blended Barley after my workout at the gym.

-1/3 cup barley

-1/2 scoop Sun Warrior Vanilla Protein Powder

-1/4 cup hempmilk

-1 scoop Cinnamon Raisin PB (okay...maybe 2 scoops)

Love this protein powder!!! It's so creamy, smooth, and has just the right amount of flavor.

Continuing the theme of this post...I almost skipped dinner Wednesday night. It started when I had my snack at 4pm. I got home from the gym late (since I was catching up with my old friend) so I ate later. Then my nutritionist appointment was at 7pm. I had to leave early since I was hitting up Whole Foods beforehand. I started worrying because I wasn't hungry and I wouldn't be home for dinner until 8:30pm. ED decided that if I ate dinner before I went to my appointment, I would weight more and if I waiting until I got home...it would be too late. I couldn't stand the thought of going backwards in recovery and I was getting hungry so I got a salad from WF. Screw you ED! You almost got me, but I'm better than that. As you can see, I'm not perfect...I almost had a slip-up. I accept that this will happen from time to time but I will not let it hold me back from fully recovering. The bad news is...I didn't get to see my nutritionist. She called 2 hours before to ask me if I could come 15 minutes later but since I had to study, I called her back to say I couldn't. She didn't check her voicemail and after waiting 20 minutes...I left. I'll be seeing her tomorrow though, so it's all good.

Today I had yet another bowl of oats. This time, S'more Oatmeal a la CCV.

-1/2 cup oats + 1 cup water

-cinnamon

-5 graham crackers

-1/2 tbsp Tofutti Cream Cheese (since I didn't have any Ricemellow)

-1 tbsp Smooth Operator PB

Genius idea! I loved this flavor combination and oh how I've missed graham crackers!

I got in an amazing workout today. Since I got home early from school and my family was out at the zoo, I got to take up the living room and do some yoga. I did 45 minutes Yoga Fitness Fusion (my favorite video OnDemand), and 40 minutes of Sarah Ivanhoe DVD's (my favorite DVD's recommended to me by VeggieGirl). My body felt GLORIOUS afterwards. I had a smile on my face the whole time =)I was craving a Tofu Scramble all day so I made one for dinner. I also had a Mini-Bagel with Tofutti Cream Cheese. Mmm.
There were a couple zucchini in my fridge that I needed to use up so I made Zucchini Bread. I used this recipe but added chopped figs for some added flavor. I took it out before it was completely cooked because I wanted it a bit gooey. It was delicious!

I'm off to get ready for bed and finish some homework, tomorrow is Friday! YAY!

It's Almost Over

Hey Loves<3

I promise after this week by blogging will be back to normal. I'm done with my Junior Research Paper but now I have testing. Eek! It's both tomorrow and Thursday so tonight I'm just going to relax and not worry. Here are some random food pictures...
Tropical Trio Bar. I love how crunchy, nutty, and sweet this bar is. The texture is perfection and the flavors make me feel like I should be in the Caribbean.
Post-workout fuel was Blended Barley. This scrumptious concoction contained...
-1/2 cup barley
-1/2 cup Chocolate Silken Creations
-sprinkle TJ's granola
Thought I would switch it up and make a Mexican Salad instead of the usual.
-baby spinach
-red bell pepper
-corn
-carrots
-BBQ tofu
-Hot Salsa
-Honey Mustard dressing
-TJ's blue corn chips
I was about to run out the door to go to the store (hey, it rhymes!) for more printer ink when I saw a package on my doorstep...
SUN WARRIOR!!! I was literally jumping up and down when I got this and of course I had to use it right away...

In my Breakfast Cookie.

-1/2 cup oats

-1 scoop Sun Warrior Protein Powder

-cinnamon

-carob chips

-hempmilk

-1 tbsp White Chocolate PB

-topped with blackberries and more PB

Oh baby, this is a winner for sure! The powder was a little messy but so worth it. It doesn't taste like dirt and it has a sweet, vanilla taste that I love. I can't wait to use it in more creations =)

Here's another random picture of my snack today. Cereal of course!

-Rice puffs

-GoLean

-Heart to Heart Blueberry Clusters

While the H2H cereal is a little too sweet for my taste, the blueberry flavor is lovely and its would be great topper to things like cereal, oats, and yogurt.

In exciting giveaway news:

Angela is giving away some cool new mascara!

and Tina is giving away a coupon for MixMyGranola, yum!

Wish me luck tomorrow on my test!!!

Go, Go, Go

What a day! It's been a little crazy but I'm finding the time to post while I enjoy my sweet potato dinner. It will be a quick one though as I have to finish my paper.
Strawberry-Kiwi Oatmeal.
-1/2 cup oats + 1 cup water
-cinnamon
-sliced strawberries
-slices kiwi
-TJ's Low-Fat Granola
-scoop of PB&Co Smooth Operator
Mellow Lentil "Sniffle" Soup from ED&BV. With sprouted bread for dipping.

My dad's birthday was at the end of march but we though we'd surprise him! It worked =)

P.S.- I could totally have done a better job on that writing...

Carrot Cake Cupcakes from HiaV. I used CherryBrook Vanilla Frosting, Jelly Beans, and Sprinkles to decorate =)

No picture of the brownies...but they were a hit! People couldn't believe they were vegan!

Blurry...but here's me holding my cupcake creations!

My and Ryder (the Birthday Boy!!!). He was being a little camera shy.

Here's Owen, who wasn't afraid to show his goofy face for the camera.

And last but not least (I didn't get a picture with the baby), my 7yr old brother Mitchell.

While everyone else enjoyed their cake and brownies, I made a little sinful treat of my own. A Chocolate Strawberry Parfait. I know, I know...cake isn't going to kill me. I just don't think I'm ready for that yet. Plus, I don't like heavy sugar-filled foods anyway, that's just not me. It makes me feel so lethargic and crappy.I thought a dessert-like snack would be the perfect compromise. I used...

