I was up at 8:30 on my own and was anxious to get the day going.  Now that I don’t have as much free time as I used to, I don’t like to waste any of it!  I had a quick, scrumptious [...]]]> It’s been quite the productive day, if I do say so myself!

I was up at 8:30 on my own and was anxious to get the day going.  Now that I don’t have as much free time as I used to, I don’t like to waste any of it!  I had a quick, scrumptious pumpkin cake to start the day on a good note.

• canned pumpkin (last dregs of the last can… must restock ASAP before they leave stores!)
• egg whites
• 1 tsp TJ’s pumpkin butter
• 0% Fage Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp flaxy pb
• 1 tsp lemon curd
• agave nectar
• cinnamon
• nutmeg

After breakfast I made a meal plan for the week, then went out to shop for it.  Although I went to four stores, I got most of my groceries not at the expensive health food store, but in the ethnic aisle of my local supermarket!  Get a load of this hot ticket:

That would be Coconut Oil from Guyana.  If I had purchased a similar item at aforementioned health food store, it would have cost me $15.  This little guy was $2.49!  What’s the most interesting food item you’ve found where you were least expecting it?

I spent the rest of the morning making a few lunches for the week; I’m going to be out at least two nights so lunch will be one less thing I’ll have to worry about.  Despite a gloomy forecast, it was beautiful out  and still early in the day so I decided to go for a run.  It was great! I really needed to get outside and breathe fresh air, see living trees (we have a fake plant in our bedroom), and just go.  It was a success!

Total distance: 4.5 miles

Total time: 42:19 minutes

When I got back I did a quick ab series, then made lunch.  Hugh dropped by, too!

In the mix:

• curly-leaf kale
• spinach
• carrots
• celery
• tempeh bacon (finally found it!)
• grape tomatoes
• goji berries, soaked to plump
• dried cranberries
• pumpkin seeds
• Rosemary Quackers
• agave/rice vinegar/soy sauce/toasted sesame oil/sesame/salt/pepper vinaigrette

I made some of Mama Pea’s Vegan Energy Bars to put in my desk at work…

… which had to be sampled to make sure it was good, off course.  It was

I got into bed to read for work nap, and woke up hankering for a crisp Fuji apple. (Recycled photo alert!)

Ilana, Christine and I had the first of many Family Dinners tonight, served pot-luck style.

“I’m cooking!”

We sipped probiotic cocktails…

Ilana made delicious green beans, mushrooms, and broccolini using a family friend’s trusted recipe.

Christine made a refreshing veggie-full salad with mixed greens, green + red pepper, grape tomatoes an scallions.

She also made vegetarian chili + cornbread!

We certainly did not go hungry; we feasted like queens!  Everything was delicious, and I’ll be very happy to eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

For desesrt, I made the same vegan chocolate mousse that Dynise (the Urban Vegan) made at the cooking demonstration on Saturday.  It’s so easy: 3 ingredients, and it only takes 5 minutes!

My food baby (Claude) is quite content tonight

I’ve been having trouble fitting my huge metal water bottle into my purse to bring to work every day; Christine found these genius collapsible, BPA-free and environmentally friendly water bottles.  Look how cool they are!

I’ll let you know how I like them.

Please excuse me while I take my time catching up on your e-mail questions… I’m a little behind. Off to do some reading for work… hope to be asleep by 12!

Have a great night

My Saturday was quite festive, starting with a morning spent at the soup kitchen. I haven’t been able to go as much as I would have liked in the past few months, but [...]]]> Evening and happy Sunday! I hope you’ve all had wonderful weekends, whether you celebrated the holidays or simply enjoyed the days.

My Saturday was quite festive, starting with a morning spent at the soup kitchen. I haven’t been able to go as much as I would have liked in the past few months, but it was so nice to be back there again.  There were many “regulars” I’ve known for almost 10 years!

After volunteering, my parents and I went to Peacefood Café for lunch.

This was their first time at an all-vegan restaurant.  I really appreciate how supportive my family has been of my diet!

We ordered an appetizer to split: vegetable tamale with jalepeño and tomatoes.

