Plan 12/28/15 - 1/3/16

Holy Moley, it's a new year this week!

I'm starting off 2016 with delicious, healthy vegan food, exercise, and a little me time.

This week I'm using recipes from Lisa Ryan, and will be working on strength training with a series by Ashley Galvin.

And, as always, I'm running and yoga-ing almost daily. Starting JAN 1, look for my daily posts about my journey to learning inversions this year!

Monday
Run 5
Toned Core Workout
Breakfast: Harvest Smoothie 
Mid-Morning snack: apple with almond butter
Lunch: Autumn Spinach Salad
Mid-Afternoon snack: carrots and green pepper sticks with Spicy White Bean Dip
Dinner: Fall Lentils with Leeks

Tuesday
Walk 3
Toned Legs Workout
Breakfast: Coconut Pumpkin Quinoa
Mid-Morning snack: grapes with handful raw nuts and seeds
Lunch: Liver Lover Salad
Mid-Afternoon snack: “Bloody Mary“ Juice 
Dinner: Sweet Potato Soup with Greens

Wednesday
Run 5
Toned Arms Workout
Breakfast: Warm and Toasty Millet
Mid-Morning snack: apple with almond butter
Lunch: Brussels Sprouts with Carrots
Mid-Afternoon snack: cucumber and celery sticks with Hummus
Dinner: Millet Stuffed Mushrooms

Thursday
Walk 3
Toned Booty Workout
Breakfast: Apple Crisp GF Oatmeal
Mid-Morning snack: “Bloody Mary“ Juice
Lunch: Squash with Spice Salad
Mid-Afternoon snack: carrots and green pepper sticks with Spicy White Bean Dip
Dinner: Creamy Kale and Bean Soup

Friday
Run 6
Toned Body Workout
Handstands day 1!
Breakfast: Groovy Smoothie
Mid-Morning snack: cucumber and celery sticks with Hummus
Lunch: Spicy Broccoli and Chickpea Stew
Mid-Afternoon snack: grapes with handful raw nuts and seeds
Dinner: Quinoa and Butternut Squash

Saturday
Walk
Yoga
Breakfast: Harvest Smoothie
Mid-Morning snack: apple with almond butter
Lunch: Autumn Spinach Salad 
Mid-Afternoon snack: carrots and green pepper sticks with Spicy White Bean Dip
Dinner: Fall Lentils with Leeks

Sunday
Walk
Yoga
Breakfast: Coconut Pumpkin Quinoa
Mid-morning snack: grapes with handful raw nuts and seeds
Appetizer Party: I'm bringing vegan crab balls, a vegan cheese ball wit veggies and magic cookies

On 100 days of crowing

100 days ago, I was doing a yoga session, a brief 30 minute practice, with a youtube video from Adriene. In her video, she said that even if she only practiced mountain pose each day for 100 days, she would feel amazing. I thought I would attempt a pose every day for 100 days and see what happened. I chose crow because it was a pose that I could do (most of the time), but struggled with. My goal in 2015 was to be able to handstand/headstand, but I'm not there yet, so working on this arm balance seemed like a good idea. I also liked the idea of doing something that made me happy for 100 days.

Here is what I've learned/gained from this journey:

I've been to the mat every day since I started, whether for 5 minutes or for 50. This is amazing. While I am no accomplished yogi, I feel yoga in my soul. But I've never before had this kind of consistency in my practice. It is beautiful. And really, this challenge to myself has kept me accountable to that. Sure, it helped that I knew you were watching, rooting me on. But in the end, it was my own soul that wanted to be consistent. In my education classes, I teach that intrinsic motivation is more powerful than extrinsic. This is true in learning math or practicing yoga.

I am strong.  My core strength has improved.  My arm strength has improved.  My leg strength has improved. After I finished my PhD program, lots of people asked me what I was going to do with my free time. I responded that I wanted to get strong. I've played a bit with my pull-up bar. I've bought a 12 pound medicine ball. But nothing has improved my strength like crow. Now that I know I am strong, I want to be a superhero. I can do anything. I can fly! Of course I can, I can crow!

My balance has improved.At the beginning, I was able to hold the pose for only a few seconds, now I can hold it for at least a minute.  I understand dristé better. By sliding my gaze focus forward, my body naturally assumes balance. Not just in crowpose, though. While attending a yoga workshop last week, I noticed that my warriors were better balanced, my lunges smooth. 

Because I now have a better grasp of dristé, I'm now working towards more funky crow variations: the flying crow, one-legged, EPk2.... it's exciting to challenge myself, and while I get frustrated when I can't do it, I know that I am strong, and I can balance. So, I just need to keep trying. Every day.

I've gotten creative with my pictures. You may not know this, but I take most of my own pictures. I have a 10 second timer on my tablet, so I set it, then hustle into position. There have been lots of dog-butt outtakes! But I also have developed a more discerning eye for my pictures. There's better lighting outside. I like color. And I've gotten into looking around and asking myself "Can I crow on that?"

Speaking of dog-butts, the dogs have LOVED this practice. All the critters like yoga, they think it it playtime. But they love that I'm down everyday. Lily likes to check out my hands, she's sure I'm staring at something good to eat on the ground. (Which may be true, she's a beagle. To her, everything on the ground is good to eat.) Copper thinks that anytime I have my face near the ground I must need 100 kisses, and she takes her quotas very seriously. Jack is a big fan of my yoga mat. And he's a pro at both up and down dog poses.

Doing this for 100 days, I know I have become a better yoga practitioner. But I won't stop now. 

Don't worry.

Here's my progress. Taking pictures every day has really helped me to notice my improvements. Look at that! After 50 days, my feet were much higher off the ground. By 100 days, my back is straighter and my butt is way up there! Just imagine how great my crow could be if I KEEP practicing it!

Several people have asked "What now?" What will I be doing now that I've done 100 crows? Well, here's what I'm thinking... 

First of all, I want to encourage all of you to crow with me today. If you're not there yet, practice!

Secondly, I will be finishing out 2015 with more crows. So it won't just be 100 days of crow. It'll be 116 days of crow! Whoo!

I'm going to next be working towards more funky crows and arm balances.

Starting Jan 1, I'm going to begin my journey to inversions. I want to headstand,  handstand, scorpion, pincha. So, my daily pics will be a little more varied. But my goal will be to hit the mat every day in 2016.

Or my driveway. Or the trail. Or some weird rock that calls to me. Because I can crow anywhere!

Happy Crowing, Friends!

Plan December 12-17

So, I didn't stick to my plan last week. Life got in the way....
Rather than shopping again, here's my recipies shifted a bit.

