Off to Central America

Hello all!

I just wanted to let everyone know that I will be departing to lovely Costa Rica and Nicaragua tonight, so I just wanted to tell you all I won’t be here for the next two weeks. I will try to take as many pics as I can to show you all… I am very excited to help out those in need!

I won’t leave you without sharing some eats I’ve had, so…

Berry Almond LUNA Bar

I wasn’t expecting much out of this bar, but I was pleasantly surprised. It is very fruity in taste, but the texture of it was kind of weird. Still pretty good, though.

Chocolate Chip CLIF Bar

I know a lot of people seem to really enjoy this flavor, but I wasn’t really into it. I thought it was just ok.

Banana Nut Bread

NOW THIS was TASTY! My new favorite CLIF Bar, hands down. This tasted NOTHING like an energy bar – it tasted like a freshly made baked good. The banana permeates the whole bar and there are chocolate chips thrown in there for good measure. I warmed mine up for about 15 secs, and it made this bar 10x better (ooey gooey goodness). I also noticed no weird aftertaste that some of the energy bars have. This is really good, guys. Definitely give it a try.

Shells & Chreese

I had this the other day and thought they were pretty tasty, but I found myself adding a bit more salt and seasonings on it to my liking. It’s great for a quick meal, but it tasted just like Lindsay’s Fat Free Mac n Cheeze.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Of course, no post is complete without my fave dessert ever – cookies! I made a batch of The Everyday Vegan’s Oatmeal Raisin cookies to have throughout the week. Simple, fast, and oh so good! *NOTE, not my picture, but I thought you guys might like a visual,

Heather asked me a good question in my last post about how I deal with my veganism when traveling to foreign countries. Well, I have been to Nicaragua before (this past summer, actually -  you can read about it here) and I was able to eat vegan while down there just fine. There is an abundance of fresh fruit and veggies available, as well as the staple of rice and beans provided at every meal. So, I am not worried at all about my being vegan, but just in case I am not able to find something to eat (which can occur in fast food places, restaurants, etc), then I have some CLIF, LUNA, and Larabars packed just for such an occasion. Thanks for pointing that out, Heather!

Alright, foodies, I’m out! See you in a couple of weeks,

Nicaraguan Volcano.. Cool!

A Week Til Spring Break

Hello all!

I’ve been really busy as of late (who isn’t?), so I don’t have any food pics for you, bummer!

Just wanted to let you know that this week will be CRAZY as well as my Spring Break commences THIS FRIDAY and will go on until March 15! Yea! As happy as I am that it’ll be vacation time soon, that means tons of exams, projects, and work to do before I get my freedom.

Also, for my entire Spring Break I will be on a Medical Missions trip to the lovely countries of Costa Rica and Nicaragua!

I’m excited, but also stressed out with all that has to be done before my departure this Friday morning!

AAHH!

Wish me luck guys and I hope you all have a great week, too!

V Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day everybody!

I normally don’t do much on this “holiday”.. it’s probably because I’ve always lacked a significant other. But I’m sure once I have one this day will have more meaning. Plus, it is my personal dream to have my wedding day take place on Feb 14!

Anyhoo, not only is it Valentine’s Day.. but it’s also my Veganniversary! What a coinky-dink that it falls on Valentine’s Day, no? It was a year ago today that I made the decision to become a vegan (having been a lacto-ovo vegetarian for about 9 months). I took the plunge and haven’t looked back since. I have never looked or felt better in my whole life and I owe much of that to my vegan diet. I am very happy to have made this decision.. it truly changed my life (for the better!).

What better way to celebrate V Day than to have a delicious meal at none other than The Chicago Diner?

Raw Linguine and “Crab” Cakes

I ordered today’s raw special, which is zucchini-liguine noodles with crimini mushroom cashew alfredo sauce, with macadamia-porcini “crab” cakes, served with marinated kale-vegetable salad. Wow, was the “alfredo sauce” soooo good, guys! I don’t know what they did to the zucchini, but they totally felt like actual noodles. The crab cakes were salty with just the right amount of crunch to them and the marinated kale salad was so light and flavorful, it rounded off the meal ever so nicely! This was a great way to celebrate my veganniversary, though sadly, they did not have the dessert I was planning for (the raw blueberry cheezecake), but I think it was for good reason.. this meal left me stuffed! Maybe next time?

Another view of the rawsome meal

Before I left to go to the Chicago Diner, I had my mom prepare a favorite of mine.

Mmm.. coconut!

A Thai baby coconut that was filled to the brim with delicious and refreshing coconut water. The meat was so good as well, being slighty “slimy” and perfectly sweet. Yum! If you’ve never drank pure coconut water, you’re missing out!

While on a Whole Foods run this week, I noted a new prepared goodie available at the prepared food section: a vegan tamale!

