Still Raw!

Hello lovelies! I hope you are all well.

I want to take a moment to send my condolences to all affected by the horrible bombings in Boston last week. As a runner, it made me physically sick to imagine feelings of euphoria and triumph turn to fear and pain. As a human being, I am saddened by some who choose to also call themselves human, yet bring themselves to commit such unthinkable acts against others. My heart and spirit is encouraged, though. I know as a people, overall we are still good, kind, and full of love. RIP to all those who lost their lives, and peace to all those they left behind.

Well as promised, here is an update on my 30 day raw challenge journey! Today is day 15 (cheer, roar, clap..take your pick)!!! Dare I say that I feel like this could be a MAJOR change in my life? I know it may be a bit premature as I'm only 2 weeks in, but I feel so amazingly fabulous that I can't imagine not doing this from here on out. At least 80-85% raw, while incorporating some of my faves such as brown rice, beans, almond milk, and grains into the other 15-20% of my diet. Let me slow down...and take you back to the last 5 days =)

Days 11-15

Day 11 was a pretty good day. My diet is pretty much the same now daily. Over the past year I have grown to love bananas, which is funny because I used to hate 'em. Since on this raw challenge, I have been eating them like I'm a baby monkey. I had 2 for breakfast along with an Ataulfo, or yellow mango. Lunch was another banana and an orange. I snacked on raw nuts and dried cranberries and later had more fruit for dinner. I had no veggies today. Not sure why, but wasn't really wanting any. I drank about 6 cups of water and had 3 cups of herbal tea. My skin is softer and the eczema that occasionally flares up on my hands are gone.

Day 12 started with a fruit cooler for breakfast: 1/2 cup seeded watermelon, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1/2 cup blackberries, juice of 1 lemon, 1 peeled orange, 3 cups water and 2 tsp agave nectar blended. Really refreshing! I bottled and refrigerated the leftovers. Lunch was a spinach, kale, cucumber, and tomato salad with my home made curry dressing. I forced myself to have 2 bananas and an orange for dinner later that night. I was not hungry at all. I only drank about 4 cups of water today and had 2 cups of herbal tea. I have to increase my water intake to flush these toxins out and keep hydrated! My allergies are still irritating me. I wake up very congested still.

Day 13 started out with any innocent desire to have something different for breakfast and turned into a trail mix buffet of sorts. I received a call from my cousin in Canada and we were on the phone for about an hour. By the time 10 o'clock rolled around, I had eaten more than a handful of raw cashews, dried papaya, raw hazelnuts, raisins, and dried pineapple. I felt bloated and thought that it felt like a bit of a binge, but guilt has no business here so I let it go. I had a banana and some dried seaweed for lunch with herbal tea and water. I had fruit for dinner as the fiance and I watched a movie later. I'm in the bathroom so much, I might as well slap on a diaper =\
My sleep continues to be good with very vivid dreams. I sleep about 6-7 hours a night and feel rested.

Day 14 was a BEAUTIFUL, beyond day. Although I still woke up congested, once I hit the shower, my nose and sinuses cleared up and I stopped sneezing like a fiend. The fiance wanted to picnic in the park and that's what we did. He made a smoothie for my breakfast before we left: strawberries, blackberries, bananas, coconut and dates. Bam! Delicious. I packed a ginormous salad for the both of us, sandwiches for the manchild, a bottle of wine for the fiance, hummus and chips for the both of them, and fruit and water for me. We sat by the water at Sweetwater Creek State Park, played some Teena Marie and had a blast. Dinner was more salad for me and water. I feel noticeably lighter and my clothes are a bit looser. I haven't weighed myself in a while. Maybe I will tomorrow.

Day 15 has been a bit of a stomach churner. Literally. I swear it's like I can actually FEEL and HEAR all the food I eat digesting! Weird. I'm still congested, but not as bad. I had 2 bananas and some of my watermelon cooler drink for breakfast. I felt a bit tired today so I had a 2 hour nap from about 12-2pm and that did wonders. I snacked on raw cashews, papaya, seaweed, strawberries and blackberries. Dinner was leftover salad from yesterday's picnic. I drank 8 cups of water today and had 1 cup of herbal tea. I made sesame-ginger stir fried rice for the fam's dinner and for a split second, I thought I wanted some rice. This was the first time I've had something close to a craving since I've started. I even baked bread last night for the manchild without a second thought. Thankfully, as quickly as the thought came, it was gone. I'm actually excited for the the next two weeks.  My fiance says I smell like berries. I didn't believe him until I smelled my arms. I actually SMELL like fruit. Awesome!

 Picnic Salad

 Yellow Mango

Toasting life with my love

 Picnic basket

Well, there you are. I'm truly loving this challenge. I want to incorporate more veggies because it seems like I'm eating more fruit than veggies. Which, I'm not sure that it's necessarily bad, but I want to make sure I'm getting all my nutrients. I'll probably do another vid tomorrow. Until next time,


Love and Happiness,

Nikki

He Goes Either Way

Hello again, my lovelies! Welcome to halfway through 2012...yep. Hopefully, you have kept up with the promises, aka "resolutions" that you made yourselves back in January. If not, get it together please!

