Posting two days in a row? I’m far too kind, I know.  I kid, but in all seriousness I’ve had an extremely productive day of studying, freelance work, and working out (a bootcamp fitness class and yoga, thank you very much) so I’ve decided to round it all out with a short and sweet run down of  What-I-Ate-Wednesday, or Monday in this case.

Breakfast was bircher muesli soaked in probiotic soy yoghurt, topped with banana soft-serve , the last of my organic farmer’s market strawberries and some more yoghurt.

Read: failed version of a parfait in a bowl, still delicious though.

A couple of hours later I headed out for a beautifully sunny run…

Only to discover the travesty that is my t-shirt tan line. I’m pretty sure my runs over Easter in Bahrain are to blame for this, but still – I’m anticipating some weird looks this summer on the Beach.

Post-run/study snack:

Carrot, apple, lemon, and LOTS of ginger juice. Perfect brain fuel.

Juicing has definitely become part of my daily routine now (which I relish as it’s not often I have the time to juice daily).

In keeping with the unusually sunny weather, lunch was a heaping salad of greens and veggies (shredded zucchini, carrots, cherry tomatoes, mangetout, onions and avocados) with tahini and tomato dressing + a new hummus and raw juice pulp crackers.

Afternoon snacking: za’atar dry roasted chickpeas

After following a few recipes without much luck I have finally perfected dry roasting chickpeas. These are insanely addictive. Recipe/technique to come.

Dinner: As delicious as the chickpeas are they’re also incredibly filling, especially when you have an entire cup’s worth in one sitting a few too many, so when dinner rolled around I didn’t feel much like a meal. Cue a snack plate of hummus, raw veg sticks, mangetout, steamed broccoli, cherry tomatoes, raw juice pulp crackers, a chopped plum with cinnamon and almond butter + half an unpictured apple.

Odd yes, but very satisfactory and filling.

And that was Monday. An honourable mention goes to last night’s dinner of butternut squash and apple soup + lentil, avocado and cucumber salad with a lemon mint dressing.

So good that I had this exact meal for lunch today. I’m pretty much obsessed with the soup so will probably be making it tonight again.

And of course, to the aforementioned new hummus flavour, hummus Beiruti.

Looking at this picture is making me hungry. I think my obsession with chickpeas may be getting a little out of hand.

I’m inclined to make a terrible joke about “Chickpeas Anonymous”, but I’ll spare you (although I’m pretty sure I just gave it away) .

Juice fast  update: I took advantage of the scales at the gym today to weigh myself and I’m happy to say my weight is exactly (I mean to the letter) what it was before I went on the fast. I suspect I may have lost some water weight as my doctor said I would, but put it on after eating normally during the weekend. In any case, a relief for sure!

Last week I announced I was embarking on a 7-day juice fast as a “detox” in an attempt to solve some mysterious digestive issues I’d been having which my doctor insisted were stress related.

After giving it some thought (thanks in large part to some of your insightful comments) and doing yet more research, I decided 5 days would be more than enough for a short “detox”, especially given that most people only do 3-4 day fasts when starting out – 7 did seem a bit excessive. More so than anything else, as I mentioned in my previous post, I really didn’t want to run the risk of losing weight.

In any case, I went for 5 days of drinking nothing but freshly extracted juices and smoothies. In all honesty, I was sure I would cave by day 3 and reach for something savoury like a salad or some hummus, but all in all it was actually a very positive and painless experience. I kept a little diary of my day-to-day experiences on the fast, for those of you who are interested.

Day 1:

It’s the end of day 1 and I have to say, other than being a little out of my element, I’m feeling great. All day long I’ve sort of been waiting for any adverse effects to hit I haven’t had so much as a headache. The only time I felt genuinely hungry was this morning when I woke up and my body was expecting breakfast but once I had the hot water and lemon drink followed closely by the first juice I felt pretty full.

I had all the suggested juices today with a couple cups of herbal tea (no green tea though as it has some caffiene in it) and water. I absolutely LOVE all the juices – they taste delicious although I’m definitely more partial to the earthier ones with beetroot and carrot in them. My only criticism is that some  are a little too sweet for my liking so I’ll be adding in a couple extra handfuls of greens and ice tomorrow to balance them out.

