Tiny Green Kitchen

Ya heard?

2010-09-11T16:59:00.000-07:00

So, we're moving.... as of a few days ago. But it's not completely past tense because we're still moving "stuff" over to the new site. Our blogs are beyond TIME.

Tiny Green Kitchen

Monthly Summary: August

2010-09-01T18:37:00.000-07:00

Stats

Money Spent on Food (for two people)

Before: $400 - $700

January: $175

February: ~ $500

March: ~ $700

April: ~ $500

May: ~ $500

June: ~ $300

July: ~ $500

August: ~ $700

Episodes per month*

Before: 4 - 6

January: 3

February: 6

March: 5

April: 5

May: 12

June: 3

July: 5

August: 10

*Including dizziness, weakness, disorientation, or hallucination that occurs without seizure

Weight

(Jaime)

Before: 148 lbs

January: 140 lbs

February: 134 lbs

March: 140 lbs

April: 139 lbs

May: 141 lbs

June: 145 lbs

July: 143 lbs

August: 143 lbs

(Robert)

Before: 245 lbs

January: 240 lbs

February: 234 lbs

March: 235 lbs

April: 240 lbs

May: 232 lbs

June: 228 lbs

July: 228 lbs

August: 226 lbs

Large Bins of Trash**

Before: 6 - 8

January: 3

February: 2

March: 2

April: 3

May: 4

June: 1

July: 1

August: 1

**We don't use plastic bags. We compost most of our organic waste.

Recycling Bins

Before: 4 - 6

January: 2

February: 3

March: 2

April: 4

May: 4

June: 3

July: 4

August: 3

Amount of Food Wasted

Before: 8 - 10 items

January: 2 items

February: 3 items

March: 1 item

April: 3 items

May: 3 items

June: 3 items

July: 4 items

August: 2 items

Things we bought this month that we should not have bought:

Vacation food - gelato, monkey bread, ham & cheese hoagies, etc.

Veggies Galore

2010-09-01T18:24:00.000-07:00

hemp milk, raw almond butter, chocolate hazelnut butter, 1 banana, apple sauce melted together + rolled oats and chia seeds

pasta: olive oil, garlic, onion, mushrooms, zucchini, tomato, spaghetti, homemade basil walnut pesto

salad: spinach & arugula mix, raisins, raw almond slices, avocado, tangerine

carrots, kale, red potatoes, thyme, rosemary, basil, sage, salt, & pepper

+

We went to Barberitos and Carraba's for unexpected outing hunger and the latter for mom's birthday dinner. All vegan fare except the cake and ice cream. Le sigh.

In other news, my front bicycle tire has decided to die and Robert pulled up our potato plant because it's dying. A lot of dying. But there's hope! He found this...

I would be annoyed at someone bringing a bunch of dirt into my kitchen for any other reason than fresh produce. Potato soup and vegan shepherd's pie, coming right up.

Need to Make: August Edition

2010-08-31T16:57:00.000-07:00

Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, raw, and so on --

Breakfast

Happy Little Vegans: California Sunshine - Blueberry Carrot Raisin Muffins (Gluten-Free)

Choosing Raw: Dehydrator Free Raw Vegan Energy Bars

Pure2Raw: Maple Syrup Coated Socca Pancakes (+ more)

Urban Vegan: Summer Squash and Applesauce Muffins

Lunch/Dinner

Choosing Raw: Fuji Apple and Spinach Soup; Summer Berry Salad

Bankrupt Vegan: Lentil Rice Burgers on Whole Wheat Buns

Allotment 2 Kitchen: Braised baby carrots with cheats broad bean pilau

Bankrupt Vegan: Easy Three Bean Salad + Cashew-Tempeh Chickenless Salad

What Do Vegans Eat?: Seared Maple-Glazed Seitan Sandwich

Golubka: Rainbow Lasagna with Heirloom Tomatoes, Mushrooms, and Castelvetrano Olives

Get Sconed!: Khao Soi Yellow Curry Noodles with Tofu

The Front Burner: Lunch! + More Lunch! + Zucchini Pasta with Tomato Mushroom Sauce + Cranberry Walnut Potato Salad

Foy Update: Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart

Smitten Kitchen: Zucchini and Almond Pasta Salad

101 Cookbooks: Black-Eyed Peas and Leeks

Oh She Glows: Black Bean and Summer Squash Enchiladas

Poppytalk: Fried Chickpeas with Broccoli & Fresh Peas

Snacks

Chocolate & Zucchini: Olive Oil and Seed Crackers

Dessert

Choosing Raw: Avocado, Chocolate, and Sweet Potato Pudding

Golubka: Rosemary Plum Crumble + Lavender Ice Cream with Apricots Poached in Blueberry Sauce + Almond Milk and Cookies

Yummy Raw Kitchen: German Chocolate Ice Cream Cupcakes

Vegetarian on the Cheap: Raw Macaroons

Tartelettes: Peach, Blueberry & Lemon Thyme Galettes

Bread

Orangette: Oatmeal Sandwich Bread

Other

Bankrupt Vegan: Lentil Hummus

Choosing Raw: Low(er) Fat Green Pea Guacamole

The Witchy Kithen: Agua de Sandia (Watermelon Water) with Lavender

Sweet Life: Agua de Sandia

Veganlicious: Make Your Own Raw Tahini and Cheesy Tahini Broccoli

Food in Jars: Pickled Sweet Cherries

ain't food pretty

2010-08-30T19:01:00.000-07:00

Too lazy to type. Starting..... NOW.

A bit out of it, but not totally gone

2010-08-27T06:52:00.000-07:00

We've continued to do well, in terms of what we eat, but we've still been eating out too much. (Earth Fare for sushi and muffins + Barberitos for fat vegan burritos) Not good for our budget.

Yesterday Robert made us soup and salad for lunch with a little square of dark chocolate with chilies and cherries. It was pretty and he's definitely winning thus far. I haven't made anything since we came home.

Unless you count yogurt and granola.

I haven't been feeling well, but gradually we've seen some improvement. Let's hope today maintains that trend.

Yogurt Slinging

2010-08-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went grocery shopping at Earth Fare to supplement the assortment of pastas and white rice we have already. Or rather, to create the nutrient value of our meals.

1 bunch of kale

1 bunch of carrots

1 bunch of bananas

2 plums

1 grapefruit

1 large bag of red grapes

1 32 oz. container of Nancy's Plain Non-Fat Yogurt

1 6 oz. container of Chobani Pomegranate Non-Fat (Non-Organic) Yogurt

2 cans of black beans

1 can of Amy's vegetarian chili

1 container of (local) Roots red pepper hummus

1 4 fl.oz. bottle of Naturally Fresh Lavender Spray Mist deodorant

1 5 oz. tube of The Natural Dentist Anticavity Peppermint Twist toothpaste

= $38.34

I wish I had not talked Robert into letting me try the Chobani yogurt. It was a waste of money. The pomegranate flavor was what drew me to it, not so much the whole Greek yogurt business. Been there, done that. Still prefer Nancy's if I'm going to go the animal milk yogurt route. Just as much probiotics and flavor for less buck. Plus, those containers are recyclable in my area.

Have you noticed that people who really like yogurt are all uppity about the particular brand or kind that they like, to the extent of arguing about it? Granted, the arguments never turn ugly. I have never shouted, "You just like the Greek yogurt 'cause it costs more, bitch!" at anyone, nor have I pulled anyone's hair for telling me that Nancy's yogurt tastes sour. It would be amusing, though, wouldn't it? And then sad... very sad.

Fantasies about yoga pant wearing, yerba mate sipping women brawling over yogurt aside -- we've bee making good choices. Not perfect, but good.

This... *

.... is certainly better than this...

See!

For lunch I had a slice of tomato and goat cheese pizza with sides of fruit salad and cucumber salad from Earth Fare. Robert got almost the same thing minus tomatoes and goat cheese, plus more greens in his salad. It had a very basic, yummy dressing of olive oil and lemon juice with spices.

Dinner we did separately. I had a bowl of Amy's Cream of Mushroom soup with about 1/2 c frozen peas added and a multigrain bagel for dipping. I suppose it's a weakness, but I have difficulty eating soup without bread or crackers (unless it's more of a stew than a soup). It just doesn't seem filling on it's own! Okay, okay. So, that's not an excuse to load up on bread. Noted.

My upcoming goal is to acquire shoes for running. But now I need to go eat!

* Nancy's Organic Non-Fat Yogurt + (mostly organic) homemade granola, 1 banana, raisins, chia seeds

Hypocrisy, guilt, and change

2010-08-23T07:24:00.000-07:00

We're back from our week long vacation and even before that I was not really updating regularly, or at least it feels like a long time. Perhaps it's just because so much has been happening both internally and externally.

Do you believe in genuine epiphanies? Do you believe that a light can just come on in your head and suddenly you can see? Then without knowing how you got there, looking around and taking a step forward.

Recently it occurred to me that we talk so much about how we should eat and what we believe, as if verbal reinforcement would somehow magically make it manifest in our daily lives, but really we're continuing on the path of old habits. Everyday. We say it will be different tomorrow or when we're less busy. Not true. It's the same. We're never less busy. We operate in busy and busier.

Essentially, we are being extremely hypocritical and indulging in some perverse cycle of personal guilt. While I do believe that verbal reinforcement can be helpful, it's not helpful at all if there is no relevant and supportive action taken. Action is absolutely necessary. It is the practice of the belief, and it is the thing that will solidify change.

After speaking with Robert about this over Chick-fil-a nuggets and sauce (UGH), he agreed with me and we decided that after returning home from vacation with family, we'd stop this cycle of behavior. Vacation is not really a good time to start battling your weaknesses head on, especially when your family is not aware of your food and health aspirations. I knew funnel cake, monkey bread, Mac & Manco pizza, etc. would be calling me name throughout the whole duration of our trip. Not only is it appealing to my taste buds, it's also "tradition". Breaking with tradition is on another level right now.

Although, as the week progressed we became more and more excited about not eating the foods we had been eating. We rode our bicycles everywhere, went for long walks, and swam in the ocean. If we had been eating healthfully, imagine how great we would have felt! Instead, we frequently had headaches, felt irritable, and I had three episodes. In one week. Still, we had a good time and thought a lot about the challenges to come.

Yesterday when we arrived home, I cleaned out everything in our kitchen that we are uncomfortable with consuming (partially hydrogenated oil, high fructose corn syrup, etc.) There was not as much as I thought there would be, which was a pleasant surprise. Eventually we plan to do away with white rice and pasta to be replaced by whole grains, but frankly we can't afford to not eat what we have at the moment.

It's okay. One step at a time.

Monthly Summary: July

2010-07-31T10:00:00.000-07:00

Stats:

Money Spent on Food (for two people)
Before: $400 - $700
January: $175
February: ~ $500
March: ~ $700
April: ~ $500
May: ~ $500
June: ~ $300
July: ~ $500

Episodes per month*
Before: 4 - 6
January: 3
February: 6
March: 5
April: 5
May: 12
June: 3
July: 5

*Including dizziness, weakness, disorientation, or hallucination that occurs without seizure

Weight
(Jaime)
Before: 148 lbs
January: 140 lbs
February: 134 lbs
March: 140 lbs
April: 139 lbs
May: 141 lbs
June: 145 lbs
July: 143 lbs

(Robert)
Before: 245 lbs
January: 240 lbs
February: 234 lbs
March: 235 lbs
April: 240 lbs
May: 232 lbs
June: 228 lbs
July: 228 lbs

Large Bins of Trash**
Before: 6 - 8
January: 3
February: 2
March: 2
April: 3
May: 4
June: 1
July: 1

**We don't use plastic bags. We compost most of our organic waste.

Recycling Bins
Before: 4 - 6
January: 2
February: 3
March: 2
April: 4
May: 4
June: 3
July: 4

Amount of Food Wasted
Before: 8 - 10 items
January: 2 items
February: 3 items
March: 1 item
April: 3 items
May: 3 items
June: 3 items
July: 4 items

Things we bought this month that we should not have bought:
Pizza
Soda
Ice cream

Same as last month, more or less. We really need to get our food expenses down, which would easily be lowered just by eating out less. That "habit" has been really out of control lately.