-1/2 cup Chocolate Silken Creations Tofu
-sliced strawberries

-GoLean Cereal.

It was marvelous!

P.S. To all I owe an e-mail to, I promise to respond as soon as I can! I've just been super busy and I want to take the time to write a heartfelt response rather than a quick hello, goodbye. I'm not ignoring you or blowing it off, so don't worry!

Enjoy your night loves <3

Dip It

Thanks for all the sweet words, it's really nice to see my uncle again and I am so excited he's back. I might be a little sporadic with posting though. I have to finish my JRP by Tuesday and then on Wednesday and Thursday I have my ACT test! EEEK! My little brother is also turning 3 tomorrow so tonight I have to bake him some cupcakes & brownies =) Pictures will be posted!

Yesterday morning I made myself a nice bowl of Blended Oat Bran. I used Sarah's version and it turned out great! On top I added Mighty Maple...I might have licked the bowl clean.

I was busy all day so I didn't get the chance to take many pictures. Don't worry though, I was eating all my regular meals, just nothing exciting. I did get a picture of dinner though... A variation on my favorite Salad.

-baby spinach

-edamame

-corn

-BBQ Tofu (I use Annie's Smokey Maple sauce)

-barley

-guacamole

-Honey Mustard dressing

It was delightful! I wanted some more oat bran this morning but with a fun combination. PB Pretzel Oat Bran it is!

-1/2 cup oat bran + 1 1/4 cups water

-cinnamon

-1 serving TJ's Pretzel Thins

-1 tbsp White Chocolate PB

Guacamole Sandwich w/ Cucumbers. Carrots and an Apple on the side. I might have also had multiple handfuls of Carob Chips..someone get those things away! I can't control myself haha

Snack was a Bowl of Cereal. I was so tired from cleaning the house so it was a much deserved treat.

After more ACT prep, JRP work, and the rest of my cleaning, I had some dinner. A Pumpkin Tofu Scramble with toast. The tofu scramble included...

-zucchini

-red bell pepper

-mushrooms

-silken tofu

-1/4 cup pumpkin puree

-spices

-nutritional yeast

The addition of pumpkin is really delicious because it adds more flavor and creaminess than just a regular scramble.

When I got home from Toys-R-Us (we were getting my little brother his present) I wasn't feeling a sweet snack tonight...so I made Chips n' Dips! I used TJ's Low-Fat Baked Tortilla Chips with Guacamole, Salsa, and TofuttiCream Cheese to cool off my tongue.

I'm off to go bake, have a great night everyone!

More Important Things...

My uncle is back from Iraq so no post tonight. I want to spend some time with him and the family.

Happy Friday! =)

P.S. The post title means I'm starting to realize there are more important things in life than my eating disorder...I'm not dissing blogging! haha

Creamy, Crunchy, Melty, Yum

Another busy day, how fun...NOT! After next week all this should die down and I can get back to more detailed posts. But I'll still be posting my yummy eats so I can stay sane and take some much deserved breaks.
Trying to switch it up from the normal oats (except I didn't stray too far...) with some PB Toast and an Orange-sicle Smoothie. The PB toast was just some TJ's sprouted bread with Mighty Maple. Mmm, nothing like melty PB in the morning. The smoothie contained...
-1/2 cup water + 1/2 cup hempmilk
-1/3 block firm silken tofu
-1 orange
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1/4 cup oats (!)
-1 small handful TJ's Low-Fat Granola w/ Almonds (cake batter granola)
I made an orange smoothie before and I absolutely loved it so I decided to make another for breakfast. I actually blended it up last night and when I took it out of the fridge this morning it was super thick and delicious. I love how sweet it is without being overpowering and the citrus flavor was perfect for the morning. It was like an amped up glass of Orange Juice...with more fiber! Plus, it only took me a couple minutes to make breakfast. I might have to make these more often!
I've got my mojo back!!! A Clif Mojo bar that is =) It was sweet, salty, and everything a snack should be.


My lunch was too ugly to be photographed, a Tofu Sandwich with Tofutti cream cheese and pumpkin butter. I also had some Pretzel Thins...don't really know how many though as I was totally eating them out of the bag.


My workout was amazing today! First of all because I walked to the gym (my gym is only 5 minutes away form my house) and I didn't even need to wear a coat OR jacket outside. AND tomorrow is supposed to be even nicer out!!!!! But on to my workout... I did 45 minutes walking on the treadmill and 1 minute each of plank, and side planks. Then I wanted a nice refreshing bowl of Cereal.
-1 serving Kashi Honey Sunshine
-1 apple
-hempmilk
Simple but so amazingly good. I love it when I got pieces of apple, they were so crisp and refreshing. It's the little things in life =) SWEET POTATO! I was going to make something else tonight but I was craving one like mad so I went for it. SweetP Chips dipped in BBQ & Ketchup make this chica verry verry happy =)

There will be more to my dinner but I wanted to post before I locked myself in my room to finish my paper. What can I say...procrastination is my specialty!

A Day Without Nut Butter?

This is going to have to be another quickie (that's what she said...) because I have to continue the torture of writing my research paper. I'll still be reading your blogs though, since I need to take breaks occasionally to keep from ripping my hair out.

Oh this delicious mess? It's just Cookie Dough Oatmeal (recipe courtesy of CCV).
-1/2 cup oats + 1/2 cup water, soaked overnight
-1/2 cup hempmilk
-1 tbsp carob chips
-1 tbsp raw oats
-??? Almond Clusters
I honestly just poured the last of the bag of almonds on there, I didn't care how much it was. Oh gosh, this bowl was amazing! It was creamy, chocolaty, and filling despite the lack of nut butter. I'm sure it was the almonds but until now I never thought they could fill me up like nut butter can, I was wrong.


Morning snack: Chocolate Brownie Purebar


Lunch: Hummus & Spinach Sandwich and an apple. I didn't get a picture in because I was rushing out the door to go to Target. I just needed a couple things...plus some Sweet Potatoes!