So I'm sure you're thinking 'what the heezy is she talking about in this post's title?' Well...read on. I assure you it's not what your sullied minds were thinking. I don't typically talk/blog about my personal life unless I think it might help someone, or it is just really cathartic for me.

Since I broke off an engagement earlier this year (for the best; I promise all is well), I have opened up myself spiritually and emotionally to a wider array of experiences that I may not have been so open to in the past. I like to put things in boxes...they need to have labels so I know what the hell they are there for. However, one person who is so close to my heart refused to allow me to put him in a box. In fact, he tore the box up and lit it on fire. Figuratively speaking...ain't no Waiting To Exhale bonfire ish going on here.

He was so adamant that he could be friend, confidant, family, teacher, spiritual partner, provider of love...pretty much everything to me. Yet, he didn't fit my idea of what I thought my ideal mate should be. He wasn't a bad boy, big guy, swagalicious hottie. Sigh. He said I was setting myself up for failure. I disagreed. He went against the man grain and I didn't like it.Years and years later, it turns out he was right. I just let go of my 15-item perfect-man wish list...well some of it. I realized I was happy around him. That's what mattered. He likes seafood, but genuinely enjoys my vegan/vegetarian cooking. He's very opinionated, but lets me speak my mind also; he listens. He meditates and prays with me. He defies traditional, conformist thought. He eschews material things, but adores my love of shoes and fashion. He goes either way. He enjoys being in my world without letting go of his.

That being said, because I'm hard-headed and tough-skinned when it comes to affairs of the heart, we'll see what happens. Moral of the story? Ladies, don't send a man to Cast Away Island because he's so unlike what you deem as your 'type'. Those past relationships left a bad taste in your mouth so stop going back for seconds! It's so very cliche, but the man that's right for you might be right in front of your nose. Keep an open mind.

As I leave you with that food for thought, here's some food for eating! Last week, I was in the mood for some spicy Asian stir fry and this is what I made for our dinner date:

I stir fried in sesame oil:
1 small onion, cut in quarters
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1  medium head of broccoli
1 zucchini, cut lengthwise and then halved
1 cup of snow peas
1/2 cup or so water chestnuts
grilled and seasoned soy burgers/veggie crumbles, about 2 cups
chopped peanuts, about 1/2 cup
salt and pepper to taste

I combined in a bowl:
soy sauce, water, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and Fiery 5 spice pepper by McCormick
(did I mention I like spicy?)
This was added to the vegetables and stir fried for another couple of minutes. The broccoli was crisp-tender. I detest soggy vegetables!

Meanwhile, I cooked about 3-4 cups of rice noodles and spread on a platter. I covered it with the stir fry combo and served with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon...which he showed up with, along with flowers and raspberry dark chocolate by the way. Ow!
I know this is not an exact recipe because it was spur of the moment, but it came out FANTASTIC!
I thought I was eating food from a restaurant if I do say so myself.

He agreed...of course.

Until next time,

Love and Happiness,

Nikki

Listen Up!

Happy April!!! I hope all is well with you all. If you've hit a bump and a slump, allow yourself time to release the pain and then press on.
Have you ever just allowed yourself to be HAPPY, no matter what? If you have, kudos to you. If not, you should try it...life opens up so many new opportunities when you do.

Soooo, what have I got for you guys today? I did a YouTube vid yesterday to answer the ongoing question of the "mystery" of what I eat as a vegan (see vid below, to your right).

I know I've posted some vegan recipes and foods that I enjoy in past blog posts, but I thought I would review some of my staples today and extrapolate on the video a bit. Fellow vegans, feel free to share you faves and suggestions as well. I'm always looking for new and fun foods to try!

Like I mentioned in my video post, I tend not to eat breakfast during the week. I usually have a cup of java with Splenda, or unsweetened herbal tea. On the weekends, I love me some Kashi cereal!!! Lunch is usually a big salad of some sort, or veggie soup if I'm not really feeling too hungry. Lunch is pretty much the bulk of my calories during the day. Dinner may be some hummus and veggies or crackers, or bean salad...maybe salsa and blue corn chips, etc. Depends how I'm feeling. I do usually have a glass of red somewhere around 8 or 9pm. Hey...don't judge me!

Here are my top 10 staples and/or faves:

1. Almond Milk

I love Blue Diamond's Almond Breeze brand, but in a pinch, I will use another kind. The taste is so much smoother and lighter than soymilk (for me). I use it in my cereal, to cook with, and drink it straight as a snack. Yum!

Usually $2.50-$2.99 for 1/2 gallon, but I buy so much that I usually have a store or manufacturer coupon for 50-75 cents off.

