I do believe my head will implode.....

I have been dealing with a headache for 3 days now. It is either the weather front coming in to Austin, all the biking/camping from the weekend, or stress. Take your pick. Any way, I wish to trade in my head for a model that won't inflict pain. Can I get that at Wal-mart? Or Target? And my day was very hectic, but sure didn't start that way.

I leisurely crawled out of bead @ 9:30am and had my cereal and got ready to meet my vegan friend Danielle for lunch and some girl time. I really wasn't in any mood to eat with the headache fog I was in, so I thought that a vegan restaurant near Danielle would be good. I am really glad that Austin has a large assortment of places that offer vegan choices on the menu, and Mother's is no exception. Actually, all of their dishes are either vegetarian or vegan, or veggie that can be made vegan. And their food quality is exceptional. I was not too hungry, so I went with an old standby, the Portabella Mushroom Sandwich, and added some guacamole. I swear that damn thing was bigger than my head! I could not finish it, but managed to choke down some chocolate peanut butter pie that I shared with Danielle for dessert. We hung out a little while and decided to window shop at the mall after I picked up my daughter at school. I think this is where my day went from good to exhausting. My little girl is a power house of energy, and keeping up with her in the mall was both physically and mentally challenging.

We headed home to have dinner, and it just got worse. Making a new dish, making something for my daughter to eat, and putting it on the table all at the same time can be difficult, if not almost impossible. I made Cashew Encrusted Tofu form The 30 Minute Vegan, and wanted to do another dish, but didn't have the ingredients, so I made some steamed broccoli instead. I also wanted to make a salad, but I only got as far as washing it and putting it in the salad spinner (the best thing ever!). I do think that this tofu dish would be better if I changed the tahini out with peanut butter. The tahini was almost too rich and I just don't think enjoyed it much. But when I make this again, I think peanut butter is the way to go.

I ran out of the house after dinner to have some alone time, and on the way home, I stared to jones for some kind of comfort food. What to have....Hmmm......Oh! I pass by (or can) a Starbucks...Mmmm, Soy Chai.....Perfect. I don't have the headache anymore, but I think I may still need more comfort food. What to have? Hmmmmmm.....

When life is busy, eat leftovers.....

I am infinitely glad that I make meals that allow for a day or two of leftovers. I know that I have said this before, but it is going to save my hiney in this vegan challenge. Having a family and work can put a strain on all good intentions unless you plan ahead. By thinking about the menu, and hitting the grocery store, you can eat healthy and avoid the drive thru. That is a pet peeve of mine, that parents think that the drive thru is valid meal choice because their kids have an over stuffed schedule. That is what leads to bad habits and poor food choices. Sorry to get off on a tangent....back to my day. I had a boring breakfast of mini wheats and soy milk, lunch was mock chicken salad sandwich and teddy grahams (accidentally vegan!), and dinner was my mexican tortilla soup from yesterday. I put some veggie cheese shreds in it, noting the "melts well" on the bag, but melting into a big blob of cheese in my soup really doesn't look appetizing. Tastes good, though....After dinner, my hubby decided to make a yummy smoothie. He threw a banana, some mixed berries, and apple juice in a blender, and viola! With a lovely purple color, I felt giddy with excitement at all the antioxidants I was getting. But the seeds......blech. I finally strained it, but the hubby gave me a hard time about not getting all the "fiber" from the seeds. Whatever.....It was sooo much better without all the little bits in it! Tomorrow, I plan to wow you with my adventure with Cashew encrusted tofu and some other side dish, as soon as I think of one!

Mmmmm, mock chicken salad.