Saturday
Run 1-2
180 squats
Corefit
Day 97 crowpose
Coffee & grits
Baked mac & "cheese" (ELYGAD)

Sunday
Run 1-2
Day 98 crowpose
Smoothie
Baked mac & "cheese"
Smoky zucchini cakes (HHmp)

Monday
Run 4
180 squats
Corefit
day 99 crowpose
Smoothie
Smoky zucchini cakes
Veggie pot pie (ELYGAD)

Tuesday
Run 1-2
190 squats
Corefit
day 100 crowpose!
Smoothie
Veggie pot pie
Almond broccoli pasta (HHmp)

Wednesday
Run 4
200 squats
Corefit
Smoothie
Almond broccoli pasta
Creamy potato curry (fok)

Thursday
Run 4
200 squats
Corefit
Smoothie
Creamy potato curry
Asian falafels (HHmp)

Plan Dec 7-13

Monday
Run 4
150 squats
Corefit
Muffin/banana/tofu
Leftovers 
Potato latkes (baked) (HH)

Tuesday
Run 1-2 miles
160 squats
Corefit
Muffin/banana/tofu
Latkes leftovers
Asian falafels (HHMP)

Wednesday
Run 4 miles
170 squats
Muffin/banana/tofu
Asian falafels
Baked mac & "cheese" (ELYGAD)

Thursday
Run 1-2 miles
180 squats
Corefit
Muffin/banana/tofu
Baked mac & "cheese"
Smoky zucchini cakes (HHMP)

Friday
Run 6 miles
Corefit
Muffin/banana/tofu
Smoky zucchini cakes
Veggie pot pie (ELYGAD)

Saturday
Run 1-2 miles
Corefit
180 squats
Muffin/banana/tofu
Veggie pot pie
Creamy potato curry (foK)

Sunday
Run 1-2 miles
Muffin/banana/tofu
Leftovers
Almond broccoli pasta (HHMP)

Plan Nov 30- Dec 6

Monday
Run 4
120 squats
15 min HIIT
Muffin/banana/tofu
Thanksliving leftovers
Maple ACV tofu with brussels sprouts (VeganDad)

Tuesday
Run 2
130 squats
30 min yoga
Muffin/banana/tofu
Maple ACV tofu with brussels sprouts
Falafel sweet potato (HHMP) (make ahead)
Choir concert

Wednesday
Run 5
140 squats
Muffin/banana/tofu
Falafel sweet potato
Potato curry soup

Thursday
Run 2
150 squats
60 min HIIT/ yoga
Muffin/banana/tofu
Potato curry soup
Pineapple fried rice (FoK) (make ahead)

Friday
Run 6
15 min HIIT
Muffin/banana/tofu
Lunch with Cari
Hummus & veggies

Saturday
Run 3
150 squats
30 min yoga
Muffin/banana/tofu
Pineapple fried rice
"Cheeseburger" casserole (HHMP)

Sunday
Run 2
Muffin/banana/tofu
"Cheeseburger" casserole
Jamaican curry tofu (VT)

Plan Nov 9-15

Monday
Run 4

Leftovers
Thai taquitos

Tuesday
Yoga

Thai taquitos
Pumpkin lentil curry (make ahead)

Wednesday
Run 4

Pumpkin lentil curry
Cauliflower fried rice (I am veganizing and WFBPing this recipe... http://tiphero.com/cauliflower-fried-rice-1/?ref=fv)

Thursday
Yoga

Cauliflower fried rice
Smoked potato and corn chowder (make ahead)

Friday
Run 4

Smoked potato and corn chowder
Spinach Artichoke Fettuccine

Saturday

Sunday
Run

Plan Nov 2 - 8

Monday
Run 4
Pumpkin bagel
Leftovers
Broccoli quiona tots

Tuesday
BBT
Breakfast sandwich
Broccoli Quiona tots
Lentil-rice loaf

Wednesday
Run 4
Breakfast sandwich
Lentil-rice loaf
Shepard's Pie soup

Thursday
BBT
Breakfast sandwich
Shepard's Pie soup
Leftovers

Friday
Run 8
Breakfast sandwich
Sweet potato linguine

Saturday
Yoga
Breakfast sandwich
Zucchini burgers

Sunday
Breakfast sandwich
Tiki masala bowl

Plan Oct 26-Nov 1

Monday
Pilates
Breakfast sandwich
Southwest wrap
Butternut squash soup & cornbread

Tuesday
Arms workout
Pumpkin muffins
Steamed tofu, veggies & rice
Thai sweet potatoes

Wednesday
Run 4
Pumpkin muffins
Thai sweet potatoes
Sirrachia "fish" tacos

Thursday
Yoga
Pumpkin muffins
Sirrachia "fish" tacos
Pumpkin soup & cornbread

Friday
Smoothie
Lunch out
Mac & "cheese" & broccoli

Saturday
Run 12
Breakfast sandwich
Leftover Mac & "cheese" & broccoli

Sunday
Rest day
Snickerdoodle baked oatmeal
Leftovers
Chickpea noodle soup

I hope I'm not getting sick. My throat is sore this am. This is the last week of my "science experiment" although I wasn't very good at it last week.
I've now been crowing for 50 days. 50 more to go! If I were Mark Whatney, I'd eat one of my 5 meals today.

Plan October 12-18

Monday
Run +abs
Smoothie
Sweet potato, Veggies & hummus
Vegetable pot pie

Tuesday
BBT  +21fix
Smoothie
Vegetable pot pie
Instant pesto pasta

Wednesday
Run +abs
Smoothie
Instant pesto pasta
Pumpkin falafel pitas

Thursday
BBT +21fix
Smoothie
Pumpkin falafel pitas
Jerk chickpeas

Friday
Run +abs
Smoothie
Jerk chickpeas
Harvest salad (2)

Saturday
Smoothie
Walk for farm animals
Lunch at event
Spinach artichoke dip soup (3)

Sunday
Smoothie
Faire
Spinach pinwheels
Curried pumpkin lentil soup (2)

Plan, October 5 - 11

Monday
Run 4
Smoothie
Eggplant falafel burger
Pumpkin pancakes and tofu scramble

Tuesday
BBT
Smoothie
Pumpkin pancakes and tofu scramble
Sweet potato linguine

Wednesday
Run 4
Smoothie
Sweet potato linguine
Pumpkin Enchiladas 

Thursday
BBT
Smoothie
Pumpkin Enchiladas 
Vegetable rice casserole

Friday
Run 11
Smoothie
Vegetable rice casserole
Texas white chili

Saturday
Yoga
Smoothie
Texas white chili
Greek tacos

Sunday
Yoga
Smoothie
Greek tacos
Pumpkin chili

Plan September 28-October 4

Monday
Run
Smoothie
Leftover curry tofu scramble
Buffalo cauliflower lentil tacos
Pre-cook T, Th meals

Tuesday
BBT/Yoga
Smoothie
Buffalo cauliflower lentil tacos
Chana aloo stew (make on Monday)

Wednesday
Run
Smoothie
Chana aloo stew
Winesday

Thursday
BBT/Yoga
Smoothie
Belizey burrito (make on Monday)
Creamy dijon pasta (make on Monday)

Friday
Long Run
Smoothie
Creamy dijon pasta
Eggplant falafel burgers

Saturday
DC VEG FEST!!!
Smoothie

Sunday
Smoothie
Eggplant falafel burgers
Belizey burrito

A book to read, a book to avoid, and a book to revisit...

