It's Been Awhile

I feel like I haven't posted in ages and since this is fall break I thought I would try to get back into my typical groove pre-teacher. This means I am finally making time for things that I enjoy (i.e. blogging), and I am SO excited. Today, Ryan and I are going to get coffee at Frothy Monkey, heading to the gym, stopping by the juice bar at WFM, doing some much needed yard work, and then going to a little blue grass show at The Barn.

My diet has drastically changed since the end of June, and Ryan's has indirectly done so as well, but after a long conversation last night and a few internet quizzes, Ryan and I have both decided to try to be even better. We are going to do an experiment of sorts (if we can survive each other) an attempt to remove all refined sugars and white carbohydrates from our diets. I want to make sure I am eating the right foods instead of just NOT eating animal products.

It is clearly warned that this diet will starve many of the yeasts that are overgrown in the American body thus causing some irratibility, fatigue, and frustration for the first few weeks until the body gets used to not having the foods that it really does not need. In order to help cleanse we are upping our intake of certains types of foods and herbs. The gist of it is, probiotics, probiotics, vitamins and minerals, and more probiotics. All in order to get RID of the bad bacteria and toxins in our body so that we can feel more balanced, hence, healthier. The pictures below are a few of those things, if you haven't tried any of them, check them out!

I will update on any progress, comments, and such. Hopefully, I can even get Ryan on here to talk about why he is trying to be healthier and how this new cleaner diet is affecting him positively and negatively.

Coconut Milk Kefir --Kale, Lettuces, and Spinach -- Noni Fruit---- Kombucha

We've also been advised to take 1-3 tablespoons of raw Coconut Butter in the morning or before a meal. Neither of us have been able to swallow it yet, but all in due time.

Friends and Food

I am very satisfied with life right now, and oh so pleased with my choice to be healthy and start the switch to having a more aware state of existing and living. If only I could just give myself more time---time to be active, meditate, spend more time with friends, and do things with Ryan. I also need some more music…new stuff, fresh stuff….suggestions?
The food has been fabulous! We had friends come over Labor Day weekend which allowed us to do our favorite thing, cook a bunch of food! These are a bunch of pictures. Recipes may follow if anyone is interested.

Mac-n-Nutrtional Yeast Cheese: This was my favorite.

Fresh Fruit and Coffee for breakfast. I also made some whole wheat, oatmeal, and blueberry pancakes too. Dinner Sunday night: a vegetable feast with the option of grass fed beef or salmon too!

The Chocolate/Banana/Walnut Coconut Milk Ice Cream never got photographed....ask Lawson, it was delicious!

Watermelons from the garden, yay!


Monday nights' dinner: black bean burgers with sweet potato fries, a green salad, and the macaroni and cheese above. Dessert were dark chocolate almond cookies made with whole wheat flour and agave. They were amazing, somewhere in between a cookie and a brownie. I'll make another batch and photograph soon, really really soon.

Eatin' Green, Bein' Green, and Savin' Green

So if anyone is wondering how my homemade coconut ice cream went, well the blurry picture below is not a good example....The cream came out pretty good, so good Ryan and I ate ever bit of it when the timer went off. I know that it will be way better next time when I fix my mistakes.
The ice cream maker ROCKS, but I wasn't using full fat Coconut Milk (that was all I had).






We used:

3 cups Coconut Milk (full fat is best)
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 tsp. guar gum or agar agar (stablizer)
1 tsp. Cinnamon
some random Peanut Butter swirls

Lately, I've been shopping after work, and sometimes that can lead to random impulse buying and spending more money over the long run because I wasn't planning out my shopping trips.

Today was my day off, I could've mowed the grass, but instead I decided to see how many bargains I could find. I heard on a TV commercial that Harris Teeter was doing a double coupon day....I found that REALLYsketchy, but figured I'd give it a whirl. I realized that a lot of the products I usually buy are really expensive at the conventional grocery store, but since I did have some pretty hefty coupons (.75 to $1 Off) I figured doubling them would save me some money and it did! Below are all items I got using coupons that were doubled. I stocked up! The Small steps recycled not bleached toiletpaper only cost me .89! Although you may say, "well those aren't really food items.." I'd say you're right, these are more household items or pantry items, but they are expenisve too and I was glad to get them at such a good deal! I am trying to convert my whole house over to this new way of healthy living and that is very expensive so using coupons to do it a little a time makes it an easier transition.

Take Out and Southern Cookin'

Dinner here lately has been thrown together very quickly, between Ryan working and me working plus outside duties our food has unfortunately been focusing on whatever is fast...

That's today’s world though, huh?

One night I brought home a Vegan Pizza from Whole Foods. It had a whole wheat crust, tomato sauce and then lots of spinach, artichokes, tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Yum-O! At home I put some pepperonis on Ryan's half. With all those veggies, who needs cheese?

Last night we went out as soon as I got home for burgers. I found a local spot nearby that does tasty bar food and DELICOUS veggie burgers, who woulda thunk it? It's the Melrose for all you Nashvillians. No cheese of course, but add avocado and I'm a happy woman.

Tonight, however, I feel the need to put the pot on the stove and the spatula to work! I cleaned the kitchen first, only to mess it up again. My goal was to use what we've already got either in the garden, the fridge, or the pantry, so I chopped up some veggies, started some basmati brown rice, and am now patiently waiting for my summer vegetable Southern style pot of stew to be ready.

