What I ate Wednesday #13

When I was doing themed posts for WIAW I considered doing a vegan post – but I didn’t know how I would get around my love of cheese and yogurt.

Well, as I mentioned on Monday – I’m dipping my toe in the vegan water 🙂 So it just so happens that this WIAW post is my first Vegan day – whoop whoop!

I’m focusing on plant based eating – eating real foods.

Ok, so that’s not really the challenge, but work with me here 🙂

I quoted Michael Pollan in one of my very first blog posts.  Another quote from his 2008 book, In Defense of Food:

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

Sounds like good advice 🙂  There is so much advice out there, and so many fads – it’s hard to know which to listen to.  I like the way One Green Planet summed it up:

“So the message here is this: Eating real food matters more than what diet you choose to follow. So don’t stress about which fads to follow. But do choose mostly foods direct from nature. Plant-based eating is the way to go!”

And don’t forget the latest news that we should be eating 7, not 5-a-day.  Since focussing on plant based eating at the start of the week it’s been easy.  Having said that, I’ve done this before, and somewhere along the line (usually when a new fad comes out) I get lost along the way.

So what did I eat on my first vegan day?

Slow cooker porridge; vegan, gluten free

I’ve, or I should say we’ve been trying to perfect the art of slow cooker porridge. There are several reasons I’ve been trying it lately:

1. Now I’m relying on the rail replacement for work I have to leave the house 30 minutes earlier than I did.  I therefore need something quick in the mornings.
2. I bought some steel cut oats, thinking they would be healthier than rolled oats – more on that to come
3. Steel cut oats take 45 minutes “ain’t nobody got time for that”.  Ok, some people have time for that, I don’t  – see point 1

So, as Ben comes to bed much later than me, I’ve set him the task of putting the oats in the slow cooker before he comes to bed with the hope that they will be delicious and ready by the time I get up for work.

We have had varying degrees of success

Raw Chocolate Fudge, gluten free, vegan

Ben and I made a deal many years ago that to avoid the ‘commercialisation’ of Valentine’s Day (or maybe becasue I was cheap!) we would limit our spend to £5.

I was deliberating over what I would buy for Ben when I saw an email selling raw fudge.  Ben loves fugde, so I thought it was a great idea.  But it was really tiny.  Then I remembered that Ben doesn’t like almonds – bum!

Raw fudge

Protein hot chocolate, gluten free, vegan option

Well hello there!  And Happy 1st December!!!

I was thinking of doing a kitchen love review, but I just haven’t gotten around to it yet.  So, I teased you in my pumpkin post with a delicious protein hot chocolate.  Inspired by Keepin’ it Kind, it’s rich and creamy, but it is healthy enough for breakfast (the hot choc, not Kristy!)!

The thick, creaminess comes from pumpkin, the sweetness comes from banana, and an added hit of protein powder makes this an awesome all rounder!

I loved it so much I experimented with a plain pumpkin version, inspired by Healthy. Happy. Life.  In fact, I sent Ben to the supermarket to get me a banana especially!  That was pretty awesome too, but hey’s on th erun up to Christmas, so hot cocoa is the way to go!  Plus cacao powder is the food of the God’s! It has so many health benefits, this might as well be a health drink!

Chocolate almond cookies

It’s Sunday so let’s enjoy something sweet: chocolate cookies – YUM!

Enjoy your Sunday Roast at lunchtime, and then serve these for a delicious afternoon tea:

There they are!  Sandwiched together with vanilla icing.

Low carb, gluten free brownies

Hey, you!  Yes, you!

I’ve got you a present…

You’re welcome!

blackforest smoothie: chocolate and cherry

Happy Monday!  Let this smoothie welcome you back to the working week.

I had some cherries left from making my birthday muffins.  Ben kindly pitted them for me, and I froze them.  Perfect for making a yummy high protein smoothie!

Mint Choc Cupcakes – gluten free, vegetarian,

Women’s Health July/Aug 2013

I saw this Build a Better Cupcake article in Women’s Health Magazine, and got very excited at the thought of making some ‘healthier cupcakes’.  It is right up my street.  As you’ve probably gathered, I like to tweak recipes, particularly making them healthier.

I presented these at work as a healthy cupcake, and was asked if there is such a thing.  Well, read on and make up your own mind!