Weekend List

Happy long birthday weekend to me! I almost felt guilty about taking a couple of extra days off work with so much going on, but oh well. Yesterday we had a leisurely trip to the gym and got some needed errands done like dropping my car off at the dealer for routine tire and windshield wiper fluid checkup and software updates because that’s about all you need to do on electric cars. Every time the auto technicians joke that they couldn’t find the oil filter, why isn’t the car starting, etc. And it never gets old, lol.

We also saw Trainwreck and it did not disappoint for Amy Schumer’s first movie! She is one of my favorite comedians and I’m grateful we got to see her live at least once. See it if you need some great, awkward laughs!

Leela has been a little clingy joining us at the table for lunches and dinner lately.

I’ve been trying to get her out for a lot of walks and cuddle time, but I think she’s been feeling a little neglected lately having to compete for attention.

Friday my mom and I headed to Baagan for lunch where I got my favorite Chana Wrap loaded with greens, chana chickpeas, and a creamy avocado sauce.

It’s light, but still hearty and filling. Not too filling because we shared a piece of Mint Chocolate Cashew “Cheese” cake after which was awesome.

Mint chocolate is one of my favorite dessert flavor combos, it’s sweet, crisp, and cooling and this cake was so rich that a little bit went a long way.

I’ve been enjoying a lot of tempeh this week in salads and oil free stir fries, I love that organic tempeh is such a great deal at Trader Joe’s and usually buy 3 packages at a time. It’s a versatile source of a lot of protein, probiotics, and fiber that is especially great after a weight training workout at the gym. It’s even fun to use as a high protein pizza crust. Here I chopped it up, and stir “steamed” it in a wok with a little water, tamari, sriracha, and plenty of veggies. Topped with nutritional yeast and smokey seasoning for a fast, one pot meal.

Last night I got creative with a veggie loaded rice dish I sauteed with a little red wine, balsamic vinegar, and Italian seasonings for a colorful dish that left great leftovers for this week.

And today my long weekend of birthday fun continues with a hopefully long run and having a girls brunch with my mom and sisters. Guess I’ll get to some laundry and grocery shopping too. But first the links.

This is a serious look at the impact climate change could have on health.

Continuing on that serious note, plastic bottles really suck for the environment and our health. The shocking part of this article is that recycling plastic is very limited and a one time deal. I outed plastic bottles already totting a Klean Kanteen bottle everywhere I go in this heat which has saved a ton of money too. But this article has inspired me to look for more ways to get rid of plastic from shampoo bottles, food packaging, etc.

On a lighter note, vegan ultramarathoner Scott Jurek is breaking new records on the Appalachian Trail. 50 miles a day, wow!

I’m excited about seaweed bacon imagining the healthier, cruelty-free comfort food options that come from this.

A long, but good read on the revolutionizing food industry.

Are certain fats making us depressed?

Venus Williams talks about how her vegan diet has helped performance.

Finally, Matthew Modine is mostly vegan.

Happy Sunday, hope everyone is having a great day!