Skinny Carrot and Avocado Salad

Today was the first day of my vegan experiment, and I have to say, it was entirely enjoyable.  I had a green monster smoothie (I'll post that recipe later in the week), an iced coffee with coconut milk, veggies and hummus, and a lovely carrot and avocado salad.  I feel satisfied, and stayed well within my points for the day.  The carrot salad was fantastic.  It is possibly the easiest dish I have ever made, and absolutely delicious.  You must make this as soon as possible.  Do it.

Skinny Carrot and Avocado Salad
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
WW PointsPlus Value: 4

6 large carrots, washed and scrubbed
1 avocado, sliced
1 Tablespoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed
2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt, pepper, and cumin to taste

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Cut carrots into chunks, then toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and cumin.  Bake on a baking sheet for 30 minutes, or until nice and dark.  
• Place on a plate and top with avocado slices and drizzle a bit of lemon juice on top.
• That's it!  It's almost too easy.  This would make a great first course for a dinner party. Since it requires so little prep time, you could spend more time and effort on the main dish.

Skinny Post-Vacation Vegan Cleanse

Summer is fading away.  The Back-to-School section of Target is set up, which is how you know the end is near.  I took the summer off blogging, and weight watchers, and the time has come to get back into both.  While I haven't put on an extrodianry amount of weight (thank you portion control), I do need to get back into a healthier diet.  I just got back from vacation in France and Spain where the food is often too delicious to pass up seconds (not one, not two, but three dishes of Patatas Bravas at La Dolça Herminia in Barcelona), so I think a cleanse is in order.  Now when I say "cleanse," I am by no means talking about an insane lemonade fast, or chalky shakes, or even this weird cookie thing.  I'm talking about a clean, healthy, vegan diet loaded with fresh fruit, veggies, beans, nuts, and rice.  I am going to post recipes later in the week as I make them, but above is a pic of my menu board for the week.  The menu chalkboard is a great way to visualize your meals for the week.  I list all the dishes I plan on making in a week, then cross them off as I make them.  This way, I can keep track of everything and don't end up wasting fresh produce hidden in the crisper drawer because I forgot I was going to make zucchini fritters...or beet cake...or jalapeno poppers...you get the idea.