What I Ate Wednesday (20): A Day in the Life

My life is über crazy right now, so my eats are simple, sweet, and to the point, nutritionally speaking. Part of me misses cooking regularly, but another part is also pleased how productive I’m being—this is my last semester as an undergrad, and I want to make the most of it! And of course, in order to sustain myself throughout these 16-hour days, I strive to fuel myself as effectively (and deliciously!) as possible.

So, here are yesterday’s eats. As always, thanks to Jenn for hosting the ever fun and fabulous WIAW trend!

Breakfast

Rolled oats with homemade almond milk, 2 Tbs. ground flaxseed, 1/3 cup frozen/thawed organic blueberries, salted pistachios, 2 dried figs, and some shredded coconut.

If you’re ridiculously busy, there’s no excuse to skip breakfast. On days when my schedule is packed, I rely on overnight oats so I can essentially jump out of bed, eat, get dressed, and dash out the door.

Lunch

A salad beast, an orange, and some 77% cocoa dark chocolate.

Brown lentils, wheatberries & speltberries, spinach, celery, carrot coins, cauliflower, parsley, scallions, dried cranberries, walnuts, liquid aminos, mustard, lemon juice, and gomashio.

Dinner

My husband and I went to the big city last night to see a musical, and since I’d received some e-coupons from Shahi Palace, our favourite Indian restaurant there, of course we decided to take advantage of not only a free order of samosa, but also a 25% discount on one of our meals.

All meals come with complimentary pappadum, cilantro chutney, and sweet-and-sour chutney. I didn't eat mine, since I knew I'd be indulging in a samosa, but I must say, the chutneys are smashing!

Finally sated the samosa craving that has been gnawing at me for months . . . now, I want to create my own samosa recipe!

For our main dishes, we split an order of baigan bharta and channa palak--and what's so wonderful is that, if you ask, the chef will eliminate dairy from the sauces. Yay for vegan-friendly restaurants!

And of course, we also split an order of roti! There was some white basmati rice, too, but I never eat it. Thankfully, roti fulfills my need for whole grains!

Today’s dinner, in stark contrast, was by no means complicated, nor was it as exciting as Indian cuisine (few things are), but in its own way, it was very satisfying.

Banana-Nut Butter Makeshift Manicotti

Serves 1 as a large snack or light meal, but you can make a bunch for cute appetizers!

Ingredients

2 oz. wholegrain lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions & cooled

2 Tbs. nut butter of choice (I used classic PB, for nostalgic purposes)

1 small banana*

Alfalfa sprouts (optional)

*Apple or pear slices would also be delicious.

Directions

This is so simple: spread 1 Tbs. of the nut butter on one end of a cooked lasagna noodle. Add sprouts (if using), then cut the banana so it matches the height of the noodle’s short side. Roll up the noodle firmly, dabbing the end with a little water to help it stick. And there you have it!

Here Comes Santa Claus

Lately, I’ve been über nostalgic and wishing to return to the idyllic days of childhood. The holiday season only exacerbates these feelings, as I recall the unrestrained excitement of Christmas Eve, striving to stay awake long enough to hear reindeer hooves on the roof and maybe even to espy Jolly Old St. Nick himself! Of course, I never forgot to arrange a pretty platter of cookies and pour a glass of milk for him, just in case he was a bit peckish when he arrived. And since I never was able to evade sleep, I would discover, much to my innocent amazement and glee, that the treats had been reduced to but a few sugary crumbs by morning (thanks to none other than my father).

Years later, I still find the idea of “cookies and milk” very charming, but traditionally, such fare obviously isn’t the healthiest, especially for an overweight gentleman such as Mr. Claus, so I began brainstorming some equally tasty alternatives he could enjoy, sans the butter, eggs, white flour, and refined sugar.

Tropical Pineapple Upside-Down Mini Bundt Cakes

Needing a tropical vacation in the dead of winter? These cute little single-serving cakes will transport you to the Caribbean with one bite! You will need a mini Bundt cake pan with 6 molds.

