A GAL NAMED RANIA

So in 21 minutes this damn Vegan diet will be over. I cooked a huge Vegan dinner tonight for a group of my friends to finish off the week with a bang! Good food. Good company. Good time watching the Grammy's and crapping on celebrities! Go Lady Antebellum! 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2011

Breakfast

Cup of Medium Roast Columbia Supreme Coffee with Almond Milk

Half a Grapefruit

Glass of Water


Lunch

A few Multigrain Crackers

Baba Ganoush

A few Chips

Guacamole

2 Glasses of Water


Dinner

Homemade Asian Feast:

Brown Rice

Fresh Sprouts

Mushroom Miso Soup - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Garlic, Miso Powder, White Mushrooms, Straw Mushrooms, Tofu, Scallions, Water

Vegetable Curry - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Onion, Garlic, Cumin, Cardamom, Tumeric, Cayenne, Salt, Black Pepper, Water, Coconut Milk, White Potato, Carrot, Green Bell Pepper, Peas, Baby Corn

Garlic Eggplant - Chinese Eggplant, Garlic, Fresh Bamboo Shoots, Water Chestnuts, Salt, Black Pepper

Bok Choy - Steamed in Salted Water, Black Pepper 

Garlic Noodles - Garlic, Olive Oil, Scallions, Black Pepper, Soy Sauce

Wine and Beer



A GAL NAMED RANIA

If you don't have a bucket, then I guess I would have to say that yes, this is natural! 

Geez Vegans! 

Stop your judging.

Haven't you heard? Milk does the body good.


On a lactose free note, it was a beautiful warm Saturday full of beautifully delicious food! Take a look!



FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2011 


Breakfast

Bowl of Organic Corn Flakes with Organic Almond Milk

A few Red Seedless Grapes

Half a Gala Apple

Cup of Coffee with Almond Milk


Lunch

Falafel Pita Sandwich with Lettuce, Tomato, and Tahini

Some Baba Ganoush with Half a Pita 

Glass of Water


Afternoon Snack

A few Glasses of Water

A few Red Seedless Grapes


Dinner

Organic Quinoa with Fresh Cilantro and Chives Mixed In

Homemade Spicy Petite Peas

Tabouleh Salad

Glass of Water

A few Glasses of Cellar No. 8 Cabernet Sauvignon 


Spicy Petite Pea Recipe

Saute some Diced White Onion in Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Add in some Cumin, Cardamom, Tumeric, Cayenne, Salt, and Black Pepper

Add Two Tbsp. of Mango Ginger Chutney (Trader Joes)

Continue to Simmer with a Bit of Water

Add Half a Bag of Frozen Petite Peas

Simmer and Cover to Steam until Cooked - 5 Minutes or So



A GAL NAMED RANIA

Day Five Vegan Recap! 

Can't ramble on too much tonight because it's Game Night at the house!

I am excited to eat all my vegan snacks though - which I would be eating regularly, anyway - Vegan or not!

Hope you enjoy today's menu!


FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2011 


Breakfast

Cup of Dark Roast Sumatra Coffee with Almond Milk and a Touch of Honey


Lunch 

Fresh Spinach Topped with Last Bit of my Homemade Salsa, Spicy Hummus, Fried Onions, and Cayenne

2 Slices of a Gala Apple

2 Glasses of Water


Snack Attack Game Night Dinner

Persian Cucumber Slices

Homemade Guacamole

Low Fat Blue Corn Tortilla Chips

Organic White Corn Tortilla Chips

Pita Bite Crackers

Chunky Olive Hummus

Classic Red Tomato Salsa

Red Seedless Grapes

Glasses of Water

Wine and Beer


Dessert

Sour Patch Kids 


Guacamole Recipe

4 Large Haas Avocados

1/2 Cup of Diced Red Onion

About a Cup of Diced Tomatoes

2 Finely Chopped Serano Chilies

A Handful of Roughly Chopped Cilantro

Salt and Black Pepper

Fresh Lime Juice

A GAL NAMED RANIA


So today was definitely an interesting one! I made a quick breakfast this morning and thoroughly enjoyed it. I then met my friend Shane at The Veggie Grill on Sunset where I had a delicious Vegan sandwich for lunch. The "chicken" or as they call it: chickin': was not that bad, surprisingly. It was a bit flaky like a tuna steak, but if blindfolded, I would guess it was a soft piece of chicken - maybe - I think. Regardless, it was very yummy! But then came dinner :( The boyfriend and I found a place that sells Vegan pizza and apparently, the best Vegan pizza in town. However, when we got there, it was closed. The place hadn't been open for 4 weeks, and I was pissed, to say the least. 


