A new (out)look

I changed my blog header! It looks a tad big, but I couldn't shrink it down without making it off center. It will do for now. I chose this photo because it has things I love: travel (and hot air balloons), Paris, and Europe! My student called it my "likes necklace". Now for a food bracelet...

This is the last day of my fast. It has been an interesting 21 days. Honestly, the second week was the hardest for me. I was craving the typical foods I was used to eating: fried food, meat, and sugar. But I am finally on my 21st day, and although I am glad to be able to eat again, I realize that I need a balance in my life. I shouldn't deprive myself of what I love, but I should also care for my body and eat right and exercise.

Here's some of the food I ate:

 I was craving some Chipotle last week, so I decided to make my own! I made brown rice with lime juice and cilantro, and just added black beans, and sauteed mushrooms, peppers, and garlic. It was delicious!

I also had some bean sprouts and made bean sprouts with hot red pepper flakes/green onions and made a bean sprouts soup.

I ate A LOT of fruit. Now, I am not really a fruit person. Or I wasn't. But that was what I ate when I craved sweets, because that's all I could eat.

I finally made roasted red bell pepper soup from scratch! I was so excited to try this ever since I had some at Patty's Place two summers ago. I adapted a recipe from Rachel Ray. It has no butter or cream.
Albeit the "healthy" version, it was just as good!

Healthy Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup

Ingredients

3-4 red bell peppers
1 teaspoon of olive oil
1/2 of a chopped onion
1 clove of minced garlic
1/8 cup tomato paste
2 or 3 cups of vegetable stock (depending on how thick you want it)
1 cup of soy milk
1 Tablespoon of chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup sweet corn kernels (roasted)


Directions:

1. Slice the red bell peppers into quarters and discard stem, seeds, and membrane. Place peppers on a pan skin side up and broil (375) for about 25 minutes or until the skin blackens.

2. Immediately place peppers in plastic container with a lid and place in the freezer for 15 minutes. This will loosen the skin and let it come off easily.  Take out the peppers and peel the skin off. Chop the peppers and set aside.

3. Meanwhile in a large saucepan, put olive oil in and put on medium heat. Add chopped onions and garlic until they are soft, not brown.

4. Add the red peppers, tomato paste, and vegetable stock. Bring it to a low boil, and then reduce the heat. Simmer for 10 more minutes.

5. Stir in soy milk, cilantro, salt and pepper. Also add cornstarch that has been mixed with a little water for thickening.

6. Cook for another 5 minutes. Let the soup cool slightly and then blend in batches. Be careful! It's hot!

7. Roast fresh corn in the oven(I sliced kernels off the cob with a knife) or you can use canned corn, drained.
Add it to the soup. It's a good combination.

I used the soup as a sauce for my Portobello mushrooms! I also grilled asparagus with salt and pepper and made whipped potatoes! It was a good dinner. :)

Don't you just love my new polka dot plate? I saw it on Priscilla Ahn's blog and just had to get one! It is a hand painted plate from Berlin, and it was expensive, but totally worth it!

I love it!

Trying to eat healthy for 3 weeks has made me become creative in my cooking. It's hard not to use butter, sauces, or dairy. I think I'll continue to try to cut down using butter and eggs in food, especially in my baking.

My friend recently made banana bread without any eggs or butter, which I think I'll attempt next week, so check back! Oh, and I can finally try my waffle maker my sister and brother in law bought me for Christmas.

I know I should ease into it, but I may be having some Hopdoddy tomorrow. I am beyond excited.