February 3, 2011 lessons learned
lesson #1
spontaneous day-time adventures might be one of the best parts about life. especially when they include a trip to the montery bay aquarium! and jellies!
“fish are friends, not food!”
i found nemo! and dori. can you 
?
another lesson? i still love penguins. i do not like penguins in boxed in environments 
lesson #2
i really love being vegan. especially when i can make things like this.
“meat”loaf! more like lentil, cannelli bean, onion and spices loaf!
pre-baked
post-baked
on-plate
with these guys…
roasted famer’s market leeks! a new-to-me food. and oh-so-good.
by the way…the non-vegan boy? loved every bite of this stuff
oh, the recipe? well okay!
what you need
1/3 cup dry lentils (yields one cup cooked)
1/2 cannelli beans (mine were canned)
1/3 cup millet flour (i’m sure any flour would work well)
1/2 onion (i used yellow, i doubt it matters what kind you use!)
1 T tomato paste
1 t cumin
1 t red chili powder
what you need to do
preheat oven to 350
cook lentil in about 2.5 cups water with 2 bay leaves until all liquid is absorbed or until ready
chop onion, drain beans, and add everything to food processor or blender
add cooked lentils to food processor/blender
pulse a few times so the texture remains chunky
put into greased pan
bake for about 50 minutes to an hour, or until ready
plate and serve!
lesson #3
who knew it was possible to fill a costco sized almond butter jar up with juice? not this girl!
in this bad boy is two carrots, two swiss chard leaves, celery, cucumber and looove. so delicious, so nutritious!
lesson #4
giving up sugar was the best decision i ever made for my body and mind. especially when i can eat things like this instead!
avocado-banana-chocolate pudding topped with the non dairy queen’s coconut cream and a square of unsweetened baker’s chocolate!
(pudding: half an avocado, half a nanner, a T of dark chocolate poweder…coconut cream: 3 T raw coconut flour mixed with 6 T unsweetened almond milk and sweetener of your choice. SO. ADDICTED.)
sweetened with a new-to-me sweetener!
lesson #5
going without warmed lemon water in the morning definitely does not help my digestive track. the two days i forwent drinking it, i didn’t “go”. lemon juice helps jump-start your digestive fire by waking up the digestive juices! necessary for people like me who have bathroom issues from time to time!
lesson #6
the most important lesson of all: life is sweet when you let it be.
have you learned any lessons recently?
namaste
zoe
- 6 comments
- Posted under dinner, food, life, recipes, staying positive, the beatles, vegan
Permalink #
Nicole @ Of Cookies & Carrots
said
Ah I was BY the monterey aquarium a few weeks ago… but didnt’ actually go in :/
that meatloaf (well, veggieloaf? haha) looks fantastic! as does the sugar-free stuff.. .I’ve been experimenting with sugar-free bakign lately, though I don’t really foresee myself completely giving up sugar it’s definitely fun to play around with!
I love your blog!
Permalink #
zoe
said
aw, thanks so much! i’m glad you like it
and the sugar free stuff is seriously delicious! it’s my new favorite go-to dessert! and i have dessert every night
Permalink #
(what runs) Lori
said
You went to Monterey and didn’t even tell me?!
Just kidding- sort of… I love the aquarium!!! It’s so cool!
I’m off the sugar too! I’ll take your non-sugar dessert any day!
Permalink #
movesnmunchies
said
ah SO glad to find you!!!!!! your lentil loaf and dessert both look AMAZING! am def giving that dessert a go!
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Abigail @ Good To Think and Eat
said
Hey,
I found your blog through Choosing Raw and I just want to say I’m really enjoying reading about your explorations of healthy food and yoga. I am similarly madly in love with yoga and am so impressed with how it’s helped me subdue my negative and unhealthy thoughts and habits about my body.
I’m also trying to eliminate processed sugar from my diet, but it’s so difficult! Do you have any tips? It’s something that I crave so so so fiercely.
Permalink #
zoe
said
hey there! thanks for you comment, it’s super sweet. glad to have discovered another yoga addict! it most definitely has altered the way i think and the way i act, especially where my body is concerned
but as for sugar, it’s been a tough road. i can tell you now i really rarely crave it. i am one of those people who just goes cold turkey though, which i really wouldn’t recommend. the best thing i did was not keep it in the house. i didn’t buy candy or sweet treats with sugar in them. i relied on fruit for those intense sugar cravings (because ohmygod were they EVER there — and INTENSELY so!). sometimes i caved and bought something with refined sugars in it but i never felt good (physically) after i did it. sugar really turns me into a mess and i know that. if you’re like me, moderation is a difficult thing. when i make something sweet, i try to make a single serving. i use natural sugar alternatives, though sparingly. agave, blackstrap molasses, fruit purees, and my new favorite raw coconut nectar are usually what i use to sweeten things if i feel the need. but you’ll find your taste buds craving the sweetness in carrots or apples or bell peppers after a while. natural sugar is the best sugar anyway, at least for me
!
i used to eat sugar whenever stressed because it was comforting but now i eat hummus and carrots when i’m stressed
i recommend staying hydrated and sticking to a regular yoga practice and exercise schedule, nothing super intense, just enough movement to help the body feel less stress. because movement helps our bodies become better at managing and handling stress. and staying hydrated keeps the mind from thinking it’s hungry when it’s actually thirsty. oh, and sleep (something i’m still working on 
!). regular sleep keeps the body working efficiently and reducing cravings for refined carbs and processed sugars!
it’s most important to read labels. like a crazy person. anything with cane syrup or cane sugar i don’t eat, either, because it’s still sugar even though it’s not “refined”. this made me the most sad because i gave up most dark chocolates…but now i am in love with 100% dark chocolate, by itself or with a little (very little) added natural sweetener. basically, the best advice i can give, is be patient and compassionate towards yourself while giving up sugar. it’s not easy but it’s really worth it. try to stick to the most natural forms of sweet food you can find (fruit! especially dried fruit (like medjool dates) — loaded with natural sugars!) if you need a sweet fix, i recommend coconut bliss “ice cream”. just about all of their flavors contain no sugar, just agave (which should be consumed in smaller amounts anyway, too.)
just take the transition one day at a time and don’t beat yourself up if you “slip.” eventually, you’ll just stop craving it altogether
good luck and i hope this helped you out some!