Random

The weather yesterday was so picture perfect. It was totally blue skies and sunny, and almost seventy degrees! I took a long walk yesterday to clear my head, and also enjoy the sun while it lasts! I know we are getting closer and closer to rainy season, and I'm kind of dreading it. I'll take rain over snow and below zero temperatures any day, but I am no fan of grey and rain! I love being out and about on sunny warm Sundays. You see all kinds of people on walks or jogs, or taking long bike rides, just soaking up the sun. It reminds me of when I first quit smoking cigarettes. I remember I was out walking somewhere on an early Sunday morning, and I noticed all this activity around me. All kinds of people doing healthy and happy things, and I felt so happy that I was one of the healthy happy people! Between the nice weather and the great news about taco bell going veg friendly, I just had to make a burrito bowl. I used ingredients that were going to be turned into veggie burgers. (brown rice and black beans) I am finding myself resisting my menu plan. I will still use the ingredients I have, I will just turn it into something different from what I wrote down. I am the worst that way. For years I have heard people say they meal plan, and make a  list based on the meal plan, and save so much money. It always seems like such a smart thing to do. But every single time I try, I just can't follow through. Something that sounds good one day, all of a sudden doesn't sound good the next! Am I alone in this crazy thinking? I feel like as long as I stick to having certain inexpensive staples, I can make whatever I feel like based on what I have, and not have to be super plan-y about it. Another thing I can't do is batch cook, or meal prep. I might have rice three times in one week, but if that rice is already cooked, I'm going to feel pressured to eat the rice, and I'm going to want anything other than rice. I've watched YouTube videos where people cook up all types of things and put them in cute little containers, and stack them all prettily in the fridge. It seems so logical and organized to do the same, but I just really can't.
Wow, I got really off topic! Sorry, back to my burrito bowl, or the veggie burger that never was!

This bowl had brown rice, a potato and black bean "hash", sliced avocado, lettuce, red and green onion, and a vegan queso made from the last dredges of a jar of salsa, and about one fourth of a cup of soaked cashews. So so good. Another dish with lots of textures, flavors and temperatures. It feels so good to be eating food again!
I also was trying to re-organize my cupboards, (ha ha ha) and I discovered a boxed cake mix which I think I either found on sale somewhere, or might have gotten at Vegan Haven, and I decided to experiment using a can of carbonated water instead of oil, vegan butter, vegan egg, etc. I've heard of cola cakes before, but I've never tried it. I happened to have La Croix seltzer water in coconut flavor(soooooooo good!) so that;s what I used. Here is the article I read for ideas.

I mixed the contents of the cake mix with one 12 oz. can of seltzer, and I baked the cake as directed on the box. It totally worked! The cake is just as moist and fluffy and cake like as if it were loaded down with oil or earth balance! And if you use seltzer instead of soda, you aren't adding extra sugar. This  is a great shortcut for any cake emergencies that life might throw your way!