Serves 6

Ingredients

1.5 cups spelt or whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1 14-oz can pineapple chunks, juice reserved

1 very ripe banana

½ cup coconut milk (or other milk alternative of choice)

¼ cup agave nectar or honey*

1 Tbs. lime juice

1 tsp. lime zest

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. coconut extract

6 Tbs. chopped pistachio kernels, cashews, brazil nuts, or a mix

6 tsp. flaked or shredded coconut

*I used a dropperful of liquid stevia, which also works.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350˚ F. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mash the banana. Add coconut milk, pineapple juice, sweetener, lime juice & zest, and extracts. Stir well, then add to the dry ingredients, mixing just enough to form a moist batter.
2. Grease or spray the Bundt cake molds. In the bottom of each, add a Tbs. of chopped nuts and a tsp. of coconut. Then, evenly divide the pineapple chunks into each mold, followed by the batter. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of their molds and the tops turn golden. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan.

You can tell I photographed these a couple months ago . . . they've been in my backlog for quite a while!

Peanut Butter-Butterscotch Balls

Adapted from this recipe (which, in its original form, is also amazing!) and also inspired by a favourite cookie recipe from my childhood.

Makes 24 balls

Ingredients

2.5 cups rolled oats

½ cup pumpkin seeds (raw or roasted)

½ cup raisins, vegan chocolate/carob chips, or a mix

½ cup peanuts (raw or roasted)

¼ cup sunflower seeds (raw or roasted)

½ cup peanut butter

1/3 cup agave nectar or honey

2 Tbs. brown rice syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. butterscotch extract*

*Be careful when buying butterscotch extract—some contain milk derivatives.

Directions

1. In a food processor, grind ½ cup oats and ¼ cup pumpkin seeds until powdery. Transfer to medium bowl, and set aside.
2. Combine remaining oats and pumpkin seeds, raisins, peanuts, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Stir in peanut butter, sweeteners, and extracts until the mixture becomes soft and doughy.
3. Moisten hands (I recommend re-moistening every few balls or so, or else everything will start sticking to your hands), and form dough into balls. Roll balls in oat-pumpkin seed powder before transferring to a separate pan, platter, baking sheet, whatever. Place in freezer for 20 minutes to set, then serve or store in the fridge.

Watch out--these will disappear before you know it!

Be back tomorrow to highlight my Christmas feast!

What I Ate (Intuitively) Wednesday (13)

In my quest to rediscover a healthier relationship with food, I have recently focused on two things:

1) Balancing macronutrients

What can I say? I love carbs (whole grain, of course), but recently, with all the squash I’ve been devouring, I sort of realized I was probably overdoing it a bit a lot. I consulted the fabulous Leanne for advice, and she, too, pointed out how carb-heavy my diet appeared. So, for the moment, I’m focusing on consuming a better balance of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

2) Eating intuitively

I love to eat, but sometimes, I find myself eating by the clock, rather than listening to my tummy. Now, I’m really, really trying to recognize hunger signals, to relearn what it feels like to be truly hungry—not just a little peckish, not starving to the point when I’d eat my own hand (figuratively speaking, of course), but something in-between, just hungry enough to need sustenance so I can concentrate and thrive. Few things are worse than desperately needing a snack in the middle of a 3-hour painting class, let me tell you! However, on the other hand, just because it’s noon, that doesn’t mean it has to be lunchtime if I’m not hungry.

So, without further ado, here are today’s eats. Thanks, Jenn, for yet another WIAW!

Breakfast

In my last post, I discussed getting creative with Thanksgiving leftovers, and I featured my Savoury Thanksgiving Parfait. Well, here’s another idea for you:

Day-after-Thanksgiving Oatmeal

Serves 1

Ingredients

½ cup milk alternative of choice

½ small roasted sweet potato*

½ cup rolled oats or oat bran

Pinch of salt (optional)

1/3 cup leftover cranberry sauce

Chia seeds or ground flaxseed

Pecans or walnuts

Other dried fruit of choice (optional)

Sweetener of choice (optional)

*Feel free to leave the skin on, if you like. You won’t even notice it!

