Wednesday morning was relaxing and I didn't feel like I needed my normal cup of coffee to get going. I believe it's been almost a week without coffee! Woohoo! I don't miss the caffeine but I do miss the flavor and smell sometimes (like when I walk by Starbucks at work). I love the smell of coffee beans. I did morning yoga, took my supplements, had my green juice and tea for breakfast and a green smoothie mid-morning. For lunch, I decided to try a little bit of the barley and veggie salad I made a few days ago. I know it's gluten but I honestly didn't think it would bother me. Well, so much for that theory. About 20 minutes later, I got a headache and felt nauseous (kind of like when I get motion sick). After taking Lola for a walk in the woods behind our house, I felt a little better. For dinner, I made homemade Southwest black bean burgers, colorful garden salads topped with a homemade cumin avocado dressing and a side of spicy sweet potato fries. The flavors together were completely satisfying (I love cumin and cilantro) but I'm still working on the textures of my veggie burgers. They're either too mushy or too crumbly. I personally don't mind them that way but if you're looking to grill one, they don't hold up well. A girl from work suggested using egg as a binder. I'll have to try it next time and see if it helps. For now, I'm supposed to be staying away from animal products as much as possible during this "cleanse."
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AVOCADO CUMIN DRESSING:
- 1 tsp cumin
- 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 3 Tbsp EVOO
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4-1/2 c water (depending on how thick you like it)
Put the ground cumin, lime juice, oil, avocado, salt, mustard, garlic, and water into a blender and blend until very smooth. Sprinkle with pepper and season to taste. Next time, I might try some fresh cilantro :)
SOUTHWEST BLACK BEAN BURGER:
- 2 c cooked black beans, mashed
- 2 c sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 2 tsp EVOO
- Salt
- 3 oz yellow onion
- 2 tsp fresh garlic
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- Pepper
- 7 oz cooked rice
- 1/3 c frozen corn kernals
- Fresh cilantro
- 1 1/2 - tsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
- 1 oz cornmeal, plus 1 oz for dredging
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the mashed black beans in a bowl, Peel and cut the sweet potatoes, dropping them in cold water as you cut them. Drain well and toss with EVOO and salt. Spread them out in an even layer on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Roast in over for 25 to 30 minutes until tender. Toss occasionally.
Heat a bit of EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until lightly browned (don't burn the garlic). Add the onions to the bowl of beans. Stir in the cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Add the cooked rice, corn, sweet potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and 1 oz of cornmeal. Mix well and adjust the seasonings. Form in 4 1/2 oz patties and dredge lightly through cornmeal. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add more EVOO. Add the burgers and brown lightly on each side. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 min, broil for a few minutes to further brown the patties if desired. Serve w salsa and avocado cumin dressing (recipe above) on a bun or on top of a colorful salad.
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After dinner, I felt a little tired and had a slightly "foggy" head. I think I ate a little too much, I felt pretty full. After relaxing for a bit and watching some TV, Dane and I went to the gym. We did 30 minutes of cardio and then relaxed in the hot tub. After a hot shower and a cup of Yogi sleepy time tea, I cozied into my freshly cleaned linens thankful for another good day. I'm glad I decided to workout, it made me feel even better about the day and helped prepare me for a good night's sleep. Sometimes, the hard part is just getting started. If you can get out the door for a run, walk, or bike or just get to the gym, you'll usually feel better once you start. Just promise yourself you'll try. You just might be surprised by how far you walk or how long you stay on that treadmill. Every little bit helps and you deserve to be happy and healthy!
"Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." ~Abraham Lincoln
Change & Positive Vibes......
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