I haven't done as much reading in the last month as I usually do. No excuses, really. I'm busy with getting my work published and this semester I am teaching quite a bit. There have been three books I've read recently that deserve discussion, however.

A book to read....
The advent of Sage by Scott Newman

You may recall I reviewed Newman's first book, Draco, here. This second book of the series finds Draco going to Japan to fight the Yakuza, the evil criminal empire that killed his friends and the love of his life. With great battle scenes, and martial arts sequences, this book often reads like a graphic novel. I particularly enjoyed the X-Men like special school that Draco has clearly been chosen for, through his discovery of the book that started it all in the first novel.  Of course, Draco is the most talented student since Sage, who becomes part of the Yazuka, and Draco is pitted against him in several fights, including the climatic battle. Poignant in imagery is one of these first fights atop a snowy mountain.
My favorite part about this book, however, is the character development of Kat, Draco's partner who not only saves him in several situations, but most importantly, grounds Draco in his self discovery.
Newman's writing style is clearly an homage to martial arts films and Japanese animation, and his dialogue and character development have improved in this second novel. Frequently, authors find their voice and flow with additional publications, and Newman fits in this category. We are left eagerly awaiting the next adventures.  I had a chance to ask Scott about his next book, which is currently being written.  He said that Draco's adventures would continue in the next book with a super Martial Arts tournament.  This new book, he says will have more action and that the characters will be more diverse and philosophical. I look forward to future books in this series!

A book to avoid.....
Go set a Watchman by Harper Lee

I loved To kill a mockingbird, so when I heard that Lee's first book featuring Scout was going to be published, I pre-ordered it. At first, it was okay. This book started with 20-something Scout returning to Maycomb from New York, for a vacation. I could picture Scout growing up to be this Jean-Louise, and it was fun to think about how these characters would have evolved. However, it quickly soured. First of all, Jem is dead, and this issue is never resolved. Secondly, the pseudo-romance between Scout and Hank is tedious. There is one major issue with this book that should cause any potential reader to have second thoughts. Racism.
After I'd ordered the book, I read the initial reviews of this book, several people noted that some readers may be disappointed in finding out that Atticus was a racist. I wondered how terrible it could be. IT WAS TERRIBLE.Holy goodness, bad. Scout finds out upon her return that not only is racism rampant in Maycomb, but her father, Atticus, and her maybe fiance Henry are members of the Klan. The second half of this book is dedicated to arguments and conversations in which both try to justify themselves to Scout. I couldn't wait for it to just be over, and I'm not only sad that I spent money on this book, but  I may never be able to read Mockingbird again.

 A book to revisit....
The Time Traveler's wife by Audrey Niffenger

Sometimes, like above, a book is so terrible that I am dissuaded from reading anything at all. So I revisited one of my top-ten favorite books, a story about a chrono-displaced man and the woman he loves. Re-reading favorite books is soothing, like hearing a beloved song on the radio, or wearing an old, worn t-shirt. It is comfortable and fits right. I love re-reading a favorite book, because each time I find something new to love about the book.
This time around, I have been really entranced by how Niffenger chose to order the book.  Really, she could have told the story from the point of view of Claire- meeting Henry at age 6, and her acceptance of Henry's comings and goings, or it could have been told in Henry's order, can you imagine meeting someone at age 20 who has known you for years? I've also been fascinated with the idea that this story could also have been told from Alba's eyes.  I could see how a sequel to this book all about Alba would have done well, but I am so glad it wasn't written.  That would have cheapened the love story here.

This week, I am looking forward to the new releases of The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood and Free Country: The Children's Crusade by Neil Gaiman.  Ahh, fall. Bring me cool weather, warm coffee, and some lovely books to read.

Happy reading, friends!

And so, then, what do we do about the fraud police?

The fraud police. We all know about them.  You may call them by another name, but they're there for everyone. Some of us worry about the fraud police more than others, but everyone has at one point or another felt the fear of being discovered by the fraud police.

I never put a name to this fear before I read Amanda Palmer's book, The Art of Asking.  But she fears the fraud police, too.

The fraud police. This is the fear of someone one day discovering that you've been faking it. That you're not worthy. And because we all harbor these self doubts, we all live in fear of being outed by the FP.

Here's the thing. I am a successful person. I am smart. I am fun. I work hard. And I live in fear of the fraud police.

When I was finishing my PhD program, my mentor called me and told me to apply for graduation. I waited a month before I told anyone.

A month.

Why? Because what if they'd made a mistake? What if my research was really stupid and not worthy of the degree? WHAT IF I TOLD PEOPLE AND THEN DIDN'T DO IT??

This is the fraud police.

I finished my program. I invited my family to graduation and it was wonderful, magical.  Today I spoke with my mentor and we discussed publishing something together. Now I am one of the few people at my work with a PhD, and the only woman in my division with this standing.

But then, in a string of emails among a committee that I serve on, there was a debate. I weighed in with what I thought was a good option, and several people thought that my idea was a great one.  However, one person on the committee, a person that I've looked up to for a long time, a person with lots of experience, sent me an email that said "You're wrong, DOC." Ergh. Fraud police. Was I wrong to voice my idea? Lots of other people liked it, and  in the end, the committee is going to follow my suggestion.

Later, in a discussion with him, I found out that he felt slighted that I didn't automatically just agree with him.  His feelings were hurt. Huh.

So. What do we do about this blasted fraud police?

In the end, there is nothing we CAN do.  The fraud police will always be there.

The dangers of being a mathematician runner....

On Sunday, I ran the Air Force/Navy Half Marathon.  This is my 5th half, and by far my best.  I had a good training summer, even with a three week hiatus of Niki visitation. The weather was great, I felt great.  I forgot to eat breakfast, but Rob met me up at mile 8.5 with a vegan bar, which was AMAZING.

This year, for the first time, the race management didn't outright ban ipods and earphones.  In the past, they have, but everyone (at least in my part of the pack) disregarded that rule, because the worst thing that could happen is that you wouldn't be allowed to win.  Trust me, no one won in my part of the pack.  My part of the pack, winning is just FINISHING. 

This year, I was glad to see them rescind that ruling.  I mean, I'm a slow runner. I finished in record time, 2:59, but that's still HOURS of just listening to your feet pounding and your breath heaving.  I find I actually slow down when I start thinking too much, which I do without a distraction of an audio track.

