No-so-Gnocchi, Greens and Portobello Steak

This reminded me of gnocchi, even though it's totally not, but I enjoyed it none the less :)

Not-so-gnocchi, steamed greens and a portobello steak
serves 1

3 red potatoes 1/4 inch cubes
1 small bunch of greens chopped
3 green onions
1 can of tomato sauce
1 portobello mushroom
2 tsp coconut aminos (soy sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
6 dashes garlic powder
5 dashes black pepper
3 dashes red pepper flakes
2 tsp vegan worcester sauce
1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp white wine vinegar
2-4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast

Cut potatoes up and throw in a steamer for 30 minutes, add the greens + green onions for a minute at the end.
heat 1 can of tomato sauce with 3 dashes of garlic powder, 3 dashes of black pepper, red pepper flakes 1 tsp oregano, italian seasoning and apple cider and white wine vinegar.  Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Place portobello mushroom on a baking tray, remove stem, make sure gills are face side up, drizzle aminos, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar on top.  Then add 3 dashes of garlic powder, 2 dashes of pepper, 1 tsp of oregano and pop it in the oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

Once the potatoes and greens are steamed put them on a plate and generously scoop tomato sauce on them, take out the portobello steak and put it on your plate -- either to cut up to put on top or eat on the side, can drizzle worcester sauce on top.. leave it on the side as a dip.

and finally generously top with nutritional yeast
:) 

And it's Monday again

For breakfast I had:

Apricot Mesquite chia cereal
2 tbsp chia seeds
soaked in 1 cup water
4 sliced apricots
1 sliced mango
1/2 tbsp of mesquite

I also had a small bowl of millet cereal with flax milk-- at breakfast late and wasn't sure when I'd be getting lunch.

Fo lunch I made:

Refried Black Bean Quesadilla with pumpkin seed cheese smothered swiss chard
Makes 2

2 rice tortilla
1 tomato chopped
6 tbsp refried black beans
1 small bundle swiss chard

cheese--
1 cup pumpkin seeds
 2-3 tbsp water
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons agave
1 dash braggs

Mix the cheese ingredients in a blender until chunky -- consistency of ricotta.

Wash and chop the swiss chard, and pour cheese mixture on top, mix well.

Spread out 3tbsps refried beans onto the middle of the tortilla and put it in the oven
or broiler for 5-7 minutes until rice tortilla gets soft in the middle and crispy on the outside.

Remove tortilla from oven and spread tomatoes, in the middle and half of the swiss chard cheese mixture.


Dinner:

Veggie burgers
Sauerkraut
Daiya swiss cheese
ketchup
bread
bread and butter pickles

I got home late tonight.. so picked up some of my favorite veggie burgers, put on the cheese -- can throw them in the oven or microwave and then add the rest of the ingredients :)

Super easy.

Speedy meals on the go

I'm not home much these days, with work/school picking up, I'm easily working over 12 hours a day.

Unfortunately this means more on meals bought outside of the home, but a couple days ago I could tell between lack of sleep and home cooked food, I needed to start taking better care.. well it could have been actually closer to my bodies decision, because yesterday all I felt like consuming was, seaweed-- spirulina -- the tiny blue green algae is one of the oldest inhabitants of the planet.  It's a high source of protein, minerals and vitamins.  It has the richest source of absorbable vitamin A and the best source of Iron-- even over supplements! High in Vitamin B's, even B12!  It even has 300% vitamin D per 10 grams.

I ate about 1/3 cup of spirulina yesterday... wasn't sure if it's something you can overdose on.. but I felt fine!  I also had the juice of 2-3 lemons.

I also had a couple spicy vegan chikn patties with ketchup :) lol talk about quick food... strange combination of stuff, but seemed to work!

Today for Breakfast:
2 ezekiel toast spread with vegan butter, peanut butter and raw cocao/coconut butter, topped with raisins AND cherry smoothie -- the smoothie came out thick I made it the other day, and it actually works as a jam (there is even spinach in the smoothie)

Cherry Smoothie:
1 cup strawberries
2-3 cup pitted cherries
2-3 cups spinach
1 tbsp lemon juice
start with 1 cup water, if it's not enough to blend add more.
(I only used a couple dollops for the smoothie, and I am planning on putting the rest in ice cube containers.. for a fun version of ice)

Lunch:
veggie burrito no dairy substituted for guacamole for lunch with hot sauce.

