People and Places I Love - Food & Fitness

Snacks

I wanted to share my absolute LOVE of the blog Cannelle et Vanille.  It is the most beautiful food blog around.  The pictures are so simple and elegant, rustic but classy.  I can never get enough of this blog.  I could just stare at the pictures for hours, or print them out on huge canvas and paint over it, using it as a guideline.  Aran's pictures are art worthy to hung up in a kitchen or a cottage or a sunroom or something.  If this picture isn't gorgeous, I don't know what is.  Harry says I could do that too.  Maybe one day I'll learn the art of food photography to the extent Aran displays.  Dreaming must turn into doing.

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Little Goat's Bulls-Eye French Toast.  I mentioned this bad boy previously, but I have been dreaming of it ever since.  This is definitely one of my go to places in Chicago whenever I'll be back.  I got to try a few things on the menu and it all tasted great.  I just couldn't understand how this dish rocked my world so thoroughly!  To be clear,  I am only leaving for the month of February, but will only be in Chicago for about a week each month.  Adventures to come!

The other favorite brunch spot of mine is in Logan Square, not a neighborhood I frequent very often, Lula Cafe!  This food is absolutely beautiful and the tastes and textures are just perfect.  The savory and the sweet will rock your world.  I definitely enjoyed the sourdough pancakes, but I adored the sweet potato latkes, I think they were.  The menu changes often enough that they're not served anymore.  The community here is wonderful, the staff is friendly and treats you like a family friend.  I've been multiple times and, aside from a winter chill in the front room, it is a cozy and delicious gem.

Yum!

Lemony Poppy Yogurt Cake anyone?  How about to have baking in the oven, warming up the apartment, or house, with the lovely smell, and heat from the oven because your heat no longer works properly.  Am I beating a dead horse with this point?  Because our heat is still not working properly.  I've also been dreaming about making this for the apartment ladies, Sarah, Mara, and myself, to enjoy over tea together.  I'm still avoiding the cow dairy, but I'm willing to try this out with goat yogurt or the Greek style coconut yogurt Whole Foods has been carrying.  Jenna over at Eat, Live, Run, is always my go to for comforting classy recipes like this.

Away from food for the body and moving to food for the soul.  I've been branching out a bit from my usual studio, Yoga Now, where I did my teacher training 2 years ago.  Due to my crazy in and out of Chicago schedule coming up, I gave my class up to allow for consistency, so, since I'm not a teacher there anymore, I don't get free classes.  I therefore decided to try out Moksha.  Moksha and Yoga Now have a fair amount of history together and they share a fair amount of teachers, or they used to at least.  I've absolutely loved the teachers at Moksha.  I was actually acred that it would have a very high and mighty vibe, but it doesn't AT ALL, which was a huge relief.  Both of these studios are no Core Power Yoga, with the commercial corporate feel.  They really focus on the foundations and roots of the practice.  The humbling experience and the gentle, but powerful, progression of the body, mind, and spirit.  I highly recommend them both.

Flirty Live

Otherwise I've been doing some online videos from Flirty Girl Fitness.  I used to go to the studio in the summer and take pole dance and hip hop classes, but between the gym and yoga, I thought it best not to over do things, so I just used a free trial I had of the online dance classes.  I felt rather silly at first, hopping around my room, shaking my butt to my broken heater, but eventually I got into it and had a blast.  It got my heart rate up and my sweat going.  Fun, silly, perfectly Flirty Girl!

Now i'm off to have lunch and cappuccinos with my friend Juliana!  She's getting married in May!  How exciting!

How do you stay fit and full in the winter time?
Hit me up in the comments!

