Filthy.

This is going to be divided ino three parts – floods, fieldtrip, and food. Lots of F’s!

Okay, flooding update. Cork is not very good. Over 18,000 homes have been flooded, in and around Cork City. My side of the city is generally fine, as we are a little uphill of the river. However, due to flooding, the city has had to turn off all water. What does that mean for me?

• No laundry
• Bottled water only for brushing my teeth, washing my face, cooking, etc
• No SHOWERS

Normally, this wouldn’t be a good thing, per se, but I wouldn’t be too torn up about it. However, this weekend, I took a trip. An amazing trip, but a geology trip. Geology trips tend to be a little messy. (For full details of the trip, check my other blog soon – I’ll be posting about it) I was hiking for about two days, in extreme weather – waves from the coast blowing over 50 meter cliffs, winds over 100 mph, the results of flooding everywhere including mud, debris, etc., the burren flora – hazel scrub, bracken, etc. I saw fossils, limestones, cyclotherms… heaven.

Over the course of the two days, I became covered in mud, saltwater, rock fragments (I found one in my hair), and moss. I need a shower. The solution? I might be running off to Dublin for several days just to get a shower. Expensive, but worth it.

And now, food!

Roasted Veggies

These could not have been easier! This was the first batch of veggies that I really consider roasted – I experimented a couple of times this summer, but nothing came out quite right. However, this bowl? Perfection!

I used an assortment of vegetables that I thought would roast equally:

• Mushrooms
• Baby Courgettes (Zucchini)
• Tomatoes
• Brussels Sprouts

I then popped them in a 200 degree Celsius oven for approximately 15 minutes. I checked them with a fork, and voila! Deliciouso!

Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Carrot cake oatmeal – a perfect combination. I’ve read about this on so many different blogs, and I knew that it was time to try it. I liked it, but I didn’t love it. Maybe I’m missing something. Any tips?

Avocado Milkshake Oatmeal

I took Ms. Mitri’s idea (or rather, her friend’s) and made it my own. This was the perfect way to fuel my geology trip!

For the full recipes of the two bowls, check the Oatmeal Variation page.

I just booked my hotel in Dublin! Hurrah! I’m getting away from Cork for two days – and I get to shower! I’m pretty excited.

Giveaways:

From Leslie:

• Cowgirl Chocolates
• Zozimos Botanicals

From Heather:

• Giving Thanks Giveaway

From Michelle:

• Krema Nut Butter
• Soda Stream

From Lindsay:

• Nature’s Path

From Melissa:

• Newman’s Own

 

Gotta go finish my trip planning! Shower, here I come!

 

Flooding!

Hey beautiful people!

Last night, there was a rain storm of epic proportions. Meteorologists and geologists are saying that it was a one in one thousand years event in certain areas. Wowzers! Flooding occurred in much of the Ireland and the UK. Power outages blacked out a ton of homes, particularly in the country side.

This picture was taken about 2 blocks from where I live

Cork's Grande Parade

Crazy, right?

UCC has canceled classes until the November 30th! I have a week off. I think I’m going to go to Dublin from Monday to Wednesday, so  I can return to enjoy Thanksgiving with some friends.

Tomorrow morning, I set off for the Burren, a remarkable place. For those of you studying Environmental Science, you’ll be interested in knowing that its one of the most biodiverse places above the tropic line. I’m leaving Saturday morning to head up with one of my professors whose name is Ed (funny, right?). It will be just the two of us on Saturday, and then we’ll be joined by one of his classes the next day.

I hope that we don’t get rained out! It might be serious – but I went out and got some rain gear: super awesome mountaineering pants, water-proof pant coverups, gaitors, and wind-proof gloves. To the weather: BRING IT.

I’m a little concerned as to the availability of vegan friendly food, so I’m bringing along an assortment of bars. Yum yum. Super food.

And now, for some more super food:

Figgy Pudding Oatmeal

I have never had figgy pudding before, but I thought I would give it a go! The result: sweet, silky, and fairly reminiscent of the holiday season. This strikes me as odd, having only tried my first fig last summer, but nevertheless, this tastes of winter, snow, and watching movies by the fireside.

