Saturday, October 10, 2009

VeganMoFo III: What I've Learned



Today was kinda horrible (personally, not healthwise) so I'll get to the good stuff.  I learned a lot about myself in the past week.  I'm just going to do this in list format because I love them and it's easier.

1.Relax-I really need to slow down and think about myself.  Two weeks ago I made a detailed schedule in order to fit writing into my day.  What I forgot to put on the schedule: meals.  What the hell is that?!  So, I will be redoing those schedules and getting myself into set feeding times so that I eat enough and don't feel like I'm forcing myself into my own schedule.
2.More Sleep-I really have to work on this.  Most people can live off of 7.5 or so hours.  But I really need at least 8 to function.  More than that is better.  I get so foggy headed and irritable if I don't sleep.
3.Convenience Eating-I always knew I was victim to this, but I realized grabbing a rice cake is enough to curb the hunger long enough to make a real meal.
4.Sweets-Probably the hugest thing is that I realized my addiction to sweet things can be controlled with fruit.  I never knew this was possible because I thought I had tried and failed before.  But a nice nectarine is so much better than a cookie.  More than that, I realized that baked goods aren't about the sugar as much as they are about the memories attached to them.  A-ha moment for realz!

In the end, what I wanted more than anything was to prove that I was in control of what I ate.  Mostly because I wasn't in control for a lot of my life.  So realizing what I am capable of gives me a happy.  I've decided that after VeganMoFo, I will continue on the healthy path.  Maybe not doing mosaics but definitely using this as a food/exercise journal.

Tomorrow is budget week and I'm starting with brunch!  So, I'm gonna try to get some sleep and leave you with this pic of today's breakfast.  They're gluten free yeast free waffles from Trader Joe's.  These were fan-freaking-tastic!


Oh, and I finally did that survey.  So tired right now.  Goodbye health week!  Hellooooo Cheapskate McGee!

1. Favorite non-dairy milk?
Almond milk. Plain Almond Breeze.

2. What are the top 3 dishes/recipes you are planning to cook?
Not sure, though I plan to do some stuff from Vegan Brunch this weekend.

3. Topping of choice for popcorn?
Depends. Salt. Nooch, oregano, and red pepper flakes.

4. Most disastrous recipe/meal failure?
Uh, the very first time I made seitan it was like chewing gum...and it was stuffed! And I was serving my parents!

5. Favorite pickled item?
Okra fo sho. Last Thanksgiving we went to several stores trying to buy more pickled okra.

6. How do you organize your recipes?
My cookbooks are on a separate shelf from my other books. I arrange them by height because it drives me crazy if tall books are sandwiched between short ones. Did I not say I was neurotic?!  My internet recipes are organized by category on my computer.

7. Compost, trash, or garbage disposal?
Trash, though I'd love to compost.

8. If you were stranded on an island and could only bring 3 foods...what would they be (don't worry about how you'll cook them)?
seitan piccata, something with chocolate, watermelon

9. Fondest food memory from your childhood?
Sunday breakfast that my mom used to cook, as long as it didn't involve omelettes (blech)

10. Favorite vegan ice cream?
Purely Decadent Pomegranate Chip or Choc Chip Cookie Dough

11. Most loved kitchen appliance?
Food processor

12. Spice/herb you would die without?
Cilantro

13. Cookbook you have owned for the longest time?
How It All Vegan was the first one I owned. I got it 8 years ago.

14. Favorite flavor of jam/jelly?
Raspberry

15. Favorite vegan recipe to serve to an omni friend?
pesto pasta salad

16. Seitan, tofu, or tempeh?
I like seitan best but my stomach doesn't so...tofu

17. Favorite meal to cook (or time of day to cook)?
BRINNER!

18. What is sitting on top of your refrigerator?
cereal, foil, plastic wrap

19. Name 3 items in your freezer without looking.
jars full of various nuts and seeds, passion fruit vodka, and frozen peas.

20. What's on your grocery list?
I shop mostly based on the weekly menu. Stuff I always have: bananas, tofu, lettuce of some kind.

21. Favorite grocery store?
Clark's Nutrition is my one stop vegan shop.

22. Name a recipe you'd love to veganize, but haven't yet.
Hardee's cinnamon raisin biscuits

23. Food blog you read the most (besides Isa's because I know you check it everyday). Or maybe the top 3?
I don't know

24. Favorite vegan candy/chocolate?
Mambas or licorice

25. Most extravagant food item purchased lately?
vegan caviar? Dr. Cow's little morsel of cashew cheese?

26. Ingredients you are scared to work with?
Natto. Just thinking about it creeps me out.

10 comments:

Monica said...

Nice list... amazing how powerful that kind of thing is. Recognizing what you need, what you want, and how to get there. It's cool the mofo has inspired you to continue on the healthy eating kick. You should totally journal it on your blog!

x said...

I'm so with you on needing at least 8 hours sleep, any less and I wear my cranky-pants all day long :/

And those waffles are calling me, all the way from the USA!

Also, raspberry jam lovers UNITE!

Mihl said...

Way to go, Monique!

I saw those Mambas on your survey. I love them, too.

Kelly said...

Oh, I hear you on the cookbook organization! Mine are arranged into "big" and "small" and then alphabetically within those categories.

Isn't list-making helpful? I think so. Good luck on budget week & keeping up with the healthy eating & whatnot!

bamboo said...

Those waffles look EPIC!!!

And can I get a big HELL YEAH! on the pickled okra! I can't believe more people don't like it, but that actually works out in my favor (especially at family gatherings when it's all over my mom's pickle tray) as I get to chow down on as much as I want without feeling like an okra hog!!

Monique a.k.a. Mo said...

Bamboo, my family had to pry it from my kung fu grip last year. I love it so!

jessy said...

i'm sorry yesterday wasn't very happyfaced, Monique. i hope today was better! i love your list - listing out what you've learned is most excellent.

it looks like & sounds like you're eating some healthy foodz lately. i've gotta get my hands on those gluten-free waffles. i need to make a TJs trip soon. for some darn reason i always forget to try fruit instead of sweets. so much better for you and so much yummier, indeed!

hooray for staying on your healthy path after mofo ends, too - i look forward to continuing to follow ya along on your journey. :)

Embee Breedlove said...

1) Taking time for yourself, getting enough sleep, and feeling/knowing that you are in control of what you eat are probably in the top five best ever things to do for yourself. Totally rad hooray.

2) Fantastically amazing waffles!

3) Pickled okra - what's up. There's some in our fridge right now.

4) In the survey, when it asked about favorite blogs, I listed yours. ;)

chow vegan said...

First step is knowing what you need and what works best for you. You're on your way, keep it up! :-) And those are some awesome looking waffles!

Anonymous said...

excellent post. thanks for sharing your insights. I'm like 90 years older than you, and I'm still trying to figure some things out about myself. (of course, having two late-in-life tots will turn anyone's life around. whatever you thought you had under control goes completely out of the window, LOL!)

Faith