Vegan Dining in Monterey, California

My husband, Gerald and I just returned from a two-night stay in Monterey to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary. Before heading down there, I did some research to see if I would be able to eat anything other than salad. Nothing against salad, I love salad, but variety is the spice of life, as they say. And for vegans, there is a lot of variety available, even though some carnivores are mystified by the concept. I was pleasantly surprised to find a couple of tasty vegan/ vegetarian restaurants, and another restaurant had an additional vegetarian menu with vegan options as well.

We arrived on Wednesday in time for lunch and decided to check out El Cantaro Vegan Mexican Restaurant. Gerald is a carnivore, but food is food, so he was willing to venture inside. The restaurant was super clean (I am a germaphobe), the guys working there were very friendly and helpful, and the food was to die for. It was very filling, but did not leave us feeling groggy and greasy like typical American Mexican restaurants can do.

We were given a small bowl of delicious, warm tortilla chips and a creamy red salsa that was allegedly 'mild.' The salsa was fantastic, but I would have labeled it more toward 'medium.' We chowed it down, nonetheless, because it was outrageously good. I ordered the Grilled Pineapple Veggie Burrito on a spinach tortilla, and I was blown away. I thought the pineapple might dominate the flavor, but it was more like an amazing spice ingredient. I had the choice of some four or five different tortillas, and the spinach tortilla was the recommended choice for my burrito. My carnivore was blown away by his entree, the Caesar Salad with Grilled Chick'n. We each enjoyed a bottle of Virgil's Microbrewed Root Beer, which happens to be my favorite root beer on planet Earth. They do not serve alcohol at El Cantaro, which I believe is part of their mission to serve healthy vegan food.

That night for dinner, we headed over to Hula's Island Grill. They have food for all--carnivores and vegans and vegetarians. Included in their menu is a separate menu for vegetarians/ vegans. The atmosphere was fun and alive, and every staff member we had any contact with was friendly, fun, and very happy. If you like to drink alcohol (I do not) there is plenty to choose from at Hula's. We both ordered the iced tea, which tasted like it was brewed moments before we were served and had a light fruitiness to it. Deliciousness galore!

I ordered a vegan bowl, the Kingston Curry Tofu. Let me just say.. OH. MY. GOD. It was amazing! White sticky rice, cabbage and other vegetables perfectly smothered in an outrageously good yellow curry sauce, topped with fried tofu sticks and plantains. I ate too much of it. I could not bare to see such deliciousness wasted, but alas I still could not even come close to finishing the entire bowl.

Gerald also ordered a bowl, but his had seared ahi tuna. His was the Ahi Wasabi Bowl, and he, too, was blown away. Just letting you know in case if like me you are in love with a carnivore. In any case, we were both beyond happy. We were offered a free dessert after Gerald mentioned that we were in town to celebrate our wedding anniversary, but we were way too full to take them up on their kind offer. If we had, I would have had to order the coconut sorbet as it was the only vegan dessert. But I am certain I would have enjoyed it immensely.

After an exciting outing of whale watching on Thursday, we went to the Cannery Row Brewing Company for a light lunch. I actually craved a salad, and so I suggested this restaurant for Gerald as there are many options for carnivores. I ordered the large CRBC House Salad, which was perfect for me. It had artisan lettuce, cherry tomatoes, shaved radish, diced cucumber, croutons, and a citrus vinaigrette. Gerald ordered the Albacore Tuna Melt and let me nibble on some of his garlic fries. Although there is also a Veggie Burrito on the menu, it is a highly carnivorous menu. But I was craving a lighter meal, and I wanted to give Gerald a chance to eat something he likes since we had reservations that night at a vegetarian restaurant.

We had our anniversary dinner at Julia's Vegetarian Restaurant in Pacific Grove, which of course, also offers vegan options. Julia's has a real relaxed, homey atmosphere. As their menu states, "We feed the creative minority," this place feels like a place great artists of all kind would hang out and write poetry, sketch some beautiful drawing, or compose a laid back song on a guitar. In fact, that night they had a musical duo (a guitarist and accordionist) playing live music in the small dining area. The waitress was lively and fun, and the chef came out and checked in with each patron to see if they enjoyed the food. It was a wonderful evening.

