I’m working SO HARD right now to feel better. I’ve been feeling totally depleted lately. A diet consisting of pretty-much only almond butter, spelt bread, orange juice, soy chai lattes and multivitamins will do that to you.

It’s a wee bit challenging to eat well as a vegan. It’s like, when you pledge to become a vegan, you also pledge that you will EAT REALLY REALLY WELL. Indeed, part of being a vegan is being gentle and compassionate to your own body. And, I have not been. I’ve been so preoccupied with my children, and their health and well-being, that I’ve made no time for my own SELF-CARE. Cooking seems to take too much energy, and all I want at the end of the day, is to sit on my arse and eat sweet, and almond-buttery and BREAD-Y goodness…. But, my lips are chapped, and my energy is low, and I slip in and out of dark moods all too easily. Not a good sign.

So, yesterday, I vowed to make a change. I decided not to make any strict rules that I would end up breaking and berating myself for breaking. Instead, I decided just to eat a little better. To eat some meals and maybe even some greens.

Well, the FREEZING weather here in Canada made it difficult for me to fill my fridge with vegan delicacies (lettuce). But, I did have some KALE in the fridge…. And, I steamed it with my dinner….

…and it was good. I liked it. I didn’t put a single seasoning in it, and I LIKED it. Kale is an AMAZING vegetable. It’s one of the healthiest in the world — as are most dark-green leafy vegetables. Maybe it was so tasty because my body really needed it…. I’m not sure. But, go for it, Gorgeouses. Pick yourself up a bunch of kale, steam it gently in half a cup of water, and enjoy….

If your body doesn’t welcome the plain steamed kale as much as mine does, add a teaspoon of low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari sauce), a minced garlic clove or two, and some pepper. Let us know how you like it!

Guess who else liked it…? Josh-O and the RASCAL. The monkey didn’t try it. But, it’s okay, because she LOVED my latest concoction: “NATURE’S CANDY.”

Last night at dinner, Monkey asked me if she could have CANDY for dessert. Instead of saying “noooo,” I said, “sure! I’m making you ‘Nature’s Candy.’” She was SO. EXCITED. Squealed for joy! When I finished making it, I walked into the dining room and confidently handed her “Nature’s Candy.” And, to my delight (and surprise), SHE LOVED IT.

She loved it SO MUCH…that she POSED with it….

Later, when she was in bed, she said she really liked “Churchiss Candy.” So, you better get the recipe, eh, Gorgeouses!? HERE IT IS!!!

NATURE’S CANDY

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

1 apple
1 kiwi
Raisins
(Really, any fruit will do; but, the raisins are a must!)
Tablespoon walnuts (optional; great for added omega 3s)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Chop up fruit and throw in a bowl.
2. Sprinkle with raisins.
3. Serve with chin up and big smile! AND MAKE SURE YOU CALL IT “NATURE’S CANDY,” or some other name with “candy” in it…. They’re LOVE IT! Hee!

GRAPES, BEAUTIFUL GRAPES! Maybe it’s just this batch I bought today. I. DON’T. KNOW. But, MAN, I’m addicted now. And, THANK GRAPES, these grapes totally got me through this evening without noshing like I usually do AS SOON AS the kids are FINALLY in bed (and what a time I had tonight trying get them to bed — INSANITY).

Anyway, there’s a little twist to this treat….

As soon as I brought these delicious, bulbous, juicy orbs of SWEETNESS home from the grocery store, I washed them, placed a bunch of them in two ziploc bags and threw ‘em in the FREEZER. About 9 hours later, here I am. Mmmmmmmm. Just popped one in my mouth, and it was DEELISH.

Best part of all? No guilt.

FROZEN GRAPES, Gorgeouses. Try it. You will love it. And, your body will thank you.

As I get closer and closer to vegan status, I’m finding myself buying all sorts of great vegetarian/vegan cookbooks (COUGHsupportmybookbuyinghabit HERE!COUGH…). My latest find is Edith Rothschild’s Nutrilicious.

This book is ADORABLE. It’s written by Jewish GREAT-GRANDMOTHER. And, even though it calls itself “Kosher,” it’s great for everyone. I mean, I’m not even Kosher, and I LOVE it. It’s seriously PACKED with great information and health tips — and some THUPER sweet poems! And, for you non-vegans out there who would like to incorporate more vegetarian meals into their week (please do!), the book does include a few (free-range!) egg and fish recipes.