Exercise:  I went for a slightly longer (3.5 miles) than planned jog but will aim to keep them no longer than 3 miles for the rest of the week.

Day 2:

Although I had no noticeable dips in energy yesterday when bedtime rolled around I was pretty tired and ended up sleeping like a baby. End of day 2 now and I’ve been feeling great all day, but again quite tired now. I’ve managed to be rather productive and find myself able to concentrate on exam revision for up to 3 hours at a time which is unprecedented for me. Not sure if this is down to the juicing or simply due to the fact that I have a lot more time since I’m not cooking/preparing meals and snacks, either way I’ll take it.

I haven’t actually felt hungry yet or experienced any cravings, I think I miss the physical act of cooking and preparing food more than anything, it feels weird not having to that.

Exercise: Went for another  3 mile jog today as the weather was nice and sunny and refueled with the Turbo Express juice which had tons of greens and avocado.

Day 3:

Day 3 and slept really well again last night.One thing I’m really enjoying is the hot water and lemon to start my mornings with – It’s so refreshing and just tastes really nice for what it actually is, will definitely be carrying that on post-fast. Overall felt fine today, I’m definitely starting to adjust both mentally and physically now. I had a very mild headache in the afternoon that stayed with me until bedtime but it was honestly so slight I barely noticed it.

Exercise: 10 minutes on the eliptical trainer set to a low intensity then went to a yoga class which was the perfect way to break up studying.

Day 4:

End of day 4 now and I feel really good – definitely noticed a surge in energy levels today compared to yesterday. Woke up before my alarm and managed to get a lot done before my afternoon class. I noticed I felt pretty full after having just 4 out of 6 juices but had the last one (which was a double batch, so two technically) anyways. I’m really loving the airtight portable flasks I bought – they make juicing on the go such a breeze mean I only have to juice twice a day to make 6 juices which is super convenient.

Exercise: 50 minute fitness pilates class – first time trying it but I loved it. There’s definitely a bigger focus on strength and balance which suits me more in terms of running.

Day 5: 

I woke up feeling completely energised today. Even though it’s the final day of the fast I now understand how people go for weeks at a time just juicing, once the body adjusts it’s really not as difficult as it initially seems and it’s definitely a question of mind over matter. I didn’t feel very hungry today at all, but made a point to have some of the denser juices/smoothies today in preparation for starting back on normal food tomorrow. My GI doctor had recommended colon hydrotherapy to me before, and from what I gather about juice fasting it’s beneficial to have a colonic at the end in order to flush out the toxins in your system rather than have them re-absorbed (which would defeat the whole point of a detox) so I went in for a session today. I’ll spare you the details, but I can honestly say it was nowhere near as unpleasant as I had imagined and I actually felt incredible afterwards.

***

Spirulina in smoothies and hot water with lemon – two things I intend to carry on.

Overall Recap

Overall, as I said it was actually a pretty pleasant experience. Although I missed putting meals together and the physical act of using my teeth, I definitely enjoyed the simplicity of just having juices and smoothies. I never felt physically hungry, although the smell of cooked food incited a sense of nostalgia in me which I found very interesting as it was definitely more of a “mental” hunger.

I felt very light all the way through, as would be expected, and an odd but comforting sense of peace. As for whether the it worked – the answer is yes. I’m happy to report that I’m feeling great and my digestive issues have all but disappeared which is a huge relief. Whether I can attribute this to the “detox” however, I can’t say. While I do think the combination of resting my digestive system, the colonic as well as the new probiotic supplements I’ve been taking under my doctor’s recommendation may have all contributed to healing my symptoms, I’m not entirely sure I believe in the merits of detoxing just yet. I say this because those issues aside, I didn’t notice any considerable difference in how I felt after the fast than before. As my hydrotherapist pointed out, this could be because I eat well and lead a relatively healthy lifestyle. She noted some of her regular clients whom she would typically classify as healthy often over-estimate just how “toxic” their bodies are and underestimate the power of a healthy diet and exercise regimen (if carried on in the long-term). She was also quick to say that the opposite is also true and that most people underestimate the detrimental effects of an unhealthy diet and lifestyle.

