Sad to say that my only motivation to get back on here was for Katie’s Larabar giveaway !

And I have a killer recipe for you too…not so many pretty pictures though (je suis désolée), I just slurp these way too quickly every morning (for the past 12 days) ever since school started.

The All Encompassing Chocolate Chia Shake!

Into your Magic Bullet will go:

2 Tbs Chia Seeds — I use Ruth’s Hemp Chia Goodness original flavor (comes with hulled buckwheat, shelled hemp seeds, and Celtic sea salt )

1 Tbs Cocoa Powder

1 Tbs Dried Coconut Shreds

3 Dates — I use Whole Food’s Deglett Dates, obvi use less if yours are bigger etc etc

1 cup or so of Non-dairy milk — varies according to your preference in texture

1 tsp Maple Syrup

2 Ice cubes — *only if you didn’t make this the night before like I do!*

whirl whirl whirl whirl whirl and prepared to be pleasantly satiated for the next 3.5 hours! Not only does this shake wake me up with it’s slight caffeine boost but it keeps this machine going for a while! And it tastes like either thinned out pudding or a malted chocolate milkshake.

Grilled Tofu w/Chimichurri Sauce, Cajun Corn, and Grilled Veg

YAH! Spotted that immaculate fu recipe on Vegan Homemade which really originated from “The Soy Foods Council”. It reminded me of a refreshing and VERY zesty pesto.

CHIMICHURRI SAUCE: (yeah I copy and paste, what of it?!)
2 cups lightly packed chopped parsley (subbed 1 cup with cilantro, made all zee difference)
1 teaspoon salt (1/2t)
1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
1/4 cup of vegetable or olive oil
3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves, halved
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons shallot or onion, minced
3 tablespoons lemon juice

CUMIN RUB:
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or Hungarian paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound water-packed extra-firm tofu, cut in half lengthwise
Holy canoli…I can’t believe I’m posting this 5 months later…major apologies

First off, I completed my sophomore year! It’s time to start contemplating and mapping out my future…agh. Thus far, I’ve considered:

Broadcasting/Traveling TV Host

Creative Director for Commercials/Photoshoots,

Modeling (yes!),

Makeup Color Namer (oddly specific…)

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Secondly, I watched and thoroughly enjoyed THE HANGOVER.

Alan and Carlos

I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend that movie! It flowed so well, accompanied by great, natural acting, and outstanding dialogue. Seriously, I felt like I’ve said some of the insane things that they’ve said before. It was so naturally hysterical! And I’ve discovered another Hollyhood crush: BRADLEY COOPER (not pictured), I would jump his bones anyday

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Thirdly, everyone’s heard that one catchy iTunes commercial song yes?

Goes a little like….

>Original Video – More videos at TinyPic

YEAH! I saw Chairlift at the Getty FO FREEEEEEE! And even better, they were stupendous live as opposed to your headphones.

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Fourthly (I know, it’s getting ridiculous!), I got a new phone! The LG Xenon, das my baby!

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Fifthly (please don’t shoot), I MADE PBU!

*(For a lite take on Dark Chocolate Dreams pb [although I could never afford to buy a jaar waaah ], blend in carob powder OR sub Chocolate Almond Milk for the regular kind!)*

EMILY, YOU ARE A DIVINE BLOGGESS (Bloggin’ Goddess) AND I AM SO GLAD TO HAVE MET YOU :]! Seriously, from her Edible Mathematics to her eloquent language, she’s certainly one to check out!

I eat dat shit straight UP

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I’m through with these chronological adjectives, REVIEW TIME BABIES!

Organic Vegan Rice Cheese by Galaxy Nutritional Foods

Uhm….maybe I had my hopes up but guys, this doesn’t taste or feel (in your mouth) like cheese….

Uncooked: gritty/grainy, no nostalgic tang, off stink smell

Cooked: better texture, flavor melded with accompanying foods, less stink, still no tang or delicious saltiness.

I applied my samples to:

Vegan Philly Cheese Steak!

Made the express, afterschool dip in energy, must consume everything way of course

• 2 slices of your favorite bread (Sesame Ezekiel) cozying up in the toaster
• Small handful of frozen tri-colored peppers and onion slices sauteeing in a pan
• Philly Steak flavored Tofurky warming up in the pan as well
• Add Tabasco/hot sauce to your veg and ‘steak’
• Nab one of your toasted breads, scoot your veg and ‘steak’ off to another side of the pan, place bread in pan and lay a Pepper Jack cheese slice on it
• Lid your pan and anxiously wait for 2-3 minutes
• Pile all the sauteed goods onto your cheesed slice and top it off with the other piece of bread

Et voila! You have a very speedy philly cheesesteak sandwich.

And I revived a classic…

Cheesy Toast, or at least a classic in my house. I remember the browning, crisp edges of cheese that would drape over the warm, crunchy bread.

