Sunday, November 9, 2008

Getting Down to Business

The last couple of weeks I haven't made a menu or done any real grocery shopping. Which meant that we were running to the store nearly every night, and not eating very well. There were many nights of take out, pizza, chips and dip, or a scrounged up meal.

Last week was a "Hell Week" (sorry Grammy, but it really was!) for me, with several exams, quizzes, and presentations due. And a trip out in Humboldt Bay on the pontoon boat (which means getting very wet, since you're on a flat piece of metal on two pontoon floats with a motor! Rain gear and muckboots are a must!). The highlight of the week was a class on making vegan doughnuts. David came with me and even he said they were yummy. I'll post more on it later.

But this week should be better, and I have Tuesday off (yay!!), so I'm planning on making some real meals again and preparing for the next round of tests.

Sunday: David's having a poker night again with friends, so we're having snack foods for dinner
Monday: "Chicken" Parmesan made with breaded tofu
Tuesday: Leftover baked tofu with roasted veggies
Wednesday: Soba noodles with sesame sauce
Thursday: Almond Tofu
Friday: Lemon Dijon Tofu and Potatoes
Saturday: Any leftovers that weren't eaten for lunch during the week.

For lunches I'll take leftovers and harvest salad. I'm thinking about adding some roasted beets to the salad as well, or I may use them all in the roasted veggies on Tuesday night. I've also really been craving spinach dip, so I'll make up a batch and eat it as a snack with crackers throughout the week.

I'm off now to clean off and paint a couple of boards I picked up at the recycling center to make shelves with. My shot glass collection is feeling very sad all packed up with no place to be displayed. Be sure to check out Organizing Junkie for more Menu Plan Mondays and Geek, Poet, Housewife Wannabe for all veggie menu plans!

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Happy World Vegan Day

As soon as I finished typing the title, I glanced out my kitchen window and spotted a huge, perfect, vibrant, arching rainbow reaching across the sky. I tried taking some pictures but my camera decided to be difficult and not actually capture the beautiful colors on the dark grey backdrop. Then, as I watched, a second perfect, whole rainbow appeared around the first. They stood there for a few minutes like giant concentric half-rings, and then slowly faded away. I'm taking it as a sign that World Vegan Day is approved by nature and that everyone should celebrate by eating vegan for today (or tomorrow, or a randomly picked day of your choosing, y'know, whatever).

It also reminded me that I'm happy to be alive, and healthy, and able to experience such beauty like the rainbows and other little moments throughout every day. Sometimes when I begin to feel crushed under the midterms, term papers, presentations, thesis's, politics, collapsing economy, and the massive amount of housework that has built up while I am busy putting it off to take care of other things, it's hard for me to be grateful for what I have and just live in the moment. But usually right when I need it most, nature tosses a little bit of beauty my way and reminds me that life isn't always this stressful.

Now that I've been completely sidetracked from what I was originally going to post about, but have been rejuvenated, I'm going to make myself some dinner, study some physics, then come back and try again. I hope everyone got to experience a little moment of beauty today!