All in all I’ve come out of this experience with a renewed appreciation for my mind and body, as well as for food. Although I fast yearly for the Holy month of Ramadan by abstaining from food and water from sunrise till sundown – I never imagined I’d be able to go even 3 days without solid food. I was amazed and truly humbled at the fact that I was able to go about my daily life and even exercise without so much as a dent in my energy levels. I find myself eating a lot more mindfully nowadays, and I really take the time to savour and relish meals no matter how busy I find myself. I think it’s what some people refer to as an “attitude of gratitude” – and at the risk of sounding slightly holier-than-thou, I now definitely understand why.

Post fast lunch: spinach, strawberry and avocado salad with walnuts

As for whether or not I lost any weight – I don’t own scales so I don’t actually know yet, but I don’t think I have. Just to be sure however, I will check when I go to my yoga class tomorrow.

Before I end this already long post I feel obligated to say that although this fast was a positive experience for me – everyone and every body is different. Please don’t take my word as gospel. I am not a certified health practitioner and you should ALWAYS check with a doctor (or two, in my case) before making such a drastic change to your diet. It’s definitely not something to take lightly and should be proceeded with extreme caution and sensibility.

Have a great week everyone.

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Yes, hummus of the week returns! This particular recipe came about when I noticed I had just under a cup of cooked chickpeas left last week. The way I saw it I had two options:

1. Postpone the hummus making until I had ample chickpeas.

2. Bulk it out with some other legume or vegetable like broad beans or beets.

Of course not making hummus is never  really an option, but I had neither beans nor beets on hand. I did however, have some leftover butternut squash and a craving for something cumin-infused.

The earthy toasted cumin pairs so wonderfully with slightly sweet butternut and tahini, I can’t believe I haven’t made it sooner.

Delicious in some raw collard wraps with creamy avocado, tomato and red onion.

What I like about this hummus is that it’s pretty mild tasting so it’s a great way to sneak an extra serving of veg for picky eaters. If you’re not particularly fond of squash you could also try it with steamed or roasted carrots!

***

Before I go, a quick update on my juice fast which I mentioned in yesterday’s post. Firstly thank you to everyone who shared their opinions. Even though I’m still feeling great, I’ve decided to cut it down to 5 days instead of 7. Based on the research I’ve done 3-5 days is the advised period for a beginner fast, and given my ultimate goal behind doing this I think 5 days will suffice. But anyways, I’ll explain more when I do a recap of the whole experience.

Moving on, to a (possibly) more controversial matter: I’m currently on day 2 of my very first juice fast. I know various people have differing opinions with regards to juice fasting (or “feasting” as its commonly referred to by hardcore raw foodies) – benefits are said to include improved digestion, weight loss, detoxification, clearer skin and even improved clarity of mind. Opponents cite that the body is perfectly capable of cleansing itself (with which I completely agree, by the way) and that while rich in concentrated nutrients, juice alone is not an adequate substitute for food.

So why have I decided to take the plunge and go for a full-on 7 day juice fast?

For one thing – since experimenting with raw foods I’ve always been curious with regards to detoxing and juice fasting. I bought my juicer last summer and was super excited to try a fast out but my weight wasn’t ideal at the time and my mother (along with the slew of doctors she dragged me to) didn’t think it wise, so I laid off.

When I recently told one of my friends that I was thinking of trying a juice fast as a detox – she snorted back laughter. “What do YOU have to detox from? You’re 21 and you eat like the Dalai Lama!” I wouldn’t put it that way per se, but she makes a valid point. I eat a relatively healthy and “clean” diet – I try to stick to plant-based whole foods, avoid processed and refined sugars and hardly ever drink so much as a decaf coffee. What I tried to explain to my friend is that toxins accumulate in the body from a variety of sources that aren’t necessarily diet-related. Pollution, impure water, and medications are some to name a few. The idea is that by completely resting the digestive system, your body is able to rid itself of toxins more efficiently.

While I’m definitely curious as to whether the benefits of detoxing have any merit, my main motivation for trying out this juice fast is to try to combat some stress-induced digestive issues I’ve been having as of late, which my GI doctor and I have yet to get to the bottom of (no pun intended). The reason I’ve chosen to do a 7-day fast is because I’m loosely following the plan laid out in juice master extraordinaire Jason Vale’s book 7lbs in 7 days.

