College Vegan on a Budget: Looking Ahead

A healthy food-loving girl’s adventures in the world of grocery budgeting.

If you’ve been sticking with me since I started the CVB series then you’ve seen how I’ve had my ups and downs with budgeting. I think I’ve learned a lot since August though, and I want to keep what I’ve learned in mind every time I go grocery shopping, even if it’s on my parents’ dime. Which it will be verrrrry soon, aka in like 4 days!

But CVB will not be back until school starts up again in the fall, so if you still want to read about budgeting, just check out my previous posts on the topics. And just a note, this produce will all be finished this week, but some of the non-perishable or frozen items will be returning home with me when I move back.

Whole Foods produce purchases this week.

*=organic

Whole Foods 

What I Got: watermelon half, baby spinach*, limes, avocados x3*, red mango*, strawberries*, Medjool dates, raw strawberry cheesecakes x2 (on sale and a treat for post finals!), Truvia, bulk whole almonds, Hail Merry vanilla maple almonds, Gone Raw sprouted Thai lemon curry cashews (I’m seriously obsessed, I buy these every week), gluten free frozen pizza dough, Incan berries* (not sure if I like these yet), raw mint chocolate squares, raw southwestern kale chips (also on sale and my fave), Vega One bar, Kit’s Organic chocolate coconut bar*

What I Spent: $67.57 (pretty typical lately)

Verdict: As usual, I spent about 1/3 of my total bill on produce (it came out to about $22 this time, totally worth it for organic  or good quality produce), and I also bought some ‘fun’ things that will probably only last through Wednesday when I move back home. Some things I’m planning on bringing back with me because I don’t think I can get them at the Whole Foods stores in my hometown.

The rest of the purchases.

When you’ve moved or traveled, do you try to eat everything before or do you bring leftover stuff with you? How much do you spend on produce?

 

Friday Faves (June 1st)

Hi guys! Happy first day of June! I can’t believe we’re already almost halfway done with 2012–crrrrrrrazy stuff. I’m excited though because in a little less than 2 months, I’m turning 20 which is also crazy. Where is my life going?

I wanted to start doing Friday Faves posts to highlight some of the things I’m currently loving so here goes!

Favorite Song: Titanium (David Guetta ft. Sia)

I don’t know why, but I’m just loving this song. The music video is a little out there, but it kinda goes along with the lyrics. I like them because they’re talking about inner strength, which is something I always need a little more of.

Favorite Nail Color Combo: Teal and sea foam

Sally Hansen Insta-Dry in Blue Streak (teal), Nicole by OPI in Peas and Q’s (sea foam).

Apparently I’m taking my nail polish inspiration from the ocean! I really love how these two shades play off each other and work so well together. And they’re bold but not too flashy.

Favorite Lunch

Kale massaged with Ginger People hot ginger jalapeno sauce, mango-glazed tempeh (recipe to come), watermelon chunks, Alvarado Street sprouted sourdough toast with carrot cake toppings (almond peanut cashew butter, raisins, carrots, cinnamon).

I’m loving random lunches lately. The one above covered all the bases: veggie, fruit, grain, protein, fat. But more importantly, it was delish! If you’ve never tried sprouted sourdough bread, you must. It’s flour free but has that great hint of sourness and is perfect for toast. The mango-glazed tempeh was also a winner and beyond easy to make.

Favorite Website: The F***ing Weather

Don’t go here if you don’t like, um, not so nice language. But it’s kinda hilarious.

Favorite Outfit

Dark grey lace tank (Hollister), hot pink twill shorts (Abercrombie & Fitch).

Lace anything is my favorite right now, as are neon-colored shorts. What can I say, I like to make a statement! Dark grey and hot pink look amazing together and are just as good of a color combo as black and pink–I hate black, so this is how I roll.

Favorite Thing I’ve Made: Spicy Nacho Cheez Sauce

Uh, doesn’t this look tasty!

