Bianca Phillips's Blog, page 199
May 13, 2014
Afro-Vegan!
I have a vegan dinner party fantasy. All my favorite cookbook authors would get together, plan a menu, and then cook it together. And I'd be the honored guest. So no work for me. Just good eatin' and good company. Bryant Terry would definitely be at the top of that chef guest list.
Although he lives in Oakland these days, Bryant hails from Memphis. And he grew up on that good Southern soul food. His cookbooks — Grub, Vegan Soul Kitchen, and now Afro-Vegan —are filled with dishes that taste like home to me. His latest book, Afro-Vegan, came out in April, and it may be his best work yet. The book is dedicated to farm-fresh African, Caribbean, and Southern flavors.
The book isn't organized in the typical chapters of appetizers, breakfast, soups, entrees, and desserts. Instead Bryant separates the chapters by ingredients and flavor profiles and course. For example, there's a chapter on "Spices, Sauces, Heat" and one on "Okra, Black-Eyed Peas, Watermelon" and another on "Street Food, Snacks, Small Bites."
It's a full-color book, and there are gorgeous photos alongside many of the recipes. Plus, the book is peppered with photos of his adorable family. As is Bryant's tradition, a soundtrack is included with each recipe. Most are obscure tracks that only diehard music fans would recognize, but thanks to google, it's easy to look any of them up and listen along as you cook.
It was hard to narrow down which recipes to try first, but I finally settled on a couple that seemed to go together. I made the Slow-Braised Mustard Greens.
These are slow-simmered like granny would do (and damn are they good when cooked down for 45 minutes or so!), and then they're topped with caramelized onions that have been cooked down with tomato paste. The tomato sauce mixes in with the pot likker and makes a broth worthy of any soup.
And you can't sop up pot likker without cornbread! So I made Bryant's Skillet Cornbread with Pecan Dukkah.
Dukkah is an Egyptian mixture of nuts, seeds, and spices that, according to Bryant, is commonly used to dip bread in after dipping it in oil. But he decided to throw the mix (made with pecans, sesame seeds, cumin, and coriander) into the cornbread batter. I love biting into the pecans! And the cornbread is also flecked with orange zest, which gives it a unique flavor. I plopped a whole slice into my greens and ate it with a spoon. That's how you're supposed to eat cornbread.
Anyway, there are so many more recipes I want to try from Afro-Vegan — Smashed Potatoes with Peas, Corn, and Chili-Garlic Oil; Lil' Tofu Po'Boys with Creamy Red Bell Pepper Sauce; Sweet Plantain and Fresh Corn Cakes; Pumpkin-Peanut Fritters; Jamaican Patties Stuffed with Maque Choux; Ambrosia Ice Pops.
Maybe one day, when Bryant comes over for that dinner party, he'll cook me some of that stuff.
Although he lives in Oakland these days, Bryant hails from Memphis. And he grew up on that good Southern soul food. His cookbooks — Grub, Vegan Soul Kitchen, and now Afro-Vegan —are filled with dishes that taste like home to me. His latest book, Afro-Vegan, came out in April, and it may be his best work yet. The book is dedicated to farm-fresh African, Caribbean, and Southern flavors.
The book isn't organized in the typical chapters of appetizers, breakfast, soups, entrees, and desserts. Instead Bryant separates the chapters by ingredients and flavor profiles and course. For example, there's a chapter on "Spices, Sauces, Heat" and one on "Okra, Black-Eyed Peas, Watermelon" and another on "Street Food, Snacks, Small Bites."
It's a full-color book, and there are gorgeous photos alongside many of the recipes. Plus, the book is peppered with photos of his adorable family. As is Bryant's tradition, a soundtrack is included with each recipe. Most are obscure tracks that only diehard music fans would recognize, but thanks to google, it's easy to look any of them up and listen along as you cook.
It was hard to narrow down which recipes to try first, but I finally settled on a couple that seemed to go together. I made the Slow-Braised Mustard Greens.
These are slow-simmered like granny would do (and damn are they good when cooked down for 45 minutes or so!), and then they're topped with caramelized onions that have been cooked down with tomato paste. The tomato sauce mixes in with the pot likker and makes a broth worthy of any soup.
And you can't sop up pot likker without cornbread! So I made Bryant's Skillet Cornbread with Pecan Dukkah.
Dukkah is an Egyptian mixture of nuts, seeds, and spices that, according to Bryant, is commonly used to dip bread in after dipping it in oil. But he decided to throw the mix (made with pecans, sesame seeds, cumin, and coriander) into the cornbread batter. I love biting into the pecans! And the cornbread is also flecked with orange zest, which gives it a unique flavor. I plopped a whole slice into my greens and ate it with a spoon. That's how you're supposed to eat cornbread.
Anyway, there are so many more recipes I want to try from Afro-Vegan — Smashed Potatoes with Peas, Corn, and Chili-Garlic Oil; Lil' Tofu Po'Boys with Creamy Red Bell Pepper Sauce; Sweet Plantain and Fresh Corn Cakes; Pumpkin-Peanut Fritters; Jamaican Patties Stuffed with Maque Choux; Ambrosia Ice Pops.
Maybe one day, when Bryant comes over for that dinner party, he'll cook me some of that stuff.
Afro Vegan!
I have a vegan dinner party fantasy. All my favorite cookbook authors would get together, plan a menu, and then cook it together. And I'd be the honored guest. So no work for me. Just good eatin' and good company. Bryant Terry would definitely be at the top of that chef guest list.
Although he lives in Oakland these days, Bryant hails from Memphis. And he grew up on that good Southern soul food. His cookbooks — Grub, Vegan Soul Kitchen, and now Afro Vegan —are filled with dishes that taste like home to me. His latest book, Afro Vegan, came out in April, and it may be his best work yet. The book is dedicated to farm-fresh African, Caribbean, and Southern flavors.