Now before the flurry of concerned comments come flooding in, I want to be very clear about this: I am NOT doing this to lose weight! Although it is labelled as a weight-loss program, Jason himself states in the book’s introduction that it is not designed solely for people who are overweight and that if you are at a decent weight you will not get “skinny” doing the fast. The reason I wanted to follow the recipes included within this plan is that it’s not just plain old juices. His juices heavily feature the addition of supplements and superfoods like probiotics, spirulina and wheatgrass which provide an extra boost of nutrients and protein. A lot of the juices are also actually smoothies blended with avocado or bananas and probiotic yoghurt which provides a good dose of healthy fats and added sustenance.

Juice Master’s Super Juice – apples, lime, pineapple, cucumber, avocado, wheatgrass, Spirulina, ice and a probiotic capsule. Looks gross, tastes delicious.

All things considered, I really don’t want to risk becoming underweight again so I did the sensible thing and consulted with both my GP and GI doctor to make sure the program was safe enough to go on. They both said that as long as I was reasonable and that the fast didn’t extend beyond 7 days that I would be fine. My GP also noted that if I did lose any weight, it would most likely be water weight which would be put on once I return to normal eating patterns.

Having received the go ahead I figured now would be the perfect time to try it out as I’m pretty much done with classes so my time is a lot more flexible. After scoring a pretty decent brand new juicer on eBay for a bargain £5 I went shopping for all the fruit and veg and got started yesterday. Since I’m only on day 2 there’s not much I can say, but as of so far I honestly feel great. I haven’t experienced any noticeable dip in energy levels – if anything I feel a lot more alert and have been surprisingly productive the last couple of days. I have also yet to feel genuinely hungry, which really surprised me at first. The juices have been quite filling (not to mention delicious – I can’t believe I’ve gone this long without putting avocado in smoothies) but I haven’t skipped any as per my doctor’s advice and am having the suggested 5 a day. Exercise wise I’m not doing anything strenuous so have cut out strength/HIIT training for the week and replaced my regular runs with shorter low-impact jogs for no more than 2-3 miles at a time. I’m also making sure to drink lots of water and herbal tea throughout the day which can be easy to neglect as the juices are so hydrating.

I’m excited to see what the next few days will bring, if anything at all. If not, I figure the worst that can happen is that I’ve given my body a little rest and enjoyed nothing but concentrated nutrients in the form of delicious fresh fruit and vegetable juice for a week. I’ll do a recap post at the end of the fast but until then I’d love to hear your thoughts.

What’s your take on juice fasting and/or detoxing?

Any personal experiences to share?

Last Friday I dragged my derriere out of bed at an ungodly hour to frost some incredible cupcakes for the roommate’s birthday.

Four words: Chocolate-chip cookie dough stuffing (okay, maybe five).

I couldn’t help but notice how the creamy cookie dough frosting resembled the lemon coriander hummus I’d made earlier that week. I usually use a food processor, but decided to try it in my blender for a change (which for the record is how all the women in my family/most arab chefs make hummus), which resulted in a super smooth consistency.

And then it hit me – savoury cupcakes with hummus frosting.

Inspired by the coriander hummus, I went for Indian flavours and incorporated a bunch of spices and chickpea flour. The result?

Hands down the best baked creation ever to leave my kitchen. Oh and have I mentioned it’s entirely gluten free?

For the hummus “frosting” I followed this recipe and added 1 tsp of lemon zest.

Pile high or spread on smooth then garnish with some coriander leaves or a few delicate slices of mango.

I couldn’t help it – I just had to dig. in I was hesitant at first but knew I had struck gold within about 5 minutes of them being in the oven – the curry flavour and spices are perfectly complimented by the coconut oil and the chopped veg almost melts into the wonderfully moist texture.

 Are you noting the insane crumb factor? This is without a doubt the most successful gluten-free baked good I’ve ever made. Almond meal and chickpea flour make a great pairing, no one will even miss the flour here.

I hesitate to refer to them as cupcakes because they’re far more muffin like in consistency, but are much smaller in size. Plus given that they were initially inspired by frosting, “cupcakes” seemed  apt .

The obvious question would be how to serve these – I had two alongside a big green salad for lunch which made for a very satisfying meal, but they would be perfect as an appetiser (alongside some lemon chutney and vegan raita), or even great canapes or finger food for a buffet. My only cautionary note is that they are pretty dense and filling so I would make them in a mini cupcake tray instead.