Dinner:

Fresh Green pea and lemon juice:
2 cups fresh raw green peas (can include edamame)
3 carrots
2 celery sticks
2 lemons one peeled and one whole
2-3 cups of red lettuce
(I only had about 1/2 the juice)

another ezekiel toast -- made just the same but without the smoothie addition

sweet potato throw together:
1 baked sweet potato peeled and cut into fourths
1/2 cup black beans
1/4 cilantro
1/4 sliced tomato
2 tbsp salsa
2 cups mustard greens simmered till bright green
1 tbsp lemon juice

Voila dinner salad :) I had actually brought this for lunch today, but wasn't sure if I would make it home for dinner, so decided to save it for dinner, and go out for lunch instead.

MIA

I have totally so sooo busy with school, that I have been eating on the run.  And definitely no time to post updates.  Today fortunately I am making myself take a day off, even though I still have so much to do.

I've been literally living off of:

Bread and butter -- dipping in balsamic vinegar and oil

vegan yogurt (coconut and soy)

cereal-- ezekiel (it has no sweetener added), which ran out pretty fast -- in addition to the almond milk also running out, so I switched over to 1/4 cup of chia seeds soaked in 2 cups of water -- I didn't have time to cut up fruit, so I would just put 1 tbsp of mesquite powder in the chia mixture and call it good!  I'd put it in a tupperware and bring it school. I've been working early morning, way before I even have an appetite to work with, so this makes an easy thing to bring to school and eat later.

I've also intermittently been eating the pre-made indian food packets, you can get them at Natural Grocers.  One brand is Tasty Bite -- it's super convenient and lasts a couple of meals.

This is sooo embarrassing but I have a fridge completely full of fresh foods from my CSA share -- totally ridiculous!!!! I have had zero time to make food.  I think the most I did in the past week is soak chia seeds.. and chop a little bit of cabbage to go with my premade indian packet of rajma beans.

Natural Grocers has been a total life savor.
They have ready made hummus wraps, pastas and samosas which are wonderful to get when I am in a rush.

I've also had to rely on Taco times -- veggie burrito with no diary-- which iS SO convenient in times of need.

Pro-bar meals are also still my favorite BY far meal in a bar ... which give much needed energy in the afternoon of a super long work day.  My work days consist of super long hours at the lab, farm or both.  Plus running errands.. and Trying to maintain a house somewhat in order, even as my sleep is definitely taking a hit-- I think I've been averaging 5 hours of sleep a night for the past 2 weeks.. no naps.  :/// SOOO BUSY.  Yesterday I was at the lab for 18 hours, minus 1 hour that I ran to natural grocers to grab dinner!!! crazy.

Last week I did manage to make a few homemade burritos --
Rice tortillas spread with 3-4 tbsp of refried beans put in the oven under broil for 5-10 minutes
Then topped with salad greens, chopped tomato, avocado, salsa, sprinkled with nutritional yeast
AND I didn't have lemon, so I used baobab powder as a replacement, about 1/2 tsp in 1 tbsp of water -- has a very pleasant sour taste!! and replaced lemon pretty well!!

I AM seriously hoping to be able to juice all the veggies in my fridge soon... I have no idea what I am going to do on Tuesday when I am picking up a whole new CSA share... EEEK.

My plan is to juice all the veggies, and turn them into icecubes lol.. and put them in my water throughout the week!!! good idea???

Monday was my birthday and although it was super busy I still squeezed in some time to let my parents take me out to eat.. I just had a veggie burrito no dairy at Beehive Grill.  I also splurged at the store and bought myself a vegan chocolate bday cake and some vegan 'reeses' -- can't remember the exact brand of them.. but they are sooooo good!!! Yesterday I bought a cold chai tea .. non caffeinated but unfortunately wasn't without sweetener... from Natural Grocer.. it was actually pretty good!  It was made with soy milk, spices, ginger juice and black tea.  :)

Hopefully I will get time to juice today.

:)

BUSY BUSY BUSY.