Their menu changes regularly, but that night Gerald had the Margherita Pizza, and I enjoyed the Raviolis in a broth with greens and mushrooms and asparagus. The raviolis were stuffed with eggplant and mushrooms, and were delightfully vegan. It is tough finding vegan raviolis in regular restaurants, so I jumped on those. Before our meals were served, a large flatbread cut like a pizza with various spices and a big dollop of what looked like reddish-orange hummus was served. We forgot to ask what the dollop was, but I can tell you, it was fabulous. We both cleaned our plates and ordered a slice of Vegan Chocolate Cake to go. We both totally overate, but the food was so good we could not bear to waste a bite!

Our bed and breakfast inn was a bit flummoxed by my request for a vegan breakfast. The owners of the last seven years recently sold the inn, but when we made our reservations six months ago, I noticed "vegan breakfast options available" noted on the website. We have stayed at The Jabberwock Inn a few other times, and it is a lovely place in a perfect location. Just know that vegans freak them out a little. I ate oatmeal and fresh fruit both mornings.

The first morning they put in too much effort by also serving me a couple slices of toast and a big plate of hash browns. Do not get me wrong, I completely appreciate the effort, but I could see that they were the kind of people vegans run into who say things like, "What do you eat?!" They must be so used to overly stuffing themselves (and their guests) with eggs, sausage, and cheese that the notion of a bowl of oatmeal could be quite satisfying mystified them. They did make a concerted effort as they also went out and bought rice milk especially for me (even though I did not ask for or use it), and I highly appreciated the kindness and effort.

Another restaurant we did not eat at but reviewed the menu on Cannery Row called Cooper's Pub does offer a vegetarian Black Bean Burger. So, there are plenty of options in Monterey and Pacific Grove for vegans and vegetarians to eat amongst the abundance of seafood restaurants. Our stay was short, so I can only give these few reviews. I hope they are helpful for those looking for plant based cuisine in the Monterey Bay area.

Peace for all.

It's been a while since I have written, because I have been dealing with a health problem. You can read more about it here. 

I am still eating a vegan diet with zero plans of changing, but I have to admit that I have allowed some junk foods in. Processed foods galore, one might say. I let a little in, and wham-o! The flood hit. Plus, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't also tired of washing and chopping oodles of veggies every single day. I started to feel like a sous chef in a restaurant that wasn't paying me! 

I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), so putting a lot of energy into anything is really difficult for me now. My dream when I started this blog was to create as many different recipes, easy ones, that tasted delicious while also being very healthy. It got to be tiring coming up with new ideas.  I realized I had fallen into a rut of making what was easy--but still healthy-- for quite a while, but it became repetitive. 

Did the healthy diet help the CFS? It did. I thought I was cured even. I didn't know when I started the vegan diet earlier this year that I had CFS, rather, as I have stated in older posts I thought it was perimenopause. It's not perimenopause. Unfortunately, like everything else I have tried to feel better, the fatigue and other symptoms came back. That is how it goes with CFS. One day you feel a little or even a lot better, and then in a day or two, you're back to feeling very poorly.

Regardless, my desire to eat with compassion and to eat healthier is as strong as ever. And when I have a more energetic day or chain of days, I will post about anything new and exciting that I come up with. 

Until then, if you live in or near Berkeley, CA, you must visit Cinnaholic. Their gourmet cinnamon rolls are truly to die for and 100% VEGAN. Even if you live too far away, you can order them to be delivered by mail. 

That said... be kind, be loving, be compassionate, and be gentle. 

Peace.

Tofurky, Veganism & Perimenopause, And A Shrinking Appetite

I would like to start by apologizing to the makers of Tofurky, Turtle Island Foods, Inc. After reading how soy isolates can lead to cancer and that they are commonly used in meat alternatives, I publicly announced I would no longer eat Tofurky products. Unfortunately, I assumed all meat alternative products used that as an ingredient without looking into the ingredients used in Tofurky products. They do not use soy isolates, and as they say under the "our story" tab on their website: "For soy proteins we rely on products like tofu and soybeans, which we believe are more wholesome, better textured and more environmentally friendly than high tech, hexane-extracted soy powders, isolates and concentrates." 

 Tonight  I will be using Tofurky Italian Sausage in my spaghetti. I have tried this one as well as the Kielbasa, the Hickory Smoked Deli Slices, and even the Italian Sausage Pizza (which sadly I cannot find in the stores near our current residence). The sausages do cook well on the grill, which is great when attending a BBQ where cow and pig are on the menu. I have not tried a product of theirs that I did not like, and I am thrilled to learn that they take such pride in creating a quality product. 

