Thursday, September 13, 2012

Going Vegan: Week 3.


Week 3 in two stinking words (and an exclamation point, just to drive the point home): 
Holy cravings!
I spent most of this week longing to go to our favorite Mexican restaurant
(oh, Maria's, I love you) and I'm still dying to get my hands on a super cheesy pizza.
I also threw a small tantrum (but only in my head) when I was standing in the Starbucks
line and saw that my FAVORITE fall drink, their salted caramel mocha, is back but
realized I can't have it because mocha=chocolate=milk. 
I managed to convince myself that it's not the end of the world if I wait 6 more days
(I can't believe I'm already 24 days into this challenge!)
before I enjoy a chimichanga or a mocha, 
although Ryan was certainly no help on that front.
Every time I commented on how delicious Maria's would be, 
he would egg me on saying, "Just cheat. Let's do it."
(by default, he's suffering from a lack of Mexican in his life, too,
so I can forgive him for tempting me).
  
  My menu:
(from Tuesday)
Breakfast: 1/2 grapefruit, 1/2 cup Grapenuts with unsweetened soy milk
2 cups coffee with nondairy creamer
Lunch: 5 Morningstar "meat"balls, BBQ sauce, 1/2 cup quinoa, 1 cup watermelon.
Afternoon snack: Tofutti non-dairy ice cream sandwich. 
Dinner: Large lettuce/spinach salad with sweet pickles, black olives, 1/4 cup black beans
and 1 oz. pecans with Fat free Catalina dressing. Corn on the cob. 1 cup broccoli. 
Evening snacks: 1 Tbsp peanut butter
1 pear, 5 strawberries, 1 cup grapes.  

13 comments:

  1. Oh my word! Good on you for getting 24 days in ... you are on the home stretch! Wow ... I would be eager to hear how you are feeling generally - more/ less energy etc. Let us know!

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  2. Just a few more days, go girl! Haha, my husband is bad like that too, well we both are actually, at saying "just cheat, let's go". One of us needs to be strong!

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  3. ah, because of my severe severe intolerance to dairy, I can so relate to how you feel. Honestly, the only thing that I cry over (hah) these days is cheese. I like soy milk and almond milk just fine, and I prefer dark chocolate anyway. But cheese! Vegan substitutes are so disgusting to me.

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  4. oh wow. you are a brave soul. I don't think I could do it. P.S. i don't know about you but i really don't like soy milk. I use unsweetened almond milk (i don't have a problem with dairy i just like almond milk better in some things) for my cereal! you should try it!

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  5. you're almost at the finish line!
    and at least you found non-dairy ice cream sandwiches. im sure theyre almost as good as the real thing ;)

    don't kill me.

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  6. Andrea: Here's your fix, vegan-zed. You're welcome. :)

    Salted Caramel Mocha

    1 shot of espresso or 3/4 cup coffee (I'd recommend using the Instant Cafe Bustelo--it's easy, shelf stable and ideal for blended drinks)
    1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons caramel sauce (see recipe below)
    1-2 tablespoons cocoa powder (the hot chocolate kind, not the unsweetened baking kind try Archer Farms dark chocolate cocoa)
    Pinch of sea salt (Starbucks uses a blend of smoked sea salt and turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top)
    1/2 cup coconut milk (try So Delicious. Vanilla ok, or any kind of soy/almond milk you like, but the coconut milk is extra creamy)
    vegan whipped cream (recipe below)
    Extra caramel sauce and sea salt to drizzle/sprinkle on top
    With an espresso maker:

    Prepare espresso. Place caramel sauce, cocoa powder and sea salt in a mug and pour espresso over them. If you're making it hot, froth milk and slowly pour into mug, stirring to combine everything. If you're making it frozen, put into a blender with ice and half the amount of milk, adding an extra spoon of instant coffee to counter the "dilution" effect. Taste and add more caramel, cocoa and/or salt to taste. Top with vegan whipped cream, drizzle caramel sauce, and a tiny pinch of sea salt.

    Without an espresso maker:

    Prepare coffee. Place caramel sauce, cocoa powder and sea salt in a mug. Pour coffee into mug, stirring to combine everything. Heat milk in microwave or on the stove and add to mug, stirring everything to combine. Taste and add more caramel, cocoa and/or salt to taste. Top with whipped cream, caramel sauce and a tiny pinch of sea salt.

    Salted Caramel Syrup

    Makes enough for around 3-4 salted caramel mocha or hot chocolate beverages

    1/2 cup sugar
    3 tablespoons vegan margarine, cubed
    1/2 tsp butter extract (vegan, from baking aisle in any grocery store)
    1 tsp salt
    
1/4 cup coconut milk or coconut milk creamer, at room temperature

    In a medium saucepan, cook the sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a spatula (if it becomes lumpy, reduce heat and refrain from stirring). When it turns a deep amber color, add the butter and stir until it is melted. Add the coconut milk/creamer and whisk until the caramel is smooth (be careful, it will bubble up when you add the cream). Remove from heat and let cool. Refrigerate extra syrup.

    Vegan Whipped Cream

    Ingredients:
    2 (14-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk
    1/3 cup vegan powdered sugar

    Directions:
    1) Chill coconut milk in refrigerator from 4 - 12 hours. Chill whisk attachment from mixer, if room in fridge.
    2) Attach whisk attachment to mixer. Open cans of coconut milk, being careful not to stir or shake the contents inside. Carefully scoop the top, thick part of the coconut milk from inside the can; discard the remaining coconut liquid/water. Place thick coconut cream in a medium mixing bowl; add sugar.
    3) Whip until just smooth and thick, about 20 seconds. Do not overmix—mixture will fall and become thin. Use whipped cream immediately, or refrigerate up to 4 hours prior to use.

    Get your fix. <3

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  7. Mmmmm... Tofutti. And again I say, "Mmmm!"

    You can do it!

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  8. I commend you...I couldn't do it. I like cheese too much.

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  9. no way could I do it! You are awesome or trying. When I was in high school I went vegetarian, it only lasted 2 weeks.

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  10. You're almost there! I've been vegetarian for over five years now, but I've never tried to go vegan.. I like cheese waaaay too much. I've had the vegan Daiya cheese though, it's pretty good!

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  11. The Starbucks Mocha syrup does NOT have diary in it!!! haha. The White mocha and the Chips do.

    But for your Salted Caramel Mocha, the only dairy in it would be the milk (go soy), the whip (ask for none), and the Caramel Drizzle has skim milk powder(but most people say it doesn't do anything to their allergies...so probably not a lot).

    I work at Starbucks and was told in December that I had dairy/egg allergy (which I don't..dumb doctors) so I read every ingredient. The Mocha is good.

    xo

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  12. oh my goodness girl...good for you! i can't even imagine - that cheese will get me every single time. keep it up!

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