Even with the audio, I can still let myself slip into a zone where I over think.  For instance, as I was coming up on mile 8, I passed my friend, Rune, running the other direction.  Rune ran the half, and is much faster than I. He was at mile 10 or so.  His partner, and my friend, Cari, had joked on the train ride in that he would finish the half about at the same pace that she walked the 5 mile race course. 

I got to thinking.  And when a mathematician gets to thinking, what we are really doing is writing and solving word problems.

If Rune does 13 miles in the same time that Cari does 5 miles, how much faster is he running? If I was still only at mile 8 when Rune and Cari finished, would Rune/my speed = My speed/Cari?  If I ran at a 10% increased speed, what would that mean?

By the time I was done calculating these out in my head, I noticed that my pace had dropped from 11:15 to 14:55 per mile.  Shoot. That is why I need my ipod.

Anyway, the RUNNING SEASON is now upon us.  If you are a runner, good races friends.  If you are not, watch out for runners on the road.  Especially those wearing ipods.

Plan September 14-20

Monday
Rob's birthday
Yoga, abs, walk
365 smoothie
Everlasting life leftovers
"Lobster Rolls" (HHMP)

Tuesday
Legs & cardio BBT, yoga
365 smoothie
"lobster Rolls"
Grilled sweet potato salad (HHMP)

Wednesday
Run 5, yoga
365 smoothie
Grilled sweet potato salad
Chickpea ceasar salad tacos (HHMP)

Thursday
Abs & arms BBT,  yoga
365 smoothie
Chickpea ceasar salad tacos
Tomato rigatoni (HHMP)

Friday
Run 6, yoga
365 smoothie
Packet pickup and lunch with Cari
Mac Attack Burgers (HHMP)

Saturday
Faire
Yoga, abs
365 smoothie
Leftover portobello burger
Leftover Mac and "cheese"

Sunday
Half marathon
Pre-run breakfast of bananas and PB
Lunch out
Frito salad

Vegan MoFo day 7

For today, we were to make a vegan dish inspired by a book or movie, etc.

I thought I'd be inspired by the only time I liked a movie or tv show better than a book. Because, lets face it, the book is always better. Except here.

Sorry to tell you, Piper Kerman, your book was poorly written and pretty terrible. But you, go, girl. You get mad revenues for the tv show, which is great.

Season 3 came out, and no spoiler alerts, because we like to take our time. One episode per night, if that.

But there's a scene where Chang makes fritters in the prison microwave using frito chips and peas.

Raise your hand if you're an OITNB watcher and you didn't want to try that.
Now put them down because you're a liar.

In this scene, Chang smashes up a bag of fritos (vegan!) Mixes in peas, and ends up with something that looks delicious. A brief scan of the web reveals multiple blog posts where people have tried to replicate her method. The consensus is that microwaving doesn't get you anything with an appealing texture. They all recommend pan frying the fritters. I do 2 only as an experiment, as I think frying fritos in even more oil has got to be gross.

I also microwave a couple, as she does in the show. These get the best look, but end up being mushy inside.

And I bake a few, which initially looks like a great idea, but then they all fall apart when I go to flip them.

Sigh. I resort to then making Orange is the new black bean nachos. With black beans, vegan crumbles, shredded romaine lettuce, daiya cheddar,  sliced jalapeño and some salsa atop a bed of tortilia chips.

Vegan MoFo day 6

Today's challenge in Vegan MoFo was to re-create a restaurant meal.

My goal yesterday was to make a lovely Buddha Bowl. My favorite restaurant Buddha  Bowl I ate a number of years ago when visiting my dear friend Kimmy in NYC. She was performing with a belly dance troupe in Grenwich village and I took myself to dinner when she was rehearsing before the show.

While wandering around, I found a cute little restaurant that had a communal table. The bowl I ordered and ate there was served in a wooden bowl, and was brown rice, tofu, red cabbage, greens, and other root vegetables. The next two times I visited my friend, I looked and looked for this restaurant. I never found it again....

So, today I went down to our rental house that is currently on the market to paint. I got a little frustrated due to an alarm issue, and the fact I left some necessities at home. On my way home, I deviated from my original plan and I stopped at our favorite Chinese takeout where they have a number of vegan items on the menu. I picked up some vegan General Tsos Tofu with broccoli, and at the liquor store next door, a bottle of Malbec.

So I guess I recreated a restaurant meal by buying a restaurant meal?

Now, do you want to hear about my alarm issue? One of our previous tenants installed an alarm system. I left the doors open while I was painting to air it out, and the system kept beeping. So. I went to the wall panel to try to turn off the beeps, and somehow that activated and armed the system. The next time I opened the door, sirens started wailing. Holy crap. 

So I called the alarm cimpany and told them about my situation. They said they couldn't/wouldn't disarm it or reset it or even tell me how because I wasn't the account holder (the tenant). They also said they wouldn't send a technician unless I opened an account with them for the property. Bah.

Giving up on getting any help from them, I pulled the system from the wall, and started pulling wires from the unit. It stopped before the cops showed up!

Vegan MoFo day 5

For day 5 of Vegan MoFo, we are to share the best sandwich ever.  The sandwich I will share with you here could have also been my post for breakfast or for quick and easy.

How do I know this is the best sandwich ever? Easy,  I have eaten it TWO TIMES TODAY.

Yup. I planned to have it for lunch today, and something else for dinner. But it was so delicious, I ate it all before I took any pictures! Oh! So sad!

Today I went on my long run. I did a little over 11 miles, and when I got home, I was tired and hungry. This is my favorite post-run meal.

This sandwich, a little yoga, some netflix binge watching, and a nap are my post run glories!

I first got the idea for this sandwich from a Vegan Zombie take on a Strong Hearts breakfast. Over the years, I have modified this recipe to be my own. I call it my tofu breakfast sandwich. The two most important ingredients are a nooch encrusted tofu and a tortilia.

Today, I started by tossing my tofu in a mixture of nutritional yeast and flax seed meal. I make this sandwich so often that I keep a mixture of this combination in my fridge at all times.

Then I put them in my cast iron skillet with a tiny bit of coconut oil, and two tempeh bacon slices.

Today I also added some daiya cheddar shreds and some baked sweet potato. I generally bake a sweet potato or two every time I turn on my oven, I use them in everything. I've also been known to add greens, both steamed and raw, avocado, or zucchini. I love to drizzle a bit of hot sauce over top.

Vegan MoFo day 4

Today, I want to share with you a weird food combination that I love.

But first, let me tell you about my day. Sigh, Thursdays are exhausting. I drafted an overload of classes this semester, and also have choir practice. So I have to get up super early to work out, and I have all three meals either on the go or at work. I actually got home a little early tonight, but I am pooped. It will take me a few days to get back into the swing of the semester.

Anyway, I love adding in fruit to my entrée dishes. Especially at this time of year, when fruits are so fresh and juicy! I have two dishes to share with you.

The first is a dinner recipe from The Vegan Zombie. A citrus baked tofu.