I love love love cashew cheez! Seriously, it’s perfect in every form–cream cheez, mascarpone cheez and now, nacho cheez. Who would have thought a simple nut could make delicious vegan cheese sauces?! I don’t question it, I just make it! Now you can enjoy some vegan nacho cheez to drizzle on nachos (duh), tacos or whatever. I made mine thick, like a hummus, but you can thin it out with more almond milk. So far, I’ve had it as a dressing on a veggie burger salad and as a carrot dip and it’s sooooo creamy and spicy.

Spicy Nacho Cheez Sauce (vegan, gluten-free)

1/4 cup raw cashew pieces 

1/2 can white beans, drained and rinsed (use any kind of white beans that are soft, like navy beans)

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk 

1 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast

sea salt, to taste

1/2 large jalapeno, sliced

cayenne pepper, to taste

In a food processor or blender, process all ingredients until smooth and thick. Add more jalapeno slices or cayenne pepper, if needed. Serve warmed over multigrain tortilla chips, or chilled over salads. Makes about 1 cup.

Favorite Purchase: AE Metallic T-Strap Sandal

I love American Eagle’s leather sandals!

They still haven’t come yet (stupid slow mail) but I’m beyond excited to wear them. I love that they’re simple yet still dressy and they’ll go with a lot. Plus I got them for only $18…with free shipping. Score!

What’s your favorite song right now? What have you bought lately?

Savoring Summer

Guess what, guys? Just ONE MORE WEEK til I am done with my sophomore year! Wooooooo Okay, so I still have one final the next week, but I’m trying to ignore that fact Anyways, my summer basically begins next Friday and I am beyond ready and excited for it! 3 whole months of enjoying the warm weather, soaking up the sun, going on a couple vacays (hopefully) and my internship, along with some other things that I’ll share with y’all later. Oh, and of course, my 20th birthday is in exactly 3 months–heck to the yes!

I’ve mentioned this about a million times before, but living in a dorm is pure torture for a foodie like me. I really miss having a kitchen and getting to experiment with recipes but luckily that won’t be a problem in a week. Of course, I’ve been planning up tons of things I want to make once I have daily access to the kitchen and it’s been making me really hungry In case you’ve been wanting some recipe inspiration, I’m sharing a few of them here (note: none of them are my own recipes, though when I make them, I will probably tweak some a lot of things. Plus all of them are vegan or can be made vegan).

Photo courtesy of Peas and Thank You.

Who doesn’t want a fun way to eat their veggies? The sauce alone is drool-worthy.

Photo courtesy of Healthy Happy Life.

A healthified root beer float? Count me in, especially since it’s spiked with coffee! I’m planning on making mine with some root beer stevia and vanilla-flavored almond milk ice cream.

Photo courtesy of 101 Cookbooks.

My tempeh obsession is still going strong, and this Asian-inspired dish looks beyond tasty.

Photo courtesy of Shape.

Would you believe me if I told you the taco filling is made from walnuts and the ‘sour cream’ is made from cashews? It sounds strange but I’m willing to bet it’s really good.

Photo courtesy of Healthy Happy Life.

Pink lemonade is a great summertime refresher, but add in a little coconut water, and it’s even better!

Photo courtesy of Peas and Thank You.

I still need to get a donut pan, but as soon as I do, you best believe I am making these salted maple donuts!

Photo courtesy of Healthy Food for Living.

I’ve tried making chocolate avocado pudding and let’s just say it wasn’t great. But pudding with sweet potatoes sounds promising!

Photo courtesy of The Raw Chef.

I am obsessed with all things Greek/Mediterranean and I’m also interested in raw foods. Combining the two sounds like perfection, especially in this totally raw falafel and hummus wrap.

Photo courtesy of Oh She Glows.

Who wants a chemical-laden, sugar-filled DQ Blizzard when you can have a totally vegan, much healthier cookie dough version?

Photo courtesy of The Vegan Version.

I generally don’t like cheese (duh, I’m vegan!) but nut cheese is a whole different story! This baked ‘feta’ made from almonds seems almost too good to be true!

Photo courtesy of Peas and Thank You.

Who knew watermelon could be grilled? It’s definitely a summer staple for me, so it’s nice to have new ways to enjoy it.

Photo courtesy of Healthy Happy Life.

