The countdown is on!

The alcohol we joyfully consumed with friends last night necessitated that we eat a suitable breakfast ... and we chose a Bojangles biscuit with egg and cheese, and coffee from Starbucks!!! This meal represents the antithesis of what we'll eat over the course of the next 30. Subconsciously, I think our bodies were calling out for a last hurrah ... and we answered the call.

For the rest of the day, I was curled up on the couch with my nose in books. I read through the first half of Veganomicon and one of the best resources in our kitchen - The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray. I wrote down titles of recipes that caught my eye, talked them through with David, cross referenced our schedule this week and came up with a plan and a shopping list.

My first stop was the Healthy Home Market on Independence, formerly known as The Home Economist (same owners, new name ... I don't know why). For those who don't know, this store is a great resource - all of their staff, especially in the HBA section, are super knowledgeable. They have a fantastic, well-stocked bulk section too - I bought smoked paprika for $0.45, tarragon leaf for $0.18 and cumin for $0.52 - it makes for an economical way to try recipes that call for spices you don't anticipate needing much of, or haven't tried before.

Their bulk section has a great selection of rices, grains, flours, sugars, salts, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, teas etc. I bought some six-grain "oatmeal" that has red wheat, white wheat, barley, rye, rolled oats and sunflower seed flakes. I also got some yummy veggie chips, like potato chips but with sweet potato, taro, squash, carrot and green beans. Although, there weren't many green beans in today's mix; I think someone must have fished them out of the bin ... which I don't blame them for, they're the best.

I also picked up some nutritional yeast, which is delicious and essential for vegetarians and vegans. The Veganomicon authors describe it this way: "Not to be confused with brewer's yeast or any other kind of yeast, 'nooch' (as we call it) is great to add an umami (savory) taste to sauces or sprinkle on rice and beans. Most commonly, this mustard-colored yeast comes in flake form ... but sometimes you'll find it in powdered form, which is just ground up flakes."

We also bought a 30-day supply of Vitamin Code - which we've had before and love. They're metabolically active, extreme nutrient synergy, and raw food created. Of the raw food options, they're the most affordable ... but still costly. We wanted to make sure we stayed balanced and supported throughout our experiment, so it was a necessary expense.

Also, because won't be eating seafood, we bought an Omega-3 (6 & 9) supplement - Health From the Sun Organic Flax Oil, which is one of the few pill-form products available in Charlotte that are vegetarian. (FYI, most caplets are made from gelatin, which is usually made from cow bones, or sometimes fish bones.) Omega-3, 6 & 9 fatty acids are essential for brain function, which is why vegatarians and vegans must take a supplement. The best source of Omegas is fish oil, but flax and hemp are also great.

One caveat about Home Economist ... given that it's an independent store, items you can ordinarily get in another store are more expensive there. Smart Bacon, for example, is $4.29 at Home Economist but is like $3.59 at Harris Teeter. The same is true for EarthFare, which is a beautiful store with endless choices. We used to shop there exclusively, but in this economy it's not an option. BTW, there's a second Home Economist location on South Blvd too, near Southend.

My next stop was Trader Joe's, which we love and live by. It was interesting to study the labels of items we frequently buy to find out which were out of bounds this month. One product we love to dip in hummus is their Masala Naan ... which has eggs in it, so ... . Also not an option is their Sesame Honey-Covered Cashews (that's not the exact name) that have butter in them! Y'all, they're SO good ... you have to get some next time you're there. They should give a free bag to people who are on the fence about "switching" ... they're that good.

I got most of what was on my list but, unfortunately, TJ's latest shipment drove up as I was leaving, so I missed out on a number of items on my shopping list ... which meant that I then headed on to Harris Teeter. They too lacked some ingredients, but I was able to fulfill almost my whole list. Will have to pop by another store later in the week to get the rest. I'm OK with that, but I hope this isn't a weekly occurence!!

So, to rid ourselves of the last stick of butter in our fridge, we made a recipe from a cookbook from one of our favorite restaurants called The Grit in Athens, GA. Our dear friends Rebecca and Mark used to live there and whenever they visit America (they live in France now) we always return to The Grit. Rebecca gave me the cookbook a few years ago as a gift - I love it and think of her everytime I use it. Thanks Becs! Here's the recipe for The Golden Bowl, with minor changes based on our experience of making it a hundred times:

INGREDIENTS

Brown rice
Veggies for steaming, like carrots, broccoli, cauliflower etc.
1 15oz block of firm/extra firm tofu
3/4 c. + 1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 sticks butter/vegan margarine
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
2 c. soy milk
1/2 c. soy sauce +
1 3/4 c. hot water
2 tbs. vegan Worcestershire sauce
Oil

Rice first:

• Throw a pot of water on to boil and get some brown rice going ... we like brown basmati, so aromatic!

To make the tofu:

• Cut firm or extra-firm tofu into cubes just smaller than playing dice. If you haven't made tofu before, our suggestion is to cut it into rectangular "slabs" and then blot both sides of each slab with paper towel to remove the excess water ... and then cut the slabs into cubes.
• Lightly oil a skillet (we like toasted sesame oil best) and heat over medium-high heat; add tofu. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then turn each piece over; it should be golden brown on the side that had been face down ... if it isn't, let it sit a few minutes more.
• Once two or three sides are brown, sprinkle lightly with soy sauce, saute briefly.
• Remove from skillet, draining and discarding excess fluid if necessary. Wipe skillet dry and lightly oil again. (This step isn't necessarily necessary if you have a super-good nonstick pan.)
• Once very hot, reintroduce tofu into the pan; saute.
• Sprinkle with more soy sauce to taste.
• Sprinkle with about a tablespoon of nutritional yeast to coat tofu cubes; toss vigorously and remove from heat.

Next, throw the veggies in to steam ...

To make the yeast gravy (this makes A LOT of gravy, you probably want to half it for 2-4 people)

• In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup of soy sauce, hot water and Worcestershire sauce and set to the side. (Note: Worcestershire sauce is made with anchovies; vegan Worcestershire sauce is available at health food stores.)
• Melt butter or vegan margarine in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Mix together wheat flour and nutritional yeast.
• Whisk into melted butter, whisk constantly for about four minutes, which is the amount of time that's needed to cook the roux to smoothness.
• While continuing rapid whisking, gradually add soy milk (rice milk works too). The mixture will quickly become thick and custard-like.
• Add the soy sauce/water/Worcestershire sauce gradually. Blend well after every addition.
• If the gravy is too thin, cook a little longer and then let cool. It'll thicken up.
• If it's too thick, add a little more water.

Pile rice in the bottom of a bowl, top with tofu and steamed vegetables and top with gravy. Cheese is good on top of the gravy too.