Sammiches!

I have been eating these things for a few years now. I got the idea from someone else, who made me a sandwich that probably was nothing like this one. I remember there was cheese, and basil leaves. Anyway, my own version is made with focaccia bread, because that tastes the best. My local grocery store doesn't have much, but they do try. They sold tofu there briefly...They do have Boca burgers if I am desperate. They also have expanded to include more gluten-free flours and grains. They sell a bag of quinoa for almost $12. Shyeah right! Like I'm gonna pay that! But the bakery does make an awesome round loaf of focaccia bread that is sliced and totally vegan. I put it in the freezer, and when I crave it, I put it in the microwave for 20 seconds and spread Earth Balance on it and I'm in heaven.

Garrett loves these sandwiches, too. I was trying to think of something for supper, and I remembered that I have a jar of roasted red peppers at home. I went to the store for the bread and some mushrooms, and here we are.

Veggie Panini or Sandwich or Whatever

Focaccia bread
Fresh spinach
Basil
Mushrooms, sliced thinly
Avocados (of course!)
Roasted red peppers in a jar


Place the spinach leaves and basil leaves on the bread. Then pile on the red peppers, mushrooms, and sliced avocado. You could also mash up the avocado if you want and spread it on the bread. You can do whatever you want. You could add other veggies. You could spread vegan mayo on the bread. Or vegan cheese. Or not. Then place the other piece of bread on top, naturally. Place in the oven (400 degrees) for about 15 minutes or so, until the bread feels dry and crusty. Slice in half and enjoy.

If you are lucky enough to have a panini grill, this would be EVEN BETTER.

A note: I used basil from my basil plant I purchased, which I discovered is actually a lemon basil. While this smells and tastes delicious and would be awesome in, say, pesto or something, the flavor overpowered this sandwich and I ended up picking it out.

Green Day

The sprouts were a total success, and the easiest thing I have ever done. The kids loved to watch them quickly grow and fill the jar they were in. In three days (yesterday) they were done, and I rinsed them and put them in a container in the refrigerator. Grace and Garrett went all crazy over them! Crazy! They were grabbing them by the handful, chowing them down like candy, fighting over them. I made chickpea salad sandwiches and put lots of fresh sprouts on them. Yum, yum, yum!

I love it when the kids go nuts over healthy food. But last night we went to a movie and they drank sugary drinks and ate candy and went just as nuts over that. Sigh. I do the best I can. Life is not perfect.

I made this salad today and realized that the only veggies I have left in the refrigerator are green. But that's okay. It was delicious. The salad was delicious, especially since there was avocado and my own sprouts in there. It can be seen here surrounded by the freshly picked chemical-free strawberries I bought earlier. More to eat and freeze.

I ordered some raw cacao nibs for making raw chocolate desserts. I bet I can find something with chocolate and strawberries. If I do, I will share it with you.

Happy Summer Solstice, everyone!

Raw Crackers

So far today:

Tropical Kefir Smoothie- soy milk kefir, mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple, banana
Coffee - two cups with soy milk and stevia/sugar mix

Big salad made of spinach, green onions, avocado, broccoli, cucumber, red pepper, topped with a bit of Trader Joe's Goddess Dressing
Raw almond meal crackers made in dehydrator all day yesterday
Fresh strawberries and raspberries

YOGA!

SHOWER!

If I could eat like this all day everyday, that would be great. I always start out my day so fabulous, then things fall apart in the afternoon when I get major munchies and cravings. I also am thinking (again) that I need to get rid of the coffee in order to really get rid of the candida issues, and to lose weight. But the very idea makes me feel sad. I know that I would feel great after detoxing from it (and the caffeine), but wow. I have quite an emotional attachment to coffee.

I have been walking with a friend twice a week (when it's not raining!), and it feels good. At first I was really sore, but it has gotten easier, and I can do the same two miles in less time. Now I am starting a yoga routine on days that I am not walking. This is major progress for me, who couldn't walk two blocks without being in agonizing pain less than a year ago.

These crackers rock my world. Alas, I am now out of almond meal, and I don't think I can afford to buy any more, unless I find it at the B&D for 75 cents again. At the HFS it costs about $10 for the same size bag.

I love my dehydrator. I plan to use it even more.

I now have baby sprouts! This is day two and they are growing so fast! I think tomorrow they will be ready to be put in the sunshine to get a little green. Then I can eat them up! It is so easy, I can't believe I was hesitant about doing this. Kefir is way more complicated, and I can handle that.

