Gluten-free, Guilt-free

     Heyo Veganbeaters~ hope January has been treating you with all sorts of glory and love filled bits! I'm still riding the gluten-free train and exploring a bit more with the grocery options that Seoulkicks are offering. Issues...barley (the only grain here I can allow myself to be alright with) has gluten! WHAT?!~ And I sort of seriously hate rice, but I'm working on allowing it very slowly back into my diet. Yech...the quinoa train is blasting my way and I'm not really wanting to acknowledge its presence. The other day I was thinking (dreaming) of bibimbap and thought to steam a pumpkin and use that as my "rice"...I got a spicy mash of glory instead. Semi-fail and uncomfortably filled tummy.
     Anyways....here are some eats I've been playing with and spoiling my body with. Everything has been focused on high fiber, high protein, and as stripped of fat as possible...I honestly want to make full-flavor, zero calorie, energy-providing food...someday.
      For my birthday a while back, my lovely buddies Pol and David gifted me with homemade, home-dried gochu garu, or Korean red pepper powder. With that I made a heaping vat of tomato-kissed spicy tofu. I had more than enough to last a week and the protein drop got me through my knee-bolted running shenanigans~

spicy tofu~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     Still riding the protein caboose, I made yet another vat of something...this time chili. But first, I started with a rich and flavorful salad that would make all rodents squee in a sing-songy daze. Iceburg lettuce (my weakness and preference), red leaf lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, sprouts, spinach, kale, and loads of seaweed...all dressed in a garlic, mustard, balsamic vinegar mixture...fat free, full-flavored, all organic and energy pounding. 

     The chili was better than I expected. I soaked black beans and lentils overnight and boiled them until they were soft with a mixture of parsley, chili pepper, gochu pepper, black and white pepper, and chili mix. I caramelized onions for starters, threw in carrots and chopped tomatoes, then the beans, kale, garlic, chili flavoring, and the beans. I crumbled tofu on top and let it simmer for a few hours. My apartment smelt like home and my tummy was filled with more gluten-free, high protein, nearly fat-free warmth. I'll have to try this again and get a recipe thrown on this page...cravvve~ 

salad and chili~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     After one serving and a ground-breaking productive yoga session, I simply had to have another while painting some sexy ladies. This time though...vegan bacon, kimchi, and loads of dijon mustard...a bit of a stoners take on messing around with flavors but it worked and I had chili for the week~

ladies and stoned chili~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     More eats and adventures to come...my computer is still whining a bit, if only chili could win it over.