I have a feeling that finally this month I have tried more new things. At least in some part. Yoghurts and such is really common, but I have tried to pay attention to my choices and pick various ingredients. I am proud of myself. And I have already marked down some new things I want to try next month. This month has been very hummus-heavy, but there are new ones out in the market and I had to try them all. :D I have already discovered new favourites, so this is good.
On another day I got a parcel from Globus to celebrate Easter, and it was soooo sweet. I am planning to make chickpea-rice-coconut milk stew on one day now, it sounds like it could be amazing. :D It was really nice to get this parcel and it made my day a lot better. They always have a cute message with their parcels. :) I used Globus' products a lot every day, because they are just so quick and easy. When I don't have anything, I can still make veggie chilli with beans, a stew or something else. :D They even have canned beetroot and I have made several beetroot risottos thanks to this.
My weight is going up and this is scary. My last post was really positive and motivated, but now... it is a different story. I just feel physically so uncomfortable and it is annoying, I don't know what to do really. I know that I need to still gain some, but it is happening so fast? I haven't changed my eating habits recently, my weight was steady for some time, where is it running to now? It is really scary to be honest. I am really annoyed at myself. On some days I am fine with it, but on other days I really struggle.
At the same time I started a new challenge and this hopefully helps. It is a seven day one, so we shall see how I handle it. :D I hope to manage it well, but we shall see.
My mum is also coming to Tallinn now to celebrate Easter. We were thinking about going out in the nature and do a Signe Restaurant (they call my flat like this, because I always cook for them, haha :D). Of course it will be accompanied by a bottle (or two) of wine and a lot of snacks. Now when I am having especially difficult time, of course... but at the same time social events, damily time, chatting, eating, enjoying life > anxiety that it causes. Besides I KNOW it will be fun. I just can't really understand this so yeah... I am in a bit difficult position at the moment.
I have a birthday coming soon! A little more than a month to go. I hope the lockdown is eased by then and I can call some peoplr over. Would be nice. I have also wondered about what I want for my birthday and right now I have settled for an air frier. It seems like a good thing for someone living alone and I would probably use it every single day. There are so many good recipes online and I want to try them all out. Even though my kitchen is already pretty small and soon it won't have any room left :D But we will manage!
Then I also want to get a proper smartwatch. Not to see how many calories I burn or something, but I just want to analyze things like my rest, get better notifications and so one. Also, maybe a little for calories as well. I just would like to know what is my BMR. To show myself that I can eat plenty. At the moment I have a really old Xiaomi Mi Fit, which is fine, but it is sooooo unregular. My favourite functions is that it vibrates when there is a call, message or app notification. And the fact that I can set it as my alarm. It is much better to wake up to it than to a full blown alarm clock.
Recently I am really sleepy all the time. Even without taking my medication, my eyes fall shut around 9 and I can't do anything. Every evening I think of staying up late, wanting to study or read or something, but as 9 o'clock hits, I am completely offline. Also recently I have had these night sweats again, which is really annoying. I didn't have them for some time and I was already hopeful that they won't return. Oh well.
Okay, I will tell a little about the new vegan products I tried last month. I got this idea from a YouTuber, who does these kind of videos.
Täistera ampsukas sibula ja paprikaga (Wholewheat bread with onion an paprika)
I know writing about bread may be weird, but this was such a good discovery I just have to share it. It is heavenly! Can't really taste the paprika, but there is deffinitely some onion. They have another one as well, with thyme and garlic, which I would also like to try. But I hate thyme, so I don't know if I dare. :D But for this bread, I will give 7/10.
Alpro barista sojapiim (Alpro barista soy milk)
I hadn't tried this one before, but it was on sale and I decided to pick it up. I think just drinking it, it's very similar to regular milk. But I like when my milk adds something to the coffee as well. Generally it was alright, but not as good as their barista almond milk. 6/10.
Now a few days later I can add that I have gotten used to the taste and it is fine. At first I did think of pouring it down the sink, but my tastebuds adjusted.:D I will still go back to Estonian own brand oat milk though.
Alpro vanilje jogurt (Alpro vanilla yoghurt)
This was really good! I found it from Selver, as someone suggested. I really liked it. Not too sweet and perfect for my regular yoghurt bowl. But I will still stick to my soy yoghurt I think, it is cheaper and nice. But if this happens to be on a sale, I would definitely get it again. 9/10, really nice.
Oa ja paprika hummus (Bean and paprika hummus)
Oooo, finally one that tries to win over my current favourite. This was really good, salty enough and just perfect. I should make this kind of thing myself, it doesn't seem that difficult. I have a lot of beans at home and paprika is nice. This is, I think, also on first place now. I would even go as far as to give it 10/10.
Which is your favourite hummus? There are many I still haven't tried, like Rimi own store brand ones. I should do that. My favourite snack is two bell peppers, one cucumber, a box of cherry tomatoes and then I eat it all with hummus, sooo good!
Friendly Vikings vanilje kaerajogurt (Friendly Vikings vanilla oat yoghurt)
I was so excited to try this... and it was a let down. It was just too bland. Texture was nice though. I didn't like it as much as Alpro vanilla one, for sure. But well, it did the trick. The price is quite high, but I got it on sale. So I was like okay, I am going to try this. I also have a mango one and I hope it is better. :D For this, I will give it 6/10, it wasn't a complete fail.
