Day 1: Soy Creamer ain't Cream

 

Day 1: Soy Creamer

As day 1 of veganism draws to a close, I’m feeing somewhat proud of how pure I was today. I started the day off with a cup of coffee, starting out with a small cup instead of my usual 16 oz. mug, better to test the soy creamer. Well, half and half it is not. It had a nutty, almost hazelnut flavor and was too sweet. I love coffee. I love the smell, the taste, and the feel of the hot mug in my hands. I do not, however, like sweet coffee. But, I drank it down in preparation for the rest of my morning.  I then left for a 6:30 am yoga class, where Darcy, Portland Power Yoga instructor extraordinaire, once again kicked my yogi butt. After 60 minutes of heat, sweat and a double half-moon sequence (what that woman stuffs in a 60 minute class is hard to fathom), I arrived home ready for FOOD. And Coffee…much more coffee.

I had put some steel cut oats to cook overnight in a mini-crockpot and they were warm and creamy when I was ready for breakfast at 7:45. I’ve been eating oatmeal without milk since my change in diet 18 months ago, so it was no problem to go without. I added a bit of chopped fresh apple, some cinnamon (great for blood sugar), a bit of agave and a little chopped walnut. Delicious. However, more coffee was called for. I revved up the espresso maker and made myself a strong cup of coffee, strong enough, it turned out, to mask the sweetness of the soy creamer. Stronger coffee may be the secret.

Before I left for work, I put all colors of sweet peppers form my garden into a crock pot with onion, garlic, fresh basil, the few last Roma tomatoes, a handful of chopped kalamata olives and some Lightlife Smart vegan Italian faux Sausage. 

I added a plash of red wine, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and set it on low for an 8-hour cook. That, with whole grain linguine, would be dinner. No need to have day one fraught with dinner decisions.

We are blessed, at Saint Joe’s, to have Bon Appetite run a splendid cafeteria with a grand salad bar. I made a spinach and greens salad heaped with chickpeas and black beans, wild rice and snap peas, as well as roasted sweet potatoes, cukes, corn and dressed it simply with a tiny dash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I grabbed a few hand-made potato chips (they are made daily in the cafeteria kitchen and are addictive) and some fruit and called it lunch. Eating at my desk, playing Words With Friends, I suddenly realized how delicious the salad was. Most of the vegetables are still coming from the College’s farm and were sweet, crisp and filled with flavor. In the past, my salads were covered with cottage cheese, chicken and dressing. The vegetables were nothing more than window dressing.

Some melon chunks between my afternoon classes and some black coffee (my only other choice was powdered non-dairy creamer. Disgusting) kept me in good shape until my drive home at 5:15, when I snacked on celery and carrots with hummus.  Some delicate balancing was needed, but I managed not to drop the hummus on the car or myself. The pasta cooked quickly, and with dinner hot in the crock-pot and a half bottle of Grgich Merlot breathing, Peter and I settled into what proved to be a delicious meal.

Other than a cup of tea in a few minutes, Day 1 is over and a success. I am still, however, obsessing about my morning coffee. There are more creamers to try. I will find a good one.

Time to start thinking about tomorrow’s dinner. I’m thinking baked stuffed squash.