I always need new overnight oats inspirations–why didn’t I think of sticky banana bread? This topping looks crazy good and perfectly indulgent.

What recipes look the yummiest to you? What do ‘summery’ recipes usually include for you?

WIAW: Colorado Myths & Carrot Cake Hummus

Do you ever hear people talking about the place where you live (city, state, country, whatever) and they’ve got it totally wrong? And you just want to tell them “No, that’s not what it’s like at all!” or “It’s so much better than you say it is!” or whatever? If you ever live somewhere long enough, you’ll probably get to know it pretty well–and you might even know all the myths and misconceptions about it.

 

I’m a proud [semi-native] Coloradan and since I’ve been living here since I was a little toddler, I know a lot about the state but I’ve also heard a lot of things about it that aren’t necessarily true. So without further ado, I give you Colorado Myths and Facts. Oh, and WIAW, of course! I couldn’t forget that  

 

I finally caved and tried banana soft serve. Verdict: um, I really made this? It tastes like banana froyo! Dark chocolate protein overnighters topped with soft serve and melted almond butter. Perfection in a bowl.

 Myth #1: Everyone in Colorado is either a cowboy or a hippie.

Ummmmmm, yeah, so not true! Personally, I don’t know anyone remotely like a cowboy, but I guess it’s because of all those Old West stories and stuff. There are definitely some hippies here (namely in Boulder) but I don’t have anything against hippies. In fact, I probably am kinda one, considering I love yoga and Whole Foods. Oh yeah, and I’m vegetarian/vegan. But really, most Coloradans are normal people, with lots of different interests. I’m sure there are some cowboys out there, too.

I was indecisive at lunch (when am I not?) so I went for a hodgepodge of flavors and textures. Strawberries, blueberries, iced tea. Sweet potato, half topped with Greek yogurt/spicy guac dip, half topped with agave/almond butter dip. Carrot cake hummus (new, amazing creation of mine) topped with cinnamon bunny grahams. Sweet, spicy, warm, cold, crunchy and soft.

 Myth #2: Colorado is bipolar.

Sadly, this is very true. I mean bipolar in the sense of the weather. It can go from sunny to cloudy in seconds (let’s not forget liquid sunshine–that’s when it rains when the sun is shining), it can thunder during a snowstorm…yeah, crazy stuff. It keeps us on our toes, for sure. There are a few things you can count on though: 300+ days of sunshine, winter temperatures rarely go below 30* F and summer temperatures rarely go above 95* F, it’s usually pretty dry and snow doesn’t stick around for many days. Apparently in other places, when it snows, that snow doesn’t melt for weeks!

Another random assortment at snacktime. Peach mango Greek yogurt topped with Kashi Strawberry Fields and PB Puffins. Date, raisins, freeze-dried strawbs. Fresh pineapple.

 Myth # 3: Everyone loves the “great outdoors”.

True for me, but not for everyone. For the most part, we love being outside and being active, in all seasons. For me personally, I love for being outside in summer, early fall and late spring. Once it gets cold, no thanks. I’d like to stay warm, if at all possible.

Outfit of the day: brown/orange striped scarf, orange babydoll tank (Hollister), brown woven leather belt (A&F), khaki shorts (Hollister)

Myth # 4: Everyone is a profesh skier.

Hahaha, if this were true, then why have I never been in the Olympics? True story, I have never been on skis in my life. I know I’m really unusual for a semi-native, but my whole family has never been into skiing/snowboarding. I honestly prefer going to all the famous ski resorts in the summer. It’s a lot cheaper, and I’ve never been a big fan of winter.

This was dinner a few nights ago. Roasted veggie vegan pizza, Greek yo/guac dipping sauce, watermelon, raisin-topped salad and carrot cake smoothie. I think I've started to OD on carrot cake.

Myth # 5: Colorado is reaaaaaaally high.

Okay, so I’m gonna ignore any drug-related references in that ( “Rocky Mountain High” anyone?) but elevation-wise, yes, we are high. Apparently, we have 75% of U.S. land over 10,000 feet in our lil’ state! The only problem with living at such a high altitude (my house is at about 8000 feet above sea level, and no, I don’t live in the mountains) is that with baking and cooking, everything has to be adjusted accordingly. So it can be a pain to find a high-altitude friendly baking recipe.