Directions

In a mini-food processor, blend milk alternative and sweet potato until thick, smooth, and super creamy. Add to a saucepan, along with oats, salt, and a couple tablespoons of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and cook until desired consistency is achieved. Transfer to a boil, and top with cranberry sauce, chia or flaxseeds, nuts, and any other toppings as desired.

This cranberry sauce is TO DIE FOR. I’m not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that it’s the best I’ve ever eaten, hands down. Here’s the recipe, just in case you want to find out for yourself.

The Best Cranberry Sauce in the Universe

Makes about 2.5-3 cups

Ingredients

12 oz. fresh cranberries

2 ripe pears, chopped

2 cups water

10-15 drops of liquid stevia

¼ cup crystallized ginger

Directions

Combine cranberries, pear, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cook on high heat until the cranberries burst, then reduce to low. Stir in stevia, then simmer until desired thickness is achieved. Once finished, stir in crystallized ginger. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Mid-Morning Snack

Three hours after breakfast, my tummy was needing a little pick-me-up. Considering my high-carb breakfast (moreso than usual, thanks to the sweet potato), I chose a boost of protein—homemade soy yoghurt.

Lunch

I was rushed for time today and threw this meal together in about 10 minutes.

A pilaf with couscous, chickpeas, green peas, carrots, corn kernels, walnuts, and raisins; steamed spinach; a hunk of kabocha squash; and a couple squares of Chocolove's 77% Cocoa Dark Chocolate for dessert.

Afternoon Snack

My lunch was, again, a little heavy on the carbs. So, I enjoyed a serving of pistachio nuts and a pear.

Dinner

One of my favourite dishes, African Peanut Stew, here pictured served alongside millet. This was the first meal I made/ate immediately after deciding to become vegetarian two years ago! I’ve tweaked my recipe a few times since then, and this is the final draft:

Autumnal African Peanut Stew

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tbs. minced fresh ginger

1 large onion, diced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 Tbs. garam masala

2 tsp. coriander

1 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes

½ cup peanut butter

3 cups fresh green beans, ends trimmed & cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces

1 small butternut squash, roasted & cut into bite-sized pieces

2 cups cooked chickpeas

½ cup finely chopped cilantro

2-3 cups vegetable broth

Salt & pepper, to taste

Crushed peanuts, to garnish

More chopped cilantro, to garnish

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat 1 Tbs. oil and sauté onion, garlic, and ginger until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add spices, stirring well to coat everything, and cook for another minute or so.
2. Add tomatoes, peanut butter, green beans, squash, chickpeas, cilantro, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cooking until green beans are tender, about 20-30 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Serve hot, garnished with crushed peanuts and cilantro.

Happy Food Day!

Today is Food Day—and as a foodie myself, I intend to celebrate with some delicious eats. Food Day isn’t just about culinary prowess or gastronomic epiphanies, however; organizers also emphasize the importance of whole, minimally processed foods; of environmental and financial sustainability; of alleviating hunger nationwide; of prohibiting cruelty to animals; and of promoting fair conditions for small farmers and farm workers. Be sure to check out the website and sign the congressional agenda!

While I’ve already long incorporated those aforementioned principles into my personal and dietary philosophies, I still strive to spread positive messages about plant-based diets and clean eating through this blog and especially through the recipes I regularly post. I strongly believe that “a picture’s worth a thousand words,” so I also aim to snap the highest quality photos possible. Sometimes, however, as many other food bloggers have encountered, certain foods just aren’t that photogenic . . . of course, that doesn’t mean they’re inedible. Some of the ugliest dirt-coloured stews can be downright delicious, for example. With the two recipes I’m sharing today, the photos may be a bit boring and the food, a bit monochromatic, but just remember, “you can’t judge a book by its cover”!

