What I Ate to Feel Better

I didn't post much last week because I was not in a good place with my mental health. I have a few healthy habits I do every day to kind of help me manage my mental health, and when I get too low I stop doing those things.
Yesterday I forced myself to get up, and be healthy and at least try. So, I started my day with this celery, romaine and apple juice.
As someone who used to always choose the self destructive path to deal with life, when I make the effort to make healthy choices it automatically makes me feel better. And not to sound cliche, but one healthy choice leads to another.

I've had some frozen fruit in my freezer for way too long, so I decided to have a smoothie. This is cranberries, raspberries, hemp seeds, oat milk, and avocado. She was tart! Avocados make nice and creamy smoothies, but they add no sweetness.

I also ha this new flavor of Brew Dr. kombucha and a new fizzy water. The booch is way better than the water.

I really haven't had much of an appetite the last dew days so I haven't gotten groceries for the week yet. I had a tiny bit of leftover tofu, soy curls and a tiny amount of romaine that desperately needed to be use so I cooked the tofu and soy curls in some hoisin and sambal oelek and made what else? A rice bowl!
With not much in the fridge, I feel like I got some nutrients in, and actually had a tasty dinner. And I woke up today feeling better, and like I want to continue doing things that make me feel good.

Bubba sleeping like an angel. Seeing him love life inside, and slowly learning how to cat inside has been really amazing. And although Kiki is still very bothered by his presence, she attacks him a bit less so he's loving life even more!

And look at these two!! Kiki loves to cuddle so much, mostly with Afro and Etta. My dream is one ay to walk in and see Kiki and Bubba cuddling!

Back to Basics

I started brewing my own kombucha a few months ago, but I still check the kombucha sections of any store I'm in for new flavors.
I've been a fan of Live kombucha for quite some time. Their Dr. Pepper knockoff is one of my favorites. So, I was excited to see a new to me cherry cola flavor at Sprouts. As a bonus it was on sale so I couldn't resist.

I was never really a soda drinker, but when I did have a soda I loved Dr. Pepper or a good cherry cola. I really don't know how Live does it, they really make every soda flavored booch taste like the soda. I will definitely buy this again! As a bonus, Live is one of the least expensive kombuchas!

At the start of the year I was feeling so motivated to try new recipes and it felt like I was getting my kitchen mojo back. Now, as we start the third month of the year I'm losing it a bit. I'm kind of back to making versions of my four or five favorite meals.
This is of course a rice bowl with spicy peanut sauce. I like to bake my tofu and then toss it with chili onion crunch from Trader Joe's. So, so good!

More Stuff I'm Going to Eat!

I ran to Smith's on Friday for a few basics to tided me over till I could get groceries, and it's so funny because I was in a very down mood and almost didn't check the clearance shelves. The curious cat in me beat out the blue side and thank gourd for that! Look what I found!! Yes, $.90 a bag! There were four bags, and yes I bought them all. I basically got all four bags for about the cost of one bag at full price!!
Although I didn't want to, I really had yo get groceries yesterday. Sometimes I wish I could afford services like grocery delivery, even though I hate the thought of someone else picking out my produce.

Oranges, Sweet potato, onion, Oui yogurt, grapefruit fizzy water, cucumber, coconut milk, gala apples, romaine hearts, cherry cola booch, silk creamer, tofu, chocolate covered strawberries, Bigelow tea, celery, carrots, vitamin c packs

So this is what I'll be eating this week. I didn't do the best job shopping, so towards the end of the week my meals will be very boring and probably beige.

Bubba likes to sit in front of the kitchen sink because the vent is right there. This is very typical, Bubba trying to get toasty, Kiki stalking him and Bubba hoping I will protect him!

Fun with Soy Curls!

I saw this new to me flavor of kombucha and I had to try it. Now that I'm brewing my own booch, I like to taste interesting new flavors to see if I want to recreate!
This was really tasty, very refreshing. Not too sweet, but definitely fruity! I've never actually had passion fruit, but it tasted dang good and I could definitely taste the tangerine.

The other night I made baked potatoes stuffed with buffalo soy curls topped with FYH blue cheese. And a little iceberg salad with the same dressing. I think crisp iceberg is the absolute best lettuce with blue cheese!