Savory Sweet Potato Oatmeal

This was one of my first ventures into the realm of savory oatmeal, after one of the oatmeal queens encouraged me to get out of comfort zone. While still full of an oaty texture, it did not resemble my sweet breakfasts in any way. This smelled great, looked appetizing, and tantalized my taste buds. Or perhaps confused them. Either way, I’ll be doing more savory bowls in the future.

My list of Oatmeal Variations has grown: 19 sweet variations and 1 savory. I hope to keep it going!

What are your favorite savory oatmeal combinations? Is there anything I shouldn’t try?

And now, for a little bit of ‘Friend’ly amusement. It seems that the only time I watch the show is when I’m in Europe, but man oh man have I grown to love it!

Oh! Before I forget. I cleaned my room. I know that doesn’t sound like a big deal, but my room was getting to the point of falling off the brink of disaster. A narrow path allowed me to catwalk from my door to my bed. Clothes littered the floor, accompanied by papers, shoes, and other random things. Labels, tags, and other papery and plastic things were everywhere. Now, I see the carpet – its dark blue with those little pink speckles that you find in industrial carpets. The only things out are my backpack for tomorrow, 3 bags full of things I’m donating, and a bag of trash to take out in the morning. Hurrah! SUCCESS.

Giveaways – be double sure to mention that I sent you!

Oogave Soday (Yum!) from Leslie

Brown Cow from EricaH

Box of Goodies from the Daily Cadence

Strange, Strange things in the kitchen!

I thought the strange looking things were supposed to be around on October 31st. I have triple checked the date on m calendar. Nov. 18th. What is going on?

The first of the strange occurrences:

Now, I have come across purple, green, orange, and white cauliflower. Colors don’t surprise me. But then I saw this hunk of glory:

Romanesco... brocolli!

Labeled as “Romanesco Cauliflower”, this vegetable quickly made its way into my shopping basket. I loved the fractal peaks on the surface – what can I say I’m a sucker for math. However, I wanted to know what this was, so I did some more research.

The true name of this vegetable is Romanesco Broccoli, but it does not really resemble its namesake. It was first described in the 16th century in Italy (hence the Italian name), but it was probably consumed for a much longer time. As far as what it really is … it has been ascribed the the species Brassica oleracea L., which includes broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, and collard greens. Professional plant taxonimists have tried to properly classify it, but there is disagreement as to whether it is more closely related to broccoli, cabbage, or cauliflower. But what is it like?

The texture is similar to cauliflower, although it is a little more tender, and the taste is more mild than either broccoli or cauliflower. Raw, it tastes almost like its normally white cousin, but it has a slightly sweeter taste to me. Nutritionally, this cultivar is pretty great – it has tons of vitamin C, potassium, folic acid, and fiber. Yum!

The next strange thing:

Siamese Shroom!

I love finding things like this! Mushrooms, gummy bears, peanut m&ms…

And finally…

Baby banana!

This was not taken using any sort of visual trick – look at how tiny the banana is! I’ve been using them for my morning oats, and they are definitely different than normal bananas. They seems more starchy, more yellow, and they don’t melt like their larger counterparts. I tried to find out more information on them, but I was at a loss. Does anyone know anything about these mini bananas?

What strange things have you had in your kitchen lately?

Relieved

Hey everyone!

I received so many amazing responses on my last post – not only for the information about the chestnuts, but also for the kind words about my friend. I did get a response from her, and upon reading it, I was almost moved to tears. She IS getting help, and she wasn’t angry with me at all. The relief that swept over is indescribable. She wants to use me as a resource next semester, and I am glad to be one. The reason I haven’t posted in the past couple of days is because I was so worried about the whole situation. As you can see, that part of it is all over with.

For funsies: I read this foodie survey over at Michal’s Blog, and decided to give it a go.

Favorite food to crunch - apples and carrots!

Favorite comfort food - a big bowl of oatmeal. Which means I am comforted every morning!