The book isn't organized in the typical chapters of appetizers, breakfast, soups, entrees, and desserts. Instead Bryant separates the chapters by ingredients and flavor profiles and course. For example, there's a chapter on "Spices, Sauces, Heat" and one on "Okra, Black-Eyed Peas, Watermelon" and another on "Street Food, Snacks, Small Bites."
It's a full-color book, and there are gorgeous photos alongside many of the recipes. Plus, the book is peppered with photos of his adorable family. As is Bryant's tradition, a soundtrack is included with each recipe. Most are obscure tracks that only diehard music fans would recognize, but thanks to google, it's easy to look any of them up and listen along as you cook.
It was hard to narrow down which recipes to try first, but I finally settled on a couple that seemed to go together. I made the Slow-Braised Mustard Greens.
These are slow-simmered like granny would do (and damn are they good when cooked down for 45 minutes or so!), and then they're topped with caramelized onions that have been cooked down with tomato paste. The tomato sauce mixes in with the pot likker and makes a broth worthy of any soup.
And you can't sop up pot likker without cornbread! So I made Bryant's Skillet Cornbread with Pecan Dukkah.
Dukkah is an Egyptian mixture of nuts, seeds, and spices that, according to Bryant, is commonly used to dip bread in after dipping it in oil. But he decided to throw the mix (made with pecans, sesame seeds, cumin, and coriander) into the cornbread batter. I love biting into the pecans! And the cornbread is also flecked with orange zest, which gives it a unique flavor. I plopped a whole slice into my greens and ate it with a spoon. That's how you're supposed to eat cornbread.
Anyway, there are so many more recipes I want to try from Afro Vegan — Smashed Potatoes with Peas, Corn, and Chili-Garlic Oil; Lil' Tofu Po'Boys with Creamy Red Bell Pepper Sauce; Sweet Plantain and Fresh Corn Cakes; Pumpkin-Peanut Fritters; Jamaican Patties Stuffed with Maque Choux; Ambrosia Ice Pops.
Maybe one day, when Bryant comes over for that dinner party, he'll cook me some of that stuff.
Although he lives in Oakland these days, Bryant hails from Memphis. And he grew up on that good Southern soul food. His cookbooks — Grub, Vegan Soul Kitchen, and now Afro Vegan —are filled with dishes that taste like home to me. His latest book, Afro Vegan, came out in April, and it may be his best work yet. The book is dedicated to farm-fresh African, Caribbean, and Southern flavors.
The book isn't organized in the typical chapters of appetizers, breakfast, soups, entrees, and desserts. Instead Bryant separates the chapters by ingredients and flavor profiles and course. For example, there's a chapter on "Spices, Sauces, Heat" and one on "Okra, Black-Eyed Peas, Watermelon" and another on "Street Food, Snacks, Small Bites."
It's a full-color book, and there are gorgeous photos alongside many of the recipes. Plus, the book is peppered with photos of his adorable family. As is Bryant's tradition, a soundtrack is included with each recipe. Most are obscure tracks that only diehard music fans would recognize, but thanks to google, it's easy to look any of them up and listen along as you cook.
It was hard to narrow down which recipes to try first, but I finally settled on a couple that seemed to go together. I made the Slow-Braised Mustard Greens.
These are slow-simmered like granny would do (and damn are they good when cooked down for 45 minutes or so!), and then they're topped with caramelized onions that have been cooked down with tomato paste. The tomato sauce mixes in with the pot likker and makes a broth worthy of any soup.
And you can't sop up pot likker without cornbread! So I made Bryant's Skillet Cornbread with Pecan Dukkah.
Dukkah is an Egyptian mixture of nuts, seeds, and spices that, according to Bryant, is commonly used to dip bread in after dipping it in oil. But he decided to throw the mix (made with pecans, sesame seeds, cumin, and coriander) into the cornbread batter. I love biting into the pecans! And the cornbread is also flecked with orange zest, which gives it a unique flavor. I plopped a whole slice into my greens and ate it with a spoon. That's how you're supposed to eat cornbread.
Anyway, there are so many more recipes I want to try from Afro Vegan — Smashed Potatoes with Peas, Corn, and Chili-Garlic Oil; Lil' Tofu Po'Boys with Creamy Red Bell Pepper Sauce; Sweet Plantain and Fresh Corn Cakes; Pumpkin-Peanut Fritters; Jamaican Patties Stuffed with Maque Choux; Ambrosia Ice Pops.
Maybe one day, when Bryant comes over for that dinner party, he'll cook me some of that stuff.
May 12, 2014
Emily's Natural Beauty
I'm sure I spend a fortune on vegan, all-natural lotions, hair products, soaps, face wash, etc. But a girl needs to look good, and she needs cruelty-free beauty and hygiene products to get her there. I could make my own, but let's be honest, I'm way too busy cooking and eating to worry with mixing up potions and creams.
Enter Emily's Natural Beauty. A few weeks ago, Emily Alves, a college student at Washington University in St. Louis, emailed me to ask if I'd like to sample some of her homemade vegan beauty products. She makes all sorts things — body butters, toothpaste, sunscreen, deodorant, even lip gloss and Crayola lipstick — and sells them for VERY reasonable prices in her online Etsy shop! She let me pick out a few to sample, and here's what I chose.
That's Peppermint Toothpaste, Latte Sugar Scrub, Mango Butter Body Butter, Dark Chocolate Lotion Bar, and two Crayola Lipsticks (in red and pink!). Each product is packed in adorable, reusable four-ounce jars (but she sells eight-ounce jars for some products).
The package arrived while I was at work, and since I had to brush my teeth that night, the Peppermint Toothpaste was the first thing I tried. It's made with organic coconut oil, baking soda, and essential oils.
I'd never tried homemade toothpaste, and I gotta say, it was quite lovely. The baking soda really shines though, and it leaves your mouth feeling all fresh and clean and minty. I like it better than the Jason or Kiss My Face creamy toothpaste that I usually buy. And let me tell ya, four ounces is a LOT of toothpaste! And this jar retails for only $5. I'm certain it will last for months.
