Soooo, yeah. I was on the HCG diet for two days before my friends begged/bullied me into trying
 a regular diet first. So I farted around with the Okinawa diet for a few days and then I just started eating more raw foods after picking up "The Sunfood Diet Success System" at Half Price Books over the weekend. In my opinion, this book makes the most compelling case, so far, for a raw food diet. David Wolfe gets you to understand not just that eating raw food is better for you (yeah, yeah, yeah, we all know that), but the impact that cooked food has on the planet (it's pretty bad; I'd never made the connection). The author is a little "out there" so please beware the bible verses, bizarre poetry, and the "karmic food scale" (it indicates which raw foods have the highest and lowest karmic values - whoa). I quasi-started his diet plan today, although it would be WAAAAY too much food for me to eat in a day. I had a pound of watermelon (he recommended three pounds!) and a handful of walnuts for breakfast. Lunch was one papaya (not two!) for lunch with three stalks of celery and a half of an avocado (not a whole one!). I have felt full all day and I've had no cravings. I think the reason that I am having better success this time on a raw diet (yeah, before I couldn't even make it for one day) is because a) I transitioned by increasing my raw intake to about 60+% before switching and b) I've read that you are supposed to load up on fruit in the morning, which will prevent hunger pangs/cravings. Dinner is supposed to be a huge salad, which I can handle. My husband and I plan to walk to one of our favorite places this evening, where, in the past we would always order frites and champagne and sit outside in the sun. We'll see if I can resist the frites..........I'm going to try!!!! Wish me luck :)

Vegan HCG adventure!

I've gained 11 pounds since I got marrried 4 years ago. I've been thin my whole life, but I'm struggling with some areas of really gross fat deposits (particularly my stomach). Several co-workers of mine went on the HCG diet and had amazing results, so I am embarking on the HCG journey in an effort to lose fat in stubborn areas.

So far, I have been "easing" myself into the diet. I am using "HCG Activator" homeopathic drops ($13 on Amazon) and started to take the drops on Saturday, 4/29, knowing that the Phase 1 of "loading" would be easy while I was vacationing in Missouri. I attempted to go down to 500 calories on May 1st, and everything started off ok. I cannot do the just tea/water business in the morning so I made apple-chard-ginger-garlic juice and mixed in a scoop of SunWarrior natural protein powder which amounted to 149 calories. So far so good! At lunch time, I was a good girl and made a delicious SunWarrior spread and had a wrap plus one cup of Thai Sweet & Sour soup. After this, I had some majorly weird symptoms (dizziness, continuous yawning/ear popping), which I chalked up to protein overload - I normally consume about 20g per day and suddenly jumped up to 40+. I was still starving, and now feeling yucky which led to some really unhealthy cravings. So, I solved that little problem by binging on "junk food" (which, sadly, only amounted to corn chips and Sour Supreme with jalepenos) all afternoon and had a vegan hot dog for dinner. I don't even want to tell you the number of calories that I consumed. Fat and starches are a big no-no on the diet, so we'll chalk day one up in the epic failure column.

Day two was a little bit better. I started off with an orange-apple-chard-ginger-garlic juice with the protein powder, which amounted to 254 calories. Uh-oh. There goes half of my calorie allotment. Maybe I'll do the modified 800-calorie-per-day diet, I justify to myself. For lunch I have a big salad with 1 tablespoon of vegan caesar salad dressing (a no-no) and even with the dressing, I was still at 117 for lunch. Not too shabby!! In the afternoon I had some dehydrated kale chips for lunch, amounting to just a handful of calories. For dinner, another big salad, this time with a little fat-free dressing that I make out of Bragg's Liquid Amino's, vinegar, water, and basil, but I cheated put a 1/4 of an avocado and about a half ounce of walnuts on top. This took a 170-calorie salad up to 401 calories --- oopsie! Live and learn. On the upside, I was full so I think I did alright. If I hadn't splurged on a 1/2 cup of Daiya-Field Roast-Penne-Chard-Tomato casserole that I made my husband for dinner (deLICIOUS, btw - the casserole, not the husband), I would've been right around 684 calories for the day, but that little cheat cost me 300 calories, sigh.