For my snack I made some Flax Pudding (recipe from Sarah's blog). I used...
-1/2 cup hempmilk, 1/2 cup water
-1 tsp vanilla
-cinnamon
-2 tbsp flax
I boiled that mixture, put it in the fridge, then about 3 hours later I got a thick, creamy pudding. I topped it with 2 dried prunes and I was ready to eat. I think next time I'll make sure the flax is really ground up because I was so lazy this time I didn't wait until it was fully ground. Oh well, it was still tasty. I also had 1 tbsp of Mighty Maple PB because I can't live a day without nut butter. No way.

Dinner was a Hugh Jass Salad...a little different that my favorite combo but it's all good.
-baby spinach
-corn
-edamame
-BBQ tofu
-leftover Eggplant Stir-fry
-last of TJ's 3-Layer Hummus *tear*
I could totally live on salads for the rest of my life.



Alright, gotta go work on my paper, night lovelies <3

All Work, No Play

I've got to make this quick since I have to work on my Junior Research Paper and review for my math test tomorrow.
Breakfast was absolutely amazing. Inspired by Kath I made Pumpkin Yogurt Crunch.
-1 Vanilla Coconut Yogurt
-1/3 cup pumpkin
-1 tsp cinnamon
-3/4 cup Kashi GoLean
-1 tbsp ground flax
-1 tbsp Mighty Maple PB and Pumpkin Butter
-a couple almond clusters


Morning snack: Chocolate Brownie Purebar


I've been meaning to make this Savory Eggplant Stir-fry for a while now but only made it today. It was so delicious! The Chinese 5-spice just made the flavors pop and eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables. I served it over some barley for some grains.

I only went to the gym for 15 minutes today, I really wasn't feeling it because I had already walked to school, walked back home since I forgot my binder, and then walked home after school ended. Plus, I wanted to do some leg work at home for toning. I was a bit hungry after that so I made myself a bowl of Cereal. That's about 1 cup Honey Sunshine, 2 carrot cake muffins, and hempmilk drizzled on top. Perfection.

This isn't all I had for dinner but I just wanted to show you the pretty swirls of color in my 3-layer hummus. It's a treat for the eyes and the tastebuds! I added more to this with a slice of tofu and some baby spinach. I also had an apple, a prune, and a handful of almonds. Mmm.

Just to let everyone know, my meals aren't getting smaller...I just don't have time lately to take a picture of everything. Plus, I've been branching out and snacking on things when I'm not completely full and I don't take pictures of that either. Like after dinner when I had the almonds. You don't have to worry about me, I'm doing great =)

A Natural Glow

What's this?! Pumpkin Oats have returned! I'm so sick of (trying) to cut out orange foods so I'm giving up. It's not worth the agony ;) Plus, I never have to fake tan because I've got my own natural glow! This bowl contained
-1/2 cup oats + 1 cup water
-1/2 cup pumpkin puree
-1 tbsp ground flax
-1 tbsp Might Maple PB (!)
-1/2 tbsp Carob Chips
-1 tbsp pumpkin butter
-cinnamon
It was HEAVEN! First off, I missed pumpkin so much! It makes the bowl so creamy and delicious. Second of all, the Might Maple was delicious. I had really high hopes for it because everyone loves it and while it was delicious, I thought it was just okay compared to what I've heard. Maybe I'm not just a Maple person, I much prefer Agave.


Morning snack: 2 prunes

After returning from TJ's and Nutrition Network (the name of the health food store I go to), I made myself a nice Hummus & Spinach Sandwich. I used the 3-layer hummus from TJ's that has been in my fridge forever (good thing it wasn't bad, I don't know why I haven't opened it until now!) and also has an apple on the side. Mmm this was the perfect lunch and the hummus was a winner. I think I'll just buy this kind from now on! Oh and I can't take credit for that lovely painting in the background, that was my 4 year old brother's work of art!

I spotted this Nasoya Silken Creations dessert starter in Jewel the other day (who would have thought since their natural foods section is like 2 inches wide haha). It's a dark chocolate pudding that you can use to make pies or smoothies. It was amazing! I could have eaten the whole thing right out of the box. In fact, if I buy it again I will do just that as it's already in pudding form.

Today I used it in a Cocoa Barley Pudding. Made with 1/4 cup barley and 1/4 cup of the Silken Chocolate creation. It was tasty and a great way to re-fuel after a workout.

Did I ever tell you about how they play Animal Planet non-stop at my gym? Everytime I go Meercat Manor is on and let me tell you...it's riveting haha. At least it's not like Court TV or something like that. I actually enjoy watching Animal Planet.

My last Sweet Potato (I'm totally going to get more soon)! I made fries and this time I decided to switch it up with the dips. I used 1 tbsp ketchup and 1 tbsp Vanilla Almond Butter. No I didn't eat them both at the same time! It was more like half savory and then half a sweet dessert. Mmm, fabulous.

School starts again tomorrow and I'm sad but at least we're getting closer to the end of the year! Summer is almost here! =)

Hunger Games

Happy Easter everyone! I hope everyone got some treats in their easter baskets =)

I started off my morning with a giant cookie. Snickerdoodle Oats actually...but close enough. This lovely recipe comes from Chocolate-Covered Katie and it's quickly become a favorite of mine. It's creamy, filling, and the perfect way to start off the day.


I spent my whole morning reading (I'll reveal what I was reading at the end of this post) but I did manage to get a snack in there. I actually felt hungry (!) so I went downstairs and grabbed a Mini-Bagel and 2 Prunes. That satisfied me and kept me going until lunchtime came along.
My mom bought this a while ago to try but she hasn't even touched it so I stole it for my lunch haha.

I made Simple Fried Rice from Vegan YumYum. I didn't have 7-spice so I just omitted it and used black pepper (which I put on everything), I used barley instead of rice, cut the recipe in half, omitted the oil and butter, and used Almond Clusters on top. It was so freakin' good!!! The tangy soy sauce combined with the spicy black pepper and the sweet almonds was amazing. I only wish I made more!