I baked the tofu in a marinade of orange juice and tamari. Then finished it off in a skillet.

I also made some couscous, and broccolini.

The second dish I want to share with you is a Happy Herbivore recipe for a peach and white bean quesidilia. 

I love quesidilias!! I eat quesidilias, but never get through a loaf of bread.

Just a simple mash of beans, tahini, basil, and pink salt. Then an addition of peach slices and romaine lettuce.

Plan September 7-13

Monday
BBT & yoga
Make / eat some thing inspired by a book or film.
Blueberry beginning smoothie 365
Orange is the new black bean burrito
Eggless salad sandwich (HHVK)

Tuesday
BBT & yoga
Reach out! Make a new vegan friend & tell us about it.
Blueberry banana builder smoothie 365
Eggless salad sandwich
Coconut chickpea curry (HH)

Wednesday
Run 5
Yoga
Most retro recipe.
Blueberry brainiac smoothie 365
Coconut chickpea curry
Creamy Cashew Potpie (HHVK)

Thursday
BBT & yoga
Something blue.
Blue chia paradise  smoothie 365
Creamy cashew pot pie
Protein shake

Friday
Run 12
Yoga
Focus on a nutrient
Quiet bluebird smoothie 365
Slow-cooker enchiladas (HH)

Saturday
Yoga
Tell us about your favourite cookbook!
Raw green smoothie 
Corn & black bean cakes  (HH)
TBD

Sunday
Yoga
It’s kitchen tour time!
Raw green smoothie
Thai Peanut Pizzas (HH)
Sushi

HH- Happy herbivore
HHVK- Happy healthy vegan kitchen
365- 365 vegan smoothies

Vegan MoFo day 3

For the third day of Vegan MoFo,  I share with you a quick and easy meal.
This meal isn't necessarily quick to cook, but it is quickly assembled, and the perfect kind of meal for the start of a busy semester.

Today was the first day of fall semester classes. I have drafted a heavy load this term, and will need to start pre-prepping meals and packing lunches.

For these baked potatoes, I used my automatic timer setting on my oven to get them cooking while I was at work.   I washed the potatoes the night before, then this morning, I set my oven to come on at 3pm at 300 degrees. I vary how long I cook my potatoes. If I can cook them all day (generally in the winter when I don't mind the oven being on all day, I cook them for 5-6 hours at 200 degrees.

I love some vegan products to top my potatoes. I have steamed veggies (for convenience,  I buy pre-washed and chopped veggies that I can steam in the bag), maple tempeh bacon, tofutti sour cream, daiya cheddar cheese, and earth balance butter.

While I prepped my potato, I also made up my lunch for tomorrow. In addition, when I baked my potatoes, I also baked two sweet potatoes that I will use in other recipes this week. I also steamed all the veggies so that I can eat them on Friday!

Vegan MoFo day 2

For today's MoFo, we were asked to veganize a meal from our childhood.

I was not raised in a veg household, but I became a vegetarian at the age of 10. At that point, I started to do most of my own cooking. Before that, I honestly donxt remember that many family meals. My dad traveled quite a bit for work, and my mom worked at night. The only meals I remember with any sort of clarity were the chicken curry, jamazetti, and hamburger gravy.

The hamburger gravy was the first recipe I recreated with vegetarian ingredients on my own. I used fake meat crumbles, and felt pretty proud of myself. This went on to become a favorite comfort food in my adult household. My daughter used to request it all the time.

When I made the shift to veganism, this recipe was an easy transition. As I became a better cook, and started learning more about food and wholezfood ingredients, this recipe has evolved.

Here it is in its current incarnation.  A vegan tempeh gravy over polenta and wilted arugula.

Ingredients:
1 tube polenta, sliced into 1/4" rounds
2 cups arugula
1 package tempeh, sliced into 1" chunks
1 T tamari
1/4 c flour
1/2 - 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
Black pepper

In a skillet, steam tempeh with a little water. Add tamari. Break up chunks with a potato masher.
When it is soft, add flour and milk to make gravy. Add pepper to taste.
In second skillet, use a little bit of oil to fry up polenta rounds. After they are done, wilt the arugula.

On plates, place polenta, top with arugula then gravy. I also added a little dill for flavor and color.
Serves 3.

I have found that I became a decent cook when I was vegetarian, but now, as a vegan, I feel like I am a very good cook. Have any of you found that?

Otherwise, the semester starts today! So my lovely summer freetime is gone. Sigh. No more long runs every day. My puppies will miss me during the day!

Vegan MoFo day 1

I will once again be blogging for the awesome Vegan Month of food for September.

Vegan MoFo allows us to share delicious, healthy foods with the world, and I'm excited you are here!

This year, the folks at Vegan MoFo have changed it up a bit, and every day we will be posting on a different topic. Today, the prompt is: Rise and shine! It's MoFo time! Tell us about your breakfast!

I generally have green smoothies for breakfast. My favorite combo is spinach, banana, and almond milk. But with summer, my fruit haul has been bountiful. I've been cutting and chopping fruits to freeze,  and enjoying some sweeter smoothies lately!

Today, I started with 4 ice cubes, and 1 cup of water. I recently have been reading Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink,  and one thing Ixve been thinking about as a result of that book is that I feel fuller in the morning when my smoothie is BIGGER. So I've been adding in extra ice and water. This not only tricks my brain, but also hydrates! Win!

Next up, I add protein powder. Now, vegans are absolutely able to get all the protein they need from a whole food diet, and not need supplements. But on days when I have a good run, I find a little protein powder helps. Lately, I've been really digging on this vanilla pea powder from Raw Green Organics.  I also added in some powdered wheat grass and orac. If I had raw spinach,  that would be better.

Frozen bananas are a must, and add a great creamy texture to a smoothie. I like to buy the discounted bananas and I store them In my fridge. 

*note: some people like to get crazy with bananas in their smoothies,  but that adds a lot of calories.  Unless you're an athlete who is mono-mealing, trust me, no more than one banana....

I cut up and froze cantaloupe for just this reason! 

Oh,  yum,  this one is very thick and creamy! 

The best start to my day! (Well,  after my 6 mile run,  that is! )

What did you have for breakfast? 