Cheese PUFF, literally….that was completely unexpected. It’s like the cheese slice acts as a pregnant sticker on my Ezekiel >:(

BUT, if you happen to love the flavor, texture, and overall being of Rice Cheese, here’s my method of making

Cheesy Toast

• Bread + Cheese + Broiler

TA DA, and that is it! The timing may vary from broiler to broiler, mine took about 2 minutes, 1 minute per rotation of zee toast.

SAMBAZON

Oh lala, my nailpolish happens to coordinate with this lovely drink!

I could seriously go on and on about this product, it’s creamy WITHOUT MILK, it’s sweetened with AGAVE, and it tastes like berry NECTAR. The lovely acai contains not only fiber, vitamins, and all that regular fruit business, but PROTEIN and OMEGAS as well! It’s smooth, dark lilac, and can do wonders for the bod.

*Try mixing some into your applesauce, IT’S THE BOMB*

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Which brand of alternative cheese do you prefer?

If you’ve aspired or accomplished any of my desired career paths, where are you now and how did you get here?

Like a heavenly choir, that’s what
So head over thurr, comment it up, and I’m currently working on a rap to bedazzle her with.

But, I have found a cheap, SPEEDY GONZALES, tasty way to make bacun!

“Needs A Better Name” Bacun

-Favorite Tofurkey/LightLife/Yves slice flavor (I used Hickory, Peppered, Philly Style Steak Tofurkey and LightLife’s Smart Deli Bologna [since LightLife's texture is different, it faired MUCHHHH better])

-1 tsp sugar or maple syrup (certainly optional, but they impart a better caramelization, crisp crust, and maple smoked bacon flavor!)

1. Heat your pan on high for around 3 minutes, reduce to medium heat and spritz with oil

2. Cut slices into strips or go North of the border and keep em round and add to pan, they should make a satisfyingly nostalgic bacon frying sound when they hit the pan

3. Let them hang out for 3-4 minutes, then flip

4. Once flipped you can add your sugar/maple and let that go for 2-3 minutes

and VOILA CRISPY AMAZINGNESS!

• Though I must warn you, if you see any BLACKENING, browning is fine but, BLACKENING, the bacun will taste like shit. I still highly suggest using the maple syrup!

• If you add enough oil/sugar (more oil mist if not using sugar, but use a regular amount when using the sugar) or cut the strips small enough, they should be crunchy and the perfect company along side (or crumbled into, MMMMMM) a Tofu Scramble!

If you’re down for a second breakfast like Katie and I so usually tend to partake in, check out her MixMyGranola giveaway beezies!

Hahahha, ouch it hurts to laugh It also hurt to cry this morning because I was in so much pain.

Since yesterday, I’ve been suffering from nausea, tension headaches, sensitivity to light and sound, and handicapping body aches. I think you would call that the flu right?

I believe it all started when I had to speed eat my soy yogurt parfait (and yes, NO MORE MILK YOGURT FOR ME!!! woot!) that morning before school. My mom wouldn’t let me eat in our new car. And I am renowned for my slow but extensive eating, so it was a hard enough feat for me. When I got to school, I ran to my class on account of my tardiness. After, I had some of my friend’s Kettle Chips, known for their thick hearty cut and oiliness (ok ok, you can argue that since they use very healthy oils that the more the merrier. Ahhhh not an hour after I ate them…) right before ballet.

Then, the nausea set in. I was stupid enough to think, “Hmm, maybe eating a little something will alleviate this” *dives hand into chip bag*. Boy, am I ignorant! Oil, fatty foods irritate upset stomachs even more! That’s why you don’t eat carnival food at carnivals!! Then again, I never have chips or heavily oily business hangin around my kitchen (no one in the house craves it, go figure) so I thought my body wasn’t used to it. And the reason why I didn’t eat from my own lunch was because I had a cup of soup that I would have to heat water up and wait for, and it wasn’t exactly convenient at the time.

Shit, I felt so terrible. I kinda teared up when I was sleepily telling my math teacher that I need to sleep through her class because I was nauseous and couldn’t concentrate. For some weird reason, I always get emotional about my medical well being. It’s hard for me to talk about pain or injuries or illnesses I’ve experienced probably because I remember them so vividly. I don’t know :/.

Then I had to wait an hour for my mom to pick me up from school. I was toiling in the blaring sun in my jeans, lying on the sidewalk because I was too sore and unsteady to keep myself up.

I HATE BEING SICK! And my friend always tells me to get blood tested because her mom thinks my liver doesn’t work! Can anyone clarify that with me? Ok, I eat far more healthier and less processed than she does, am more physically fit and active, and take my multivitamin. I seriously doubt this. Is there a doctor in the house?