Favorite picnic lunch - A wrap with hummus, spinach, tomatoes, sprouts, and pepers, with an apple, carrot sticks,

Favorite food scene in a movie – Pretty much any scene from the movie Chocolat. Yes, I know its obvious. Do I care? No.

Favorite food related lyrics - I can’t honestly think of any… let’s see… Oh! The Coffee Cantata from J.S. Bach. Featuring such lines as (in translation)

If I can’t drink my bowl of coffee three times daily, then in my torment, I will shrivel up like a piece of roast goat

Best food smell memory - the smell of sharp cheddar cheese always reminds me of family gatherings at my grandparents’ house when I was little. I don’t eat cheese, but I love the smell of cheddar!

Best summer snack - Berries in ridiculous amounts!

Favorite winter snack – My mom’s butternut squash soup

Food that reminds me of the ocean - kalamata olives. I ate my first one while looking at the ocean in Greece.

Most likely to eat for lunch - Normally, a Hugh Jass salad. Now… really anything.

Least likely to eat for lunch - Fried things. Blech.

Food that makes me gag - Meat, or anything that smells meaty.

Food tradition I love - going out to breakfast (or dinner) at my favorite Mexican restaurant whenever I go to visit my parents.

Food tradition I loath - The focus on meat during holidays. I have never liked turkey, ham, or lamb, and those are the foods that are normally served in my family during holidays. Ick.

Favorite wild food - Wild berries – yum yum yum.

Favorite medicinal food - Aloe vera juice – so expensive, but great!

Food that reflects my heritage - I’m mostly Italian, Irish, and Swedish. So… Um… I don’t what combines all three!

Food most like me - Probably… a young coconut. They have a hard exterior that is relatively hard to break through (cleaver, anyone!?), but once inside, its soft, sweet, delicate, and adaptable!

Favorite raw food smell - The smell of freshly ground nutmeg. It reminds me of my dad. I don’t know why, but it does.

Soup or salad – Do I have to chose just one? Silly.

Favorite breakfast food - Oatmeal. Duh.

Favorite ethnic cuisine – Japanese – it is usually light, full of veggies, and healthy!

Favorite vegan ice cream flavor - So Delicious Fruit Sweetened Chocolate – I’m all about the classics!

Favorite type of chocolate – Dark, with hemp seeds in it. I only tried it for the first time a week or two ago, but I love it!

Favorite beverage - Water and tea.

Smooth or crunchy peanut butter - By itself – crunchy. With other things – smooth. It spreads more easily!

Food I hated as a child but like now - Green (and red) chile. I hated it in all its glorious forms. I left for college, and then I craved it. Love the stuff!

Foods I loved as a child but I hate now - Cheetoes and Goldfish. I think I ate to many of them, and now? Ugh.

Weird food habits – Currently? I eat ot of one bowl. Just the one. Other wise… I really don’t like eating food that isn’t nice to look at. I’ll do it, but food should be both gastronomically and visually pleasing.

I haven’t been a great blogger, but I have snagged shots of my breakfasts!

Chestnut and Rose Oatmeal

In this: my normal oatmeal, with chestnut butter and rose jelly on top.

My 'twinning' oatmeal.

This is where my nerdiness comes out. The picture isn’t great, as the lighting was TERRIBLE, but its the thought that counts, right? In feldspars and pyroxenes, a characteristic called ‘twinning’ is visible in thin section under cross polarized night. Twinning is the division of chemically different sections of the mineral that appears as differentiated color sections in the slide. Most types of twinning are in stripes, but it occasionally looks like a darker section in a lighter ring – like my oatmeal! I made some plain oats, put ‘em in the bowl, stirred cocoa in the rest, and voila!

Another bowl of vegetables! Gotta love them!

For this bowl of my daily veggie fix, I made some sweet potato… fries? Semi-cheetahs? I don’t know. Anyways – sweet taters on top of a pleathora of yumminess: brocolli, brussels sprouts, onions, shrooms, peppers, and cauliflower.

Giveaways:

Leslie:

Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day

Bake Me a Wish

O Yikes

Hot Lunch Dates

Sencha Naturals

Treasured Sweets

Somersaults

Lucky Taste Buds:

Doctor in the Kitchen

Katie:

Raw Cocoa!

