.new.

today is a new day to be a new person. i'm at this organic vegan cafe and God knows that if i had the luxury, i would eat like this everyday. it makes me feel good to know that i'm putting good food into my body. when i made the decision to stop eating meat, i just felt so much better about it. it's a rarity when i miss it. i will most probably be content never touching it again. i do have a soft spot for seafood though. although some would miss a prime rib, i can't resist a good paella or seafood gumbo. the thought makes me happy inside. who knows, i don't think i'm being a fake, although those strict vegetarians would say otherwise. i don't think i'm superficial, but i wish i had money to buy top quality food. maybe i would feel a lot better, i won't be as tired or cranky or get these headaches i often get. but the money is so seductive and i can't resist a good sale. maybe one day, i'll be the person i've always wanted to be. until then, baby steps and small indulgences will keep me going. <3

.don't cry over spilt coconut curry.

.this is my beautiful pout.

...but i did. my car does not like when i attempt to transport open hot liquids, such as soup, coffee, tea, and thai coconut red curry with vegetables that i patiently waited 45 minutes of my life to consume because of my commute home, only to have 75% of it spill into the bag and another 5% on the side of the car. it was a sad S.A.D. (Singles Awareness Day) yesterday. i was in the hugest funk of my life. i know. more important things to worry about. but still, i cried a little inside. thank goodness i just bought this awesome car freshening thingamabob from the body shop. it will help clean up the smell a bit.

today i got a little more adventurous with food, since i didn't quite have the time to make it to the market. breakfast consisted of Hodgson Mill's wholewheat pancake mix with Smart Balance chunky peanut butter and local Ort's Farm honey to top. Sided it with scrambled eggs & extra egg whites and whole leaf black tea shi-shied up in a tea diffuser. Random sidenote, i never had maple syrup until i was around 11 years old. Until then, my mom only topped pancakes with honey. maybe another one of those filpino quirks. i'm such a perfectionist that making pancakes is a real ordeal for me. all this took a good 45 minute chunk out of my day. now i'm rushing to make lunch before it's off to work.

Lunch: ate tess passed on this recipe. i can't wait to try it! i love how my friends/sisters always look out for me! It's Vegetarian Chickpea Sandwich Filling. i just gotta find something to eat it with.

happy meatless friday!

.snow? noooo.

.beautifully awful pristine snow.

scene: view from my bedroom.
no way i'm going out there. i wisely called work and told them that it wouldn't be safe for me to drive down there. normally i am pretty brave in the snow, seeing as i have been driving SUVs for most of my 11 years of driving. but, i just didn't feel like it, and my boss agreed and let me stay home. yay for understanding bosses that love you. it's so cold in the house that it's a little difficult to leave my room where it's cozy and comfortable. thought it would be a good day to catch up on some DVDs, but the player in my laptop is on strike and the remote for my tv to put it on the aux mode has gone a missing as well. so i've been trying to go through the two cookbooks i borrowed from the library this morning and plan some meals, since i seem to have the time. on tap is The Flexitarian Table by Peter Berley and Moosewood Restaurant: New Classics

i learned a new word today: "flexitarian". this is a person who is mainly a vegetarian but who occasionally eats fish or meat. this was sprung from author Berley who planned menus for his two daughters, one a vegetarian, and one meat eater. it's a pretty neat book. it allows more flexibility in terms of creating recipes that will taste awesome with or without meat. i'm awful with cooking everyday. i don't have the time, and sometimes i end up eating unhealthy. but i'm trying, and i'll definitely get there.