Vegan Week

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any instant cavities or weight gain you receive after reading this post.

HAPPY MONDAY! I’m starting my week off Vegan Style… It’s DC Vegan week and I am taking the challenge to go 7 days animal and dairy free! I’m positive I could be a Vegetarian for a week but going Vegan is really going to test me. I’ve planned out my meals and I’m hoping that will make it easier. Wish me luck 🙂 If you have any tips feel free to share them!

I am finally feeling back to normal (sickness wise, i feel gross from Super Bowl Food!). I got a couple of workouts in this weekend including spin, a 3 mile run, zumba and lifting shoulders and legs! It felt good to get back in the gym and sweat the rest of the sickness out. My legs absolutely hate me today. I cannot remember the last time they were this sore… But, I guess that’s a good thing!

Saturday I had lunch with my mom and aunt at California Pizza Kitchen. We all had a cup of their Tuscan White Bean Soup (I HIGHLY recommend this) and split a White Pizza w/ spinach and bacon on wheat thin crust.

We thought we had such great will power for sharing a pizza between 3 people. After we left lunch we walked around the mall… Then we saw a window display that looked like this:

Who can pass up godiva!? Clearly not us…

Can you guess which one is mine? The “healthy” one… Dark chocolate covered strawberry! If I would’ve known it was 7.99 before we got to the register I would’ve never ordered one! It was good…but seriously, I could make 24 of those for 7.99!

I was proud of myself for leaving the mall with only one bag.

Go me 🙂

The 5-year-old I nanny for had her birthday this weekend so I finished hanging the lanterns, making the cutest cupcakes ever, a delicious kids trail mix and wrapping the gift baskets. Kids birthdays sure have gotten extravagant! I want to share the cupcake “recipe” with you… Can you guess what kind they were?

OBVIOUSLY! I have yet to come across someone who doesn’t like funfetti cake… and if I do ever meet that person I’m positive we have nothing in common and we can’t be friends. Sorry. These weren’t just normal funfetti cupcakes… They were pink and purple rainbow princess cupcakes! Seriously, I want someone to take notes for my next birthday party because these will need to be in attendance. I have the same taste as a 5-year-old, it’s cool.

Princess Colored Cupcakes

Ingredients

• Funfetti cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup water
• Neon food coloring
• Vanilla Frosting
• Sprinkles

Directions

• Start off by preparing the Funfetti cake mix as directed on box with eggs, oil and water.
• Divide into 2 separate bowls. Add food coloring drops til desired color is reached.

• Line muffin tin with baking cups or spray with non-stick oil. Evenly distribute the first layer (whichever color you choose; i alternated) with batter.

• Gently spread the next layer of color on top with the back of a spoon.

Pink and Purple. Pink and Purple. Pink and Purple.

• Bake the cupcakes according to your box directions.
• Remove and let cool before icing.

• Decorate with Icing
• Sprinkle

When you cut into them they should look a little like this:

You know you want to make these. Right now. Or maybe for valentine’s day… Although, I really do have the best cupcake recipe for that day that I will post later – I am such a tease.

I also made some Festive Pretzels.

 

Sweet and Salty. Sweet and Salty. Sweet and Salty. ( I need to get the black and Yellow song out of my head)

AND one of the yummiest Kids Trail Mixes…

Captain Crunch Berries cereal, Banana Chips, M&Ms, Dried Blueberries and Pretzels drizzled with White Chocolate.

My dentist is going to hate me.

For Super Bowl Sunday I made 2 things… But only concentrated on taking pictures and writing down measurements for one recipe. Recipe #1 was a Bacon Cheeseburger Macaroni and Cheese and recipe #2 was Twix Blondies. I paid more attention to the dessert because I know you all secretly have a fat kid trapped in your body like I do. You’re welcome.

Twix Blondies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup melted butter
• 2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups of brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 26 coarsely chopped mini twix bars + 1 king size twix
• 1 cup Vegan chocolate chips + 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips melted

Directions

• Preheat to 350 F.
• Grease 9×13 baking pan.
• In medium-sized bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt, whisking together.

   

• In mixing bowl combine butter and brown sugar on low-speed until smooth.

   

• Add eggs one at a time continuing on low-speed.

• Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined.

• Add the coarsely chopped Twix and chocolate chips stirring with wooden spoon.

• Spread batter into prepared pan and bake approx 25-30 minutes until they are set.

• Toothpick will come out slightly gooey. Be careful not to overcook.