Plan Aug 31 - Sept 6

Monday
Run 4
Raw green smoothie
Peach caprese quesidilia (HH)
Citrus baked tofu (TVZ) with rice and broccolini

Tuesday
Rise and Shine! It’s MoFo time! Tell us about your breakfast.
Walk
BBT
Raw green smoothie
Citrus baked tofu
Biscuits & tempeh gravy (IM)

Wednesday
Recreate a meal from your childhood.
Run 4
Raw green smoothie
Biscuits & tempeh gravy
Vegan loaded baked potatoes (Z)

Thursday
Quick, easy and delicious.
BBT
Raw green smoothie
Vegan loaded baked potato
Protein shake (pre-make this on Wednesday)

Friday
Tell us about a weird food combo that you love.
Run 12
Pre-run breakfast of bananas & pb
Tofu sandwich (Z)
Sweet potato & black bean quesidilia  (HH/Z)

Saturday
Best sandwich ever.
Walk
BBT
Raw green smoothie
Sweet potato & black bean quesidilia
Buddha tempeh bowl (Z)

Sunday
Re-create a restaurant meal.
Walk
Raw green smoothie
Buddha tempeh bowl
Vegan Nachos  (Z)

Happy almost September!  This year, once again, I will be blogging daily for VEGAN MOFO! So expect to be bombarded with all sorts of awesomeness. But, more on that Tomorrow!

This week classes start. Usually we start right after Labor Day, but this year that falls too late. So, it will take a little adjusting getting back into the swing of normal life.

Food this week: I've been using a lot of the Happy Herbivore plan meals lately, but for September, I want to get back into mixing it up with recipes from my burgeoning cookbook collection and stuff I just make up. Since I will be welcoming MoFo readers, I'll try to be better about posting the origin of my recipies this month.

For instance, here's a meal I invented the other night. I call it Vegetable pasta

Ingredients:
8 oz pasta (I used spirals)
1 slightly cooked sweet potato, peeled and cubed (baked for 1 hour @ 350- softer, but not squishy)
1/2 onion, diced
2 green bell peppers, chopped
1 package crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 tomato, diced
Garlic powder, dill, and pink salt, to taste

Cook the pasta according to directions. Drain and set aside.
Sautee the onions in a light drizzle of olive oil. Add green peppers.
When onions start to get lighter, add mushrooms and sweet potato. Sautee for 3-5 minutes.
Add tomato, and seasonings.

In bowls, top pasta with veggies & serve.
Serves 4.

Simple.

Exercise this week: I am still training for distance running. I'd like to get to marathon distance by November, but right now, I'm focusing on my September race, the Air Force/ Navy half marathon. So I am back to running. A lot. I also am entering week two of a strength training program (BBT). It is pretty intense. The first workout I did was just for abs, and it hurt to laugh or sneeze for two full days afterward! I'm also still doing yoga every day. This month I'll be participating in a daily yoga challenge on Ig, if you want to follow there.

Reading this week: I am currently reading Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee, Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink, and listening to The Amazing adventures of Kavalier and Clay (one of my favorites!) by Michael Chabon, and The Holy by Daniel Quinn.

Guide to initials: After each recipe above, I've listed initials of where I got said recipe.  Every recipe I make is a variation of what is given. I've never been good at following rules. If I've taken a wide spin on a recipe,  I list both my initials & the source, meaning that the meal I make is so much of a variation I take ownership.
(Z)- me
(HH)- Happy Herbivore
(TVZ)-The vegan zombie
(IM)-Isa Moskowitz

Plan August 17-23

Wednesday
Run 4 (I have missed running!)
Yoga
Green smoothie
Lunch with Cari
Monster salad

Thursday
BBT
Walk
Yoga
Green smoothie
Monster salad
Summer pasta salad

Friday
Run (hopefully 10, at least 6)
Yoga
Green smoothie
Summer pasta salad
Samosa lettuce wraps

Saturday
BBT
Yoga
Work @ house
Green smoothie
Samosa wraps
Mushroom & olive hummus pita 

Sunday
Yoga
Work @ house
Green smoothie
Mushroom & olive hummus pita

This has been a busy, busy summer. With all of my traveling, my writing and studies, and having my niece with me, I haven't run, cooked, or read as much as I've wanted. And now, the pre-semester stuff starts this week!
This past weekend, I traveled with my family to Minneapolis for my doctoral hooding ceremony. It was pretty groovy.  Starting Wednesday, I plan on getting back to my own food, resuming running, and starting a 16 week training program to build all-over body strength (BBT).

Plan August 24-30

Monday
Run 4
BBT
Yoga
Raw green smoothie
Weekend leftovers
Fajita pizzas

Tuesday
Run 11
Yoga
Raw green smoothie
Fajita pizzas
BBQ pasta salad

Wednesday
BBT
Yoga
Evening meetings
Raw green smoothie
BBQ pasta salad
Dinner @ work

Thursday
Run 4
Yoga
Raw green smoothie
Veggie sandwich or vegan field trip
Moo shu tofu

Friday
Run 4
BBT
Yoga
Raw green smoothie
Moo shu tofu
Polenta & black beans

Saturday
Yoga
Faire
Raw green smoothie
Polenta & black beans

Sunday
Yoga
Raw green smoothie
Smoked corn chowder

This week I'll be super busy getting ready for the fall semester. I have to go to work almost every day. I'm hoping that I get mostly ready by Wednesday evening, I'd like to have a vegan field trip date with my friend, Tina, on Thursday. I've rearranged my long run day this week as I have a defense call with my committee on Friday so my dissertation can go into publication phase. Saturday, I'll start a moonlighting gig at the Md. Ren Faire. If you go, come buy a hat from me! I'll be at The Tall Toad most weekends!

I am on a 17 week drive to GET STRONG. I am determined to keep my winning ski race streak alive vs. my dad in CO this year! And I really want abs. So this week I start week 1 of bikini body training, where I will add strength training 3x per week to my running regimine.

8 weeks of healthy habits week 8

8 Weeks of Healthy Habits! Last week! Are you still here? Whether you've been keeping up with the challenge or if you've quit, but want to jump back in, let's go out with a bang! Post about what you're doing!

Welcome to week 8 of our #8weeksofhealthyhabits.  Each week, I will post an overview of the upcoming week's goals with some helpful links and info. The purpose of this challenge is not to be stressful, preachy, or overbearing, just a fun way to incorporate some new ideas.  If you like something that we do, please feel free to incorporate it into your daily/weekly schedule and really make it a new habit. If you're looking to really up your game, try the #DaisyDukeStrong challenge at the bottom of this post.

The fun part about these challenges is the sharing.  See if you can post a thought or a selfie each day to the facebook page about what you're doing.  If you're an Instagram user, you can also post there, using the hashtags #PIG and #8weeksofhealthyhabits

Week 8:

Sunday: Take some time to reflect on your day & the last week. Write in a journal, or share to your blog.  Journaling on a regular basis can help you gain insight to your own humanity.

Monday: How many crunches can you do? If you've been keeping up with the crunch challenge, you're close to 200! Wake up early and see what you can do!

Tuesday: Try a WFPB dinner (whole foods plant based). Need some recipe ideas? Check out happyherbivore.com forksoverknives.com or engine2diet.com

Wednesday: Try an AM yoga routine.

Thursday:  Eat a monster salad for lunch! How many greens can you fit in your bowl?