Last night I made peanut stew with potato, chickpeas and soy curls. I love this stew so much. It uses simple spices so the ginger and the peanut flavor really stand out. I used this recipe. I added a little turmeric because why not, and I also left out the collard greens because I forgot to get some! I love this stew so much, and I love how flexible it is. You can pretty much throw in whatever you have around!

Cookies and Cream is one of my least favorite flavors of ice cream, always has been, but this Nada Moo cookies and cream is the exception. Their vanilla ice cream tastes so real and vanilla-y.
This is one of the reasons Nada Moo is really my favorite vegan ice cream! Plus they have so many fun flavors!

Annie Oatly

I spend between thirty and forty dollars a week on groceries. There are some weeks when I'm broke and it's less, and other weeks where I can maybe splurge, but for the most part my budget allows thirty or forty dollars.
Since I got some great deals at Sprouts this week, I had about eight bucks to spare to take my total to forty dollars. I've been wanting to try oatmilk, and I found Oatly of all things on sale, as well as the daiya block. And I didn't know Treeline made cream cheese, so I had to get that. If Treeline were cheaper, all their cheeses would be in my fridge all the time!!
I did taste the cream cheese when I got home, and WOWZERS!! It's definitely the best vegan cream cheese I've tried! It's got the right amount of tang, and the texture is exactly how I remember real cream cheese, not whipped or anything weird being. Treeline, you've outdone yourself!

I've had so many people recommend this Annie's boxed mac and cheese. I've been so let down by all the brands I've tried so far I kind of didn't believe anyone. But since Sprouts had this on a buy one get one sale, I decided to be brave.

I had a long day yesterday and didn't feel like cooking so I whipped some up. I used the Oatly milk as my milk and it worked out perfect. I was blown away by how much it resembled Kraft!!
I was pretty blown away by the taste! I really liked it. It was nice and cheese-y. But not that fake cheese-y like daiya. I remember years ago trying the Earth Balance boxed mac and cheese and it was so fake tasting I couldn't handle it. I don't even think they make it anymore!
I really enjoyed this, and I will definitely buy this again. It's a great comforting, fast and easy option when you just don't have it in you to cook!

Small Haul and More!

Spotted yesterday at Smith's! Vegan sour cream and French onion dip!!!They also have Simple Truth vegan cream cheese, but I forgot to take a picture. Both the dip and the sour cream are under three dollars, so definitely a bit cheaper than other brands.

Carrots, potatoes,oranges,Epsom salt,Chai tea, celery, gluten free bread, tempeh, bulk rice and chickpeas,lemons, bath fizzies,Amy's chili,pink lady apples, Annie's gluten free mac and cheese, soy creamer, avocado,chili onion crunch, vitamin c packets

My little multi store haul. Sprouts, Trader Joe's and Smith's. I got most of my stuff at Sprouts, with just a few random things at Trader Joe's and Smith's.

Every time I try a boxed mac and cheese I'm disappointed. The daiya is just way to daiya for me to handle, and the last few I've tried have been super healthy tasting, and not in a good way. Several people have suggested Annie's. Sprouts is the only store I've seen the gluten free version, and they just happened to have the Annie's mac on a BOGO sale!! I hope I like it!

The other night I was watching Netflix in bed and Joan was watching right along with me!!! She was very much paying attention, and it wasn't even a birds for cats video!

Some New Favorites!

The Miyoko's Cheddah spread has pretzels on the container, so I took that suggestion and picked up my favorite gluten free pretzels!! This is truly a match made in heaven, soulmates if you will. Of all the Miyoko's products I've tried , this is definitely my favorite!

I saw a post on Instagram of Kung Pao chickpeas, and it kind of blew my mind. I would have never thought to use chickpeas in this dish! I knew I had to try this myself!

This is my new favorite way to eat chickpeas! I used this recipe, I just left out the bell peppers and water chestnuts. The homemade Kung Pao sauce is a serious keeper! It's so much better than bottled! I will definitely be making this dish a lot in the future, and I'll never buy Kung Pao sauce again!

So Many Things!

I had to get some new jeans yesterday, the inner thighs have given up on my old jeans. So, I went to Sugarhouse which is a very nice neighborhood here that I could never afford to live in, but I love to visit! There are so many shops and cafes and restaurants! Even a Mellow Mushroom pizza which has vegan cheese and everything!
There is a very tiny Whole Foods that I ran into to see what new vegan offerings I could find! Like I said, this is the tiny Whole Foods, there's a huge Whole Foods downtown that I haven't been in yet. So, I'll start with the few new to me thins I saw, and then I'll show my small haul.