After some more reading (and eventually finishing the book) I decided I was hungry for a snack. First I made this Green Tea Monster inspired by Angela. It actually doesn't look like a green smoothie at all but it had...

-1 cup Tazo Wild Sweet Orange Tea

-1/2 cup pineapple & cherries

-huge handful spinach

It looks like a chocolate shake haha but I guess the colors didn't blend well together. It did taste great though. I don't know why I've never thought to combine cherries and pineapple before. I only finished half as well. Smoothies always make me really full and I had made something else to enjoy...

Carrot Cake Muffins! The recipe is from Chocolate-Covered Katie (another one!) and they were mighty delicious. Sweet, moist, and flavorful I enjoyed this with a shmear of Tofutti Cream Cheese. Oh and times this plate by 3 and you get what I really ate ;)

Here are the Brownies I made last night! They turned out great! I used this recipe and my whole family loved them. In fact, as of 5pm they were gone. That's less than 24 hours folks. My mom kept saying "get these away from me" as she went back for more and even after I told my brother they were vegan he ate some. Success!

Dinner was a usual Salad. I was planning something new but it was like I was on auto-pilot while I put the tofu in the oven. I swear! I came back into the kitchen like "what am I doing? I thought I was making something else?" haha regardless it was tasty!

Now onto that new book I finished in 1 DAY!

I HIGHLY suggest this book, I couldn't put it down! The author of Twilight gave it rave reviews as did Stephen King! Here's the Book List review...

"This is a grand-opening salvo in a new series by the author of the Underland Chronicles. Sixteen-year-old Katniss poaches food for her widowed mother and little sister from the forest outside the legal perimeter of District 12, the poorest of the dozen districts constituting Panem, the North American dystopic state that has replaced the U.S. in the not-too-distant future. Her hunting and tracking skills serve her well when she is then cast into the nation's annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death where contestants must battle harsh terrain, artificially concocted weather conditions, and two teenaged contestants from each of Panem's districts. District 12's second "tribute" is Peeta, the baker's son, who has been in love with Katniss since he was five. Each new plot twist ratchets up the tension, moving the story forward and keeping the reader on edge. Although Katniss may be skilled with a bow and arrow and adept at analyzing her opponents' next moves, she has much to learn about personal sentiments, especially her own. Populated by three-dimensional characters, this is a superb tale of physical adventure, political suspense, and romance" Goldsmith, Francisca.

Go read it!

(I am) Naturally Nutty

Well, I'm beat! I had to clean the house today, go to the bank (to open my first account...I'm such a big girl haha), and hit up Wal-Mart. I'm sorry to say I used to be such a snob and hate Wal-Mart...and part of me still does. It just gives me a gross feeling to be in there, but anyways...I went there today and ended up getting Kashi Cereal for $2.98 a box. I bought 5. I also got some ribbon (I'll show you what I did with it in a future post), and a new ramekin. Score!

I bet your all wondering why I'm just showing you this Naturally Nutty Vanilla Almond Butter container right?

It contained my breakfast! I made Fig Oatmeal and since it only had about 1 1/2 tbsp of nut butter left...I just plopped it in the jar. Mmm, it made the AB so melty and delicious. Perfection. Oh and don't worry, I already re-stocked my supply ;)

After a date with the Swiffer Duster, I made myself an old favorite for lunch. Teriyaki Chickpeas from Happy Herbivore. This time adding baby spinach and using barley instead of rice. I just love the spicyness of this dish! It's a must to serve a grain on the side too because that counteracts the heat from the marinade and salsa.

I was still a little hungry so I had some "dessert". 2 Sunsweet Ones Prunes were the perfect sweet snack to end my lunch. It was the first time I've ever tried prunes and I really like them! They are sweet and creamy just like a date but with way less sugar.

When I got home from the store I was craving something crunchy so I made myself a bowl of Cereal (no picture). It contained GoLean, NP Optimum Blueberries and Cinnamon, and Strawberry Jam. I also had about 1/2 tsp Cashew Butter, just because I wanted it.

This meal never fails to put a smile on my face. I made a Tofu Scramble with Toast for a simple, delicious dinner. It's one of my favorites because it's so easy and flavorful.


FRIENDS… comes with the following description to be added & passed along: “These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated.” It also says : “Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”

Thank you Jemima for giving me this award! xoxo

Now I'm off to make some brownies for my little brother...he randomly requested them and who am I to give up the chance to bake?! I hope everyone has a HAPPY EASTER!!!

Smooth Operator

You all are SO amazing! Thank you so much for all of your encouragement and words of support. I'm glad I can be an inspiration =)
Aren't these oats pretty? I made Cherry Carob Oats this morning and they were delicious!
-1/2 cup oatmeal, 1 cup water
-1/2 cup frozen cherries
-cinnamon
-1 tbsp ground flax
-1/2 tbsp Carob Chips
-1 tbsp PB&Co Smooth Operator
I LOVED this new PB! It was a little sweet and the texture was so amazing. It almost had a whipped feel to it. I love how the little bubbles stayed in tact when I scooped it. I also had a handful of granola afterwards.
I wasn't really hungry for a snack since breakfast was later than on weekdays, but I knew I couldn't wait until lunchtime...so I just snacked on this TJ's Mini-Bagel. It was the perfect size to keep me full until lunch and very soft and doughy.

After seeing this recipe on Kiki's blog, I bookmarked it immediately. I didn't get the chance to make it until now but I'm glad I finally got around to it. This Chickpea and Peanut Stew had great flavor and was easy to make. I made a serving for one and changed the vegetables a bit but otherwise left the recipe the same. Oh and I added 1/4 cup (dry) bulgar to the stew so I could get my serving of grains in.

I went to the gym and did 35 minutes on the treadmill and then came home to a HUGE bowl of PB Puffins (not pictured). I'm talking overflowing bowl huge! It was good though and kept me full for a long time.

I still wasn't that hungry an hour after my usual dinnertime so I made a simple salad.