Now to switch gears a little, I need to discuss female health. Since switching to a vegan diet a little over two months ago, I have noticed a lot of my perimenopause/ PMS symptoms lessen by a lot. No, I cannot say they are all gone, but they are improving. In February, just before I started the vegan diet, I had a little over two weeks of immensely high anxiety. I was following a vegetarian diet, but I was still eating dairy. So, in my opinion a vegetarian diet is OK, but vegan is better. And by "OK," I mean it is nice as far as intentions go, but if you want better health, vegan is the way.

Dr. Neal Barnard says in his books that a vegan diet lowers a woman's overall estrogen levels. As the normal estrogen and progesterone hormonal cycle has peaks and valleys, lowering one's estrogen levels helps to create less of a drop when estrogen levels naturally lower just before menses. My vegan diet is still in its infancy, really, and I believe that over time the perimenopause/ PMS symptoms will be further reduced. Time will tell. 

Hormonal or not, another interesting benefit I have recently noticed is that my appetite is shrinking. When I first started the vegan diet, I was coming off a low calorie (deprivation) weight loss diet, and I was ravenous. I loved how the message from doctors Barnard, McDougall, Esselstein, and Campbell was to eat until fully satisfied and to not weigh or measure my food. Done and done! I stuffed my face and either lost or maintained my weight, but now I find I am full on less food and feel hungry less often. 

Here are some baked potato fries I can barely finish (just one potato):

I washed and cut the potato, placed the pieces on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and sprinkled with garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. I then baked them for 30 minutes at 400 degrees fahrenheit. The outsides come out nice and crispy, which I love! 

This is whole wheat pasta with red bell peppers, zucchini, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, sundried tomatoes, potatoes, and spinach. As usual, I just cooked the vegetables in a pan with vegetable broth. When they are cooked, I add the beans for a few minutes, and then add the mix to the pasta. It is low fat, nutritious, and delicious!

A fun dessert I recently tried while craving something sweet to enjoy on a nearly 100-degree hot day was this:

If you like ice cream, you will like this. It was very creamy, perfectly sweet, and it did not have that funky coconut flavor other products made with coconut milk tend to have. Nothing against coconut milk, but for people looking for a dairy alternative that is close in taste and texture, I believe this one is the best.

Now on with Day Sixty-five... 

Day 45--Starch Strong

The starch life is a much better one. Food is tasty, satisfying, and I am not starving to death. Here is a simple little rice and veggie dish I recently made:

I simply sauteed the veggies, beans, and spices in some veggie broth, and then added them to cooked brown rice. I heated the chopped potato chunks in the microwave for three minutes first, before adding them to the pan. 

This dish included the following: 

Russet potatoes, 3 small, peeled and chopped

Zucchini squash, 1 large, chopped

Red Bell Pepper, 1 medium, chopped

Crimini Mushrooms, ~1/2 cup, sliced

Spinach, ~2 cups

~ 1/4 cup Sundried Tomatoes (comes in a bag, no oil)

Garbanzo Beans, 1 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed

1 15-ounce can Roasted, Diced Tomatoes

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

2 teaspoons dried parsley

Vegetable broth to cover bottom of pan

Brown rice (short grain was used in this dish)

There is usually enough for five or six meals, which comes in handy when I need something quick. I can just pop the leftovers in the microwave and wah la! It also makes packing meals to take to work easy, too. 

This next photo is toast with hummus and red kidney beans. I have read from a few different sources that beans on toast is part of a traditional English breakfast, and I wanted to give it a shot. I added the hummus to give the beans something to stick to. I am still using the low fat hummus I buy from Whole Foods Market. The ingredients are just garbanzo beans, lemon powder, garlic powder, and citric acid. It has a nice lemony tang which gives a nice flavor. I eat it as a snack, but it could definitely be eaten as part of a meal. I have also used Pinto beans which were equally tasty and filling. 

I recently decided to branch out after reading through Dr. McDougall's lists of store bought foods, and I bought some sprouted whole wheat bread by Alvarado Street Bakery. Although I still like the Ezekiel bread I was eating before, this bread is quite tasty as well. Each piece is a little bigger, probably more like the standard bread everyone is used to buying, and it is fluffier.

This was last night's dinner: Salad, a baked sweet potato, and brown rice with some parsley flakes and Bragg Liquid Aminos. I probably would have enjoyed some more rice, but this was all I had leftover. I did not add a single thing to the potato. I heated it in the microwave for 5 minutes to cook it a bit faster, and then I set it in the oven at 400 degrees fahrenheit for about 10-15 minutes to get the skin crispy. The sweet potato is so moist and flavorful as is, and so I cannot imagine any good topping for it. I used to add a buttery spread, but that just adds fat to my waist, and again, the sweet potato is already so moist and delicious on its own.  

