Dates are delicious!

Tonight I tried to recreate some healthy raw date balls from a vegan cooking class me and Misha took last year.  They’ve turned out quite nicely for estimating!

RECIPE!

Ingredients:

1 oz caco nibs or some coco powder if you prefer.

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup coconut flakes, unsweetened

2 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons honey, raw

13 dates, whole but seeded

Food processor

Method:

Step 1! (skip if you use powdered coco/cacao)

Toss those nibs in your processor and powder! Once they’ve been good and pulverized put them in a bowl for later swirling

Step 2!

Take your nuts! Put them in the food processor and spin it until they’re nicely chopped, don’t go so far as to make almond butter though of course, you’ll be processing these for a while yet

Step 3!

Add in the coconut flakes and pulverize a little more!

Step 4!

The wet stuff

Now add the dates and  tahini and make sure everything is nicely blended before adding the last bit, the honey and give it a few pulses until things are nicely sticky

Step 5!

Transfer all that goodness into another bowl where you can pick off bits and roll them in your hands into little balls. As you make them you should roll them in that cacao powder until they’re coated and place them on a plate

VIOLA!

I made 28 of them and this is the breakdown for the whole recipe:

So about 55 cals for each. 🙂

Meanwhile, today was kind of miserable at work because I sorta kinda forgot to bring enough food and they sort of kind of CATERED IN BREAKFAST TACOS AGAIN.

But they also brought in fruit, which I had a lot of. It was delicious.

But still, I was cranky.

I’m finding raw to be very socially isolating from some people. Going out for drinking and eating at crappy restaurants  is just not an option for me and I feel a bit judged for it.

But my health isn’t worth some weird guilt or peer pressure.

period.

On another note, there’s a series on Netflix called Feeding Time and it’s literally documentaries of animals eating. Just adorable animals eating. Meercats, pandas, giraffes, monkies, bears etc. It’s the cutest tv ever made. SO FLUFFLY!

 

Breakfast tacos are Texan kryptonite

In today’s episode superfood girl is confronted with the most diabolical of all breakfast temptations!

BREAKFAST TACOS

DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNNNN

Look at their evil goodness, white flour, processed meats, lardy beans, cheese ALL THE CHEESE, chunks of fried taters, and eggs…oh you eggs slathered in oils and scrambled up!

Ugh, who am I kidding? They’re delicious.

They’re also a Texan breakfast staple. I don’t know why we love our omelets wrapped in tortillas as much as we do but by golly we do. Sigh. Seven dozen of those beauties were brought in from taco cabana (where that pic is from btw) for the office at large.

I did not cave.

But I was quite grumpy for the remainder of the day for another reason.

I didn’t sleep well last night. In fact I got only about 3 hours of sleep and spent the rest of the night trying in vain to get comfortable or drowsy. I don’t know why. I haven’t had any caffeine except for the occasional green tea cup (which i didn’t have yesterday), it was just one of those nights.

To add to that, I ventured the (much longer) walk to Whole Foods express in the hopes of finding a dinner for myself so I could take a run with a co-worker AND do trivia night with other co-workers and not starve (I work on the other side of the city from home). ALAS no love. I found a nice kale salad with an asian dressing and got a thunderbird bar but not enough to be dinner.

Those Thunderbird’s though? LOVE THEM!

But alas, that was one thing too many for me to not be all grumpy cat so I ventured home for a nap and a workout. Well the nap didn’t work out but the workout did! Not bad if I say so myself, but I’ve done better. Still though, pretty good.

My dad called and asked how it was all going and I told him pretty well, down almost 16lbs from my work weigh in, lost an inch all around, and my blood pressure is currently in a normal range.

Can’t argue with that.

He asked what was hardest. Giving up candy? I said nope, oddly, as much as I love candy, raw desserts are SO good and SO easy. I don’t miss any sweet. I do miss salty things though, pizza and such. BUT I don’t need these things. My cravings are not physiological, they’re all mental, social, emotional. For once I really understand the difference between real hunger and emotional hunger. I’ve been SO full since starting this, but have had many food lusts. Want and need…they are different.

My plan after being 100% raw is to be largely raw but all clean. Plant based, treating animal products as the exceptions not the rule. And believe me, there will be clean breakfast tacos. You can want what you need too ;p

Chick fil a and ninjas

This morning my company moved to their new building and to celebrate they brought in Chick Fil A for brunch.

I have to tell you, I LOVE Chick Fil A. LGBT issues aside (i know, i’m a traitor to my own people) they’re delicious. But they’re also awful for you.

And they’re far from raw.

I stayed strong, in part because of my raw chai protein shake and in part because I was too busy being neurotic Nancy about my new space. I don’t like change!  Trying to get situated and ninja proof my cube is difficult. It’s a very open floor plan and there’s no way I can prevent people from being able to surprise me. and there’s no where to put a mirror but I think I might have to make one…and shelves. Ugh, I hate ninjas. In a past life I think I was a mob boss that got shot at a restaurant when his back wasn’t against a wall. Seriously.

