Day 26

I'm loving all the "summer" produce that's harvested in April here in Florida. I'm frolicking in cheap fresh corn, strawberries and cantaloupes. I suppose we'll pay for this abundance in July and August when everything withers and dies in the swampy heat.

Do you know of a good recipe to use up a small head of radicchio?

4/29/10
• GS: chard, farmstand red romaine, 1 apple, 1 pear, few strawberries, hemp seeds
• steamed broccoli and carrots, WW pasta w/ butter, grated garlic and parmesan, red grapes, walnuts.
• 2 tiny squares organic dark chocolate
• sautéed corn and kidney beans w/ onion, green bell pepper, spices and lime, sour cream and cilantro. Spring greens and cucumber salad.
• 1 orange
• spoonful PB, few blueberries

Day 25

I don't have a real food log for yesterday, because I was away camping in St. Augustine! I ate a lot of trail mix, grilled vegetables, snacks and sugary things (took a day off). A raccoon made off with the leftover garden burgers in the night. What could be more natural than wildlife feasting on TVP?

These are jars of my homemade, raw trail clusters: dehydrated almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, goji berries, coconut, chopped dates, and flax seeds.

Day 24

Breakfast and lunch pics and yesterday's log.







4/26/10
• 1 mango w/ nutmeg and coconut oil, steamed broccoli and sweet potatoes, raw pecans, 1 hardboiled egg w/spicy mustard.
• brown rice and peas w/orange ginger soy sauce, spring greens and cucumber w/lemon juice, EVOO and feta, ½ an orange
• 1 mini larabar
• ½ a swiss, cucumber, spicy mustard sandwich on WW toast, 1 grated carrot w/lime juice and sesame seeds, steamed green beans, red grapes.
• 2 tiny squares organic dark chocolate
• few mixed nuts and seeds

Day 23

4/25/10
• GS: kale, 1 apple, 1 pear, hemp seeds
• 1 hardboiled egg w/ spicy mustard
• 1 piece WW toast w/ grated garlic and parmesan EVOO
• 1 date, 2 mini larabars
• sautéed corn w/onions, red bell peppers and cilantro, braised purple cabbage, red grapes, cucumber slices, few almonds.
• 1 tiny square organic dark chocolate
• whole rye crackers w/cheddar
• PB-filled pretzels

Day 22

4/24/10
• GS: kale, spinach, parsley, pinapple, ½ banana, 1 pear, few strawberries, hemp seeds.
• spoonful PB
• sandwich on WW toast (cheddar, yellow bell pepper, tomato, purple cabbage, spinach, homemade sauerkraut, mustard), raw cashews.
• 2 tiny squares organic dark chocolate
• cold lentil and brown rice salad w/ cucumber, red bell pepper, broccoli, onion, pinto beans, feta cheese and lemon cumin EVOO.
• 1 orange
• 2 mini larabars
• 1 kiwi
• few tortilla chips and white bean salsa

Day 21

4/23/10
• GS kale, spinach, parsley, fresh pineapple, 1 banana, few strawberries, hemp seeds
• few almonds
• Fritanga meeting: black beans and small cheese empanada
• WW leniwe pierogis w/onions and celery, 1 grated carrot w/lemon juice and sesame seeds
• Dragonfly sushi: avocado, asparagus, carrot, cucumber, brown rice, nori, wasabi, soy sauce, pickled ginger.
• tortilla chips and queso dip.

Day 20

4/22/10
• GS: kale, spinach, parsley, fresh pineapple, ½ banana, hemp seeds
• spoonful PB
• brown rice and lentils w/ cheddar cheese, shredded purple cabbage w/ 1 diced tomato, cilantro, lemon juice.
• few cape cod jalapeno chips
• fresh corn sautéed w/tomato, cilantro, lime and spices. Celery w/PB and raisins, 3 strawberries.
• 1 cube candied ginger
• 1 mini larabar
• 1 orange

Day 19

I didn't have the chance to replenish my supply of greens before breakfast yesterday. Two days in a row without a green smoothie makes me cranky. Cranky!

4/21/10
• “raw revolution bar” (cashews, dates, spirulina, agave, etc)
• parmesan quinoa w/broccoli, onion, yellow squash and green peas
• tortilla chips and salsa, PB-filled pretzels
• dinner at The Jones: mixed greens salad w/tomato, carrot, almond, apple, asiago cheese, ginger tahini dressing, side of black beans and red quinoa, ginger sweet potato mash

Day 18

This week is riddled with semester's end parties and CAKES. Ouch, my willpower is sore from the workout.