The last time I ate at Peacewood, I enjoyed Caitlin‘s sandwich so much that I had to order it! My dad and I split the Roasted Japanese Pumpkin Sandwich with mashed and seasoned with a little sea salt, ground black pepper and extra virgin olive oil, topped with caramelized onions, ground walnuts, vegan goat cheese and seasonal greens. It was even better than I remembered!

We also shared the Pan-Seared French Horn Mushroom Panini with sun-dried tomatoes, arugula, artichoke aioli, mint & basil pesto. It was good, but we both agreed the pumpkin was the best.

My mom ordered the special of the day: Kidney Bean Chili with rice, mixed greens and homemade cornbread. This wasn’t her favorite; I loved it, however, and was the lucky recipient of the leftovers.

It was only my second time at Peacewood Café, but it’s already become one of my favorite restaurants on the Upper West Side.  There are tasty, healthy options that carnivores, vegetarians, vegans, raw foodists and foodies alike can enjoy!

Last night when I got home I was quite the domestic goddess.  I set to work in the kitchen, making Gena’s Cashew Cheese with Meyer Lemon and Dried Cherries.

I enjoyed it today with a Gala apple, whole wheat and flax pita bread, and tabbouleh.  Delicious!

It was a cold and rainy day;  I wanted to have a cozy and comforting dinner and came up with this soup.

• 4 oz soba noodles
• 4 tablespoons white miso paste
• 2 cups roughly torn broccoli florets (about 1/2 large bunch)
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger, thinly sliced
• 3 scallions (green onions), thinly sliced
• soy sauce
• salmon or protein of choice, such as fresh tofu, soft-boiled egg, or seitan
• optional: Sriracha sauce

Cook noodles according to package directions.  I used a package of green tea soba that I received from Asian Food Grocer, a Foodbuzz affiliate.

Drain and rinse with cold water; set aside.   Bring 4 cups water to a boil.  Add ginger and miso, stirring until miso is dissolved.

Add broccoli and scallions (reserving some for garnish), cooking until broccoli is crisp-tender.  Remove from heat.

Stir in soba and divide into bowls.  Top with salmon (grilled, poached, etc. to your liking), drizzle with soy sauce and Sriracha (if using) and serve!

After dinner, I spent the rest of the night on my hands and knees… scrubbing the floors!  Since starting my job, I’ve been slacking a bit in the cleaning department, so I made up for it by sweeping, polishing, dusting and wiping into the wee hours of the morning.  I felt a bit like Kath!  It was actually pretty satisfying, and got my heart rate right up.

Now Ari and I are relaxing in bed, watching Gone With The Wind and sipping “The Big Red Monster”, a blend of Syrah, Zinfandel and Petit Sirah.

What was the best part of your weekend? Did you lay low or were you busy?

Don’t forget to send me your questions!

Have a great night!

We are really running low on fresh supplies (although I have oodles of chocolate!), but I’m going to be [...]]]> Good afternoon, Lovepies! I hope you are having a fantastic day, although by the time you read this it might very well be  nighttime for I am once again on the World’s Slowest Computer (WSC).

We are really running low on fresh supplies (although I have oodles of chocolate!), but I’m going to be out for a few meals in the next few days so I’d rather not buy produce only to have it spoil.  Yesterday I turned to the freezer for inspiration, and heated some of Trader Joe’s Mangolicious blend, which I mixed with a crumbled Apple Berry Vitamuffin and nonfat yogurt.

I’ve been wanting to make a pretty parfait again, but the only clear glass in the house has gone missing.

After I worked around the house for a little, I grabbed an apple and headed into the city for some speedwork at the gym.

I don’t know about other runners out there, but I have a really hard time staying on the treadmill for more than two miles, and even that is a challenge for me.  It’s just so boring!  There was nothing but reality and sports showing on the TVs, and running in place feels a little depressing to me.  I can’t stop myself from staring at the screen as minutes and distances slowly tick by, even if I cover it with a towel. I think I can also run faster when I’m outside; on the treadmill, running less than a 10-minute mile is really a challenge for me.  One more reason that I need a Garmin! Finally, Behind The Music: Pink came on, and I actually kind of really like her, so I watched that and the time passed  a little more quickly.  I ran 4 miles at speeds ranging from 6.0 – 7.5, taking recovery breaks at 4.0, and cooled down for 3 minutes.

