Day 43: Friday, Nov 30 ~ Sweet potato, topped with black beans ~Chocolate Banana 'Milkshake' ~

~ Sweet potato, topped with black beans ~ Chocolate Banana 'Milkshake' ~

So tonight Jesse is off on a comic adventure and I'm still trying to wrap up all this schoolwork.

Quick and easy is the name of the game! (also, he's got the camera - so no pics tonight I'm afraid!)

 

Sweet potato, topped with black beans

Saw this 'recipe' on the Engine 2 site. I baked the sweet potato in the microwave, heated up the beans, combined - voila! Nothing more to say.... ;o except...omg is this good! :) It would probably be even more healthy and balanced with some greens on the side, but I could only eat half as it was - very filling! :)

 

Chocolate Banana 'Milkshake'

I also decided to treat myself as I've plugged back into using my exercise bike, even doing so today on my own versus crashing on the couch with the cats. I saw a recipe for something similar, and thought I should try it out.

Here's what I did:

- 2 small bananas, frozen (be smart and peel and chop the bananas then put in freezer! I had to skin 

   mine under running hot water...)

- 3 teaspoons of cocoa powder

- 1 teaspoon of sugar

- 1 dash (tsp) vanilla extract

- 1 cup soymilk

Blend like crazy until desired consistency.

 

Here's what I will do to improve:

This was SO filling - much more so than a 'regular' milkshake! I think next time I'll just use 1 banana, possibly less soymilk as well (as I had to put half of it away for later anyway!)

Also - you really don't need 3 tsp of cocoa. Now, anyone that knows me knows I'm serious about chocolate - but (I can't believe I'm saying this) - this was too much, like Burger King shake syrupy chocolaty tasting almost (without the sick aftereffect though!).

And...you probably don't need the sugar - taste and see what works for you.

So - the next time I will try:

- 1 banana frozen (and prechopped!)

- 1 tsp. cocoa powder

- 1 dash vanilla

- 3/4 c. soymilk

Blend like crazy until desired consistency. And use a straw to drink because that's just cooler.

 

I felt pretty good about this creation. I know that all of these things are in line with how I want to be eating, will not hurt me (finding that I'm feeling so much better off dairy!), are even GOOD for me....and more importantly, this tasted even better than a shake from a fast food place - AND I didn't end up with a tummy ache or headache after!

I had reconsidered making this (after watching Biggest Loser while on my bike and thinking hmm...I've got a lot of weight to lose) - but then I reconsidered because if eating healthy substitutions like this will help me stay plant-strong (and these have much less calories and much more nutrition!) - then why not? I am going to find a way to have my cake and eat it too - Yum! :)

 

 

 

Day 42: Thursday Nov 29 ~Spaghetti :)

~ Spaghetti ~

So I had something else planned for tonight, but it must've been too weird because Jesse ended up making spaghetti while I crammed for my final. And you know what? It was absolutely perfect - exactly what I needed to help me ace my test! So a HUGE thank you to my husband for all of his work throughout this project, including covering for me tonight. :)

 

P.S. He was also so sweet to put mine on the Snowman plate he smuggled into our cart last Christmas season. :) Something I wanted but did not intend to buy for myself, it is not only a reminder of my favorite holiday but his thoughtfulness. :)

Day 41: Wednesday Nov 28 ~ Leftover Better Than Chicken Soup ~

~ Leftover Better Than Chicken Soup ~

Well, it's 8:30 and I'm not yet home. Jesse just wrapped up a drawing session at a comic store(yeah!), and is now being coached on how to succeed at his interview tomorrow (thank you REN!). While I'd like to leave prison, uh I mean work, it is a nice, quiet environment to do some studying - of which I have a copious amount with a final tomorrow and a huge project due soon that I'm trying to wrap up. I know if I were home I'd be watching either Downton Abbey or Supernatural, of which I've seen every episode...and cuddling with cats, all concerns for our future and my scholastic career just out of my head. 