4/20/10
• 1 ½ scrambled eggs w/garden kale, ½ WW bagel w/PB, raisins and Sriracha, carrot sticks
• falafel gyro with lettuce, tomato and yogurt sauce, few celery sticks with ranch dressing, French fries w/ketchup
• 2 small squares of yellow cake w/frosting

Day 17

I couldn't really get a good picture of last night's baked tofu dinner, but it was really good eats. I'll give you a picture worth say, five hundred words, and these few extra words of assurance that it tasted really awesome. The marinade was balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, wasabi, grated garlic, grated ginger, black pepper and EVOO.



4/19/10
• GS: collards, spinach, 1 banana, frozen mango, few strawberries, hemp seeds
• few raw almonds
• steel cut oats w/ 1 small sweet potato, raw sunflower seeds, goji berries, raisins, dried coconut, coconut oil, cinnamon
• small bowl homemade sauerkraut
• various amazing cheeses w/ crackers, green grapes and strawberries
• 2 tiny squares organic dark chocolate
• Marinated baked tofu w/celery and onions, steamed broccoli, boiled beets and romaine lettuce
• 1 date
• 2 mini larabars

Day 16

We did it, we got rid of the last of the demon fro-yo bars! Safely and in moderation, like handling delicious toxic waste.

4/18/10
• GS: collards, spinach, parsley, 1 apple, ½ banana, frozen mango, few strawberries, ginger, fresh lemon juice, hemp seeds.
• spoonful PB
• ½ grilled cheese on WW, homemade sauerkraut, 1½ roasted yellow squashes, sliced raw tomatoes
• 1 date, few pumpkin seeds
• 1 grapefruit
• red lentil curry w/celery, sweet potato, russet potato and sour cream
• 2 mini larabars (1 cashew/date, 1 date/almond/cherry)
• ½ raspberry frozen yogurt bar

Day 15

Those raspberry frozen yogurt granola bars are what some people call "feel good" food. The product is packaged like a health food (this one brags about probiotics, low fat and high fiber) but it's actually loaded with some of the worst crap the processed food industry can come up with, like hydrogenated oil, high fructose corn syrup, and loads of artificial flavorings.

These days, I would never buy this product. My roommate who moved out left the box behind (among other, more welcome food items, like the head of cauliflower I roasted the other day). I could throw the bars away, but for one thing I hate waste, and for another thing they are really f*ing delicious. I'm trying to whittle down the box by splitting one bar at a time with Scott. I don't like having them in the house. They haunt me.


4/17/10
• GS: collards, spinach, parsley, 1 pear, 1 apple, frozen mango chunks, hemp seeds
• 1 slice WW toast with grated garlic and parmesan EVOO
• buttered lima beans and sliced raw tomatoes, ½ kiwi
• few mixed nuts, 1 date
• broccoli/cheddar/onion quinoa casserole
• 1 tiny square organic dark chocolate, 1 date
• gallery food: potatoes and arugula, fresh strawberries w/ little lemon whipped cream
• party food: Triscuits w/spinach artichoke dip, bruschetta on French bread.
• ½ raspberry granola frozen yogurt bar

Day 14

I ate some crappy processed food yesterday. Le sigh.

4/16/10
• GS: collards, spinach, parsley, 1 pear, 1 apple, blueberries, ginger
• few cashews
• parmesan quinoa, 1 small grilled yellow squash, 1 grilled tomato, ½ avocado
• couple crunchy garlic cloves
• chia fresca (1 Tbls chia seeds in water)
• tortilla chips and salsa w/ cheddar
• 1 mini larabar (date, almond, apple, walnut, raisin, cinnamon)
• tortilla chips and salsa
• deep fried creamed corn nuggets, salad w/ mixed greens, carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, sprouts, Kalamata olives, 1 piece white bread.
• half a raspberry granola frozen yogurt bar

Day 13

CORRECTION:

Lovely Gainesvillain Rachel over at Waffle Songs forwarded me this recipe for curried roasted cauliflower about a month ago. Let me just say, yes it totally does kill. I followed the recipe pretty closely, which is unusual for me; I did however substitute apple cider vinegar for the red wine vinegar. No biggie. Big Yummy.