• When removed from oven sprinkled reserved Twix on top and drizzle with melted chocolate.

• Cool in pan for 2-3 hours or overnight.

• Don’t cut the bars until they are completely cooled or they will be messy

Twix blondies might be my new favorite dessert… Beating funfetti… Yep, I said it. Gooey, salty, and sweet. I’ve fallen in love… Sorry Adam.

Speaking of my boyfriend – He is 28 years young today! Happy Birthday babe 🙂

I’m still feeling so bad for not being able to make it to NJ to spend the weekend with him for his birthday but we will see each other this weekend so it will have to be extra special!

I’m also sorry to admit to all you Steelers fans but I’m happy that Green Bay won! The Steelers JUST won… I’m glad someone else got the chance… Did anyone else notice Christina Aguilera sing the wrong words to the national anthem? She has a phenomenal voice but girlfriend is looking rough these days! I also wasn’t thrilled with the halftime performance… I thought it was cheesy and that Fergie’s voice sounded HORRIBLE. Ok, I’m done being a hater.

One more thing I want to share with you before you stop reading this lengthy post… I got an awesome groupon deal yesterday for 1 month of unlimited yoga at Bikram Studio in Annapolis for $15! Normally its $15 a class… If you don’t receive Groupon emails daily you need to sign up! Click here to do so. Each day they send you a deal on something in your area. I am a groupon groupie. I buy alllll the time and I’ve never once regretted a purchase.

I’m off to work aka playing catch up on reading blogs 😉

QUESTIONS: Do you have any vegan tips for me? What was your favorite Super Bowl commercial?

Day 10: Something you’re afraid of

THE DARK!! AHHHHH… I am such a baby. If the lights go out I instantly turn into chicken little. I may be tough on the inside but the dark is one thing that scare the bejeebees out of me.

Day 11: Favorite tv shows

I honestly don’t watch too much tv but when I do it’s all trash… Jersey Shore, Real Housewives, Kardashians etc. Anything on the Food Network gets my attention as well… Not trash 🙂

Day 12: Something you don’t leave the house without

Currently it would be my Blackberry…But I will officially be an iphone user in 3 days! Woohooooo! My blackberry is breaking as we speak. I think it knows I’m about to trade it in 😉

Sweet Teeth

Best news ever: Spring is coming early! Not sure how Punxsutawney Phil would have seen his shadow in all of this rain anyways… But I’ll take it 🙂

I’m home sick today… But while I sit here and watch Regis & Kelly, Rachel Ray and other shows that only you lucky stay at home workers get to watch I figured I could update my blog! I’m a great multitasker.

By the way, thank you for all of your sweet messages on my post yesterday about being sick. Hopefully just one more day and I’m back to normal!

I’ve made some amazing breakfasts recently…one of them has become my new favorite. Thanks to Olivia for giving me this idea!

Oatmeal Fro-Yo Parfait

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp almond milk
• 1 frozen banana, sliced

Directions

• Prepare Oatmeal (1/2 cup oatmeal + 1 cup almond milk)
• While Oatmeal is cooking slice banana and add to food processor w/ 2 tbsp of almond milk
• Blend until banana becomes the consistency of frozen yogurt
• Layer it in a glass
• Eat your dessert for breakfast 🙂

Sorry, but you’ll be seeing A LOT of this breakfast in the future.

Another blueberry concoction…

Tofu Blueberry Protein Smoothie

Ingredients

• 3 ounces silken tofu
• 1/3 cup soy milk
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 2 tablespoons of protein powder
• 2 tablespoons of plain greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon agave
• 2 -3 ice cubes, optional

Directions

• Mix everything in blender until smooth
• Top with some blueberries

OK, last breakfast recipe and then onto dessert 🙂

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1 cup of almond milk
• 1/2 banana
• 1 Tbsp of Peanut Butter

Directions

• Prepare oatmeal (1/2 cup oatmeal & 1 cup almond milk)
• While oatmeal is thickening slice 1/2 banana and add to food processor with a Tbsp. of Peanut Butter

• Once smooth add the cooked Oatmeal to the food processor

• Blend everything together.
• Pour into bowl.

• Feel free to add more toppings (i chose the other half of banana, blueberry granola crisps and some raisins)

All of these breakfast foods are healthy, delicious and easy to make so you’re not just stuck eating plain cereal everyday. Beach season is right around the corner! Make meals that wont break the bank or the button on your jeans 🙂

OK now for some Dessert recipes! These actually aren’t THAT bad for you.. I’m not sure what I am thinking with all of these healthy recipes lately but we will thank ourselves later when bikini pictures are being tagged of us on Facebook!