Don’t forget to click around for her Operation Chocolate-Covered Kindness!

Leslie:

Stonyfield Farms!

And now… some more Oatmeal Recipes, possibly a talk from a geology lecturer (haven’t decided whether to go yet), lunch with two friends, class, ensemble, registering for classes… I have a pretty busy day!

I had fun filling out the survey, and certain questions really amused me:

Food like me? – If you were a food, what would you be?

Love you all!

I have a new obsession.

Before I begin, thank you all for the lovely comments that you left on my last post. I loved hearing all your stories of why each one of you became a blogger. It brings me great joy to know so many wonderful people!

Now, to my new obsession.

Chestnut puree!

When I first saw this, I was a little confused. Why isn’t it called chestnut butter instead of puree? Chestnuts are a nut, after all, right? I decided to do a little bit of research on this nut, to find out why.

It turns out that although chestnuts are not true nuts at all – they are fruits! Their their nutritional and thus physical properties are slightly different than tree nuts, such as almonds or pecans. There are many varieties, including American, European, Japanese, and Chinese, and each has its own unique nutritional profile. Because of this it is near impossible to say “One serving has X calories”, but there are some properties that most chestnuts share:

• Low in Fat
• Zero Cholesterol
• High in Starch
• Low in Sugar
• Only ‘nut’ to contain Vitamin C
• Contains B Vitamins, including folacin
• Rich in Trace minerals:

Calcium

Phosphorus

Magnesium

Iron

Manganese

Copper

Selenium

Zinc

• Especially Rich in Potassium

Great right? I’m a fan.

Chestnut puree has a lovely, light, nutty, and rich flavor. It has a high water content, so don’t expect it to have the same consistency as another nut butter. It is smooth and soft, and can be formed into various shapes.

I’ve been using it the past few days, and it works quite well in oatmeal (you knew I was going to try it!)

Chestnut Oatmeal

Chestnut Oatmeal:

‘Normal Oatmeal’ cooked with chestnut puree and stevia, topped with extra puree, almonds, and currants.

Carob Chestnut Oatmeal

Carob Chestnut Oatmeal:

‘Normal Oatmeal’ cooked with carob powder, chestnut puree, and stevia. Topped topped with more puree, shaved carob, and almonds.

To know exactly what went in these, check out my Oatmeal Variations Page!

I am sure you have noticed that in the past few months the eating disorder recovery aspect of my blog has become less and less of a focus. While I do still struggle everyday with the little voice in my mind, I am becoming  more capable of fighting off restrictive urges and negative thoughts. This blog has transformed from a diary of struggle to an outlet  emotions, thoughts, and creativity which few other mediums can equal. Although still food-focused, I can post pictures of the various things I come up in a recipe or aesthetically-focused way (because lets just face it, food can be pretty).

However, the ED part of my life pops up in ways that I can’t ignore.

I sent an email to a friend of mine (I’ll call her A) this morning. Even though I know it was the right thing to do, pressing the ’send’ button was quite difficult, and tears welled up as I did so. This girl is so spunky, fun, and smart – and has been quite thin the entire time I have known her. ‘A’ was a tad overweight in high school (although not nearly as bad as I was), and has slimmed down since going to school. I know that she visitied the same ED clinic that I did during the summer, but here insurane apparently won’t pay for it, and she stopped going. The latest batches of facebook photos have worried me though, and I knew I had to do something about it. I don’t want her to go through what I did, but I’m afraid that she’s already there. I’m totally torn up about the whole thing, and I really hope she is okay.

Giveaways:

From Leslie:

Hot Lunch Dates

Cupcakes in a Jar

Guy and Eva

Stoneridge Orchards

Treasured Sweets

Kallari

Sencha Naturals

Somersaults

Bake me a Wish

From An Apple a Day:

Genuine Health Vegan Protein

From Eater Not A Runner:

Healthy Baking Company

From Jogging My Memory:

XAgave

CinciMom11:

Honest Tea

Nature’s Path

Stevia in the Raw

 

I hope everyone is doing well. My week is going to be pretty boring… until next weekend! I can’t wait. What are you doing this week? Anything big coming up?