Where I've Been and Where I'm Going

Now

Overcast

Temperature

22.5 °F

Feels Like 9 °F

Wind(mph)

18.0

Sunrise / Set

7:05 AM

5:03 PM

Moon

Waning Crescent

More Astronomy

I wanted to express my sincere gratitude that it is in the 20's this morning and will even climb up to the 30's later today.  I don't remember what the 30's feel like anymore, but I do remember enjoying long leisurely walks in the 20's.  I am talking about temperature, which any Chicagoans reading would certainly know.  We've all be stalking the weather recently.  It may "feel like 9" but that's SO much more inviting than "feels like -35."  I never thought I'd be excited about 20's.

For those of you who don't know, I was born abroad in the heat of Kuwait just before the first Gulf War, had an "extended vacation" for 2 years in Florida as the war raged, and subsequently moved back to the middle east, but to the yet to be sparkly Emirate of Dubai.  So before all of this:

Wikipedia

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Was my life.  I went to the American School of Dubai.  Though my mom's first language is arabic, my brother Khaled and I didn't learn it except the small amount we could glean from elementary school.  Khaled did end up studying it in college and living in Jordan with my aunt for a few months to practice, smart boy, but I can just recall the names of my favorite arabic foods.

My point is that I love the hot weather.  I grew up in it, the stifling heat and humidity of Dubai, and I absolutely ADORE it!  So I truly never thought I'd be one to appreciate 20 degrees F.  I guess that's a lesson in gratitude for you.  Chicago Chicago.  I will never forget you, but I will leave you.

Nairobi

It is the time of year, February, when I take my annual leave of winter.  Last year I went to Belize for a lovely yoga retreat, and this year I'm going to Kenya!  I'm very excited!  I'll be staying with a friend from Les Roches, the hospitality school I attended in Switzerland, for 3 weeks of Kenyan exploration.  I won't give too much away yet, but I will be doing my best to keep you all updated on the food, life, and experiences.  

Serena Hotel

I will be staying here.

Serena Hotel

Probably doing a bit of this

I leave on Monday, which is either 5 or 3 days away, depending on how you look at it.  5 if I still need to get a lot of stuff done before I leave, like laundry for example, and 3 if it "feels like -35F."  Luckily it only feels like 9.

Italian Rice Paper Rolls

What's she talking about?? Rice paper and Italian?  Screwed up lady here.  Weeellll, that's not so true.  Not after you've tried this delicious portable salad snack!  I had a bunch of Rice Wrappers from a workshop I held a few weeks ago, AND I had a bunch of lovely salad ingredients leftover from a more recent workshop, so I put them together to create this!

                              

                                

                                 

                                

This is the good stuff!  Kind of pricey, but the flavor and texture will rock your world.  It's imported Buffalo Mozzarella.  Good stuff, like I said.

Pretty simple process.  Dip the rice paper into warm water until soft.  Lay on a dry surface.  Place desired ingredients inside and wrap!  In there I've got some baby arugula, real buffalo mozzarella, some steamed and sliced beets, and a delicious olive oil and 15 year aged balsamic, which you can purchase at Old Town Oil if you're in the Chicago area.

                                 

Even Delilah was hankering for a bite.

                                

Tangy Vegan Pumpkin Pie with Molasses Coconut Cream

Mmmmm Pie!  Why stop the pumpkin love after Fall?  My pumpkins store great all winter long!  AND my favorite food ever is anything pumpkin pie flavored. Enter, the winter pumpkin pie.

Incase I haven't harped on about this enough, our heat broke last night and while our noses and fingers were freezing, I decided it was the perfect time to bake something warming and delicious.  I'll be honest with you here; I intended to make a cheese cake like pumpkin pie because I thought that would be fun, but I ended up with a tangy pumpkin pie.  Still delicious.

The topping came about because I didn't have anymore maple syrup, which is my favorite way to make coconut whipped cream, a touch of vanilla and maple syrup.  Should I use honey?  No, not really going for that flavor.  Molasses?  Well that's an idea.  I do love molasses and it definitely pairs well with pumpkin pie.

A last garnish.  What should it be?  OF COURSE something that was also in the same color profile because that makes for a contrasting picture: Crystalized ginger!