-1 1/2 cups baby spinach

-2 tbsp guacamole

-BBQ sauce

-1/4 cup chickpeas

It was very satisfying and flavorful. I also had these...

Hedgehog Potatoes from the blog poopiebitch (haha love this name). I'm not a fan of regular potatoes (and I guess I could also do this with Sweet Potatoes) but I wanted to change it up and try them. First of all...they are so cute! Second of all, they tasted great. The bottoms were nice and toasty and the insides were perfectly cooked. I do wonder how SP's would work with this recipe...hmm.


I'm not sure if I'll have a snack tonight since I'm really not that hungry but we'll see. I want to make sure I'm actually hungry first before I have a snack because I've eaten when I wasn't hungry before and it was hard to sleep.

Have a great night everyone!!!

In Breaking News...

Sorry for being MIA last night. I had a nutritionist appointment and then I was just too lazy to post haha. More info on the appointment later in this post.
I wanted something new for my oatmeal yesterday morning so I thought up a new combination. Cashew Mango Oatmeal!
-1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup hemp milk, 1/2 cup water
-cinnamon
-1/3 cup diced mango
-1 spoonful Cashew Butter
It was marvelous! The salty cashew butter went so perfectly with the sweet mango. Another favorite thing about this bowl was the hemp milk. I used Living Harvest Unsweetened Original and it made it SO creamy! I find that this milk also makes simple things like cereal so much better.
I was craving something sweet for lunch yet I wanted something hearty. I think I created the weirdest combo ever...but it was mighty tasty! It's a Tofu & Pumpkin Butter Sandwich with baby carrots on the side. For the sandwich I used
-2 slices sprouted bread
-1 tbsp Pumpkin Butter
-2 slices raw (well...uncooked) tofu, pressed really well
-sprinkle of cinnamon
I had no idea how this would turn out but it was good! I liked the sweetness with the tofu and the cinnamon made the flavors really stand out.

After a 45 min workout on the treadmill, I came home to this ginormous bowl of Cereal. -1/3 cup TJ's Honey Nut O's -1/2 cup NP's Optimum Blueberries and Cinnamon -1 /3 cup PB Puffins -hemp milk

Dinner was my favorite salad =)

I packed this snack before I left for my appointment so I could eat it on the way home. It's a TJ's Mini-Bagle with a thick layer of Tofutti Cream Cheese and a sprinkle of Carob Chips. It was delightful! The tangy cream cheese was a great contrast to the sweet, rich carob chips and it was the perfect size to keep me full.

My appointment went great! It was nice to see her again and she thought I had made real progress. I told her about wanting to listen to my body and eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full so we're going to work on that. I'm still really rigid about times and food so I'm hoping this will help. Anddd, I have AMAZING NEWS! I have reached my goal weight range!!!!! She gave me a range of numbers (and since I don't have a problem with knowing she let me know, I won't post it here though), and then weighed me. I'm at the very low end of my recommended range but I am so proud of myself for even getting there!!! Girls, I'm proof that you can do this, it wasn't easy but if I can do it, you can too. I'm feeling great about everything that's happened and my mood is drastically changing. I'm forgiving my body for little imperfections and realizing it's not all about how thin I am. I should love all of me. A little tip she gave me: pick a part of your body that you love, then look at that when you step in front of a mirror instead of the negative parts. I chose my butt and calves. I love how strong and in shape they are. So everytime I see a mirror, I'm turning around! haha Today's oats were ridiculously good! My Coconut Yogurt Oats were made with... -1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup hempmilk, 1/2 cup water -cinnamon -1 container Vanilla Coconut Yogurt -1 packet Barney Butter (my last one *sniffle*)

Oh gosh! Creamy, thick, rich, and simple. Loved it! I was too hungry to stick with my meal plan today so I just made a sandwich. A TJ's Vegetable Masala Burger on sprouted bread with baby spinach and dijon mustard. Baby carrots and pineapple made perfect additions to this delicious meal. Same cereal combo but in a smaller portion as yesterdays. I wanted to add some Cinnamon Raisin PB without being stuffed until tomorrow!

I finally got the FAQ up so go check it out on my sidebar =)

It's Alll Good.

Today's breakfast was a recipe from the PB&Co Website. It's the Johnny Appleseed Sandwich.
-1 TJ's Whole Wheat Mini Bagel
-1 tbsp Cinnamon Raisin PB
-1 tbsp Tofutti Cream Cheese
-1 sliced apple
-cinnamon
The combination was delicious! I've never tried cream cheese and PB but it's great! I also had another mini bagel because I was still hungry. I guess nothing fills me up as much as oatmeal!
My morning snack was a Chocolate Brownie Purebar. This is one of my favorite bars, it's perfectly sweet and super chocolaty. Mmm.


It was an okay day today...but when I got home, it turned into an amazing day because...



I got my PB order! I got the New (no-stir recipe) Smooth Operator, MIGHTY MAPLE!, and more White Chocolate Wonderful. I'm so excited to try the new ones haha I've been waiting to try them forever!

I wanted a quick, simple lunch today. Masala Burgers it is! I heated it up, placed it on sprouted bread (with dijon and spinach), and topped it with hot salsa. Baby carrots on the side of course.

I went to the gym (for the first time in a while) and did 45 minutes (walking) on the treadmill. It was glorious. I was so full of energy I wanted to like sprint the whole time haha. I was super hungry when I got home so I made a big bowl of cereal.

-1 cup kamut puffs

-1/4 cup Nature's Path Hemp Plus Granola (the last of it! OH NO!)

-1/3 cup PB Puffins

-almond milk

-1 tbsp Unsalted Crunchy PB

I just love mixing my cereals, it makes such a party in my mouth ;)I was craving BBQ Tofu, but instead of using it in my favorite salad, I just ate it as is with some steamed broccoli and bulgar (mixed with salsa) on the side. It was a great dinner and so simple to make. I really enjoyed it. I think I'm going to start getting more creative with dinners as I've been stuck in a rut for sometime now.

