Whenever someone at work bugs me, since I work in a restaurant this occurs as frequently as breathing, my friend Maeghan and I play the game “You know what grinds my gears?…” I think I saw it on a Family Guy episode though I am not crazy about the show. It is just a silly way to rant about the shenanigans that happen like:

“Why are we waiting on salad?”

“Oh em gee that kid barfed all over the table!”

“I AM MAD WEEDED!!”

“Yes, I will have a well done steak…” ordered five minutes before we close.

“That guy just snapped his fingers at me”

“Don’t ask me for my number and stiff me when I say no thank you….”

“That table just called me something really offence while speaking French”

As ridiculous as things seem, they happen on the regular. The last one happened to a friend of mine and she speaks fluent French so unfortunately heard all the nasty things that the table was saying about her.

It helps to say these things out loud to her since usually it is just ridiculous things that get my blood boiling. Sometimes I tell her to hop aboard the Complain Train when I feel like being a whiner. To you all reading this, hop aboard because we are going on a trip!! CHOO CHOO!!

My friend Katie was at Starbucks last week and ordered a fancy latte but with half of the sugary syrup they normally put it. The barista asked her, “Oh are you trying to be healthy?” She handled it better than I would have and simply said that she just didn’t like how sweet the drink was normally served. Katie told me that she was being judged for her size and this person was assuming she is unhealthy. Katie is a champ, does yoga and eats healthful meals all while working and going to school full-time. My gears were grinding so hard that sparks were flying!!  

This reminded me of a similar incident I experienced at the grocery store checkout when I first started my site. I was sipping on a mason jar filled with my green smoothie, cause that’s just how I do, and the rather buff man behind me questioned my drink. I told him what was in it thinking maybe he just wanted the recipe but instead he asked me if I had lost weight. I said no since I was just starting out and was just in shock that a stranger would ask me that.

 “Some people will try anything,” he muttered to his companion.

I said nothing, paid for my purchases, put on my sunglasses and cried the whole way home. It seems crazy that I let this strangers comment affect me in such a negative way but it did. At that time in my life, I was very self-conscious about my appearance since I did not look like the “typical” vegan.

I remember a few years back that I was probably the unhealthiest person ever; I chained smoked, drank only diet drinks when I wasn’t drinking huge quantities of coffee and took over the counter diet pills everyday. I was skinny but definitely not healthy and no one said anything about it, even when I had a cigarette between my lips and double-fisting a Diet Coke and a Red Bull. This image did not get a rise out of people enough for them to say anything to my face about how unhealthy I was because I was thin but as soon as a curvaceous girl has a green smoothie in hand, everyone seemed to have a damn opinion about it.

I have a high self-esteem when I am alone and this is common occurrence. I think I am beautiful and love my green eyes, bright smile and my great curvy body but this all goes down the drain when people make comments like that. I start to question my self-esteem, maybe I am not as pretty as I think? Maybe I could lose some weight?

I decided that I had to practice confidence for the sake of my self-esteem. People are always going to be rude and unforgiving but I needed to change my reaction. I would not longer beat myself up for not being their ideal, I am my own ideal person and I am enough and guess what?? So are you!! 

 I used this recipe for the sauce. To go nut-free, substitute the cashews for soaked sunflower seeds. 

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As a January baby, I was very jealous of those who had birthdays in the warmer months and I always wanted the super awesome (and totally cliche) pool party. Too bad there is 30 inches of snow when my birthday rolls around. When I was 12, my mother rented out the local YMCA indoor pool to grant me my birthday wish. She rented out a fitness room as well so we could stuff our faces after swimming with pizza and more chocolate cake. The smell of chlorine always reminds me of this special day. All of this was on a single parent income and I have no idea how she did it. These are the little things that I did not really appreciate until I became an adult; the extra shifts my mother picked up in order for me to have the best birthday, the strategic present hiding so my gift wouldn’t be found, the late night wrapping and the early cake pickup. The amount of work my mother put into making each of my birthday so special is just one of the reasons I love her and celebrate all that she has done to raise my sister and I. Though certain periods of my life (read bratty teenage years) she and I never got along I knew she would always be there for me, ready to talk about anything over some leftover Chinese food that we would eat cold and right out of the boxes. We won’t be celebrating together this year if we did we would be having this brunch since a little bit of breakfast and a little bit of lunch is our favourite meal. Happy Mother’s Day!

I served this dish with some steamed asparagus topped with cracked black pepper, chopped capers and slice cherry tomatoes and a berry salad with thin ribbons of mint.

P.S. There are a few days left of my Forks Over Knives Prize Pack Giveaway!! Check it out here and enter to win these awesome prizes!

Portobello Florentine with Lemony Hollandaise Sauce

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

This recipe is oil-free, gluten-free and soy-free. If you want the sauce thinner add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until desired consistency. This recipe easily doubles and I suggest 2 cups of spinach (raw) per mushroom cap since spinach reduces considerably when cooked.

Author: Jessica DeMarra

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• Lemony-Hollandaise Sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• ½ cup raw cashews, soaked
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/16 teaspoon ground turmeric (optional for colour)
• 9 tablespoons water (or more if you like it a littler thinner)
• Portobello Florentine
• 4 Portobello mushroom caps
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon + ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, separated
• Pinch of pepper
• 8 cups baby spinach, rinsed thoroughly
• Smoked paprika for garnish

Instructions

1. Add the garlic and the shallots to a small bowl and cover with boiling water.
2. After 5 minutes drain the aromatics and add to a blender along with the rest of the ingredients for the sauce. Blend until completely smooth. Keep warm until ready to use.
3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Destem and degill the mushrooms, sprinkle with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
4. Lined baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper, roast for 22-25 minutes, turning half way through. A lot of water will come out of the mushrooms.
5. This is where timing is crucial- before wilting the spinach make sure your sauce is prepare and the mushrooms are almost ready to be served. If using the paprika have that ready as well.
6. Over medium heat in a pot with a tight fitting lid, add the spinach, ⅛ teaspoon salt and a touch of water. Place lid on the pot and allow the spinach to steam and wilt- this is a quick process. Once the spinach is wilted, place the spinach in a clean dishtowel and squeeze out any excess liquid. Top the mushrooms with the wilted spinach, dress with the hollandaise sauce and sprinkle paprika on top. Serve.

3.3.3077

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