North African Peanut Butter-Broccoli-Peach Salad

Inspired by this recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

½ cup peanut butter

2 Tbs. tomato paste

2 tsp. garam masala

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 large head of broccoli, florets and stems cut into bite-sized pieces and steamed

2 peaches, pitted and chopped

¼ cup raisins

4 scallions, chopped

1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped

Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1. To make the sauce, combine peanut butter, tomato pasta, garam masala, minced garlic, and 2-3 Tbs. of water in a mini food processor. Blend, adding more water if necessary, until a smooth consistency is achieved. Set aside.
2. Toss together broccoli, peaches, raisins, scallions, and cilantro in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing, and stir thoroughly until everything is pretty evenly coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired, and serve chilled, at room temperature, or heated over a cooked grain of choice.

Boyfriend tested and approved--he was particularly impressed with the combination of flavours in this dish.

This week’s huge one-pot meal was a delicious stew yet again featuring every foodie’s favourite winter squash—pumpkin! Because I went to the co-op and splurged again . . .

Buttercup and kabocha and acorn, oh my! And some other varieties, too. All I want to do right now is eat squash . . . XD

Pinto Bean-Pumpkin Stew

Inspired by a recipe in The Ultimate Book of Vegan Cooking

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 large onions, diced

6-8 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbs. mustard powder

1 Tbs. dried rosemary

1-2 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 large red bellpeppers, chopped

4 cups cooked pinto beans

1 small roasted pumpkin, cut into 1-inch cubes

½ vegan vegetable bouillon cube

1.5 Tbs. blackstrap molasses

Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a large pot over high heat, sauté onion and garlic in oil for about 2 minutes. Stir in mustard powder, rosemary, and red pepper flakes, cooking for 30 more seconds or so before adding chopped bellpepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook about 3-4 minutes, until veggies are just tender,
2. Add cooked beans and pumpkin to the pot. Stir in bouillon and molasses, thoroughly mixing everything together. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired, and serve hot over a cooked grain of choice.

Served here with shortgrain brown rice. So hearty, warming, and filling!

What I Ate Wednesday (3): Protein Power!

Well, it’s official—I’m hooked to WIAW’s. I’ve been eagerly anticipating today ever since last Wednesday. I don’t know why exactly . . . well, yes I do. IT’S FUN! Thanks, Jenn, for inspiring such a tasty trend!

This week, I thought I’d add a secondary slant to today’s post, namely concerning protein. As a vegan, one is always, always, always asked the dreaded question sooner or later:

“Where do you get your protein?”

Fortunately, I can only recall a handful of occasions upon which I had to explain that protein isn’t just in meat, dairy, and eggs. Of course, there’s also the issue of food combining in order to obtain all the necessary amino acids, but honestly, that’s really easy when you eat a diverse diet. Using this article at LIVESTRONG, I calculated that I should aim for at least 46 g of protein daily. So, today, in addition to participating in another WIAW, I’m also going to be documenting the protein counts of my food in order to calculate just how much protein I consume on a given day.

Note: Some foods, like fruit, contain minimal protein. Anything below 1 g of protein I just round down to 0.

Breakfast

My favourite meal of the day!

½ cup Bob’s Red Mill organic oat bran = 7.5 g

½ cup + 2 Tbs. Edensoy Unsweetened Soymilk = 7.5 g

2 Tbs. Bell Plantation PB2 = 5 g

1 Tbs. Bob’s Red Mill chia seeds = 3 g

½ apple

1 dried fig

1 Tbs. Nativas Naturals goji berries = 1 g

Breakfast subtotal = 24 g

Firstly . . . wow! That’s one proteinaceous breakfast! I’m already more than halfway to my goal!