I've been pushing out of my comfort zone with foods a lot today so I thought I would make something new for my late night snack. Okay, Okay...so I ran out of cereal, but I was thinking about it for a while now. Tonight I had 2 Nature's Path Red Berry Waffles with 1 tbsp Tofutti Cream Cheese, 1 tbsp Blueberry Preserves, and a sprinkle of Carob Chips. I sandwiched it together and it was so amazing!!! This snack will be in my normal rotation from now on =)

Nothing really eventful happened today, I have just been in a good mood. I hope everyone has a great night!

VIP

Inspired by Heather, I went for it and made Spinach Oats this morning.
-1/2 cup oats+ 1 cup water
-cinnamon
-handful baby spinach
-1/4 cup applesauce
-1 tbsp Barney Butter
It was...different. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. The flavor was fine, the texture just threw me off. I guess it's because I don't have a really powerful blender to really chop the spinach. The Barney Butter was delicious though! It was my first time trying it and while it was a tad sweet, the texture was perfect! So smooth and creamy...I might have to order a jar next time I'm low on nut butter.

Morning Snack: Blueberry Purebar

A couple weeks ago I went to the Kashi website as they were giving away coupons for a free frozen meal. I've been wanting to try this Mayan Harvest Bake but not willing to spend that much money on it. When I got the coupon I went to WF and picked this up right away. I waited until a Monday to eat it because I get home later from school and needed something quick to make.

It was pretty good. I'm not a fan of frozen meals but this one boasted plantains, kale, sweet potatoes, and ancho chili sauce, YUM! I've never had plantains before but they were delicious paired with the spicy heat of the sauce. The only thing I didn't really like was the pumpkin seeds on top. When cooked, they were chewy and had a weird texture to them

After 'shredding' (how do ya'll do this everyday?!), I made a big bowl of cereal to replenish my energy (well, not really as I have been super hyper all day).
-1/2 cup Kamut Puffs
-1/2 cup NP Optimum Blueberries & Cinnamon
-1/3 cup PB Puffins
-almond milk
-1 tsp cashew butter

Your girl was craving more Sweet Potatoes tonight! I made a big batch of fries (with ketchup and BBQ sauce) with a Guac Sandwich on the side. Very filling but tasssty!

Today was a really good day despite going back to school. I felt confident and just happy. I felt free.

Last but not least I want to wish the Very Important Person VeggieGirl a very Happy 21st Birthday! I've already told her multiple times today but she is such an amazing friend to me that she deserves to hear it at least 12,659,843 more times =)

It's MANIA!!!

I've got to keep this short and sweet because as the title says Wrestlemania is on tonight! Your all probably like "umm what?". My 7-yr old brother is obsessed with wrestling and so I've been catching glimpses of it for the past couple weeks. I've recently gotten into it because it's so much like a soap opera and it's really addicting! I just want to see who wins haha. Okay, enough of me being a loser... Chai Oatbran. It doesn't even need a description...it was too delicious for words.

-1 1/4 cups chai tea

-1/2 cup oatbran + wheat bran

-cinnamon

-2 chopped figs

-1 spoonful Crunchy Unsalted PB

I didn't measure mt PB this morning because I wanted to listen to my body and see how much I really needed to be satisfied. I went back for a little more afterwards but I was pretty content with my meal.

After a quick workout I ate a Brownie Purebar...sorry no picture. Sometimes I think my mid-morning snack is just there to make me gain weight and that I am not even hungry when I eat it but today I really did need it. I'll have to do more experimenting with this one.

I was craving a crunchy sandwich this afternoon but couldn't decide what to put in it. I looked through my recipes and found this one for Chickpea Patties. It was really easy to make and the only changes I made were to half the recipe to make 4 patties and omit the flour. The patties were great! Just enough flavor but very simple. I added spinach and dijon to sprouted bread and had some carrots on the side.
I also had half of this Chocolate Brownie Zbar...I have been craving these a lot lately! They taste just like a brownie and are a great, healthy way to get a chocolate fix.

After lunch I went to Trader Joe's and the health food store and picked out a couple things.

From TJ's: Mini Bagels, Tofu, Black Beans, Kidney Beans, Guaca Salsa, Sprouted bread, and a giant box of PB Puffins. I'm so excited to try the bagels, I keep hearing good things about them and it would be a good change from my normal bowl of oats. The guac was much cheaper than the Wholly Guac brand so I'm hoping it tastes just as good. Puffins, they kind of explain themselves..it's been wayy too long since I've had a bowl.

From Health Food Store: Silken Tofu, Body wash, and Trio Bars. Oh and this...

Yes my bloggers, that would be a 25 POUND BAG OF ROLLED OATS. It was only $13 and I figured it would last me at least a couple months. I brought it home and my mom started laughing, I'm pretty sure I'll get a good giggle everytime I see this.

Afternoon snack was a bowl of PB Puffins of course...again sorry no pic, I was putting away groceries.

I was craving a Salad but I was too lazy to cook tofu so I threw this beauty together.

-2 cups baby spinach

-1/4 red bell pepper

-4 baby carrots

-edamame

-leftover chickpea patties

-1 tbsp Smokey Maple BBQ sauce

-Honey Mustard dressing

It was tasssssty!