The salad was made up of Romaine lettuce, cucumber slices, carrot slices, cherry tomatoes, and raw beet slices to which I add Annie's Naturals Fat Free Mango dressing. 

 

On with Day 45....

Days Thirty-five Through Thirty-seven: Becoming A Starchivore

Three days ago, I picked up a copy of John McDougall's book, The Starch Solution from the library and devoured it. Meaning, I read through it in two days. If I did not have to go to work, I would have read it in one day. Along with sound nutritional information and an explanation as to how eating fish, meat, and dairy is killing the planet, McDougall says we should all center our meals around starchy food and add nonstarchy vegetables and fruits to complement. Starchy foods include potatoes (white and sweet), corn, legumes (beans and peas), and grains. They are filling foods, they are comforting (think "comfort food"), and they give us the energy we need to live. It does not get better than this! I salivated looking through the menu plan and the recipes at the end of this book. 

When I first started my vegan diet a little over a month ago, I was starving from being on the processed-food diet by Nutrisystem. The first day of eating the vegan way, I unintentionally ate a lot of starch--I had some with every meal. I was only consciously trying to avoid animal products, to eat whole foods, and to omit adding any extra fats in the form of oils, fake butters, nuts, seeds, avocados and olives. I do not think nuts, seeds, avocados or olives are bad, but I do know that if one is trying to lose weight--which I am--it is best to limit or avoid them altogether. 

So, the first few days were pretty great. I was eating way more food (good tasting, real food), and yet, I was losing an average of a pound a day. My skin was clearing up, I had energy, and I was euphoric. I gave all of the credit to the mere absence of animal products from my diet. 

Then, I started to read Dr. Fuhrman's book, Eat To Live, and I incorporated a lot more nonstarchy vegetables into my diet. That is not horrible in and of itself, but I was starting to feel a little less energetic and euphoric, the weight loss stalled, and junk foods were starting to tempt me. Also, my skin started to break out again, which was frustrating as I was gorging on salads full of high-nutrient vegetables. 

Never was I tempted by animal products, but fat was looking more and more appealing. Tired of washing pounds of nonstarchy vegetables day after day, I started to eat the more-convenient sandwiches made with Tofurky Deli Slices and Vegenaise spread. I piled on the lettuce thinking that would make it okay, but apparently it did not. My fingers found their way into my husband's greasy potato chip bag a few days in a row, and I started snacking here-and-there on raw walnuts and almonds. My weight started to go back up.

In McDougall's The Starch Solution, he warns against eating over processed soy products, saying they are as bad if not worse than eating their animal equivalents. In fact, they have isolated soy protein in them which has shown to be as aggressive at feeding cancer as eating animal proteins (be aware, it is a common ingredient in protein bars and shakes as well). So that did it! No more Tofurky for me! Plus, I should not be eating the vegan mayonnaise, Vegenaise, anyway. It may not contain animal fat, but it does contain fat. And as Dr. McDougall says, "A fat is a fat is a fat."

Today is the third day in a row of following Dr. McDougall's food plan, and I have lost two pounds! BUT... even better than that, I am loving the food, feeling very satisfied, eating way more than I thought I could to be still losing weight, my skin is getting clear again (most noticeable today), and my mood has been very upbeat.   

Another very interesting thing I learned from Dr. McDougall is that sugar is not bad. He even says that adding a little simple sugar, like brown sugar or maple syrup, to food is not a horrible thing, so long as it is used as a flavoring and not the main ingredient. He suggests adding it to food at the table in small amounts so that it is not cooked into the food. We need to be able to taste it. Our tongues are designed to seek out sweet and salty foods so that we will eat and remain alive. (So yes, a little salt added to a dish is not going to kill anyone either). 

Our saliva "produces six to eight times more of the starch-digesting enzyme amylase" compared to "lesser" primates. We are designed by nature to eat starch! It is not evil or fattening like the meat and dairy producers who make billions of dollars would have us believe.

The day after borrowing the book, I decided to test Dr. McDougall's claims, and I put some agave nectar on my morning oatmeal--about 2 teaspoons worth. I thought for sure it would show up on the scale or sabotage me in some way. I also ate until I was full--not watching portion sizes, eating lots of brown rice for lunch and dinner, snacking on sprouted wheat tortillas, wheat bread, and even pretzels. I have eaten potatoes each of these last three days, corn, and green peas. But alas, I have lost weight and I feel amazing! I am convinced that Dr. McDougall is spot on, and I am officially eating like a starchivore as nature intended. 