Secondly, I’m obsessed with this breakfast combination at the moment. Something about the flavours blend so well, and the PB2 makes the oats so wonderfully creamy and peanut buttery. For those who don’t know, PB2 is essentially “powdered peanut butter,” made by defatting peanuts and making it into flour. A year ago or so, I noticed PB2 at my local grocery, and I was curious, so I bought it on a whim. By no means does it replace normal peanut butter, but stirred into oats, it’s quite good—and it adds 5 g of protein for only 45 calories!

[Source]

Mid-morning Snack

After not one, but TWO yoga video workouts this morning (see here and here), my appetite reared its head and demanded refueling.

A slice of my Basic Banana Bread = 2.6 g

1 Tbs. almond butter = 2.4 g

¼ cup alfalfa sprouts (sprouted here at home!)

Mid-morning subtotal = 5 g

I also enjoyed a cup of green tea—but not just any green tea. ‘Twas Eden Foods‘ Organic Genmaicha Green Tea with Brown Rice. Best. Green Tea. Ever. Seriously, my mum first introduced me to it, and the flavour of roasted brown rice alongside the sencha blew me away. It still does. Every. Single. Time.

[Source]

Lunch

Wednesdays require a very filling lunch because I don’t get home for dinner until 7:00. Today’s lunch featured a recipe I’ll post in the near future–Pistachio-Parsley Pilaf.

¼ cup dry lentils = 12.4 g

¼ dry millet = 5.5 g

10 pistachios = 1 g

2 dried apricots

1 scallion

Parsley

2 cups spinach = 1.7 g

5 cherry tomatoes (fresh from a neighbor’s garden!) = 1 g

1 stalk celery

1 nectarine = 1.4 g

2 squares of the best. chocolate. ever.

Lunch subtotal: 23 g

Well, I’ve already exceeded that original 46 g baseline! 52 g and counting!

Afternoon Snack

Today, it was soooooo chilly—autumn is here! And what better way to greet the crispness than with vegan comfort food . . . sweet potato biscuits! Recipe to come soon, maybe even tomorrow. I’d post it today, but this entry is already long enough as it is.

1 biscuit = 3 g

5 dried dates = 1 g

Afternoon total = 4 g

Dinner

Another detox dinner of kitchari—not really a fan of this, I must admit. I couldn’t finish my plate, honestly. It’s a bit on the bland side for me, despite being Indian food. I know it was the lack of onion and garlic, but those are no-no’s in Ayurvedic cleansing. I can’t complain in the slightest about the chutney, though. AMAZING!

¼ cup dry mung beans = 12.3 g

¼ cup brown basmati rice = 4 g

½ cup cooked carrots & zucchini = 1 g

Cilantro chutney

Dinner subtotal = 17.3 g

Evening Snack

My appetite has been surging today—probably the change in weather, as my mum would say. Or perhaps it’s because I’ve been awake an hour longer than usual. Either way, I felt I needed a substantial night-night snack to tide me through the night.

Another biscuit! = 3 g

1/3 cup of the most delicious vegan pâté ever (yet another recipe coming soon!) = 9 g

2 small carrots = 1 g

Evening subtotal = 13 g

Total protein for the day = 86.3 g

Take that, mythmakers!

Well, that was fun. Just a reminder—don’t forget to sign up for my giveaway! You have until Friday night, and 2 winners will be randomly selected this weekend!

Two Classic Sandwiches

I must admit, I’ve never kneaded bread dough by hand, something I intend to change one day, for experience’s sake—fortunately, though, when I’m at home, I give my beloved bread machine a workout and make a fresh loaf of bread once or twice a week. I’m not a huge sandwich fan, but I frequently make one particular sandwich that is OUT OF THE THIS WORLD, and early last week, when I noticed I had just enough rye flour in the pantry to make rye bread, dreams of vegetarian reubens danced in my head.

Fresh out of the bread machine! <3

Ironically, even before becoming ovo-lacto-vegetarian, I’d never eaten a traditional reuben with corned beef and the like. I didn’t even like sauerkraut. Then, one day, I suddenly craved it, sauerkraut that is, and hence, I made vegetarian reubens, replacing the meat with roasted mushrooms and steamed spinach. At that time, I did include a slice of provolone or Swiss cheese, though, and it was delicious.

