Vegan Valentine's Day, Weight Gaining, & Beijing!!!

So a lot has transpired since my last post. I've been cooking a lot, and so far the 95% rawness thing has been going very well. I have a lot to update about, so I'll split it up into short bits.

Everyone knows that Valentine's day sucks ass for those of us that are single and short on time to mingle. (e.g. cliff champion...) Also, being vegan with raw inclinations makes it even worse because just about every token of sugary affection is not only very un-vegan, but also really really unhealthy. So you would expect this holiday to just blow for a raw vegan right? Not so. Leave it to my own mom to make the day. 

She sent me this bomb care package that has some of my favorite candy, as well as some new things that she picked up at a raw food cafe in fairfield CT called "Catch a Healthy Habit." Check it out.

swedish fish (an all-time favorite), bora bora bar? (never heard of it, RAWMESAN CHEESE pumped to use that one, RAWTELLA (yes that's right... such a thing exists... I had a heart attack upon opening the package...), and "salad sprinkles!" can't wait to try them! 

sweetened with coconut crystals... NOM NOM NOM 

it has nutritional yeast... but hell. looks delicious. 

 random, but thoughtful (i have yet to try it. maybe it's great!)

this mix is great, and super savory. i have to find the right dressing for this salad topper.

SO GOOD I DON'T CARE IF IT HAS HFCS!!! YAHOOO!

So anyhow, this care package included many more things... (like a remote controlled mini-helicopter! yahooo!) and even though I'm 21, i'll never be too old to get care packages. Or remote controlled helicopters. 

Also, I've recently gotten fed up with the fact that I'm so skinny. I'm about 5 or 10 pounds away from being an unhealthy BMI (not that the BMI scale is all the accurate or significant... but...) and I've decided to make a concerted effort to gain some weight. Very soon, I won't have such easy access to a gym (more on that later...) and I also won't have as much time to make so much food. Things like work, rent, and living abroad will get in the way. SO... for the remaining 3 months of school, I want to work out 4 days a week, and eat a 90% raw diet. 

Mexican "nut loaf" from Matt Amsden's Rawvolution book. I met him on wednesday... super nice guy. his food is amazing! It's also helping me meet my inflated protein quotas... tons of sunflower seeds, almonds, etc. in there. 

This of course, brings me to the question of protein. I've heard so many different thoughts on this from both vegan and non-vegan experts, and i've been told to eat as little as 30g of protein a day, all the way up to 170g! I've settled on the amount that Brendan Brazier recommends, which is about 70g a day of protein. To help me reach that level I've started using Sun Warrior sprouted rice protein. I got one of those american express gift cards from my madre (once again, feeling incredibly spoiled) and I used it to buy 2 bags of the stuff. (at least i'm using the money for good things... right?)

typical lunch... salad, chips and salsa, a "burrito", apples and almond butter, tea, and a green smoothie. NOM NOM NOM

Anyhow. I'm starting out the week at a whopping 6'2", and 155lbs. Sad right? Anyhow. Good news is that I'm working on it. I'll keep you all updated with my progress... hopefully this will yield some results! I definitely feel the boost of the protein powder though... It's helping.

ON TO THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT. I'm got into an intensive mandarin program in Beijing for next year! I'll be spending 9 months in a school where NO english is tolerated, and I will be in intensive language courses for 4 hours a day, and I will also have to write a thesis paper IN CHINESE! This might sound like hell for a lot of people, but for me, it's an opportunity to finish up my foundation in mandarin, and be able to pass the HSK. I hope to work in China after that, so raw food will undoubtedly have to take the back seat for a while. :-(

While I have undoubtedly found a whole new passion for food, nutrition and health, I can't let my eating restrictions hold me back from following my life's path. I have felt lead back to China for a while, and I can't wait to really dig into the culture over there. Beijing is an awesome city with a ton of vegetarian restaurants... I can't wait to go! It's been a real relief knowing that I have the next stage of my life settled after I graduate in April. It's all great news!

Thanks for reading, and I'll keep posting while I'm in the US... 

Best,

Cliff