Total distance: 4.15 miles

Total time: 42:28 minutes

Maximum heart rate: 192 (97%)

Average heart rate: 176 (89%)

Calories burned: 496

After a very fast shower, I hurried to the subway, eating my Whole Foods meal (which I had wisely bought before working out, to save time) on the way.  I actually wasn’t so excited to eat this… I think I’m beginning to suffer from Food Boredom.

In the mix:

• spinach
• broccoli
• roasted sweet potatoes
• bok choi
• baked tofu
• vegan chicken salad
• seaweed salad
• sweet & spicy dumpling (1)

I almost got a soup to accompany my salad, but I was low on time and wanted to save room for my afternoon treat.  I hopped on the subway, transferred, and made my way to Babycakes to meet Ellie and Leslie.

I’ve dreamed about Babycakes cupcakes and their icing shots for far too long. Even if their pickings were horrible (which is far from the truth, their store is one of the cutest places I’ve seen.  The bake staff have the most adorable little Waitress-style outfits (that I would definitely wear in a non-working environment) And, even better, these treats are actually good for you! Have my prayers been answered yet again?  Here’s what they say about the sweets on their website:

In a city dominated by cupcakes overflowing with sugar, flour and butter cream, it’s easy for those with persnickety diets to feel left out. BabyCakes offers all-natural, organic and delicious alternatives free from the common allergens: wheat, gluten, dairy, casein and eggs. Rest assured, all sweeteners have been chosen responsibly and used sparingly. White sugar will never be found in our bakery, nor will we ever use toxic chemical sweeteners. Instead, most products are sweetened with agave nectar—a natural syrup from a cactus which is low on the glycemia index and often a safe alternative to most non-insulin dependant diabetics. Occasionally, unprocessed and unrefined sugar is used in certain goods, although sparingly.

The menu of the day:

It was very hard for me to choose…

As soon as I saw the Vanilla Cupcake with Chocolate-Fig Ganache and Cinnamon-Nutmeg frosting, however, I knew what I needed.

Leslie got this as well.  We both thought that the cake itself tasted a bit like sweet cornbread, which wasn’t a bad thing! The filling was amazing, and the frosting was un-freaking-believable.  I need to go back and get a shot of that before they stop making their seasonal flavors.

It was really nice to chat with the girls; I met Leslie in Boston at the Summit, and we really have to get together again soon.  Lucky for me, I’ll be able to see Ellie again on Friday for dinner!  After we parted ways, I headed home.  Ari is leaving on Sunday for Europe, and I wanted us to be able to have a nice dinner together before.  I was mighty thirsty when I got back from the grocery store, and sipped on Goya coconut water while cooking.  This stuff is great… it’s cheap (6/$3.50) and has small chunks of young coconut meat on the bottom!

I also snacked on this silly-looking carrot.

I whipped out my Vegetarian Times Cooks Mediterranean cookbook, which I do not use  nearly enough.  Melissa Clark is one of my present-day culinary heroes.  I wanted to make something with either mushrooms or chickpeas (Ari’s favorites, after steak ), and decided on Garbanzo Cassoulet

The recipe calls for either homemade or store-bought tomato sauce; since the cassoulet was already going to take 2+ hours to make, I picked up a jar of Newman’s Own Sockarooni sauce.

It’s not organic, but the ingredient list is short and comprehensive.

I threw in a couple shakes of Emeril’s Original Essence for good measure…

Instead of using regular breadcrumbs, I used whole wheat panko.

Two hours later, the cassoulet was done.  There is a recipe for “Quick Cassoulet” on the opposite page of the same cookbook, which would be nice if you don’t have time to make this one.  However, if you do have the time, it really pays off.

I served it with some steamed green beans.  We got more than our fair share of veggies!

After a few bites, Ari remarked, “Hey! It’s vegetarian and I love it!” I’m glad it was a hit.  We both went back for seconds, which we enjoyed with some Gato Negro Sauvignon Blanc.

After dinner, we had to run some errands and somehow ended up walking out of Coldstone with huge cups of ice cream.  The photo didn’t turn out, but I got a “Like It” (or “small”, if you are Coldstone-illiterate) with Sinless Sweet Cream ice cream, cookie dough, and hot fudge.  Oof, my tum was not happy about that choice.