Then, after I became vegan a few months ago, I revamped the recipe in order to eliminate the cheese but retain the protein. I’d eaten tempeh reubens twice before in restaurants, but both left me wanting—they were just okay, not stellar. So, I embarked on a quest to find the proper combination of flavours in order to satisfy my desire for the perfect tempeh reuben. After browsing several culinary resources and combining different ideas, I finally concocted the following recipe:

Tempeh Reubens

Adapted from this recipe and this recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 slices pumpernickel, rye, or Russian black bread

8 oz. tempeh (half a standard) 16-oz. package)

1 Tbs. Bragg’s liquid aminos

2 cups kale leaves, steamed

1 cup sliced portabella mushrooms, steamed

1 cup sauerkraut, drained well

4 slices vegan Swiss or provolone cheese (optional)

For the Russian Dressing:

2 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise

1 Tbs. ketchup

1.5 Tbs. sweet relish

Directions

1. Put tempeh in a skillet over high heat. Drizzle with liquid aminos and 2 Tbs. of water. Reduce heat to low, and allow to simmer, turning once, for about 8-10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
2. In the meantime, assemble the dressing in a small bowl. Toast bread, and spread dressing evenly on each piece.
3. To assemble sandwiches, divide steamed kale leaves and mushrooms on two slices of bread and sauerkraut on the other two slices. Cut tempeh widthwise into 8 slices, adding 4 slices to each sandwich. If using vegan cheese, add to one half of the sandwich and melt under the broiler before finishing assembly. Cut sandwiches in half, and serve.

My boyfriend ADORES this recipe. His sandwich there in the background was already almost half eaten by the time I'd finished arranging mine and snapping this photo.

EDIT: A better photo for reference.

Another classic sandwich I veganized last summer was the BLT. When I was little, my dad would make BLT’s almost everyday when tomato season was at its peak, but while the tomatoes were always flavourful, I never was a fan of white bread, iceberg lettuce (one of the grossest foods in existence), and Kraft mayonnaise. My “grownup” version now replaces the bacon with tofu, the lettuce with steamed kale, collard greens, or chard, and the white bread with any variety of whole grain bread. Sometimes, when I’m out of fresh tomatoes, I’ll rehydrate some sundried ones for a tasty twist. So, for me, perhaps now the acronym now should be TKSDT . . . or at the very least, a TLT. There’s no need to write out an entire recipe for this sandwich, so I’ll just provide my method for preparing the tofu.

Tofu “Bacon” for Vegan TLT’s

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 16-oz block of tofu, pressed and drained

For the marinade:

2 Tbs. miso

2 Tbs. soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu

½ Tbs. siracha or hot sauce

½ Tbs. honey or agave nectar

¼ tsp. liquid smoke

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine marinade ingredient, adding 1-2 Tbs. of water until a slightly thick, not-too-watery consistency is achieved.
2. Cut tofu into very thin, approximately ¼-inch slices, and place them in a large pan. Pour marinade over slices, and allow to sit and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Transfer tofu slices onto a baking sheet sprayed with cooking oil, reserving any extra marinade. Bake tofu for 15-20 minutes, remove from oven, and turn, brushing reserved marinade onto the slices. Bake for approximately 10-15 more minutes, or until tofu is crispy around the edges.

The flavours of summer. <3

One other classic sandwich I enjoy from time to time is none other than a simple PB&J—well, in my case, a PBBAS (Peanut Butter, Banana, & Alfalfa Sprouts). But who says you need bread to enjoy this universal favourite? Why not try it with oats instead? (Yes, I just could not resist!)