However you have them, you won’t be sorry – aside from being totally delicious and gluten free, they’re also loaded with protein from the chickpea and almond flour, Iron from the spinach and hummus complete with a moderate dose of healthy fats.

Until now, of course.

If you’re dubious about trying raw sweet corn kernels, don’t be. They pack the perfect combination of crunchy and juicy and are almost sugary sweet.

The real star of this recipe however, is the sweet balsamic and red onion dressing.

It. Is. Heavenly.

Yes, so heavenly that it warrants not one but two “I’m-ready-for-my-close-up” shots.

This would be a great accompaniment to any spring main dish and but it made for an equally filling light lunch alongside some hummus wraps, which is how I had mine.

However you have it, it’s fantastic. Are you running for the corn yet?

Okay okay, I’ll stop.

Funnily enough, even though the weather has been far from Spring-like (think monsoon-like rain showers for days on end), after a couple of days I found myself craving more raw foods, so I’ve decided to just go with it and have been eating mostly raw for a few days now.

Here’s a peek into my eats from yesterday.

I whipped up this delicious smoothie after my morning run, with frozen blueberries, banana, blackberries, strawberries, spinach, almond butter and cinnamon.

This was the ultimate doesn’t-taste-remotely-green smoothie. Not that I dislike the taste of greens, but this is the kind of smoothie I’d serve up to a skeptical non-believer ie. pretty much any “normal” person who thinks the idea of spinach for breakfast is bizarre.

Snack: An apple + walnuts eaten while scrambling to get from one end of campus to the other. I did take a picture but it’s blurry and not too exciting I assure you.

Snack #2:

Pre-packed mini fruit salad with pineapple, kiwi and some grapes topped with ground flax and sesame seeds.

I ate this during class (inappropriately scheduled during lunch time) and the snickers-wielding kid next to me looked at me as though I’d pulled out a gun on him. I offered him a grape which he shiftily declined – pretty amusing.

After class I had to hand-in an assignment which took longer than expected, so I snacked on some raw mangetout until I could sit down for lunch.

Weird? No weirder than snacking on raw carrots/cucumber/celery sticks. Good? Very. I rest my case.

Lunch, when I finally got around to it was my guacamole inspired salad of mixed leaves, half an avocado, chopped tomatoes, red onions, bell pepper and lots of coriander in a tangy lime dressing. Plus pumpkin seeds and nooch which I sprinkled on at the time of eating (they get soggy otherwise).

That tided me over nicely till around 7-ish, when I snacked on carrots, more mangetout and sugar snap peas, cucumber and some butternut squash hummus.

When I got home around 10 I wasn’t all too hungry, so I threw together a smaller version of a salad I made a couple of nights ago for dinner. Spinach, red chard, steamed broccoli, beets, tomatoes and more of the butternut squash hummus with sunflower seeds.

Some people adopt a RUD (Raw Until Dinner) approach with raw foods – I have a slightly different philosophy: RUH: Raw Until Hummus

Afterwards I felt like something sweet so I ended the day with a date and walnut “snowball”

Followed by couple mugs of my favourite pukka tea.

And that was Tuesday.

Now if you’ll excuse me, my last two assignments of the year are sitting on my desk, printed and neatly filed away just screaming to be handed in. I can’t wait to be rid of them, or for the celebratory yoga class I plan on attending afterwards.

Happy hump day, all!

Once again I want to apologise for my sporadic posts as of late. The good news is that by this time next week my workload will be wittled down significantly as the coming week marks the last of my deadlines and classes. I’ll still have exams to revise for, but with the help of some careful planning, I should be able to gain back some semblance of normalcy.

Needless to say, Friday can’t come soon enough.

Anyways, moving on to more important matters. A while ago, a friend noticed a copy of Veganomicon on my bed side table and seemed surprised. “What do you read cookbooks for, I thought you just made your own recipes?” amused by her perception of my vanity, I laughed and shrugged. “I don’t know, for inspiration I guess?”

The truth is I love cooking (in case you hadn’t noticed) and trying all kinds of new recipes. I’m constantly leafing through cookbooks, watching cooking shows (even non-vegan ones, which lets face it is pretty much all of them) and of course reading other food blogs for ideas.