Well, I’m off to get some reading done.  Enjoy the rest of your day!

Breakfast yesterday was excellent.  I love to taste as [...]]]> Good afternoon, all! I hope your mornings have gone splendidly.  Mine was excellent, and I’ve already got a lot accomplished.  Like some other bloggers, I have some big news to share… not nearly as exciting as theirs, but it’s what’s best for me.  Read on!

Breakfast yesterday was excellent.  I love to taste as many things as possible, so I had my meal was both savory and sweet. I heated up an Ezekiel English muffin and topped one half with a mustard, a poached egg, and asiago cheese.  The other half had almond butter and TJ’s pumpkin butter… I think I’m going to have to stock up on this stuff!  Mmm.

While I got ready for work, I popped a loaf of butternut squash banana bread into the oven that I’d prepped the night before.  I was completely taken with Liz‘s version of this, but I was too impatient to wait for the recipe! (Rumor is that she will post it tomorrow.) Instead, I used Veganomicon‘s recipe for Lower Fat Banana Bread and mixed in half a can of Organic Butternut Squash Purée (available at Trader Joe’s).  I brought half a loaf to m boss at work, saved some for the house, and took a slice with me that I picked at throughout the day.  This baby is dense! For some reason, the squash seems to bring out the bread’s spices more than regular banana bread. My boss later sent me an email describing it as “BANANA FUDGE!” It was so good.

The day before, I’d made another Veganomicon recipe (move over, Isa!) to get me through the week: Ancho-Lentil Soup with Grilled Pineapple.

While I didn’t make my own chili powder (I subbed in 1 tsp chili flakes) or blend half of the lentils (I prefer my soups chunky), this was divine.

I grilled up some canned pineapple slices on the George Foreman…

To make them transportable, I put two slices and a wedge of lime into a baggie.

There wasn’t too much for me to do at the office yesterday, so I left a little bit after 12.  On my way out, I noshed on two vegan carob/nut/agave “chunks of energy” that I picked up last week at the health food store.  I didn’t know if I would like them so I only got a few, but they were so good! I bought 7/$1.33, so the price is more than right.

Although I’d lugged my heavy gym bag through two boroughs, two trains and a long walk, I decided to just head uptown to my parents’ house.  I cannot tell you how many times I’ve done this before!  But I’d missed my yoga class, and I was too sore from a run and cardio class to work out any other way.

When I got home, I assembled my soup.  Jim‘s got a little competition! Meet Paula.

The grilled pineapple was such a fresh twist on an old classic like lentil soup.

I loved it! I’m going to try to experiment more with sweet + savory from now on.

A little later, I snacked on a cup of Fage 0% (thanks for stocking this, Mom & Dad!) with an apple and cinnamon. Truly one of the greatest munchies around.

I decided to stay and have dinner with my parents… as my mom reminded me, I can’t remember the last time we all ate together.

Don’t you love Fall centerpieces?

Dinner was a joint effort: my dad made a fabulous Asian-inspired swordfish with basmati rice, and my mom made her famous brown sugar Brussels sprouts (just sauté cooked Brussels in butter and brown sugar).

For dessert, we split three Whole Foods petit fours three ways…

We also had squares of Côte d’Or’s dark chocolate with pistachios and sesame that my dad brought back from France.

This chocolate can be found in pretty much any supermarket and bodega in France, but don’t let that fool you! It’s AMAZING.  The chocolate is rich and smooth, and filled with the most interesting ingredients.  It’s my uncle’s favorite chocolate ever (and he’s a serious chocoholic), and my friends and I ate it all.the.time when we were in Paris.  Look how thick it is!

When I got back to my apartment, I crashed into bed, stretched my aching bones, relaxed and watched The Secret Lives of Dentists.  Has anyone seen this? What did you think? I love Hope Davis, and Campbell Scott always makes me think of Singles!