Friendly Vikings mango kaerajogurt (Friendly Vikings mango oat yoghurt)
This... was also pretty pointless. It wasn't sweet, which is kind of a plus, but if you have it as a snack, it is missing something. I like Alpro mango yoghurt a lot more. It was okay in a yoghurt bowl, but I wouldn't get it again. Vanilla one was better and this gets 5/10.
Leiburi Rukkipala idandatud rukkiteradega (Rye bread with sprouted rye)
I have never liked this brand and unfortunately I didn't enjoy this as well. The only positive is that slices are really thin so you can taste the spread or whatever you are having on it, better. I think it is nice to get new products, and it was okay as toasted, but just plain it was... not very good. Too dry. 3/10.
Gourmet Club tomati ja basiilikuga hummus (Gourmet Club tomato and basil hummus)
Another brand one is better. But this was good as well! It tastes like this weird meat spread we used to have on bread when we were kids. Favourite of mine from Gourmet Club. It is also bigger than regular ones, having 200 g instead of 150 g. But I used it up too soon, it was the only minus. :D 8/10
Vegan Gourmet sametine kõrvitsa hummus (Vegan Gourmet smooth pumpkin hummus)
From the first moment I was IN LOVE. Honestly. I feel like all the hummus(es?) I try are just getting better and better and it is difficult to pick a favourite. This was really nice and silky and I really liked it, it also had some salt which was a plus. 9/10.
Vegan Gourmet pisut piprane punase oa määre (Vegan Gourmet a bit spicy red bean spread)
This honestly wasn't as good as the pumpkin hummus, but still pretty close. When the hummus fit well with vegetrables, this I would have on bread. Really recommend though! 8/10.
DOMINO küpsis virsiku-vaarikamaitselise kreemiga (Domino cookie with peach-raspberry cream)
This had been in my drawer for such a long time, as I was too scared to try it. I have never been a fan of these cream cookies like Oreos, but this was pretty good to be honest. Nice fresh and sweet. I think I like the regular one more, but this was alright. I will definitely eat rest of the pack. :D 7/10.
Vegan Gorumet siidine peedihummus (Vegan Gourmet silky beetroot hummus)
I think this is the first beetroot hummus where I can actually taste beetroot. I really liked it! Vegan Gourmet things are amazing, I will definitely keep buying them. It is also better size, 200 grams. :D PErfect for me. But yeah, for this I would give 8/10.
Breyersi vegan jäätis pekaanpähkli ja karamelliga (Breyers vegan ice cream with pecan and caramel)
I had gotten out of habit having those low calorie ice creams, but I really wanted to try the vegan one. Their chocolate hazelnut vegan one is AMAZING. But this was a disappointment. Quite bland, if I am honest. Definitely not worth the money. 4/10, wouldn't muy again.
Sojapallid (Bon Soya soy chuncks)
I used them on pizza and I was really wondering if they are okay or something. My best friend also tried them and said that she is not used to the texture. I wasn't bothered by it and I think it tasted fine. :D I think I need to add more soy products into my menu, at the moment I don't use much of them. Mostly just tofu... but this was really good! I imagine you could make a nice pasta sauce with it, also you could make it into a burger or why not meatball soup. 8/10.
Vegeplus chilli võileivakate (Vegeplus chilli vegan cheese)
I really liked it on a pizza. Even though it really got stuck into my braces, but this is my own problem. :D My sister and best friend also had it and they didn't complain, so it was fine. It was positive it had chilli in it, added a nice spice. I got it from the vegan subscription box and well, it was perfect. I liked it more than their regular "cheese" (which was also okay). 9/10, one of the best vegan cheeses I have tried!
Tere taimne karamellipuding (Tere caramel pudding)
It was fine, but I liked chocolate one more. But it was really good as a dessert, so I can't really complain. My friend said she had it with an apple and that it was a perfect combo, I can see that. Not my favourite as a plain pudding. 6/10.
Gluteenivaba braunisegu (Gluten free brownie mix)
This was another product I got from the subscription box. I really liked it, though I think I should have kept it in the oven for 5 minutes less. It was actually very difficult to make. I have a gas oven. And I had set the gas level too low, so it just sat in the oven for an hour. I finally realised that there was no flame and managed to make it in the end. I served it with mint-chocolate ice cream (not vegan) and strawberries. Anyway, it was amazing and I couldn't say it was gluten free. 6/10. It is perfect for when a guest unexpectedly comes. I just needed to add some vegan butter and oatmilk.
Vegan Gourmet tummine põldoa määre (Vegan Gourmet hearty bean spread)
This... is another favourite? At first I looked at the ingredients and it had cellery in it, which I hate, but I couldn't taste it and it was really good. I have been really happy with all of their products, can't even pick a favourite. :D 9/10.
Anyway yes, quite a lot of new things. :D I follow this vegan group on facebook and some accounts in instagram who post about vegan products and as soon as I see something, I really want to try it. Like it was with this Breyers new ice cream. Travelled for an hour to get it (and it wasn't worth it at all). But yes, sometimes vegan products are just SO GOOD, I can't lie. I should do another month long vegan challenge (or why not even a longer one), but yeah. Still need to eat all of the non vegan stuff I have at home. :D
Then I have also been thinking about getting a vegan protein powder. There are so many good recipes with it and I know a lot of people use them. I eat a lot of carbs and I should pay more attention to protein, so I will think about it a little. If you can recommend me something, go ahead. Leave me a comment, write to me on twitter or instagram or something. :D
I hope my weekend will be nice (or at least okay) and things will get easier again.