Love you all!

Blogging

Hello everyone!

There has been a lot of discussion about why bloggers sit down everyday and share there thoughts and recipes (of course!). So now, instead of working on my Earthquake/Landslide paper, I thought I would share why I have chosen to join the health blogger community.

Last summer, I had several hours every week at work during which I would have computer work. However, the work I was doing allowed me plenty of time to browse the internet. At that point, I was looking to lose a little weight, as I had been overweight all of my life, and I was ready to change. I began looking at healthy living blogs for inspiration – healthy recipes, weight loss tips, and how to reduce calories in meals without feeling unsatisfied.

I left for school, and continued to read weight loss and healthy living blogs. Sure enough, I descended into the realm of disordered eating. Although I was not officially diagnosed as anorexic until April of 2009, it had been going on for a while. In March, I discovered the blogs of Shelby and Jenny which led me to find other recovery blogs. Before I began to reach out for help, I made a semi-conscious decision to stop the destructive cycle of eating in a disordered way.

I began my blog shortly before getting into the Emily Program. Over the past 6 ½ (ish) months, I have opened up to the healthy blogging world in ways that I have never done with even some of my closest friends. I have been held accountable for my actions, and been inspired to stay strong by an amazing group of people. At the times I have been tempted to give up and relapse into my disordered ways, I think of the strength that I have gained through blogging, and I don’t give up.

There are times that blogging does become a hassle. I am now obsessed with making my meals presentable, and coming up with new creations on a regular basis. However, I am rather uncomfortable taking pictures of my food around people who don’t know about my blog. Reading blogs occasionally becomes overwhelming, as there are over a hundred to which I subscribe. Occasionally, I do feel a little triggered, but I have never let me dissuade me from my recovery.

All in all, starting a blog has been one of the most positive things I have ever done for myself. I am deeply grateful for the wonderful friends I have mad, and the inspiration that I am treated with every day.

In the past couple of months, I have told people who previously had no idea what was going on last year about my blog. I am considering telling more, but I don’t want the pity that sometimes comes with that. If you have told people about your blog, what types of responses have you received?

I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude and love to so many people:

Shelby and Jenny – the ones who started it all, and to whom I am deeply grateful

Meg – full of sunshine, spice, and beauty. And my texting buddy.

Katie – a chocolate-covered sweetheart

Devan – my shroom lovin’ beautiful babe

Liz – a gorgeous Veggie Girl

Neela – one of the sweetest gals I know

Leiba – a ‘Blue Eyed Heart’ for sure

Tina – a healthy inspiration

Sophia – a burpin’ and slurpin’ beauty

Bailey – the nicest princess I know

Mitri – an oatmeal goddess

Emily – a co-curly top in a straight haired world

Guilding Calm – a super fun ‘skater’ chick

Heather – full of ‘Health, Happiness, and Hope’ – which she definitely shares

Lora – sweet like honey, but a little nutty

Deb – a Nutella lovin’ gal – gotta love her

Bec – my Canadian, PB lovin’ gal pal

Jen – a Minnesota buddy and lovely person in and out

Kailey – a VegNewsHead and stunner

Maya and Eliza – twins with strength and beauty

Emily – a co-music lover and friend

Leslie – the ‘Whole” package – brains, beauty, and kindness

Anne – another music lover and complete sweetheart

On Wednesday, I had some berries I need to use up, and what better way to use them than in oatmeal?

Berry Berry Oatmeal

For more great ideas, check my Oatmeal Recipe Page.

Yesterday morning, I woke up and went out to the kitchen to get my morning tea and make some oatmeal, only to find that someone was asleep on our couch! I quickly made my tea, but oatmeal was out of the question. Instead, I had to make do with what is normally colder weather fare.

Cereal, Yogurt, Soy Milk, and Banana

I was on campus from 9 am to about 4 pm, and I snacked my way through the day.

Dark Chocolate Orange Protein Yummy.

Awesome.

Normally, I don’t go for this type of bars because they usually taste like protein poo. However this one ROCKED. It tasted like dark chocolate orange wonderfulness. And with the added benifits, it kept me pretty happy.