Last night I discovered that I haven't been doing the drops right. You have to wait 15 minutes after taking them before eating or drinking anything else. Gawd, I suck at this. Now that I am taking them correctly, my hunger is under control. Today I started with a rice cake with some peanut butter on top -- both of which are banned on the diet...WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!?!?! -- and I had a banana (banned), orange smoothie with protein powder. I have had two slices of an apple since then and it is an hour past my lunch time and I'm only a little bit hungry! I have also had a LOT of water and tea. After I eat my lunch salad, I'll be nearing the 500-calorie mark :(  But, I'm going to hold strong and at least keep under 800 today. Even though I have girlfriends coming over tonight, I WILL endeavor to resist the urge to snack and drink wine.

The moral of the story is that this is HARD, but it's getting easier. I am having a problem ignoring the things in my refrigerator/pantry that are still left from my regular diet...plus I have to cook for my hubby or he'll starve or go all carnivorous on me and we don't want that! I'm proud that I've embarked, that I've given up alcohol (oh, I miss you, red wine), caffeine (although I barely had any before), and have MOSTLY not had any sugar (I forgot to mention that my husband brought me vegan chocolate chip cookies from Trader Joe's last night). I am optimistic and I'm not giving up. I will beat you, fat stomach...oh yes, you are going DOWN.

Cabbage & BEER (!!) Soup - Reprise

I know I posted this recipe last year, but it's so good that I'm just going right ahead and posting it again. Last year, I shared it to help you to use up that half-a-head of cabbage that's perpetually idling in the fridge. This year, I'm putting it in the context of football. Here's what fall means to me: soup, football, and beer. Normally, I'm a wino, but there is a time and a place for cheap beer. I like to drink Miller Lite out of a can when I'm doing yard work in the summer and I like to drink it in the fall on Sundays while watching football. So, let's combine three of my loves today (four if you include the cabbage, five if you include the french-fried onions): beer, soup, football. The beer in this recipe will make even surliest, most skeptical carnivores forget it's vegan.

Note: I almost never make this with the kielbasa, if you do use it, add it just before you serve each bowl of soup or it will turn soggy and nasty. So, I leave you with a great soup to slurp on while you're rooting on your favorite team. And on that note, GO SEAHAWKS!!!!

Cabbage & Beer Soup - serves 8 

1 half of a large head of cabbage, cored and shredded or thinly sliced
2 large carrots, peeled and shredded 
6 cups vegetable broth
1 can (12 ounces) pilsner beer (I use Miller Lite, because I know it's vegan)
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
2 cups french fried onions, divided
1 pkg vegan kielbasa (optional)
vegetable spray
salt & pepper to taste
1. Coat stock pot with nonstick cooking spray and saute the sliced kielbasa (if using) over medium high for 5 minutes. Stir often and try to brown the pieces as evenly as possible. Remove and set aside. 

2. Spray the stock pot again and saute cabbage/carrot until translucent and tender about 10 minutes. 

2. Add broth, beer, seeds, and one cup of fried onions. Bring to a boil then reduce to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Add salt & pepper and adjust seasonings and cook for another 10 minutes. Spoon soup into bowls, add vegan kielbasa, and top with remaining onions. 

All Soup. All The Time.

Welcome to Vegan MoFo's all-soup channel, SOUP 935 AM, where we play soup hits from yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Today we will be spinning some excellent soup tracks for you, so sit back, relax and let us take care of all of your salivation needs, right here, with these delicious recipes from SOUP 935 AM.

Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup

• 3 tablespoons vegan margarine
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 
  
• 1. Saute the carrots, onion & ginger in the margarine 10+ minutes or until onion is soft. Add the ginger and cook for another 1-2 minutes. 
• 2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until all the veggies are softened. 
• 3. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth & pureed. Serve with a dollup of vegan 
• sour cream if you choose and enjoy piping hot maybe with some crusty artisan bread. 
• 
  
• Black Bean and Coconut Soup

  
  

  2 cups of black beans

  1 cup of coconut milk

  2 cups vegetable broth

  2 cups frozen peas

  1/4 teaspoon chili powder

  1/4 teaspoon cumin

  1/8 teaspoon cayenne
  1 tablespoon lime juice

  
  

  1. Combine all ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil then simmer for 20+ minutes. 

Lentil & Chickpea Salad

Well, hello. Remember me? I'm the sassy little vegan that sometimes posts really, really delicious recipes here on this blog. Not ringing any bells? That's probably because I've been AWOL for the last three months. But I'm going to start making it up to you just as soon as the fall term ends in October...maybe I'll throw in a few in the meantime if you're extra nice.

To reward you for your patience, I'm going to post about one of my new little salad friends, but first a little background. So, I've been trying to get back into shape after letting my body go for, oh, let's say a decade. Now, I'm almost 40 so I'm not expecting any miracles here, but in my vain pursuit to look 28 again I started a rigorous workout program (Insanity and Asylum, anyone heard of these?). Since June, I've been able to build up quite a bit of muscle, I lost a couple inches here and there, and feel fit as fiddle. However...HOWEVER, I still have this nasty blob of Jello bolted to my stomach. I tried to sweat it out. I tried to starve it out. I stopped giving it booze (mostly). I begged it to leave. Even offered it some money and a plane ticket to the Bahamas. Nothing. It's sitting here right now looking up at me and giving me the finger.

So, I decided to try something new. A sort of "clean eating" type of diet, that involves focusing on the nutrient-density of foods, explained in a two-book set called Eat For Health . The basic gist of it is this: eat low-fat (no more than 1 tbs. of oil per day), eat primarily plant-based foods - especially vegetables - (don't worry, he helps you to wean off the animal products), eat a lot of raw, whole foods - nothing processed (no bread, pasta, etc.), stop using salt (worry not, there are lots of salt replacements out there), and stop eating sugar. WHAT?!?!?! The good news is that he encourages you to eat an ounce of nuts or seeds every day and the book is filled with some terrifically yummy recipes that are very simple to prepare, beautiful to look at and super, SUPER good for you. I know what some of you are thinking, "But I'm already a vegan, that's healthy enough." I'm inclined to agree with you, but if you're looking to push it a little farther and you're like me in that you don't have the cojones to go entirely raw, then maybe you'd like to take a little look-see into this style of eating. BTW, I'm not crazy enough to live like this every day, or anything. You'll still see me posting plenty of decadent vegan dishes in the coming weeks/months.

This recipe is not from the books, but I've figured out how to apply a lot of the principles to other dishes. Here's a yummy one that won't let you down, I promise!

Lentil & Chickpea Salad - Makes 4 servings

1/2 cup dry lentils
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
2 tomatoes, diced
4 green onions, chopped
2 minced hot green chile peppers, seeded unless you like it REALLY spicy
1 red bell pepper, seeded & diced
juice of 1 lime (give or take, I probably used only 2/3)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (I always cheat and use carrot tops 'cause they're always around)
2 teaspoons Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or other salt replacer)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
lots and lots of fresh, ground pepper

1. Place lentils and broth in a pot. Bring water to boil, reduce to simmer. Cook for 30 minutes or until tender. Rinse with cold water to cool.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine cooked lentils, chickpeas, tomatoes, green onions, peppers, lime juice, olive oil, parsley, and seasonings. Toss well. Chill for at least 30 minutes. Serve chilled.

Black Bean & Sweet Potato "Quesadillas" & Santa Fe Salad

We don't need no stinkin' quesa. Now, don't get me wrong, I love me some quesadillas with faux cheese. Especially a sauteed mushroom and onion one with Pepperjack Daiya. But I don't have any "cheese" right now and who needs it when you've got sweet potatoes holding the whole thing together?