So yes, I could have actually considered the look of the dish and not made everything varying shades of orange brown, but it tasted great!

Tangy Vegan Pumpkin Pie with Molasses Coconut Cream

I based my recipe off of Gena Hamshaw's Food 52 recipe.  You can find her great stuff over at Choosing Raw too.

For the Crust:

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup (more as necessary) coconut oil, cool enough to be solid
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup non-dairy milk of choice

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients except the milk into a bowl and mix together with a fork or your fingers until it is a somewhat crumbly consistency.
2. Add a little of the milk at a time making sure not to over mix
3. When the cough sticks together when pressed, but crumbles when separated, it is ready
4. Place in a pie tin and use your fingers and knuckles to spread it as thin and evenly as possible.  This gives it a crumbly, rustic texture, which I love.
5. Set aside in a cool place

For the Filling:

• 2 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1.5 cup cashews, soaked 3+ hours and drained of soaking water
• 3/4 cups demerara, brown, or cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
• 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinches cloves

(I always do the spices to taste since I like my pie extra spicy)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Place all items, saving the spices for last, into a blender.

Blend until completely smooth.

Add spices and adjust to taste.

Pour into crust and smooth over with a spatula.

Bake until the crust is a soft golden brown and a knife comes out clean from the middle of the pie, or about 40 minutes.

Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before placing in the fridge until fully cooled.

For the Molasses Coconut Whipped Cream Topping:

• 1 can full fat coconut milk refrigerated at least 3 hours
• 2-3 Tbs molasses
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Turbinado or other sugar to taste
• A pinch of crystalized ginger

Instructions:

1. Open can of coconut mil and scoop out the hardened cream into a bowl.
2. Begin to whip it and break it up with a fork or whisk.
3. As it warms up and gets softer, whisk more vigorously and add the molasses, vanilla, and sugar, tasting as you go.
4. When it is fluffy, spoon over pie and sprinkle crystalized ginger over top.
5. Take a picture, then enjoy!

Monday Funday

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1. Us Chicagoans are back in Chiberia.  The temperature today will not exceed 0 F and that means that I very willingly prescribe myself a hibernation day.  I refuse to leave the house today in the way one might if they had a terrible flu.  Except my flu is the offensive temperature.  I don't know how you Minnesotans do it all winter, but to me, you all are like supernatural beings.

                           

2. I got my first tattoo!  This is pre touch-up, but I love it!  It is based on the idea of Anitya (Sanskrit for impermanence).  Inspired by my roommate's finger tattoo, it has always been a mantra and philosophy that I live by.  It felt too right to deny.

3. We got another dog!  Well temporarily.  That fluffy guy's name is Choco and he is a Shitzu-Poodle mix.  My friend Annie needed to find him a permanent home because she will be moving back to Vietnam soon.  He does not have his papers, so she cannot take him back with her.  We did a week trial, but realized that he needs a lot more energy and attention than we can give him.  Sarah, my roommate, found him a better home with one of her coworkers.

4. One afternoon Sarah and I were in the mood to create and cook.  She made fresh garlic bread and I made a carrot hash with sautéed leftover mushrooms from the farmers market, with eggs and sprinkled parsley.  I forgot the mushroom gravy!  Oops.  It ended up being very tasty on the garlic bread after we had already finished the eggs.

5. These guys have been sitting around for MONTHS!  They're actually Sarah's, but I was given instruction to make use of them, so I did.  you will see how tomorrow!  I just love roasting squash in the winter time. And I love baking when the heat is broken and the temps are dropping below 0...

Yoga and Tea

Some of you may know that I love yoga just about as much as I love sitting in a cafe with hot (almond) milky tea and a pastry to dip.  This was my perfect morning!  One of my favorite teachers Kali Om (Cara Jepsen), teaches a wonderful class at Sweet Pea's Studio in West Lakeview, here in Chicago.  Sweet Pea's is a studio that specializes in ladies with little peas growing inside of them (think babies), but Kali rents out the space and teaches her Dharma Mittra style class there.

