Re-imagining the World One Mouthful at a Time . . . . .

28 Days Crave Veggies (Day 16)

08 April 2014

28-days-crave-veggies-day-16-128 Days Crave Veggies (day 16)28 Days Crave Veggies (day 16)Covent Garden Markets, LondonTime for a Food Change
For the past two weeks I have been on a vegetarian diet (no meat and fish) to help myself become a healthier and ‘feel better’ me – I’ve called this my 28 Days Crave Veggies Challenge. Before the challenge, I had been feeling sluggish and thought this challenge would be just the boost my body needed, I was also concerned that too many of my meals, whether it was eating out or at home, revolved around meat and I wanted to find out was meat really necessary? This challenge has been a fantastic food experience of discovering new satisfying (new) meals packed with vegetables, whole grains and more. I’ve kicked the ‘habit’ of eating meat and giving the veggies a chance to take centre stage for a whole month!

Breakfast
Porridge served with banana and natural honey.

Sticks ‘N’ Sushi Japanese Lunch
Vegetarian sushi lunch at Sticks ‘N’ Sushi in Covent Garden. The combination of Scandinavian design & hospitality with Japanese food is an interesting and very beautifully ‘slick’ thing. With the idea and first Sticks ‘n’ Sushi restaurant in Copenhagen, the concept brings together Japanese and Nordic dining, in a slick dining room featuring suspended art pieces, clean angles and a stony grey and black colour palette. As its name suggests, the Sticks ‘n’ Sushi menu features a mix of freshly-made sushi and sizzling yakitori sticks – loaded with chicken, red meat and vegetables – served straight from the grill.

The menus are a bit confusing, with lots to choose from. I told our waitress that I was on a vegetarian diet and asked for suggestions – she advised us all about the menu, making helpful suggestions, and was always smiley (which is always a thumbs up). The food arrived and was beautifully presented, the service was more than faultless – our waitress was very attentative: carefully explaining each dish and stick(s) to the table as it came out.

Oh, the food was delicious, very high in quality – we were all impressed. A lovely place to visit if you are around Covent Garden.

28-days-crave-veggies-day-16-5Dinner
Saucy stir-fry Bean Sprouts and Mushrooms with boiled rice.

RECIPE: Saucy Stir-fry Bean Sprouts

Ingredients (serves two):

  • 1 bag of bean sprouts
  • 1 small onion sliced
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of oyster flavoured sauce
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil for stir-frying
  • few drops of sesame oil

Preparations:

Wash and drain the bean sprouts. Add oil to a heated wok or heavy skillet. When oil is ready (very hot), add the sliced onions and stir-fry briefly, then add the bean sprouts and stir-fry again. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and salt – if you prefer a little more sauce/gravy in the dish add two tablespoons of water. Stir-fry another few seconds and add the sesame oil – if you prefer a thicker sauce/gravy, thicken as desired with a bit of cornflour. Serve hot with boiled rice. YUM!

It’s not so much about the label ‘vegetarian’ as it is about challenging myself to be more conscious of what I eat and how it impacts me physically. I’ll keep you updated daily on this blog and twitter on what I’m eating and how I’m progressing by adopting a meat-free diet. Bring on Day 17! – thanks for reading :) – Cindz

Sticks ‘N’ Sushi / 11 Henrietta St, London WC2E 8PY

Missie Cindz

posted under: Food and Drink, London