Mail Time: Graze Box #2!

What's in my box this time!?

LITTLE FIGGY WENT TO THE MARKET:  Figs are not for everyone.  Suuuure, we all like them heavily processed with sugars in the center of a famous fig cookie, but dehydrated or pure?  I like them, buuut, I will admit to not being crazy about the smell.  I don't know what it is, they just have a funny smell to me.  In this little package, dried figs, apples and cranberries are dusted with rice flour (to keep them from sticking, but also adds a touch of sweetness).  It's a delicious combo, and it's packed with carbohydrates to keep you on the move.

BOOSTER SEEDS:  As soon as I saw this in my package, I knew that I wanted to save them.  I just finally got a blender/processor, and have a dehydrator, and have plans to use these to make raw crackers.  It's actually pretty hard to not tear them open and eat them plain because I know how insanely nutrient rich these are, and I have been very ill since Saturday, but I have bigger plans for these babies.. they deserve it.

DARK ROCKY ROAD:  This is awesome.  I am a huge fan of chocolate, I'm not going to lie, so anytime you put chocolate in something, as long as the chocolate is good, the rest will be good to me.  The Belgian dark chocolate buttons melt in your mouth and aren't waxy, and layered with the pecans and cranberries?  Oh, hello heaven.

HABAS TAPAS:  You may have been fooled into thinking I was the most excited about the chocolate in the box this time, but you are wrong, sir.  I love, love, LOVE barbecue anything.  Habas Tapas has jumbo chili corn, roasted corn and chili broad beans.  In my brain, chili and barbecue go hand in hand, so this little package got my taste buds fired up.  The flavor in this is amazing considering the smell would lead you to believe it was going to taste bland.  I can't say I'm crazy about the dried bean texture, but it's sure as heck not keeping me from eating it.

Want to try Graze?  Here's a friend code here, here, and if those are gone, they created a unique code for my readers; BETHSNACK.

Hail Merry on sale?!?

I LOVE Hail Merry products.  I have never had one I didn't instantly add to my favorite treats list.  The fact that they're raw, vegan, and made with all good fats means I don't feel guilty treating myself.  I first tried them in a Conscious Box and it was love at first bite, no joke.  I've had them many times since, and even had a tart on my birthday in place of a birthday cake.  Not kidding; I LOVE HAIL MERRY.

And the best news?  They're local to me since I moved to Dallas AND they're on sale right now at my local Whole Foods!  $1 off each?  Heck yes I'll take two!!

Chili gone wild!

Clancy's chili is in the monster tupperware container at the bottom.
I've already eaten two servings of mine...

Clancy and I are busy people who like to eat tasty food on the cheap and on the fly. Hence, large quantities of chili being cooked at once. But here's the thing.. there are TWO kinds of chili here. We started off with very similar base recipes, but he added sausage (like, real sausage, from a pig) and I certainly didn't. Different strokes for different folks, and YES, vegans can happily co-exist.

And by the way?  This chili is a vegan protein powerhouse.  You're welcome.  =]

Ingredients for my chili:

• 2 cans of chili ready diced tomatoes (or just diced tomatoes, adjust your spices accordingly)
• 1 can golden sweet corn
• 1 can dark red kidney beans*
• 1 can black beans*
• 1 pkg Tofurkey Ground Beef Style
• 3 mini sweet peppers (or 1-2 bell peppers), diced
• yellow onion (I used up what I had left in the fridge, I recommend 1/2-1 medium onion), diced
• Season to taste (cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, white pepper, chili powder, garlic, etc)

Directions:
Pour all of your canned ingredients into your crock pot and put it on high.  In a nonstick pan over medium high heat, saute your onions and peppers in your oil until your onions are starting to go translucent.  Add your "beef" and continue sauting for about five minutes per package instructions.  Stir your "beef" into your chili.  Let your ingredients cook for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally, and adding water as needed.  Bump it down to low, and let it simmer as long as you see fit (chili tends to simmer all day & night around our house).  Enjoy with homemade biscuits and peanut butter sammiches!

Nutritional info (serves 8?):
Calories:  229k
Fat:  4g
Carbohydrates:  37g
Protein:  14g

* = feel free to use whatever beans you like!  It's your chili!

posted from Bloggeroid

Breakfast!!

I made myself eat today!  I was up early enough that I had enough time to get hungry, versus the usual nausea I get in the mornings.  And before anyone asks, no, I'm not pregnant (unless I've been pregnant my whole life, ha).

In the photo:
1c Kroger Corn Flakes
1 medium banana
1/2c 365 Organic Vanilla Soymilk
1c Folger's Medium Roast Coffee
2tsp bulk sugar
splash of Soymilk in the coffee

Nutritional info:
Calories: 284k
Fat:  2g
Carbohydrates:  69g
Protein:  7g

posted from Bloggeroid

Swedish meatballs, vegan style.

This is one of my all time comfort foods.  Whenever one of us is sick, or really stressed out, Clancy will whip this up and have it ready when I come home.  He knows it will always put me in a good mood, and is one of my favorite meals.  He wanted to make a mushroom gravy (my favorite), but I used them all for the baked polenta topping the other night.

I have no idea how many calories this has, and I don't care.
You have to treat yourself now and again, or what's the point?

We don't get to eat a relaxed dinner together often, so this combined with one of my favorite comfort meals put me right at ease.  I love that man something fierce.

How to make it?  We are usually eating on the fly so we tend to make things like mashed potatoes ahead of time and buy frozen Meatless Meatballs from trader joes... Only the gravy ends up being made fresh, haha.  I honestly don't know how to make it... Clancy always does the gravy.

Breakfast, maybe?

I recently posted that I'm not much of a breakfast (or morning) person, and often struggle with eating before noon.  Lately I've been finding solutions and experimenting with eating light breakfasts, versus just not eating.  The other morning I had half of a whole wheat bagel with almond butter on it (115k, 28g carbs, 10g fat, 11g protein) and that sat pretty well, despite it being an epic battle to eat it.  Things just taste funny that early, like my body is warning me, "Hey.. you eat that, you're going to be sorry."  Sometimes I'll just have "yogurt", which tends to always sit well, or some fruit.  Yesterday, I was brave.

Ingredients(?):
3/4 cup Cocoa Snapz
1/2 Simple Truth Unsweetened Almondmilk
1 medium banana, sliced (I always slice right off of the banana, then eat the leftovers)

Directions (ha):
Measure and pour your cereal into a bowl.  Grab your banana, and while still partially in peel, work your way down it, cutting it into slices over your cereal.  When you have enough banana, eat what's left in the peel.  Measure and pour on your milk.  Enjoy!  =D

Nutritional facts (serves one):
Total Calories:  140k
Carbohydrates:  27g
Fat:  3g
Protein:  2g

Healthy Snacking: Hummus & Veggies

Hummus is an amazing snack food.  The main problem I found with hummus is that eating it with salty pita chips is almost an addicting snack that I can't seem to stop eating.  Nearly 400 calories later, I have to MAKE myself close the bag & walk away.  Solution?

Ingredients:
2-4 tablespoons of hummus (60-200 calories, depending on brand & type)
3.5 mini sweet peppers (40 calories)
1/2 cups broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1 large carrot, cut into dipping pieces

Nutritional facts (serves 1; I ate it all!):
Calories:  145k
Fat:  4g
Carbohydrates:  22g
Protein:  5g