San Francisco Dreaming

Look what came in the mail the other day!

The invite to Dave’s brother’s wedding!!!

Doesn’t it look lovely?

This means we’re going to San Francisco!  I’ve never been to San Francisco before, so what are some MUST GO places?

Anyways, today I made myself some easy peasy meals while munching on my HLS swag.

For breakfast I munched on Barney Butter and Tostitos.

It’s actually a great combination if you like sweet and salty foods.

For lunch, I sauteed some seitan and made myself a seitan and corn salad.

I loveeeeeeeeee seitan!

I ate the rest of my Glo Bar for a snack.

Picture taken prior to consumption.

For dinner, I made a simple stir fry of potatoes, edamame and corn.

Topped it with some nooch!

Tomorrow my friend from out of town is coming in, so I need to think of what to make for dinner!  Gotta go to TJ’s for some major fridge stocking now!

HLS Weekend Recap – Part 4 – Afternoon Presentations + Indian Feast

Before I begin Part 4 of my HLS installment, I have a very special guest “blogger” who wants to show off her blogging “tricks.”

Unfortunately my guest blogger was unable to attend HLS this year because she couldn’t buy a ticket in time (maybe next year Wish).

Anyways, Saturday afternoon started with a lot of noshing.  I easily polished off this plate of food.

I had piled my plate a little too high for picture taking, so I ate half of it before taking the pictures .

After lunch I went to Sarah, Kath and Morgan‘s presentation on time management and organization.  I really enjoyed the presentation because it made me rethink my organizational and management skills.  Sarah talked about how we should prioritize the items on our to-do lists and ways in which we can work them into our schedules.  Kath talked a lot of about blogging and the “bad blogger” dilemma.  I really liked her section because I have commented about being a “bad blogger” in the past, but she made me realize that it’s not about being “good” or “bad” but about being true to yourself.  Morgan reminded us that if we ever want to change, do it now.  Well, one of my goals was to make exercising a priority and right now I’m rotating between blogging and lunges.

After that presentation we had a break and I went to yoga.  Let me just say that since that session, I am still sore!  My shoulders are killing me!  I had thought that it would be a nice relaxing session but no, it was intense!  The session did make me feel better after wards.

The last panel was Stop Staring Over Your Shoulder: How to Avoid the Self-Comparison Trap led by Caitlin and Gena both whom I have lady crushes on.  The panel began with a very touching story from Katie about how blogging has changed her life in a positive way.  I thoroughly enjoyed the panel and I think the ladies touched upon many issues that I have dealt with in my life.  To be perfectly honest, I haven’t reached my healthy tipping point yet, but I know I’ll get there one day.  This is not a topic that I’ve ever talked about but since this weekend it’s made me realize that when I am ready to talk about it, there is a whole community out there to support me.

Anyways, at night I went to the wonderful Indian feast organized by Gina.

Totally yummy!

Sana, Courtney, Gina, Kristi & Me

Kat, JT, Jessie, Sean, Laura, Paige

I was amazed at how delicious Indian food could be.  I want it every day!!!

Overall, I had an amazing experience at HLS and I can’t wait to go next year!  I’ll have to make sure I get tickets in time though!  Thanks again to Caitlin, Meghann, Tina, Heather, Kath and my wonderful partner Evan!  You guys totally kicked ass !

HLS Weekend Recap – Part 3 – Cocktail Party + Morning Presentations

Part 3

After the Frito-Lay tour on Friday morning, I rushed to get ready for the HLS cocktail party sponsored by OpenSky that night.

I met so many incredible women and man (yes, singular)!!!

Me, Evan, and Meghann!

Me and Sarah, Yay Dukies!

I was starving and made myself a hors d’œuvre dinner.

I had to get home early though, because it looked as if it were going to rain.

Unfortunately it did rain on me .

On Saturday morning I arrived at the hotel bright and early to enjoy a wonderful breakfast of fresh fruit.

You know how I posted about not changing my presentation?  Well I couldn’t help myself!!!  I decided to add clip art last minute and shorten a few slides.  I also had to sprint to and from the Travel Lodge next door to print out my notes.  I must give Travel Lodge a LOT of credit for helping me out.  The manager was so nice to me even though I wasn’t even a guest.  It really warms my heart to know that there are such kind people out there.

Then it came time for our presentation.  Evan talked about ethical meat and dairy sources while I discussed what ethical eating is and how people may approach it.  My key points are as follows:

• Ethical eating begins with you being “ethical” to your body.  Your body deserves it!
• Ethical eating is not confined to any specific diet.
• One way to approach ethical eating is to reduce your carbon footprint.
• By choosing local produce or by supporting socially responsible companies, you are voting with your money.
• Even if you don’t think your money makes a difference to the company, it should make a difference to you!
• Investing in healthful foods is an investment in your health.
• Prioritize food in your budget!

After our presentation we had a very interesting conversation about several books including, The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone and Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin.