Need to Make: End of July Edition

2010-07-30T19:18:00.000-07:00

Wow, is it already July 30th? Jeepers.

I've been a bit MIA lately because my camera charger is still missing. Oh, and I had a mild case of food poisoning. I've still been keeping my eyes open for awesome-looking recipes.

Breakfast

Gluten-Free Goddess: Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins with Almond Flour

The Front Burner: Three-Grain Chewy Energy Bar

The Daily Dietribe: Quinoa Banana Muffins

Summit Sandwiches: Savory Oatmeal

Oh She Glows: Blueberry Carob Pancakes

Lunch/Dinner

Summit Sandwiches: Low 'n' Slow Sweet Potatoes

My Colombian Recipes: Zucchini Carpaccio

Kath Eats Real Food: Salt + Peppa (Yummy dinner)

The Front Burner: How-to Roast Peppers

Golubka: (Raw) Summer Squash and Herb Salad + (Raw) Fig and Hazelnut Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Basil Sauce

101 Cookbooks: Tofu Burgers

Healthy Green Kitchen: (Raw) Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Dressing + (Raw) Avocado Salad Stuffed Squash Blossoms + Raw Vegetable Sesame Noodles

FOY Update: Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Sour Cream Salsa Dip + Beets!

Allotment 2 Kitchen: Broccoli Cauliflower Bake with Mushroomy Butter Beans

One Hot Stove: Rajma Wrap

Cheap Healthy Good: Sprouted Quinoa and Mango Salad

Dessert

Green Gourmet Giraffe: The Comforts of Rice Pudding + Turkish Fig Pudding

Bella Eats: Blueberry Hill Cupcakes

Wanna Foodie: Grilled Pear and Mascapone Tart

Use Real Butter: Mung Bean Popsicles

Flickr: Coconut Recipes: Vegan Squash and Coconut Cake + No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Bars

Whisk Kid: Chocolate Cherry Swirl Cupcakes

Orangette: Raspberry Yogurt Popsicles

Golubka: (Raw) Blackberry & Lime Miniature Tarts with Cardamom Ice Cream

Sweetly Raw: Summer Berry Tart

Pure2Raw: Almond Pistachio Fig Creme Cake Recipe

Snacks

Vegan Homemade: Beet Hummus

Golubka: Choco-Papaya Surprise Sandwich Rolls

Other

Novel Eats: Strawberry Freezer Jam

Elana's Pantry: Watermelon Aguas Frescas

Canning Across America: Old-Fashioned Fig Preserves

Kitchen Science: Peach Blueberry Jam with Vanilla

Friends, food porn, & email

2010-07-27T05:23:00.000-07:00

I love that friends send me their food porn.

Have to share: Made some beautiful enchiladas last night. They're a tad on the spicy side so Ryan was happy - I'm just happy they were so pretty. They have vegetarian re-fried beans, lime, red onions, quartered cherry tomatoes, colby/jack cheese, roasted red pepper enchilada sauce, and black olives. Nom, nom, nom... Happy there are left overs for dinner tonight too, they're always better the second day anyway. Marvel at my food porn! Hehehe.

Hugs!

Housewarming Pancake Brunch

2010-07-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

We had our housewarming pancake brunch yesterday, which went smashingly even with there not being enough chairs and the power going out right before it was supposed to start. However, I could not find my camera charger! So there are no pictures! My forehead is officially glued to the palm of my hand on account of continual slappage.

In sum, we had about thirteen guests and almost the entire time making pancakes in my little kitchen.

Pancakes:

1. Red Mill's 7-Grain (thanks, Chris, for supplying the mix!)

2. Vegan Pumpkin with walnuts*

3. Raw Coconut Flax*

Toppings:

1. Nut butters - peanut and chocolate hazelnut

2. Jam - strawberry

3. Fruit - berries (brought by Holly and Ben), peaches (brought by Marie and Sam), fried apples (brought by Liz and Cid), and bananas

4. Coconut milk

5. Ginger Cranberry Sauce*

6. 100% maple syrup

7. Dark Chocolate Cherry Granola*

8. Honey

Drinks:

1. Dirty Chai Tea*

2. Mint Tea

3. Lemonade and strawberry lemonade (brought by Holly and Ben)

4. Hot tea - green, chai, chamomile, rooibos, etc.

5. Orange juice

* Recipes to come soon!

My current kitchen is larger than the last one, but it's still not exactly large. If someone else is in it with me, I often find myself saying, "Get out of my way!" before manners can stop me. Oops. Sorry, Husband. So my first order of business in planning my brunch was setting up an area outside of my kitchen where friends can get their plates, cups, forks, and pancakes. Meanwhile, I need to be able to add freshly cooked pancakes to the table. My studio is right next to the kitchen and there just happen to be two dressers right by the door to the kitchen. Problem solved. (Once I cleaned up my studio that is...)

Like I said, our power went out briefly right when it was about to start so I didn't get a jump start on the pancakes. It was also getting hot in our apartment. Finally it came back on and the air conditioner worked it's magic while people talked and waited for pancakes. Kelli was kind enough to help me in the kitchen and various individuals came in periodically to talk to me once things calmed down a bit.

Oh, and Holly smashed up some berries into the 7-Grain batter because she wanted purple pancakes. I heard they were delicious. They were certainly pretty!

We didn't have enough chairs for everyone to sit, but thankfully there was plenty of space for people to spread themselves out. No one mentioned that we ran out of plates at one point. I noticed it because from the kitchen I could see someone using their hand as a plate! Geez. My friends are so laid back. Thankfully, there were clean plates still waiting in the cabinet.

It was a lot of fun and I'm glad we did it, despite fearing disaster at every turn. (It's what we do when we plan parties. We shake in our sneakers.) Maybe a bbq next?

Eat your heart out

2010-07-24T14:47:00.001-07:00

Since we were stupid and ate out a lot earlier this month, the last stretch of this month requires a lot more care. We're also planning to go see my grandparents next month, so money is tight right now. Mostly the red flags went up after Robert unexpectedly had to drop $200 to fix his car!

Before heading to the grocery store, I flipped through my "new" Vegan Mediterranean Cookbook for some ideas. A friend and me were at Mr. K's, a used bookstore yesterday, and I'm so glad I found this gem. Such a great book!

2 globe artichokes, 2 lemons, local (and organic!) vidalia onion, 2 russet potatoes, 8 oz container of button mushrooms, cabbage, a bunch of fresh spinach, frozen edamame, frozen peas, and raisins. Earth Fare also had coupons for free (non-organic) ravioli AND free (non-organic) mozzerella and basil with the purchase of 1 pound of local heirloom tomatoes.

Our total was $31.20. Not terrible. Especially considering I think this will last more than a week. I could be wrong. It has happened.. oh, I don't know... once or twice before.

I'm not really keen on planning, but it seems warranted this week to keep us on track. We don't eat dinner together except on Wednesdays, and most days we don't get to eat lunch together either, so the plan is to cook ahead and have leftovers for packing and re-heating.

++++++++++++++++++++

Meals
Sunday, July 25 - Saturday, July 31

Sunday:
Pancake Housewarming Brunch!
Spaghetti with Vodka Sauce, Roasted Tomatoes and Carrots, Fresh Basil and Mozzarella

Monday:
Artichoke Hearts, Mushrooms, and Peas in a Lemon Sauce (p. 137) on rice
Peas Braised with [Spinach] and Mint (p. 150)

Wednesday:
Squash Gnocchi w/ Walnut Sauce (p. 107)

Friday:
Sauteed Zucchini and Mushrooms with Sun-Dried Tomatoes (p.159) on rice
Baked Cabbage with Garlic (p.142)

+++++++++++++++++++++

Elaborate and pictorially stimulating post reviewing the recipes will come throughout the course of this week. Yay!

Willful tie-ups and tag-alongs

2010-07-24T09:10:00.000-07:00

This post - Does Your Handbag Show a Simple, Green, & Frugal Life? - inspired me to think more about what I carry around - or what I don't carry around - with me.

There isn't any one item that I always have in my pocket or in a bag. Seriously. Not even identification. Not even house keys. Much to my husband's frustration.

What do I carry around?

First of all, I have too many handbags. I tend to favor large handbags, to the extent that friends occasionally make fun of me and my "overnight bags", to the extent that I have been referred to as Mary Poppins. In fact, any time I have purchased a smaller bag, it usually ends up being given away. My only saving grace is that I have my bags for many years.

If I carry anything beyond keys, when I have them, then I tend to go to the extreme of carrying a lot. Possibilities include....

frequently

water bottle

journal

the best pen in the universe

back-up or for-borrowing-requests pen

receipts

random bits of trash or dead things I find

often

book

sketchbook

chap stick

hair pins

my digital camera

sometimes

bike chain

helmet

Sharpie marker

cell phone

light sweater

coupons

recyclable materials*

red lipstick

rarely

pencil

box of charcoal

box of crayons

paint

Robert's iPod

mascara

sunscreen

pretty much never

money

*There is one establishment around here that I know recycles. ONE. I cannot stand the idea of throwing out things unnecessarily, so I carry it home and toss it in our recycle bin. It might sound crazy or excessive, but really, it's not that big of deal. I carried the cup around when it was full of tea or coffee, why I can't I carry it empty?

Most of my items are actually pretty inexpensive, purchased second-hand, and/or items that I keep until it is completely unusable. So I feel pretty good about what I'm looking at here. Even if it probably makes me look like a pretentious, bookish hippie art fag.

Still, I do own a lot of stuff. I just have enough sense not to carry it all with me. One of these days we'll take a peek into my closet and my bathroom cabinet. This whole investigation has inspired me to get rid of a few of my handbags, so that's a plus, I suppose.

What do you carry around? What do you think it reflects about you? I'm always fascinated by what people have in their bags and purses. There are pictures of me as a child going through people's stuff. Old habits.

Dining Out, Pt. 1

2010-07-23T07:41:00.000-07:00

Eating vegan in this area is really difficult. Or even vegetarian. It's difficult because there are about four places to eat, one option at each, and that can get really tiresome. Not that eating out often is ideal. Still, if a friend wants to eat out before a movie or if someone from out of town wants to go to a restaurant, it usually goes like this:

"Where do you want to eat?"

"Um, we could go to Barberitos. Or Earth Fare. Or Rolly Polly."

"I don't want to eat at those places. How about The Crazy Tomato?"

"I guess I can get a salad..."

And this salad we're talking about here is a representative of vegan salad in this area, not just this particular restaurant - a handful of iceberg with a few cherry tomatoes and sliced carrots. Maybe mushrooms. Good luck if you don't want grilled chicken salad of some kind or other.

We've gone into restaurants and there was literally not one single option without animal products. The best you can do is settle for some cheese or cream sauce. The Applebee's on Roan Street, which we went to with a gift card, is one example.

I wasn't going to bother writing about restaurants in our area because, well, this is Johnson City. I changed my mind, though, upon further consideration.

1.) Johnson City has more restaurants per capita than any other city in the nation. Or at least we did in 2003. Not sure if that's still true.

2.) I feel like this town is pretty representative of a lot of towns all over the United States in terms of what's available to the people. Mostly chain restaurants and establishments, a few modest "mom & pop" shops here and there.

Many of us don't live in cities or towns that cater to the needs of vegans, vegetarians, or really anyone with specific dietary choices and needs. When I tried to order a coffee in the hospital (which is a Magnet hospital!) a few months ago, they didn't even have a true non-dairy option for creamer. And that's the hospital.

While I attempt to adjust my own lifestyle, along with my husband, I'd also like to explore the lifestyle relationship to the broader environment. In my own town, when we travel on the road or by train, when we're with friends, etc. All of these factors effect the individual attempting to change over to a healthier, more fulfilling lifestyle.

Regardless of whether this mentality is "right" or "wrong", how many people would eat better if it was easier? How many people would eat less meat? How many people would eat more fruit and vegetables? How many people would not miss filling up on butter bread before a meal, or being tempted and then feeling guilty for eating so much "free" bread?

Thoughts

2010-07-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

I've been pretty absent in a lot of ways. Let me explain....

I haven't been feeling well. Mentally. Emotionally. This has been going on for about three weeks now.

Plus, I'm preoccupied with actually attempting to make money. This has been going on for about two weeks now. Although not so much this week.