Whole Foods duplex cookies, ring of frozen mango and pineapple chunks. I freaking love these cookies, they're like a yummier and healthier version of Oreos.

I know you’ve all been drooling over that carrot cake hummus (no? It’s just me then?) so I’ll give you the recipe right now!

Carrot Cake Hummus (makes 3 big or 6 small servings)

1/2 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup nondairy milk (I used unsweetened vanilla soy milk)

1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used Soytein)

2 handfuls shredded carrots

handful raisins

generous sprinkling cinnamon

sweetener, to taste (optional)

Mix first 3 ingredients together in a food processor until mostly combined. Add 1/4 cup water if needed to make smooth. Add in remaining ingredients and pulse until mixed well.

Enjoy with cinnamon bunny grahams, as a toast or waffle topper or with carrots. It tastes slightly beany, but I kinda like that flavor.

 

What is one myth or misconception about the place you live? What is the weirdest hummus flavor you’ve ever tried?I’m really getting into dessert-y hummuses. What can I say, I have a major sweet tooth!

WIAW: Another Week, Another Survey

Can you believe it’s already Wednesday?!?! I definitely can’t–especially because this time next week, I’ll be 19 years old! Can someone say cray-cray? But seriously, I feel old haha. Oh well, I’m excited!

I’m also excited for today because it’s WIAW time again! I honestly don’t know why, but this is like an addiction for me…once you start, you just can’t stop! I really hope I can get one in next week, despite all the birthday time shenanigans and busyness.

Anywho, let’s get to it! This week, I’ve got another survey brought to you by the lovely Tori. That’s another addiction of mine, surveys. They are just too fun to pass up.

Breakfast was a new creation of mine (that, bee-tee-dubs, I loved so much I had 2 days in a row): coffee maple overnighters topped with some PB Puffins. Where have these yummy peanutty nuggets been all my life?! Oh, and I had an unpictured veggie sausage and some raisins

 Three ways I am still a kid:

1) I think baby bunnies are the cutest thing ever (but then, who doesn’t?)

2) I am a veeeeeeeery picky eater. ‘Nuff said.

3) I love to have water gun wars with my dad and sister. Funnest. Thing. Ever.

 

Three ways I am already old:

1) Most of the time, I’d rather spend a night at home with the fam, catching up on TV shows and playing board games.

2) I tend to space out some times and miss out on what people are talking about, and then I have to go, “Huh?”

3) I have reeeeeeeeeally crack-y joints. My knees crack like no other (my parents call me “Cracky”).

Lunch was my last vegan chorizo taquito (sadddddddd), salsa for dippage, fresh mango and bloobs , carrots and a slice of cinn-raisin Ezekiel bread topped with black bean pudding and almond butter. Kinda like a snack plate lunch for the indecisive girl.

Three things I want to do:

1) Go full veg. Right now, I mostly eat meat because my parents want me to, but when I move out on my own, I want to be an actual vegetarian (or at least pescetarian).

2) Get some kind of job in the fields I’m interested in. I’m majoring in broadcast journalism, but I’m also really into fashion, so I’d like to somehow combine the two. Maybe a fashion reporter?

3) Leave the U.S.. Seriously, almost everyone I know has at least gone to Mexico or Canada. My dream spots are Australia, anywhere in the Caribbean and Greece.

This was me on Monday, soon after my filling appointment at the dentist. It was the first time I had some bad reactions to the Novocaine (eye watering, a bruise on my cheek from the shot, mouth droopiness). I'm wearing glasses because the watery eyes were just getting too annoying to deal with having my contacts in.

 Three ways I’m a stereotypical “boy”:

1) I love being active in the “great outdoors”. Tennis, mountain biking, hiking, you name it. I love being outside.

2) I’m proud of my strong arms. I used to hate the fact that I actually have biceps (not huge ones, BTW) unlike some girls, but now I love that I can win arm-wrestling contests and people are always surprised that I’m so strong since I’m small.