Tamale proudly proclaiming its “vegan-ness”

The tamale was very good! More tasty than the chicken ones I used to eat in my pre-veg days. I used to LOVE eating tamales in the wintertime.. but ever since I became veg, I knew I would have to say goodbye to these lovely packets of masa goodness, because lard is used to make them. But thanks to my WF, I can FINALLY get my tamale fix. Hooray!

My yummy mushroom-spinach tamale w/ veggies and pico de gallo. YUM!

Others eats this week include…

Chocolate PB Swirl Spiru-tein with Larabar Banana Bread

Umm, I didn’t really like this protein powder. Has anyone tried this flavor? It tasted like.. nothing! Is there any tasty vegan protein powder anywhere??

Gluten-free Soy Cheeze Baked Ziti with Peas, aka HOLY YUM

I didn’t know Amy’s made gluten free pasta, but VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE PASTA.. I had to get my hands on some and I was so glad I did! This was 100x better than I imagined it to be. Kudos to Amy’s for making a bowl of deliciousness.

I tried a new bar this week…

Luna S’mores Bar

I decided to give this a try after Brooke raved about it, but I found it to be just ok.

My first raw breakfast!

Raw Coconut Pancake topped with shredded coconut

The recipe comes from Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen and while at first I was hesitant about this pancake, I found it to be super filling. I was surprised this little pancake could satiate me for a full 5 1/2 hours, but it did just that. Not only was it filling, but it was quite tasty as well. Delicately sweet with a hint of coconut in every bite. Raw food does it again!

Ramen! I mean, Udon Noodle Soup

This soup sent my taste buds back in time to the days in which I had Chicken Ramen Noodles for lunch. It was so good, the noodles were perfect and so reminiscent of ramen, I felt a bit naughty eating this. It’s actually quite healthy!

MY SECRET CUPID!

The goods!

Allison from Green Dog Wine was my secret  cupid and she sent me a box full of goodies! She noticed my love for Larabars and WCMN Clif bars, and also added in some cute VDay stuff, such as socks and a kitchen towel (how did you know I needed one?). THANK YOU SO MUCH ALLISON.. I couldn’t have asked for a better gift. You seriously rock, girl!

And before I leave, here’s a little dessert I had from Borrowed Earth Cafe…

Out of this World Vanilla Chocolate Cheesecake

And yes, it was out of this world.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend guys!

RAWsome Weekend

I just had a great weekend, but now I’m back on campus and have a ton of stuff to do. Boo!

Before I do some work, I wanted to fill you in on what I did these past few days. I don’t have classes on Friday, so when I’m able to go home I like to leave on Thursday afternoon so I arrive in time to watch Supernatural with my lil sis, just like old times.

Eatin’ Out

On my way home on Thu, I stopped by Noodles & Company on the recommendation of my roomie, stating this was a great place to eat and that there were vegan options! I decided to try the Japanese Pan Noodles, which is described as “satisfying and hearty, carmelized Japanese udon noodles in a sweet and spicy soy sauce.” I decided to add tofu and extra veggies to my order, as well. I never had udon noodles before, but the description alone was able to convince me to give this dish a try, and I’m glad I did. The noodles were pan fried and had a nice sear on them that complemented the dish’s crunchy veggies and chewy tofu so well. Mmm.. this dish was good! Definitely give it a try if you’re able to. I was not able to snap a pic, but I found a web image for your guys’ viewing pleasure.

Then on Friday, I asked my mom if she wanted to accompany me to try a new vegan restaurant I found that was uber close to our house. Normally, all the veggie eateries are located in the city, but I stumbled upon a review for this cafe that is located in the suburb town of Downers Grove. My mom was happy to take me there (she’s not too thrilled when I ask her to take me to Karyn’s Cooked or The Chicago Diner) and so we headed out.

There was one tiny little secret about the restaurant that I did not let my mom know until AFTER she ate her meal (which she happily gobbled up like there was no tomorrow)… every single menu item was 100% raw. Yes, you read right – I had a completely raw and vegan meal NOT in Chicago, but in one of its suburbs, and let me tell you, it was good!

I was a bit skeptical about going to Borrowed Earth Cafe, since I did not know what to really expect from a completely raw meal. Though, recently, I have been interested in the raw food movement, I still had my doubts, even after reading such rave reviews of the place. Let me tell you, though, my doubts quickly disappeared as soon as I entered the quaint, homey cafe. I was actually surprised to find the place was actually packed with patrons happily enjoying their meals. For starters, my mom decided to order one of the drinks called “Holy Cacao!”

Smoothie made with raw cacao nibs, banana, and agave

Umm, yea, I LOVED this drink. There’s just something about cacao (raw/dark chocolate) that I just love. This was so good, guys, and my mom and I thoroughly enjoyed every delicious sip.

