Chapter Eight: How I sea food.

Wow, shame on me for falling into my old ways! *slaps self on the wrist* Don't get me wrong, I love to write, but sometimes, I just lose track of time and don't prioritize writing into my day - which is horrible for someone who identifies herself as a writer. Lame. However, instead of rambling on about random crap that wouldn't interest you, I do have some material that may somewhat intrigue you. As always, these adventures involve food, because we all know that's why you're here.


In my absence from the blogger universe, I have been able to test out some new and fantastic food items that have given my taste buds reason to celebrate. No, I haven't have a chance to bust out the Isa Does It cookbook/food bible yet and create something fun from scratch, but I have had time to heat up, suit up and go on with the rest of my day without feeling guilty for indulging in a quick fix. Animal- and cruelty-free items are always prioritized in this busy lady's day, even when the time to write isn't. Thankfully, this always gives me something new to deliver to the table for all of you curious as to what I eat now that I have ditched the meat.

Chick'n, hemp waffles and mushroom sushi. Different kind of high included.

Next, my roomie and I purchased Gardein's Chick'n Sliders per the suggestion of our vegan mentor Christina, who usually enjoys those babies on Mondays. We dined on those bad boys this past Friday and - OH MY, why do they only come four to a package?? I am assuming it's because Gardein wants to discourage gluttony, even though it's a healthier kind of gluttony, but let's maintain the honesty ... if I could, I probably would have made sure Denise and I had our own boxes because these sliders are just that amazing. I added some kale and spinach leaves, as well as some veganaise and chipotle BBQ sauce and I just about died of a foodgasm. I definitely recommend these as they make a delicious little meal and you can customize the toppings to the whims of your tastebuds - so good!

Lastly, I have been craving some sushi and while I didn't have a chance this week to hit up local sushi spots in search of the perfect vegan roll options to sate my cravings, during our grocery trip I grabbed a pack of Trader Joe's brand teriyaki mushroom rolls, made with rice and quinoa. I am really enjoying my introduction to quinoa, as well as the addition of mushrooms into my diet. Their texture and odd, almost tasteless taste used to really creep me out, but they were perfect in this particular roll as they have a very eel-like texture. Yes, when I would eat meat I loved eel rolls; they were my go-to whenever we would go out for sushi. I am really happy that I have found something very similar without the eel. 

On that note, I must say that while I have yet to have any cravings for burgers or chicken, from time to time I do recall my love of seafood. I won't lie about that. I had not even considered vegan options for seafood when Denise came through the door last Thursday smiling and eager to show me breaded vegan shrimp from Sophie's Kitchen. It was a delightful surprise that instantly reminded me that going through with this transition is anything but limiting; the possibilities of creating and discovering new and delectable foods are endless, without the danger of monotony - unless it's by choice. So far, there are quite a few foods I intend to eat over and over again because they are anything but boring. Tonight's dinner was one of those soon-to-be instant replay dishes:

The ingredients for gluttonous success!

On our 100% vegan (yay!) shopping trip this afternoon, we decided to embark on a shrimpless shrimp journey where I fried up those yummy "shrimp" in Trader Joe's brand Island Soyaki, tossing that over quinoa infused with vegetable broth and green beans, cauliflower and broccoli. The end result was beyond bliss.

My shark is beyond happy that he was not a part of this deliciousness.

How I even have leftovers from this meal is beyond me, but at least I know that tomorrow's lunch is going to kick ass. Seriously. But the best part of this meal is not the taste; that's just a perk. The best part is that I get to indulge in a dish that is both animal- and cruelty-free - what could be better than that? That little known fact alone makes eating all the more fun and exciting, and it really inspires me to continue on this journey. Back when I used to eat meat, I always associated someone who identified as vegetarian as someone who only ate salads, and vegans - well, I didn't know what the hell vegan really was, but now that I am learning about these lifestyles and appreciating the small yet significant impact this change in me has made, I am beyond proud to say that I have made this choice. Hey, I get to learn how to cook, experiment with different ingredients and know that I am making this earth a better place for our animal brethren and the environment. It doesn't get much better than that!