X2 - I bought these for some of my daily fruit servings.

I had to do some stealth photography to get pictures of my dinner. It was difficult, but I do it for you!

Spinach with a soy-sauce vinagrette.

My first Sweet Potato Fries

Blurry, but whatever. Its good good stuff - pasta with tons of veggies and sauce.

I have a presentation this morning about the Indonesian Earthquake and Tsunami of 2004. Exciting, I know. Tomorrow – a field trip to the Cork Habour for one of my geology classes. I get to wear my sexy hard hat. Pictures, I promise.

What plans do you have for the weekend?
As a final note, I just finished the newest episode of Criminal Minds. I don’t want to ruin it for you, but I have to say I loved it. Vampires? Awesome. And as a plus, Dr. Reed says something adorable. In the context of people becoming obsessed with musical artists and doing terrible things for them: “That’s why I stick to Beethoven. That way, there is not guilt by association”.

I love him.

Alright – shower, walk to campus, presentation, freedom!

Love you all {I can no longer say girls because I know I have at least one male reader. Hello M. }!

Apathetic.

I’m missing a party right now. A Geology Society party. I should be excited, but instead, I don’t really care. I love parties when I’m surrounded by friends – even when they are drinking and I’m not. However, I just don’t feel like partying with a ton of people I don’t really know tonight. I think that I’m fighting something off (again!), I’m tired, and I just want to curl up and read. Is that a bad thing? I hope not.

Luckily, my stomach is doing pretty fantastic.

Tropical Oatmeal

I was lucky, and I found dried kiwi on sale at a local co-op. For a trip to the warmer climes, I made my normal bowl of oats (including the melted banana!), added some lime juice and chopped kiwi, and topped with some extra dried kiwi and naner slices. If only the weather would match the tropical feeling that this was sending! (Seriously. I’m freezing. I’m going to become a popsicle back in Minnesota.) As always, you can find this and other oatmeal variations on my oatmeal recipe page.

And for lunch, I had…

Oatmeal Vegetable Soup!

This is so easy, but totally worth it! I needed something hot for lunch today, but also pretty quick. I took out a can of vegetable soup (Heinz brand), added 1/4 c oatmeal, and heated until the oats were cooked! I also roasted some yellow bell peppers, put some in the soup, and used the rest to make it look pretty! The picture doesn’t do this complete justice – it was rich, thick, and filling. The most similar thing I can think of is vegetable barley soup. I think I liked the oats more.

Can you tell I use the same bowl for pretty much everything? Yeah. I rock it.

Class was pretty frustrating today – it was my Intro to Geology class. I hate to say it, but I know everything they are teaching us already. I spent most of the lecture drawing… and apparently I did that during the last practical. I left some drawings in my practical notebook on accident, and my lecturer left a smiley face by them… Oops! Today, it was hands. I drew three on the top of my page during the lecture. The girl sitting next to me thought I was strange. Oh well.

I’m off to read cheesy books now. I’ve been thinking all day, and I just need to relax.

Giveaways from Leslie

Kallari Chocolate

Treasured Sweets

Jones Naturals

Guy and Eva

On Go Energy Shot

Sencha Naturals

And from Holly

Tera’s Whey

Love you all!

What do you do when partying just doesn’t seem right? What about when you are bored in class?

Vegan’s 100

Okay, so I’m not a 100% vegan. I still have yogurt from time to time, but other than that… let’s just say that my nickname with some friends back home is ‘filthy vegan’.

Let’s just say that they aren’t the cleanest of eaters. I love them anyway.

A lovely gal named Michal stopped by blog the other day, and when I was avoiding my paper reading some posts, I found this. It looked fun, so I thought I would give it a go!

Vegan’s 100

1) Copy this list into your blog, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out or italicize any items that you would never consider eating.

