Meating a long lost friend

Something changed.

Normally, I don't touch eggs.

Normally, I don't cook with eggs.

Normally, I don't eat eggs, unless they're in something pre-made. 

Normally, I keep away from eggs like the plague.

Normally didn't happen today.

I've been reading Amanda's blog for several months now, and admiring her amazing Eggy Bananafied steel cut oats every day.

So why don't I eat eggs, you may ask?

Something about them scared me.

The slimy texture, the nauseating smell of my mother's fried eggs, the association with grease and rich, fatty breakfasts at American diners... I mean, look at that golden yolk. Yes, it may be aesthetically pleasing, but when you really think about it... That is a possibly living being you are ingesting into your body.

I must admit, much of this screams Eating Disorder.

However, Amanda's oats looked appealing, and I thought... okay. The egg white is low calorie (ED thought much?), 'cleaner' and 'purer' than the yolk (orthorexia, much?), and is less animal-y than the yolk (er... irrational much? Yolk, white... It's all the same, right?)

So I took the plunge.

I pulled an egg out of the carton that my parent's keep, an odd gesture in and of itself.

I cracked it - oh, how long has it been since I cracked an egg? A lifetime.

I shivered as I gazed at the golden orb bathing in amniotic fluid.

But I set aside my qualms and separated the white from the yolk, and stirred it into my oats as they cooked.

I've made eggy oats twice now. The first time, I cooked them perfectly - they blended into the steel-cuts well, and the result resembled regular oats.

The second attempt was not so successful.

See those specks of white?

Despite the best of efforts, the egg white set as I slowly poured and furiously mixed it into the oats... I could smell the egg as I leant over my cooking pot, and it kind of freaked me out.

Ah well, nothing that can't be solved when topped with these new beauties...

TJ's Sunflower Seed Butter, and d'arbo raspberry jam. So, so, so yummy. Especially divine together.

See what I mean?

So what's the verdict? 

... I liked it. It plumped up my oats and made them pillowy soft.

On a moral level... It wasn't too bad. I didn't actively feel that I'd stolen a life. I think my real beef(!) with eggs was that I felt they weren't "clean" and perfect plant-based food. I was (am?) afraid of tainting or "dirtying" myself by eating such an 'impure' food. I mean... eggs? They're slimy, embryonic, animal products. Chickens may be cute to look at, but the idea of eating an egg that resided in their loins and been born to a dusty, feather filled coop, crammed up with a bunch of other birds, eating ground bones for sustenance...

... Okay, so I read too many sensational articles about animal cruelty. In any case, I just need to remind myself that:

• We buy cage-free eggs. Those chickens were happily roaming about, laying eggs left right and center, enjoying a relatively  pleasant life.
• The eggs we buy in the store are unfertilized... meaning it was unable to beget a baby chick.
• Eggs are good for you. Full of vitamins and protein and...

Oh, who am I kidding? I don't feel completely sanguine about lauding the virtues of eggs. It feels disingenuous.

I am, however, feeling more comfortable about adding egg whites to my oats. I like the flavor, I like the texture, I like the cohesiveness of the dish. I'm eating this meal... because I want to. Not because it's low-calorie or god knows what else. And that's one more step towards recovery.

Do you eat eggs? Why or why not?

Have you tried eggs in your oatmeal?

Have a lovely weekend!

Getting my balls on...

When the measuring cups and spoons come out, you know Lexi's in the kitchen.

And when the Magic Bullet is out... Well... It's time to cook!

When I got home from therapy this morning (after doing a major stock-up at Whole Foods!! Including Dark Chocolate Dreams for the first time!), I wanted to create something. I've been wanting to make Amanda's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Balls for a while now, so the moment I got home, I was whizzing around the kitchen, grabbing Almonds, dates, oats, protein powder, and chocolate chips...

The assembling of ingredients was surprisingly easy! Instead of using three large dates like the recipe recommends, I added about 1/3 cup of chopped dates. The Magic Bullet made quick work of the almonds and dates, delivering a smooth, even consistency within moments. I was happy :)

  I also used Whole Foods' Chocolate Soy Protein Powder rather than vanilla, 'cuz, well, that's all I had!

