Day 3. And I can't fall asleep?? I feel like I can run a mile or two right NOW! Aghh #whatislife?

Master mix today consisted of yesterday's ingredients except I switched out the Cranberry juice for Carrot and Blueberry juice. #stillNOThatingit!

Wrapping up Day 2 and preparing for Day 3! Still not hating it, so without further ado...

Tomorrow's master mix is Kale I Cranberry juice I Banana I Apple. Also, I'm taking on the Lemonade cleanse. This should be good. #ohboy #juicing #justcause

Day 1 - not bad but not doing so well at documenting. Maybe because I feel like a zombie. Blaaaahhhh. Maybe boxing in the morning will help! Night, night.

Starting an "adHoc jucing cleanse" tomorrow. Basically, I will not eat anthing only drink, which sounds ok right now but I have a feeling this is going to suck... Well maybe 'suck' is a strong word. I'm actually looking forward to juicing and not eatting (not to sound anoxeric at all), but just to give my digestive system a little break. You see, the foods we eat are very tough on our bodies. Sodium, fat, and even fiber take a lot of energy from our bodies because they need to be processed and digested. Learned that one from Lousie (grandmother). Juicing is a good way to give your digestive system a rest and give yourself a boost with veggies and fruits. I'm going natural, jucing fresh vegetables and fruits. Later in the week I'm going to shock my system and try the Lemonade Diet, coined after Beyonce did it so obviously so can I! Stay tuned ...

Reason #86 I know that I'm a city girl: my sweet tooth was craving something yummy. Lucky for me I love a block away from a boutique bakery that serves a wide variety of Vegan cakes! Yup, I'm a city girl and happy Vegan :-)

From a thanksgiving sweet side dish to a savory soup for the week, flippin my mother's leftover mashed sweet potatoes in to a hearty soup for lunch

I added diced yams as a filling.

Peeled.

Poached.

Sweet potatoe left overs.

*Gordon Ramsay voice* Sweet potatoe & Yam soup (for lunch). Done.

Food & Liquor at Poste Moderne Brasserie tonight.

Thanksgiving Day, which means I'm in the kitchen early!

I'm a last-minute cook, so I was up at 6 o'clock this morning at the grocery store for my pie ingredients.

Peanut Butter Pie:

1 Vegan chocolate cookie crust (I prefer graham cracker)

1 bag of nondairy chocolate chips (this time I used diced pecans for a different texture, but you can use white-chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter chips, or whatever you like. You'll want to make this pie more than once so switch it up!)

1/2 c of Soy/Hemp/Almond milk (I prefer Vanilla almond milk for a creamier consistency)

1 1/4 c peanut butter

1 box silken firm tofu (this is the secret ingredient)

1/4 c maple syrup

Vanilla extract to taste

Toast the pie crust for 4-5 minutes in a 425 degree oven. Sprinkle some diced pecans and nutmeg in the base.

Ok, so this is the the not so pretty part. If you're like me and have not yet invested in a food processor, mix the tofu and peanut butter in a bowl to "get it going" first before adding to your blender or using a hand mixer. The last thing you want to do is burn out the blade pureeing tofu and peanut butter. Not worth it.

Melt down a 1/4 c of peanut butter with a bit of almond milk in a sauce pan. Add to the base of the crust after toasting in the oven. Place crust in fridge to cool completely.

Once the tofu and peanut butter begin to incorprate in the bowl, add a 1/2 c at a time to the blender while mixing in the almond milk and maple syrup.

Process until VERY smooth. The way to get a sceptical non-Veg/Vegan to eat it is with a smooth filling!

Pour mixture in the crust making sure to spread it out evenly with a spoon.

If you're using diced pecans, toast them in a skillet for 2 minutes to extract the natural oils. Dust with cinnamon, cool, and sprinkle on the pie.

Get the recipe and check out Alicia Silverstone's the Kind Diet!
*Gobble, Gobble* Happy (vegan) day of thanks!

Wined and dined with my parents at Ristorante Tosca tonight. Best way to kick-off the Thanksgiving holiday!

Custom Vegan pasta dish with fresh marinara sauce and pearled tomatoes to start; A medley of seasoned grilled vegetables served with sautéed cauliflower on the side for a main dish; and a bottle of St. Chateau Michelle Riesling to share and savor.

... and for dessert, a scoop of fresh apple, pear, and fig sorbet served with an almond and pistachio biscotti (not Vegan).

Ahh bellissima!

E.L. Centro D.F. tonight for a mini-GWU WLP GEB '06 reunion. Friends since freshman year!