Now, if only I could get my lazy butt outside for a jog ...    

Happy cooking adventures! Cheers!

Chapter Five: Chunky Monkey.

Where is our best friend The Camel to ask us what day it is?? It's HUMP DAY - the midday of this crazy train, and boy was today a crazy one. There are days when I seriously think the universe is playing a practical joke on me, placing bets on different points at which my head might burst into flames. I used to pride myself in being an extremely patient person, or rather, I believed I was patient because that's what people told me. Now I'm not so sure I ever really was. I think I tolerated stuff more than actually being patient about stuff. Hump Day was a huge test of my (lack there of) patience. That being said, everything that could rain on my parade was exactly the fuel that sparked a lovely twenty minute non-stop run on the elliptical.

I have heard that ellipticals are tricky machines in that they usually lie to you, giving you a false pat on the back for a work out that you really didn't put as much effort into as you may imagine. There is always the help from the foot pedals that rotate and continue to do so at about the same speed you were at seconds before you began to slow yourself so that your legs are essentially just moving to the motion of the ocean on a particularly windy day. But the roll of my tide was all my own tonight, and I can actually thank my work day for the momentum. I spent twenty minutes almost mindlessly venting at Denise, hardly realizing, even though I was catching my breath between syllables, that I was sweating and actually getting a pretty decent work out. I went from psycho-manic crazy lady to "Hey, I'm already at my two minute cool down - sweet!"

I started to think about the mini work out sesh while in the shower and I realized how great I felt. There was a point in the day in which I honestly felt like throwing in the towel, ready to hit up Ross for a pair of cheap heels and then find a vacant corner as a means of bringing in some cash. Thankfully, I physically took my anger out on that elliptical (and verbally at Denise) and it felt stupendous (the work out itself, not my verbal abuse at Denise)! I was able to turn that negative energy into fuel for something positive. I have never looked at working out that way. Even better, I was humbled by the intensity of my day. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I am thankful for what I did put up with at work because I was able to use it towards something good for me. That's how I can start looking at the way I sometimes kind of feel like I'm sitting under a magnifying glass; the universe isn't after me, God isn't after me, trying to make me feel weak. He is giving me the tools I need to be strong when I feel like I have been thrown under a bus. My attitude pre-work out went from nasty to happily pleasant post-work out. I got to enjoy an evening with Denise and Nellis Mae, eating dinner and watching a few episodes of Girl Code, our new handbook for life. And the only the show on MTV that is even the slightest bit entertaining.    

Speaking of food ...

Denise: Why does it smell like mold in here?
Me: It's probably the mushrooms.

You are so tired of my whining, so let me share some food with you! Tonight we enjoyed a frozen meal from Whole Foods. It was the fettuccine alfredo with mushrooms dish. Honestly, I am not a fan of mushrooms at all. But after my run of expelled anguish, nothing smelled better than a steaming plate of carbs and fungi. I added some green beans, corn and Quorn brand chik'n because I was terrified of how this dish might come out. To my and Denise's pleasant surprise, the grub was delicious. I'm not sure if my mind is making me like foods, vegetables mainly, that I didn't care for before because I am now vegetarian, but the mushrooms did not faze me at all. I was nearly licking my plate. It was shameful.

Denise also made me my favorite smoothie thus far in the Simple Green Smoothie challenge: the Chunky Monkey. 

Or as they call it in the Marvel Universe, the Chunky HULK Monkey ... just don't call him chunky.

Denise spent some time after our excursion at the dog park across the street from our pad making her own almond butter, which was one of the ingredients of the Chunky Monkey. There are also a crap-ton of bananas and a wee bit o' chocolate (cue Homer Simpson drool session) mixed into this chaos of spinach. This is also the first smoothie in which the recipe did not call for berries. While berries are bliss, I am a huge banana fan (that's what I said) so naturally this smoothie was projected to be my fave, hands down, especially when combined with the element of chocolate. Again, chocolate is Cassandra's best friend.

We ended our Hump Day with a splash of Nacheez on some cauliflower and called it a night. Our wonderful friend and vegan mentor, Christina (hey girl!), is always hooking Denise and I up with the yummiest vegan food and snackage. She is a professed enabler and showed her true colors of wanting us both to create addictions when she gave us a jar of Nacheez - you enabler!!

