7 Days Vegan Challenge: Day 3

   Today post it's going to be short, as I was working until late tonight. Even though I wanted to post something small about day 3 of the Vegan Week Challenge.

   I had this morning for breakfast some pasta from last night, it was still amazing and my body was asking for some savoury when I woke up. I spent most of the morning at home getting ready for work and organising a few things in the house.

   For lunch, potatoes and some alfalfa sprouts. I was reading about potatoes in the morning and it came to my head a very typical potato tapa from Spain: Patatas al alioli (alioli potatoes): basically, it consists in boiled potatoes covered with garlic mayonnaise (alioli). Most of them have as well chopped flat parsley, but its optional. Simple but delicious. It is always a bit difficult to me here in Ireland choose the right potatoes to boil and so they stay in one piece and don't smash. Today I almost got it 100%. Once covered in alioli, all was ok!

patatas alioli

   Straight to work after that and not much time to think about food. But loads of non vegan temptations in the kitchen...although no for me, I successed! My dinner was one of my favourite dishes in the restaurant: saien soba, a ramen dish with vegetables and tofu. Only variation I did swapping rice for  ramen noodles (they contain egg). Together with the ramen, I have a portion of yasai gyosa grill (vegetables dumplings, first steamed and then grilled). Beautiful combination!

   

   Back home, I treated myself after the long and hard work with some diary free chocolate ice cream, one of the favourite desserts. Very rich chocolate ice cream, no missing the diary based ones!

diary free chocolate ice cream

     Tired now after working late, so time for bed and rest for getting ready for another day. Tomorrow is already Day 4, time is flying!, I passed the ecuador and feeling great!

   More tomorrow, thanks for being here and good night!

7 Days Vegan Challenge: Day 1

   Dublin woke up this morning with an amazing blue sky and warm temperatures: 25 Celsius degrees, not bad at all! And I woke up very excited with Day 1 of my 7 days vegan challenge. What a perfect occasion for cold vegan dishes. We have tons of salads and cold vegetables dishes back home in Spain. Af of course, fruits.You know, the hot weather! 

   Bur fist things first, a good breakfast: organic wholemeal bran flakes with chia seeds and soy milk. A big bowl to give me energy for the rest of the day. And that was a big walk in Greystones beach, co. Wicklow. Quiet, beautiful, a time to refresh the feet. Being in Greystones means also another thing: The Happy Pear. One of the best places to have the first lunch of this vegan challenge. Today, I had a very tasty, full of flavours vegan indian stew with rice and salad. For refreshing, coconut water. I seized the occasion and bought some products in their shop.

Indian vegan stew from The Happy Pear

 
   Back home, one of the things that worry me more in the challenge are snacks between meals. I've been reading few books and taking advice about this point but finally it wasn't a problem a all today: with this hot temperature, I was carving for fresh fruits, so cut a big sweet watermelon. Later on it was time too for some homemade olive oil vegan mayonnaise that I made before. Maybe the taste of this mayonnaise is not for everybody, because I used a strong extra virgin olive oil (and just soy milk, salt and lemon), giving a bit of bitterness, but it reminds me the one that my mother used to make and brings back childhood memories.

Olive oil vegan mayonnaise

   Finally a bit of cooking for dinner. Dermot brought some magnificent artichokes so together with sweet potatoes chips I roasted them, just with a bit of salt and oil. To accompany them, some vegan sausages and tofu-hazelnut cutlets.

   Not that I made a huge effort today, but we celebrated the end of the first day with a small treat: Dermot Watermelon Cocktails.

Watermelon cocktails

   The question now is: how did I feel today with a vegan diet? Did a miss meat and dairy products? Was it difficult to cook vegan and find places with vegan options?

   Good, no and no.

   I felt good all day, full of energy although it is too early to say it was because of the vegan diet. I'd say more because of the hot weather, which gives everybody a positive energy; more because I love challenges, and this makes me feel better. But I am willing to accept that in a few days, if I feel better, one of the causes could be the vegan diet.

   No, I didn't miss at all meat. That happened during the whole vegetarian week last month, so now I was more concern about milk, cheese, yogurt and eggs. But I didn't feel the impulse to add to my meals any of those. Soy milk and yogurt were perfect substitutes (or alternatives) to the dairy ones, eggs weren't necessary to made a great mayonnaise. Only wondering about cheese, I real must in my diet, Would be the vegan alternatives as good? But do not anticipate the future.

   And no, it wasn't difficult at all cooking or finding places were to eat. First one, I am chef so thats an advantage. And one that love to try new things and can eat any thing. About the second one, places were to eat, I only try today The Happy Pear, a vegetarian shop-restaurant, so it was easy. I want to try during the week a few more restaurant, and not only vegetarians, to say how it is to be vegan and eat out.

    Happy end for day 1, looking forward to day 2!

   Hasta mañana!