I highly recommend to anyone looking to improve their health and the health of the planet to go to his website and learn all you can. Buy or borrow his books, check out videos of his lectures on youtube, and look at the free program on his website. He actually wants to heal people, not make a buck (or a billion).

It is dinnertime... 

   

Day Thirty-four, Differing Opinions

Okay, so there are three doctors with diet plans who are big in the healthy vegan diet world: Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. John McDougall, and Dr. Joel Fuhrman. They all seem to agree that a plant-based diet is the key to health and that keeping the fats very low are equally important. However, how much of each food group (fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes) each doctor thinks a person should eat is a different story.

Each of the doctors would be in favor of a person eating a huge green salad with a fat free dressing. In fact, Dr. Fuhrman would be particularly in agreement with this choice. His recommended food plan is probably the toughest for me. Do not get me wrong, I am a huge fan of salads and vegetables in general, but he really wants you to eat a ton of them. As I have mentioned in prior blog posts, he suggests making it a goal to eat one pound of raw non-starchy vegetables and one pound of cooked non-starchy vegetables a day (Eat To Live). 

I have not been able to consume nearly that much produce in a day (think of how lightweight lettuce is), and contrary to his claims, even a high quantity of non-starchy vegetables does not keep me full. Sure right after eating a huge salad and a big serving of cooked vegetables I feel full, but it does not last until the next mealtime. I completely respect Dr. Fuhrman and the science he provides to back up his recommendations, however, I find my hunger is better satisfied by starches and grains. 

Dr. Barnard and Dr. McDougall are probably very similar. Unlike Dr. Fuhrman who recommends a mere one cup serving daily of grains/ starchy vegetables, they suggest eating them throughout the day. I have not yet read one of McDougall's books (picking up The Starch Solution from the library today), but I have looked at the free program posted on his website. Aside from the elimination of caffeine, this program is looking pretty good and doable. 

One thing I love about amazon.com is that I can peruse the inside of some books, and I was able to read a little from McDougall's book, The McDougall Program for Maximum Weight Loss. Two chapters I clicked on and read from were, "Women Are Slow Losers," and "Alcohol, Coffee, and Your Weight." Bottom line, women can efficiently lose weight on his program and coffee is not good for weight loss. McDougall says people tend to overeat with caffeine in the stomach in an effort to absorb the acid burning which many mistake as hunger. 

I have not read all of Dr. Barnard's books, so I cannot say where he stands on my morning friend, coffee. His plan is also accessible for free online: 21-Day Vegan Kickstart. He does not list coffee as something one should be drinking, but I have not seen him say to avoid it. Animal-based products seem to be the only things he would place in the "avoid" category, next to added oils and fats. 

I am navigating my way, trying to find the right balance for my body between the food groups. Here are the doctors' recommendations summed up: Barnard recommends 8 servings of grains, 3 servings of legumes, at least 4 servings of vegetables, and "aim for" 3 servings of fruit; Fuhrman says to eat an unlimited amount of non-starchy vegetables, fruits, and legumes, one cup from the starchy vegetables and grain group, 1 ounce maximum serving of unprocessed, raw seeds and nuts, 2 ounces maximum of avocado, 2 tablespoons max per day of dried fruit, and 1 tablespoon max of ground flaxseeds; and McDougall says starchy foods should be the center of a meal (included in this group are starchy vegetables, grains, and legumes), non-starchy vegetables can be eaten in unlimited quantities, and fruits should be kept at 3 servings a day. He also warns to go light on soybeans as they are high in fat and do not qualify for the legume serving suggestion, which may be unlimited, I am not certain. 

As promised, here are photos of Dr. Barnard's recipe for Italian Greens and Beans that I made from his book, The Get Healthy, Go Vegan Cookbook (recipe follows):   

I put this deliciousness over plain brown rice and gobbled it up. 

Italian Beans and Greens

makes 4 servings

1/4 cup vegetable broth

1 small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 cups baby arugula, washed

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained, or 2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Pinch of sugar

Kosher or sea salt to taste

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Heat the broth in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 3 minutes. Add the arugula and lower heat to medium-low. Cook until the arugula is almost wilted. 

2. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Cover and cook for 5 minutes until all ingredients are cooked through.

I have to add that I did not drain my can of diced tomatoes, and it was lovely. I also used the white part of green onions instead of a regular yellow onion simply because I needed to use them before they go bad. They seemed to work just as well. 

