One Year VEGANiversary

Happy 1st VEGANiversary to me!!!

A year ago today I made good on the decision I had made during my time abroad in Spain and made the transition and commitment to a vegan diet. Slowly, this way of life has invaded other parts of my life as well, and I have never been happier! More on that in a second, but first, take a look at how I celebrated!

A vegan feast, of course!

I made this delightful dinner for myself using two new vegan eats I had been wanting to try for months!

 First of all, look at that mess. The shear number of pots and dishes this meal made for me makes it special. I'm a one pot girl normally, but this meal called for more clean-up dedication, which I was fine with because I was celebrating!

First up, the vegan pumpkin mac 'n cheeze from Oh She Glows. I have had this recipe bookmarked for months, but whenever I thought to make it, I was missing one or more of the ingredients. By a happy accident today, though, I had everything I needed. I made 1/4 of the recipe, and it was the perfect single portion for me. 

The grade? A solid A-. This was mighty tasty. I actually ate it last- I've always been a save-the-best-for-last kind of person. It would have gotten an A, but honestly, it didn't really taste like mac'n cheese at all. Still, it was a delicious creamy pasta dish, and my taste buds were definitely happy. 

See those strip-like things in the back? Those are Gardein Chick'n Strips.

Every time I go grocery shopping, I take a look at the faux meat products with curiosity. However, my college-girl budget and my dislike for the texture of both meat and the fake stuff has always deterred me. This time though, I had a coupon. Oh, magic of advertising and consumerism. I bit the bullet and bought the box to try out tonight.

The verdict? C- 

Blechg! Not so good. Like I expected, I didn't go for the texture. Too meat-like, maybe. Also, they were kind of bland and tasteless. I will probably finish the box just because my wallet can't bear the sight of me throwing away food, but I won't be using my other coupon for these guys. 

Everything was served alongside some sauteed onions, cabbage, and kale. Gotta get those greens in!


Of course, I had to have a celebratory desert:

Chocolate oats? You betcha! Fancied up with some rainbow sprinkles (I think sprinkles will be a must on all future bowls of choco-oats) and "1" candle we had in a random drawer in the kitchen- a left over from all those 21st bashes we had last year.

*******

As I reflect on this year, I can see that my decision to follow a plant-based diet was one of the best I have ever made. It opened my eyes up to a whole new world of food out there. Food that makes me feel good both physically (and digestively) and emotionally. Because of the research I have been doing ever since I started thinking about the switch, I have learned how food really affects my body. What I need, what I don't, and how to balance it all.

Food has gone from being the enemy to being my best friend. Healthy living is not only an interest anymore, it is a passion, and I think I finally understand what "healthy" means. Yes, as my last post shows, I still struggle sometimes to see the light through all the nonsense that goes on in my head. But, the fact that I recognize it as nonsense and not reality is evidence of the growth I have made in the past year. 

People often ask me if I think I will ever give up veganism. And while I know that I am only 22 and cannot foresee my entire future, right now, I can't see and end to it anytime soon.

Here's to many more VEGANiversaries!

~ Rach

Hopping on the Band Wagon

One of my favorite things about the blogging world is gathering inspiration to try new and creative things in the kitchen. I honestly think that many of my current favorite foods would be completely foreign to me i it weren't for the blogs that I read. Almond butter, brussels sprouts, quinoa- just to name a few. I can't imagine going a week without any of these! Thank you, bloggie boos, for turning me on to their wonder!

Well, last night, I attempted a new food that I discovered by reading about it several times on the super-web.

Hello, Kabocha!

Not my pic (source) forgot to snap one before I cut into him.

I had read about them several times, and had them on my radar, but couldn't seem to find them in Small-town-Nowhere, Ohio. But, last week, they had a couple little organic babies at my grocery store, and I had to pick one up.

A week later, I actually had the time to roast it up for dinner.

 
 The process underway. Chopped up and roasted with the rest of my dinner.

I enjoyed the kabocha with roasted cauliflower, zucchini, asparagus, and tofu. Some spicy marinara on the side.

So how did kabocha score on the grading scale? B

Honestly, didn't blow my socks off. Sure, it tasted good, and I definitely enjoyed my dinner, but I found it to be a less flavorful, not as sweet, version of butternut squash. And, at about twice the price. Maybe my cooking method wasn't perfect. It's definitely worth a second try... if it ever goes on sale. Until then, I'll stick with butternut.

Here's to experimenting in the kitchen!

~ Rach

New Discovery and My Grading Scale

This weekend, I had a food discovery. Don't you just love when new food trials surprised you?

I hit up the grocery store bright and early on Saturday morning. A perk of not going out Friday night is that I could get it all done before the crazies pulled themselves from their beds.

I went early enough that I wasn't hungry before, so I planned to eat my breakfast after. Needless to say, I came home with far more groceries than I had planned. It's true what they say: "Never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach". All healthy stuff, but much more damaging to my pocketbook (why doesn't anyone say pocket book anymore?) than I had planned.

As I was prepping my carrots for the week (I bought big ones this time and cut them into babies myself- so much cheaper), I got a little adventurous. I shredded up the last carrot rather than slicing it, and I mixed it in to the oatmeal mix I was planning for after the food prep was done.

Enter, my version of carrot cake oats! I have seen them around the blog world, but it always seemed like too much work to shred the carrot and get all the other ingredients together early in the morning. Well, this weekend was the perfect opportunity to give it a try.

The verdict: Yummmmm! I loved the texture and slight sweetness they added to my oats. I will definitely be repeating this one when I have time in the mornings. Plus, it's a great way to get a veggie into breakfast, especially since mine are consistently made of carbs and fruit. This one gets an A on the grading scale, for sure.

The grading scale is something that I came up with on my old blog. As all of my teacher training has shown me, I have to have some sort of systematic way of evaluating student work new experiences/restaurants/recipes in order to be able to best communicate feedback. I designed this rubric-of-sorts, and I am bringing it back here now:

• A: To receive an "A", means that this is something that far exceeded expectations: something I want to do again, something I want to eat/make again as soon as possible. (Casa Nueva gets an A, fo' sho').

• B: A grade of a "B" indicates that it exceeded expectations, but was not an overall perfect experience. I would do or eat this again, but I am not jumping in my boots to do it.

• C: Met expectations, but did not exceed them. An average overall experience. The hunk would call this a "mehh" event.

• D: A below average, slightly un-enjoyable time. Definitely not positive, but it didn't send me running for the hills.  

• F: Something has to be pretty awful to receive an "F". I don't like the idea of failing students, but sometimes, you just have to do it. This would be an experience that made me cry, food that made me vomit (or almost) or a restaurant that I wouldn't send an enemy to.

Phew, the teacher in me feels better now.

After the yummy weekend, we have arrived at Monday.

Since I laid low this weekend due in an effort not to repeat the rough-ness that was last weekend, I woke up this morning feeling refreshed, but sore! I worked out hard all weekend, and my modern dance class last night was awesome. I was reminded what "dance battle wounds" feel like, and I woke up with a few bruises this morning. It hurts so good!

Although I do feel refreshed and great this morning, my body is exhausted, and the gym is the last place I feel like going today. So, I'm letting myself have a rest day. I am listening to my body, and rather than go to the gym when my class gets out at 3, I am going to come home, take a shower, maybe even take a nap, and get a head start on my work for the week. Sorry, I'm not sorry.

Here's to eating well, listening to yourself, and feeling good!
~ Rach