Plus, I am no longer taking medication to regulate my hormones and episodes. This has been going on for about three days. So far, not too bad. Mostly collapsing and weakness, not episodes of delirium and seizure. I do have difficulty thinking clearly. Time will tell.

Plus, we're having a housewarming brunch on Sunday morning! So I must stare at a corner of the room for three hours attempting to determine how I need to "fix" it. Or I must walk around with an object, back and forth from one end of the apartment to the other and then back again, trying to find "its place". Or give up and put it in a give-away box.

And I feel like I am spinning. Constantly.

I am trying to be better prepared, to simplify, to breathe and accept. It probably sounds dramatic, but really, I am fine. I have been attempting to cope with... myself... for my whole life and it has gotten easier and easier the more time passes. I cannot do The Right Thing all the time. I cannot feel good or motivated all the time. It's okay. It's all okay.

I've been making time to do yoga, read for pleasure, and drink delicious tea because it makes me feel better just to be able to do something simple. It makes me feel like I can do more. And I have been. Little by little. Today I cleaned the bathroom, swept and mopped, washed dishes, and still went out with a friend to a local bookstore without it grating on me. More on my treasures later.

For now I am going back to my kitchen because the cabinets are a mess and the idea of organizing them seems both soothing and productive. I suppose it doesn't matter at all that they're a mess, but then it doesn't really matter if I waste every single day doing nothing. I don't act on the basis of whether or not it matters. I just do what I feel like I need to do in order to be right in my soul. And sometimes I do what I feel like doing instead.

Who is a goddess of balance? I need to invite her to my brunch.

Non-bike friendly environments

2010-07-15T17:13:00.000-07:00

I live in a town that is not very big, but not very small either, and it's not in the least bit bike friendly. Hell, it's barely walking friendly. I have been nearly hit by a car while walking on four different occasions in the last year. If I had not been paying close attention, just in case the driver was not, and stepped (or jumped!) quickly out of the way, I would have been hit. It was not night time. I was not crossing a street when I shouldn't be. People here simply do not see walkers and cyclists. I'm often surprised by how many motorcyclists I see on nice days, but not surprised when family who work in hospitals tell me about accidents involving motorcyclists.

In some ways, I would rather live in a much bigger city provided that they were more conscious of cyclists and walkers. I would feel less apprehensive about taking new routes, too, I think. Now I am afraid of landing myself in a particularly unsafe riding area. Plus, the local police might be more conscious as well regarding cycling laws. On a few different occasions, Robert has experienced policeman telling him to ride only on the sidewalk and then other policeman telling him to ride only in the street. Confusing, indeed.

Still, I ride my bike. After I get a basket, I intend to ride it even more for practical trips, such as grocery shopping. I'm a casual cyclist in the sense that I don't own any spandex, nor do I even know a whole lot about bikes. (Mine is a Bianchi. I know this because it is printed on the side of my bike. Insert goofy grin here.) I would like to change that, but for now I'm content to deal the challenge of my own bike and my own immediate needs.

Here is what I've learned about riding safely in areas that are not bike friendly:

1. Wear a helmet! I never see people wearing helmets around here except "serious bikers". I realize that helmets are not exactly cool, but neither is having brain damage because someone drove their SUV into your city bike. Plus, everyday people are designing stylish helmets to suit various aesthetics. I hate the way traditional, generic bike riding helmets look, which is what I currently own, so someday I will replace it with a helmet that doesn't bother me quite so much.

2. Develop a route to places that you go regularly and stick to it, unless you have plenty of time and can turn around and go a different way, should you come to a place that seems unsafe, (like a really busy intersection, a narrow road without a side lane, a busy area without sidewalks, etc.). If you're on a schedule, that is not when you should try to find faster new routes. You need to be relaxed and ready to turn around without too much issue.

3. Try to relax. I know that seems counter-intuitive on busy roads with oblivious people riding around, but seriously, most of the time being relaxed and focused helps me deal with whatever sudden horror came at me. I'm not over-thinking the problems, or essentially creating new problems by being distracted by fear.

4. Do not assume the drivers see you, even if they are looking right at you or if they have a stop sign and they should be looking for pedestrians, cyclists or drivers. I generally slow down at least a little at all intersections because I don't want to assume that drivers will stop at their stop sign instead of plowing into me.

5. Acquire and maintain safety devices, like light reflectors on your bike. If you frequently ride early in the morning or late in the day, I'd recommend buying a blinking red light for the back end of your bike. This is pretty obvious, but it can be overlooked. You might not even notice it for a while if your light falls off or stops working, so check regularly.

6. Follow "rules" of riding similar to those of driving - try not to slow down or stop where no one is expecting you to do so, don't swerve around haphazardly, stop at stops signs and red lights, use appropriate arm gestures to indicate if you're turning, and so on. Although you might believe that people in their big vehicles should be watching out for you, they're probably not, and if they're not you're going to be the one who really pays for it. So don't get so caught up having fun that you don't pay attention to your surroundings.

7. And that's really the biggest thing - pay attention! Even if you have bike lanes and sidewalks to ride on, there are driveways and cars being driven or parked inappropriately (some drivers use bike lanes) as well as pedestrians and other cyclists.

Bicycling is a truly wonderful yet deceptively simple experience, especially once you start to feel less afraid, so even if it's making you nervous it's totally worth it to keep trying again and again. Don't worry about hills or your goofy helmet or how much you'll sweat or messing up your hair or getting out of breath and looking like a lobster - just get out their and ride!

Water bottles, not bottled water

2010-07-13T06:26:00.000-07:00

My husband was on campus recently and some students were discussing water bottles before class started. He said that they thought they were "doing right" by buying about 40 bottles of water per year and re-using those purchased plastic bottles. One girl claimed that she has been drinking bottled water for so long, she can't stand tap water. She maintained this position even after Robert explained to her that bottled water is essentially tap water, she just doesn't like her tap water. When he asked them why they don't just buy plastic or metal water bottles and nix the whole disposable water bottle thing altogether, they said, "those are too expensive."

But buying 40 or so bottles of water each year and reusing them is cheaper?

Even if you buy the cheapest disposable water bottles available, you'd still save money in the long run buying a quality, re-usable bottle. We recently purchased a new one for me because I lost the first one at the library (so sad), and it came to $10 bucks. The first one was $12. If you look for them and weigh your options, you can find a bottle within your price range.

You can also clean these bottles effectively, which you cannot do with disposable plastic bottles. They're not meant to be re-used. They're meant to be discarded so that you buy more and more and more. The aluminum bottles that Robert and I own can be easily cleaned with denture cleaning tablets.

It's true you can recycle water bottles, but that's not necessarily efficient or optimal in terms of energy and expenses. It's also unlikely that everyone makes a point of recycling their plastic water bottles. Besides, with all of the new styles available, a handsomely designed bottle is way more attractive than some clear cheap plastic bottle.

Twitter-pated

2010-07-07T10:54:00.000-07:00

I suppose it was only a matter of time. (Before I made myself a Twitter account, not before making a Disney animated film reference. Although both were inevitable.)

http://twitter.com/tinygreenlife

Zucchini & Summer Squash BFF

2010-07-06T16:41:00.000-07:00

In the summer, I tend to cook vegetables all at once and store them away in the fridge for later use. I can't be bothered to stand over a hot stove every day for long periods of time, multiple times a day, even if I have on a lovely nightgown. No amount of romanticism or vanity makes it appealing.

Because, really, the most adventurous, exciting, romantic, and quietly glorious things happening in the summer are happening elsewhere. I think the kitchen understands this, that there are small windows of glory, and then it's time to move outside or next to a window or onto a bicycle.

One of my favourite vegetable combinations is zucchini and summer squash. Preferably steamed and lightly salted, but not to the point of mushiness or a doctor shaking his finger at you. The yellow and green discs need to remain slightly firm to retain their flavor and, well, to avoid grossness. And this combined with...

- rice and sauteed tofu

- pasta with a cheese sauce or white wine sauce

- some cheese crumbled over it with pepper and white wine vinegar

- scooped into a taco with other fixin's

.... is easy peasy. Minimal time cooking altogether, minimal time sweating in the kitchen when you should be watching an outdoor concert or swaying under the ceiling fan in your living room to Beirut or reading about sailing to South America.

It's also one of the first things I learned to make for myself, without instructions or supervision or anything. So it's nostalgic to a degree. In the god awful heat of un-air-conditioned summer years ago, my little clumsy hands decided to take a chance on zucchini and squash. It was one of the first times I realized, "Hey, I actually like vegetables!" [Other than peas and corn, mind you.]

What a revelation.

This time of year zucchini is growing between everyone's toes, underneath beds, in mailboxes with the junk mail, and between dusty, spider-ridden boxes in garages. This means they're cheap. Summer squash is not far behind.

Tonight I decided to eat rice noodles with sauteed tofu, zucchini, and summer squash. Plus pepper, soy sauce, white wine vinegar, sesame seed oil, and sesame seeds. It took up very little time in the kitchen, even with steaming the squash at the same time. It's a very easy base, too, to add other things.

Perfect for summer!

p.s.

Spartacus is weird.

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T22:04:00.000-07:00

Peach Plum [Pepita] Muffins, na-nana-nana-nana-na

2010-07-03T09:09:00.000-07:00

I made muffins.

My sister likes to make fantastic, Garden of Earthly Delights-like cupcakes, and I think it's only appropriate that her little bee sting sister makes muffins. (And she is probably laughing right now, or at least smirking.) Know thyself, as a friend reminded me recently.

Not long ago I came across a recipe for Peach Plum muffins, which I added to my "Need to Make" list. Coincidentally, I ended up being able to make them much sooner than anticipated because a friend of mine gave me about six peaches that were on their way to compost land. But not yet! The excellent thing about fruit is that it can often be redeemed through muffins or pies. And come on, pie. Who doesn't like pie? I can understand being indifferent to muffins, but you are not allowed to snub pie.

I didn't want to make pie. I wanted to make muffins that remind me of Joanna Newsom. Minus the pear. And thereby reminding me of summer and harps and cotton dresses and open fields.

Sometimes my favourite component of a task is the smallest, least glamorous component. Like walking down the street to pick up muffin liners with my pocket full of sweaty quarters. It was hot, but there was a nice breeze. And I swear these were the only muffin liners they had in stock:

Peach Plum Muffins

quoted from The Entertaining Kitchen

1 stick butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar, or slightly less
2 large eggs
1 Tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tsp. baking powder
1/4 Tsp salt
2 cups (approx) of stone fruit, pitted, skin removed cut into small pieces 2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup of milk
1 tablespoon sugar mixed with 1/4 tsp. nutmeg (I omit this)

Heat oven to 350. Grease 12 regular muffin cups, or use foil baking cups.

In a medium bowl beat butter until creamy
Beat in sugar until pale and fluffy
Beat in eggs, one at a time
Beat in vanilla, milk, baking powder and salt
Add flour, mix well, and fold in fruit
Scoop batter into muffin cups. Sprinkle with nutmeg sugar.
Bake 25 - 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Let muffins cool for 30 minutes before serving.

My changes to the recipe --

Instead of cow milk, I used unsweetened almond milk. (We don't normally have cow milk at home.)

I also took out the nutmeg sugar and replaced it with crushed pepitas. I thought the green pepitas would look delicate and softly gorgeous with purpley-pink and peach bits of colour peeking out.

It may be because I used extra large eggs instead of large, as the recipe dictated, but mine were well over onto the moist side. It didn't make them bad, they just didn't have that lightness to them that some people want. When I make these again someday, I will attempt to make them lighter.

They're really delicious. The vanilla is a blanket flavor that continues to fill your mouth while the slightly tart plum and the sweetness of the peach burst through periodically. The pepitas add a nice, subtle crunch and mellow savoriness to the top portion of the muffins. Perhaps a little too subtle. Not bad, though. Not bad at all.

I recommend eating them with earl grey or white peach tea. And with picnic blanket beneath you.