If you are contemplating being vegan, I HIGHLY recommend Alicia’s book as a source of information.  She also has a website/web community, thekindlife.com, with a great forum for all of your questions.  I love Alicia’s book because she makes the reader feel comfortable about easing into veganism.  She has 3 levels of commitment: flirt, vegan, and superhero.  A flirt is someone dabbling in veganism and is starting to switch some animal products with vegan products; a vegan is someone who has completely replaced animal products with vegan products; and a superhero is someone who eats a very clean, macrobiotic style, vegan diet.

Here are my thoughts on Skinny Bitch:

I had read Skinny Bitch awhile ago and I am not exactly a fan.  The book basically packages the gruesome reality of animal farming into the shiny and desirable package of a “diet” book with an attractive title.  Although the book may be for some, I hate that the book tries to shame people into eating a certain way, or else they’d get “fat.”  Frankly, the book reminds me of PETA’s “Save the Whales” campaign, which makes me LIVID!!!!

Quite possibly the worst billboard ever.

In a NYT interview, one of the authors mentions that, “We knew that there were a lot of girls out there who would never read a vegan book, never buy a diet book that told them they had to give up coffee and Diet Coke, so we decided to package it differently.”  However, the package is exactly where my problem lies.

I personally don’t care that the book may convert people into being vegan because veganism is not a cult and there are many other sources to get such information. As I had discussed in my panel, being vegan doesn’t automatically make you an ethical eater.

I’ll admit that the book does have good recipes.  The authors also have a second book that is more recipe orientated; it’s titled Skinny Bitch in the Kitch: Kick-Ass Recipes for Hungry Girls Who Want to Stop Cooking Crap (and Start Looking Hot!).  I have flipped through it, and the recipes look delicious, however the title of the book is killing me.  I’m contemplating buying the book and just ripping off the cover.  What are your opinions on Skinny Bitch? Loves it or hates it?

After my presentation, I stayed to watch Sabrina‘s presentation on how to be a good hostess.  I was REALLLY excited to listen to her talk because I have been OBSESSED with table settings thanks to Giada and Ina.  All of my Foodnetwork watching skills finally paid off when I won an Oneida platter for completing a table setting first.

Go me!

Sabrina also talked about planning menus, making centerpieces and how to make guests feel comfortable.  I learned that as a hostess, you should keep replenishing food during dinner because nobody wants to look at a half empty plate of food.

I will be posting about lunch and afternoon activities in Part 4.

HLS Weekend Recap – Part 2 – Frito-Lay Plant tour

Part 2

Friday began bright and early in the morning.  I had a little trouble finding the group but I managed to get on the bus on time .  My bus buddy was Sheila, who makes awesome workout bags.  Caitlin rallied all of us into participating in a Catchphrase tournament.  I was a part of Team Fierce consisting of me, Sylvia, Sheila, Serena, and Amanda.  We lost to Team Funyun .

3/5 of Team Fierce! Me, Amanda, Sheila

The tour coordinators were great!  They provided us with drinks and snacks throughout the trip.  Thanks again ladies!!! They also asked us Frito-Lay trivia questions with I <3 Chips t-shirts as the prize.  After many failed attempts I managed to nab one!

When we got to the plant in Beloit we were split into 2 groups.  I was part of Group 1 who went on tour first, while Group 2 went to lunch first.

The plant was HUGE and everyone seemed so happy inside; I felt welcomed right away.  When it came time for the tour, we all put on hairnets, goggles, earplugs and took an “air shower.”  It was very cool, I felt like a scientist.

America’s Next Top Model?

During the tour, we saw chips being made, bad chips being ousted by a light sensitive machine, chips being bagged, shipped and so much more.  My group’s guide was super informative and nice.  We then got to sample some freshly made chips!

Can you believe that this is a candid photo?

During lunch, we learned about how Frito-Lay has helped make snacking healthier over the years.

I was munching on this:

So refreshing!

In a prior presentation, we learned how Frito-Lay is trying to reduce its impact in the environment.  You can read all about it here.  I was incredibly impressed!  I’ll admit that I have never thought about how much of a positive impact a large company can have.  For example, given its large scale distribution system, Frito-Lay can reduce a significant amount of fuel usage just by increasing the mileage on its trucks slightly.  I never thought about reducing environmental impact this way.

I also met my new boyfriend, Chester, during the tour.  Isn’t he the best?

His only flaw is that he’s too flirty with all the other ladies .  It’s O.K. I’ll get over it!

When we left, we all got goodie bags filled with wonderful Frito-Lay products.

Yummy!

What’s your favorite potato chip flavor? Before I became vegan, mine was Flaming Funyuns (not technically a chip but whatever); now it’s probably anything BBQ.

HLS Weekend Recap – Part 1 – YumUniverse Launch Party

Part 1

HLS has been such a wonderful experience and I’m so excited to share my thoughts on this past weekend.

On Thursday, I went to the YumUniverse launch party at the Chicago Urban Arts Center and was able to try many new foods and drinks.  I tried acai vodka, quinoa vodka, safflower vodka, various wines (I’m not a lush I swear ), dehydrated kale chips, raw cake pops, fruit leathers… just to name a few.

The venue was HUGE and a lot of people were in attendance, so it became quite hot.  However, I loved the music and the set up.