No Big Deal - Source

It is the style of yoga that can open me up in just the right way to set my body up for accomplishing poses and relaxation better than most others I have tried.  That's Dharma up there, just hanging out in Titibasana.  Kali Om studied with Dharma and with Pattabhi Jois, the founder of Ashtanga Yoga, so she has a nice background that compliments my preferences.  They are both strong, active yogas, but I prefer the variety of Dharma's.  Kali led the Belize retreat I went on last February, just for reference.

After practice, and a rather successful forearm balance along with a tearful moment on my mat when Kali talked about how we are never alone in our hearts, I went for a not so lonely brunch with myself at Delicious Cafe!

 

It's a lovely Vegan Cafe just North of Sweet Pea's on Lincoln Ave, and they have this yummy deluxe breakfast sandwich!  Tempeh, vegan cheese, hot sauce, tomato, and red onion!

                                 

I also got their White Tea Chai special with almond milk of course!  So satisfying and warming for a sniffling chilly day.

                                 

I was still hungry and my tea was still hot, so for dipping purposes I added this amazingly buttery Strawberry Jam filled Scone!  It was perfect.  If you're ever in the area, definitely check this place out, and if you can, sign up for Kali Om's yoga class beforehand!

Now It's time to make some popcorn with coconut oil and pray they fix the heat in my building before tomorrow!

Juicing, Elixer or Poison?

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I get a lot of questions about juicing in and out of my workshops.  It really intrigues people.  One day I will probably have a nice detailed blog post about juicing in juicy detail, but today I wanted to focus on the general. Good or bad?

Anyone who has any experience with juicing or who has their foot in the health food world door probably has some kind of strong opinion about juicing.  Or they are exceptionally confused.  I found two articles, one about why juicing is THE BEST and the other about how juicing can RUIN YOU.  Read them.  Then read below, or just skip ahead!

The Arguments
1. Organic juicing is the heal-all!  It extracts the fiber allowing all the healing phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals, to be extra easy to absorb into the body.  With our depleted soil and generation after generation of modifying our veggies to be bigger and sweeter, we no longer can acquire the nutrients we need just by eating them.  We'd have to eat way more than our stomachs can handle!  But with juicing you can pack in more and take up less tummy room. It also gives the digestive system a break, which is a natural pat of our eat-hunger cycle, but which we no longer have due to constant access to food.  

2. Juicing is terrible!  It removes the fiber which means there is no slowing down the inevitable blood sugar spike and eventual crash!  That is damaging and causes insulin levels to rise quickly, which is inflammatory, leads to mood swings as your blood sugar drops down to below average, cravings, etc.  The acidic state of the juice can do damage to teeth over the long term.  Eat everything in its WHOLE state.  This is just another form of PROCESSING which denatures a lot of the oxygen sensitive nutrients.

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BAHH!  What does it all mean!?
You're going to HATE my answer.  Ready? hehehe.  "Everything in moderation!"  Lia you suck!  I know, but seriously guys, that's kinda all you can glean from the back and forth.  Both sides do have some great points.  I've heard of many people who damage their enamel with consistent lemon water drinking, as well as too abrasive toothpastes leading to gum recession and loss of enamel.  Brush gently and switch things up.

I use these things as tools to help me achieve what I want at the time.  I'll drink lemon water for a few days in a row when the people around me are getting sick, or I feel a bit of a virus trying to take over.  That's also when I'm more likely to juice.  But then I STOP. I take a nice long break and eat whole, real foods because that truly is the state we are meant to eat them in. Little lovely packages of goodness.

