The Long-Awaited Updates...

...I know, with baited breath, right? Seriously, not much to tell the past few days, as I have been eating leftovers and was busy with school and the job search. I did make some new dishes which I will share, of course. Here goes...

DAY 7
Breakfast: Fruited Breakfast Quinoa

This was a very tasty and filling breakfast. I underestimated the power of quinoa! According to www.whfoods.com:

"Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Not only is quinoa's amino acid profile well balanced, making it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein intake, but quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other health-building nutrients. Because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus, this "grain" may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis."

While I know the Fruited Breakfast Quinoa is nutritionally very good for me, I discovered I can only eat a tiny amount of quinoa at one time, as it appears to be too much for my system (if you know what I mean). But overall, it was quite yummy and satisfied the sweet craving I have been experiencing lately!

As for lunch, dinner and snack for Day 7, I honestly don't remember...leftovers? I know it was nothing new because I did not document anything or take pictures.

DAY 8
Breakfast: Banana Oat French Toast

Oh my gosh, this was the most amazing french toast I have ever made! What I truly enjoyed and appreciated about this french toast is that it did not taste "egg-y." In my opinion, there is nothing worse than entrees or dishes that have that egg taste...ick!

Just look how beautiful it turned out! Moist, yet crisp, with banana flavor where the "egg" used to be...gotta love it! I had some leftover batter and used it for Day 9's breakfast, but this time I added some cinnamon to the mix and it made it even better. A drizzle of agave nectar made this the perfect little breakfast. Darn it, now I want some! Lunch and dinner, you ask? Yeah, I don't recall...a little of this, a little of that. All I know is my fridge has since been rid of leftovers, and is now stocked full of new fresh fruits and veggies to start creating once again.

DAY 9
Breakfast: Banana Oat French Toast (again)

DAY 9
Lunch: Sweet Russian Cabbage Soup

Now here is something I am exceptionally proud of. This is one of the best soups I have ever made. I snagged the recipe from www.allrecipes.com. I obviously had to make some substitutions since the recipe was designed for meat eaters. In place of ground beef I used Boca crumbles. In place of beef boullion and water I used vegetable broth. I did not follow the recipe entirely when it came to the amount of liquid to use, and next time will add a second round of vegetable broth so the soup is not so chunky. This soup was sweet, as the name implies, and reminded me of my mom's stuffed cabbage (not the meat part, of course). I love it and am so glad I made a huge batch of it to share with my parents and to have it whenever I want it. I shall never grow tired of the flavors in this soup!

DAY 9
Dinner: Amy's Veggie Loaf Meal

Saturday was grocery shopping day, and by the time I got home, I just wanted something quick for dinner. So, I opted for a fabulous entree by Amy's Kitchen. Now that I read the ingredients online, I realize it is not entirely vegan since it contains honey, but my focus right now is on eliminating dairy, so this meal was OK for my program.

DAY 10
Breakfast: Fruited Breakfast Quinoa (again)

DAY 10
Lunch: Vegetarian Swiss Steak

I followed this recipe all except for the seitan part. In place of this "steak" I used 2 vegan veggie burgers from Boca. I'm sure it would have been even better with seitan, but I did not have any so I had to improvise. I think it turned out pretty well. It was a good mix of veggies with tasty seasoning...but next time I will add a bit more miso for flavor enhancement.

DAY 10
Dinner: Sweet Russian Cabbage Soup & Puree of Roasted Garlic and White Vegetables

For dinner tonight, leftover Sweet Russian Cabbage Soup, which I will eat and eat and eat until it is gone! With this fantastic soup, I also enjoyed a recipe from a fellow vegan blogger who posts a new recipe everyday! She is a true inspiration with her food choices and knowledge of vegan food products.


I highly recommend trying Puree of Roasted Garlic and White Vegetables, as it is a great alternative to making simply mashed potatoes. I altered the recipe slightly by adding parsnips to the mix, and I did not add "creme" since the mixture was creamy enough and I did not want to end up with soup. The root veggies provided this potato dish with the most wonderfully unique flavor I cannot even describe. Again, it is something you should check out. In fact, check out R Starr Lemaitre's Everyday Vegan blog at http://veganeveryday.blogspot.com/ if you would like some new and interesting recipes!