But all that upheaval meant today’s eating at work was not ideal. My nanogreens, broccoli and beet salad got eaten but not much else and that meant by the time I got home I was starving.

Answer? Guacamole! And flax snax for chips, which are delicious. Hindsight says I should have made it with some kale or spinach to make it more complete but hmmm maybe tomorrow

That combined with fruit and rox chox  puts me about 300 cals over my calorie goal for the day.

I’m ok with that. Why? Remember those rules of mine? Thou shalt not freak out about calories.

I could have worked out but when I got home and back into my own space all that stress of mine went away and I realized how exhausted it made me. A two hour nap later and I was like meh…off days are good for you now and then.

SO I painted my nails instead.

Good use of my afternoon if you ask me.

 

The day I caved

It’s blurry…but yes, that is saag paneer. But that is also marinated shredded veggies and cabbage crunch (which was awesome)

Yeah, so I caved. Clearly that saag is not raw. BUT it is from Whole Foods, and is clean. At least there’s that. The temptation was too great and I needed protein like nothing else. I was angry, fatigued, and downright…unhappy. But since then I’ve been in a much better mood and feeling energized.

I’m going to do my best, I’m going to try really hard to get back on the wagon and ride out the rest of these raw days…but that paneer was really freaking good.

I should make it’s raw equivalent now. Yup. That would be wise.

I have a date with Beet’s Cafe this saturday and I’m excited! I need a full meal, a real meal and all raw!

I can’t believe it’s only been two weeks of raw rood 😐 It feels like way way way way longer. I have to remember the purpose of this: to feel better, to be healthier, to enjoy life. I will soon be transition to be clean eating and I need to know that I will make the right choices when presented with the choices. Today I did well, I think, considering I could have done a loooooooooooooooot worse. Almost did. But, I did well…considering.

Be honest, how guilty should I feel?

 

Oh temptation

My mind is my worst enemy sometimes, other times it’s the weather, and every so often they co-conspire to make me insane.

Wendy’s spicy chicken sandwich, you awful siren, you’ve been calling my name all damn day. Bitter cold and windy and dreary and all I can think about is your warm spicy crunch and the delight of animal protein.

Sigh. I combated this craving with avocado but rather unsuccessfully.

I don’t know why I had this sudden and intense craving when, until 2pm (waking at 5) I was quite satisfied with mean green and nanogreens and protein shake along with some sliced tomatoes and bell peppers. I blame the weather, stepping out from the office into a cold and disgusting day.

Pho and spicy chicken sandwiches, they are my response to awful weather. I’m unbelievably grumpy and fatigued and kind of hate this whole damn way of life.

I’ve never gone this long without some kind of meat. In fact, I’ve only had two instances of any animal product since this year began. VEGAN ugh.

Two more weeks til my next fast and I’m actually looking forward to it. It’s simpler.

GET IN MAH BELLEH

I’m also looking forward to pancakes. Ok, guys, I will need to have some muthafreaking pancakes, specifically Kerbey Lane’s cinnamon roll pancakes. They’ll be the featured pancake starting Jan 29th and I WILL NEED THEM.

Seriously. Right after the fast, that’s how I’m breaking it. Don’t worry, just one.

And some black beans and avocado.

Or a hippie burger…with mustard.

We’ll see! Right now the thought of being able to have something in time is only thing that is keeping me from driving to a Wendy’s right now and eating all the things!

I was really hoping that this sort of life change would make a bigger impact on my conditions, but so far the improvement has been moderate to low. I’m hoping that’s because I’m still adjusting and in time modifying my diet to be largely raw and very clean will help. I’m hoping that an 80/20 balance can be reached where 80% of the time I am eating to live and live healthy and only 20% am I indulging in things that are experiences not nutrition such as that pancake up there.

I just have to not be lazy. I’ve done very very very little prep lately and have just been noshing on veggies and the like by themselves. I’ve invested very little time in preparing things and making sure things are balanced and I’m getting all I need.

I need to try harder to not take short cuts.

sigh.

rough day.

Today I ate all the things

and I mean ALL THE THINGS. Check this out:
Calories Day
1,478

Breakfast: 295
Nano Greens
1 Serving

Milk, Almond, Vanilla Refrigerated
1 Cup

Cherries, Red, Sour, Fresh
2 Cups

Lunch: 347

Salad, Field Greens
2 Cups

Broccoli
2 Cups

Tahini
1 1/2 Tablespoons

coconut water
25 Fluid ounces

Dinner: 502
Nano Greens
1/2 Serving

Oranges, Clementine
1 Each

Cheese, Cheddar, Extra Sharp, 1″ Cube
2 Each

Apple, Small
1 Each

Banana, Medium, 7″ – 7 7/8″ Long
1 Each

Falafel, Homemade
1 Each

Tomatoes, Fresh, Med
3 Each

Snacks: 335
Super Cookies
9 Pieces

Flax Snax
11 Pieces

Merry’s Miracle Tart- Meyer Lemon
1 1/2 Servings
I don’ t know why, but I’ve been really into nibbling today. I’m not hungry but I just want to taste everything. This is a good thing, I think.