The recipes I’ve tried so far have been delish — not only for me, but for my non-veg hubby and kids. Here are two of them that we’ve totally enjoyed.

SUMMER SALAD SUPREME (p. 78)

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2):

2 cups shredded packed romaine lettuce
1 large orange or 2 tangerines, peeled and chopped (1/2-inch pieces)
1 small grapefruit, peeled and chopped (1/2-inch pieces)
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp NUTTY-EDITH CRUNCH (this is another great recipe on p. 181 of the book, but I just ground raw almonds and walnuts together in a coffee grinder, and it was WICKED ‘LICIOUS! A kind of paste formed that mixed GORGEOUSLY with the oil and lemon juice….. If you don’t want to do it my way, the author suggests that you use sunflower seeds if you don’t feel like making the NUTTY-EDITH CRUNCH)
1 – 2 tsp flaxseed oil
A small handful of organic golden raisins or dried organic cranberries.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine all the ingredients in medium bowl, toss well, and ENJOY!

BENEFITS (qtd. directly from book):

What’s supreme about this salad? It’s as refreshing as a cool breeze on a hot summer day. I eat it all year ’round, whenever I need a light lunch and some vitamin C. Whenever we combine fruit with salad greens, we slow down the absorption of sugars from the fruit into our bodies. This enables us to keep our energy level up longer and prevents us from getting hungry again too soon.

JOKE (qtd. directly from book): “If life hands you a lemon, squeeze it into your salads.”

QUICK APPLE TREAT (p. 224)

INGREDIENTS (Serves 1):

1 medium sweet apple (I might even add some cheaty little blueberries or raisins to this!)
2 tbsp sugar-free jam or organic apple butter

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Peel the apple, cut it into 8 or more wedges, and discard core.
2. Place the jam or apple butter in a medium-sized skillet and heat at Medium-High, until bubbly.
3. Stir in the apple slices, turn heat down to LOW, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, turning the apples over once.
4. ENJOY!

BENEFITS (qtd. directly from book):

This takes much less time than making applesauce, baked apples or apple pie and quickly fills a sweet tooth.

Avoid Six White Foods!!!!!
White sugar, White Flour, White Rice, White Chocolate, Salt and Milk.

Cheaty HIGHLY recommends this cookbook if not only because it’s singlehandedly brought me back to WHOLE FOOD — in the real sense of the term. It’s made my kitchen a warm and exciting place to cook in again.

Guess what I have playing OVER AND OVER in my head?

Give up?

Well, I don’t blame you for not guessing it right because it’s not a song.

No. It’s a FREAKING SENTENCE. In a FREAKING FRENCH ACCENT:

“If you wish to see the chef, you will have to wait until all the other customer have gone.”

OVER AND OVER…and OVER my HEAD!

Of course, it’s from my monkey’s favourite movie, Ratatouille, WHICH we have watched almost every day since we got it. We got it some time in December.

“Anton Ego is just another customer. LEZ COOK!”

ARRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!

It won’t stop!

A-NY-WAY. I can still talk to you, even though I have Collette babbling away in my head….

So, this weekend? Some interesting things transpired.

I drank my first Starbucks Chai Tea Latte of 2008…. Yes I did. I had it with soy milk — mmmm….so creammmy and sweet! Why am I not freaking out at myself in my usual self-denigrating style? Because I’m happy about it.

Once a week, Gorgeouses. I’m allowing myself my favourite thing in the whole world once a week. Because this diet thing sucks. Yes, BECAUSE this diet thing sucks, I’m allowing myself one day a week to have my favourite things. And, that day would be Saturday.

So, this Saturday, I sipped my chai in a new way: savouring every single little sip! I enjoyed my favourite Italian grilled vegetable sandwich. And, I munched on my favourite Sunspire Sundrops (the all-natural edition of M&Ms). Mmmmm….

I also mixed all these treats with a healthy dose of speed walking (not the geeky kind), and a healthy, home-cooked dinner. Check it…CHILEH:

That looks a bit like vomit, doesn’t it…. Well, it tasted better than it looks. Josh-O and the monkey loved it. So there!

I also bought a pilates DVDV (as the monkey calls it…hee!). We’ll see how that goes.

And, in other news….

Today, at a 9:30am birthday party (thankyouverymuch), I resisted THIS:

And, instead had this:

How very, very boring of me.

Hmph…, cheaty little monkey….

“If you wish to see the chef, you will have to wait until all the other customer have gone.”