First up we have Tofu Mousse… Don’t be turned off by the name. It has CHOCOLATE in it. Everyone loves chocolate, right? I’m loving Olivia because I got this from her as well 🙂

Chocolate Mousse (Tofu)

Ingredients

• 4 oz silken tofu
• 1 1/2 tbsp of cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp agave
• 1 tbsp almond milk
• 3/4 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp xanthan gum

Directions

• Blend first 5 ingredients together until smooth
• Add xanthan gum until pudding becomes thicker
• Eat immediately… not like  you would want to wait anyways

Oh imagine that… I sprinkled blueberries on top! I’m not gonna lie, I ate this for dinner… It had protein and fiber in it, so it counts as a healthy meal 🙂

Funfetti owns my life. It started off with the pancakes last week and now I’ve moved on to dips, whoopies and lollipops. This box of funfetti mix has come A LONG way.

Funfetti dip

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp of funfetti cake mix
• 2 tbsp of greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup of fat free cool whip

Directions

• Mix everything together….Easy enough.

Dip anything you want… Vanilla wafers, graham crackers or even funfetti cookies if you’re feeling really fun! This tastes just like licking the batter off of the bowl (i have plenty of experience so I should know) but without the raw eggs, oil and butter! Sorry my bowl is so messy… I may or may not have already started dipping before I took the picture 😉

For the next 2 recipes you will use the remainder of your cupcake mix… If you’re anything like me you have a secret stash in the basement so this isn’t too upsetting.

Funfetti Cookie Lollipops & Whoopie Pies

Ingredients

• Funfetti cake mix
• 1 egg
• 1 stick of butter
• Container of Fat Free Cool Whip
• Wooden sticks
• Icing
• Sprinkles

Directions

• Mix together funfetti cake mix, egg and stick of butter until dough forms.
• Scoop out a generous tablespoon and form into a ball shape.
• Push wooden stick in the middle of dough ball.
• Flatten out with a spoon to make the ball flat.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden at edges.
• Ice, sprinkle, eat!

Not only do these look pretty but they taste pretty good!

• Scoop the remainder of the dough into a rounded teaspoon
• Place on baking sheet
• Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes
• Let cool
• Once cool spread the cool whip onto one cookie and place another cookie on top of that. Roll in the sprinkles. Freeze until ready to eat.

I, clearly didn’t need to freeze mine.

I guess you could eat them as regular cookies too… but who wants to do that when there are so many fun ways you can enjoy them instead.

Now do you believe me when I say I have sweet teeth instead of a sweet tooth? I also ate some regular dinner foods… Not everything had chocolate or peanut butter. (although it’d be great if it did)

Egg Salad Salad (Spinach, cucumber, carrot, egg salad (courtesy of whole foods))
Sesame and Thyme encrusted Halibut with a side of Asparagus

Black Bean and Squash Enchilada

I wont bore you with the savory recipes after I’ve given you all of the sweet ones. Another time…

I finished the goodie bags for the 5-year-old birthday party and also made some paper napkin flowers. 

The party is on Saturday and there is still a lot left to do! I hope being sick today doesn’t leave us stressed for time!

I went to the grocery store on Monday (along with 3 million other people) because we were apparently going to get the worst ice storm of the year… Didn’t happen. But I did find these things that made me HAPPY 🙂

Love edamame… especially if it comes shelled!

I promised I wouldnt buy vegan chocolate chips… But these are carob chips! and they are just like chocolate chips – but healthier. So I’m still going strong with no Chocolate Chips – I think its been a week?

I have been eating these all day… Guess I knew I was going to get sick!

I plan on making a new running playlist tonight so hopefully I can share these with you tomorrow!

Day 6: A picture of something that makes you happy

Key West Sunset… I love sunrises and sunsets and this is one of the best places to see them!

Day 7: Favorite movies – mine are completely random.

1. Grease

2. Man on Fire

3. Devil Wears Prada

4. Toy Story

5. Love Actually

6. Closer

7. Mean Girls

8. The Little Mermaid

9. The Town

10. Eat, Pray, Love

This post has exhausted me… Time to rest again!

QUESTIONS: Do you workout when you are sick? What is your favorite movie of all time? Are you hungry when you are sick?