I would never want to try these, even if they were free. I think cracklins are the same as pork rinds, and I remember being near someone eatin pork rinds and the smell was enough to make me gag. I remember they kept teasing me and running the ba under my nose. Gag. But I'm glad these exist for people who crave pork rinds?

Vegan butter is booming!! I really don't bake or cook with butter so I never have it in my fridge, but if I did need butter for something I would definitely try The Forager Project butter. I love their yogurt, and the butter is palm oil free!!!

My jeans were forty percent off, so I treated myself to a few things for a belated Galentine's day gift to myself.I am trying to be my own best friend after all! The Miyoko's Roadhouse Cheddah is seriously one of the best things I've tasted in years. You know those sharp cheddar cheese balls that are rolled in almonds? I used to love those, and that's what this tastes like!

I picked these up at Winco the other day. The Wildberry Ginger is a new flavor from Brew Dr., and I love their booch. Plus, I'm always looking for new flavoring ideas for my own booch! This one is a winner!
The breakfast bites are just okay. I want to like this company, it's a woman owned all vegan company, but I've now tried their burgers, mushroom bites and now the breakfast bites and they're all just okay. They are all very dry, you need a sauce, and they are pretty high calorie for being small and having really healthy ingredients, and little oil.

Each tiny patty is ninety calories!! I guess you're meant to have these with other things, like a tofu scramble or something but I don't know, I just want to love but I don't!!

And finally, here's what I ate last night! Spicy soy curls and rice. I sauteed the curls in a little coconut oil, added chili flakes and tamari, and then threw in some hoisin. So delicious! I kind of forgot about soy curls for awhile, I'm glad I remembered them again!

Weekend Wrap Up

Yesterday was a half rain half snow kind of day, I had the day off and the ingredients to try a second round of cookies! I'm trying to recreate the Simple Mills almond flour chocolate chip cookie mix I got on clearance a few weeks ago. I decided to get funky and add some peanut butter to the mix this time! They turned out pretty dang tasty if I do say so myself!

These were almost perfect. The only issue is timing. I left them in the oven for about a minute or two too long and as they cooled they got a little more crumbly than I wanted. Hopefully soon I will be able to share a recipe!

I've been adding about one fourth of a teaspoon of turmeric powder to my matcha lattes. You can't really taste it, and I figure any way to get some extra turmeric in is good, especially in the winter.

Hoisin tofu with rice, butter lettuce and spicy peanut sauce

Black bean rice noodles with tofu and cucumbers

I treated myself! This is only five dollars at Winco, and this bottle will last me for a very long time.Now, instead of buying the more expensive flavored creamers, I can just buy the soy or coconut creamer from Trader Joe's which are only like $1.19. I have been paying attention budget moms of YouTube!!

Small Trader Joe's Haul

I had an early morning shift yesterday, so I got off mid-morning and decided to go to Trader Joe's for some groceries. I thought I'd be safe on a Friday. I forgot it was Valentine's day, so the store was packed and I didn't get half of what I wanted/needed to get. I just grabbed the basics and couldn't get out soon enough.

Water kefir,tahini,refried beans,cucumber,tofu,onions,lemons,BBQ chip things, Miyokos cream cheese, butter lettuce,celery,carrots,lime popsicles, fruit leather buttons,coconut oil, pink lady apple,coconut milk, coconut creamer Joan snoopervising

These are so freaking good, it was almost worth the anxiety and crowds!! BBQ chips are my favorite, but a lot of them are real let downs. Either too mild of a flavor, or some really pack on the smoke flavor way too much. These are perfect and the right amount of smoke. Ten out of ten!!!

I also ran into Smith's for cat food and of course to check out the clearance items, and look what I found! I have never tried Sir Kensington's anything because the price is too high for me. But when it's on clearance I can't resist!

These were my Valentine's day gifts to myself. My favorite flavor of water kefir, and a pink grapefruit candle to go with! Enjoyed while taking a hot bath!

I tried some of the mayo with my favorite stress meal, fries!! I had some salad for balance! The mayo is really tasty. I don't know if it's worth the high price when not on clearance, but it is really tasty and the mayo has a night texture too.