Friday: Free Fitness! Post a selfie of you doing your favorite activity to the facebook page! Each Friday will be Free Fitness Friday. You get to choose the activity- just get up and do something and share it with the rest of us! If you post to Instagram, don't forget your hashtags, #PIG and #8weeksofhealthyhabits

Saturday: Listen to music that makes you happy!

Bonus into next week....

Sunday 7/19: Write about your day/week in a journal or blog

Monday 7/20: Walk or run a 5k (3.1 miles)!

Tuesday 7/21: Eat fruit for a dessert or snack. 

Wednesday 7/22: Try some simple bodyweight exercises. Push ups, squats, etc.

Daisy Duke Strong Challenge

Now, if you want that extra challenge, here's the week overview of #DaisyDukeStrong! Myself, I did better with these last week. It was easier to break up everything into smaller sets.

Sunday: 170 crunches, 170 squats
Monday: 175 crunches, 175 squats, 5 sets of 17-21 push-ups each
Tuesday: rest day
Wednesday: 175 crunches, 175 squats, 5 sets of 17-21 push-ups each
Thursday: 180 crunches, 180 squats
Friday: 185 crunches, 185 squats, 5 sets of 17-21 push-ups each
Saturday: 190 crunches, 190 squats

Bonus into next week....

Sunday: rest day
Monday: 190 crunches, 190 squats, 5 sets of 20-24 push-ups each 
Tuesday: 195 crunches, 195 squats
Wednesday: 200 crunches, 200 squats, 5 sets of 20-24 push-ups each

Plan July 13-19

Monday
Run 4
Yoga
Pina Colada Smoothie
Weekend leftovers
Taco Pizzas

Tuesday
Walk
Yoga
Lemon drop overnight oatmeal
Taco Pizas
Quiona Nori Rolls

Wednesday
Run 4
Yoga
Strawberry Banana Spinach Smoothie
Quiona Nori Rolls
Orange Broccoli Bowls

Thursday
Walk
Yoga
Samoa overnight oatmeal
Orange Broccoli Bowls
Buffalo Chickpea Pasta Bowls

Friday
Run 10
Yoga
Green Matcha Latte Smoothie
Buffalo Chickpea Pasta Bowls
Hawiian BBQ Quesidilias

Saturday
Yoga
Raw Green Smoothie
Hawaiian BBQ Quesidilias
Mediterranean Hummus Pasta

Sunday
Yoga
Raw Green Smoothie
Mediterranean Hummus Pasta
Dinner TBA

Is anyone else loving green smoothies as much as me lately? 

Oh, man, I have so much to do this week. Today I'll finish proofing my dissertation so it can go to my committee this week. I have to put in some maintenance hours at the rental house, since we're putting it up for sale (if you want to buy an adorable house next to Pax River, let me know!), and I need to make marshmallow shooters for 30 people! (Marshmallows of coyrse are not vegan or vegetarian, so I will call mine a Dandies shooter!) I also need to make a Dr.s appointment,  get my dogs groomed, and clean my car. Whew! I'm tired. Better go back to bed.

Of course this week I will continue doing Yoga every day. I'm cutting back my LSD run this Friday to 10 miles since lately when I've been tryin 15+ I've really struggled. I'm going to reclaim my joy in a nice 10 miler.

It's been a while since I've shared a recipe, so I wanted to give you this one, which I've recently discovered. I was never an Ice cream fan, it was always so cold, and it felt like it coated my throat. This recipe, though is for "Nice Cream" which I love on hot days, especially after a run. It can be a dessert, but it is also healthy enough to serve as a breakfast! There are also lots of variations you can play with. This recipe serves 1, but is easy to double or make even up to 4 servings at once, depending on your food processor.

Chocolate Nice Cream
Serves 1

Ingredients:
2 bananas,  frozen
Non-dairy milk (I use unsweetened original almond milk)
1 spoonful "dark chocolate dreams" peanut butter

Put bananas and peanut butter in your food processor, and add a splash of non-dairy milk. I would start with less than what you think you will need then add more until you get a creamy texture.

Eat right away. You'll be amazed at how the natural sweetness of the bananas comes through.

Some variations:
Instead of the chocolate PB, try adding regular PB for a nutty flavor
Add 2 dates and a drop of vanilla extract for a sweet vanilla flavor
Add a cup of strawberries  (I pre-freeze these, too) for a strawberry flavor
The possible combinations are endless! 

8 weeks of healthy habits week 7

8 Weeks of Healthy Habits!

Welcome to week 7 of our #8weeksofhealthyhabits.  Each week, I will post an overview of the upcoming week's goals with some helpful links and info. The purpose of this challenge is not to be stressful, preachy, or overbearing, just a fun way to incorporate some new ideas.  If you like something that we do, please feel free to incorporate it into your daily/weekly schedule and really make it a new habit. If you're looking to really up your game, try the #DaisyDukeStrong challenge at the bottom of this post.

The fun part about these challenges is the sharing.  See if you can post a thought or a selfie each day to the facebook page about what you're doing.  If you're an Instagram user, you can also post there, using the hashtags #PIG and #8weeksofhealthyhabits

Week 7:

Sunday: Take some time to reflect on your day & the last week. Write in a journal, or share to your blog.  Journaling on a regular basis can help you gain insight to your own humanity.

Monday: It's dance party time again! Since the reunion is just a few weeks away, how about the Cotton eye Joe, or the Boot Scootin' boogie?

Tuesday: Green smoothie day again! Today I made a green smoothie with all of my leftover fruits, strawberries, bananas, peaches, and some kale. Yum.

Wednesday: Go for a walk today during lunch or after work. Give it 10 minutes. Then see if you want to do more!

Thursday:  Choose a healthy snack. Mia makes this awesome black bean dip which is basically just mashed black beans, lime juice, and garlic powder. Great for celery and carrot dipping!

Friday: Free Fitness! Post a selfie of you doing your favorite activity to the facebook page! Each Friday will be Free Fitness Friday. You get to choose the activity- just get up and do something and share it with the rest of us! If you post to Instagram, don't forget your hashtags, #PIG and #8weeksofhealthyhabits

Saturday: Meditate for 10 minutes

Daisy Duke Strong Challenge

Now, if you want that extra challenge, here's the week overview of #DaisyDukeStrong! Myself, I did better with these last week. It was easier to break up everything into smaller sets.

Sunday: 140 crunches, 140 squats
Monday: 145 crunches, 145 squats, 5 sets of 15-19 push-ups each
Tuesday: 150 crunches, 150 squats
Wednesday: 155 crunches, 155 squats, 5 sets of 15-19 push-ups each
Thursday: Rest day
Friday: 160 crunches, 160 squats, 5 sets of 15-19 push-ups each
Saturday: 165 crunches, 165 squats

Plan July 6-12

This week, I'm making recipes from some of my newest cookbooks!
I set aside 25 books to read over the summer, and realized last week how many of them were vegan/health related! I need to get reading/cooking!