But, my main reason for posting this was to ask: What foods are ok to eat when you are nauseous? I had no appetite yesterday but I’m regaining it as we speak. I heard crackers and shit work, but I don’t have any. I’ve tried eating small amounts of multigrain bread, naked pasta, rice cakes, and bananas. But they all leave really really terrible after tastes in my mouth. Help me out here, I’m starvin

Yesterday while I was out at a party, my mom stopped by Costco (<3) and purchased a MAGIC BULLET with a $10 off coupon!

This baby came with:
2 types of blades Cross and Flat for CHOPPING and BLENDING or WHIPPING and GRINDING (hmm kinky?).
A Tall and Short cup for assorted amounts of liquids/solids
5 “Party Mugs” with colored lip rings (rave!)
Shaker/Steamer Tops so you can microwave steam your vegs before you blend them or after finely grinding mixed spices you’re ready to roll!
And your standard Blender cup except minimized.

I recommend this for people who don’t own cutting boards or knives and entertain frequently. I’m afraid of using this so often because I’ll become lazy or forget how to julienne or something! But it does make up for a very breezy cleanup.

• I chopped some macadamian nuts with it for my TropicOats this morning.
• I whirred up some chocolate protein powder + 1/2 banana + almond milk in one of the “party mugs” then froze it for an hour and got ice creme very convenient

I definitely have more experimentation to do, but I still want to invest in a VitaMix or the other brand that’s basically the same but shorter and white with periwinkle colored labels (sorry, that’s all I remember from this one Costco demo!).

Downside to this contraption, it overheats after a minute and you can smell that weird motor-y aroma. Very scary and potentially hazardous to my health!

Tropic Oats implying that these are very much island-inspired, splashing with caramelized banana (standard), toasted macadamian nuts, and lastly adorned with chilly mango and papaya chunks and doused with chewy coconut flakes!

Though, Tropi-Coats pertains to the fact this big bad bowl of good morning oats is a tidal wave of warm, beach weather heat. Brings you back to the island you visit nostalgically every so often, while wallowing in your desk everyday. It essentially ‘coats’ the pallet with flavors and memories from the coast.

TropicOats, TropiCoats?

Tropic Oats

Your favorite blend of oaty products (mine is steel cut + oatbran + wheat bran)

1 smashed banana

Enough water to cover the oats in your bowl

1. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, repeat twice for a total of 3 minutes

MEANWHILE….

Chopped macadamian nuts

Coconut shreds

2. Toast your macs in a dry pan, then throw your coconut in a little later since they brown faster than the nuts. (Takes around 2-3 minutes)

MEANWHILE…

Frozen mango

Frozen papaya

3. Take oats out of microwave and stir in the STILL FROZEN fruit chunks. They’ll defrost and the oats will set while you’re still waiting for those nuts and shreds in the pan.

4. Top your bowl off with the toasty toppings and enjoy!

Where’s my cabana boy? Hmmm

*sigh, I certainly question why my family, unlike the number of reasonable people out there, are repelled to this lifestyle.

When I eat at my grandparents’ houses, it’s rude not to plop a helping of meat on my plate…in a sense, couldn’t that just be out of generosity that I don’t take it, so that there’s more for everyone else that actually wants it? Reason with me here, people! It’s not like I hiss at it.

And they always bring up the fact that I’m too skinny and I don’t need to lose anymore weight. -.- Not the point! Plus, my dad and I just so happen to be the “slimmest” and tallest in our kin….weird huh?

I comprehend the fact they care about my body’s maturing and well being, but I wish they would trust that I’m educated about this. I’ve survived on this lifestyle for almost two years now. And Paul McCartney is meatfree and kicks ass at his concerts even at his old age (no offense Paul!).

I feel like they’re the ones that need more educating than I do about vegetarianism. It certainly doesn’t help when they make remarks like “for every cow you save, I eat 3″, that make me feel like my purpose is being defeated and I’m powerless and can’t make a difference in their lives );

How did you cope? What did you tell your confused peers to assure them this was the right choice? What should I do?

I don’t want to cry at the dinner table….it’s happened before, but things still haven’t really changed because of it.

My mom cares, always asking me what my protein source for every meal will be. My dad overlooks it but is the biggest steak eater in the bunch (indifferent I guess).

But the thing that hurts me the most is that when my relatives put me and my diet down, my parents don’t defend me. In fact, they don’t say anything. I just have to look at them from behind watery eyes and try to keep an appetite.

Thanks to an inspirational blogger, Tina, she brings the two worlds together along with having a MixMyGranola giveaway! Her brilliant ‘“CNC Muesli Mix” included 100% Organic Muesli, Organic Dates, Dried Blackberries, Hemp Seeds, Organic Flaxseeds, Roasted Almonds, and Chocolate Espresso Beans”.
DRIED BLACKBERRIES?! Yum! That’s a new ingredient I’ll have to track down!

So enter her giveaway now by adding her to your blogroll and commenting her with at least one of her ingredients (kinda helped you out on that one already hehe) from her mix.

Bonne chance!