Monthly Summary: June

2010-06-30T18:55:00.000-07:00

Stats:

Money Spent on Food (for two people)
Before: $400 - $700
January: $175
February: ~ $500
March: ~ $700
April: ~ $500
May: ~ $500
June: ~ $300

Episodes per month*
Before: 4 - 6
January: 3
February: 6
March: 5
April: 5
May: 12
June: 3

*Including dizziness, weakness, disorientation, or hallucination that occurs without seizure

Weight
(Jaime)
Before: 148 lbs
January: 140 lbs
February: 134 lbs
March: 140 lbs
April: 139 lbs
May: 141 lbs
June: 145 lbs

(Robert)
Before: 245 lbs
January: 240 lbs
February: 234 lbs
March: 235 lbs
April: 240 lbs
May: 232 lbs
June: 228 lbs

Large Bins of Trash**
Before: 6 - 8
January: 3
February: 2
March: 2
April: 3
May: 4
June: 1

**We don't use plastic bags. We compost most of our organic waste.

Recycling Bins
Before: 4 - 6
January: 2
February: 3
March: 2
April: 4
May: 4
June: 3

Amount of Food Wasted
Before: 8 - 10 items
January: 2 items
February: 3 items
March: 1 item
April: 3 items
May: 3 items
June: 3 items

Things we bought this month that we should not have bought:
Pizza
Soda
Ice cream

We didn't do terrible. We didn't do great either. More in between.

I don't regret the ice cream, though. Not ever!

Need to Make: End of June Edition

2010-06-29T17:54:00.000-07:00

I've slacked quite a lot on finding and collecting recipes here. It was part week of raw food and part summertime habits. I simply don't cook that much. Sandwiches, salads, fresh fruit, cereal, smoothies - this is generally the assortment of foods we eat this time of year. Oh, and beer, if that counts. So, if something looks even remotely fussy or Oh-God-It's-Too-Hot-In-This-Kitchen!, then I don't go for it. Not now.

Breakfast

Foy Update: Frittata with Wild Onion, Potato, Goat Cheese, and Thyme - Vegetarian Recipe

A Healthy Purpose: Raw Breakfast Buckwheat Bar + Pumpkin Seed Power Bar

The Entertaining Kitchen: Peach Plum Muffins

Golubka: Apricot and Plum Breakfast Biscotti with Lavender and Cardamom

Lunch/Dinner

Golubka: Mint and Tomatillo Gazpacho + Temaki-zushi + Cucumber Feast (salads)

Allotment 2 Kitchen: Stuffed Bell Peppers + Celia's Rhubarb Lentil Curry

Faiza Ali's Kitchen: Cajun Potato Wedges

what the hells does a vegan eat anyway?: Pasta with Tempeh, Broccoli and Greens + Hickory-Smoked Eggplant Po' Boys, Cole Slaw

The Front Burner: Farm Lunch Flashback (Salads galore!)

Vegan Homemade: Broccoli Pesto Pasta Salad with Chickpeas and Apples

My Colombian Recipes: Roasted Potato, Asparagus, and Arugula Salad

Deliciously Organic: Sugar Snap Pea Salad

Apple a Day: Chilled Avocado Soup

Novel Eats: Orzo with Basil Pesto + Summer Pasta Salad

Other

The Entertaining Kitchen: Artichoke Basil Pesto

Straight from the Farm: Homemade Herbal Lemonade + Strawberry Jam

Food in Jars: June Can Jam Slowcooker Blueberry Butter

A Healthy Purpose: Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

Bread

Green Gourmet Giraffe: Nigella Lawson's Potato Bread

The Entertaining Kitchen: Strawberry Tea Bread

Dessert

Orangette: Fennel Ice Cream

Nook & Pantry: Carrot Cake with Pineapple, Coconut, and Brown Butter Rum Cream Cheese Frosting
Green Gourmet Giraffe: Beetroot and Rhubarb Crumble

Proceed with Caution: Watermelon Sorbet

Smitten Kitchen: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Canelle et Vanille: Apricot, Pistachio, and Lemon Shortbread Tart

Oh, and there's no recipe, but down the Popsicles sound so good?

Summer Meals

2010-06-28T13:13:00.000-07:00

We've been eating well. Sadly, there aren't many pictures because I had forgotten to charge my camera. Thankfully, there is no such thing as Blogger Jail or Blogger Hell or Blogger Time-Out.

Less regret and more food, right? Right. Moving on.

Not long ago, a friend of ours sent some Bob's Red Mill Organic 7 Grain Pancake Mix to us - and by "some" I mean "a whole lot oh my goodness pancakes everyday thank you thank you" - so I made banana walnut pancakes. They were delicious. And so easy. I used to be terrified of making pancakes. Now I want to make pancakes for everyone.

Recently I also made a panini-esque sandwich - local heirloom tomato, smoked mozzarella, and fresh basil on a baguette, heated on our George Foreman Grill. The tomato, the mozz, and the baguette were not organic, by the way. I also contend that the baguette was not a true baguette. It was softer. You should be able to kill someone with a baguette, in my opinion. Robert doesn't like hard crust, though, so it worked out well.

Not too long ago I accepted the fact that I don't really like grilled cheese. (No, I'm not a communist, for those of you who assume as much when faced with an American who does not like grilled cheese.) A Polish cook at the bakery I used to work in made grilled cheese sandwiches for me and they were absolutely fantastic, but for some reason I've never been able to properly mimic them. (Had I known this, I probably would have begged him to make me one everyday!) Maybe part of it was the bread quality? The specific type of cheese? I don't know. But after many disappointing meals I have given up. Still, I love a hot mozz and tomato basil sandwich.

This was born out of a craving, which could not be satiated the "normal" way - going to Panera. Robert refuses to go there because it's "over-priced yuppie fake ass healthy food". Okay. Fair enough, dear Husband. So I put this sandwich together, and it was So Satisfying and much cheaper than going to Panera for a very similar sandwich.

Note to self: Sometimes Husband is right. Sometimes.

I've also been eating way too many fried eggs. The gist of it - 1 slice of multi-grain bread topped with a slice of (non-organic) cheddar, 2 fried eggs, a big spoonful of salsa, sliced (non-organic) black olives, dollop of sour cream, and fresh cut cilantro. The one morning we had leftover baked potato and vegetarian chili, so I used that instead of bread. Oh my goodness.

Chris, our friend who gifted us with ENDLESS AMAZING PANCAKES, also gave us this super useful scissors-thing for cutting fresh herbs.

They are not as hard to clean as they appear to be. And they make cutting up herbs a lot faster and easier. Thanks, Chris!!!!

More summer meals to come Wednesday.

Skin Deep

2010-06-23T16:50:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention this before, and it is certainly worth mentioning.

I've always had problems with my skin. Not like a Go-See-A-Dermatologist problem, but a general, moderate problem of never really feeling too good about my face. It's always oily, my forehead looks like a mine field, my chin and nose spotty, etc. Getting older does not seem to change that much. And it doesn't seem to significantly matter how often I wash my face or with which product. Some products make it worse. None of them seem to really make it better.

However, not long after our week of raw food, I noticed that I looked a lot prettier. No make-up. No contacts. Nothing like that changed. What could it be? Then I realized. It's my skin. Holy cow! Robert noticed it, too. He said that I looked a lot healthier in my face. Perhaps it's really vain, but I don't care. Natural beauty has always appealed to me much more than anything created by make-up or surgery, so actually liking my skin after a change in food and water intake is a big deal to me. And it represents so many other possibilities!

While we still cannot afford to eat raw all the time, this is still a pretty convincing argument for me to try making it an important inclusion to our regular diet. Hopefully drinking more water will continue to help as well.

Which I have been doing, in case you were wondering.

Four tall glasses a day seems to be the most I can get into my body, and I'm pretty comfortable with that considering I used to drink maybe one glass a day. Although I tend to drink more if I've had alcohol or coffee. Still, there's an improvement. Let's hope I can maintain it.

Father's Day

2010-06-21T16:13:00.001-07:00

For Father's Day we met with Claire and Jack, Robert's parents, for lunch at Golden Coral. In case you have never heard of a Golden Coral, it's a "Southern" style buffet. Jack really only likes to go to buffets, so we've been here a few times and I knew what to expect.

I got my usual - mashed potatoes, corn, peas, carrots, and a roll. But I also got a bowl of new england clam chowder. Technically, I should not have gotten it because of the cream, but I really wanted soup and it was the only mildly acceptable one. So I cheated.

Robert's super full plate of veggies and breads - brussel sprouts, mushrooms, carrots, cabbage, green beans, cornbread muffin, and butter roll.

We were all really impressed by Claire's fantastic salad. Proof that you can eat decently (and sort of ethically) almost anywhere as long as you try to. I skipped salad because I wanted to have room for hot food and dessert. Plus, I am already eating a lot of salad-type stuff at home. A girl needs her mashed taters sometimes, okay?

Jack's mixture of vegetables and meat. Claire also had a plate of vegetables and meat, but I was too busy stuffing my face to remember to take a picture. Oh well. You get the idea.

I am opposed to eating meat just any-damn-where, and I'd be lying if I said this judgment left the table when it comes to family and friends. However, I don't believe it's my place to go around trying to make people feel bad about their food choices. If the knowledge of the suffering or ecological harm is not enough, nothing I say will change anything. We are functioning in a culture that centers around regular, continual consumption of meat. When I first began cooking, I remember feeling really strange if I didn't have a meat or poultry source. That was "The Meal". Vegetables were just details. A lot of people still feel that way, and I can understand that. As long as they're not rude to me about my decisions, I'm going to return the favor.

And dessert!

Jack was sweet enough to get another chocolate covered strawberry for me - the last one!

Happy belated Father's Day!

Food love: berries, roasted vegetables, and hummus

2010-06-17T06:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went grocery shopping and in the evening, while Robert was at his second job, I was feeling up to getting some work done. (Yes, there was a headache, some dizziness, and some difficulty thinking yesterday.) It was while I was in the kitchen that I remembered why I started blogging about food in the first place. Or rather, one of the three reasons.

1.) To log my food/beverage consumption and non-epileptic seizure episodes.

2.) To prove that you don't have to have a lot of money to eat ethically and well.

3.) To continually indulge in my love of food - the way it looks, the way it smells, the way it tastes, and the way I feel preparing and serving it to people I love.

Don't be fooled. They're all self-serving reasons. This last one is just the most hedonistic and masturbatory. Oh yeah. I went there.

We spent about $56 on groceries. The blueberries at Earth Fare are $2 and the rest of the berries are priced well, too. I could have easily left with just a basket load of berries and been more than content. Left to my own devices, I will eat handfuls of blueberries everyday and little else. IF I eat something else, it will be in the service of berries. Like cereal. Or yogurt.

Alas, Husband was there and he "limited" us to two containers of blueberries, one container of raspberries, and one small portion of bing cherries. We had to get other practical things like bread and vegetables.

(One of my all time favourite things to do is eat fresh cherries in bed. A good book can accompany me. Or a feline. It's okay. But the key is the cherries. The chilled dark rosy decadence of cherries is wonderful paired with crisp summer sheets and the breeze a fan blowing nearby. And then when you bite into one and it reveals its raw, carnal side, gnarled and juicy. Oh my.

Try it sometime.)

Pleasant distractions aside, I picked up a rutabaga last week because a friend of mine kept raving about how amazing it was in the cutest and most endearing way one can rave about a root vegetable. My intent was to roast it with a beet and a turnip, which I did last night.

I've never personally handled a beet before, and after I washed the dirt off of them, I remembered how much I like trying to new things. It's a small thing, really, but it's exciting! I might fall in love. And if one cannot be excited about that, then honestly, there seems little point to me.

I fell in love with the beet immediately. The dark purple juices unabashedly spilling out over my cutting board and onto my fingers. Oh, and those delicate layers, like line etchings made in a glass of red wine.

In fact, when I was cutting the turnip, I nearly sliced open my finger because I was so busy admiring the sliced beet. I would have felt bad about this, but I have a feeling turnips are used to it.

I don't really follow recipes unless I'm doing something very specific and/or complicated - like a pastry or bread - so I can't tell you exactly what I did for this or any of the concoctions that follow.

Basically,

250 degree oven

a cookie sheet

extra virgin olive oil

1 beet

1 rutabaga

1 turnip

sea salt

dried, minced garlic (non-organic)

dried cilantro (non-organic)

45 minutes uncovered, then another 30 minutes covered

I also sliced up all the raw vegetables Robert wanted for his packed lunch/dinner. I love the little rat-like tails radishes have. Radish slices make really excellent "chips" with hummus.

