englandsword

Today was a relaxed, productive day. I worked out on the bike and lifted weights, wrote postcards to follow up with casting directors I've met, checked out 8x10 proofs for my new headshots, went grocery shopping, posted my old twin bed on Craigslist, and talked on the phone to everyone I know. OK, not quite, but I talked on the phone a lot. Today I have a recipe that is delicious but I must warn you -- there is no way to make this look appetizing. It just looks gross. Avocado puddings (aka chocomole) are popular in the raw food world because of their creamy texture, but they're very high in calories and fat. For a lower-fat and lower-calorie option, try pumpkin pudding instead! Chocolate Pumpkin Pudding 1/4 cup canned pumpkin 1/16 tsp stevia (maybe?) 1 tsp cocoa powder 2 tsp ground flax Mix. That's it. I love how flax tastes and I like that the flax makes the pumpkin less mushy, so I like to add quite a bit. Stevia is very sweet, so don't overdo it. Ingredients - Ground...

Breakfast: Brussels sprouts, 3 sweet potato fries Lunch: Oatmeal Dinner: Mu Shu Vegetables (about half, no pancakes) I love Mu Shu Vegetables. Before I went vegan, I loved Mu Shu Pork - I ate it on my birthday and whenever it was available at Chinese restaurants, and I wondered how I would ever replace it. And then I got Mu Shu Vegetables, and realized that it was the same lovely experience! Just remember to order it without eggs or you will get a nasty surprise. Mu Shu Vegetables are mostly cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, bamboo shoots, and green onions in a light sauce, served with pancakes (more like thin tortillas) and plum sauce. Mu Shu Vegetables are one of the least oily dishes at Chinese restaurants and if you forego the pancakes, you can get the calories even lower. And if you've never eaten a bowl full of cabbage, let me tell you - it is very filling. Now, that brings me to the topic of Chinese food in America vs. Chinese food in China. As you might imagine, American...

We had pretty standard dinners growing up -- pasta night, and umm... pasta night... and do-it-yourself night, but the most special was always breakfast for dinner night. What?! Breakfast for dinner? But there are rules about these things! Now that I've lived in China, I find American breakfast foods kind of funny. We're so particular about what we eat for breakfast - usually something carby, sugary, and devoid of nutrition, though for some reason, eggs and bacon are also acceptable to many. In China you pretty much eat for breakfast what you might eat for any other meal -- rice, vegetables, etc. There's a porridge called zhou (also called congee), but you can eat that for dinner, too, and it comes in sweet and savory varieties. So today, without really planning it, I switched my breakfast and dinner foods. Breakfast: 1/2 can Amy's Tuscan Bean and Rice Soup Lunch: 1 baked potato, 1/2 cup brussels sprouts Dinner: 1 cup brussels sprouts, 2/3 sweet potato (cut into f...