But today was hard. I encountered my first real challenge, free pizza at the office. You see, I love pizza. I love the warmth and the gooey spicy crispy soft symphony of amazing that is pizza!

But, pizza is not raw. So I cannot have it. I can, however, have pizza flax snax, which are delicious but…not pizza.

Oh yes, I am def looking into clean and raw versions of pizza and you better believe that will be one of those indulgy foods in my life. But really today was not so awful. I had a big salad and broccoli with a raw spicy thai sauce from whole foods which was very very tasty.

Still, it was the first time I was really separated socially from eating. I couldn’t have that staple comfort food everyone else in the office was indulging in. I was tempted, but it was fleeting.

But now it’s the weekend! And I’m stoked for some good relaxation and kelp pasta with raw alfredo!

Also ok, the best salad dressing in the world? stone ground mustard and cider vinegar and maybe, just maybe, a shot of liquid aminos or olive oil. Drizzled over a salad it’s awesome. Try it!

I’ve got a lot of energy today, I don’t know why. I’ve been really mellow since I’ve gone this route and I don’t know if it’s the lack of caffeine or something else but I’ve wanted to do some running lately, or hiking, or swimming or something! Could be that it was 75F today! I’m longing for spring.

Maybe it’s all the fresh food, it doesn’t feel like winter when everything I’m eating is so crisp and crunchy and vibrant. Either way, I’m into it.

Tomorrow I’ll also be doing a full measure of myself! So we’ll see how my stats are from starting. I feel thinner, I feel lighter and much more relaxed. It’s a good thing.

I just need to watch the tarts…

…and drink my kombucha

Juicy Details- OMG Day Five

I haven’t been hungry today. At all. So much so that I’ve actually only managed one juice (mainly carrot, kale and beets), one kombucha and a concoction of lemon, water, chia and Nanogreens. All of these have been really tasty but the fact is: I’m not hungry.

What I am experiencing, though, is intense desire to taste and chew things. Savory things. Oddly, I really really really want a Gardenburger. I don’t even want it hot, I just want to chew it. I’m really hoping this will pass once I move out of the fasting phase.

Monday is my last full day of the fast, Tuesday morning I intend to have myself a fruit salad, some nuts, and take a trip to the Whole Foods cafe near my work building and get some of the delightful noshes in their chef case. The majority of those offerings are raw foods, so I should be able to scrounge up a nice lunch before heading out for sashimi with friends that night. I’m really looking forward to savory food.

Hummus, for instance, sounds amazing. I found a raw recipes for it and I will actually begin prep for it tomorrow when I make a trip to the grocery! Raw Hummus is among us!

Today has actually been the hardest to keep from eating things other than juice even though I’m not hungry. I just find myself thinking about burgers and such. I know these cravings will stop and they need to but I find myself questioning the whole raw decision. It’s only a month, I have NO intention of remaining raw. My goal here is to reset myself, to refocus my cravings to things that are actually good for me and embrace a life of eating clean, wholesome foods for me.

Is it really so bad to cook things? Eh, I’m inclined to say no. Cooking food is ok, it damaged nutrient content sure but there are simply some foods that are safer to eat cooked. Grains and beans come to mind mostly. Now, a paleo approach says grains aren’t that great for us and I agree, but beans? Beans are dynamite. The raw solution is to soak and sprout them but for my purposes I’ll either leave that to the pros or I’ll forgo them until the end of the raw bits.

So why am I doing this? Because if I tell myself just eat clean now, I’ll bake a lot of bread, use a lot of honey, eat a lot of grass fed beef and roast me some chicken…see what’s missing in there? Veggies.

Even if I cut out the four white devils, I’d end up avoiding the things that I’ve been lacking for so long, and even if I wasn’t, I’d not let them be a big enough part of my diet.

I need to make a plant based diet my habit.

It’s hard because a little voice in my head says: oh just eat clean now and juice and just do it now.

But I know myself, I’d be back in a drive through before you know it.

Burger. I really want a burger.

Little sad that I don’t have one right now. By little sad I mean OH THERE’S MY HUNGER

two more days.

edit: slight cheat…mustard. i took a handful of spinach and tossed it with a little stone ground mustard. problem solved. it’s not juice, but it kept me from driving to Wendy’s. net win? yeah.