1. Molasses
2. Cactus
3. Scrambled Tofu
4. Grilled Portobella Caps
5. Horseradish
6. Sweet Potato Biscuits
7. Cornbread
8. Vegan Cole Slaw
9. Carrot/Squash/Sweet Potato Soup
10. Fiddlehead Ferns
11. Roasted Garlic
12. Umeboshi
13. Almond Butter
14. Aloe Vera
15. Fresh Bagels
16. Butternut Squash
17. Truffles/truffle oil
18. Fruit wine made with something other than grapes
19. Wasabi
20. Coconut Milk Ice Cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Apple cider
23. Mango
24. Quinoa
25. Papaya
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet
27. Goji Berry
28. Fennel
29. Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie
30. Radishes
31. Starfruit
32. Sourdough bread
33. Sangria
34. Sauerkraut
35. Acai
36. Blue Foot Mushrooms
37. Vegan Cupcakes
38. Tempeh
39. Falafel
40. Spelt Crust Pizza
41. Oyster Mushrooms
42. Jicama Slaw
43. Edamame
44. Hemp seeds/milk
45. Champagne
46. Persimmon
47. Avocado
48. Tofu Pesto Sandwich
49. Vegetable juice
50. Seitan
51. Prickly pear
52. Almond Milk
53. Concord Grapes
54. Ramps
55. Coconut Water
56. Arugula
57. Vidalia Onion
58. Kale/Collards/Swiss Chard
59. Honeycrisp Apple
60. Taro Root
61. Vegan Smores
62. Grapeseed Oil
63. White Peach
64. Pita bread with hummus
65. Chestnut
66. Guava
67. Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
68. Vegan marshmallows
69. Plantains
70. Mache
71. Beets
72. Pickles
73. Liquid Smoke
74. Meyer Lemon
75. Veggie Paella
76. Vegan Lasanga
77. Kombucha
78. Soy Milk
79. Loose tea
80. Lychee fruit
81. Tempeh Bacon
82. Sprouted Grain Bread
83. Lemon Pepper Tofu
84. Vanilla Bean
85. Watercress
86. Carrots
87. Vegan Pie
88. Edible Flowers
89. Corn Chowder
90. Vegan (raw) chocolate
91. Yellow Kiwi
92. White Flesh Grapefruit
93. Harissa
94. Coconut Oil
95. Jackfruit
96. Risotto
97. Spirulina
98. Tangerine
99. Sorbet
100. Fresh Peas

Not a bad list, but I think it is incomplete! I think there are some major things missing!

What about

• Oatmeal
• Cashew Butter
• Peanut Butter
• Hazelnut Butter
• Kale
• Okra
  
• Soy yogurt
• Granola
• Carob
• Dates
• Green Monster Smoothies
• Miso Soup
  
• Brussel Sprouts
• Beets
  
• Wakame
• Larabars
  
• Fudge Babies
• ProBars
• Amazing Grass
  

And these are just to name a few!

What would you have on your list?

Breakfast:

Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal

For this beauty, I added 1 TBSP unsweetend cocoa powder and 1 1/2 tsp stevia while cooking, stuck in in the freezer to cool them down and make them extra thick, and then topped with some cherry soy yogurt and some crumbled vegan chocolate animal crackers! For more ideas, check my Oatmeal Recipe Page!

Dinnah!

I took inspiration from Devan and made some hummus-shrooms! It couldn’t be easier! I just put some hummus in the cups and baked at ~350 for about 12 minutes!  I also had some pasta with tons of veggies and sauce! Yum!

Note how both meals are 100% Vegan.

Exciting news: my views went up by 250% today. Hurrah, Tastespotting!

Love you all so much! Thanks for stopping by and reading!

Grrrr!

I wrote a long post about things I love, pressed publish, and POOF! Everything I wrote disappeared! How frustrating! I don’t really want to go through the entire thing again, so I’m afraid no one will ever see my words of genius.

I have grown quite jealous as of late of the blending magic of Averie, Katie, and Diana. What I would do for a chocolate snowball, or fudge baby. Alas! Instead, I have had to compensate in other ways.

Cosmopolitan Oats

Chocolate Indulgence Oatmeal

Woah buddy! Talk about dessert for breakfast! These both rocked my socks off. You have to try them! You can find the recipe on my Oatmeal Recipes Page!

