Happy Memorial Day weekend, hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend so far! It hasn’t been too productive here, I spent yesterday running necessary not fun errands like a service appointment for my car, but going to Grocery Outlet after the gym was fun and we scored on more cheap ripe bananas and snack foods.
And soaked up the sun in the backyard a bit while we planned out upcoming projects like redoing parts of the fence, relocating the huge patches of fake grass for the dog potty area, and expanding the garden.
Friday I was feeling blah and fried after a busy week, so we stepped out to our usual favorite Thai restaurant for spicy tofu veggie stir fry dinner.
Eats this week have been about using up stuff in the pantry and freezer, our fridge was almost completely empty yesterday when we finally headed to Grocery Outlet. But I have fun with use-it-up weeks, it forces me to get creative with leftovers and odd amounts for frozen veggies, grains, half used jars in the fridge, etc. I layered frozen spinach and green beans with a leftover soybean spaghetti dish and topped with nutritional yeast and sriracha one night for a pretty and tasty dinner.
Simmered more homemade seitan, carrots, and green beans in marinara sauce for a simple lunch.
And had watermelon for dessert – there has been lots of watermelon lately!
I love that it’s everywhere now and could easily live on watermelon for the summer I think.
Last night hubby and I made a serious mess in the kitchen making our own versions of beans and rice. I used Trader Joe’s fast cook organic brown rice, black beans, and kale and veggies in a free-handed version without oil or vegan butter that came out tasty topped with nutritional yeast and smokey seasoning.
Hubby used Zaterain’s with added kidney beans, Tofurky sausage, veggies, and his favorite Blair’s Death hot sauce.
Both good and we had fun. Now I have enough leftovers for the rest of this week!
Today I’m going for a shorter run to save energy for more yard work after which I’m not looking forward to. Aside from gardening, I am just not a fan of yard maintenance and becoming even less so as I get older I think. After a busy week of work, spending the weekend doing tons of laundry and chores inside and mowing and weeding outside is not fun. We’re working to get the yard to a point of easier maintenance so we could possibly have a landscape service do the maintenance and/or possibly ripping out the front grass and replacing with drought-friendly low-maintenance option as so many in this area are doing. That will mean more time for running, blogging, kitchen playing, and reading for the weekend list!
Dr. Greger discusses how consuming lots of vegetables makes our bodies more efficient. And how resting heart rate influences longevity. And eating more beans to slow your resting heart rate.
Oh, and fast food is a great way to bring on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Whew!
Jeanne shares her inspirational plant-based story.
These ladies are making veganism a growing trend in Hong Kong.
7 questions answered about running.
Great links! I especially love that article about recovering after a race. I know it’s what I’m thinking about now! :-)
Thanks and I can’t wait to read about your marathon – wow!
We have a small yard and even doing yard work on that little bit is not fun. I wish I liked it but I just don’t and make my husband do all the work out there lol.
I need to start making more beans and rice. It sounds boring when talking about it but it’s so healthy and tasty and your pictures look so good.
Love the story on the V Girls, so glad to see veganism hitting China. And I’m so glad you posted about the vegan tv show airing this summer. Can’t wait to see it!
Agreed, I’m still recovering from working on it Sunday!
Me too on beans, I keep reading how great it is to keep a variety of them in your diet and trying to get better about it.
Totally on the show, I hope the ratings are huge on it!
Oh my gosh why don’t i have a grocery outlet near me?? Those deals are insane!! And that watermelon looks to die for! I may have eaten 2.5 watermelons myself in the past 6 days- no regrets!
Oh, I hope you get a Grocery Outlet! I’ve heard similar deals can be found at 99 Cent stores, dollar stores, and Winco and need to check out those stores too!
Me too on watermelon!