Black Bean & Sweet Potato "Quesadilla"

1 cup mashed, cooked sweet potato (I peel, cube, and boil mine in veg broth for about 20 minutes)
1/2 cup of cooked black beans
1/2 teaspoon cumin
several dashes of salt
several dashes of garlic powder
tortillas

1. Mix up the first 5 ingredients.
2. Heat a little oil in a large skillet, over medium heat, and place a tortilla in the pan. Spread one half of the tortilla with the filling then fold the tortilla in half. Cook for a few minutes until golden brown, then flip and cook the other side for a couple of minutes. Remove and cut into four wedges. Serve with a little salsa and vegan sour cream (Tofutti Sour Supreme is my fave).

And while you're at it, you might as well use up the rest of those black beans in a festive little companion salad...

Santa Fe Salad

2 cups fresh corn (2 ears)
1/2 bell pepper, seeded & chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 avocado, pitted, peeled & chopped
1 can (plus or minus) black beans, rinsed & drained
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
juice of one lime
1 1/2 tsp taco seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
2+ tbsp pumpkin seeds (optional)


1. Mix all ingredients, except the seeds, together and refrigerate for at least a half hour. Top with seeds and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Pine Nut & Basil Fried Chick'n and Beefless Tip Stir Fry

It's official; Gardein is taking over the world...or at least my kitchen. I have loved Gardein since the moment I sunk my teeth into my first Chick'n Scallopini. My love affair quickly extended to Beefless Tips and Chick'n Tenders. But, up until recently, I had to drive a considerable distance to procure any. As a result, I probably only had Gardein once every couple of months. Cut to last week, when my local grocery store FINALLY started carrying it. Now, I'm in the throes of a full-on addiction. In the last five days we've gone through two packages of the scallopini and one package of the faux beef. Gardein is such a great product, because it's an all-natural, reasonable facsimile of meat, making it a great product to serve to carnivores. It's also delicious for those of us who grew up eating meat, but who've chosen a more compassionate lifestyle. So, here's what I've been up to with Gardein's faux meats:

Pine Nut and Basil Fried Chick'n

1 cup pine nuts, toasted

1 cup wheat pastry flour

1 tsp dried basil

4 Gardein Chik'n Scallopini, thawed

4 tbs canola oil

1. Place the first three ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the pine nuts are chopped into small chunks.

2. Pour some of the pine nut mixture onto a plate and dredge the chik'n in it, pressing the pine nut mixture into both sides of the chik'n.

3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chik'n pieces in the oil about 2 minutes each side, or until both sides are golden brown.

4. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain a little, then serve.

If you're like me, you'll have a TON of breading left over so just pop it into a sealed container and keep it in the freezer. I served this chik'n over wilted bok choy leaves, which I cooked for a few minutes (until wilted) in a cup of vegetable broth and a little white wine with bacon salt. It went perfectly with this:

White Wine and Oregano Pasta

4 shallots, thinly sliced

8 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup vegan margarine

1/2 cup fresh oregano leaves

a pinch of crushed red pepper

1 cup dry white wine (I used a dry Riesling, but a Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay would work, too)

6 ounces dry penne pasta

Vegan Topping (parmesan sprinkles)

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

2. Melt margarine in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes. Add the oregano and garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes or until shallots are completely soft.

3. Add the wine and pepper to the skillet and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.

4. Drain the pasta and toss with the shallot mixture. Top with Vegan Topping and serve immediately.

And last night, I veganized the Ginger Beef Stir Fry recipe out of my Better Homes & Gardens cookbook.

Ginger Beef Stir Fry

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tbs cornstarch

1/4 cup dry red wine

3 tbs soy sauce

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded & chopped

1 orange bell pepper, seeded & chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 package of Gardein Beefless Tips, thawed

4 tbs canola oil

1. In a small bowl, combine the first five ingredients.

2. Heat canola oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add the Beefless tips and cook, stirring often, until browned. Remove the tips with a spatula and set aside.

3. Add the veggies to the skillet and cook on medium-high to high heat, stirring constantly, until veggies are crisp-tender.

4. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the sauce (stirring once again, to mix in the corn starch, before adding to the skillet). Cook for 3-5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add the tips in to the veggie mixture.

5. Serve immediately over steamed brown rice.