Long story short, we head to Trader Joes to pick up a few items. The dinner plan turned from Asian themed to the boyfriend saying, "Hey, I found Vegan cheese. Now we can make our own pizza." We gather the ingredients, but when we get to the cashier, a former Vegan, she informs us that the cheese is vegetarian and not Vegan because it is made with casings. So she directs us to a Henry's nearby, where she knows they carry Vegan cheese. It was a few cents shy of five bucks. 


Get home. Prepare my ingredients. Cut into the gelatinous "cheese" with "It Melts" all over the label. I never knew melting was such an esteemed quality that deserved advertising. Anyway, I decided to taste this Vegan Mozarella before sticking it in the oven. Bad idea. So gross. Not anything like any cheese on this earth - and as you know, there is a plethora of cheese in this world. But I put my happy face on, and prepare the mini pizzas thinking, "It will taste way better once it melts. Plus, all the other ingredients will mask the heinous flavor." Boy, was I wrong. 


My thought at that moment in time, "Great! I just wasted five bucks on something that tastes like shit. I could have bought a beer with that."


In short, Vegan cheese ruined my night. It also DID NOT MELT AT ALL. You know what I call that? FALSE ADVERTISING. I should sue their asses! I knew that I should have stayed away from any food trying to be something else. But the chicken substitute was so good, I figured the cheese one would be the same. I was wrong. Vegan cheese is so bad compared to the real thing. It was so bad, I made the next batch of pizzas without the cheese. Despite that, I was still left in a bitter mood because the cheese completely ruined my pleasant experience with the Vegan diet. And despite the encouraging words of my lovely boyfriend, the only thing that brought me back to a good mood was my trusty friend - a good ol' glass of vino :) 


THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2011


Breakfast

1 Hashbrown Topped with Leftover Homemade Salsa

2 Slices Gala Apple

Cup of Coffee with Almond Milk


Lunch

Bayou Chickin' Burger

Chillin’ chickin’, lightly blackened with 

cajun spices, lettuce, tomato, red onion, 

avocado, spicy vegan mayo. 

Side of Red Cabbage Slaw

Glass of Water


Afternoon Snack

Glass of Carrot Juice


Dinner

Homemade Pizza

Arugula, Hothouse Cucumber, and Organic Cherry Tomato Salad with a Vinaigrette made from 

Dijon, Black Pepper, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and White Balsamic

A few Glasses of Benefactor Red Wine


Pizza Recipe

Pita Bread Crust Topped With:

Tomato Sauce with Garlic, Olive Oil, Black Pepper Whisked in

Vegan Cheese (I suggest no cheese at all)

Fresh Spinach

Fresh Basil

Sliced Brown Mushrooms

Sliced Red Onion

Bake in a 300* Oven till Slightly Crisp - 5 - 8 minutes


A GAL NAMED RANIA

Day three of the Vegan diet, and I must admit that I ate very well today. I feel good and am excited to make some veggie burgers later this week. Till then, do take a looksie at my mid-day menu! 


WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2011


Breakfast 

Lightly Salted Rice Cake

Cup of Dark Roast Sumatra Coffee with Almond Milk and a Touch of Honey


Lunch

Toasted Pita filled with Dijon, Mixed Baby Greens, and Hot Sauce

Small serving of Leftover Lentil Soup

Glass of Water


Afternoon Snack

Tortilla Chips and Leftover Homemade Salsa

Glass of Water


Dinner

Homemade Orzo Pasta

A few Glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon 


Pasta Recipe

Saute Garlic, Sliced Brown Mushrooms, and Halfed Cherry Tomatoes in Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Add a Cup of Marinara and Bring to a Simmer

Season with Salt and Black Pepper

Add in Al Dente Orzo

Stir in Fresh Spinach

Serve and Top with Crushed Red Pepper



A GAL NAMED RANIA

Hola, People. So today marks day two of my Vegan journey! All is well, and I am feeling pretty much the same. I'm not really missing meat, but I am missing things made with eggs and milk. Regardless, I am completely content with everything I have eaten today! If I didn't enjoy cooking and food so much, I might not be so happy right now. But all in all - things are going amazingly well! Here's a look at what I ate to today! Enjoy :)


DAY TWO: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2011


Breakfast

Half a Grapefruit

1 Slice of Toasted Country French Bread

Cup of Green Tea


Lunch

Large Mixed Baby Green Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and a Vinaigrette made from 

Dijon, Black Pepper, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and White Balsamic