From the Vegan/Vegetarian menu:

Chayote Asado (V)* -
grilled peppers/ grilled onions/ mushrooms/ roasted corn/ salsa verde/ habanero salsa/ refried beans/ corn tortillas

The service was slow and off-timed, but the food was definitely worth the wait.

I also recommend for a cocktail, the Paloma (an agave cocktail with El Jimador, citrus, and lime).

¡Olé!

*(V) - is for Vegan.

Monday Funday

Flippin' meals - the act of turning one meal or cuisine type into a new and different meal or cuisine type for future consumption; leftovers remixed or reconstructed.

When the tough gets going, the going gets tough ... and creative with their leftovers. Photoed below is my version of baked eggplant on a bed of quinoa leftover from the Suckafree stir-fry that I made just a few days ago.

1/2 of a big eggplant

1 cup of quinoa (or whatever amount you have left over)

1/4 cup of garbanzo beans (for an extra source of protein)

1/2 cup of tomato (marinara) sauce

1/2 cup of canned diced tomatoes

Rosemary, garlic salt, red pepper flakes, and olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Slice the eggplant into thick disks, about a half of an inch thick. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with olive oil. Place eggplant disks on tray. Spray olive oil on top. Season with rosemary, garlic salt, and red pepper flakes to taste. Bake in oven for 16 minutes.

Reheat quinoa and add in garbanzo beans. Warm tomato sauce and diced tomatoes in a pan (or the microwave) together. Season to taste.

Combine quinoa with garbanzo beans, tomato sauce, and eggplant.

You work for your food, so make your food work for you. Enjoy this wholesome and deliciously flipped meal!

In case you wanted to know the recipe for my Election Day aka Suckafree Stir-Fry recipe:

1 cup Quinoa

2 cups Asian stir-fry vegetables (yes, pre-chopped is OK). I also add Kale for extra filling and crunch.

1/4 cup of Vegan teriyaki with sesame seed sauce (Trader Joe's has a great selection)

1 tbsp of fresh ginger (less than $2 a bunch)

Sriracha sauce and red pepper flakes to taste.

Cook quinoa in a pot with 2 cups water, and season to taste. Mix Teriyaki sauce, ginger, red pepper flakes, and Sriracha sauce in a sauce pan. Let simmer. Stir-fry vegetables. Enjoy!

3:42AM. My eyes popped open. Immediately I started to think about my day. I thought about how I wanted to go to my boxing class, get in to work and get an early start, leave work on time and not leave after dark as usual, oh and maybe cook a nice stir-fry for dinner.

Then I had a second thought. "Wait! It 's Election Day?! Aghhhh." My mind began to race: "How am I going to fit waiting for hours at the polling center into my pre-configured schedule today?? Should I leave that until after work? Can I really get out of the office on time or at least before dark? Crap! How am I going to make it all work, and why does going to vote seam so painful?!"

I realized then that I was experiencing my own form of Voter Anxiety. I wasn't worried about understanding the issues or where the candidates all stand. Rather, I was worried about not getting my vote in by 8pm tonight and being that person to let their family, generation, community, and not to mention an entire race down. This nervousness just would not let me rest at 4 o'clock this morning.

Since I wasn't getting another minute of sleep, I knew what I had to do. The thought of going to the polls after work and waiting in line in the cold was not an option. Nope. As I laid in bed, I began to rearrange my day in my head. Soon, I got up, got dressed, and was in line before the polls opened. Standing in a line of about 100 others out to fulfill their civic duty, I realized that I'd won half of my (anxiety) battle.

As cold as it was outside and as anxious as I was to just get it done and vote, I couldn't deny my feelings of nostalgia. It's how I was raised. I was taught (more like scared straight) to vote no matter what. Period. Get to the voting center early. Get in, Get out, and make my vote count because so many before me, my parents, and my grandparents did not have the same opportunity.

And with that humbled anxiousness, I waited in line fist thing this morning to cast my vote and get my trophy sticker! Not only do I feel like I made a lot of people proud, but I made that little girl from Detroit proud too.

Photo courtesy of CNN.com

Mama Mia! Homemade pizza! Tonight's dinner inspiration: Whole wheat dough

In the mood for a Mediterranean-style pie. List of ingredients: Sautéed red peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Sliced artichoke hearts. Sun-dried tomatoes and spinach.

Time to roll the dough. Note the DIY rolling pin (wrap one long water bottle in plastic wrap). Remember to generously flour the dough and surface

Into the oven. Bake 10-12 minutes at 425 degrees.

Ready to eat!

Pizza from scratch is great, and it's refreshing to roll out and bake your own dough. I think next time i'll try a white crust. The whole wheat didn't crisp up well, also maybe adjust the oven temperature and cook time.