And diced up the free (non-organic) cantaloupe we received from Earth Fare last week.

And sauteed some frozen peas, frozen (non-organic) onions, and sliced summer squash.

And washed the dishes. Then I moved onto making black bean cilantro hummus.

food processor

1 can of black beans (non-organic)

tahini (non-organic)

sesame oil (non-organic)

lemon juice

ground cumin (non-organic)

honey (local, non-organic)

a little bit of water

fresh cut cilantro

That was the end of my preparations for yesterday evening, but it's fairly representative of how things have been going. We've been keeping raw fruits and vegetables around for muesli, cereal, salad, and packed meals. I've been roasting vegetables, sauteeing tofu, and making rice for quick meals and leftovers. Observe!

Update

2010-06-11T10:05:00.000-07:00

We have consciously - not just accidentally or lazily - decided not to post everyday updates of meals because...

1.) It's time consuming.
2.) It seems unnecessary.
3.) It's a bit counter intuitive for me.

We haven't decided exactly how this blog is going to evolve. We know that we are interested in posting recipes, reviews, occasional articles regarding food and health, and to keep a log of our spending and health fluctuations. We know we would like to post at least three times a week, and to continue posting "Need to Make" and "Monthly Summary".

So it may just amount to that. We'll see.

In the meantime, Robert has returned to school to begin his journey toward becoming a dietitian. I am busy focusing on my art and writing "career". Oh, and making granola, fruit and nut bars, marmalade, etc. to sell.

More to come in a few days.

.

Raw Food Fast/Detox Diary: Day 7

2010-06-07T22:45:00.000-07:00

Today began the way that Monday mornings often do - Robert gets up to shower, while in the shower I pack his lunch, he gets out of the shower, gets dressed, and eats breakfast (a bowl of muesli), then he leaves. Usually I eat breakfast after he leaves, but instead I worked in the garden for a while. Then I started scanning photos, etc. and by the time my stomach finally decided to let me know I need to put something in it, it was noon. So I didn't eat breakfast, despite waking up at 8:30 AM.

Lunch:

banana berry muesli

Multi-tasking.

My muesli mix -

~ 1/2 c rolled oats

4 chopped strawberries

1/2 banana, sliced

a handful of raw walnuts

chia seeds

a splash of coconut water

a splash of unsweetened almond milk

Dinner:

raw food for Robert, salad and rice with soy sauce for me

I was making my rice and thinking, "What can I make to go with the rice?" and then I remembered this thing I heard of once... called a salad... and it's really easy to make... especially when you bought a bunch of veggies at the farmer's market last Saturday.

My salad mix -

romaine lettuce (about 4 leaves)

1/2 of 1 small green pepper, diced

1/2 of 1 tomato, diced

a handful of dried cranberries

a handful of raw cashews, broken up

a little bit of Sesame Goddess dressing

clover sprouts

After eating/watching an episode of The X-Files, we went to Dave's house to mow his lawn and do our laundry. The laundry was taking a bit longer than we thought so we really rushed shopping at EarthFare before it closed. (We had no chance of making it to Natural Foods Market.) I don't like rushed grocery shopping, but Robert needed some stuff to pack for his super long day on campus tomorrow.

We picked up some Dutch Girl Sourdough bread, Smart Deli Roast "Turkey" Style, Organic Valley Cheddar Cheese, peanut butter, O.N.E. Amazon Acai Coconut Water, Organic Valley Lowfat Yogurt in Vanilla, and some chips which I fail to remember the name of right now and Robert has the bag. We bought the chips thinking we had a coupon for them, but we read the coupon wrong - you have to buy two bags, not one. Oh well.

I was going to remind Robert that we had agreed not to eat cheese this month, but it didn't seem important enough to me (obviously). He's got enough on his mind without worrying about lunch. It would seem to me that practicing moderation and seeing how well we do with that is fine for now.

We went to bed at 11 for the 6:30 AM alarm. Bugger.

Raw Food Fast/Detox Diary: Day 6

2010-06-06T20:42:00.000-07:00

Busy, busy days! As I type this I am scanning old family photos for my mom, labeling them in a separate document, and squeezing in spoonfuls of muesli. (I'm working on this Monday morning, instead of last night. But it will still show up as being posted last night.)

10:00 AM

Breakfast:

We skipped it. Too busy preparing mango salsa and getting the rest of our food ready to go.

Snack:

Robert ate one of his apple energy bars.

Lunch:

Taco salad with Claire & Jack

My mix -

2-3 romaine lettuce leaves

3 heaping spoonfuls of mango salsa

2 equally heaping spoonfuls of guacamole

black olives

clover sprouts

I ate two bowls! It's probably the most I've eaten at once all week.

Robert decided to use the romaine leaves as taco shells, so his was roughly the same, just a little different in form and amount of romaine at one time. Claire and Jack ate turkey meat with similar fixin's. It was a really nice lunch for everyone.

Basic Guacamole "recipe"

2 avocados, mashed with a few small chunks

~ 1/3 c tomato, diced

~ 1/4 c onion, diced

2 handfuls of fresh cilantro, chopped

juice of 1/2 lime

sea salt, to taste

If you want to get fancy (or spicy), you can add things like tequila, peppers, sour cream, and so on. Or make it in a multi-layer dip. The great thing about guacamole is that it's absolutely delicious without any special effects.

Mango salsa "recipe"

2 mangoes, diced

1 tomato, diced

1 small green pepper, diced

~ 1/4 c chopped yellow onion

3 handfuls of cilantro, chopped roughly

sprinkle of mint

sprinkle of sea salt, to taste

juice of 1/2 lime

It's easier and turns out more like salsa if you use a food processor. Mine was dirty so we chopped everything by hand. I looked like more of a salad than a salsa.

Claire was kind enough to share some of her garden with us. And some special, secret flowers. We left with treasures!

Snack:

Robert ate an apple

At some point after getting home and working on organizing the apartment, I started feeling nauseas again. And not in the "I'm hungry" kind of way. I also started feeling light-headed and I had difficulty thinking. I kept walking in circles, staring at things. Finally I fell over (ha - finally!) while sitting and Robert gently suggested that make some rice. "We only have one more day left. [I] need to eat something and if [my] stomach can't handle more raw food, then it's fine to eat some rice." I said no.

The disorientation got worse. Robert brought me to the couch and I ate some crackers. Just regular ol' saltines.

Dinner:

Marinated Bok Choy, watermelon slices, and white rice with soy sauce

Robert ate the bok choy and most of the watermelon. I ate two slices of watermelon and consumed a small portion of rice that he kindly cooked for me. Gradually I started feeling much better. I was even feeling up to joking and laughing with Robert. He confessed while we were doing dishes after dinner that I was "almost intolerable" this week. (It's funny, really, nothing serious.)

He's continuing to eat raw. I married a rabbit.

Raw Food Fast/Detox Diary: Day 5

2010-06-05T14:31:00.000-07:00

So at around 4 AM I woke up feeling nauseous. Due to my unfair level of awake-ness, I decided to get up, eat some apple with peanut butter, and read until my stomach settled and my brain decided it was sleepy time again. About 30 minutes later I decided that something was wrong, and went to the bathroom to lay on the floor. Yes, lay on the floor in my bathroom. Every time I sat up - no matter how slowly - dizziness and nausea took over in a big way. After about 45 minutes of laying on the floor, I started to feel well enough to crawl into bed. Upon getting up to my knees, a wave of nausea hit me hard and the nasty, sweaty, nose-running vomiting began. Hooray!

No, seriously, thank goodness. Because after the yuckfest, I felt much better. And I went to bed. (After brushing my teeth and drinking some water, of course.) These are good things.

I'm not sure what that was about - maybe the No-Bean Hummus was super not okay for me to eat last night? Maybe hunger in combination with not-so-good food led to a perfect storm?

In case, I woke up feeling fine. Not hungry or unsettled at all, actually.

10:30 AM

Breakfast:

Raspberry & Chocolate Raw Revolution bar for Robert, Spirulina & Cashew Raw Revolution bar for me

While Robert chatted with a friend for a bit, I worked on the garden (i.e. weeding) before heading out to the Farmer's Market.

It rained on us at the Farmer's Market, but the rain felt good. Then the humidity vied for attention. Jealous bastard. Look what we picked up for $4 (non-organic):

Oh, and guess who might work as a baker at EarthFare? ME. Pray to whoever or whatever you believe in that I get this job because it would be fantastic.

After running a few errands we stopped in the Natural Foods Market to drop off my application and pick up some food. Organic avocados were $.99 each! I fainted. And then I picked up two of them for guacamole and "tacos" tomorrow with the in-laws. Robert found a few more raw food bars he wanted to try (for $1 each) and we picked up some bananas, an apple, and an assortment of dried fruit. Total - $18 and some change.

A snack in the shade, anyone?

Snack:

Robert - 1 banana, 1 energy bar

Me - About 6 dried apricots

Lunch/Dinner:

salads from EarthFare (I forgot my camera!)

Robert's mix

spinach, lettuce, sprouts, carrots, onions, edamame (he didn't know it was steamed), carrots

My mix - spinach, mesclun mix, raw pecans, mandarin orange slices, blueberries, carrots, cherry tomatoes, sprouts, a drizzle of olive oil

You can tell he goes for the savory and I go for the sweet.

When I asked the sushi guy if he could make riceless vegetarian sushi he literally laughed at me. And then he said, "You know what sushi means?" I said, "Yeah, it's just something I've heard of and I thought I'd ask about it. Good to know it's off the table." He laughed some more.

Snack:

More dried apricots, banana cinnamon muesli

I was pretty hungry after walking around the downtown festival so I decided to have a more filling snack. Muesli was perfect.

Water/Juice/Tea Consumed:

3 glasses of water

1 glass of Coconut Chai tea from EarthFare with local honey and a splash of soy milk

1 mug of mint tea with local honey

Positives:

+ I feel good today. So does Robert.

+ As much as I joke with Robert about wanting pasta and other foods, I'm actually feeling pretty fine without them. I mean, yes, I want them. But I'm not obsessively CRAVING. It's not depressing to me anymore.

Negatives:

- Mostly just money at this point.

- Or I did feel good today until nausea started to kick in again late in the day... UGH.

Raw Food/Juice Fast Diary: Day 4

2010-06-04T23:40:00.000-07:00

We got a late start today. Didn't wake up until 10 AM! Robert reminded me to mention in the blog that we've both been sleeping more since beginning this "diet". (I've been really reluctant to use that word because of it's connotations.) So breakfast is more like brunch and snack is more like lunch and lunch is more like dinner... etc.

Breakfast:

banana cinnamon/cocoa muesli

We both had a bowl of muesli with roughly the same ingredients - rolled oats, 1 banana, chia seeds, coconut water, unsweetened almond milk - except I added cinnamon to mine and Robert added a spoonful of mousse to his bowl.

Snack/Lunch:

Cashew & Agave Nectar Raw Revolution bar

When I used to play soccer, bars of all kinds were a regular staple in my diet. I hated 90% of them. However, when it's 90 degrees and you've been running several miles and conditioning, it doesn't really matter. Everything tastes like sweat anyway.

For a long time post-sweat days I gave up on food bars, but have started trying them again with a fair amount of success. Raw Revolution is one of the brands that we can still eat and it doesn't disappoint.

I went for a walk to the library for more information on organic vegetable gardening and to return a few books. Man, it was HOT. I was really glad that I ate before leaving to give me some energy.

Robert ate his packed lunch - carrots, cucumber, and a cob of corn.

Dinner:

Marinated Bok Choy from RAWvolution, Whatever Is Left In The Fridge salad, and carrots with leftover No-Bean Hummus

Robert ate some of the salads, I ate about 4 carrots with No-Bean Hummus and a few bites of Marinated Bok Choy and the other salad. I wasn't really in the mood. I wasn't in a bad mood, per se, I just didn't really feel like eating them.

The bok choy, by the way, was tasty. I didn't care for the random concoction. Something in it didn't taste right.... I still haven't decided yet what that might be or how to fix it. Robert said that it's "alright" so I have a feeling that in his mind it's salvageable.

Water/Juice/Tea Consumed:

3 glasses of water

1 mug of mint tea with local honey

Positives:

+ We're both starting to feel less tired. Or even... not tired at all! (Gasp!)