I tried Latte Sugar Scrub in the shower the next morning. It's made with coffee grounds, olive oil, sugar, and vanilla.
One sniff of this and there's no need to drink a cup of coffee in the morning! It smells like Starbucks, and it's great for exfoliating my stupid dry skin. Okay, confession: I did still need coffee after my shower. But the java scent definitely helped wake me up. This also retails for only $5! Emily also sells a Chai Sugar Scrub if you're more of a tea drinker.
When I got out of the shower, I lotioned up with the Dark Chocolate Lotion Bar, which is made with cocoa butter.
As I mentioned earlier, I have super dry skin, and I need extra-strength moisturizers. And this did the trick! It kept my skin soft for hours after my shower. And the scent was heavenly. A few years back, Memphis was lucky enough to have its own Lush store, and I always kept their Nutts lotion in stock in my bathroom. It was also made with cocoa butter, and it smelled JUST LIKE THIS! God, how I've missed that bar. This will be my new replacement. And it's even cheaper than Lush at $8.
The following morning, I tried out the Mango Butter Body Butter. It's made with coconut oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, mango butter, and essential oils.
I loved the whipped texture of this, and like the lotion bar, it worked to keep my skin soft for hours. Shea butter is a miracle dry skin cure, so it's no wonder this stuff works! The scent of mango is faint but natural. No artificial mango added. A four-ounce jar retails for $15, but you can get eight ounces for $20!
Finally, I tried the Crayola Lipstick! It's made with coconut oil, pigment, olive oil, and vegan wax.
The colors of red and bright pink look very bright. But they actually go on naturally. On separate occasions, I applied each color and then topped them with shiny lip gloss. Perfect. The red went on as a light, natural red. And the pink applied as a fun light pink. And the best part? They're only $3! And Emily will customize whatever color you ask for. That's a bargain. Most vegan lipstick I buy runs anywhere from $15 to $25. I think I'll be switching to Crayola Lipstick from now on.
Check out Emily's Etsy shop. And if you live in the St. Louis area (and sometimes Miami, her hometown), she'll deliver! For the rest of us, shipping costs are very reasonable. Also, here's her Facebook page.
Enter Emily's Natural Beauty. A few weeks ago, Emily Alves, a college student at Washington University in St. Louis, emailed me to ask if I'd like to sample some of her homemade vegan beauty products. She makes all sorts things — body butters, toothpaste, sunscreen, deodorant, even lip gloss and Crayola lipstick — and sells them for VERY reasonable prices in her online Etsy shop! She let me pick out a few to sample, and here's what I chose.
That's Peppermint Toothpaste, Latte Sugar Scrub, Mango Butter Body Butter, Dark Chocolate Lotion Bar, and two Crayola Lipsticks (in red and pink!). Each product is packed in adorable, reusable four-ounce jars (but she sells eight-ounce jars for some products).
The package arrived while I was at work, and since I had to brush my teeth that night, the Peppermint Toothpaste was the first thing I tried. It's made with organic coconut oil, baking soda, and essential oils.
I'd never tried homemade toothpaste, and I gotta say, it was quite lovely. The baking soda really shines though, and it leaves your mouth feeling all fresh and clean and minty. I like it better than the Jason or Kiss My Face creamy toothpaste that I usually buy. And let me tell ya, four ounces is a LOT of toothpaste! And this jar retails for only $5. I'm certain it will last for months.
I tried Latte Sugar Scrub in the shower the next morning. It's made with coffee grounds, olive oil, sugar, and vanilla.
One sniff of this and there's no need to drink a cup of coffee in the morning! It smells like Starbucks, and it's great for exfoliating my stupid dry skin. Okay, confession: I did still need coffee after my shower. But the java scent definitely helped wake me up. This also retails for only $5! Emily also sells a Chai Sugar Scrub if you're more of a tea drinker.
When I got out of the shower, I lotioned up with the Dark Chocolate Lotion Bar, which is made with cocoa butter.
As I mentioned earlier, I have super dry skin, and I need extra-strength moisturizers. And this did the trick! It kept my skin soft for hours after my shower. And the scent was heavenly. A few years back, Memphis was lucky enough to have its own Lush store, and I always kept their Nutts lotion in stock in my bathroom. It was also made with cocoa butter, and it smelled JUST LIKE THIS! God, how I've missed that bar. This will be my new replacement. And it's even cheaper than Lush at $8.
The following morning, I tried out the Mango Butter Body Butter. It's made with coconut oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, mango butter, and essential oils.
I loved the whipped texture of this, and like the lotion bar, it worked to keep my skin soft for hours. Shea butter is a miracle dry skin cure, so it's no wonder this stuff works! The scent of mango is faint but natural. No artificial mango added. A four-ounce jar retails for $15, but you can get eight ounces for $20!
Finally, I tried the Crayola Lipstick! It's made with coconut oil, pigment, olive oil, and vegan wax.
The colors of red and bright pink look very bright. But they actually go on naturally. On separate occasions, I applied each color and then topped them with shiny lip gloss. Perfect. The red went on as a light, natural red. And the pink applied as a fun light pink. And the best part? They're only $3! And Emily will customize whatever color you ask for. That's a bargain. Most vegan lipstick I buy runs anywhere from $15 to $25. I think I'll be switching to Crayola Lipstick from now on.
Check out Emily's Etsy shop. And if you live in the St. Louis area (and sometimes Miami, her hometown), she'll deliver! For the rest of us, shipping costs are very reasonable. Also, here's her Facebook page.
May 11, 2014
Mama's Family
I have the coolest mama ever. She's the most generous, selfless person I've ever met. She'll do anything to help out a family member or friend. And she knows how to have fun! Mama loves country music (not my fave, but hey, she rocks it), anything that sparkles, and margaritas. Oh, and she rides on the back of my dad's Harley cause she's badass like that. You'd never catch me on a scary motorcycle!
