Day 4

Day 2

I ended up having lovely Thai food for dinner: Vegetables in yellow curry (with healthy turmeric) over brown rice and a beautiful salad with peanut dressing. Day 2 ended well.

Day 3 I had a different smoothie: 1 c. frozen papaya (great digestive aid), 1/2 c. canned pumpkin (Vit. A) and 1/2 banana (potassium) added to usual supplements. It was delicious.

For Lunch I had leftover risotto which nukes very well and actually tastes better after a few days

Afternoon I had a crisp green apple with 2 T. peanut butter and later a handful of pecans.

Dinner was Crisp fried (and marinated) tofu steaks with walnut-pepper sauce (really good) and grilled brocolli. I followed it with an arugula salad with avocado and pinenuts with olive oil and vinegar dressing. Here's the recipe for the tofu:

Crisp-fried tofu with walnut-pepper sauce (from Cooking Light Dec. 2008)

1 14 oz. extra firm tofu

1/4 c. chopped fresh bail

1/4 c. water

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

1 T. chopped fresh thyme (from my garden)

2 T. white wine vinegar (I used chardonnay vinegar)

1 T. Dijon mustard

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. crushed red pepper

8 garlic cloves, minced

Put tofu between paper towels and press from time to time about 30 min.

Mix next ingredients thru garlic and place in a zip bag

Cut tofu into 4 steaks and place in bag and then in fridge 1 hour

1/2 c. gluten free flour

1/2 c. egg substitute

2 c. gluten-free bread crumbs

Place flour in shallow dish

Place egg substitute in another shallow dish

Place crumbs in another shallow dish

Remove tofu from marinade (save marinade)

Dredge tofu in flour, shake off excess. Dip in egg stubstitute, allowing

excess to drain off. Dredge in crumbs.

2 T. olive oil

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet. Fry tofu on all four sides.

1 12 oz. bottle roasted red peppers, drained

3 T. chopped walnuts, toasted

In food processor or mini-prep, whirl peppers, walnuts and rest of marinade

Serve tofu steaks with pepper sauce over.

For snacks I continue to have handfulls of pecans, almonds, and walnuts and the rice-adzuki bean chips from Trader Joe's.

So far this has not been hard. I'm probably in a honeymoon period. I walked 3.5 miles today with friends after morning green tea. The mountains are clear. In the morning they turn from dark purpley gray to lavender to pink, then slowly to the warm gray-brown that is the quintessential California mountain color of daytime. I feel energetic and happy