Sweet & Sour Honey Lemon Tofu, Honey and Vegans, Favorite Jeans

Hi Bloggies!  How was your weekend?  I hope that you had a nice one and spent it just doing whatever you wanted to do.  I don't know about you, but I cherish my summer weekends and this one was nice.  Saturday as I mentioned I spent a few hours alone since Scott got back from a business trip and he took Skylar to the park for a few hours.  I was able to get in a nice non-rushed gym session, grocery shop, cook, and have a few chill hours.  

Sunday we power walked in the morning and I found out that Scott has to leave on another business trip.  Ugh.  Another week of solo parenting until Thursday.  That news threw a monkey wrench into some of our other plans for today and I opted to get some work done around the house and run a few errands while Scott and Skylar had a daddy-daughter couple of hours, and poof, weekend was over.

In Saturday's Mail...
I won Lori's Give Away and she sent me some Homemade Vegan GF Treats and some of the Skincare Products she sells

The skincare is great but the star of the show is the goodie stash!



Onto Some Recipes I've been working on....
Since getting my Tofu Press , I have been enjoying coming up with new tofu recipes!  

If you missed my last recipe for Mango Ginger Maple Tofu , check that out

And Check out my recipe for Sesame Ginger Maple Tofu


Today's Tofu Recipe is: Sweet & Sour Honey Lemon Tofu

Averie's Sweet & Sour Honey Lemon Tofu
1/2 c  Sweet Jam/Jelly/Preserves (I used Mango Chutney hence the flecks of red pepper on the tofu but use your fave jelly, jam, or even diced seasonal fruit.  Add diced peppers if you like them)
1/3 c honey (if you don't eat honey, use agave, maple, or yacon syrup)
1/4 c Lemon Juice (in a pinch you can use apple cider vinegar)

Optional but recommended:
1/4 c Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 Tsp Ginger Powder
2 Tbsp EVOO (or coconut, flax, hemp, grapeseed oil)

I used new-to-me TJ's Extra Firm Twin Pack Tofu

Mix Marinade in a Bowl and allow Tofu to Marinate for at least 15 minutes up to Overnight  (I did the bare minimum, 15 minutes.  I was in a hurry!)

Bake on a Foil-Lined Cookie Sheet at 450F for 20 minutes on the first Side (The honey is going to carmelize so unless you enjoy scrubbing pans, use foil for easy cleanup)

Then, Flip and Bake another 10 minutes

All times are approximate but for well-done, non-mushy tofu, I recommend slicing your tofu thin, and baking it for approximately what I suggest.  Watch the honey because the sugars can burn.

Put extras in a Container and Store in Fridge for up to 4-5 days or so.


Speaking of Sweet and Sour, I'm glad you liked my Sweet and Sour Refrigerator Pickles from Saturday.  Good to know I have some Pickle lovers as readers!

And I enjoyed your thoughts on picture-taking and how many pictures per day is normal for you.  It seems that about 15-20 per day was the number many of you threw around.  And thanks for telling me that many of you do bring your camera , everywhere.

And the hair-drying question .  Glad that many of you ladies also rock air-dried hair when you can. Yay for saving power, not overheating standing under the blowdryer, and for saving your hair's health when it's possible not to be a slave to the blow-dryer! I realize sometimes you just have to blow dry though, no matter what.

Dessert: 5 Minutes, Nothing Complicated or Fancy needed

High Raw Vegan Chocolate "Turtles"

Gym & Weights Workout Today From This Tab :  New Progress Pictures of my Arms!  

Thanks to those of you who complimented me on my arms .  And abs .  You're so sweet to me.  But I believe we are all works in progress.  For me, always working hard, living clean, having drive and dedication and consistency are what works. 


Tip of the Day:  My Galaxy Granola Give Away for 2 Winners!



Questions
1. Best Thing You Ate or Did over the Weekend?
Me = Power walking with Scott and spending time with him.  I miss him when he travels and it was great to reconnect for the weekend before he has to leave again.

2.  Do you eat honey?  I know there are vegans who do eat honey, and vegans who don't.    If you do eat honey, do you get local, raw, unpasteurized?  Or do you have another type you buy?

Raw Honey and bee pollen are filled with nutrients, anti-microbial properties, immune boosting properties and even protein.  I don't go out of my way to eat honey, and until this recipe, I probably hadn't had any honey in 18 months, but in certain situations and in certain recipes, I eat it.  And when you think about it, 1/3 cup of honey spread over 15 oz of tofu, some of it sticks to the foil, some of it sticks to the bowl, how much really is one ingesting per bite?

Here's what This Website had to say about it

"Is honey vegan? Again, it depends on one's definition of vegan. Insects are animals, and so insect products, such as honey and silk, are not traditionally considered vegan. Many vegans, however, are not opposed to using insect products, because they do not believe insects are conscious of pain. Moreover, even if insects were conscious of pain, it's not clear that the production of honey involves any more pain for insects than the production of most vegetables, since the harvesting and transportation of all vegetables involves many 'collateral' insect deaths.

The question remains a matter of scientific debate and personal choice. However, when cooking or labeling food for vegans —particularly vegans you don't know— it's best to be on the safe side and not include honey."

However for me, it goes back to non-dogmatic thinking and being open-minded and not closing myself off to something that could be beneficial for me.   I definitely don't want to tangle with hardcore vegans who object to eating honey.  I am not a "fighting" type of person and don't enjoy getting into hot debates over things like honey.  If you are opposed to eating honey, I totally respect that and maple, agave, or yacon syrup all work wonderfully as recipe substitutes.  

For me, I would prefer to not label myself to such a degree than once every year or two I can't eat honey.  If that's what being vegan means, then I wouldn't want to be one.  I believe that bees make honey, pain free, and I try not to overthink these things.  I like the KISS method .   

If anyone missed my thoughts on Veganism and my own journey and how I have gone from a Vegan largely because of health reasons and food allergies to being a Vegan for Compassion as well, Here's my Story .   Again, I happen to be a vegan, I happen to be high raw, I don't really dwell on these things in my life.  They are just one facet of me.  And if you're different than me, that's totally cool!  It's about respecting everyone's choices and our diversity.

Gosh that was a really long-winded way to ask if you like honey?  haha!
Check out Manuka Honey if you ever want a major splurge.  Amazing stuff.  Google it.

3. If you're a vegan, do you eat honey? Why or Why Not?

4. Favorite Jeans?
Oh bloggies, I have to buy new jeans.  I pretty much live in my Be Present pants but I need some new jeans.  Mine are old and stretched out and sloppy.  In the past, True Religion, Rock & Republic, Hudson, and Frankie B are some of the brands that I've enjoyed.  But I have no idea where to begin and also don't want to break the bank, but unfortunately probably will.  Jeans shopping is such a chore.  If you have any brands that you love, and tell me why you love them, please fill me in!

My details: I am tall, thin legs, small butt, don't really like Skinny Jeans on me, don't like too much "stretch"/spandex in my jeans, don't like baggy or flare, don't like too thick of denim, must be softer denim.  Picky much?  Now you can see why I don't even want to start.

What jeans do you love?  What jeans do you hate?  I will be sure to not even bother trying them on.  I love online ordering but for jeans, I need to try them on in person.  Where do you buy your jeans?

Have a fabulous day friends!  I may or may not be going to the beach today, depending on the weather...

Stay Tuned For the Give Away Winners...