Today, I got to celebrate my mama and her mama (Me-Maw) and my daddy's mama (Granny)! The four of us went to lunch at Lazzari Italian Oven in my hometown of Jonesboro.
I called ahead because many Italian restaurants use fresh egg pasta. But the hostess told me Lazzari's uses dry pasta. And that means it's vegan. Score!
Like so many Italian places though, the meal starts with Fresh Bread and Olive Oil with Cracked Pepper. I could really make a meal off that bread alone, but I had to restrain myself to save room for pasta. I had a couple slices though.
And then there's salad. The house salad is called the Mista Salad, and it comes already dressed with an Italian vinaigrette. I asked the server to leave the shredded cheese off my salad, but I didn't even think that the dressing would have cheese in it. But sure enough, that Italian dressing was flecked with parm. Luckily, the server was totally cool about sending it back and bringing me a fresh undressed salad, which I tossed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar at the table. Much better!
And for my entree, I went with the basic Linguine with Marinara Sauce. I loved this sauce! It was sweet and tangy just like a good marinara should be. I always add a little sugar to my sauce at home and it seems as if they do too.
The meal was lovely, and it was fun hanging out with my mom and grandmas. Hope y'all had a happy Mother's Day!
Today, I got to celebrate my mama and her mama (Me-Maw) and my daddy's mama (Granny)! The four of us went to lunch at Lazzari Italian Oven in my hometown of Jonesboro.
I called ahead because many Italian restaurants use fresh egg pasta. But the hostess told me Lazzari's uses dry pasta. And that means it's vegan. Score!
Like so many Italian places though, the meal starts with Fresh Bread and Olive Oil with Cracked Pepper. I could really make a meal off that bread alone, but I had to restrain myself to save room for pasta. I had a couple slices though.
And then there's salad. The house salad is called the Mista Salad, and it comes already dressed with an Italian vinaigrette. I asked the server to leave the shredded cheese off my salad, but I didn't even think that the dressing would have cheese in it. But sure enough, that Italian dressing was flecked with parm. Luckily, the server was totally cool about sending it back and bringing me a fresh undressed salad, which I tossed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar at the table. Much better!
And for my entree, I went with the basic Linguine with Marinara Sauce. I loved this sauce! It was sweet and tangy just like a good marinara should be. I always add a little sugar to my sauce at home and it seems as if they do too.
The meal was lovely, and it was fun hanging out with my mom and grandmas. Hope y'all had a happy Mother's Day!
May 8, 2014
Life in the Fasting Lane
Last month, I previewed Robin Westen's 2-Day Superfood Cleanse book, which details her vegan weekly detox program. The premise is simple — eat what you want five days of the week, eat only 600 calories from a list of approved "superfoods" on the other two. It's based on the popular 5:2 diet idea, only this program is based on healthy plant-based whole foods. You're basically fasting two days a week and eating whatever you want on the others.
By the way, Westen's "superfoods" aren't crazy exotic things like camu camu but rather nuts, seeds, veggies, and fruits. Real superfoods.
I had a co-worker who tried a non-vegan version of the 5:2 diet last year, and when she told me she was only eating 600 calories on two days of the week, I told her she was crazy! On normal days, I average between 1,600 and 2,200 calories, depending on my workouts. And on weekends, well, let's just say I tend to binge. It's not uncommon for me to hit the 3,000 calorie mark (or higher!) on weekends.
I use a Fitbit and count every calorie, and I've been doing that for years. Fitbit sends me weekly progress reports, and here lately, I'm often around 1,000 to 2,000 calories over for my weekly totals. So I knew it was time to do something. I don't need to lose weight, but I don't want to gain any either. This 5:2 Superfood Cleanse seemed like an excellent way to get my weekly calorie counts under control, so I won't have to feel guilty about those weekend binges anymore. I'm not willing to give those up.
And so, this week, I tried the 2-Day Superfood Cleanse for the first time. I used only Robin's recipes from the book. On Wednesday, I started the day with a Carrot & Flax Fantastico Juice, made with carrots, garlic, and flax oil.
This made a very teensy juice, more like a shot. Yet it was 126 calories! So that was breakfast, folks. Delicious. Loved the flax-carrot-garlic combo. But yes, my belly was still grumbling after I drank this.
Based on my co-worker Hannah's experience last year, I knew little meals were the way to go. No way 600 calories stretched out over three meals would fly. So I planned six little meals instead. I couldn't take the tummy rumbles anymore at 10 a.m. Wednesday, so I broke out the Hot Almonds from Robin's book — 1/8 cup raw almonds, toasted in a skillet with bee-free honee, chili powder, and a pinch of salt. 75 calories.
Though I was never truly satisfied, I made it until lunch when I treated myself to a plate of Roasted Sweet Potatoes with rosemary and a smidge of olive oil. This was, perhaps, the most satisfying meal of the day since it kept me full until at least 3-ish.
My afternoon snack was Robin's Awesome Applesauce — one organic apple cooked down with cinnamon.
And for dinner, I made her Bean & Buckwheat Soup — pinto beans, buckwheat, carrots, garlic, and arugula. The recipe called for watercress, but I couldn't find any in Midtown grocery stores, and I wasn't about to drive all the way to Whole Foods with a rumbly tummy. I usually hate arugula, but it has a similar flavor profile to watercress, so I took a chance. It worked well here. Loved this soup, but I was only allowed 1 1/2 cups. I normally would have eaten twice that with bread on the side.
Throughout the day, as I got hungry, I'd sip on tea and water to try and stave off hunger. It only half-ass worked, but I survived day one. And at the end of the day, I was quite proud of myself. There's something beautiful about successfully mastering your self-control. It's empowering.
I decided to do my cleanses on non-consecutive days because that's totally allowed. So on Wednesday, I treated myself to a 3.5-mile run, a Vega protein smoothie, an eggless salad wrap, potato chips, a vegan cheese & "steak" quesadilla, a cookie, and a martini. I deserved those things!