4/15/10
• GS: collards, spinach, parsley, 1 pear, 1 apple, few strawberries, cinnamon
• 1 slice WW toast w/ grated garlic and parmesan EVOO
• 1 mini larabar (cashew, date)
• coconut brown rice w/tofu, roasted curried cauliflower and onions, 1 stalk raw celery
• 2 tiny squares organic dark chocolate
• ½ banana with spoonful PB, bowl black beans w/homemade sauerkraut

Day 12

4/14/10
• leftover mizeria and cinnamon apples, 1 mini lara bar (cashew, date)
• few pecans, few crunchy garlic cloves
• black bean and quinoa salad with tomatoes, red bell pepper, onion, cilantro, lime juice, EVOO, spices, sour cream
• 2 dates
• 1 grapefruit
• whole rye crackers w/ mozzarella, steamed green beans, romaine salad w/ red bell peppers, lemon juice, EVOO and balsamic, few almonds, few Greek olives.
• 1 date, 1 mini larabar

Day 11

I never cooked a meal for fourteen people before yesterday. It's not easy! I'd originally assumed it would be, since I've scaled up dishes for potlucks and whipped up party snacks plenty of times. But food meant as a potluck side-dish, or something to nosh while you're flirting with a cute party-goer, is kid stuff compared to making enough food to fill more than a dozen plates for America's biggest meal of the day. Luckily I love the kitchen :)

Some of my cooking quantities:
51 lazy pierogies: 9 eggs, 3 pounds ricotta cheese, 6 cups flour
12 tomatoes
6 onions, slivered(TEARS)
6 apples
6 English cucumbers

Despite ringing the dinner bell half an hour later than I'd planned, everything turned out fine. I succeeded in making a fresh, healthy, meatless Polish feast.

Thanks to all my classmates for bringing wine, vodka, extra chairs for my little living room, and their appetites.

At the end of the night, I fell off the sugar-free wagon and ate a couple of really yummy brownies. I decided I deserved it, and I did. Now I get back on the wagon.

4/13/10
• GS: SPINACH, 1 banana, cantaloupe w/seeds
• spoonful PB
• all-day grazing and ingredient snitching: cucumber slices/sour cream, puffed kamut, spicy pumpkin seeds, homemade sauerkraut, mini lara bar, plantain chips
• Polish Feast: WW leniwe pierogies w/caramelized onions, mizeria (cucumbers, dill, sour cream), Polish tomato salad (tomatoes, scallions, lemon juice, raw onions), homemade sauerkraut, apples and cinnamon
• brownies!! Woops!

Day 10

Yesterday I made two extra quarts of green smoothie and brought them to my engineering students in lieu of the pizza or donuts that instructors traditionally bring on course evaluation day. Each student got a small cup's worth of a fresh, tropical, vibrant concoction of pineapple, banana, strawberry, spinach and kale.

When I offered up the last few ounces to anyone who wanted seconds, several hands shot up and they were gone in an instant. One of the enthusiastic seekers-of-seconds was the person who had asked me at the beginning of class, "what's kale?"

I know some of them were probably drinking it out of politeness, because I grade their papers, but it still goes to show that people generally find fresh, whole fruits and vegetables a welcome treat.

Here's to treating ourselves with the very best.


4/12/10
• GS: spinach, kale, chard, parsley, pineapple, strawberries, banana, cantaloupe
• Krishna lunch: bean/noodle thing over white rice, creamy tofu spinach thing, iceberg and spinach salad, brown sugar/walnut porridgey thing
• huge plate steamed carrots and broccoli, 1 apple, 5 Qorn Chik’n Nuggets w/ketchup.
• 2 tiny squares organic dark chocolate
• ½ banana w/ PB
• small bowl kimchi

Day 9

• GS: red chard, spinach, parsley, cantaloupe, 1 orange, few strawberries
• 2 WW leniwe pierogies w/ fried onions
• spoonful PB
• 1 sweet potato baked into fries w/ketchup, steamed green beans, curried red lentils, few pecans, few Greek olives
• 1 leniwe pierogi (I’m kinda running a Polish test kitchen)
• small bowl kimchi
• 2 tiny squares organic dark chocolate
• 1 local hardboiled egg, ¼ cup spicy squash seeds, grated carrot salad w/ lemon juice and sesame seeds, fresh pineapple.

Day 8

4/11/10
• GS: red chard, spinach, parsley, cantaloupe, 1 orange, few strawberries
• 2 WW leniwe pierogies w/ fried onions
• spoonful PB
• 1 sweet potato baked into fries w/ketchup, steamed green beans, curried red lentils, few pecans, few Greek olives
• 1 WW leniwe pierogi (I’m kinda running a Polish test kitchen)
• small bowl kimchi
• 2 tiny squares organic dark chocolate
• 1 local hardboiled egg, ¼ cup spicy squash seeds, grated carrot salad w/ lemon juice and sesame seeds, fresh pineapple.