2. Kashi Go Lean Crisp

My favorite is the Berry Crumble. What I love besides the taste, is that I can get 9 or so grams of protein per serving! Who needs eggs? =)   There is also regular Go Lean, which tastes a bit bland, but the protein count per serving jumps to about 13g. Costs anywhere from $2.50-$3.50 per box, but check out the web or in store for coupons.

3. Perrier

You will never NOT see this in my fridge. Not sure why, but the taste is the MOST to me. Lime is my favorite, and I found a new flavor yesterday--Pink Grapefruit. Heaven.
$1.50-$1.89/bottle. Kroger had a sale for $1 each last week and I stocked up like a fiend. Ha!


4. Baby Spinach

I typically use this in my salads in place of lettuce (great source of vitamin K, A, C, protein, the list goes on). I prefer raw to cooked, unless I cook it myself. Some places will cook the heezy out of veggies and destroy the nutrients! I buy the prewashed bag/carton, or if I'm cooking for a group, I''ll buy in bunches. Usually $1.50-$2.00 per bag.

5. Fruits

No need for explanation really, right? My favorites are grapes, pineapple, berries, grapefruit, oranges. Pomegranates are good too...albeit time consuming to eat!
I have a sensitivity to apples, so I can't eat them =(
I either fruits as is, or make a fruit salad.

6. Couscous, brown rice, roasted potatoes, rice noodles, pasta, sweet potatoes

I have to admit that I eat these foods sparingly just because starchy foods tend to trigger me to eat more. I used to have a TERRIBLE carb addiction, so I have to keep it in check. The good thing about these grains are they tend to be whole grains, and have a low glycemic index (less blood sugar spike). Couscous is almost like a nutty rice flavored grain. If you haven't tried it..do so! I love it with roasted veggies or stir fried tofu.

7. Tofu

I know...most of you who are not vegan/vegetarian are thinking "yuk". However, tofu is truly versatile! It basically takes on the flavor of whatever you cook/season/marinate it with. My main source of protein is tofu, which is really just soybeans!
 You can choose from silken (for baking) firm, or extra firm. I buy the silken to make vegan cheese cakes and other desserts. I use the extra firm for stir frying with veggies or making curry dishes. Try a tofu scramble recipe if you are transitioning and miss scrambled eggs. Here's a recipe to get you started. I buy the organic option. Cost is $1.00-$2.00, depending on where you shop. 

8. Beans/Lentils

My obsession! Another good source of protein if you're vegetarian/vegan. I eat some type of bean daily. Chick peas (or garbanzo beans, depending on where you're from!), red (kidney) beans, lima beans, butter beans, black beans...oh man! Delicious. They are inexpensive (you can buy a can for as little as 50 cents on sale, $1.20 at the most), and versatile. I make 3 bean salad with red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper, onions, cilantro and a dash of sweetener-so easy! Or add beans to corn and salsa for a dip with nacho chips. #hungry

9. Fresh Herbs

I add these to my stir fry recipes, or my roasted veggie dishes. Thyme, cilantro, rosemary, oregano, and dill are my faves. Nothing like fresh herbs to add great flavor! About $1.50-$2.00 per package. Keep refrigerated.

10. Veggies

Come on...I'm vegan! Veggies are my foundation. I LOVE them. So many to choose from. The ONLY one I would say I don't get down with too well is okra. Blech.
I also marinate veggies such as green/red/yellow peppers, garlic, onions, tomatoes, etc in vinegar and a touch of brown sugar and add seasonings, dijon mustard, olive oil , and a non-dairy based dressing for a bomb ass vegetable salad. Get familiar!

My marinated veggie jar

Bonus:

My (not so) guilty pleasures...

Teriyaki Tofu and Veggies from Pei Wei Restaurant, about $7.00. I drank water with lemon.

Cabernets and Malbecs are my faves, then Pino Noir. I love dry wines. Prices vary according to your taste and pocket book =)

The DEVIL!!! LOL...I could eat an entire bag of these if I didn't pay attention. Add salsa (hot and spicy, please) and it's a damn party. I had to chill on these for a while. I haven't bought any in about a month, because this was becoming all I'd eat on the weekends =/

When I get it together, I will resume buying the plain flavor...the other flavors have milk ingredients...CHECK LABELS! Don't hold me responsible if you chow down on the Hint of Lime flavor and realize there's a milk situation involved =)

$1.99-$2.50 Tostitos
$2.50-$3.00 typical price for salsa


AND NOW A MOMENT OF SILENCE.....

<--Goodbye, my <3

I just found out that Morning Star Farms have added EGG and MILK ingredients to their veggie crumbles!!! WHY????? DAMN DAMN DAMN! This was my go-to for pasta and taco dishes.
I'll have to see for myself.
Just goes to show...READ the DANG LABEL...always.



Guys, thanks for stopping by and spending time with me. I am challenging myself to post at least every other day this month! Pray for me. My schedule is ridiculous, but I love a challenge!!!


As always,
Love and Happiness!
Nikki