But it was back to cleansing on Thursday. I was less gung-ho because it wasn't a new thing, and having experienced such hunger on day one, I knew what to expect today. But alas, I'm not a quitter. So I started the morning with a Tangy Tomato Juice (two tomatoes, juice from half a lemon). Delicious, but not very filling.
By 10:30 a.m., I was soooo ready for this Buckwheat Nooch Bowl — just buckwheat mixed with nutritional yeast (nooch is not included in Westen's book, but it's important for my sanity), salt, and pepper.
By cleanse standards, that was quite a hearty snack. Yet I was still famished by 12:15 p.m., so I had this Romaine Salad with Robin's Flaxseed Salad Dressing. It's a homemade garlicky dressing made with lemon and flax oil. Just one 50-calorie tablespoon was all I needed to coat these greens in deliciousness.
I had a busy afternoon at work, so I didn't even have a chance to snack until 3:15ish. By then, I was FAMISHED. About 1/4 cup of this Black Currant & Walnut Trail Mix did the trick, at least for a little while.
I had a hair appointment after work, so I knew I couldn't rush straight home for dinner. And I tried to ignore the hunger pangs as the stylist trimmed my hair. But when I finally was able to sit down to leftovers of the above-mentioned Bean & Buckwheat Soup, it was the greatest meal ever! If only it had lasted longer.
As I type this, it's 9:26 p.m. I'm about to go to bed, but my I am still so hungry. I'm proud of myself for making it two days, and I plan to try again next week. Despite the constant hunger, I also had some moments of clarity and even a bit of a natural high this afternoon. Fasting enlightenment, perhaps? But, honestly, I couldn't be more ready to wake up in the morning to my Vega smoothie, followed by a hearty taco lunch and beer in the afternoon.
By the way, Westen's "superfoods" aren't crazy exotic things like camu camu but rather nuts, seeds, veggies, and fruits. Real superfoods.
I had a co-worker who tried a non-vegan version of the 5:2 diet last year, and when she told me she was only eating 600 calories on two days of the week, I told her she was crazy! On normal days, I average between 1,600 and 2,200 calories, depending on my workouts. And on weekends, well, let's just say I tend to binge. It's not uncommon for me to hit the 3,000 calorie mark (or higher!) on weekends.
I use a Fitbit and count every calorie, and I've been doing that for years. Fitbit sends me weekly progress reports, and here lately, I'm often around 1,000 to 2,000 calories over for my weekly totals. So I knew it was time to do something. I don't need to lose weight, but I don't want to gain any either. This 5:2 Superfood Cleanse seemed like an excellent way to get my weekly calorie counts under control, so I won't have to feel guilty about those weekend binges anymore. I'm not willing to give those up.
And so, this week, I tried the 2-Day Superfood Cleanse for the first time. I used only Robin's recipes from the book. On Wednesday, I started the day with a Carrot & Flax Fantastico Juice, made with carrots, garlic, and flax oil.
This made a very teensy juice, more like a shot. Yet it was 126 calories! So that was breakfast, folks. Delicious. Loved the flax-carrot-garlic combo. But yes, my belly was still grumbling after I drank this.
Based on my co-worker Hannah's experience last year, I knew little meals were the way to go. No way 600 calories stretched out over three meals would fly. So I planned six little meals instead. I couldn't take the tummy rumbles anymore at 10 a.m. Wednesday, so I broke out the Hot Almonds from Robin's book — 1/8 cup raw almonds, toasted in a skillet with bee-free honee, chili powder, and a pinch of salt. 75 calories.
Though I was never truly satisfied, I made it until lunch when I treated myself to a plate of Roasted Sweet Potatoes with rosemary and a smidge of olive oil. This was, perhaps, the most satisfying meal of the day since it kept me full until at least 3-ish.
My afternoon snack was Robin's Awesome Applesauce — one organic apple cooked down with cinnamon.
And for dinner, I made her Bean & Buckwheat Soup — pinto beans, buckwheat, carrots, garlic, and arugula. The recipe called for watercress, but I couldn't find any in Midtown grocery stores, and I wasn't about to drive all the way to Whole Foods with a rumbly tummy. I usually hate arugula, but it has a similar flavor profile to watercress, so I took a chance. It worked well here. Loved this soup, but I was only allowed 1 1/2 cups. I normally would have eaten twice that with bread on the side.
Throughout the day, as I got hungry, I'd sip on tea and water to try and stave off hunger. It only half-ass worked, but I survived day one. And at the end of the day, I was quite proud of myself. There's something beautiful about successfully mastering your self-control. It's empowering.
I decided to do my cleanses on non-consecutive days because that's totally allowed. So on Wednesday, I treated myself to a 3.5-mile run, a Vega protein smoothie, an eggless salad wrap, potato chips, a vegan cheese & "steak" quesadilla, a cookie, and a martini. I deserved those things!
But it was back to cleansing on Thursday. I was less gung-ho because it wasn't a new thing, and having experienced such hunger on day one, I knew what to expect today. But alas, I'm not a quitter. So I started the morning with a Tangy Tomato Juice (two tomatoes, juice from half a lemon). Delicious, but not very filling.
By 10:30 a.m., I was soooo ready for this Buckwheat Nooch Bowl — just buckwheat mixed with nutritional yeast (nooch is not included in Westen's book, but it's important for my sanity), salt, and pepper.
By cleanse standards, that was quite a hearty snack. Yet I was still famished by 12:15 p.m., so I had this Romaine Salad with Robin's Flaxseed Salad Dressing. It's a homemade garlicky dressing made with lemon and flax oil. Just one 50-calorie tablespoon was all I needed to coat these greens in deliciousness.
I had a busy afternoon at work, so I didn't even have a chance to snack until 3:15ish. By then, I was FAMISHED. About 1/4 cup of this Black Currant & Walnut Trail Mix did the trick, at least for a little while.
I had a hair appointment after work, so I knew I couldn't rush straight home for dinner. And I tried to ignore the hunger pangs as the stylist trimmed my hair. But when I finally was able to sit down to leftovers of the above-mentioned Bean & Buckwheat Soup, it was the greatest meal ever! If only it had lasted longer.
