Because Mitch and I have been doing the 30 day ab challenge in the morning, and I have been out to early classes and clients AND my computer was sooooooo slow, I have missed blogging the last couple of mornings, but I can’t possibly miss checking in on Vegan (Feast) Thursday.
After a conversation with Rita, earlier this week, I have been revisiting shakes in the morning before work. This time of year, they are so refreshing and so easy to make. I always start mine with some almond milk and half a frozen banana (which means I need less ice). With all the beautiful fruits and veggies that are in abundance right now, it’s hard to decide which way to go with my add ins. Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries…I usually add a big teaspoon of peanut butter (because that makes everything better) and I always add some ground flax seed. What a great way to start any day, but perfect for those looking for alternatives to breakfasts with animal products.
Last night I made something like a caponata, but without any sweetness added, and I opted to keep it chunky. It was really delicious, filling and comforting! I chopped up 3/4 of a large sweet onion, some garlic, a large zucchini, a large tomato, and a whole peeled, eggplant. In that order, I added them to a pot with some olive oil in the bottom. I let each veggie cook down a bit, before adding in the next. I added just enough jarred pasta sauce to keep things from sticking and/or burning. When things were starting to soften (after about 15 minutes) I added a box of sliced button mushrooms and some sliced calamata olives. I covered the pot and let everything continue cooking down, on a low heat. I also threw in some chopped up fresh basil and oregano from the garden and some red pepper flakes from the pantry. I don’t know how long it cooked, but not so long that everything mushed together as in a traditional caponata, which you can spread like a brushetta. I ate it with a Gardein burger chopped up in it, but it really is a meal in itself! It would be great over brown rice, or even cold! If you want to make it as a spread, keep cooking it and mash it as you do. YUM!!!!
Tonight I get to have the leftovers…and though I am going to grill some marinated tofu I assure those of you that don’t care for it, there is so much more to a plant-based diet than tasteless tofu! (Tofu actually takes on the taste of whatever you marinate it in or cook it with, so you can look at that white block of nothingness). You can definitely do the plant-based lifestyle without it, though admittedly, it is a great source of protein. But hopefully you realize we don’t need nearly as much protein as we were led to believe!
If you are doing the ab challenge, today is day 5. We do 30 sit ups, 12 crunches, 12 leg raises and 20 seconds in plank. I’ll probably be back in the morning and will remind you what day 6 holds….