Now that I am back from my trip, I can start to have a normal cooking schedule. I usually plan 3 different meals (with leftovers) for the week. I looked through a cookbook my vegan friend Danielle gave me for my birthday (Was she premeditating about getting me to join Vegan MoFo?), and chose the Mexican Tortilla Soup and parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme biscuits, and Macadamia Encrusted tofu. All are available in "The 30 Minute Vegan" by Mark Reinfeld and Jennifer Murray. I ran by Whole Foods to grab some Miso soup, and while I was there I picked up some mock chicken salad. I had this a few weeks ago, and all I can say is yum! I swear it tastes like the real thing! And I grabbed a Tom's Tobouley Wrap for lunch and a small salad. I also need to get WF's Balsamic Dressing, it was amazing! Anyway....The soup is more like a chili, and I should put corn in too, but it is really good. The biscuits.....well I did not have spelt flour, so I used whole wheat flour. And the recipe says it will be sticky. Not really...it was dry, so I added some more soy yogurt. They looked like dried poop, but tasted good. I will get some spelt flour and remake them. As a bonus, I use some dried sage from my own planters! I hope that the tofu recipe works out just as good, but my hubby and I decided that cashews would be a better crust.....Mmmmm, cashews!

I am hungry again talking about all this food....so I am off to find a snack. Maybe some mock chicken salad?...Mmmmm

I'm back, Veganland!

Whew! What a hectic few days in Dallas. I will try to cover what you missed in my life in 1 post...Ready?

Crew Day - This is where all the volunteer crew get together and meet/greet, and general training. I felt very good about staying vegetarian with my regular breakfast, and a veggie sub from Subway. But all the crew wanted Mexican food for dinner, so I hoped they had something that would work. As it turned out, other crew members are veggie too, and directed me to some of the options. I chose the spinach enchiladas, and did not eat the beans in case they had lard in them.

Day 1 - Wake up call at 3:45 am....blech. I grabbed a banana and muffin to go, then headed to help with the opening ceremony traffic. As we headed out to our fist assignments of the day, I wondered what the snack options would be for the next 3 days. I always think of food. I was worried for nothing. The snacks were abundant and varied: lara bars, peaches, carrots, bagels and peanut butter, wheat thins (yea, accidentally vegan!), granola bars, and of course my favorite of all time, the peanut butter and jelly graham cracker sandwich! Since my 1st 3 Day, it is the best snack ever! They took it away last year, but I am thrilled to see it back on the menu! Lunch - hummus sandwich! But Komen changed the menu I had gotten use to after 5 years. No spaghetti....Veggie Catatori! I saw the chicken catatori, and I got the better deal! Num num!

Day 2 - Breakfast was eggs, cuz I need the protein for all the biking I do. Seasoned potatoes and veggie sausage. Just like the real thing...I just can't eat more than 1 pattie. Lunch was a let down. Apple and cheese sandwich. Really? With me working so hard, you give me a pathetic sandwichl like this? And the apple was sliced thin....but there were Sun Chips (accidentally again). But I had heard that dinner was steak...hmmm, what did that mean for me? I scored again! Stuffed Portabella mushrooms! Sweet....my favorite mushroom! And did I mention that the salad was pretty good, with a variety of greens and apple, onion, and croutons in it, not iceberg!

Day 3 - Breakfast was the same, but lunch.....Veggie burger! Yea....Then I was on my own. Dead tired, sore all over, and on the ass end of Dallas, my husband stopped at a group of convenience stores with fast food attached. He chose McD. I got a Power-aide Zero, and found a Luna bar and some Wheat Thins in my bag. I needed to eat as I had not eaten since lunch, but even as an omnivore, I never eat McD. It makes me sick....

So here I am back on the Vegan Wagon. And it is not so hard. Quick lunches are challenging as I love microwave meals. But today went good. I ended the day with Pacific Foods Butternut Squash soup with orzo. Mmmm, good.

Well, back to the laundry....

Thank goodness for leftovers!

Today was a very busy work day for me. I am a manicurist by day, and since I will be gone this weekend to Dallas, I was over booked. It was a good solid 10 hours of manicures, pedicures and acrylic fills. I am so tired. Luckily, I had leftover pasta from last night as I worked through some of lunch. But that is not all....I have to pack, pack for my daughter, who will be cared for til Friday by my vegan friend, Danielle. Then pull in my plants off the porch since it will be to cold for my peppers and herbs this weekend. Let's not forget about the cleaning of the house before I leave (cuz who wants to come home to a dirty house?), and make directions for the care of said daughter and the puppies. Oh, yeah....I made some homemade oreo cookies too. I had them frozen in the freezer, and just made the filling and put them together.They are not vegan, so I will post later about how yummy and better than the real thing they are! Maybe picture too...if I could figure out how.....