I used all the Okra we'd harvested over the past few days and more of those heirloom tomatoes as the base. I was trying to go with Stewed Okra and Tomatoes...then I branched off a bit, I threw in a pretty yellow pepper from the backyard and some jalapenos. To top it off I added a favorite of mine, eggplant.

I truly believe I was predestined to love eggplants. In Italian they are called "melanzane" which is extremely similar to the root of my name "Melanie" which means dark one--Not dark as in evil spirits, but dark as in tan (which I am not, ha!).

I love eggplant everything, and will be SO excited when the eggplants from our garden are ready.

Until later--- many smiles.

'Naner Bread

As you can see the Banana Bread was a success! It baked up perfectly and didn't take forever like the zucchini bread I made a while back. I find some vegan things you just have to be more patient with and bake a little longer.
I'm still working on the recipe, but I'll give you the one I used here with a few improvements. Please feel free to try your own thing....a recipe is ONLY suppose to be a guideline. I find immense pleasure in making things better, and recipes are no different.

Healthy Banana Bread

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 pinch of Nutmeg

5 Ripe Bananas

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1/4 cup Coconut Milk (or any non-dairy milk, this just adds an interesting flavor)

3/4 cup Agave (or 1 cup sugar/1 cup honey)

1/2 Walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Mash bananas in a medium bowl and combine all wet ingredients. Mix wet ingredients then stir into dry ingredients. Make sure to mix very well. The batter will seem thick and that's okay. Add in walnuts. Fill into two loaf pans or four mini loaf pans. For easy removal from the pans line them with parchment paper first and rub some coconut oil on the sides to prevent sticking. Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

*If you want your bread to be more moist and not so dense add a few tablespoons of some fat to the wet ingredients such as coconut oil, vegetable oil, etc.*

Now... for the quicky and easy dinner after baking...

An Amy's Black Bean Burrito topped with salsa and some vegan sour cream! It's made with soy and I know many folks have an aversion to consumming to much soy since it's already in so many things, but I believe everything in moderation. Read your labels, watch what your eating a lot of. For me, I don't drink soy milk and haven't used a meat alternative this week so as Daisy would say, "do a dollup" and I don't feel guilty! Vegan Gourmet also makes a cream cheese
product and I was SO excited
to try it, unfortunately, I find it
to far from real cream cheese to be
enjoyed in the same way. It might
have some great uses, but to spread
on a bagel, I'll just use jam or Earth
Balance. The sour cream though is a perfect substitute!

Pot of Beans

So the reason why I haven't posted in a bit is honestly because I've been eating on the same things!

On Saturday night, I made a big pot of beans. I used some from the farmers stand and some from our back yard. There were lady peas, limas, purple hulls, and some dark purpley black beans (name?) with a white flesh.

I've been hearing how legumes are ridiculously good for you, full of protein and fiber. I love chickpeas and refried beans, and in the winter lentil soup. But I hadn't really thought of summer time being the time for a big pot of beans, well I proved myself wrong. It's been fueling me for days.

I also used my bamboo steamer which was a gift, to steam some carrots and some "Snaps" aka Green Beans.

Last night, a friend came over and I made Tomatoes Provencal since tomatoes are so in season right now. I used an heirloom that was purplish, an orange tomato, a yellow tomato, and a red tomato. I topped the tomatoes with a bit of olive oil, lemon zest, whole wheat bread crumbs, fresh thyme and baked it in the oven. Then instead of parmesan cheese I used nutritional yeast. It was fantastic, and a great way to celebrate the fabulous tomatoes we are getting right now. The picture to the right is one I pulled from the Whole Foods Market Website, mine looked different because I sliced them instead of stuffing them. I forgot to take a picture, but I want everyone to get the idea.

I also fixed a mixed green salad that had spinach, roasted beets, walnuts, and a balsamic vinaigrette. To top off our summer meal I grilled corn Ryan style...which means wrapped in aluminum foil with lime juice, cumin, and a bit of oil (Ryan would've used butter, I used Coconut Butter.)

For dessert, we had fresh sliced cantelope, pluots ( a hybrid between a plum and an apricot), and South Carolina peaches with....Coconut Bliss Vanilla. That was the best part!

Liz brought over Adelsheim Pinot Gris and it went wonderfully with the light summer vegan feast!

Tonight, I'm baking some vegan banana bread with some extra ripe bananas I brought home from work. I'll post a recipe and pics tomorrow!

Laundry AND Aromatherapy-- not just an Oxymoron

Yesterday was Laundry Day and I would like to give a big THANK you to Mrs. Meyers for making it a bit more of a pleasing experience.

I used her natural laundry detergent and dryer sheets to tackle the worst of the worst, Ryan's chef pants (which always, no matter what, smell like a kitchen) and Oden's dog bed.
The geranium scent was so wonderful---and it claims to help to increase your mood (in a postive way, of course!) Imagine that, a mood boosting laundry detergent.

I know what your thinking, so does the stuff work? Well, the laundry smells fantastic and from the looks of it, clean, and the most important factor in this laundry adventure, ME, well I am very happy with my new find! Laundry isn't so bad anymore.......If only Mrs. Meyers would come and fold all this fabulously smelling laundry.