Next came our meals! What was so cool about this place (besides the awesome owners who actually prepare the meals) is that you can get to see your meal prepared as the “kitchen” is open and there are monitors showing your meal being made. I decided to order the daily special – the Chili-rito.

Spicy sunflower seed “beans” wrapped in a “corn tortilla” alongside three tasty side salads

This was RAW? Seriously, the sunflower seed “beans” tasted so eerily like their cooked counterparts, I was stunned! I don’t know how they did it, but it rocked my socks off! So good! And the side salads were phenomenal! I left that plate CLEAN and was shocked at how filling and tasty my raw meal was. Wow!

My mom decided to order a salad because she thought the name was funny – I Can’t Believe It’s Not Egg Salad.

Creamy eggless "egg" salad made with nuts, diced celery, scallions, served on a fresh bed of greens with flax crackers for dipping

Yea, my mom is not really a “salad person”, so I have no idea why she ordered this, but let me tell you – that dish was left clean. Oh, and yea, I was able to taste a bit of the “egg” salad and it was very tasty, I wish I could have tasted more, but my mom didn’t really want to share, haha.

Like I said, I did not let my mom know that the meal was raw until AFTER she ate it, and to my surprise, she did not react the way I thought she would. She was pleasantly surprised and said she would definitely come here again. Both of us were very content with our meals and we were STUFFED. Yea, stuffed.. whoever said raw food isn’t filling was seriously mistaken. I had been eyeing the dessert case all this time, but me and my mom decided it was best to take it to go. What did we get, you ask?

Apple Pie

One bite and I was in heaven! My mom and I attacked this baby and kept yelling out “yums” and “mmms” as we took each bite. WOW.. this was the best apple pie I’ve had, hands down! And I’ve had my fair share of apple pie in my day. That frosting on top seriously tasted like the icing on cinnamon rolls. Most amazing dessert ever, period. It’s safe to say that we will definitely be back for more meals.. especially since it’s so conveniently close to home.

On Sat, my sister decided to invite the fam over to Karyn’s Cooked. Yay! I decided to order the Stuffed Eggplant dish.

Thin grilled eggplant stuffed with a homemade faux ricotta cheese topped with marinara sauce

This was tasty, but I thought the filling could’ve been even better.

New Finds

Guava Kombucha

I had seen these drinks featured on Kristin’s and Jenna’s blogs and after their good reviews I decided to give it a try, too. It was definitely not love at first sip. I was surprised to find that this drink is quite fizzy (I’m not a huge soda fan..) and that it had a hint of alcohol-like undertones to it. Very different from what I was expecting, but as I kept drinking it, the taste grew on me. I tried the Strawberry one also and it also took some time for me to like it, too. The nutritional info on this is pretty cool, so I totally suggest trying it out (though they can be expensive! Right now, though, WF is having them on sale for $2.96).

New flavor Larabars (for me, at least)

Cocoa Mole

I LOVE mole.. it’s such a delicious dish and after seeing this bar get positive reviews on Amy’s and Brooke’s blogs, I just had to try it. It is muy delicioso!

Cinnabon .. I mean, Cinnamon Roll

The first time I tried this flavor I was not a fan. Umm.. was I crazy? I decided to give this bar a second chance and was blow away at how good it really is. It really does take like a cinnamon roll. Another awesome flavor!

COOKIE!

Of course, what post would be complete without my quintessential cookie dessert?

Coconut Chip Cookie

YUMMY in my TUMMY! I was a bit apprehensive in trying another Nana’s cookie variety (my first one was a total downer), but I’m so glad I’m a believer of second chances because this cookie was out of this world. Sweet, “coconutty” with a hint of chocolate.. it was like a Coconut Cream Pie larabar with chocolate chips in them. I loved this cookie, but I think it would’ve been so much better had it been sweet, plump raisins instead of chocolate chips.

Well, that was my weekend.. time to get some actual work done, now. Hope you all enjoyed your weekend!

WCMN Obsessed

So, I think I have this new obsession going on… I’m lovin’ anything white chocolate macadamia nut right now! Today, I had some white chocolate macadamia nut oatmeal (so good) for breakfast and both of my snacks were white chocolate macadamia nut flavored.

Hmm… obsessed much?

AM Snack

SO FREAKIN’ GOOD! I totally agree with Brooke in that this bar totally reminded me of a Rice Krispie treat, except 100x better! Mmm, my fave Luna flavor ever

PM Snack

Omg, this was like eating heaven. Seriously.. when I took a bite, I was like “Is this an energy bar or is this dessert??” You MUST try it now!

Dessert

My ravenous sweet tooth started kickin in a few hours after dinner, and the only thing I had in my dorm room was this..

While I thought the Cherry Cashew was a bit to sweet for me, the Chocolate Brownie bar blew me away. It really did taste like a brownie… yum-yum! I savored every bite and paced myself while appreciating the chocolate goodness. Mmm! While this wasn’t exactly sweet (that’s ok, I don’t really like sweet chocolate), it was pure cocoa yumminess. I highly recommend this to chocolate (and non-chocolate!) lovers alike. Thanks for recommending these bars Shelby!