So when I stumbled across this incredibly simple and fresh recipe for a Spring Tartine with Sweet Pea Hummus from Gena, I was instantly itching to recreate it. Armed with all the ingredients for the hummus but no asparagus or bread, I put my own spin on it instead – and the results were just as fantastic as anticipated.

If you’re not bothered to make this or the aforementioned tartine, do yourself one favour and just make the hummus. Seriously, you will not regret it – it’s phenomenal.

I know you must think I have an endorsement deal from Choosing Raw the way I talk about Gena’s recipes, but I just can’t help it – something about her ingenious flavour combinations make my vegan heart sing.

Too much?

Trust me on this one – make the hummus and judge for yourself.

Have a great week, all!

Although this term and my unfathomable workload is far from over, as I write this my completed dissertation is sitting in a folder on my desktop (which I have named in caps for emphasis, of course), waiting to be printed, bound and promptly handed in.

I’ll feel a lot better once it’s actually in, but just knowing it’s done (three days before the actual deadline, might I add) is a huge relief.

Anyhow, in light of this, a leisurely sunday was most definitely in order. Cue the aforementioned lie-in, mooching around in my pyjamas till way past noon watching the London Marathon, and of course – a delicious meal.

Serve, and marvel at the insane combination of creamy squash, nutty quinoa and crunchy breadcrumbs.

Be thankful that you didn’t have to share, and thus have leftovers.

Very thankful indeed.

Just a few notes:

- This would work equally well with kale in place of spinach, or even some zucchini if leafy greens aren’t your thing.

- Feel free to add some sort of melty vegan cheese before you pile on the breadcrumbs – I didn’t have any on hand (but to be honest the nooch really holds its own here)

- You can also use cannelini beans or any other white bean in place of chickpeas.

- If you’re dubious about water/veg stock  sautéing, don’t be. I was until I tried it and I have to say I honestly can’t tell the difference in terms of flavour – it’s a great way to cut down on refined oils if you find yourself cooking with them a lot.

Have a great week, all!

Finishing off the rest of my final year project and writing up my dissertation for it. At the risk of going on about how taxing this is, I’ll say simply that it has not been easy. I’m perpetually tired and stressed out, not to mention painfully homesick (despite having just been home, but that’s probably part of the problem). I’ve come close to a few nervous breakdowns, but the knowledge that it’ll all be over soon keeps me going.

As a result of all of this, I haven’t had much time to cook or prepare elaborate meals. Eats have been quick, and simple as of late.

For example, I had overnight oats every day without fail last week.

I make mine with 1/2 a cup of oats, 1/2 a cup of unsweetened soy milk, 1 tsp chia seeds and cinnamon, and then top with banana slices, raisins and walnuts and other fresh fruit like strawberries or dates.

They’re just so convenient, delicious and filling. As someone who gets hungry almost immediately after waking, I definitely appreciated not having to spend more than 3 minutes on breakfast!

Other quick breakfasts have been smoothies:

Blueberry, banana, spinach and kale topped with tahini, blueberries and some raisins to sweeten it all up.

The library lunchbox has made several reappearances, of course.

Lentil and quinoa salad on a bed of spinach and greens, with avocado, and lots of steamed butternut squash.

Snack options for long days at campus have included fresh fruit, as always as well as my home made salted cinnamon banana crunch trail-mix (totally just made that name up).

Almonds, cashes, walnuts, hazelnuts, raisins, chopped dates and banana chips – seasoned witha  pinch of sea salt and a few shakes of cinnamon. Deliciously addictive.

And of course, carrot sticks and hummus.

Dinners have also been quick and easy, like this 5 minute “cream” of broccoli soup:

Steamed broccoli, onions, and garlic heated up in soy milk – then blended and topped with some white miso.

Green quinoa salad leftovers:

But the gold star of the week goes to this incredibly simple yet delicious lentil harvest pie, as shared by one of my favourite bloggers – Saudi based Robyn from Girl On Raw.

I can’t get over how absolutely incredible this tasted and just how EASY it was to throw together!

Jam packed with lentils, broccoli, zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, and onions, then topped with butternut squash and tomato slices, served with a plain salad of greens and avocado.

It also made for awesome leftovers and I didn’t even mind having it for 3 main meals in a row.

Delicious. Will definitely be making it again.

That’s all for now, alas a long day of dissertation writing calls. Have a great week all.