The reason I am going to Dallas is to participate as a crew member on the Breast Cancer 3 Day. For 3 days, 2500 women and men will walk 60 miles for a cure to Breast Cancer. I am on Route Safety, and I will ride my bicycle and help the walkers cross the street and their general safety. But because I will be camping at night and at the mercy of the caterers, I will be vegetarian for the next 4 days, and will not blog til Sunday night. I realize that no one will show up at my door demanding that I apologize for "falling off the wagon", since only my girlfriend reads and follows this blog....but I think that staying at least vegetarian for those days is still acceptable. As soon as I return, its back to the vegan life! Which I have found that it is not that hard, with the protein issue being the biggest concern. But more on that later......See you on the flip side, Veganland!

How do YOU roll?

Day 2....and it is going well. I have resisted some very yummy non-vegan treats, like most of the Halloween candy still sitting on the counter of the kitchen. It seems that I must "tell" my husband to take it to work, instead of him just knowing that it must be done. I was sure when we got married 10 years ago, that the ESP of married people would develop and we would act as one.....yeah, not so much. But I am totally digging the SO Delicious non-dairy gluten free ice cream mini sandwiches! they are great! I also found other websites that had an expanded "accidentally vegan" product list. I should learn how to post links and pictures like my vegan girlfriend, Danielle, at omnivore-nomore.blogspot.com. oh, well....such is life when you are computer illiterate. I can work the spell check pretty well ; )

I am making pasta with homemade pasta sauce for dinner with some crimini mushrooms I picked up this weekend at the local farmers market. But I also wanted some garlic bread, but was concerned about what bread to use. So I shot a text to Danielle (who is totally responsible for my being here.....) and asked what to make garlic bread with....her text back: Use vegan butter and garlic....AND? What about the bread?! Called her after my workout with my trainer and had to clarify my question. We had quite a giggle over that!

Back to the subject of my title... How do you roll? Maki roll, that is. I totally had a craving for some last night and Danielle was kind enough to meet me for lunch. I also go some Miso soup, which had me mesmerized by the patterns that it conjures up when you stir it! I want to get some for home and put some noodles and tofu in that bad boy.....nom nom!

I ended up rambling on, didn't I? See you tomorrow, Veganland!

Good 1st morning of Vegan MoFo!

Let's start this off by having a disclaimer.....I am not a morning person. So in all honesty, "good morning" is really not something I like to hear or say. Okay.....

Today is the first day of my trip to Veganland. I am an omnivore, and although I could give up most meat, I do like milk products, like cheese, butter, and cream. They work so well in my baking. And I can bake the crap out of some cookies. And I will....but I will not eat any this month. In fact, I am making some for the crew of the Breast Cancer 3 Day, which I am a part of....Go Route Safety!

Today was also my Weight Watchers meeting, where as a Lifetime member, I have to weigh in at the 1st of the month. Whew! thank goodness that is over for 30 more days. I swear it gives me stomach aches just stressing over maintaining my weight.

I had some almond butter and jelly for a quick snack before hitting the scales and took a banana to have later. But lunch was tricky. I LOVE grits, so it should be simple to sub stuff out....right? Sort of. Plain soy milk, veggie cheese shreds, and vegan butter in place of the regular stuff really didn't have the same taste. I may use nutritional yeast next time, I just forgot I had some. And the cheese was not very melty....I at least know what to have for dinner, Sloppy Joes. Made some last night for dinner, so its left-overs for me since I have to work late. I fed some to my daughter without telling her what I made it with and she ate it without any problems. But I was less than pleased with McCormick's seasoning packet. I will try to find the Manwich brand and see if that helps.

Well, on with the rest of my day.....