Glass of Water


Evening Snack

Glass of Organic Almond Milk


Dinner

Homemade Pita Chips with Homemade Salsa (From Last Night)

Lentil Soup topped with Sauteed Organic White Mushrooms

A few Glasses of Carmenere - A Chilean Wine


**Pita Chip Recipe**

Slice Pita Bread into Bite Size Triangles

Place on Foil Lined Tray

Drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sprinkle with Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Paprika, and Cayenne Pepper

Bake in a 300* Oven till Perfectly Crispy - 10 Minutes


**My boyfriend loved the salsa and chips. All was devoured, happily**


**Lentil Soup Recipe**

1 1/2 Cup of Brown Lentils - Boiled till Cooked

1/2 White Onion - Diced and Sauteed in Extra Virgin Olive Oil with some Garlic

Add in some Cumin, Cardamom, Tumeric, Cayenne, Chili Powder, Salt, and Black Pepper to Onions as they Saute

Specify Spices and Amount to Your Particular Taste

Add 1/2 Cup of Water to Onions - Simmer

Add Cooked Lentils to Onion/Spice Mixture

Bring Soup to a Boil

Lower Heat and Let Simmer

Add additional Salt and Pepper for Taste

Top with Diced Mushrooms (Sauteed in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Salt, and Black Pepper)

A GAL NAMED RANIA

Hello, Readers! So my world must have entered into some Twilight Zone because I have decided to go Vegan for one whole week! Yes, CRAZY, I know. Well, it's only crazy if you really know me! Basically, I love meat. I love seafood. I love all things dairy. I love the natural order of the food chain. I am a self proclaimed foodie, and in all honesty, somewhat of a fat ass. Food is my lover, and I cannot get enough of it! And a large part of "it" would be eggs, dairy, meat, and a bunch of deliciousness made with those ingredients! Don't get me wrong, I eat a good amount of fresh vegetables, especially when it comes to leafy greens. I also thoroughly enjoy a variety of grains and fruit. But when it comes down to it, I genuinely adore meat and seafood. Yum yum yummy!


However, my boyfriend and I still decided to see if we could become Vegetarian for one week. It was all planned out. We would start today and go until Sunday. And then we would celebrate our veggie eating success with a celebratory meat filled Valentine's Day dinner! But then, after two hilarious episodes of An Idiot Abroad my boyfriend and I came across an Oprah rerun at 2AM this Monday morning! The entire episode was dedicated to Vegan diets, knowing where your meat comes from, and a challenge among Harpo Studio employees to eat Vegan for seven days! 


And the rest is history! I challenged myself a little bit more and decided to try going Vegan instead. The boyfriend is still sticking to Vegetarian, but we are both ready to conquer the meatless world! I am now loving the fact that I indulged greatly during the Super Bowl. I didn't care for either team, but I sure as hell cared for my egg and sausage breakfast, multiple dollops of dip, homemade blue cheese burgers, almond biscotti, and 2:30AM brie binge! 


Oh and just to get things straight, I am not going the Vegan route for a week in order to lose weight. I exercise for an average of 30 minutes about 3 times a week and go on walks regularly. For being 5'2", I am at a healthy weight of 115 lbs. and lead a pretty active lifestyle. It is also not for animal rights. I love animals with all my heart, eat free range, cage free, and organic as much as possible. I hate animal cruelty and wholeheartedly believe in and support nothing but the humane treatment of animals - especially those meant for food purposes. So basically, the Vegan diet is to simply just try it out and witness its effects - if any. A nice fun project in the name of food!


Last but not least, a lot of people seem to have taken an interest in this Vegan challenge of mine according to the comments on my facebook status regarding this particular situation. So I figured, "Why not blog about it." For the next 7 days I will be blogging about my diet for the day and whatever highs and lows accompany my new Vegan eating habits! 


Wish me luck! 

 


DAY ONE: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2011


Breakfast

Pomegranate White Tea with a hint of Honey

Dry Organic Corn Flakes with half a sliced Banana


Lunch

Spinach Salad with Fried Onion Pieces, Black Pepper, and a dressing made with Spicy Hummus and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Glass of Water


Afternoon Snack

A few Freeze Dried Blueberries

Glass of Water


Dinner

Brown Rice Medley topped with a few scoops of Homemade Salsa

Glass of Water


**Salsa Recipe**

1 Can Corn, 

1 Can Black Beans, 

20 or so Organic Cherry Tomatoes - Quartered

3 Thai Chilies - Diced

Half a Red Onion - Diced

1/2 Tsp. Salt 

10 or so Grinds of Black Pepper

4 Dashes of Cayenne Pepper