Otherwise, I'm continuing to train for my marathon, and doing yoga every day.

Monday
Run 4
Yoga
Fruit smoothie
Weekend leftovers
Zucchini Lasagna  (Plantpower families, Rich Roll & Julie Piatt)

Tuesday
Walk
Yoga
Fruit smoothie
Zucchini Lasagna
Chickpea and zucchini fritters (Happy Healthy Vegan Kitchen)

Wednesday
Run 4
Yoga
Fruit smoothie
Chickpea zucchini fritters
Waldorf Style "Chicken" Salad (Living the Farm Sanctuary Life)

Thursday
Walk
Yoga
Fruit smoothie
Waldorf Salad
Baking Powder Biscuits and White Bean and Tempeh Sausage Gravy (Vegan with a Vengeance anniv. ed.)

Friday
Run 16
Yoga
Tofu sandwich
Biscuits and Gravy
Chickpea mock Tuna Salad

Saturday
Yoga
Zucchini Bread (Plantpower Family)
Chickpea salad

Tahini dipped nori rolls (Happy Herbivore)

Sunday
Yoga
Leftovers
Italian Pasta Salad (Happy Herbivore)

8 weeks of healthy habits week 6

8 Weeks of Healthy Habits!

Welcome to week 6 of our #8weeksofhealthyhabits.  Each week, I will post an overview of the upcoming week's goals with some helpful links and info. The purpose of this challenge is not to be stressful, preachy, or overbearing, just a fun way to incorporate some new ideas.  If you like something that we do, please feel free to incorporate it into your daily/weekly schedule and really make it a new habit. If you're looking to really up your game, try the #DaisyDukeStrong challenge at the bottom of this post.

The fun part about these challenges is the sharing.  See if you can post a thought or a selfie each day to the facebook page about what you're doing.  If you're an Instagram user, you can also post there, using the hashtags #PIG and #8weeksofhealthyhabits

Week 6:

Sunday: Take some time to reflect on your day & the last week. Write in a journal, or share to your blog.  Journaling on a regular basis can help you gain insight to your own humanity.

Monday: Try a dance workout! Boogie around!

Tuesday: Try having a day with no processed foods. See if you can eat only fresh, whole foods!

Wednesday:  Set your alarm 10 minutes early and do crunches before you get dressed for your day.

Thursday:  Drink a glass of water before each meal.

Friday: Free Fitness! Post a selfie of you doing your favorite activity to the facebook page! Each Friday will be Free Fitness Friday. You get to choose the activity- just get up and do something and share it with the rest of us! If you post to Instagram, don't forget your hashtags, #PIG and #8weeksofhealthyhabits

Saturday: Socialize today with friends! Talk and laugh with real people.

Daisy Duke Strong Challenge

Now, if you want that extra challenge, here's the week overview of #DaisyDukeStrong! Myself, I did better with these last week. It was easier to break up everything into smaller sets.

Sunday: 130 crunches, 130 squats
Monday: 5 sets of 12-17 push-ups each
Tuesday: 130 crunches, 130 squats
Wednesday: 125 crunches, 125 squats, 5 sets of 12-17 push-ups each
Thursday: 130 crunches, 130 squats
Friday: 135 crunches, 135 squats, 5 sets of 12-17 push-ups each
Saturday: rest day

Plan June 29- July 5

Monday
Run 4
Yoga
Mango mint smoothie
Beetza
Big Mac Potato

Tuesday
Walk
Yoga & Yin Yoga class
Maple & banana sweet potato
Eggless egg salad
Tropikale bowl

Wednesday
Run 4
Yoga
Cherry blueberry smoothie
Tropikale bowl
Triple green quesidilas

Thursday
Run 5k
Yoga
Peach pie smoothie
Triple green smoothie
Italian burgers

Friday
Run 15
Yoga
Tofu sandwich
Samosas

Saturday
Yoga
Patriotic smoothie
Picnic/ tailgating food

Sunday
Yoga
Mystery smoothie
Roasted veggies and white bean sandwich
Peachy bean quiona salad

Plan June 22-28

Monday
Yoga
Run 4
Watermelon basil juice
Sunday leftovers
Zucchini crab cakes

Tuesday
Yoga & walk
Mango mint smoothie *
Zucchini crab cakes
Monster tempeh tahini salad

Wednesday
Yoga
Run 4
Breakfast apple mug cake *
Monster tempeh tahini salad
Roasted Pizza chickpeas *

Thursday
Yoga & walk
Chocolate banana spinach smoothie *
Roasted Pizza chickpeas
Cauliflower samosa tacos

Friday
Yoga
Run 14
Tofu sandwich
Cauliflower samosa tacos
Beetza

Saturday
Yoga
Banana split smoothie *
Beetza
Italian pasta salad

Sunday
Yoga
Peach avocado basil roll up
Italian pasta salad
Chickpea "tuna" salad sandwiches

The little stars next to the smoothies are a reminder to myself that I'm going to make an extra smoothie each morning, and freeze it for Mia to take home with her in a few weeks.

Rob told me the other day that he noticed we rarely ate the same recipe twice in a month. That's true. I am always finding & putting together new combinations. So he's been telling me when he really loves something so that I can repeat it. Lately, he's really enjoyed the Italian pasta salad (a Happy Herbivore recipe), my chickpea "tuna" salad sandwiches (my own recipe), and last night he loved something that I just threw together, so I'm recording that recipe here now, that way I can re-create it.

1 package frozen broccoli
1 summer squash, medium size, chopped into 1" pieces
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
~1 c. Cooked rice (I had some leftover in the fridge, didn't measure, but it wasn't a lot)
1 slice daiya vegan swiss cheese, torn in bits (the shredded would have been way handy to use here, but I didn't have any)
1 T nooch
1 T ground flax meal
1 T pink salt

In a skillet, I cooked the broccoli for a few minutes (it came sttaight out of the freezer) then added the squash and beans, and the nooch, flax, and salt, cover and cook a few more minutes. Then I added the rice, and the cheese, but didn't stir, I just covered the skillet and lowerd the burner to the lowest setting, letting the cheese steam and melt into the rice. Then I stirred it just before serving. This made two large servings. If you added more rice and/or a second summer squash, it could have served 4.

I'm still running.  I'm having a mind block about long distances. In the last 2 weeks, I've run LSD runs of over 12 miles each, but getting past 13 seems like a mental barrier. I'm going to try to run 14 on Friday, and have Rob run the last few with me, to get me over my mind block.

Feeling pretty proud also, that I've been doing yoga every single day in June so far! I love it.

One day last week, I was feeling a little overwhelmed, so I took myself on a me-date. I took some kind supplies to the homeless folks on Indiana Square, then treated myself to a movie. I saw Love & Mercy, about Brian Wilson, and it was fantastic. Pet Sounds is my favorite album of all time, and this movie really told a lovely story. I highly recommend it!