PB&J Oats

Serves 1

Nighttime Ingredients

½ cup rolled oats or oat bran

½ cup milk alternative

Morning Toppings Ideas

Chia seeds or ground flaxseed

1 Tbs. peanut butter

1-2 tsp. jam, jelly, or fruit preserves of your choice

Fresh or dried fruit of choice

Roasted peanuts

Sweetener of choice, to taste (optional)

Splash of extra milk alternative as needed

Of course, while I adore peanut butter, I am equally fond of almond, cashew, and other nut butters, so I regularly mix things up. The same goes with the jelly and fresh fruit. That’s why this recipe is so wonderful—it’s versatile! Today's breakfast included peanut butter and peanuts, homemade strawberry preserves, and fresh strawberries. YUM!

Frustrations

I feel I can rightfully claim that I’m adept in the kitchen. I know the difference between dice and chop; I can caramelize onions, cook perfect quinoa, and even wield a maki roll mat with ease; and when I’ve a bunch of random ingredients lurking in the crisper, I can throw together a tasty dish without consulting a recipe. All in all, I am confident in my culinary skills.

Every once in a while, though, I experience flops, major, minor, or otherwise. For example, my first tofu quiche . . . absolutely inedible, much to my disappointment and frustration. I often tend to take things personally—even kitchen failures will send me into the depths of despair. Well, sort of. I’m being ever-so-slightly dramatic.

Today, I had planned on sharing a recipe I assumed would be a delicious success—this recipe, in fact. Now, in my defense, I was missing a couple of probably crucial ingredients, namely the ginger and jalapeno, and instead of orange juice, I used fresh orange segments. Plus, of course I didn’t have any tamarind paste, not here in France! All the same, considering the dish contained two of my favourite flavours, peanut butter and curry (however odd that combination might seem), I anticipated a tasty dinner on Thursday night.

Pretty, but nothing extraordinary in the flavour department, sadly.

The actual result, while not inedible, was rather disappointing. Granted, as I mentioned, I was forced to make a few alterations, and perhaps if I’d followed the recipe exactly, my palate would have been much better pleased. Nevertheless, in this case, I find myself doubting the recipe, in spite of its 4-star rating. Why? It was the sauce, I think—it wasn’t altogether flavourless, but neither the peanut butter nor the curry stood out to me. In short, they cancelled each other out. I personally would have liked more of a peanut-y taste overall, so doubling the sauce may be a solution if I attempt the recipe a second time. But that’s the question, isn’t it: should I bother re-trying the recipe? Especially when I don’t have three key ingredients?

A second frustration concerned the zucchini I added. I really like zucchini, but I’ve come to realize, weirdly enough, that it’s pretty tasteless. I usually steam or sauté it, and still, I cannot seem to bring out its flavour—roasting or grilling? I suppose I’ll just have to wait until July to vanquish that stubborn veggie once and for all! I can’t wait for summertime grilling!

On a slightly different note, I am also ever-so-slightly frustrated with my body at the moment. I have been suffering from killer sugar cravings, and this is a girl who claims to have virtually no sweet tooth! Every once in a while, I don’t mind indulging in a vegan cupcake, but lately, I’ve been snarfing down a few too many vegan chocolate chip cookies and/or dark chocolate squares. Sugar can be addictive—you enjoy just a little bit, and suddenly, you want more. Plus, I can probably attribute these particular cravings to depression, stress, crappy weather, my period, and the fact that I’ve not been sleeping the best.

That’s no excuse, though, so the remainder of those Dr. Lucy’s cookies are going straight into my suitcase—out of sight, out of mind. I will still indulge in daily dark chocolate, but one square after lunch or dinner is sufficient, not four. So, tonight, I’m popping a probiotic, and tomorrow will be a back-on-track detox day. I’m planning a long walk and an extra long yoga practice, lots of water and green tea, overnight oats (as per usual) for breakfast, a hearty salad beast for lunch, and a repeat of tonight’s tasty dinner:

Leftover Makeshift Macrobiotic Adzuki Beans & Sweet Potatoes, curried mixed vegetables (eggplant, tomato, and cauliflower), and the most delicious brown rice pilaf, thanks to an extra special ingredient–I’ll be back tomorrow with the recipe!