Recipe 4: BBQ "Chicken" Salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing

This week I've been obsessed with making salads for lunch for my boyfriend and I. It's so fun making up combinations of vegetables and choosing a salad dressing. Yesterday I made a salad with quinoa, kidney beans, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and avocado with a dill lemon dressing. It was so filling and delicious!

Today I made a BBQ "Chicken" Salad with homemade Native Foods "Black Creek Ranch" dressing. I used a lot of products from Trader Joe's for the salad. I actually use a lot of Trader Joe's products all the time!

Sara's BBQ "Chicken" Salad

-Trader Joe's Chicken-Less Pulled Chicken in Barbecue Sauce
-Trader Joe's Healthy 8 Chopped Veggie Mix (broccoli, carrots, green cabbage, red cabbage, jicama, green bell peppers, radish, celery)
-black beans
-corn
-cherry tomatoes

Native Foods Ranch Dressing

From the Native Foods restaurant cookbook.

1 1/4 cup Vegan mayonnaise (I used Veganaise)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder (I used garlic salt)
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley (I used a dried Italian seasoning)
1/2 to 1 cup unsweetened soy milk (you can adjust the thickness)

Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk to blend.
Chill until ready to use.

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Recipe 3: Vegan Eggplant Parmesan

I found this recipe from thekindlife.com, Alicia Silverstone's website, which is an extension from her book The Kind Diet. The website is about healthy, green, eco friendly living. There are a ton of great vegan/vegetarian recipes on there! Check it out when you get a chance. Alicia got this Vegan Eggplant Parmesan recipe from Sammi McLean’s blog, Vegan Pandamonium.

My boyfriend is part Italian so it was pretty important that I made this meal to his liking. He was surprised that I wasn't frying the eggplant. This was my first time making eggplant parmesan so I didn't even know that it was technically suppose to be fried. He ended up loving this dish and I told him he could fry some up for me to try next time. Divertiti...Enjoy!



Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 50 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes |Servings: 6

• 1 package extra firm tofu

• 3/4 cup(s) of nutritional yeast

• 1 tsp. of salt
• 1/2 tsp. of Italian herbs

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup(s) of water
• 1 tbsp. of lemon juice
• 1/2 cup(s) of whole wheat Japanese panko bread crumbs

• 1/2 cup(s) of whole wheat bread crumbs

• 1 large eggplant, sliced

• 1 or 2 pours of olive oil
• 1 jar tomato sauce (Sammi used a spicy tomato sauce, and said it was nice to have some heat in the dish)
• 1 package of Daiya mozzarella (optional)

Steps

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix the panko bread crumbs, 1/2 cup nutritional yeast, and bread crumbs in a bowl.

3. Brush some olive oil on the sides of your eggplant slices, and coat them in the crumb mixture.
4. Place them on a baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, you can begin your ricotta mixture.
6. In a food processor, place the remaining 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast, tofu, salt, Italian herbs, garlic, water, and lemon juice.

7. Process until it resembles the texture of ricotta cheese.
8. Now begin the layering process.

9. In a casserole dish, spread a little tomato sauce, then eggplant slices, then spread out all of the ricotta mixture, then more eggplant, more tomato sauce, and finally as much Daiya cheese as you want.

10. Pop it in the oven for 30 minutes.

Baked eggplant not fried is a lot better for ya!

I only put a little bit of mozzarella "cheese" on it because my boyfriend isn't a fan of it. 

I served the eggplant with a small side of organic spaghetti and steamed organic red pepper kale 

I took some leftovers for a snack today at work. A teacher in the teacher's lounge commented on how great it smelled! 

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Recipe 2: Creamed Veggie Soup

So it was another rainy cold day in Southern California last night. It was freezing! And by freezing I mean 52 degrees. Haha. I decided to cook some Bob's Redmill Vegi Soup and add in some extra veggies that I already had on hand. On the package there is a recipe for a creamed soup that I had to try. Bob's Redmill Vegi Soup contains green split peas, yellow split peas, barley, lentils and vegetable pasta (semolina wheat flour, dehydrated spinach and tomato). In 1/2 a cup there is 21 grams of protein and 19 grams of fiber!! Try this quick, cheap, and super hardy meal!