3) Most of my jeans and shorts are “boy fits”. I just prefer my pants to be looser and I think they look better on me than a pair of skinnies (though I might buy some soon…)

Another snack plate, this time actually for a snack: sweet potato tortilla chips, Kashi crackers, watermelon and almond butter-stuffed date

 Three ways I’m a stereotypical “girl”:

1) Fashion is one of my favorite things. I adore clothes shopping (I can spend hours at the mall without getting bored), putting together outfits, taking outfit pictures and blogging about it (oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I have a fashion blog, too!)

2) Pink is my favorite color. I have wayyyyyyy too much of it: pink bed sheets, pink mini fan, pink phone and iPod covers, pink bathrobem pink sandals, pink tape dispenser…yeah, I’ll stop there

3) My absolute favorite clothing items include short summery dresses (of which I have nine–obsessed much? ), cute patterned skirts and girly, shimmery sandals. I could totally live in these three things (provided I lived in a different climate). 

Three things I want to try within the next three months:

1) Driving on my own when I get back to school. I just found out that my campus is getting ZipCar this fall, which is basically like a car rental membership thing. I’ll be able to go wherever I want without relying on friends to drive me.

2) Make more “raw dessert” recipes. I’ve had a lot of luck with the recipes I’ve already tried and I can’t wait to make more!

3) Take fashion risks. I usually stick with the tried-and-true clothing combos, but I want to mix it up. Even if I don’t buy many new outfits, at least I can create new ones out of my existing wardrobe.

Outfit of the day: lime green babydoll tank (Hollister), coral bandeau bra top (Victoria's Secret PINK), light blue floral skirt (Gilly Hicks), pink polka dot headband (American Eagle). I like how bright and summery this outfit is, but the top gave me some troubles. If I leave it untucked, I have basically no waist. And it looks slightly awkward tucked in. Better luck next time...

 Three things I like about myself:

1) My independence. I don’t feel like I always have to be with other people; I can do things on my own just fine. Obviously, I do like to be with other people, but having my own space sometimes is really nice!

2) My inner strength. I have my days where I feel like I can’t get through my problems, but I always pull through. This is especially true in dealing with my eating disorder. I wouldn’t say I’m fully recovered at this point, but I’m proud of myself for how far I’ve come. And I don’t want to give up and go back.

3) My hair. Yeah, that sounds kinda superficial, but I really do. Especially now that I got a new style-slash-color. You can’t really tell from the pictures (except the first one of me, maybe), but I got it slightly shortened and my stylist added lots of bouncy layers and lightened up my highlights so I’m pretty blonde now. My sis says I look older now, which is a very good thing, considering I usually look a lot younger than my age.

It was pizza night, which happens approximately once a week in my house. Even though I don't eat cheese, I can always find/make a cheeseless pizza that appeals to me. Tonight's was Whole Foods' individual vegan roasted veggie pizza on whole wheat crust (yay!) with a side of carrots and a double chocolate banana smoothie

Three of my everyday essentials:

1) Iced tea. I’ve been on an iced tea kick since I rediscovered our iced tea maker. I like mine with ice (duh!) and 1 packet of Truvia. Yum.

2) Yoga. I think I’ve done it almost every day since I first started doing it way back in February. I love how calm it makes me, not to mention way stronger and flexible.

3) Oats. Most mornings, I start out with a bowl of overnight oats. I love all the combos I’ve had so far and I’m always thinking up more!

This wasn't my dessert today, but it was too yummy not to show. I tried a new froyo place, and I loved it. Mango sorbet and cheesecake yogurt, topped with fresh melon and pineapple chunks. So refreshing on a hot day.

 Three things that scare me:

1) Fires. I live in a really dry state, so in the summer, there’s a lot of forest fires. [Knock on wood] there haven’t been any huge ones near me this summer. My mom is always worried, since we live in a treed area. Fire in general just kinda freaks me out.

2) Throwing up. I haven’t done it in several years, but it’s so traumatizing. Ick.