Day 7

4/10/10
• GS: red chard, spinach, parsley, 1 apple, 1 pear, few strawberries
• dry-roasted squash seeds, mug of fresh turmeric root tea
• small bowl brown rice w/cinnamon, raisins and coconut oil
• leniwe pierogies: WW flour, ricotta, butter, egg
• blended veggies: 1 huge carrot, 2 stalks celery, 1 apple, cucumber
• 2 tiny squares organic dark chocolate
• steamed broccoli with EVOO and sesame seeds, 1 local egg hardboiled, cantaloupe

Day 6

4/9/10
• quart GS: kale, spinach, parsley, 1 apple, 1 banana, few strawberries, unsweetened cocoa
• 1 local egg, hardboiled
• few brazil nuts, few almonds, few raisins
• WW pasta w/EVOO, mozzarella, 1 diced tomato, grated garlic. steamed veggies: 1 small sweet potato, green beans
• 2 tiny squares organic dark chocolate
• 1 grapefruit, spoonful PB
• party food: chips and French onion dip, red and green grapes, raw spring roll with peanutty sauce.

Day 5

4/8/10
• quart GS: kale, spinach, parsley, 1 apple, 1 pear, few strawberries
• ½ WW bagel with grated garlic and parmesan EVOO
• Dad’s escarole and beans, 1 local egg, hardboiled
• 2 tiny squares organic dark chocolate
• 2 mini falafel balls, 1 mini fried “cheese” ball
• brown rice w/ 2 roma tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil, few kalamata olives

Day 4

4/7/10
• GS: kale, spinach, parsley, cucumber, 1 apple, 1 orange, few strawberries.
• home-roasted squash seeds
• Dad’s escarole and beans, ½ WW bagel w/veggie cream cheese
• 2 tiny squares organic dark chocolate
• brown rice w/stir-fried broccoli, celery, onion, carrot, cashews, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, little agave. 1/4 avocado.
• 1 apple w/ spoonful PB

Day 3

• GS: kale, spinach, 1 apple, 1 banana, blueberries, cinnamon
• parmesan quinoa
• Dad’s escarole and pinto beans in broth (plus onions and garden kale), ½ WW bagel with veggie cream cheese
• 2 tiny squares organic dark chocolate
• dinner party fare: vodka penne, cantaloupe, orange wedges, guacamole, French bread, rosemary white bean dip, bell pepper strips and snow peas

Day 2

It's getting hot here in Florida; time for quinoa salad! There's something about juicy-crunchy diced raw celery that makes my mouth water.



4/5/10
• GS: escarole, chard, cilantro, parsley, 1 pear, 6 strawberries
• spoonful PB
• Chipotle bowl: black beans w/raw tomato salsa, corn salsa, guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheese
• water from one Thai coconut, few raw cashews
• quinoa salad w/chopped celery, onion, carrot, bell pepper, tomato, cilantro, lemon juice, EVOO, vinegar and spices. ½ orange, raw almonds, mozzarella slices.
• some potato chips
• 1 small apple with spoonful PB

Day...1?

Quitting sugar was great. Discontinuing quitting sugar (quitting quitting sugar?) was TERRIBLE! For a skinny girl, I can put away shocking quantities of dessert. Like, two pieces of pie and a giant stack of Girlscout cookies.

The only real deprivation I've felt has been AFTER I stopped limiting sugar. Since then I have felt deprived of energy, motivation, wellness, positivity...

In addition to the many well-researched detriments of refined sugar to metabolism and organ systems, I believe it's also very bad for one's mood.

So I'm going back off the sauce. Or as my mom called it, the "white menace." And menacing, it is.

A big reason why last month's abstention went so smoothly is because of the food intake postings, so with a bit of sheepish apologizing, I'm here to say I'm starting up again with that. I know it's weird; sorry. Thanks for your implicit support, reader.

4/4/10
GS: rainbow chard, spinach, parsley, 1 apple, 1 pear, 4 strawberries, ginger
spoonful PB
green lentil stew/onion, celery, sweet potato, kale, lemon and spices, ½ WW bagel w/grated garlic and parmesan EVOO
few dehydrated strawberry slices
steel-cut oats w/goji berries, raisins, raw sunflower seeds, unsweetened coconut, coconut oil. Steamed broccoli, kimchi, red bell pepper strips.
small bowl frozen blueberries