SO anyway - just in case this happened, I packed extra food and am eating the leftover soup from yesterday and maybe a grapefruit for dessert. I'm hoping that Jesse brought food with him as I instructed - but if not(and probably not), he will be scavenging the fridge when we get home! No Wendy's for you, sir! We must stay clean for another 25 days (well, for this goal anyway)....and by the way, that's the countdown to Christmas Eve. Wow...well, now that I've freaked you all out, go watch a Charlie Brown Christmas for me and have a good night!

Day 40: Tuesday Nov 27 ~ Better than Chicken Soup ~

~ Better than Chicken Soup ~

So apparently my sister is sick - and since we had been over there frequently over the weekend, and since our immunities are down because we've supplemented our healthy leftovers with junk or non-plant-strong material this weekend (I know, I know - but we're back on track!)...to help prevent issues and just boost our system, we're making this amazing soup.

 

It's super easy and super yummy and super healthy! :) The only thing that could improve it in my book is to serve with homemade bread (or in a bread bowl - yeah!).

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/better-chicken-soup

oh - of course leave out the oil and use vegetable broth!
We sorta took a short-cut, putting the remainder of the Kale Salad from Thursday in (versus the kale it called for) - this made it a little sweeter with the addition of the red and yellow peppers.
 

Day 39: Monday, Nov 26 ~ Sunny Summer Squash Soup ~

~ Sunny Summer Squash Soup ~

 

Jesse somehow found these cute little yellow squashes, and while I'm not a huge fan of pureed soup, something about this recipe called out to me. Maybe it was 'sunny' - nice to bring some of that into November! :)

We did substitute half the yellow squash for butternut, hence the darker color. :)

 

 

Glad we did try the recipe out - it was delicious! :)

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2008/08/sunny-summer-squash-soup.html

Day 36/Fri - Day 38/Sun ~ you guessed it, leftovers!

you guessed it, leftovers!

We had SO much food - stuff we had in our fridge that wasn't eaten before Thanksgiving, stuff from both of our families, stuff, stuff, stuff.....so we had many variations of leftovers over the weekend. I was trying to stay away some from the usual internet trap, so didn't blog about it.

Happy to be back in the flow of things today! :)

Day 35: Thursday Nov 22 ~ Apple Braid ~ Kale Salad with Olives and Pine Nuts ~ Scarlet Roasted Vegetables ~

~ Apple Braid ~ Kale Salad with Olives and Pine Nuts ~ Scarlet Roasted Vegetables ~

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! :)

 

I'll be helping out with the usual preparations at my mom's later today - but thought I'd make a breakfast treat ahead of time, so we can pick at it while we wait for the rest of the food to come together.

Besides...I really wanted to try this out!!
Also thought it might be nice to bring a few new favorites!

 

 

 

Apple Braid

http://www.eatliverun.com/apple-braid/#more-24074

Instead of the oil, I used applesauce. Instead of the whipping cream, I used homemade almond milk. If you need frothiness/body, I wouldn't necessarily recommend substituting the almond milk - but in this recipe, it is just for a glaze - so I thought, sweet, a little healthy fat in there...that'd be a good substitution. *In retrospect, it probably could be a little thicker - why they said with whipping cream perhaps? I would recommend thickening the almond milk by not adding as much water when processing (as you would for regular 'milk'). Alternatively, you could just add in a little extra powdered sugar and you'd be all set.

Homemade almond milk:

http://www.edibleharmony.com/almond-milk/ 

 

Kale Salad with Olives and Pine Nuts

This was one we tried the last day of the Comicon - it was a fun, spicy salad. Hmm...with the colors if this is a winner over there I might reprise it at Christmas!http://freedomfromfastfood.blogspot.com/2012/10/day-10-sunday-oct-28-portabellas.html

 

Scarlet Roasted Vegetables

Yeah, I know - not scarlet today! Surprisingly enough, Kroger did not have beets! I had canned some earlier this summer, but was afraid even with rinsing the vinegar might throw the flavor off, so I decided to abstain.

This dish is never the same twice because I always have a different mixture of vegetables - however, it is always good no matter what you put in it! :)

http://freedomfromfastfood.blogspot.com/2012/10/day-10-sunday-oct-7.html