It's like crack, only healthier for you.

Well kids, Hump Day has officially come to a close. I am off to snuggle up next to the manfriend and the baby brat, ready to catch some zzz's and prepare for another day. If anything should try to make me throw in the towel tomorrow, I will welcome it and kindly offer it to whatever work out I do to exert all of my angry vomit :)

Sweets dreams and here's to a better Thursday! Cheers!       

Chapter Three: Food, Glorious Food!

Well kiddos, it is Sunday night and I have been sincerely spoiled by my food intake as of recent. You see, my bestie and roommate, Denise, willingly signed up to participate in the Simple Green Smoothie challenge. The point of the challenge is to try a new smoothie every day for a month (30 days), and the recipes for a week's worth of smoothies are sent via e-mail to the lucky person doing the challenge.Denise was very excited about this, especially if it meant being able to take her Ninja blender on an adventure. Now, each recipe makes enough for two smoothies and, lucky me, I have been carried along on this challenge by default. I won't lie, these smoothies are not necessarily pretty to look at, unless you love every hue of green, but they taste fantastic! My use of the italicize function is not me coming off sarcastic when I say they taste fantastic. They really do. And the best part is that each smoothie is jam-packed with vitamins and minerals from the use of spinach and kale, but flavored with the yummy sweetness of bananas, strawberries, mangoes, and every other fruit the recipes call for. Having a smoothie is an excellent way to start the day.

Mm, mm, Hulk-y!

So berry good.

 Denise and I have been successful thus far with having our morning smoothies. I really am proud of us considering we have not strayed in our way of eating, not even on the weekends. We have also started taking vitamins. That is probably the worst part since leaving meat behind. Not only am I terrible with taking tiny headache pills, I have the most sensitive gag reflex in the world. I now face five horse-sized pills every morning. They stare up at me tauntingly from the GNC packing, smirking as I gulp in fear. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for them and I know my body is (my body has never registered the word "vitamin" let alone actually taking them), but this is the part that has been the hardest. My vitamin-taking ritual in the mornings is probably hilarious to the passerby because I seriously have to mentally prepare myself before gulping down each pill individually. Again, no sarcasm with the italicized emphasis. I am really just a crazy person.

Beyond the vitamins, Denise, the manfriend and I have started a little tradition of venturing to Red Robin for lunch after church. I know that nothing healthy can come from a trip to Red Robin, however, their Garden Burger is to die for - my opinion, of course. I especially love the Bonzai Garden Burger because what's the point of grabbing a bite of a Garden Burger and not slapping some pineapples and unhealthy teriyaki sauce on it? We love them so much that we even picked some up at the grocery store today, minus the pineapple slices and teriykai sauce. The next time we go to Red Robin I intend to try their vegan burger. For now, though, I will dream of a Garden Burger smothered in all that is unhealthy...

Yeah. You might have to clean the sheets tomorrow.

 Okay, so not every meal can be as decadent as what is pictured above. Denise and I have been trying out some of the frozen products we picked up at Whole Foods. We tried their four-cheese gnocchi for lunch on Saturday. We added some meatless "chicken" bites as well as a variety of veggies, and viola! A happy little lunch was born!

I like it when my peas a-pop.

 So far, I have really enjoyed trying out all of these meatless products, as well as the smoothies. We have had to increase our trips to the grocery store to about once a week, but it is nice to have fresh produce in the house on a weekly basis. Beyond that, my palate has had a blast trying all of the new textures and flavors that I am being introduced to. I am really proud of Denise for being consistent with making the smoothies and sharing their deliciousness with me. I am proud that the both of us have kept to our promise to make some changes in ourselves and for this world. 

Tomorrow is the day we begin the exercise portion of this diet change, so wish me luck. I have not been on a steady exercise regime since July, and I can already foresee me having a tumble on the treadmill. Or a heart attack. Either way, I'm hoping for the best.

On that note, it is off to bed. Sweet dreams!

Denise says: Don't forget to puree tomorrow's smoothie!