Things to Do With Sweet Potatoes?

I have a ridiculous amount of sweet potatoes.  The box says 40 lbs.  So far I've only thought to do the following things: baked, sweet potato fries, and dehydrate for dog treats.  So any suggestions or recipes?  None that involve marshmallows or sweet potato pie, please.  Blech.

Besides swimming in sweet potatoes, I've been keeping up with my plan.  Since my internship is over and the new semester began, I've been trying to walk two times a day (before and after class).  I've also been doing cardio and a little bit of yoga.  I feel great.  My jeans are starting to get super loose and I feel stronger and more flexible when I stretch.  What a difference a month makes!

I don't feel like listing an entire week's worth of food so I'll just tell you about this awesome black bean soup I made.

I don't have a recipe but it was a pound of dried black beans soaked over night.  I added onion and garlic when I cooked the beans.  Once they were tender, I added ancho and chipotle chili powders, salt, pepper, liquid smoke, orange zest, chunks of carrot and celery, and frozen corn.  Once all the veggies were tender I added the juice from an orange.  So smoky and good.  I served it with polenta just because.

Exercise For 1-23 to 1-29
Sat: 20 min walking
Sun: None
Mon: 40 min walking
Tues: 40 min walking
Wed: 1+ hour cardio kickboxing and dancing
Thurs: 20 min walking
Fri: 40 min walking

I've surpassed my monthly goal of 8 lbs and am almost to my first goal, which means gluten is in my future.  When I start eating gluten again, I'm aiming for no more than twice a week at first.

Anyway, I hope all of you had a splendid January.  The month just flew on by!  More to come soon.

Sunny Days and Pear-Parsley Green Smoothie

Today I woke up and it was all sunshiny, so I finally got to get out and walk again.  We have been pounded with rain all week.  I'm talking non-stop, all day rain...in the desert.  By midweek, we had as much rain in a few days as we had all last year!  Of course, there is no drainage system here so streets were getting flooded and there were a lot of road closures.  Anyway.  So glad the sun has returned.

This week was pretty good as it applies to food and exercise.  I managed to do more intense workouts since I couldn't get out and walk, and I incorporated more fresh food into my diet.  I also discovered the joys of the coconut, cardamom, and dried cherry combo.

Wed 1-20-10
Irish breakfast tea w/ sugar and vanilla hazelnut rice milk
tofu omelet w/ meximeat, gluten free queso, avocado, and tomato
red beans and rice
red beans and rice w/ gluten free queso
rice cereal w/ coconut, cinnamon, dried cherries, and almond milk
yumberry & black currant herbal tea w/ cinnamon and almond milk
36 oz water
EXERCISE: 20 min walk, 30+ min cardio kickboxing, pilates, and yoga

red beans and rice w/ gluten free queso and romaine & orange salad w/ poppy seeds

Thurs 1-21-10

rice cereal w/ dried cherries, cardamom, coconut and almond milk

cinnamon cardamom herbal tea

tofu omelet w/ meximeat and gluten free queso

1 orange

Irish breakfast tea w/ sugar and almond milk

red beans and rice w/ gluten free queso and romaine salad w/ blood orange and poppy seed

baked sweet potato w/ chili and gluten free queso and romaine salad w/ catalina drizzle

EXERCISE: 30 min cardio kickboxing

Yesterday was my completion of the medical front office program so my class celebrated.  I ate some coffeecake (Vegan Brunch).  I also went to a buffet with the women of my internship.  But it was a celebration!  I did really well I think...considering.

Fri 1-22-10

rice cereal, coconut, dried cherries, cardamom, and almond milk

serving of chili limon potato chips, 2 jam swirl east coast coffeecake squares

casino buffet: salad (romaine, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, black olives and Italian dressing), fruit salad, 2 mini veg spring rolls w/ sweet chili sauce, fresh strawberries, spanish rice, slice of blueberry pie

chili w/ avocado

52 oz water

EXERCISE: None.