+ I didn't crave any french fries or food like it today.

Negatives:

- Still, the money issue.

- We don't really eat enough. Especially me.

- The food goes bad more quickly in our fridge. Robert wouldn't eat the Mock Tuna Salad or the No-Bean Hummus because he "didn't trust".

Our new plan is to finish the week of only raw food - three days left - and then switch to eating as much raw food as we can afford. However, we're still not to consume meat, poultry, dairy, coffee, soda, or pasta for the rest of the month. The pasta is because it remains my big emotional eating crutch. Pasta is inexpensive, yes, but so is rice.

Ultimately, we want to be able to consume things in moderation without having hard "rules" set in place. I'm not a big rule person. It's not my thing. And life doesn't really function that way. Hopefully after this month we won't even want soda, and when we have something like french fries or cake, it will regarded as what is should be - a treat.

Our original goal for this month's food budget was $200 since we're attempting to regain control over our food spending, but that will not work at all considering we've already spent so much this week. Our new goal is $350. That's for two people for the whole month. It may or may not work. But as a friend reminded me recently, "Know thyself" and I know that I function better when I have specific, demanding goals. It's that Protestant German blood in me.

Besides, we need to pay some bills!

Raw Food/Juice Fast Diary: Day 3

2010-06-03T09:02:00.000-07:00

I woke up with a headache. Probably not enough water.

Breakfast:

berry banana muesli for Robert, banana cinnamon muesli pour moi

~ 1/2 c rolled oats

~ 1/2 c sliced almonds

1/2 banana, sliced

~ 5 raspberries

chia seeds

unsweetened almond milk

~ 1/2 c rolled oats

~ 1/2 c sliced almonds

1/2 banana, sliced

cinnamon

chia seeds

~ 2 tbsp coconut water

~ 1/3 c unsweetend almond milk

Lunch:

Robert's packed lunch - Mock Tuna Salad, romaine and spinach, sprouts, carrots, No-Bean Hummus, a little bit of chocolate mousse

My lunch at home - 1 Fuji apple with peanut butter and chocolate mousse

I was trying to eat quickly before heading out to prepare for the festival art sale. I know it wasn't "enough" food and probably part of the reason I completely bombed out later.

Dinner:

spicy, sweet, & cool salad

1 corn cob

1 vine tomato, diced

1/2 large cucumber, sliced

cilantro

sea salt

red pepper flakes

lemon juice

clover sprouts

We shared this and then headed out to do our laundry.

I was starting to feel really depressed. I desperately craved a salad from EarthFare (we're running low on fresh ingredients), but Robert didn't want anymore leafy greens that day so I didn't even ask. Begrudgingly I put together this salad quickly and sulked on the couch while eating. I went from wanting salad to being unreasonably angry that I couldn't have pasta. My mind was full of spinning plates of pasta, like I was trapped in the Twilight Zone.

And after we got home, looking at the boxes everywhere that still need to be put away, I became more and more frustrated with feeling tired 80% of the time. I actually started to cry a little.

At some point while laying in fetal position in bed, it occurred to me that while some of my frustrations are understandable (like the work/energy problem), for the most part I am responding to my habitual emotional eating. I would like to think I don't do it that often, but honestly, I do it frequently. Several times a week. And the more I thought about it, the easier it became to get my ass out of bed and do about 10 minutes of yoga to clear out (temporarily) the anger and despair. Then help my husband clean up the kitchen. Then put the clothes on the bed away.

I'm still tired. I still feel overwhelmed. It's okay.

One day at a time.

Water/Tea/Juice Consumed:

3 glasses of water

1 mug of mint tea with honey

Positives:

+ Gradually learning to drink more water.

+ Forced to deal with emotional eating and being overly indulgent of my moods.

+ It also kind of forces us to deal with our dishes more actively because otherwise the kitchen smells like rotting vegetables. And we get flies. Gross.

Negatives:

- We cannot maintain this financially.

Last night before bed Robert told me that we don't have the money to keep this up. Even if we didn't buy the ingredients for chocolate mousse and the raw food energy bars, we'd still have spent $80 on food for a week. We simply do not posses the ability to do that for another few weeks. When meals start being cut and replaced by juice, that won't be much cheaper. Good quality juice is pricey. Homemade juice is even pricier.

We couldn't decide what to do, so we just agreed for the time being to finish the seven day raw food portion of our fast.

I have a vague idea for a plan in mind, but I'm going to let it marinate a bit longer in my brain. I'm sure we'll know in a day or two what the new plan will be.

Raw Food/Juice Fast Diary: Day 2

2010-06-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

I woke up feeling really fantastic, actually. I overslept and Robert was already showered and dressed by the time I got up, but still I felt like I had slept well. I wasn't "starving" either, like I thought I would be.

Breakfast:

berry banana muesli

I spent a few hours talking to a friend of mine (who just paid for two prints - yay money!), which was very enjoyable, but I put off eating for too long and after she left I took a big down-turn. I felt really tired and really sad. The sadness made me want to eat big heaping piles of pasta and chocolate mousse pie. And lay in bed watching Disney movies. Where are you when I need you, Aladdin?

Lunch:

3 carrots with leftover No-Bean Hummus

some leftover Tomato Basil Soup

I tried to draw. It didn't help. Eventually I just went to sleep.

Snack:

3 strawberries

1 kiwi

I felt much better after my snack.

Dinner:

a little bit of Mock Tuna Salad from RAWvolution

We didn't particularly enjoy this recipe. And it's not just because my blenders and food processors are delicate kitchen creatures. It was just kind of boring. I added some paprika and extra stone-ground mustard to try jazzing it up a bit. It's still a big "eh". Oh well. We'll still eat it.

Dessert:

Raw Chocolate Mousse from Rawmazing, slightly adapted

When I was begging and pleading for my husband to take me to EarthFare so I could make raw chocolate mousse, he was extremely skeptical.

"Avocados?," he said incredulously.

"She claims you can't even taste them."

"That sounds like raw foodie malarkey to me."

Whether he took pity on my pathetic need for something comforting or was curious about the dish, he decided we would go and pick up the necessary ingredients along with some more carrots, chia seeds, and energy bars.

We were both really glad that he did. Really glad. And Robert couldn't even taste the avocado.

I deviated a bit from the recipe mostly to make it a bit thinner (+ almond milk, coconut water) and sweeter (+ agave nectar). I also used peanut butter because it was cheaper.

This dessert is really rich. I like it best with fruit, which is why I ate all of my strawberries, despite needing them for my breakfast.

After dessert and watching Bolt was finished, Robert and I rode bikes to campus for some art-making with friends. I'm not good at group work. At all. But it was fun and I made one thing that I actually like. Shocking. The ride was fine up until a point, and then I had to sit for a little while before walking the little bit of ways left to the art building.

Amount of water/juice/tea consumed:

2 glasses of lemon water

1 mug of chai tea with honey

Positives

+ This is forcing me to deal with my emotional eating, I think. Yes, I did end up eating some chocolate, but unlike before I didn't whine and complain until we went to get pizza, soda, and Dairy Queen or something along those lines. I just whined until I could make something as a reasonable substitution. Ha! I'll take improvements where I can get them.

+ Although I was sad, neither of us was feeling moody, really.

Negatives

- I still feel a bit tired all the time. Sometimes really tired.

- Brief period of dizziness.

- Robert had a headache all day. (I'm not sure if this is related since Robert is prone to having headaches.)

Raw Food/Juice Fast Diary: Day 1

2010-06-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

As it is June 1st, we're on the first day of our month long raw food "fast".

I woke up feeling well rested despite having a nightmare, but Robert felt exhausted because he had only been able to sleep about four hours. Regardless, it was time to get up, eat our breakfast, and get moving on our To-Do list.

Breakfast:

berry muesli

Mine -

~ 1/2 c rolled oats

~ 5 fresh strawberries

~ 1/4 c raw, sliced almonds

a handful of raw pepitas

~ 3/4 c unsweetened almond milk

Robert's -

~ 1/2 c rolled oats

~ 8 fresh raspberries

~ 1/4 c raw, sliced almonds

a handful of raw pepitas

~ 1/2 c unsweetened almond milk

A side note on the rolled oats - they're technically not raw. They're heated during the rolling out process. We found oat groats in EarthFare, but they were toasted, so it seemed to defeat the purpose. We're eating muesli anyway because it's cheap, easy, delicious, and not all that bad, really. If you disagree, we can agree to disagree.

By the time we were finished with our errands at 12:30, I was definitely ready to go home and prepare some quick food. We were both quite hungry.

Lunch:

Cauliflower Couscous and No-Bean Hummus from RAWvolution

I didn't follow the recipes exactly because 1.) my kitchen equipment is more suited for small batches, and 2.) I'm not-cooking for two people and I don't need a million leftovers, and 3.) I didn't even buy enough to follow the recipes exactly.

The fabulous thing about raw food is that so much is just fine tuning to your own taste, so you almost don't even need a recipe in the strict sense. You just need a push in the right direction.

I accidentally added a bit too much tahini so our hummus was a bit liquidy, but it was still really delicious. Perfect with carrots and cucumber. Both of the recipes were delicious, as a matter of fact! I thought I might have a problem with the texture of the couscous and it wasn't a problem at all.

Although I expected to feel better after lunch, in terms of my strength and energy, there wasn't really much of a change. I went out again while Robert stayed home to work on unpacking some boxes.

Snack:

rosemary date nut bar (or 'Rosemary went on a date with a nut.' Get it?)

When I came home later after my brother received his medal, I desperately needed a snack. Something sweet. So I put a bunch of dried and pitted dates into my food processor with raw cashews, raw walnuts, cinnamon and some rosemary. I almost killed the damn thing. It was smoking. And not in the sexy times way. But I ended up with my treat regardless.

My concoction was based on a recipe for Bittbars.

Post-snack I still felt worn out, but a lot less shaky.

Dinner:

Tomato Basil Soup and Summer Corn Salad from RAWvolution

Same deal as above. It's my kitchen, I do what I want in it. However, I'm supremely grateful for this raw recipe book. It's really helped me think about raw food in a more comfortable way. I feel less terrified at the prospect of preparing raw meals now.

After dinner we both decided that a nap was in order. Robert fell asleep immediately, and here I am typing up this entry. I just really wanted to make sure I had enough time to reflect on the day.

Positives:

+ I enjoy feeling full, yet still light.

+ We've eaten better today than we have in a long time.

+ The simplicity of decision-making about food has returned. There's no guilty wavering, only a resolute "No".

+ It seems to affect our overall attitudes for the better - we take time to rinse out our dishes and put things away, we deal with our tasks much more proactively, and I personally feel much more inclined to take better care of myself in other areas of my life.

Negatives:

- We both feel very worn out.

- My food processor seems to have difficulty being used so much.

- Robert is irritable.

- Robert is craving a lot of food he can't have, like chocolate and cheeseburgers. (Surprisingly, I have had no trouble with cravings, not even when my mom and brother were talking about getting milkshakes.)

One of my goals for this month is to work on my perpetual dehydration. I'm one of those people who might drink a glass of water a day. That needs to stop.

Water/tea/juice consumed today:

2-1/2 8 oz glasses of water

Monthly Summary: May

2010-05-31T17:00:00.000-07:00

Stats:

Money Spent on Food (for two people)
Before: $400 - $700
January: $175
February: ~ $500
March: ~ $700
April: ~ $500
May: ~ $500

Episodes per month*
Before: 4 - 6
January: 3
February: 6
March: 5
April: 5
May: 12

*Including dizziness, weakness, disorientation, or hallucination that occurs without seizure

Weight
(Jaime)
Before: 148 lbs
January: 140 lbs
February: 134 lbs
March: 140 lbs
April: 139 lbs
May: 141 lbs

(Robert)
Before: 245 lbs
January: 240 lbs
February: 234 lbs
March: 235 lbs
April: 240 lbs
May: 232 lbs

Large Bins of Trash**
Before: 6 - 8
January: 3
February: 2
March: 2
April: 3
May: 4

**We don't use plastic bags. We put organic waste outside.
We also have two cats, which means kitty litter.

Recycling Bins
Before: 4 - 6
January: 2
February: 3
March: 2
April: 4
May: 4

Amount of Food Wasted
Before: 8 - 10 items
January: 2 items
February: 3 items
March: 1 item
April: 3 items
May: 3 items

Things we bought this month that we should not have bought:
Pizza (three times!)
Coke (to go with the pizza, DUH)
Tacos
Starbucks coffee drinks
Turkey legs (@Warrior Dash)
Pulled Pork Sandwich (@Warrior Dash)
Sugary tea drinks (@Warrior Dash)

Obviously, we haven't been doing too well. More of the same. So we're starting June off with a raw detox/cleanse/fast in hopes that the extreme shift in mentality will help us regain some control over our impulses and will power. It's also an opportunity for us to test out how raw food makes us feel compared to eating cooked food pretty much all the time.