The Bullet gave me a very fine, dry powder, which I was supposed to turn into balls. What? How am I supposed to turn this dust into a sturdy, firm form? Impossible! I considered adding some almond milk or more dates to the mixture as a binder, but I figured I would give it a go before altering the recipe more. Forming the mix into balls was tough, but I squished into submission and ended up with a lovely product :)

I'm not sure why, but somehow instead of making four balls, I came out with seven! Weird much? Maybe my protein powder scoop in big, or I just have small hands and thus small balls (at least I'm not a guy). It's a mystery.

I popped them in the fridge, once balled, but of course, I couldn't resist a sample first. Mmmm. So good. A little crumbly, but so much chocolaty goodness! It was like... Taking a bite of very firm oatmeal filled with chocolate... Or... Eating an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. Divine.


What's your favorite recipe from the blog world?

4th of July recap, eats, and Sushi lunch!

Good morning!

So yesterday I had a nice 4th of July dinner with my parents - they had ribs, potato, grilled corn and some salad, while I just had the grilled corn and salad. I was feeling so not hungry by the time dinner rolled around, so I opted not to have tofu but just add some edamame to my salad. I had had a rather voluminous lunch (1/2 cup cooked millet with spinach and broccoli, hummus, and some chocolate for dessert) and then a heavy snack (~1 cup of greek yogurt, pb, and jam.)

However, I didn't hear the end of how small my dinner looked, and that this was a 'diet' dinner. Yes, I understand it was the 4th of July and everyone was feasting, but I just wasn't feeling it. I listened to my hunger.

Nevertheless, I made a special "4th of July" themed dessert that was delish. I mad Katie's fudge dadies and topped them with her coconut banana butter and some blueberries and grapes to try to tie all the colors in with Independence Day :)

Unfortunately I didn't get a picture, but they were yummy. My parents loved them. In other words, success! The brownies were ooey gooey (I tossed some extra chocolate chips in there) and the butter complemented them perfectly.

I've been on such a grape kick lately. It used to be I greatly disliked them - maybe it's because I associate them with feasting Romans...

But lately I've been eating them cold from the fridge, and they're divine! I've tried them frozen, but didn't like them much... Too icy and chewy in my opinion. But refrigerated they turn sweet, just crisp and crunchy enough... perfect.


What else have I been eating lately?

For breaky, I had something I've never had before - chocolate banana oats!

 Naked. 1/2 cup oats, 1 verrrry ripe banana, 

1.25 cups water, and about 1 Tbsp. sweet Ghirardelli cocoa powder.

Dressed! With drippy drippy almond butter.

Up-front-and-personal with the wonderfulness. 

My attempt at 'artful' decoration.

After this I got ready and headed over to my doctor's appointment. She said I've gained back a little, and am now at the minimum of where I should be. She wants me to gain a little more so I'll be in a safe space when I go back to college. Apparently she expects that with the extra walking at campus, the stress of work, etc. that I will lose weight, so she wants to create a buffer zone. 

I'm not sure how I feel about that. Most of the time I feel large and bloated, and it annoys me that I don't have to be that weight all the time. It also annoys me that she expects me to lose weight. I mean, what if I don't lose weight? What if I gain weight? Last Fall, when started my Freshman semester, is when I started gaining weight, despite all the walking around.

It's just kind of nerve-racking, I suppose.

Afterward my madre and I ran some errands (I picked up some silver paint for the bureaus in my room that I'm repainting) and by the end of the morning I was feeling kind of faint and hungry, so we stopped and got bubble tea! :) It was yummeh. My mom got almond flavor, and I got soy hazelnut. We shopped some more, then had lunch at a sushi restaurant.

A lot of people think it's hard to be vegan or vegetarian at sushi restaurants, surrounded by raw fish, but it's actually quite simple! Here are the things I tend to order when I'm getting my Japanese food on:

1. Avocado roll - love this. So yummy, rich, yet simple.
2. Edamame - steamed and salted, this is a great, tasty source of non-fish protein
3. Miso soup - not very nutritious, but still vegan and yummy
4. Tofu cheesecake. No words. So good.

 We meandered down the street a while, and came across a cute boutique where everything was 50% off! I got two cute tops that I <3 before my mom treated me to a pedicure (and eyebrow wax - but we'll keep that shush shush ;] )

When I got home, it was snack time!

 About 1 cup of almond milk, three cups of blueberries, and 3 ice cubes.

It looks good, but it tasted kind of meh. I think I like my smoothies a bit thicker. 

And no, I did not eat the chard sticks ;)

 On that note, I hope you had a great Tuesday!