Sorry to put off the Q&A but I will be sure to try and get it up tomorrow for ya. Have a great night everyone =)

Crunchin' and Munchin'

Thank you all so much for the sweet words on yesterday's post! I can't tell you how much you all make me smile and boost my confidence. I feel like I don't even need a support group (which is what was suggested instead of therapy) because I have one right here! I went back today to return the jeans but they had such a limited selection! I exchanged one pair for a really dark wash boot cut jean, and then returned the other pair. I'm going to wait until I go to the other store for more pairs. I was talking to my mom about this and she said it was fine that I only went up one size because my nutritionist says I only have a tiny bit to go and that a small size does run in the family. I'm pretty content with my body now. I think the more I exercise the happier I am and the more comfortable I am in my body. NO it is not a ED-related obsession with exercise! I don't do more than 30 minutes each day and I focus more on toning than losing weight. I want curves (what?! yeah I said it) but I want to be toned too. Today I looked in the mirror and saw that my thighs touch a bit in one area. I'm thinking it's the muscle but then I started worrying about it. Then...guess what? Instead of thinking...I must starve myself to lose it, I thought...I'll just do some more squats and lunges to tone up. This is HUGE for me! All my problems used to only have one solution, starve. Now I'm finding healthier ways to cope with my feelings and when the angry or sad feeling passes, I feel much better afterwards than if I had stopped eating. Speaking of eating...
I wanted to switch it up from the oats today so I made a PB&J Sandwich for breakfast. I used 1 tbsp White Chocolate PB and Blueberry Spread on TJ's sprouted wheat. Mmm, this combo was heavenly! I actually saw it on PB&Co's website and had to try it immediately!

Of course I was still hungry so I also had a bowl of Cereal.

-1/2 cup kamut puffs

-1/2 cup NP Optimum Blueberries and Cinnamon

-almond milk

Anddddd to finish off the jar...I just took it with me and between bites of cereal I scooped some out. Much easier than trying to get it all out to top my cereal.

I ate this Purebar after cleaning the 2nd floor of the house. It took me like 1 1/2 hours! I needed this extra fuel to keep me going on the 1st floor.

I got this package while cleaning and at first I had no idea what it was...then I saw the label and was literally jumping up and down with joy! My first sample of Barney Butter!!! What shall I put it on first??

Inspired by the lovely VeggieGirl, I decided to make her signature dish for lunch today. It's called B-S-Cubed and it's made with

-1 sweet potato

-1/2 can chickpeas (the original is black beans but I didn't have any)

-3 cups spinach

-1/4 cup salsa

It was fantastic! A great combination of textures and flavors, plus it was nice and spicy! Actually all my favorite foods are in this dish, perfection! I also had a slice of bread for some carbs.

I didn't get a picture of my snack today but it was just some Cereal w/ protein powder. I've been on a cereal kick lately...well more than usual, I usually only have it once a day ;)

I changed up my Salad tonight using

-2 cups baby spinach

-edamame

-baby carrots

-Smokey Maple BBQ tofu

-Honey Mustard dressing

-Guacamole (instead of hummus!)

The guac gave it a great creamy, spicy flavor that I really loved. Now I know the mound of grey/green goop doesn't look too appetizing but trust me, it wasn't moldy or anything, it's just from sitting in the fridge. haha

I think I'm going to challenge myself next week to listen to my body's natural hunger cues. I don't do this now because I'm afraid it won't happen...but I think I've been eating really well and that I need to learn to trust my body again. I won't be reducing my meals, just asking myself if I'm really hungry at the time I usually eat (I'm trying to break out of my rigid eating times), and if I'm full or not. Hopefully I can get in tune with my body and develop a healthier relationship with food this way.

A reminder, I'm thinking of putting the Q&A up tomorrow so if any of you have any questions, don't be shy, ask away!!! Just e-mail me and I will try to answer as best as I can.

Giveaway News: Megan is giving away an ADORABLE t-shirt from ellembee (on Etsy). I could not decide which one to pick, they are all amazing!

Oh and one more thing, some of you asked where I got the clothes/accessories from...

Jeans/Mini Skirt/Purple Shorts/Purple Shirt/: PacSun

Green Shorts/Mini Skirt/Blue Shirt/Gladiators: Charlotte Russe

Belt/Camis/Orange Jacket/Tailored Shorts/Jewelry: Forever 21

Scarves: Wet Seal

Confessions of a Shopaholic

I'm going to make this post kind of quick because I'm really antsy and I don't want to sit down anymore. What a lame excuse...but true.
I started off this glorious day was a bowl of Snickerdoodle Oats a la CCV. I made it easier by just soaking the oats overnight instead of cooking them beforehand. I dumped the soaked oats (1/2 cup) into a pot and added
-1 cup almond milk
-lots of cinnamon!
-pinch of salt
-1/2 pkt stevia
-1 tbsp White Chocolate PB
This was the creamiest bowl EVER!!! Like better than my favorite blended bowls. I left it a little more liquidier (that is totally not even a word) so it had more of a pudding consistency. I bet if I blended this (and I'm planning on doing this soon) it would be even more spectacular. Amazing.


Before I left to go shopping I had a PB Cookie Larabar and on the way home from shopping I had an apple, pretzels, and almond clusters.
When I got home from shopping I wasn't very hungry so I just waiting until my usual snack time to have some Cereal. I used
-1/2 cup Kamut Puffs
-1/2 cup Nature's Path Optimum Blueberries and Cinnamon
-almond milk
-1 tbsp Dark Chocolate PB (the last of my jar!)
I've never tried the NP cereal before but I thought it was pretty good. I would have preferred a stronger cinnamon flavor but it wasn't horrible. It won't be on my regular rotation of cereals but I think I will enjoy the rest of the box.
To make up for my half-assed lunch I made a HUGE dinner. A Tofu Scramble and a Hummus & Guac Sandwich were on the menu and I can now say I am totally stuffed! It was so delicious though.


Shopping was really fun! I got along really well with the girl and we had a lot of fun just chatting and picking out clothes. It's fun to have go out like I used to, plus I didn't feel nervous at all! She said I was one of the easier girls because I didn't freak out about the clothes or make it harder for her. We really enjoyed ourselves. Here's the goods...

2 pairs of jeans (which I'm returning), 2 mini-skirts, 2 pairs colored shorts (LOVE the purple!), and a cute belt. The reason why I'm returning the jeans is because I got them 2 sizes bigger. I thought it would be best when I was at the store but when I got home and tried them on again I realized it made me feel worse since I looked bulkier than necessary. Plus I only have a TINY bit more weight to gain (that's what my nutritionist said) so I don't think that size will work in the long run. I might even order some online since delias is so far away. I love their jeans.

