Long Overdue Update

Hey everyone, sorry for the absence. My sister is home from the hospital and doing great so I finally have a chance to update my blog!

I spent some time at my aunt's house in the country. She helped me figure out some tasty, simple vegan recipes that I can make for dinner at home. I tried out new things, like making tortilla chips and seasoning tofu ground beef with taco sauce for making tacos (a major staple for me--I eat tacos all the time because they're so easy!). I also had breakfast burritos with tofu sausages and hash browns and ate frosting-less strawberry Pop Tarts. At this point, I'm relying on substitutes for meat for a lot of meals because it's a lot easier than making vegetables with rice or other grains for every meal. And it makes it more normal for me to eat with a group--like up at the cabin with the entire family.
Here are some great vegan foods that I've tried and enjoy:
- Morning Star Farms® Hickory BBQ Riblets (great for when your non-vegan friends are eating steak)
- Original Vegan Boca Burgers (they even sort of taste like meat)
- Lightlife Smart Links sausage (taste good with other things--like in a burrito)
- Strawberry Pop Tarts (no frosting) (yes, you miss the frosting, but toast it and slather on some Earth Balance buttery spread or Organic Smart Balance for a delicious morning snack...Organic Smart Balance is vegan but some of the other flavors of Smart Balance are not so check the labels!)
- stir fry chow mein noodles with teriyaki or soy sauce are great in place of rice; add some veggies like broccoli for added flavor
- Amy's Medium Chili (it's not too spicy, but tastes good with bread to reduce the heat)
- Amy's Rice Crust Spinach Pizza
- Amy's Roasted Vegetable Pizza
- Spanish rice made with white rice and salsa is so easy and tastes great with tacos! I did experiment with tofu and have yet to perfect it. We tried barbecuing and it turned out a little dry (we didn't marinate long enough). I had some delicious sweet and sour tofu at a little Chinese restaurant in Hercules...would love to learn how to perfect that.

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While I was staying with my aunt, she picked some potatoes and onions from her garden. We put the onions in a kabob with some other veggies. Here are some pictures:---

Now for some recipes with pictures!

Delicious vegan tacos made by my Aunt Diane and me
Ingredients:
- white rice
- oil
- salsa (making your own from scratch would be even better, of course!)
- vegan refried beans
- black beans
- vegan cheese
- avocados for guacamole
- corn or flour tortillas

1. Cook the white rice according to instructions on bag or however you usually do. Add salsa and stir once rice is fully cooked.
2. Cook the beans.3. Mash up some avocados into guacamole.4. Shred some vegan cheese onto a plate.5. Heat some your tortilla in a pan to desired warmth. Pile the ingredients onto the tortilla, fold one end, and roll it. Enjoy!
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I found this recipe for Hasselback potatoes and had to try them. They are delicious! I cooked them in a toaster oven for a little over an hour. My mom also made an organic salad with kidney beans, onions, and cherry tomatoes and some corn on the cob. What a nice dinner to welcome home my sister from the hospital!
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One last thing--I know this post is long, but I've been gone for so long and have a lot to say. It's been about 8 weeks since I stopped using shampoo. My hair never got visibly oil, but it did feel greasy to the touch. It's getting better, although it still feels a little oily. However, now my hair doesn't get tangled! The natural balance of oils in my hair must keep it from getting knotty. And it used to be quite unruly! I'll let you know when it's back to normal :)

Thanks for reading,
Green Gal

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Time you enjoyed wasting was not wasted.
-- John Lennon