When else do I juice?  When I notice that I'm falling into bad habits or eating too much sugar too consistently. I'll juice for a day, MAYBE 2 days, just to reset my system, my taste buds, and yes, even to give my digestive system a bit of a break.  These juices are LOW FRUIT HIGH VEGGIE to prevent, or at least minimize the blood sugar peaks and valleys.  Longer feasts/fasts can definitely be appropriate, but I don't recommend juicing the same fruits or veggies everyday for years.  Change it up! 

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Should You Avoid Kale?
I'm referencing the second article above in which the author gets diagnosed with hypothyroidism and has to avoid certain veggies.  Crucifers, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, etc, are known to be able to disrupt the thyroid.  They, and a host of others, are called goitrogenic foods because of the way certain phytochemicals screw with the absorption of iodine in our bodies, a necessary mineral for proper thyroid function.  If you don't have thyroid issues, I wouldn't worry about it.  There doesn't seem to be enough evidence that eating them as part of a well-rounded diet is going to do harm.  Don't eat them every day for years, or extract a concentrated version of them, like in juicing, everyday for years.  Cooking them does lower their negative impact, so a light steam is good.  Kale is actually ranked as having a higher nutrient profile when it is cooked than when it is raw because the nutrients become more available.

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Should You Eat Twinkies and Dairy Instead?
That little bit at the end of the article where she gives up on all her beliefs and hope for health by eating a Twinkie with regular cow's milk really irritated me.  Screw it all right?  Just go wild!  We clearly don't know what is good for us and what isn't, so have your Twinkie and eat it too.  NO!  Keep learning.  Keep striving, not for perfection, but improvement and understanding.  See how your body reacts and feels.  Variety, variety, variety, along with fresh and whole!  Keep it simple and clean and full of joy and you'll know you're on the right path.  Keep the Twinkie in the fallout shelter.

Winter Time Pesto

Basil is in season all year right?  That's why you can get it at the grocery store whenever you want it, obviously!  Except not really.  It is a rare day that I am willing or wanting to drop a pretty penny on out of season basil.  In case this is news to you, basil is a summer herb.  Like most herbs, it grows during the warmer growing season and does not store well like apples or onion over the winter.  You can freeze it, or turn it into a delicious pesto sauce and freeze that for winter reminders of what is to come in a few months time.

Sometimes I plan ahead like that, but most of the time I don't.  This pesto recipe is not at all seasonal, but basil, farmer's markets, and summer go hand in hand for me, so this is a very adaptable non-basil pesto. By adaptable, I mean that it can use different greens.  Arugula is a great alternative as is kale, or a mix!  Play around to see which flavors match your personality the best.  This parsley/cilantro combo reminds me of my mom, which is why I like it!

Throw on some of my vegan park too if you want! (Recipe also below)

Pesto Sauce (Winter Style)

• 2 cups/2 large handfuls fresh Parsley & Cilantro
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ cup walnuts or pine nuts
• Sea salt to taste
• Lemon juice to taste (optional)

Instructions:

1. In food processor, add the parsley and cilantro.  Process until well chopped.
2. Pour the olive oil in as the processor runs, along witht the garlic.
3. Process until smooth adding sea salt and lemon juice to taste.
4. Add the walnuts, pulsing to maintain a bit of texture

Save/freeze or serve with pasta of choice

Vegan Parm

• 1/4 cup Cashews
• Lemon juice - 1/4 lemon, add more if you prefer
• 3-4 Tbs Nutritional Yeast (Red Star Brand is preferred)
• Salt to taste if you are using unsalted Cashews

Put all ingredients into food processor and process.  Add more nutritional yeast if mixture is too wet.

Little Goat

Because who can resist such a cute little goat!!  This is the most adorable logo I've seen ever and it belongs to the group of restaurants associated with Girl and the Goat.  I had the privilege to eat at Girl and the Goat on the 8th, but did not take any pictures!  What a shame!  Bad Lia.  And, to be straight-up about it, it was truly a luscious meal.