Now for that smoothie.  Usually when I make green smoothies, I just throw stuff into the blender and hope for the best.  Sometimes I end up with some truly foul tasting things.  But this was AWESOME.  Uh, measurements are guesstimates.

pear-parsley green smoothie

Pear-Parsley Green Smoothie

2 cups filtered water

1 very ripe anjou pear, cored and roughly chopped

2 tbsp raw walnuts

2 tbsp raw cashews

2-3 tbsp ground flax seed

3 dates*

giant handful of flat leaf parsley

Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth.  Enjoy!

*If it's not sweet enough for you, just add more dates.

Jillian Michael Pwnage

Muahahaha.  Ha.  Today I met a personal longstanding goal of mine.  There was this little cardio kickboxing dvd that I never made it through.  My attempts usually went something like this: turn it on after not working out for months, nearly upchuck after the warm up, turn off and never do it again.  This time is different.  I've been working out pretty regularly, eating decent portions, and drinking tons of water.  So I gave it a go today...and completed it!  And it was so much easier than I imagined.  ::happy dance::

This week has been a little harder.  It's been cold and rainy so I've not been walking as much.  Also not been eating much raw because I need me some hot food when it's freaking cold and moist (bleh) out.  But I am eating healthy and sticking to it.

Sun 1-17-10
rice cereal w/ 1 tbsp dried blueberries, cinnamon, almonds, and almond milk
white bean mash w/ parsley and garlic, low sodium green beans, and romaine salad w/ catalina dressing
2 pineapple rings
dark choc w/ ginger and 8 oz almond milk
millet bowl w/ chickpeas, potatoes, sundried tomatoes, and capers
60 oz water
EXERCISE: 40+ min kickboxing, dancing, jump rope, and pilates

Mon 1-18-10
millet bowl w/ chickpeas, potatoes, sundried tomatoes, and capers
English breakfast tea w/ sugar and almond milk
millet bowl w/ chickpeas, potatoes, sundried tomatoes, and capers
unsweetened pumpkin tapioca pudding w/ agave, choc chips and pecans
pear
unsweetened pumpkin tapioca pudding w/ agave, choc chips and pecans
40 oz water
EXERCISE: None

Tues 1-19-10
rice cereal w/ almond milk, cinnamon, and dried cherries
tofu omelet w/ Meximeat* (500 Vegan Recipes), gluten free queso**, avocado, and tomato
red beans (Kittee tester) and rice
60 oz water
EXERCISE: 20+ min cardio kickboxing, pilates, yoga

*used textured soy protein
**replaced the AP flour in my Not Yo Cheeze Sauce w/ brown rice flour

Not Yo Cheeze Sauce (Gluten Free Version)
2 cups water
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/3 cup brown rice flour
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp mild chili powder
1/8 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt (more or less to taste)

2 Tbsp margarine
2 tsp brown deli mustard (stone ground works too but adds flecks of brown)
1/2 cup of your favorite red salsa

In a blender combine water, nutritional yeast, flour, garlic clove, and spices. Blend until smooth. Pour into a saucepan and heat on medium high, stirring frequently with a whisk. When thickened, remove from heat and stir in the margarine and mustard. Stir in the salsa and heat until warmed through. Makes about 3 cups.

More to come tomorrow or Friday.

The End of Week 2

I keep a food journal because I like to view what I eat and see when I made not-so-great choices.  What is truly insane was that I started a journal in 2008, when I was so certain I'd stick to a plan.  After viewing my many attempts at losing weight, I realized that these past 17 days have been the longest stretch of keeping a food journal active.  Yay me!

So, I'm just starting the third week and I am already feeling a difference.  It's so rewarding.  I forgot how great it feels to work out and eat well.  I'm not eating as much raw as I'd like because we are cleaning out the pantry right now, but I'm already more than half way to my first goal.

