I got in my new cookbooks which I am SUPER excited about! I can't wait to try all the new recipes! :) This was the first one I tried from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar, they're called Chocolate Peanut Butter Pillows, and they are very yummy if I do say so myself. I made these first because they looked good and I had everything to make them except maple syrup which I substituted with brown rice syrup which I don't think changed the taste that much. These cookies are mostly sugar so you can't really go wrong taste wise, but they might make you want to make them again! So here's some pictures! 

The peanut butter filling

the chocolate dough

All put together

All done!

And tasty!

Vegan Comforts

          One of my favorite things to do since going veg has been finding great restaurants and health stores that are vegan friendly, and boy has it opened my eyes and my palate! I never even knew these wonderful places were out there until I looked for them. My Gramma and I have dinner together every once in a while and she has been amazing in finding some of my new favorites! 
         The first one she took me to was called "Unconsciousness Blossom" and it was all vegetarian with plenty of vegan options. I was still vegetarian when I went there but going there was one of the factors that contributed to my veganism. I just loved the atmosphere and I left feeling light and good after a meal when usually I felt sluggish and stuffed after eating out. Then after making the leap to vegan I began looking for other places like this and it took me to awesome health stores, one which has a little cafe where I found my the BEST cookies in the world! They're filled with oats and chocolate and teeny tiny almond peaces and OH MY GOODNESS I love them. They're a lot on the sweet side so it's a once in a while treat but still, yummolicious. 
        Then tonight my Gramma and I went to a place called "Zen Forest" which she also found (go Gramma!) and it was so so tasty. I wish I had some pictures but I'll still share the delicousness with you :) I started with Tai (?) tea which was super good and sweet and we had Edamame and a salad with lots of sprouts and red cabbage and other goodies covered in a sesame dressing. Then for dinner we both had pan fried tofu (she ate vegan for the night, woo hoo!) but hers was a coconut type dressing and mine was more spicy asian. More yummies. And for desert, dun du du DUH... tofu mousse! So rich and delicious! The meal was amazing, a little heavy on the sugar side, but a little indulgence is sweet! :)
     I guess one of the reason I love these places and all the vegan blogs I've become obsessed with is because with all the things that aren't vegan friendly its rejuvenating to find places and people that are. Another reason I get excited all over again! :)

Feeling Good!

        With prom this Saturday (woah!!) I've been trying to eat extra healthy in order to feel really great that night, so I've been following the detox plan from the blog plateandsimple.com since Sunday and I do feel great! Though I haven't been doing the greens, one because they're really expensive and two because I tried it and am still deciding how I feel about it. I got one with a little fruit in it too so I'll see if I can stomach that one :) I also broke down today because I hadn't had chocolate in forever and I was at the health food store getting cashews and they had these adorable bite size vegan chocolates, and I couldn't resist!


        Earlier this week I cooked up some garbanzo beans and yesterday I turned them into some hummus, well sort of. I whipped them up in a food processor with some oil and garlic salt and pepper, but I think it was really tasty!

          I didn't really add enough oil and I didn't put in any garlic so it didn't blend but I think it was healthier this way.

I also cooked up some Bulgar wheat and got some Chard leaves (weird name, but tasty) and used that with some tomato and my hummus to make this!

                             

                             

             I had it for dinner last night and lunch today it was so good!
          And then I went to the health food store again and got some huge roasted cashews which has been one of my cravings lately. This might show you why!

                                                   MMMhhm. 


            I got a gift card to Amazon so I got two vegan cookbooks which I am SUPER excited about. 
           The first one was Vegan With A Vengeance and the second was Vegan Cupcakes Invade Your Cookie Jar both by the same author, Isa Chandra Moskowitz and both look AMAZING. I have to be honest though I'm more excited for the cookie one! They should come in next week so expect some taunting pictures and some free cookies! I hope to be baking and cooking all the time since I'll be done with school and have lots of time to do and I'll be happy to give them out for opinions and smiles :)

yumminess all around.

            Well, May 7th counted as my one month anniversary as a VEGAN! WOO HOO! It went by so fast, I love it! I'm having so much fun trying all these new recipes, feeling wonderful, and eating all this tasty food, If I do say so myself. :) I get more and more excited everyday about becoming a vegan all the time. Between the food, my soft skin, my happy belly (and bladder), my head that hasn't had a headache in a while, and knowing that I'm making a difference, I get excited a lot, which makes for a very happy me!

So here is some of the yummy food I was talking about...

 This is just tomatoes, carrots, cucumber, and I think that's parsley but I'm not sure, I just like to put leaves on things to make it look pretty, with some balsamic vinaigrette over it. I made it again a couple days ago and added some quinoa which I had never tried but it was very yummy with this! 

 Then for a breakfast I had at school where we all I had to bring something I brought...

 MUFFINS!!!

They were soo good. I found the recipe on vegweb.com under "simple muffins" But I changed it a little bit. I used whole wheat flour, applesauce instead of the oil, and added a teaspoon of vanilla and about a 1/4 cup of walnuts. Everyone loved them, including my mom who ate the last two! :)

Okay and then for Mother's day, my mom asked for red velvet cake and of course I wanted to veganize it so I found a recipe online, I don't remember where, I think I just googled vegan red velvet cake and used the first one that came up. But there is a funny story that should be heard before looking at the picture. After making the batter I realized we didn't have any red food coloring, therefore we made green velvet cake, therefore the cake looks a lot healthier than it actually is. But for my first vegan cake I think the taste turned out pretty good. The icing was delicious! I got a little bit of a tummy ache from licking the bowl :) It was Earth Balance, confectioners sugar, a little almond milk and some vanilla. For the cake it was the only thing different I did from the recipe was I used applesauce again instead of the oil and it called for distilled white vinegar but I just used apple cider vinegar. Okay so here's this lovely looking cake... Also mind you this one has been wrapped in foil for a day because I didn't have my camera yesterday, and the whole cake had a big chunk missing from where my little brother took a big handful out of it, He loved it, everyone else I think had their favorite red velvet cake taste in their mind so mine was a little questionable. :) 

 Next time I'll make sure I have red food coloring so it at least looks like the real thing.

And I don't have a picture of it with me, but I have to say my wonderful mother made me a very tasty whole wheat pasta with a tomato sauce that was awesome! I put some sunflower seeds on it and some basil (again for looks) and ate almost the whole plate! Go Mom!! 

So there's been my food for a little while and a glimpse into my vegan life so far. Over the summer, I'm thinking I want to do like a Julia and Julia type thing where I try a new vegan recipe at least once a week, I can't wait!