I know it seems like I eat only bars, but I promise you guys, I do eat real food, too. It’s just that these past few days I’ve been eating in the dining hall with friends, and I still feel a bit awkward photographing my meals in front of my friends. Someday I’ll muster up the courage to do so, though.

Before I go, I wanted to let you guys know about this awesome juicer giveway. Go enter (though I secretly wish I’ll win it, haha).

Almond Butter Giveaway

It’s Monday and boy am I glad it’s almost over.

Mondays are my longest day so I am pretty much drained right now, yet I still have to study for my Aging exam tomorrow as well as an OB quiz! So, let’s make this quick:

Midmorning Snack

Cookie!! You know my love affair with cookies, so I just had to snatch this flavor up when I saw it at WF. When I opened the package I was delighted to find two mini clif z bars inside the package. This was tasty, but honestly, it was exactly like the Peanut Butter Clif Z bar.

Afternoon Snack

I finally  found them at tj’s Shelby! After seeing these bars on her blog, I was excited to finally give these a try. Sadly, though, I did not enjoy them as much as I thought I would have. I think I found it to be a little too sweet for me (and I have a raging sweet tooth) and I guess I just prefer Larabars instead. But hey, don’t let me stop you from trying the bar. It’s chock full of good nutrients and it is tasty.

ALMOND BUTTER GIVEAWAY! Go here to enter for your chance to win a free jar of natural almond goodness. Mmm…

Happy February!

I can’t believe it’s Feburary already! My, how time flies!

I’m not a big Super Bowl fan, so I decided to take a break from homework and update my blog.

Some eats I have been able to photograph…

Dessert

Karyn’s Dream Cream (Vanilla) w/ scoop of WF fresh ground raw cashew butter

Totally raw and totally delicious!

Uncle Eddie’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Tasty, but I’ve had better. I recently discovered that these cookies have been recalled! Uh-oh! Good thing I polished off the bag before I knew of this. Don’t worry, thankfully, I did not get sick!

Comfort Meals

Amy’s Shepard Pie, Steamed Seasoned Veggies, and an Orange

Mmm… so scrumptious! So comforting..

White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Oatmeal

WOW! What a delicious bowl of oats, guys!! Seriously, you MUST try this! I took 1/2 dry oats, cooked it in vanilla hempmilk (fave nondairy milk), added a tbsp of unsweetened coconut, a tbsp of flax, drizzled in some agave, topped it with a dollop of oh-so-good macadamia butter and vegan white chocolate chips. Can you say ‘holy yum’?? Healthy decadence, for sure!

New Find

Hazelnut Butter

Although I am mad about the PB recall deal, it had given me an opportunity to broaden my nut butter horizons. I already tried raw cashew butter and macadamia butter, and both were quite tasty, it was only a matter of time when I would try the VeggieGirl approved Futters Nut Butters. My WF started to stock up on these nut butters and there were so many to choose from (pistachio, almond, strawberry almond, walnut.. the list goes on!), yet it was not hard to decide which one I would want to try first. I knew that VeggieGirl speaks quite highly of Hazelnut Butter, so I decided to give it a go. Thoughts? While I did not like it as much as I enjoy cashew or macadamia, it is a welcome change from the norm. I would recommend this to people who really enjoy the unique flavor of hazelnuts.

Not only did I enjoy my new nut butter straight up and on bread, I also was able to bake up a special treat for someone and let me tell you, they smelled fantastic! I hope the person I baked them for enjoys them!

I’m curious, what are your guys’ favorite nut butters?

Exciting News…

I was one of the lucky bloggers who got to receive a VitaMix Super 5200! Thanks to Alison and Vita-Mix for this wonderful opportunity! I can not express how much this means to me, as I’ve always wanted this powerful blender, and now I own one!

Unfortunately, I am not able to keep the blender here in my dorm, but I sometimes go back home on weekends, and when I’m there I get to use my amazing machine. One thing I love to whip up with my Vita-Mix is a refreshing green smoothie.

Using the “standard” recipe of a cup of liquid (I used vanilla soymilk), a banana, and a cup of spinach, I was able to whip up a delicious and nutritious drink. Wow! It’s so amazing how this thing blends… Look at how pretty the smoothie is. No green chunks whatsoever… just pure blended goodness!

I can’t wait to use it for many other recipes I’ve been dying to try. If you are able to purchase one of these babies, I HIGHLY recommend it. It is so worth the investment. And if you can’t, I highly advise you save up for it.. it is worth every penny!

Well, this update took longer than I expected it to! I’ve got some studying to finish up on. Hope everyone else had a good weekend. It’s back to the grind..