Girl and the Goat

In this case, luscious means small plates with exquisite flavor and quality.  The environment, to quote their website, is "rustic and badass." It's truly a unique experience, dining there, and great for special occasions.  

Girl and the Goat

It is rather pricey, but above and beyond expectations.  I had heard of many friends needing to make reservations months in advance, but this seems only true of weekends and peak dining times.  I'm lucky enough to eat dinner at 5:30, so we just walked in.  I was sure we would not be able to get seats, but, again, to quote their website, "Girl & the Goat accepts reservations but always welcomes walk-ins, nomads, adventurers, and those of you who don’t like to plan."

Girl and the Goat

Our tastings:

raw kusshi oysters: muscatel mignonette . tarragon

escargot ravioli: bacon . tamarind-miso sauce

grilled Skirt Steak: root vegetable caponata . cajeta (made from goat's milk)

lamb ribs: marcona almond chopped salad . yogurt jus

grilled baby octopus: guanciale . beans . pistachios . lemon vinaigrette

Go, if you're in Chicago, for goodness sakes, GO EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT!  

If it's out of your price range, then walk across the street to Little Goat.  The diner version.  A bit cheaper, but still pricier than your average diner, the food will still rock your world.  The things they can do with flavor and texture is impressive. 

Pardon the picture quality. We got crispy shrimp wrapped in Somen noodles with some kind of light aioli, Bibb lettuce, and a mild cocktail sauce to start. I usually avoid getting shrimp due to the destructive trolling used to capture them, but these guys are farmed.

Harry got an amazing dish from the Supper Club section called Seafood Fideos. Angel hair pasta with mussels, shrimp, and whitefish.  It was amazing.

When I'm at a place that serves breakfast all day I get breakfast!  It really is a bummer that the quality isn't better, but this tasty dish is called the Bull's Eye French Toast.  It's got french toasted sweet onion brioche with a yolky egg in the center.  The egg is hidden under the strawberries, but it's there.  Then they add breaded chicken and a BBQ maple syrup.  Mind blowing.  Truly.

I Finished the Chicken, Now What?

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For those of you who might indulge in an occasional animal based meal, this is for you.  A lot of people love rotisserie chicken, and a lot of people who don't eat meat anymore used to love it.  I won't harp on and on about the juiciness of the slow cooking and the high quality you can now get in Chicago, either from Whole Foods, or, even better, from Eataly.

So you enjoyed your chicken and you have this whole carcass leftover, now what do you do?  Throw it away?!  For shame!!  Don't waste the poor thing!  Not only do I make it a motto of mine to use everything to the best of my abilities in honor of the animal, but not to forgo a delicious 2nd meal from the first. Enter CHICKEN STOCK!

• You pick all the meat off the bones and place the bones into a pot.  
• Fill the pot with cold water until the bones are covered.  
• Bring to a boil and then down to a simmer.  
• Allow to simmer for about 3-5 hours for optimal break-down of all the goodness.  

I love to add any leftover veggie bits I have too, like onion peelings, or whole onions, carrot end or chopped up carrots, celery, etc.  This provides more flavor and nutrients!

Not a chicken person?  Easy!  Do the same as above but with a bunch of veggies to get a quick and easy veggie broth!  It only needs about 30 minutes of simmer time, strain and freeze!

After the cooking process is finished just strain into a storage container or ice cube tray, allow to cool, and refrigerate or freeze.  The cubes are nice to throw into rice or quinoa to give it more flavor.  You can use the stock as a soup base.  Just heat it up and throw in a bunch of veggies, and/or some chicken meat.

2+ meals in one!

Cooking With Whole Foods Workshop

I've been hosting a series of food workshops this month centered around transitioning to a whole foods diet.  We're coming to the last couple food workshops of January!  This is the BIG ONE!  Cooking completely from scratch!  January 18th from 6:00-8:00PM at Yoga Now! This is one of your last opportunities to work with me as I will be leaving Chicago, with an aching heart, after January.  Make use of my knowledge, recipes, and resources!