As I type this, it's 9:26 p.m. I'm about to go to bed, but my I am still so hungry. I'm proud of myself for making it two days, and I plan to try again next week. Despite the constant hunger, I also had some moments of clarity and even a bit of a natural high this afternoon. Fasting enlightenment, perhaps? But, honestly, I couldn't be more ready to wake up in the morning to my Vega smoothie, followed by a hearty taco lunch and beer in the afternoon.
May 7, 2014
Envy On My Lips
Sometimes I like to stray away from food posts to share vegan beauty product reviews. I love to eat more than just about anything else. But I want to look good while I'm eating! And I want my beauty products to be natural and cruelty-free.
EnvyDerm, maker of vegan high performance cosmetics, sent me a sample of their Lip Volumnizing and Conditioning Plumper in Jolie (a peachy pink).
It's not only free of animal products, but it's also free of parabens, synthetic fragrances, petrochemicals, sulfates, phthalates, GMOs, triclosan, and mineral oils. Sounds great, right?
According to EnvyDerm's claims, the plumper not only moisturizes lips and adds a splash of gloss and color, it also enhances lip volume within 28 days. But they say you'll even see a bit of an instant plump as soon as you apply it.
Since I never wear the same color everyday, I can't say that I'll ever be able to prove the 28-day claim. I like to mix things up, so I tend to alternate glosses, lipsticks, lip stains, and such. But I did notice an instant improvement when I applied the EnvyDerm plumper.
My lips looked fuller than they do sans product. And this stuff has a tingly mint thing going on that leaves your lips feeling so fresh and clean. I love that it combines a high gloss with color since I often end up layering clear gloss over other brands of lipstick to get the same effect.
I'd definitely buy this. A 5ml bottle runs about $23 on their website, which is pretty comparable to other quality vegan lip products. And they also make a line of vegan eye products, including a volumnizing mascara and a black liquid liner. If I were stranded on a deserted island and could only have one makeup item, it'd definitely be a toss-up between mascara and liquid liner. I'll have to try out EnvyDerm's.
EnvyDerm, maker of vegan high performance cosmetics, sent me a sample of their Lip Volumnizing and Conditioning Plumper in Jolie (a peachy pink).
It's not only free of animal products, but it's also free of parabens, synthetic fragrances, petrochemicals, sulfates, phthalates, GMOs, triclosan, and mineral oils. Sounds great, right?
According to EnvyDerm's claims, the plumper not only moisturizes lips and adds a splash of gloss and color, it also enhances lip volume within 28 days. But they say you'll even see a bit of an instant plump as soon as you apply it.
Since I never wear the same color everyday, I can't say that I'll ever be able to prove the 28-day claim. I like to mix things up, so I tend to alternate glosses, lipsticks, lip stains, and such. But I did notice an instant improvement when I applied the EnvyDerm plumper.
My lips looked fuller than they do sans product. And this stuff has a tingly mint thing going on that leaves your lips feeling so fresh and clean. I love that it combines a high gloss with color since I often end up layering clear gloss over other brands of lipstick to get the same effect.
I'd definitely buy this. A 5ml bottle runs about $23 on their website, which is pretty comparable to other quality vegan lip products. And they also make a line of vegan eye products, including a volumnizing mascara and a black liquid liner. If I were stranded on a deserted island and could only have one makeup item, it'd definitely be a toss-up between mascara and liquid liner. I'll have to try out EnvyDerm's.
May 6, 2014
Nutribody Protein Powder
My internet is back!! It's been out for about a week, and if you saw this morning's post, I included a note about my frustration with Comcast. And while I still have plenty of complaints about their customer service hotline, I was quite pleased with the little tech guy who came to my house today. He tried for two hours to get my internet to work last night with no luck. But he came back today, and now the modem is online. Horray!
Now that I'm back to regularly scheduled posting, I want to share another protein powder review. I've been doing a lot of these lately, mostly because vegan protein powder companies have been reaching out to me and offering samples. And since I drink protein smoothies after my runs a few days a week, I have plenty of opportunity to try the various brands. The latest brand I've tried is Nutribody Protein in Natural Vanilla.
It's a vegan bio-digestible powder made with brown rice and pea protein. It's free of the usual bad guys — antibiotics and GMOs. And if you're the type who worries about soy or gluten (not me!), it's also free of soy estrogens and gluten. Here's a shot of the inside. The container is a little big for how much is inside, but still yet, it contains a whopping 27 scoops. This stuff will last awhile.
Its makers also tout Nutribody as having high bio-availability. I didn't know what that meant, so I googled it. And Merriam-Webster defines it as "the degree and rate at which a substance (as a drug) is absorbed into a living system or is made available at the site of physiological activity." Supposedly, whey protein (which is NOT VEGAN) has a high bio-availability, and Nutribody makes that claim as well. Soy and plain rice proteins supposedly don't have as high of a bio-availability rate.
Oh, and it has a whopping 25 grams of protein, about 10 more per serving than Vega One French Vanilla powder (my usual go-to vanilla powder) and equal to the protein in Vega Sport Performance Protein (what I use after longer runs).
My only complaint with the nutrition stuff is same complaint I have for most protein vegan powders — the lack of calcium. Vega One powder contains 50% of your RDA for calcium, and I like not having to worry so much about getting that from other places. But like most other vegan powders, Nutribody doesn't contain calcium.
That aside, it's easy to add calcium by mixing Nutribody with plant milk and plant yogurt, which is exactly what I did when I tried a scoop of it in this Mango Lassi Smoothie.
Frozen mango, almond milk, vanilla soy yogurt, cardamom, and a scoop of vanilla Nutribody Protein. It's a smoothie I make often with Vega, and I have to say, taste-wise, it's pretty equal when made with Nutribody. There's no chalky taste, and since it's sweetened with natural stevia, it adds a lovely sweetness to the smoothie.