I try to measure stuff but sometimes I don't.  I also work really hard to have a lot of smaller meals throughout the day because my number one problem is not eating enough meals and making up for it with huge portion sizes.

sweet potato tapioca w/ crushed dark chocolate-ginger bar and almonds

Thurs 1-14-10

flax pancake w/ almonds, agave, and sliced pear

gluten free penne w/ garlic, lemon juice, & capers and a romaine salad
12 oz soy nog
2 pineapple rings
pineapple collards (Isa tester) and black eyed peas
60 oz water
EXERCISE: 20 min walk, 40+ min kickboxing, dancing, and jump rope

Fri 1-15-10

2 pineapple rings and 8 oz vanilla hazelnut rice milk

English breakfast tea w/ sugar and vanilla hazelnut rice milk

black eyed peas w/ sweet potatoes, pineapple collards, & brown rice w/ sriarcha

black eyed peas w/ sweet potatoes

1 cup unsweetened sweet potato tapioca pudding w/ pecans, choc chips, and almonds

green tea w/ agave

40 oz water

EXERCISE: 20 minute walk

white bean mash w/ garlic oil and parsley

Sat 1-16-10

1 cup unsweetened sweet potato tapioca pudding w/ agave drizzle and sliced peach

miso soup (gluten free penne, mixed veg, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, red miso)

1 cup unsweetened sweet potato tapioca pudding w/ agave, almonds, and dark choc w/ ginger

1 cup of rice cereal, cinnamon, dried cherries, and almond milk

white bean mash w/ parsley and garlic oil, low sodium green beans, and romaine salad w/ catalina dressing

English breakfast tea w/ agave and lemon

60 oz water

EXERCISE: none

So my latest obsession is sweet potato tapioca pudding.  It's something I just sorta made up.  Some of Era's students gave him a box of sweet potatoes and limas (a cross between oranges and lemons).  I had a monster sweet potater and was fiending for something dessert like.  I used minute tapioca (fat free), almond milk, cinnamon, ginger, and 1/2 a huge baked sweet potato.  I'll put up a recipe when I make it again.

Well, I just finished my workout for the day so I've got a date with Netflix.  Werd to the nerd.

Tag Team Back Again

Happy New Year!  Oh wait...  That happened, like, 13 days ago.  Sorry I've been absent lately.  I hope everybody had a fantastic holiday season and the most badass of new year's.  I spent the holidays watching far too many movies and munching on snacks.  I even have the crappy food porn to prove it.

Doesn't the 70's cookbook lighting make everything look so appealing?  Mmm.  Don't all lick your screens at once.

So the real reason I took so long is because this blog is changing focus sorta.  I am currently embarking on a weight loss journey (but for real this time).  I'm doing it for a few reasons.  The first reason is stress management.  Last year was one of the worst years of my life and I didn't really address any of the situations. All of that really took a toll on my emotional well being.  So I decided I'd change my perspective this year.  So far, all the working out has really, really relaxed me.

Secondly, my boobs are killing my back.  Rather than opt for the tempting reduction, I'd rather dance my chesticles off.  Nobody steal that phrase because I'm in a development deal with Bravo.  Not really.

Lastly, I'd just really like to get back down to my pre-relationship weight.  I gained A LOT over the past 6 years.   It has everything to do with getting more sedentary jobs, having a better understanding of what veganism offered, and complacency.  I aim to change that last one.

So far things have worked out well.  Right now I'm eating lots of raw and focusing on all whole foods.  Also no gluten, alcohol, unhealthy desserts, or tons of added fat.  As I meet each goal, I'll add something back into my diet.

Basically, I'll focus a lot more on health until I meet my final goal.  I figure now is a great a time as any.  Now I leave you with the apron I just finished sewing for my sister.  It's the second apron I've ever made so I'm proud.  NOTE: Please excuse the forced smile...totally forgot about the ten second camera delay.