Robert ran Warrior Dash and up until the event he was running almost everyday, but since then he hasn't done anything and I haven't done anything all month aside from walking and riding my bike a few times. Our goal for next month is to develop a bit more of a routine. I don't like routines, really, but there doesn't seem to be another way around it. With us working (hopefully both of us) and Robert starting school again, a tentative routine seems to be the only way we'll get everything done. Part of this routine includes exercise of some form or another. Everyday.

Day 140-something... oh bugger...

2010-05-31T05:06:00.000-07:00

So, instead of doing what we were supposed to do - not consume any bread, coffee, alcohol, soda etc. - we did the opposite because we're impulsive and self-indulgent. (Collective sigh? Right.)

Last night we ordered pineapple pizza and bought some beer and hard cider. I drank three. Since I don't really drink much anymore, I felt a buzz after one. Oh and we.... ate the whole pizza. That's a large, folks.

Now we both feel like zombie road kill that has taken a few shotgun blows to the stomach and still continues amble on, moaning, "Waaaattteeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrr".

Too much cheese.

Too much grease.

Too much sugar.

Come to think of it, we might want to start looking for our brains, too.

On the upside, we successfully moved another wave of boxes from the old apartment into the new one, and it's nice to know we're done with that task. While taking a break from the stereotypical, yet painfully real southern HEAT we had yesterday, we also stopped in a local used bookstore to look for raw un-cookbooks. Surprisingly, we found a few. We settled on one that kind of grossed me out due to it's slimy, missing-the-point tone of "WHO CARES WHAT'S HEALTHY? YOU'LL LOSE WEIGHT IF YOU EAT RAW FOOD". Weight loss is certainly a positive, I'm just not really interested in vanity based interpretations. In any case, this one had more than just salads and smoothies in it, unlike the others. Then Robert saw Matt Amsden's RAWvolution in a different section ("Chinese cooking"?) for $10 and we decided resolutely on that.

Oh, and while looking around Books-a-Million, I found my long lost favourite smoothie recipe book! I'm more excited about this than a person should be, I know, but Cherie Calbom's Ultimate Smoothie Book is seriously fantastic. Most smoothie/drink books I come across are just page upon page of Drinks I Could Think of Myself. I couldn't purchase it, but when I do, I'll definitely give a full review with more details.

Now, back to bed. For it is early and my tummy hurts. Work to come later. I'll give the full update tomorrow.

Need to Make: End of May Edition

2010-05-30T16:30:00.000-07:00

I obviously won't be making any of these recipes for a while, but I still wanted to share my collection and reserve them for days of cooking non-raw meals.

Breakfast:

Orangette: Waffles

Green Gourmet Giraffe: Pear and walnut muffins

The Edible Perspective: Banana Coconut Flax Pancakes

Lunch/Dinner:

Striving Toward Vegan: Sage and Thyme "Chicken" Pot Pie

One Hot Stove: Masoor Shengdana Amti (Lentil stew with Peanuts)

Coconut & Lime: Cara Cara Mango Shrimp

Hearty Feast: Mango-Tomato Curry

Falafel: Falafel with Piquillo Pepper Yogurt Sauce, White Bean Hummus, Tomato Relish

In the Kitchen and On the Road with Dorie: Asparagus Tip Sheet + Recipe

Cara's Cravings: Coconut Lime Tofu

Honey and Spice: Butternut Squash and Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Kath Eats Real Food: Coconut Mango Tempeh Stir-Fry

Cake + Commerce: Mom's Potato Pancakes - Latkes fried in duck fat

I won't be using duck fat more than likely.

Bread:

Green Gourmet Giraffe: Dan Lepard's multigrain and honey bread

Other:

A Foodie 'n' Her Cooking Hat: Mango Lassi

Choosing Raw: Tomato Tahini Dressing + Got Juice Pulp? Or How to Make Raw Crackers

Cake + Commerce: Oaty Cheddar Cheese Crisps (gluten & egg free)

The Kitchen Witch: Basil-Gin Lemonade + Lightened Spinach and Artichoke Dip

This is also a really amusing/interesting post.

Dessert:

Kitchen Wench: Lemon & Poppyseed Cake with a Yoghurt Glaze

Tartelette: Tarte Abricots Amandes (Apricot Almond Tart)

A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine: Eggless Cardamom and Pistachios Flavored Cookie

Bake Our Day: Katie's Cayenne Cinnamon Frosting

Bo's Bowl: Old-Fashioned Strawberry Skillet Cobbler

Chocolate Covered Katie: Chocolate Butter Spread

Straight from the Farm: Dark Chocolate and Rhubarb Pots de Cremes

Use Real Butter: Strawberry Sorbet

101 Cookbooks: Rosemary and Olive Oil Cakes (with chocolate)

The Edible Perspective: Chocolate Avocado Banana Pudding

Honey and Spice: Raw Chocolate Cheesecake

Fasting and Raw Food

2010-05-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

I've felt really off track for a while now, and the lack of control/will power has really gone to my head. Something needs to change, meaning that we need to slow down and reassess what is happening and where we want t go from here.

We're planning a fast of sorts. I've never done this the way it's supposed to be done (i.e., psychologically or physically healthy), and Robert has never done it at all. So this will be quite an experience, one that I am looking forward to quite a lot.

There's a tentative plan, but since this is pretty new, we'll have to observe our bodies carefully. I know from my personal history that the first two days are the hardest for me, with symptoms fatigue, headaches, mild nausea, and irritability. After that my energy picks up greatly - as does my motivation. We don't know how Robert will feel, although I suspect headaches and irritability for a few days, based on his reactions in the past to being hungry.

** No wheat, dairy, caffeine in the three days prior to beginning of fast

** One week - Only raw foods

** Three days - Only raw foods: 2 meals + juice/tea/water

** Three days - Only raw foods: 1 meal + juice/tea/water

** Three days - Juice/tea/water

** Two days - Only raw foods: 1 meal + juice/tea/water

** Two days - Only raw foods: 2 meals + juice/tea/water

** Three days - 2 raw meals + 1 cooked meal (if desired)

Robert will be starting classes and working two jobs, so it's crucial that he transitions carefully and his energy and concentration is not depleted for long.

For this reason, among others, we may not keep the same plan either. It may be that he needs to eat two meals a day continuously while I can go onto juice fasting, but maybe I can only do it for two days and eventually Robert does it for three or four. Who knows. We're separate people with separate bodies and there's a lot that we'll just have to navigate at the time.

I've collected some recipes from various sites and blogs to get me thinking about foods we can eat, since it will not work without preparation.

Breakfast

Green Appetite: Oh Happy Day Smoothie + Coconut Chocolate Monkey + Divine Muesli

Rawmazing: Banana Pecan Pancakes

Lunch/Dinner

Green Appetite: Mango-Mint Salad + Taco Salad + Speedy Gazpacho

Veganlicious: Chili + Lasagna in the Buff + Tacos/Wraps + Curried Lentil Sprout and Carrot Salad + Portobello Steaks and Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

Golubka: Creamy Asparagus Soup + Green Soup

Rawmazing: Stuffed Avocados with Chipolte Mayo + Marinated Mushrooms and Sun-dried Tomato Spread

Snack

Rawmazing: Walnut Cranberry Crackers with Cranberry Orange Spread + Kale Chips 9 Ways

A Bitt of Raw: Bittbars

Pretty much anything from Choosing Raw.

Raw on $10 Dollars a Day (Or Less!) will be extremely useful, too.

Although I don't anticipate being 100% or even 80% raw post-fast, I would definitely like to incorporate more raw food into my diet, so I'm excited about these recipes and sites full of information.

When I was looking through the cookbooks at my local library, I felt similarly to how I felt years ago when I was first wanting to become vegetarian. "It's far too limiting. There's so many foods I can't cook!" So I reminded myself that I would come to feel differently about raw foods, too, and would even relish the creativity required to keep it interesting.

I am hopeful.

Day 139: Summer has finally arrived in my brain, she wants berries and ice cream

2010-05-27T09:12:00.000-07:00

I've always had a huge opposition to eating cold pizza. I'd rather not eat it than endure the cold, weirdly formed cheese and hard crust. And this was the mentality I had upon opening the fridge, looking despondently at the single slice of banana pepper pizza and then at my oven. I didn't want to heat up the oven just for one slice of pizza. I didn't want to eat it cold, either. We don't have a microwave, so this dilemma was inevitably on it's way to my kitchen.

Then I decided to go ahead and take a bite.

It was surprisingly good. Not as good as it is fresh, of course, but it wasn't at all like I remembered cold pizza tasting from years and years ago. To some extent, I'm sure this is specific to the pizza. Regardless, I was pretty surprised and pleased to not have horrible cold pizza partially chewed up in my mouth, not knowing whether or not to swallow. It was too early for that!

Yep, I had a slice of cold pizza for breakfast. I also finished off what little remained of Robert's cinnamon-banana-cranberry overnight oats. Despite the popularity of overnight oats and their indisputable convenience, I just don't really like them. I'll make them for Robert because, again, convenience, but I won't make them for myself. Ever. They simply don't appeal to me at all.

Perhaps they remind me too much of undercooked oats? You know, that powdery, flour-like quality. It's not grainy, really. Just like someone fairy dusted your breakfast, and now your breakfast is floating away to Idon'thavetimemoneyenergytomakesomethingelseland followed closely by bitter disappointment.

It doesn't seem to matter how long I let them sit and absorb yogurt or almond milk, although after three days I'd say I noticed an improvement. Yes, THREE days in the fridge. Still powdery, but not completely objectionable.

My food is surprising me today left and right.

(I'm still not sold on the oats, though.)

Last night I made herb goat cheese mashed potatoes for no other reason than the simple fact that our potatoes and cheese needed to be used. I might fry them to make them less healthy and more appetizing on their own. As it stands, they are lumps of potato looking for a partner in crime, to no avail. Our fridge and our pantry is full of miscellaneous things, which I can throw together, but today just isn't that kind of day. If you felt the air and saw the sky, you'd know exactly what I mean.

Mashed potato cakes with chives and yogurt, green smoothies, orange mint juice, vegetable wraps, hummus and pita, cherry tomatoes with dressing - that's what you drink and eat on days like this one.

And with that in mind, I'm heading to the kitchen to prepare lunch.

Day 136: Blessed pumpkin, blessed rosemary

2010-05-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

We're back from Georgia. I have spent most of the day uploading pictures from Warrior Dash, gardening, cleaning, and catching up on emails.

Lunch:

two leftover sweet potato pancakes with yogurt, maple syrup, frozen cherries and raw walnuts

I ate about 3/4 of this before feeling full. Fireside Chai was completely consumed.

Dinner:

lemon-butter-rosemary tilapia, baked rosemary basil russet potato slices, fresh spinach

Robert ate however much he wanted, which was about half, and then I finished the rest.

Afterward we went for a leisurely bike ride around our new neighborhood. It was swell.

Need to Make: Mid-May Edition

2010-05-19T11:30:00.000-07:00

Breakfast

Manifest Vegan: Dandelion Fritters

Veganlicious: Spiced Blueberry Almond Granola

It Ain't Meat, Babe: Easy Tofu Bacon

Hell Yeah It's Vegan: Overnight Breakfast Casserole + Vegan Bacon Cheddar Mini Quiches

The Daily Green: Vegan Tomato Rosemary Scones

The Urban Housewife: Pumpkin Doughnuts with Cinnamon Glaze

Food in Jars: Granola

101 Cookbooks: Skinny Omelet

Green Gourmet Giraffe: Oat and Cranberry Biscuits + Cheesy Spinach Tart (with carrot and oat crust)

Live Laugh Eat: No-Bake Almond Butter Apricot Bites

I added this to the breakfast section because I intend to make granola bars with the recipe.