3) Hearing random noises in the middle of the night. It freaks me out so bad that I have a hard time getting back to sleep. Even though we hae an alarm system, I just can’t shake the feeling that someone broke in…

Pick one of the question categories and tell me your three answers! Oh, and what was the best thing you’ve eaten recently?

P.S. My last vacation recap is coming very soon!

My First WIAW!

Happy Thursday! It’s almost the weekend…YAY! And for those of you that work or are still in school it’s a long weekend Since I’m off of school for the summer, weekends usually don’t feel much different to me, except that my dad is home all day!

Anywhooo, this is my first ever WIAW (What I Ate Wednesday). I actually have done it over on my ED recovery blog, but this is my first week blogging on here, so I thought I’d start with a WIAW to kick things off!

For breakfast, I enjoyed an Oikos chocolate Greek yogurt cup (my favorite brand and flavor of Greek yogurt!), a Morningstar hot & spicy vegetarian sasuage patty (I pretty much have this every day since it’s so yummy and has 8 grams of protein!), a chocolate Van’s waffle stick and a creamy banana smoothie (1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1/2 ripe banana, 1 packet Truvia). I just discovered this smoothie combo and it is delish and as creamy as a milkshake but way healthier.

I had to have lunch a little early since my mom and I were going to go see the Thunderbirds fly over the Air Force Academy stadium for their graduation. I wasn’t too hungry so I had a small lunch: my leftover homemade Mex-Asian vegan pizza (light Flat Out wrap topped with edamame guacamole *recipe to come!*, black beans, cilantro and cheddar soy cheese), baby carrots, fresh watermelon and a chocolate brownie Pure bar.

I forgot to take a picture of my snack! But I had a bowl of Cascadian Farm Cinnamon Crunch cereal (I love the Cascadian Farms kids cereals, since they aren’t too sugary and have fiber) and a side of black grapes. I only like red and black grapes, green ones gross me out!

My family had turkey tacos for dinner last night. I don’t eat beef and my fam usually doesn’t either so we usually have turkey tacos instead. I served mine on a small Ezekiel tortilla (love these things!) with more black beans, more edamame guacamole and more soy cheese. Seriously, my dinner was almost a repeat of lunch, except I had a salad on the side with Annie’s mango dressing and a peach Green Monster: 1 chopped up peach, 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, handful spinach and 1 packet Truvia. I’ve only just started making GMs and this was my first one that was actually green!

No day would be complete without a nighttime snackie! I tried a Van’s blueberry Muffin Crown (almost as good as Vitatops, but they are impossible to toast) topped with a bit of almond butter, a date stuffed with crunchy AB and blueberries on the side.

Q: What was the best thing you ate on Wednesday???????

Strawberry Melon Gazpacho

Summer is my favorite season EVER! I love the warm weather, the sunshine (which has annoyingly been missing the past week and a half in my neck of the woods ), the cute clothes (shorts, tanks, dresses and flip-flops…YES!) and the food. I love all the fresh, yummy produce that summer brings like berries, watermelon and apricots. Summer is usually the season when I eat the healthiest, because my daily diet is packed with fresh fruits and veggies (fruits mostly…I have a huge sweet tooth ). I love incorporating all this yumminess into the recipes I make. So without further ado, I introduce you to…gazpacho!

It’s a cold soup usually with a tomato base that’s perfect for hot summer days. It’s the perfect side to a veggie burger, pasta or a big salad. Since I’m not a huge fan of tomatoes, I’ve been on the lookout for a gazpacho that didn’t have them. I searched the Whole Foods website (love that store and their recipes) and found lots of gazpacho recipes but one caught my attention: strawberry melon gazpacho. I LOVE strawberries and melons, and I thought it sounded really yummy.

Mmmm, fresh fruits and veggies!

 Into the food processor went 2 cups cubed watermelon (make sure to take out the black seeds first!), 1 pound strawberries, 1/4 of a large cucumber (peeled and chopped) and some lime juice. Then I pureed it until it was smooth with some chunks.

I served mine with some grilled mahi mahi topped with a strawberry pico de gallo (recipe to come!)

Q: Have you tried gazpacho?