Day 52: Thursday, February 21, 2013
Actually woke up rested and had time to fix a real, hearty breakfast this morning before work. Made an egg sandwich with sautéed onions and peppers. Lunch was with my dear friends Shannah and Annette. We met at Shannah’s and had a delicious lunch together, which turned out to be vegan without trying. I don’t think I could be vegan all the time, but occasionally, a meal like this is refreshing and rejuvenating.
picture courtesy of http://www.verybestbaking.com
I brought some pumpkin black bean soup that had fresh onions, peppers, garlic, cumin, and tomatoes in it, made with vegetable bouillon (similar to this recipe); Annette brought homemade bread made with olive oil, along with some homemade strawberry jam, and a fresh corn, red pepper, and carrot salad, using vegan mayonnaise and basil; and Shannah made baba ghanoush (roasted eggplant, tahini, parsley, lemon, garlic, etc.), which tasted amazing by itself or on the bread.
Bryan and I went for a walk after work before dinner and had a really good conversation about future direction, dreams, and trusting God. Dinner was a salmon patty on top of sautéed greens, with a dessert of almonds and blueberries topped with whipped coconut cream, and a square of dark chocolate. So yummy!
Day 53: Friday, February 22, 2013
Down another pound this week, which surprised me since it’s been such a busy week and I haven’t been able to make it to the gym as frequently. Fortunately, I was able to help with setup at church some, which always counts as a workout. 
Had a very light breakfast today of peanut butter toast–I was saving up for lunch with my friend Mandy. We went to Brick Street Cafe, and I splurged–cheesy vegetable quiche with creamy tomato dill soup, and half a slice of the sweet potato cake with cream cheese icing. I’ve been off dairy for about a month now, so I wanted to try to eat some and see if it made a difference. (Verdict: I need to stay off dairy pretty much permanently–though the cake was definitely worth it for a special occasion!). Dinner was a bowl of the pumpkin black bean soup, a small sandwich with salmon, spinach, and a touch of mayo on hearty bread, and a side of green pepper strips! Looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow, followed by good coffee…and housecleaning!
The almond, blueberry and dark chocolate dessert sounds so good. My favorite dessert has been Guiradelli 60 percent semi sweet chocolate chips and brazil nuts. A great way to get sellinium and antioxidants. :}
That sounds yummy too! 😉