Lunch / Dinner

Smitten Kitchen: Carrot Salad with Harissa, Feta, and Mint

The Front Burner: Vegan Bean Burgers

Limes + Lycopene: Greens with Tahini

Green Gourmet Giraffe: Beetroot, Green, & Chickpea Curry

Veganlicious: Lasagna in the Buff (raw/vegetarian) + Curried Lentil Sprout and Carrot Salad

The Entertaining Kitchen: Green Goddess Pasta Salad

Kath Eats Real Food: Low & Slow (for cooking sweet potatoes)

101 Cookbooks: Carrot Almond Salad + Carrot, Dill, White Bean Salad

An Opera Singer in the Kitchen: Split Red Lentils with Basmati Rice and Daikon Relish

The Voracious Vegan: Cauliflower and Mushroom Potpie with Black Olive Crust

Allotment 2 Kitchen: 'Wild garlic' potato cakes with white bean ragout

what the hell does a vegan eat anyway?: Tofu and Kumquat Shish Kabobs, Pot-Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Cumin, Potatoes with Mint and Cilantro Sauce, Apple Spice Layer Cake

101 Cookbooks: Poached Egg Over Rice

Love and Olive Oil: Beer Braised Turkey Tacos + Oven Roasted Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts + Salmon with Sweet Chili Glaze, Sugar Snap Peas and Pea Tendrils

Quarry Girl: Vegan Cornish Pasties + Worthington Chili (vegan) + Kasparov "chicken" salad

My husband and I used to eat chili rather frequently, sometimes straight from the can with Frito's and shredded up cheddar cheese. (The can, by the way, is heated first.) For whatever reason, I cannot tolerate the vegetarian chili offered by the same brand - and it's the only one available around here - and our adventures in homemade vegetarian chili have led to good chili, but not GREAT chili that we so crave. This is also a predicament when camping, since chili is the traditional food of our camping trips. (One of them, anyway. The other is Banana Disaster. I'll explain some other time.) And I can't abide screwing with tradition... in this very particular instance. The search continues and hopefully this chili recipe will be at least a step toward The Chili recipe.

Soup

Hell Yeah It's Vegan: Creamy Curried Coconut Lentils

Happy Herbivore: She Crab Soup (vegan) + Acorn Squash and Apple Soup

The Urban Housewife: Miso Butternut Squash Soup

Bread

Kiss My Spatula: Irish Brown Bread

Coconut & Lime: Mango Coconut Bread + Yogurt Herb Bread + Rosemary and Sun-Dried Tomato Focaccia + Yeast Rolls + Naan

Yep, I totally raided her "bread" recipe section.

Other

Veganlicious: Spicy Sweet Potato Chips + Raw Spicy Corn Chips

Whole Living: Avocado-Pear Smoothie + Lavender Lemonade

Deliciously Organic: Almond Poppyseed Crackers with Ricotta and Honey

Kiss My Spatula: Walnut Pesto

Dessert

My Sweet Vegan: Simple Pomegranate Poached Pears

Pinecone Camp: Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies + Anzac Biscuits

Allotment 2 Kitchen: Rhubarb and rosemary cookies

Veganlicious: Raw Chocolate and Mango-Berry Tart

Kiss My Spatula: Ultimate Peppermint Ganache Brownies

Mowielicious: Chocolate and Passion Fruit Sorbet Macaroons + Blueberry Macadamia Financiers

Cannelle et Vanille: Wild Mulberry, Cherry and Pistachio Clafoutis

Closet Cooking: Cherry Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Let's Live Wholesome: Chair Bars + Spicy Glaze

Foy Update: Peanut Butter Molasses Cookies

The Entertaining Kitchen: Strawberry Rhubarb Cake

Other good links for recipes:

http://www.wholeliving.com
http://thegreenhorns.wordpress.com/
http://whatthefuckshouldimakefordinner.com/

http://veganhomemade.wordpress.com/tag/my-recipes/

I didn't isolate any recipes from this blog because there were so many recipes listed in one entry that it seemed better at this time to hold onto the link and return to another day.

Day 131: image heavy, like, sumo

2010-05-19T07:33:00.000-07:00

We have some catching up to do.

Farmer's Market and moving in!

Saturday, May 15:

Pancakes, salad, and cookies!

Monday, May 17:

Pumpkin Pancakes from Vegan Brunch - with some added raw walnuts. If you haven't seen this cookbook and salivated all over it, you need to very soon.

Part of Robert's lunch, pre-chopping and slicing.

Part of my lunch, pre-digesting.

A housewarming gift from dad.

Peanut Butter Molasses Cookies, which were ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL, except I made them too fudge-y. You see, we have really small eggs right now so I thought that maybe I should add two instead of one. Nope.

A lot of work and pizza!

Tuesday, May 18:

Just as the title implies. We shared a large Papa John's pineapple pizza and Coke at the end of the day, not even feeling guilty about it because of all our hard work. I would like to some day develop a different kind of "treat" or "reward" that is healthy and more responsible. Fingers crossed on that one.

Today!

Wednesday, May 19:

A truly awesome amazing thing happened this morning. I thought, "Why don't I chop up some leftover pumpkin waffle and put it in my Weetabix with the peanut butter molasses cookie and banana?"

It was filling and very nommy. That's right. I said nommy.

For lunch I had a wrap - artichoke hummus (non-organic), avocado (non-organic), diced green pepper (local, non-organic), spinach, sliced carrots - with water. Crunchy and creamy all at once. Quite good. Robert had free lunch at a local place in the town he works in. BBQ. He was too polite to explain he doesn't eat meat (from most sources around here).

I have had quite an appetite lately. Even after eating that big wrap, I felt hungry within an hour or two. We went to EarthFare and shared a meal. Oriental noodles, sesame kale, and grilled squash.

About an hour or so later my stomach is grumbling. What the hell?

I ate crackers and tuna salad and herb goat cheese. With Coke. (Gasp!) I've been having issues with food. And although I felt hungry, I wonder how much my intake has to do with those "issues". More on that tomorrow. Maybe.

Day 129: We've moved!

2010-05-17T14:47:00.000-07:00

Mostly, anyway.

It's not all set up just the way we want it yet and there still a few telling cardboard boxes around, but we've been staying here and I cooked my first meal this morning - pumpkin pancakes courtesy of Vegan Brunch, which is a fantastic cookbook whether you're vegan or not. They were surprisingly easy to make, healthier than "regular" pancakes, and tasted oh so yummy. I added chopped walnuts to a few of them for an added something. Add some mint tea to this combination, like I did, and you have one invigorating, delicious morning.

I made Robert a salad for lunch and a small portion of cottage cheese with dried cranberries (non-organic) and sliced almonds. For myself, one slice of four cheese pizza, a garden salad with honey mustard dressing, and 3/4 of one big glass of sweet tea from a local restaurant. Why did I get pizza and Robert didn't? My mom took me out to eat. :-)

I've got a slice of "Greek pizza" (feta, mozz, banana peppers, black olives) to eat later, too.

And speaking of later, I intend to post pictures and all that of our progress in the next few days. You know, in between setting up my studio, building shelves, trying to find a job, and taking care of chores.

126: a list instead

2010-05-14T05:34:00.000-07:00

Weetabix, peaches, honey, almond milk;

confirming graduation status;

paying off a debt;

scavenging some abandoned art materials;

walking home;

researching images online for next project;

drawing with markers;

leftover pizza;

scrambled eggs;

working on scavenged sketchbooks;

photographing dead mouse;

pasta, butter, 1/2 of a tomato, basil, salt, pepper;

laundry;

reading;

And I should note, last week Robert started running everyday in preparation for the Warrior Dash. He's still not in excellent shape, but I'm really proud of him.

Day 125: ice cream is healthy, right?

2010-05-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

This morning we both had Weetabix with fruit - peaches and strawberry for me, blackberries for Robert - and I have officially sworn off frozen strawberries unless they're used for smoothies. Yes, I know, this is a big deal.

After breakfast I walked to the library and then to our new apartment to continue painting. Sadly, I FORGOT my precious water bottle at the library and some hobo stole it. I'm not saying this as some snooty girl wearing a sale price Old Navy t-shirt. Oh no. I'm saying this because old vagabonds hang out in the library all the time, and I know that none of those middle-aged soccer moms or church going grannies took my beat up, scratched, painted, and dented water bottle. No offence, hobos or soccer moms or old ladies. But seriously. We all know who made off with it!

I say, good find, my friend. I would have totally done the same thing. Or turned it in, given that it was such a nice red bottle and obviously loved and missed.

In any case, I became far too hot while working in the apartment and after Robert got home, Subway and Dairy Queen were in order.

We got a foot long tuna sub - mine had American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mustard. I think Robert got the same thing except with black olives and without mustard or lettuce. We also each had a snack bag of baked Lays BBQ chips. Robert drank Coke and I drank some terribly, sickeningly sweet black tea. I was really thirsty, but I didn't even finish it.

At DQ I chose a medium Raspberry Truffle Blizzard and Robert chose a medium Reese's Pieces Blizzard. We both agreed that we should have ordered a small. Or shared a medium. Mine was delicious, but about half way through it I started wishing there wasn't anymore for me to eat.

Now, hours later, we're both still full, yet very thirsty after some more hard work in the new place. It's tiring and hot and dirty over there, but it's going to be so gorgeous and wonderful when it's ready. For the rest of the evening I intend to drink a lot of water and take it easy. Tomorrow's another busy day.

Day 124: breakfast wrap, green juice, salad, and then random explosion of food

2010-05-12T06:35:00.000-07:00

I woke up at 7 a.m., about an hour before Robert, so that I could make his breakfast and pack his lunch. The difficulty in waking up before him and getting started in the kitchen is that our kitchen light goes directly into the bedroom. (This will change, of course, when we move into the new place and there are "real" rooms.) Nevertheless, I put together his meals without much difficulty.

Breakfast:

egg, collard greens, and potatoes with salsa wrap

The wrap was quite large (they were out of the medium-sized wraps we usually buy at EarthFare), so he ate about 2/3 of it and I finished it off. Oh, and the photos were taken after he woke up, which is why there was so much light.

I also exhibited my clumsy capabilities a bit this morning. Oops.

Since our fridge is a total mess and a messy fridge often leads to wasted food and that leads to having to buy more food with our limited funds, I decided to clean it out and organize it today before heading over to the apartment for more painting and cleaning.

Before: Ewww

After: Hurray!

I also made juice.... and it turned out fantastic! And only two pieces of fruit went flying!

The Juice Concoction:

1 whole pineapple, cut into cubes

1/2 lb kale

1 orange

Mmmmmm....

Lunch:

sautéed tofu, wheatberries, garbanzo beans, and veggie salad with sweet chili sauce

(Plus a little bit of leftover macaroni and cheese and three squares of cherry and chili dark chocolate.)

The salad was inspired by Kath's thrown together bowl of goodness. For the tofu, I sautéed it very similarly to how Emily did it in her tutorial, except I used peanut oil and added soy sauce, rice vinegar, and fish sauce.

I packed myself the same thing, minus leftover macaroni and cheese.

Except I didn't go to the apartment.... I fell asleep on the couch after packing two boxes and tidying up a bit.

Dinner:

blueberries (non-organic), pita chips with artichoke hummus (both non-organic), and 2 slices of seeded wheat bread with peanut butter

Kind of a random assortment, right? I wasn't feeling well. Robert needed to get to work. And voila - thrown together food items. I was also craving something sweet very intensely. And I mean intensely. Like, Hello, this is Craving, the monster living inside my stomach scratching it's 6 inch heels into my tender pink flesh and thrashing around wildly and roaring and.. wait, Lady Gaga?

Anyway, mostly I wanted fruit, cereal, granola, etc. Not necessarily chocolate or ice cream, although I certainly would have accepted those substitutes.

He's home now with sore feet. I am feeling better, but still tired. We're heading to bed early tonight so that Robert can get up before work and run - and that sounds like a good time for me to get some yoga in, too. Just going to take some frozen fruit out to thaw in the fridge and then nighty night.