Pinot Grigio and a snack

At the event, I saw Maya, who I had met from an earlier blogger meet up.  She looked gorgeous as always.

Maya is the best!

I also made new friends, Ted and Trun!

It was so nice to see Heather‘s dream of YumUniverse come true.

Heather is totally gorgeous!

When giving her speech, Heather mentioned that she wished she had a resource such as YumUniverse when she first began her vegan lifestyle.  It really made me think about how lucky I am to have started my vegan journey during a time where information is so readily accessible and where websites like YumUniverse exist.

Here’s a closer look at our gift bags:

I <3 YumUniverse!

Can you believe that all of this was in that tiny bag?

Which blogs or websites inspire your lifestyle?

Part 2 of my recap is about my Frito-lay plant tour in Beloit, Wisconsin.

Breaking the Salad Roll + HLS News

So, Dave picked up his suit today from Brooks Brothers and he looks great!  I will post pictures of him when he gets his suits back from the tailor.  I went with him to the mall because I had to go back to Lululemon to ask for cup inserts for 2 of my tanks, both All Out Tanks.

As many of you guys know, the first time I had tried on this tank I hated it!  However, the second time I tried it on, I swallowed my pride and tried on a bigger size.  Well, I loved it and ended up buying 2 of the tanks a few weeks back!  I did find that the black ran slightly larger than the white so I was able to get my usual size in black but went up a size in white.

Anyways, the Lulu ladies were very nice about the cups and gave them to me for free.  I was confused at first at how to insert the pads, however, I had read on the Lululemon website that the numbers on the cups face in.  I plan on doing a review of the tanks in the future so look out for it!

I also saw this at the mall:

Tropical Hello Kitty!

They were so cute that I almost got one!

Oh, and before I move on, I want to give a big shout out to Dave because he had read on my blog how I was sick of salads and he was sweet enough to make me a portobello mushroom and artichoke hearts dish for dinner!!!  He baked the mushrooms and artichoke hearts and then drizzled them with balsamic vinegar.  I sprinkled some flaxmeal on top.

Not the prettiest dish but it was really quite delicious!

Anyways, the schedule for the Healthy Living Summit is now up!  I will be sharing my time with 2 lovely ladies, Lindsay and Michelle!  I can’t wait to meet them and all the other bloggers in person!

Good Dogs Gone Bad + Healthy Living Summit

My landlord is having a fit because Wishbone has been pooping everywhere at night. Wishbone had managed to figure out a way to escape the “baby fence” which encloses her in the kitchen and laundry room and went poopy in the living room… on both of my landlord’s new rugs.  Since Wishbone is my landlord’s dog, although I unofficially claim ownership, she is banished from the house today and is spending the day in the garage.  ::Sigh:: the dogs drive me nuts!  They are both so cute but so naughty!

Anyways, onto something exciting!  Guess who’s going to speak at the Healthy Living Summit (HLS)??? I was so surprised and happy that they accepted my proposal for eating ethically on a budget.  I will post more details later!

The one thing, though, that scares me to death about the HLS is that I’ll need to be in sick shape for it.  They are even having a “fun” 5k.  I can’t run very far on pavement and that’s a huge problem.  Thus, I’ve devised a training plan and will be posting my weekly workouts.

This is what I have planned so far:

Week 1 May 17th – May 23rd

Monday: Run 30 min

Tuesday: Run 35 min

Wednesday: Run 25 min + workout video

Thursday: Run 30 min

Friday: Rest

Saturday: Run 45 min

Sunday: Rest

I started running yesterday and it was TOUGH!  I only ran/ walked about 2 miles :-\.  I made up for my lack of distance by doing the Tracey Anderson Mat Workout, which is a killer!

Today I ran with my roommate Sara.  We ran a mile and a quarter together and then I took a water break and ran about a mile later with Dave.  I tried to do the Tracy Anderson video again but I was so sore!  I managed to get through the arms though, whew!

I am also trying to get more protein into my diet.  For breakfast I’ve been eating Kashi Go Lean Original cereal with flax seeds.  For lunch I had a tempeh salad:

I dressed it with an asian style peanut butter dressing using pb, soy sauce, siracha sauce and water.  It sounds gross but is absolutely delicious!  I’m planning to switch from eating mostly tofu to eating more tempeh.  Compared to tofu, tempeh has a much more dense and dry texture.  It also has a hell of a lot more protein! Yum yum!

For dinner I made a “meatball” salad using my favorite vegan meat substitute, Trader Joe’s Meatless Meatballs!

I used meatless meatballs, onions, tomatoes and olives to adorn my plate of kale.  Kale is quickly becoming my favorite veggie.

Dave also had a salad.

He prefers romaine lettuce to kale and adorned his salad with meatless meatballs, sauteed frozen veggie mix, giardiniera, olives, onions and tomatoes.

I must say that since I discovered the salad spinner, I’ve been making a lot more salads.  Now, I can’t imagine life without it!

Anyways, I’m kind of nervous about speaking at the HLS because I’ll be surrounded with such prominent bloggers!!! My goal from now on is to try to update my blog as often as I can, eeep!