These crackers are healthy and addictive and raw. Well, if you use all raw ingredients. I used tamari sauce instead of Nama Shoyu because I don't have any of that. And if you keep it below a certain temperature, which I can't think of right now. Maybe 150 degrees? And I used my own parsley! Nothing better than making your food, realizing you need parsley, and getting it right on your front porch, picked fresh off the plant. Yummy! I did not have any tomato so I skipped that part. Same with the cilantro.


Almond Meal Crackers

1 cup sweet white onions, chopped
1 cup tomato, chopped
1 cup almond meal (or ground up soaked almonds)
1 cup golden flax meal
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Nama Shoyo (or tamari, or soy sauce, or Bragg's liquid aminos)
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 cup cilantro
2 cloves garlic

Blend all in food processor. Process until smooth-ish. Spread on teflex dehydrator sheets 1/4 inch thick. Score with a dull knife or pizza cutter. Dehydrate for 5 hours, then flip over onto mesh screen and dehydrate another 2-3 hours until dry and crispy.

I just finished my lunch, but I am craving more food. Maybe more crackers and fruit? Something to drink? A raw sweet treat to curb the cravings? I don't know. I have some work to do, but I think I can do it.

I used a new template for the blog, and my label cloud magically reappeared! I like the fresh new look.

Have a great weekend, and take care of your body and mind. :)

Subway Memories

My first job as a 16-year-old girl was at one of the three Subways in my hometown. (There are now about 20.) It was a fun job, and I really enjoyed it most of the time. My favorite sub was the chicken fajita, and my heart broke when they quit selling it. I always smelled like onions and mayonnaise whatever I did. I remember vividly working in the evening, then going into the bathroom to remove my braids and brush my hair and get ready to go to my boyfriend's house. In his basement, we would sit in the dark watching cheesy horror movies while he tried to grope me under the blanket. But I digress...

The cookies at Subway are awesome for some reason. I haven't had one for many years now. I rarely go to Subway anymore, but when I do, I get the veggie sub (duh) with no cheese, all the veggies, and spicy mustard. On wheat bread, which I recently realized contains honey. Not vegan. And then I pay the same amount of money as people who pile cheese and meat on their subs. But whatever. It's okay if we are on the road and my choices are Subway or McDonalds. That's a no-brainer.

When I worked at Subway, we were allowed to eat a sub for free during our break, and we were allowed all the free pop we wanted. We were not allowed free cookies, but occasionally I had to sneak into the freezer, steal a frozen cookie, and eat it quickly before I was discovered. My boss, a very large man, sat in the back room smoking cigars all the time.

I came across this recipe the other day for Subway chocolate chip cookies, veganized. These are the healthiest cookies I have ever seen. It changes the way I think about making cookies. I mean, there's no flour, no grains. Only almond meal and cashews ground up fine. Maple syrup instead of sugar, coconut oil instead of oil or shortening. There is fat, of course, but good fats. Obviously, they needed to be made. And today was the day.

I ground up the raw cashews in my coffee grinder, which worked wonderfully. I already had some almond meal. Everything came together wonderfully, and the batter tasted good. My only complaints were the recipe only made maybe a dozen cookies, so I would double it next time. Also, I had to cook them a bit longer than suggested, and even after they cooled, they fell apart quite easily.

Other than that, YUM! I wouldn't really say that they taste just like Subway cookies, because I can't really remember. But that part doesn't really matter. The fact is, they taste really good. Garrett has been munching away and they are almost gone. I better go get one more before they disappear.

Vegan Randomosity

*Actual quote from an actual person speaking to me: "Yeah, but beans are in the meat group!"

*Trader Joe's is coming to a town near me! I guess all I have to do is blog my wishes and they come true!

*I wish I was married to Alicia Silverstone and she cooked vegan food for me all day long.

*I feel thinner but the scale hasn't moved.

*Thinking about starting my sprouts today. But as I sit around all day doing pretty much nothing and thinking that I can't believe I am bored already, I wonder when I will possibly find the time to rinse the sprouts twice a day.

*I have become addicted to grilling. I cut up veggies, drizzle a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, and place them on the special pan my step-mom bought me for my b-day last year. Grill until tender and heavenly delicious.

*Shoot. I'm out of olive oil.

*Growing my own basil, oregano, and parsley plants. So excited to try them out!

*Reading Jonathan Safran Foer's Eating Animals. This man is an excellent writer. The book is so wonderful to read.

*I found out while reading that Americans eat less than .25 percent of the edible food on the planet. That is excruciatingly sad.

*Growing bored with this, so you must be too. Time to quit.