I forgot to take a picture...

I made Brown Rice 'n Bean Jumble-aya from Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan as my first actually meal after my fast/detox (which went quick well, by the way). It was a wonderful, nutritious meal. It was actually fat-free since I'm out of olive oil and figured it would be okay to simply saute my onions and celery in vegetable broth. The warmth from the paprika and cayenne pepper was very welcome, as it is still cold and rainy in Knoxville. I paired it with some lemon-broiled asparagus and a slice of french bread. I don't know about you, but I LOVE asparagus. And, again, since I'm out of olive oil, I just simply doused my asparagus with lemon juice, added a little pepper and paprika and stuck it in the oven. The asparagus was light, vibrant, and oh so yummy!

I really wish I had remembered to take a picture. I don't have a camera (or a phone that I can send pictures from), so picture-taking never really crosses my mind.

However, I WILL remember to take a picture of some of the food I'm making tomorrow. I know you're pumped.

Prior to my detox, I was baking a lot of goodies. This was mainly because I had all these recipes that were so fun and delicious, and I happened to have all the ingredients. My baked goods are pretty healthy compared to the butter, eggs, and dairy versions, but still not a good replacement for nutritious meals (I was eating cookies for lunch and sometimes breakfast too). Now, I'm not only going to try to resist the temptation to constantly make sweets (maybe only like once a week), but I'm going to try to reduce the amount of oil that I use in my everyday cooking. I've been noticing lately that I go through canola and olive oil pretty quickly. I realize the importance of getting those essential fatty acids in my diet, like from flax seed oil and I'm definitely not going fat-free. I am however going to try to be conscious of the amount of oil I use and if there are some areas in cooking where it can be replaced or omitted, as low calorie lifestyle is linked to longevity.

I've really been into spicy hot foods the past month or so and I just don't see an end in sight for those cravings, so tomorrow is going to be chimichangas for dinner! And I've already made dressing and croutons for my Caesar salad that I have planned for lunch tomorrow. I am still making an effort to eat more salads, and I'm actually improving. : ] Especially with this killer Living Caesar dressing from Eat, Drink and Be Vegan. It's heavenly. : ]

Well, I'm off! Remember to always strive for optimum vitality, not just the absence of illness. : ]