Bob's Redmill Creamed Vegi Soup

Minutes to Prepare: 10
Minutes to Cook: 60

Ingredients
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup Bob's Red Mill organic vegi soup mix (I picked up mine at Big Lots)
1 cups of skim, almond, or soy milk
4 large carrots
4 celery stalks
garlic salt to taste
pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste


Directions

Mix vegi mix and vegetable broth. Simmer for 30 minutes or until soft.

Chop 2 carrots and 2 celery stalks and simmer for 30 minutes or until soft.

If you'd like, I chose not to blend it and kept it chunky...In a blender or food processor blend your choice of milk to soup mixture.

Place back on the stove and heat to eating temperature.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Yum! Nothing like a simple meal of soup and salad. 

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Recipe 1: Vegan Shepherd's Pie

Happy St. Patrick's Day Weekend! It's been rainy and cold in Southern California, which is perfect weather for Irish comfort food. My next challenge is to feature 30 of my favorite vegan recipes. My first recipe is Irish-inspired. Shepherd's Pie! I took it to a friend's house and all my non-vegan friends seemed to enjoy it!

I got the recipe idea from PETA.org. PETA has a great St. Patrick's Day menu ideas on their website. Check the rest out here.

Vegan Shepherd's Pie

4 medium potatoes, diced (I used Organic Russet Potatoes)
2 Tbsp. margarine (I used Earth Balance Margarine)
1/4 cup soy milk or liquid nondairy creamer
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
12 oz. faux ground beef-style crumbles  (I used Trader Joe's Beef-Less Ground)
1 10.5-oz. can Campbells mushroom gravy (I used Simply Organic Mushroom Sauce)
1 6-oz. can mixed peas and carrots, drained (I used frozen peas and fresh organic carrots)
Salt, garlic powder, pepper, and cayenne, to taste

• Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mash with the margarine and soy milk or nondairy creamer. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a medium pan, sauté the onion in the oil until translucent.
• In a medium bowl, mix the cooked onions, faux beef crumbles, mushroom gravy, peas and carrots, and spices. Pour into a pie pan. Top the crumble mixture with the potatoes, spreading to the edges.
• Bake in a 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are browned and the crumble mixture bubbles out the edges.

Makes 6 to 9 servings

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Post Cleanse Day 1

I like to eat eat eat apples and bananas! My first post cleanse meal was apples and bananas topped with cinnamon.

My boyfriend was so cute and wanted me to wait until he got out of the shower this morning to see me take my first bite of solid food. He had both of our phones out snapping away while I ate.

My HOT (I microwaved it until it was steaming hot) sesame soy ginger vegetable stir fry with tofu lunch was so good at work. It was perfect since it was a cold day. It was extremely satisfying!  

My first dinner out to Carmelita's Mexican Restaurant with my best friend was fantastic (even though the restaurant messed up my order twice). I didn't even care much about my entree. I was more excited to be hanging out with my best friend and drinking skinny margaritas! The chips, salsa, and guacamole were incredible. My best friend made it just as fun as my boyfriend did for breakfast. She was excited to capture my first bite of a tortilla chip! 

We sat outside on the patio and the restaurant had these great fire pits right next to us. 

The complementary chips, salsa, and bean dip

Reaching for my first chip! 

My first bite of a chip with salsa. It's what I was craving all throughout my cleanse. I wonder if it will be the same when I'm pregnant! 

Cheers! :)

The guacamole with mango and a chipotle hot sauce 

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Day 30!!!!!!!!

"A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life (solid foods, alcohol, sweets, going out to restaurants) and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile (improved health, weight loss, more energy, better mood),

it can be done."

-Vince Lombardi


I MADE IT! I DID IT! I SURVIVED! 30 Days of juicing and yoga.

Total weight loss : 15.5 pounds

I didn't miss a day and I didn't cheat! I am beyond proud of myself and I am ready to celebrate. Let's Eat! (But not too much!)

I can't wait to celebrate with some solid food tomorrow morning. I plan on eating some cut up apples and bananas topped with cinnamon. I will be dreaming about my first bite tonight! I prepared a delicious lunch too. I made a sesame soy ginger vegetable stir fry with tofu. I just hope I won't be running to the bathroom at work after my lunch!! 

Sesame Soy Ginger Vegetable Stir Fry with Tofu ~ Eggplant, Zucchini, Asparagus, Green Bell Peppers and Kale 

I still juiced a fruit based juice and a veggie based juice to have for tomorrow. I plan on incorporating juice into my diet from here on out as a snack in between meals. I just have to figure out the appropriate ounces and see what my body needs.