In non-oat news, I have rekindled my long lost love of brussel sprouts.

Tasty!

I simply did my normal veggie stir-fry, adding marinara, and put over pasta! Easy, delicious, and full of flavor. I had forgotten how much I love brussel sprouts – they are tender, flavorful, and add a different texture. Good thing I like them – I bought a huge bag!

Giveaways:

From Leslie Loves Veggies:

1. SkylarHaley
2. On Go Energy Shot
3. NuGo Nutrition
4. Jones Naturals
5. Soda Stream Starter Kit

From Chocolate Covered Katie:

1. You chose giveaway!

Now that I am rather disgruntled, I am going to bed. Tomorrow is another day.

Love you all so much!

Wakin’ Up

Thank you all for your various tips for staying awake! I definitely tried them…. and whether they were working or I am successfully fighting off whatever was making me sleepy, I am just relieved to have a little more energy !

Before I get on to my things – please send your prayer’s to Neela. She is undergoing surgery tomorrow. I know she has impacted so many of us in a positive way, and sending her positive energy is the least we can do.

This week has been interesting, to say the least! Luckily, I think I’ll be able to manage my schedule. I had to leave my Geophysics an hour and 20 minutes early! I did receive the worksheet… but we never even started discussing it by the time I left! I barely made it to my ensemble, but I was breathing pretty hard after almost running the mile up the hill of doom – not conducive to the relaxed style of singing that is renaissance music.

I talked to my lecturer, and it looks like I’ll be going in extra early on Thursdays for a semi-private extra sessions. Hurrah! Its going to be a little rough, but I think I can manage!

In order to fuel this craziness, I’ve been making some rockin’ breakfast.

My take on a traditional Mexican Breakfast

I took liberties with a breakfast I used to eat in New Mexico – rice with milk, sugar, and cinnamon. I replaced the rice with oats, milk with soy milk, agave for sugar, and left the cinnamon in, because cinnamon is just that wonderful!

Holiday treats - in oat form!

I haven’t been a big Thanksgiving person for a very long time – since I gave up meat, so about 8 years or so. However, there are a couple things I just love – sweet potatoes (I’m sure you’ve noticed that), and cranberry sauce. However, now that its November and I’m in Ireland, I have been hankerin’ for some holiday foods.

First I made some homemade cranberry sauce:

Sweet, Tart, and Tasty

This is so easy to make – everyone should try it out for themselves!

All you need is:

• 1 bag of cranberries
• About 1/2 cups sugar (I used stevia)
• And 250 ml water

The instructions?

• Boil until the berries pop
• Let cool, and then refrigerate!

That’s it! Easy peasy, and delicious.

For the oats, I nuked a sweet potato for a bit to soften it up, sweetened the bowl with a melted banana, added some cinnamon, and topped it with a big dollop of my cranberry sauce!

Now for some other things…

You are probably sick of seeing these things.

Chocolate has become a fear food for me, unfortunately, since it used to be one of my favorite foods. The rich flavor, the antioxidants – what’s not to love? I went out on a limb and bought some:

Chocolate with Hemp Seeds? Brilliant!

And check this out! Look at these stats!

Sure the no sugar added part appealed to me, but it didn’t really matter. Its the hemp seeds that pulled me in.

I have been slacking on the food blog part, I feel. I haven’t done anything exciting in such a long time, and I feel … bored. However, the lack of the oven right now, is posing some major problems! As much as I love Ireland, I can’t wait to get back to the States… with my parents’ NEW oven and stove!

The wonderful Leslie is hosting some of the most amazing giveaways in the blogging world:

• Guy and Eva jewlery – some of the most beautiful on the market.
• Cakecup 2 pack – looks delicious.
• On the Go Energy Shots – what a boost!
• A High Sierra messenger pack – I definitely need a new bag!
• NuGo Nutrition Bars – I’ve ALWAYS wanted to try them.

But don’t forget Gina’s Barney Butter giveaway!

Weekend time! I wonder what this one will bring – good things, I hope! What do you have on your plate for this weekend?

I really want to cook some interesting things this weekend – we’ll see how that works out!

Love you girls!