Plant-based eating – so much flavour

Not one for wasting time, I started my plant-based eating right after the last post. I’ve now done 2 weeks of this new way of eating. Overall, it’s been a lot easier than I had thought. I’m having a lot of fun creating new dishes. I’m eating well, and I’m never hungry. And I’m loving all the flavours in my meals. I’ve never been one to like or cook bland food. I like a variety of flavours and textures. In addition, I feel good. Not to get into any disgusting details, but my body has not revolted against the onslaught of fiber and non-meat protein! 🙂

I’ve stocked up on lentils and nuts. Apart from that, I haven’t bought anything special. My pantry was already fairly well stocked with legumes and other vegetarian staples. I’m using the “Oh She Glows Everyday” cookbook for inspiration. Since the author is vegan, and I’m not, I’ve adapted the recipes. So far, I’m loving the delicious meals. I’m using a lot of fresh herbs which pack such a nice flavourful punch.

But then, late last week this happened. I was out of town for a two-day meeting in the Eastern Townships. This is my favourite part of Quebec: beautiful scenery, amazing food. A great combination! Lunch was ok. I had a salmon wrap and it was delicious. But, at dinner as I looked over the menu, the vegetarian option didn’t appeal to me. I can’t even remember what it was! Since I was having smoked trout for the appetizer, I didn’t want to eat the fish dish for the main. And then, I saw it: duck confit!! Oh, boy… I love eating duck and Brome Lake is renowned for their duck. What’s a girl to do? Well, in my case, I ordered the duck.! I know. It was delicious. The funny thing is that I couldn’t finish it. After eating a bowl of soup and smoked trout, I was pretty full.

But, that was a “one of”. Now, I’m back to my plant based foods. I do eat fish and eggs. With eggs, I’m limiting the amount of egg yolks because of the cholesterol. So, what I have I been eating the last couple of weeks? Here’s a brief rundown of some of my meals.

Breakfast:

I can’t imagine not eating breakfast. Starting the day with a filling, delicious meal is a no brainer for me. Even when I work, I still eat breakfast. Every day! I simply can’t function on an empty stomach!

Some of my favourite breakfasts include:

• Avocado on toast;
• Egg white omelet with lots of veggies
• Nut butter on toast
• Overnight oatmeal

Snacks:

My go to snack is either yogurt or a fruit. I need snacks. They help me keep my energy up. Low blood sugar is not my friend! My snacks need to be quick, tasty and nutritious.

Lunch:

My lunches are quite different now because I’m still at home, so I have the luxury of cooking whatever I’m in the mood to eat. Once I go back to work, lunch will be leftovers. I really like to eat leftovers. I find that the flavours blend so nicely overnight and maybe it’s only me, but I get super excited about eating lunch! Lunch is the absolute highlight of my day at work! I’m not making this up. 

• Tuna wrap
• Leek/carrot soup with coconut milk
• Codcakes and garden salad
• Grilled panini with roasted red pepper, arugula and low-fat Swiss cheese

Dinner:

This  will take some planning once I get back to work, but for now I’m loving the cooking and trying of new recipes.

• Lentil and chickpea curry on brown rice
• Stir fried tofu with veggies and basmati rice
• Pasta with edamame and sun dried tomatoes
• Portuguese cod

As I create new recipes, I’ve started to write them down. I’m going to add some recipes to the blog. What do you think? I’d love some feedback. Please check them out under “Recipes” at the top of the page. The first recipe is for overnight oatmeal. I’m not a fan of oatmeal. As a matter of fact, I hate traditional oatmeal. But the overnight type is delicious. I’m not not sure why this is, but who am I to argue? Here’s the link to the recipe:

 https://www.soniashungryheart.com/maple-pecan-overnight-oatmeal/

I’ve also been working with two friends, Zeina and Louise to create some cooking videos. We’re having a lot of fun researching recipes, adapting them to our preferences and then creating the videos. Feel free to check out our silliness at Lofty Foodies on YouTube or Facebook. We try to post videos every couple of weeks. This week, we start with breakfast videos. 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp88g3shMqBWBSVnyZ1FKXQ

And since I can’t live on vegetables alone…

This past weekend was my hubby’s 65th birthday. Yes, I’m now married to a senior! 🙂 I asked him what kind of cake he wanted. Without hesitation, he answered “cheesecake”. Since there are only 3 of us around this weekend, I didn’t want to make a large cake. So, I made miniature cheesecakes with raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries. Oh, so yummy!