But perhaps my favorite thing about this powder was the thickness of the smoothies it creates! Look at that mango chunk just sitting atop my smoothie! It didn't even try to sink. In fact, this was so thick and creamy that I could have eaten with a spoon. Love that!
Now that I'm back to regularly scheduled posting, I want to share another protein powder review. I've been doing a lot of these lately, mostly because vegan protein powder companies have been reaching out to me and offering samples. And since I drink protein smoothies after my runs a few days a week, I have plenty of opportunity to try the various brands. The latest brand I've tried is Nutribody Protein in Natural Vanilla.
It's a vegan bio-digestible powder made with brown rice and pea protein. It's free of the usual bad guys — antibiotics and GMOs. And if you're the type who worries about soy or gluten (not me!), it's also free of soy estrogens and gluten. Here's a shot of the inside. The container is a little big for how much is inside, but still yet, it contains a whopping 27 scoops. This stuff will last awhile.
Its makers also tout Nutribody as having high bio-availability. I didn't know what that meant, so I googled it. And Merriam-Webster defines it as "the degree and rate at which a substance (as a drug) is absorbed into a living system or is made available at the site of physiological activity." Supposedly, whey protein (which is NOT VEGAN) has a high bio-availability, and Nutribody makes that claim as well. Soy and plain rice proteins supposedly don't have as high of a bio-availability rate.
Oh, and it has a whopping 25 grams of protein, about 10 more per serving than Vega One French Vanilla powder (my usual go-to vanilla powder) and equal to the protein in Vega Sport Performance Protein (what I use after longer runs).
My only complaint with the nutrition stuff is same complaint I have for most protein vegan powders — the lack of calcium. Vega One powder contains 50% of your RDA for calcium, and I like not having to worry so much about getting that from other places. But like most other vegan powders, Nutribody doesn't contain calcium.
That aside, it's easy to add calcium by mixing Nutribody with plant milk and plant yogurt, which is exactly what I did when I tried a scoop of it in this Mango Lassi Smoothie.
Frozen mango, almond milk, vanilla soy yogurt, cardamom, and a scoop of vanilla Nutribody Protein. It's a smoothie I make often with Vega, and I have to say, taste-wise, it's pretty equal when made with Nutribody. There's no chalky taste, and since it's sweetened with natural stevia, it adds a lovely sweetness to the smoothie.
But perhaps my favorite thing about this powder was the thickness of the smoothies it creates! Look at that mango chunk just sitting atop my smoothie! It didn't even try to sink. In fact, this was so thick and creamy that I could have eaten with a spoon. Love that!
Mama Crunk's Cinco de Mayo Birthday
My mama turned 60 on Sunday, but I was at the Beale Street Music Festival all day. And she lives an hour away, so we waited until Monday to celebrate. And what good timing! Mexican is mama's favorite cuisine, and Monday was Cinco De Mayo.
I drove to Jonesboro, Arkansas, where my parents live, to cook my mama a Mexican birthday dinner. I brought a bag of Beyond Meat Fiesty Beef-Free Crumbles with me, so we could have vegan tacos. And I whipped up some mango salsa using fresh mangoes, red onion, cilantro, and cucumber. Mama made her famous guacamole.
And she made some Vegan Pancho's Dip! Pancho's is a Southern Mexican restaurant chain that makes the best cheese dip in the world. I grew up eating the stuff and loved it. Mama veganized it using Daiya and Tofutti Cream Cheese. I was so happy to have some with my dinner last night!
And of course, no Cinco de Mayo is complete without a margarita! I had to keep mine small though since I had an hour drive home ahead of me.
Here's the birthday girl — my mama — making and enjoying margaritas! My daddy and granny had one too.
In keeping with the theme, I made the Mucho Margarita Cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. They have tequila in both the cupcakes and the frosting!
Happy Birthday, Mama Crunk!
I drove to Jonesboro, Arkansas, where my parents live, to cook my mama a Mexican birthday dinner. I brought a bag of Beyond Meat Fiesty Beef-Free Crumbles with me, so we could have vegan tacos. And I whipped up some mango salsa using fresh mangoes, red onion, cilantro, and cucumber. Mama made her famous guacamole.
And she made some Vegan Pancho's Dip! Pancho's is a Southern Mexican restaurant chain that makes the best cheese dip in the world. I grew up eating the stuff and loved it. Mama veganized it using Daiya and Tofutti Cream Cheese. I was so happy to have some with my dinner last night!
And of course, no Cinco de Mayo is complete without a margarita! I had to keep mine small though since I had an hour drive home ahead of me.
Here's the birthday girl — my mama — making and enjoying margaritas! My daddy and granny had one too.
In keeping with the theme, I made the Mucho Margarita Cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. They have tequila in both the cupcakes and the frosting!
Happy Birthday, Mama Crunk!
May 2, 2014
Vegan Waffle Taco!
The day the news broke that Taco Bell was introducing breakfast and the already legendary waffle taco, I knew that waffle's vegan day would come. Waffles + vegan sausage + tofu "eggs" + vegan cheese. Such an easy veganization. And it sounded so freakin' delectable.
My friend Sheridan actually tried it before I did, and she sent me pics. I knew this needed to happen in my kitchen sooner than later. So about a week ago (yes, I'm behind in posting), the Vegan Waffle Taco finally happened for me.
That's a toasted Van's Gluten-Free Flax Waffle topped with Kroger's Simply Organic Meatless Breakfast Patties, my own recipe for Cheesy Tofu Scramble from Cookin' Crunk (you can find that recipe here), and Follow Your Heart Cheddar Vegan Gourmet Shreds.
By the way, if you have a Kroger store in your area and haven't yet tried these meatless breakfast patties, please do so post-haste. Best vegan breakfast sausage out there.
