Raw Vegan Goodness

Blogging from gorgeous Killington, Vermont during my 2nd day at my Bikram Yoga Retreat! Even though my day has been filled with reading (audiobook on the 8 hour drive up, Fault in Our Stars by John Green; currently, Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn), Bikram Yoga (um, holy coal stove heat), and a super-informative posture clinic by the wonderful Lynn Witlow, I NEEDED to post about this raw, vegan food world that I've been slammed into!

I've had one experience with a vegan restaurant (JF - remember that time we all had simultaneous stomach catastrophes?!), and it was not amazing. I've been hesitant to try vegan since; not just the straight veggie aspect, but the whole nutritional yeast, nut cheese (seriously?! NUT. CHEESE.), etc. 

I knew coming into this retreat that there'd be an mostly-raw (hell, maybe all-raw? Clearly I'm clueless), all-vegan chef on-site that'll be preparing all of our meals and snacks, with 10-mile-away locally-grown produce. If you're friends with me on FB or Insta, then you already know that every meal thus far has been completely and utterly amazing. 

There's something about eating primarily vegan and raw (meaning uncooked, or heated to no more than 110 degrees), that literally sits well with my stomach. Lactose intolerance and various other GI issues are a non-issue, and I have a feeling that, by time Monday rolls around, I'll have a whole slew of recipes waiting to be tried out when I get back to Baltimore! 

In the meantime, here are some of the pics that I snapped from today's lunch, dinner and dessert. Apologies for not having full descriptions - I was more concerned with stuffing my face than listening to what I was actually eating. (Eh, plants, I'm good with that.) 

 Lunch: a mason jar salad with cabbage, chickpeas, scallions, carrots, maybe flax seeds?, and a homemade dressing. 

Dinner - Appetizer: olives, red peppers, and marinaded artichokes. God, I love brined food. 

Dinner - Main Course: tabbouleh over greens, falafel, hummus, cucumbers, tomatoes and macadamia nut "goat cheese" - honestly, if I didn't know, I would've assumed it was real goat cheese. SO good!!!! Nothin nasty about nut cheese, after all!!! (......lol)

Dessert: raw, vegan dark chocolate chip cookies!!! Now, I am not the biggest dessert fan, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't eat 3 of these mamma jamma's. Made from the meal leftover from homemade almond milk - LOVE this idea!!! -, vegan chocolate chips, dates, I think some coconut oil?.. Again, I couldn't pay attention because I already stuffed one into my mouth, and they're insanely good.  

I really can't wait to see what new culinary adventures this week brings! 

Happy Tuesday from Vermont!