We're going to make and taste a whole lot of whole foods!  Completely new recipes and techniques than the previous workshops, as well as a wrap up of information on how to get the best produce from the best places and use the best techniques to make foods from scratch.  THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN BUILDING UP TO!  SIGN UP NOW!

Learn how to make a mushroom gravy without meat, pesto and other sauces, no potato mashed potatoes, and so SO much more.  We'll be discussing technique with some demonstration and lots of eating.

- Sauces, dressings, and soups

- Vegetables and the best preparation methods

- Fruits, nuts, & seeds

- Grains and starches

- Meats, dairy, and eggs - the questions, the sources, the quality, and the nutrition

- Local foods

I hope to see you there!

Walking on Eggshells

As many of you know, I eat certain animal products now, though I'm exceptionally picky when it comes to what I buy.  I'm mostly vegan (if I am to use a label to describe the grey area I have entered into), aim for mostly veggies (greens greens greens!), and my intent is limited grains/sugars.  So you could call me a mostly Vegan Primal eater or a Pollanavore.  I follow the Food Rules of Michael Pollan.  How do I feel?  I feel better actually.  And that is simply because I crave and eat less sugar this way.  That's what caused the shift.

I have a sweet tooth.  I was a busy working spontaneous person, which resulted in less than stellar food options and choices.  Some people can do the meal planning thing and can bring food to work everyday.  I did that on and off, but, FOR ME, it started to become a scenario where I either over-stress about food and pre making things OR I lose my spontaneity (aka not always sleeping at my own place, random outings and "field trips," random late nights when I had the rare opportunity to bond and giggle with my roommate, etc.), or both.  Stress for me = serious sugar cravings, which, to my knowledge, is far more toxic to the whole human system than occasional high quality animal products (dairy not included).

So, I would often keep a jar of almond butter at work, or some almond milk and make my own oatmeal, eat bananas and pecans when I was desperate before we could eat lunch at 2:45PM.  They were long, active days, and I found myself craving and eating more sugar than I wanted to.  I was a server at a brunch restaurant.  It was becoming an issue.  So, I thought I'd try eating eggs in the morning.  I felt huge cravings for them for months and felt that a fattier, savory breakfast that was EASILY ACCESSIBLE for me would do the trick.  It helped almost immediately.

Think veggie heavy omelets, or poached eggs with spinach and red bliss potatoes.  I did not have the mood swings that come with my sugar cravings and intake, and I simply didn't and don't crave sugar like I used to.

Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

You know how I would respond to someone like me?  I'd say, "well that just means you weren't doing it right.  You were doing vegan wrong!  You need to eat more fat and protein and less carbs and processed foods."  This is true in fact.  My issue was that I just couldn't seem to prepare myself properly and I'd be at work with no food except the sugar and high fructose laden peanut butter or super refined toast with a banana and cinnamon of course.  And you just get tired of salads day after day when your ingredients are limited by the restaurant you work at.  The stress was getting to me more than the diet was benefiting me.

And my rule, beyond all others?  If it helps you eat more greens and less sugar, then do it.  Obviously this does not mean if you dump a pound of beef on your itty bitty salad then it's good because you'll eat greens you otherwise wouldn't.  It means if something that is not 100% awesome for you (what is these days...) helps you eat things that are awesome for you, then use it as a supplement.

I know many people identify me by my choice of being a vegan, and I have already received a lot of "reaction" to my change.  5 years of being a vegan just to go back?  As if it is a career ladder, or an instrument being practiced.  I love the vegan diet and lifestyle and promote it still in my food workshops.  I think it can be one of the healthiest ways of eating for the human body and mind.  It has also been convenient to just say, "I am a vegan."  Now I get to say, "I'm a very selective omnivore!"  I'm pretty excited about that actually!  And so, I announce myself as a vegan no longer.