Also, these Follow Your Heart Cheddar Shreds are pretty awesome too. I'm typically a Daiya girl, but FYH sent me these shreds made using their new formula. I'd tried them the old formula, and they were good. But I do believe this new one seems closer in taste the FYH blocks of cheese, which I've always loved. The older version of the shreds were a bit drier than the block, and I feel like this new formula is more on par with shreds from hand-shredding the actual FYH cheddar block. Does that make sense? Anyway, they sent me several packs so I'll be blogging about the Mozzarella and Fiesta Blend when I try them.
In case you were wondering about the taco, well, it was AMAZING! But hard to eat in taco form. And I couldn't fit nearly as much tofu scramble as I wanted into the small waffle. So later in the week, I ended up making Deconstructed Vegan Waffle Tacos that I could eat with a fork. Much better.
My friend Sheridan actually tried it before I did, and she sent me pics. I knew this needed to happen in my kitchen sooner than later. So about a week ago (yes, I'm behind in posting), the Vegan Waffle Taco finally happened for me.
That's a toasted Van's Gluten-Free Flax Waffle topped with Kroger's Simply Organic Meatless Breakfast Patties, my own recipe for Cheesy Tofu Scramble from Cookin' Crunk (you can find that recipe here), and Follow Your Heart Cheddar Vegan Gourmet Shreds.
By the way, if you have a Kroger store in your area and haven't yet tried these meatless breakfast patties, please do so post-haste. Best vegan breakfast sausage out there.
Also, these Follow Your Heart Cheddar Shreds are pretty awesome too. I'm typically a Daiya girl, but FYH sent me these shreds made using their new formula. I'd tried them the old formula, and they were good. But I do believe this new one seems closer in taste the FYH blocks of cheese, which I've always loved. The older version of the shreds were a bit drier than the block, and I feel like this new formula is more on par with shreds from hand-shredding the actual FYH cheddar block. Does that make sense? Anyway, they sent me several packs so I'll be blogging about the Mozzarella and Fiesta Blend when I try them.
In case you were wondering about the taco, well, it was AMAZING! But hard to eat in taco form. And I couldn't fit nearly as much tofu scramble as I wanted into the small waffle. So later in the week, I ended up making Deconstructed Vegan Waffle Tacos that I could eat with a fork. Much better.
April 30, 2014
Savory Tea!
I'm sure you've heard me whine before about how I don't really love hot tea but I really want to love hot tea. Sure, I can get down with Starbucks Soy Green Tea Latte or a super-sweet (plant)milky chai, but let's be honest — I like those because they taste like dessert. But plain ole hot, unsweetened tea? No, ma'am.
You know what I do like though? Broth. Ever since I was a little kid, I've loved sipping hot broth. It's great when you're hungry but it's too late to eat or as an afternoon snack when you know you need to save calories for that slice of cake you're planning to eat after dinner. But what if savory broth and tea had a baby?
It would be hot tea I actually love! Well, those two have had a baby, and her name is Millie.
When I was in Seattle at VegFest, the booth right across from my publisher's booth was sampling Millie's Savory Teas . Of course, I had to go check them out! It's basically green tea combined with savory veggies, herbs, and spices in a tea bag. You steep in hot water for a few minutes, and you've got a salty, spicy tea. After trying this at VegFest, the people demo-ing Millie's gave me a $5 off coupon, and I used that to order their Five Flavor Snack Pack pack right away.
There are several flavors, and the Snack Pack offers a few bags of each (15 bags total). There's the curry-infused Indian Spice, one of my faves!
And Tomato Basil, Thai Lemongrass, and Smoky Facon ("facon" is short for "fake bacon"). The Facon is probably my very fave. Next time I order (and there will be a next time as soon as I run out), I'll probably order an entire 15-bag tin of the Smoky Facon flavor. The smokiness comes from smoked sea salt. Yum!
There's also Spicy Tortilla (made with chipotle pepper)! And if you'll notice, I have two bonus bags here of Indian Spice and Thai Lemongrass. That's because there was a back-up on my order, and the Millie's folks threw in a couple extras to make up for it. How nice!
Anyway, these are my new favorite afternoon pick-me-up. And my go-to late-night snack. I think I'll have some right now.
If you're interested in ordering, now would be a good time. All the savory teas are 25% off through Mother's Day. So that means the Snack Pack, which usually sells for $12.95, is on sale for $9.71. And there's free shipping.
You know what I do like though? Broth. Ever since I was a little kid, I've loved sipping hot broth. It's great when you're hungry but it's too late to eat or as an afternoon snack when you know you need to save calories for that slice of cake you're planning to eat after dinner. But what if savory broth and tea had a baby?
It would be hot tea I actually love! Well, those two have had a baby, and her name is Millie.
When I was in Seattle at VegFest, the booth right across from my publisher's booth was sampling Millie's Savory Teas . Of course, I had to go check them out! It's basically green tea combined with savory veggies, herbs, and spices in a tea bag. You steep in hot water for a few minutes, and you've got a salty, spicy tea. After trying this at VegFest, the people demo-ing Millie's gave me a $5 off coupon, and I used that to order their Five Flavor Snack Pack pack right away.
There are several flavors, and the Snack Pack offers a few bags of each (15 bags total). There's the curry-infused Indian Spice, one of my faves!
And Tomato Basil, Thai Lemongrass, and Smoky Facon ("facon" is short for "fake bacon"). The Facon is probably my very fave. Next time I order (and there will be a next time as soon as I run out), I'll probably order an entire 15-bag tin of the Smoky Facon flavor. The smokiness comes from smoked sea salt. Yum!
There's also Spicy Tortilla (made with chipotle pepper)! And if you'll notice, I have two bonus bags here of Indian Spice and Thai Lemongrass. That's because there was a back-up on my order, and the Millie's folks threw in a couple extras to make up for it. How nice!
Anyway, these are my new favorite afternoon pick-me-up. And my go-to late-night snack. I think I'll have some right now.
If you're interested in ordering, now would be a good time. All the savory teas are 25% off through Mother's Day. So that means the Snack Pack, which usually sells for $12.95, is on sale for $9.71. And there's free shipping.
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