1 black and 1 blue cami ($2.50 each!), neon purple shirt (neons are totally in for spring, I kept seeing it everywhere!), and an amazingly blue shirt which I totally fell in love with. I was walking around the mall and I kept seeing purple everything. I would pick up something and it would be purple. Have you ever done this? Like during a certain season or month you just gravitate to a certain color? So anyways, then I said "I want something blue" and there it was! I tried it on and I swear this is MY color. It made my hair, eyes, and (minor) tan stand out so much. I can't wait to wear it!

Love this outfit! It's a orange structured jacket with tailored shorts (and I'll probably wear a tank underneath), that don't look that great by themselves on the rack but when I put them on I felt SO confident.

Even though I was shopping for clothes I had to get some accessories as well. Cute new gladiators, 1 yellow scarf, 1 pink/brown scarf, 1 white & gold bangle, a blue & bronze wallet (not pictured but I'll put it up tomorrow), 1 necklace, and 2 rings.

Here is the jewelry up close...

And...my new purse! I totally fell in love with this shimmery periwinkle color!

Overall this trip was really successful (except for the jeans)! I'm really glad I branched out and did this because it really restored my confidence. I always feel better when I'm in pretty clothes. And hanging out with someone other than my family is nice for a change. If you want to know where anything is from just shoot me an e-mail.

Now enough of me sounding like a spoiled brat...I'm off to do some chores haha. No really, I have to get a head start, I have to clean the ENTIRE house tomorrow =)

A Walk on the Wild Side

I was craving that sweet/salty combination again this morning so I made a bowl of PB Pretzel Oats.
-1/2 cup oats + 1 cup water
-cinnamon
-1 serv TJ's Pretzel Thins
-1 tbsp Dark Chocolate PB
Speaking of PB...I ordered some more online today! But you'll just have to wait and see which ones I got ;) You know how Pistachios were recalled? Yeah well before I went to Whole Foods I read that online and sighed because that's one of my fav Larabars...then I got to WF and saw they were still out...so I bought one. I'm a badass =P

I felt like something new today so I made Peanut Butter Rice. I've never used PB in a savory dish before and I thought a sauce would be a good place to start. I used

-chopped carrots, red bell pepper, broccoli, and edamame

-1 slice tofu

-3/4 cup rice

-2 tsp soy sauce, water, and unsalted crunchy PB

-ginger, red pepper flakes, and black pepper

It turned out great! I really liked the creaminess of the sauce and the spicy, nutty flavor to it. A new favorite for sure!

An Amy inspired snack of Popcorn and Tazo Awake Tea. The popcorn included...

-1/4 cup (dry) popped popcorn

-tons of cinnamon

-1/2 pkt. stevia

-1/2 tbsp chocolate chips

-5 almond clusters

It was heavenly! I usually eat things like pudding or cereal (anything with a spoon) for my snack so it was really different. I haven't had popcorn in so long and never with sweet ingredients, mmm.

I know, I know. Yesterday I said I wouldn't be full from just 1 sweet potato for dinner...and I was going to make something after I finished but I'm really full at the moment. This SP was bigger than last night's so maybe that's why. Regardless it was amazing. I dipped it in ketchup and Smokey Maple BBQ sauce. Amazing.

I'm so excited for tomorrow! I'm going shopping with that woman I told you about (the one that is recovered from an ED and she takes girls still suffering shopping for clothes to make them feel more confident and beautiful in their own skin). I'm looking forward to this so much since my body image isn't as great as it could be. I'll make sure to reveal my finds as well as give a full recap of how it went. OH! I almost forgot, I will also be showing off my new purse...I so don't mean to brag but I'll totally forget if I don't write it on here haha

'Night loves <333

Reunited and it Feels So Good

You'll know what I'm talking about at the end of this post...
I was kind of at a loss on what to make for breakfast so I just stick with an old favorite...Applesauce Oats.
-1/2 cup oats + 1 cup water
-cinnamon, allspice, ground cloves, nutmeg, pinch salt
- 1/2 chopped apple
- 3 tbsp applesauce
- 2 tbsp Cinnamon Raisin PB
- sprinkle Carob Chips
I love how creamy and filling the applesauce makes it and the chucks of slices apple just made the flavor really stand out. Of course I had to use cinnamon raisin PB, I think it goes best with anything apple. The carob chips weren't really needed...but I threw them in there for good measure =)
I made another Vegetable Masala Burger today (it was too good to pass up) with a side of baby carrots and sauteed baby broccoli (pepper, red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar).


After lunch I went to Whole Foods to pick up a couple things. I'll be reviewing them in future posts but until then...it's a secret. I will give you this though...
Vanilla Coconut Yogurts on sale 3/$4. I had one when I got home with some Cake Batter Granola. Spectacular!


Here's why I named this post what I did...
SWEET POTATOES!!! Since abandoning my loves about a month ago, I finally picked some up for numerous reasons.
1. They are delicious...duh
2. I can only buy them organic from Whole Foods, which makes it easier to resist and makes them more like a special treat.
3. Since noticing my skin turning orange my mom instructed my no more orange foods! But I still had carrots and oranges so I'm kind of giving up on that one haha. It's impossible! She didn't really care today because I haven't had them in so long. I only bought 5 so lets see how long they last. =)
Seeing as how I used to eat only 1 sweet potato for dinner every night I knew I would have to have something else with it, so I made a...
Guacamole Sandwich! Simple yet it incorporates a grain and a fat into my meal. Looking back, I don't know how I managed to feel full from just 1 sweet potato...I would be still hungry if I didn't have that sandwich!


Movie Review: Twilight. Overall I really liked it but it is not NEARLY as good as the book. Robert is hot so that makes it about 10x better but some scenes were really awkward and Kristen didn't smile like once...some scenes were so swoon-worthy though! I kept waiting to see certain parts of the book but no surprise some were left out (or else it would be super long!). I would recommend it to everyone because I think it really depends on the person if they like it or not. It's worth giving a try!