And now on to live day Thirty-four of my vegan diet...

Day Thirty

As of today, I have been following a vegan diet for an entire month. My conscience is clear, and I am feeling wonderful. 

The weight loss has slowed a bit in the last week or so, but I know that all of the good I am doing for my body and the planet is paying off. Also, in reading some testimonies from various patients of Joel Fuhrman, M.D. and Neal Barnard, M.D., I got the message that although the weight may come off more slowly for some of us, it does continue to come off if one sticks to a healthy, whole foods vegan diet. I am only around ten pounds over what I was in high school, and so really, I am okay if it takes longer than it might on some crazy crash diet to lose the last ten or so pounds. I must also admit that I have slowed down on the exercise a bit. (It's just not my favorite thing in the world to do!).

I finally watched the feature film Forks Over Knives yesterday with my mom. Wow. Not that I needed any more convincing, but this film has me ready to raise my right hand and take an oath swearing to never eat any animal products ever again. Mom is ready to try a plant based diet as well! As T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. shows us, if you want to feed cancer, eat animal protein. Period. If you want to increase your chances of having a heart attack, eat animal products. 

If you want to see cancers diminish or even go away, heal your arteries, improve or reverse diabetes, lower your cholesterol, get off poisonous medications, lose weight, increase your energy--basically, completely improve your health--then eat a plant based diet (vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains). 

T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. has the science, and Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D. has the clinical evidence  to back this up, and they explain it all quite simply in the film. Both men were born into families that owned and profited from the meat and dairy industry, but they could not deny their findings. They gave up animal products and are both well into their seventies, practicing what they preach.

So let's talk about food!

I washed and peeled a sweet potato the other day, and as I sliced it, I somehow sliced the pieces fairly thin like potato chips. I was living in the moment, if you will, and I did not have a plan for the potato, so I went with the flow. Homemade potato chips sounded great, so I gave it a shot. 

I heated the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit, covered a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper, and spread the potato slices evenly over the surface. Then, I lightly sprayed a thin coat of Trader Joe's fat free olive oil spray over the potato slices, and sprinkled garlic powder, paprika, parsley flakes, and onion powder over each piece. I considered tossing the slices in a bowl, wetted with water, with the spices to avoid using the olive oil spray, but honestly, I could not stand the idea of washing another dish. 

The thinner slices burned to a crisp, but the thicker, more evenly cut pieces looked like this:

They were in the oven a little over twenty minutes. Abby, our five-year-old Abyssinian cat had come to sit on my lap while they were baking. As she is not much of a lap cat, it was such a treat that I did not dare get up to check the potato like I should have. The next time I make this, I will probably check it in ten minute increments and pull out the thinner slices before they turn black. Very tasty though, even without salt and tons of fat like the store-bought variety. 

This salad consisted of romaine lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, cucumber, raw beet slices, and a little carrot. Boring as I can be, I am still using Annie's Naturals Fat Free Mango Vinaigrette. Delicious! Looked so vital and alive that I had to take a picture of it.

Believe it or not, these are red split lentils. Dry, they are a light coral red, but once cooked they lose their color and turn greenish-yellow. They cook up very quickly, which I love. (By the way, I had considered calling this blog, "The Lazy Vegan," but that title was already taken). 

I cooked the green onion, garlic, mushroom, and carrot in some vegetable broth for about five to ten minutes prior to adding ~3 cups of broth and 1 cup of lentils. I used my usual favorite spices: garlic powder, parsley, and poultry seasoning (maybe some thyme, too--cannot remember). After the broth heated through and cooked the lentils for about ten minutes, I then added about five big handfuls of spinach and wilted it before stirring everything together. The lentils soaked up the liquid quickly, and so to avoid burning them, I turned off the heat, covered them, and let them sit before serving. I had company over, so I let them sit for fifteen to twenty minutes prior to serving, but I probably would have filled up a bowl sooner if I had been alone. 

The plan is to branch out a little more this week. I bought some arugula and plan to follow the Italian Beans and Greens recipe in Neal Barnard, M.D.'s book, The Get Healthy, Go Vegan Cookbook. I made it a few years back, and although I am not normally a fan of the spicy arugula, I did like this recipe. The diced tomatoes and chickpeas seem to tame this leafy green. Photos coming soon. 

In addition to my usual favorites, I also purchased an eggplant today. Not sure what I am going to do with it yet, but I feel confident that it will be something good. 

And now on to month two...