So, onto my news. I’ve tried to leave my work life at work, but, as you probably know, I work in a restaurant as a waitress.  I’ve worked at this particular place for the past three summers, starting in May after my sophmore year of college.  That first summer was probably the best: I felt exhilarated after finishing half of college, I met some really great people (through the restaurant), and Ari and I started dating.  Last year was fun as well; I’d just come back from a great semester in Paris and I was beginning to feel more like an adult.  This year, however, after having graduated, has been more of a reality check.  I wasn’t in school anymore, and this wasn’t just a “summer job.”  Because of the recession, business has been incredibly slow and I had nights where I came home with literally $1.   Customers treated me with unbelievable rudeness; there were two instances when I had to call the police.  I was working crazy hours and not getting any rest, crying myself to sleep more than I’d like to remember. (Ari has been so, so great throughout all of this; without him, I never would have been able to hold out this long.) I was expending all of my energy on a job that made me utterly miserable.  I haven’t been able to do what I love because I haven’t even had time to think about what that might be.  And, as silly as it sounds, I don’t want to turn still be working there when I turn 22.

So, last week, I informed the restaurant that I would be leaving the following week…. today is my last day. On the one hand, I feel bad about leaving the people that I’ve come to really enjoy spending time with.  On the other, I’d rather spend time with them in a stress-free setting.  This is what’s best for me.  It’s scary, because while I’m searching for a “real” job, I won’t be earning any income.  Lucky for me, my parents are amazing and are going to help out a little bit.  I will definitely be budgeting like a madwoman and putting my all into finding a job.  I don’t expect to find my dream job right away, but I know I have to get out of the service industry.  I have so much respect for the millions of people who work in service, retail, and manual labor.  I just can’t do it anymore.

On another happy note, I finally tracked down the Fuze Heroes For Hope photo Ilana and I took at the 5K Race For the Cure.

Off to go make my last day my best.  Have a great Thursday

Yesterday I got up bright and early to do some work.  I had a big bowl [...]]]> Morning and happy Thursday! I love Thursdays, because even though I don’t have a “traditional” schedule anymore, Fridays are always exciting.  This weekend has a few surprises in store, so I’m excited! Now, to just get through today…

Yesterday I got up bright and early to do some work.  I had a big bowl of fruit: 1/2 banana, 1 plum, and cherries.

I met my lovelies, Lyle and Lindsay, for lunch at Alice’s Tea Cup.  There was a little wait, so in true NYC-fashion we got some iced coffees (skim milk & Sugar In The Raw) and plopped down on a stoop for some quality chit.

When we were finally seated, we ordered a plate of scones to share: it’s unfortunate the photo is so bad, because these were SO GOOD.  We split carmelized banana and chocolate almond.  Why have I never been a scone person before?! I love scones! (And I know the answer to that question, and it needs to change!)

I got my usual: the “Light Fare” with a bowl of tomato basil soup and their amazing bread:

And the warm endive, carmelized pear & onion, and stilton cheese salad.  Best tea party ever.

After saying our goodbyes (sniff), I had some time to kill before work While I was moseying around, I happened upon a cart giving away free Popchips!

You can find the nutrition information for Popchips here.  These are snack-sized bags (50 calorie servings), and I gobbled up a package of the original flavor as I dodged raindrops on the way to work.  They reminded me a lot of soy crisps; they’re very light and not greasy at all, but still flavorful.  Cons? Try to eat these holding an umbrella and two bags in a torrential downpour! Would I buy these? Yes, but I think they’d be pretty addicting and potentially dangerous to have around

At work, I had a small (2-inch slice) of pizza with olives.  I drew a gallery-worthy picture of it, but left it in my apron at work. Use your imaginations!

For dinner I got off the healthy chip train and had freshly-made tortilla chips! The man who makes the pizza saw me eating my salad and thought I needed some deep-fried taco and plopped them right into the fryer.  I guess I’ll be getting my fry on a lot!

Now, this looks like a regular salad, right? Not so! Hidden under a thin layer of parmesan are little shrimpies! I love you, chef Ramon.

This was made with a lot of garlic. Delicious, but sometimes you need to freshen yourself up, you know? So I pulled out my handy-dandy Eat Whatever mints.  Have you guys heard of these?

After eating something gnarly (like said garlicky salad), swallow the two jelly capsules with a glass of water.  Then, suck on the white mint until it’s dissolved.  Results? “Kissible breath”!  It worked for me, which is a blessing to know considering I work in an Italian restaurant.  Even better? They’re 100% vegan and gluten-free.  I’ll have to keep my eye out for these!

Work thankfully ended without drama, and I grabbed a fruit cup on the way to the subway.