My last day of juice being my dinner! Cheers!

My shopping cart at Trader Joe's tonight. Spotted...salsa verde, organic white corn tortilla chips, and quinoa and black bean infused tortilla chips. Ready to induldge a little! 

There are so many little things I am excited for tomorrow! I can't wait to heat up my lunch and eat a hot meal. I can't wait to use a fork and chew! I can't wait to feel satisfied! I will be following up with some post-juice cleanse posts to let you know how I feel after reintroducing solid foods. 

For my next thirty days be ready for my favorite vegan dishes. I will be starting my first post on Saturday for St. Patrick's Day!

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Day 27

3 days left!!! Just 3, my lucky number!!! I cannot believe it! I am excited to have completed this challenge, but I am also apprehensive. I'm afraid that my body will not feel as great once I start eating again. Will I have as much energy still? Will I be able to perform as well on my yoga mat? Am I going to gain all the weight I lost back? Am I going to be constipated and uncomfortable for the next few days after I start eating again?

In order to reintroduce solid foods into my digestive system without major discomfort I need to follow these guidelines from jointhereboot.com:

• Drink plenty of water
• Drink plenty of coconut water
• Dilute fresh juice with 25% water
• Drink juice/fluids between meals
• Avoid very hot or cold beverages
• Avoid broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, garlic, and onions
• Include baked apples and pears. As well as bananas and avocados.

When can I do another juice cleanse?

It's recommended by jointhereboot.com that I wait 12 weeks to do another all juice cleanse. I can "reboot" my digestive system once a quarter by doing a 5 day cleanse every 2 months.

I know that if I keep up with my daily exercise and watch my diet I will be able to maintain my results from my cleanse. I plan on doing a complete overhaul of my diet. For the next 30 days after my juice cleanse I will be blogging about my favorite vegan recipes. So, stay tuned to see what I do for my overhaul of my diet!  Of course I will be incorporating juice!

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Day 26 ~ How I Spent My Sunday

Definitely slept in this morning and felt great when I woke up! After making a simple carrot, apple, and pear breakfast, I enjoyed cleaning my apartment. Yes, I enjoy cleaning my apartment! I just moved in last August so living out on my own is still so new to me. I love being able to clean MY apartment!

For lunch my boyfriend and I headed to Mother's Market & Kitchen. Our new favorite thing is eating in their cafe. They have a ton of vegan options (mostly all vegan) and a juice bar. I built my own juice combo and my boyfriend built his own meal. For $8.95 you can get a 32 oz. juice with a base + 5 choices. My base was pear and apple. My 5 choices were what I usually do at home...chard, celery, cucumber, bell peper, and kale. My boyfriend is obsessed with their breaded pan fried veggie cutlets. He ordered two of those, roasted veggies, and lemon qunioa. It looked absolutely amazing!! I can't wait to try the cutlets and dunk them in some bbq sauce! I will defintely be going back for some serious breakfast and to try their "chicken" salad sandwich. Here are some photos of some food served in their cafe.

After lunch we headed to the mall. I picked up this super comfy red/coral maxi skirt. I'm OBSESSED with maxi skirts lately. I treated myself to my favorite drink from the Nordstrom's Ebar...a ginger peach ice tea. So refreshing!

This evening I tried my first ever meditation class. There is a meditation class at CorePower Yoga in Aliso Viejo every Sunday night called Come To Your Senses: An Introduction to Meditation. It's free and open to the public. I highly recommend you try it out! If not at CorePower Yoga try mediation some other way.

I didn't really know what to expect upon entering the yoga studio. I was thinking...what do you even do in meditation? Is my back going to kill sitting here in the same upright position for the next hour? All of my questions were answered and I left feeling like my mind had a massage. It was difficult to stay still and I constantly worried about one of my feet falling asleep while sitting in a criss cross position. I dazed off about the list of things I needed to do in the upcoming week. The instructor guided the class so well that I was able to quickly bring my mind back to my "anchor" as he calls it. The anchor in meditation is your breath. You must focus on just being present in the room and the inhale/exhale of your breath. Just those two things yet they can be so hard to do. I will definitely be returning to train my mind. I will also be using what I learned just in that one class in my every day life. Being able to control your breath in an upseting stressful situation can decrease your blood pressure and help you have more control of the situation. Working in special education I come across a stressful situation on a daily basis. I am excited to have mediation now a part of my life!