Well, time to go get my pretty on and head to my internship.  I have to go to the restaurant after I’m through with that, so it’s going to be a long, long day, and I didn’t get to sleep until after 3 last night. Bah. No more complaints… have a happy Thursday! And please wish Heather a belated Happy Birthday!!!

Last night before bed, I had a Stonyfield Farms nonfat blueberry yogurt topped with GoLean (Crunch & regular). That’s stress eating for ya!

This morning for breakfast, I had my new favorite oatmeal alternative: cooked [...]]]> Heya.  Sorry for the delayed post; I’ve been out of the house all day, running around like a busy bee.

Last night before bed, I had a Stonyfield Farms nonfat blueberry yogurt topped with GoLean (Crunch & regular). That’s stress eating for ya!

This morning for breakfast, I had my new favorite oatmeal alternative: cooked muesli. I microwaved 1/2 cup muesli with 1/2 cup skim milk, for about 3 minutes.  It takes a little longer to cook than oatmeal, but if you decide to make it for yourself, keep an eye on the microwave.  There’s nothing worse than an exploded mess at 8 AM.

I sweetened it with some leftover light pear syrup…

…and added the other usual toppings.  They taste quite different when combined with hot muesli, though!

• 1/2 banana
• pumpkin
• 1/2-1 tsp chunky peanut butter

You can buy Michael Jackson’s velvet gloves, among other strange things.  As bizarre as Jacko is, I felt a little sad for him when I read that he’s shutting down Neverland.  A little.

My prof brought some tempting treats to our session today that she picked up from The Butter Bakery Café.  The name says it all, but they were pretty good. I’d just eaten so I wasn’t very hungry, but try to sit in front of these babies for two hours and not say no!

Blueberry scone:

Cinnamon pecan coffee cake:

Frosted lemon poppyseed muffin:

These aren’t usually my kind of thing, but they were pretty delicious.  I had a bite or so of each- I think the coffee cake was my favorite.

I went to the cafeteria for lunch so I could head straight to the library after.  I made a big salad with tofu, beets, mushrooms, carrots, cabbage, and peas, dressed in oil and vinegar.

I kept lunch light because there was an “à la mode” bar today.  I got a vegan fruit crisp and topped it with fat free vanilla frozen yogurt instead of ice cream.  There was some backlash about this decision at my lunch table, but the crisp was so crumbly and delicious that I really couldn’t tell the difference.  I added a few mini chocolate chips, though, just in case.

It was still steaming even after I got to the table and took my photos, which is a rarity.

Before Step today I had an apple. (Yes, it’s balanced on my car.)

Tuesday is my short day, so I only had 30 minutes of Step.  I got on the treadmill and put it on the “random” setting, planning to run a mile, but it was pretty horrendous. I haven’t run since Saturday and haven’t been on the treadmill since before Spring break, and it was just really unpleasant. I ended up stopping after only half a mile, which was discouraging, but better than being miserable.

Total time: 35:16 minutes

Maximum heart rate: 186 (93%)

Average heart rate: 144 (72%)

Calories burned: 291

It was another “inefficient” workout, but I think it’s because, although I took two rest days, my body is kind of exhausted with stress and resisting physical activity.  I’m going to try to keep pushing it, although not as hard as usual; exercise is one of the best ways for me to clear my head and boost my mood.

I had a Chocolate Chip Z bar after leaving the gym.  It was sitting on the sunny side of my car and was warm and gooey and mighty fine.

I went to Whole Foods to do a mini shop for produce.  While there I decided to pick up some food from the hot bar and not worry about what to make for dinner.  I haven’t had it since Winter Break and I forgot how tasty it was! I don’t remember everything that went in there, but here’s what I do: Teriyaki tofu, Japanese baked tofu, jicama slaw, sesame kale, sesame broccoli, curried cauliflower, grilled zucchini/yellow squash, mixed greens, grilled pineapple (!) and my favorite: a small scoop of REAL macaroni and cheese.

For dessert, I had a Chunky Monkey No-Pudge brownie.

It’s not even 10 but I’m headed for bed. My schedule is a little off, but that comes with the territory this time of year! My blog reading is going to be a little behind for a few days, but as always, I will be thinking about you and love you all!

Bonne nuit