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Day 24

Chips, salsa, and a skinny margarita. That is what I will be enjoying next Friday night with my best friend. It's a date! I must say that even more than spaghetti... I've been craving chips and salsa!

I have been craving these two items from Trader Joe's too...

I love mixing this salsa with an avocado, garlic salt, and pepper. It makes a yummy guacamole! 

This salsa is by far my favorite salsa. 

Although I am craving solid foods (probably because it's the weekend) I really have been on a high lately. I am so happy that I am down 11 pounds. I feel so confident in my clothing, and when I look in the mirror. I put on a bathing suit last night and was quite content with my body. Now that I am on day 24 people are saying, "I don't know how you are doing it!" The weight lose and my energy level is what has kept me going. Continually going to yoga has helped as well. My stress level has decreased and yoga has become something I enjoy more than ever. Going to yoga at night has kept me from thinking about eating a comforting meal and enjoying a glass of wine on the couch too!

Well, remember how my boyfriend was going to join me for my last 7 days. He started Day 1 yesterday, but only made it to 3:00 in the afternoon! He gave in, went to Chipotle, and ate a delicious vegetarian style bowl. He says he is going to do the last 4 days with me, starting on Monday. He says that it's too hard to do it on the weekends. He sure knows how I feel now! It's hard not being able to indulge in your spare time on the weekends like most people normally do!! We will see if he commits to doing the last four days with me.

With all this juicing I've been doing I've come up with some of my favorite combinations. Here are my favorite juice recipes. Try them out! :)

Breakfast Delight
-strawberries
-carrots
-apples
-pear or pineapple

Sara's Green Goodness
-apples
-carrots
-spinach
-rainbow chard
-zucchini
-cucumber
-celery

Don't Be Afraid to Start Juicing ~
Has anyone joined me in juicing or been at least encouraged to try out juicing? Do not be afraid to attempt a juice cleanse for 30 days for your first cleanse (You may consider modifying the fast by including thin slices of avocado or a quarter piece of banana to slow the cleansing process. Modified juice fasting is good for those with health restrictions such as diabetes or hypoglycemia). It is really not that difficult once you get going. Longer juice fasts enable the body to cleanse toxins that have been accumulating in your cellular tissues from birth. 

How Much Juice Should I Be Drinking ~
I have 3 "meals" a day of about 1 liter (or sometimes more depending on how hard I worked out at yoga). In the beginning I had a "snack" in between lunch and dinner. I now just do 3 meals a day. I decreased it to the 3 times a day, because drinking small amounts of juice supplies fewer calories, thereby increasing detoxification. 

Happy Juicing! Have a great weekend and don't forget to "Spring Ahead" tomorrow for daylight savings time.

Resources:
http://www.juicefasting.org/juicefasting.htm




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Day 21...10 pounds lighter!

In the Middle Ages, they had guillotines, stretch racks, whips and cahins.  Nowadays, we have a much more effective torture device called the bathroom scale.  ~Stephen Phillips


It's been quite a long time since I wasn't tortured by the number on my bathroom scale. I've saved myself the torture in the past and stayed clear of the scale altogether. I stepped on the scale this morning and I've lost 10 pounds!!! I had to step on and off a couple of times to actually believe it.


I'd say all my hard work has paid off. I still have 8 more days left, and I couldn't be more motivated to finish strong with my cleanse. Although, it turns out my spaghetti victory meal won't be happening. After reading up on it, breaking my cleanse properly is quite important.


Eating the wrong meal after my cleanse can waste all my hard work. Since I am on a long fast, my digestive system has shut down partially or completely. All my energy redirected. My stomach and intestines are clean. My system is cleaned of toxins. I must allow time for my digestive system to prepare itself for food again.

To minimize any discomfort (constipation) I need to eat fruits and vegetables for several days to help me ease back into eating solid foods. Fresh fruit is the best way to get toxins and solid waste out of my body. As my body adjusts to the solid foods, I can slowly add others foods back into my diet.

I'll be excited to stab a fork in some fresh, organic, raw fruits & veggies and will chew it with enjoyment! I guess for now I'll have to daydream about a fruit salad instead of a big bowl of spaghetti.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/449107-eating-pizza-after-a-juice-fast/#ixzz1oPiPO3Fz

http://www.quickfasting.com/how_to_break_your_fast.html Pin It