This meal looks amazing! I love samosas.

About the chocolate chips, keep eating them especially if you don't *mind* running/working out as much. I eat ice cream every day because I love it (soy), and it makes me happy and I would never give it up.

Oh, and I don't comment much , but all your meals and photos are wonderful!

Thanks! The VwaV samosas are amazing. They'd be even better fried, but I fear hot oil and the fat that comes with it. :) I do love chocolate, but I think it's become more of a habit now than anything. I don't want to need them, you know? It's just chocolate. I shouldn't feel like my day isn't complete without it. I may just cut back on them a little rather than give them up completely.

I have the some problem with chocolate. I believe that if I could just drop the sugar habit, I'd reach my fitness goals (i.e., be able to see that 4 pack that I know is under that layer of fat).

It's great that you can ran 20 mins now, that's such an improvment. I know that no matter what I say about not getting upset by the scale will matter, but just remember that running builds muscle in the legs and since they are they biggest muscles in the body, the stronger they become the more they will weigh. and we all know that muscle weighs more than fat. Keep up the good work.

way to go with the 20 minute run! 2 summers ago i started running, even though in the past i always said i'd only run if being chased by the law or wild dogs. i remember being SO excited when i ran for 20 minutes, then it was 30, then 40, then 50...and somehow along the way my friends convinced me to do a marathon with them and i ran 4 hours. we really are capable of so much more than we think! keep it up!

You are doing great with the running. Nice job!!!

And the food looks scrumptious, the Moong Dal and the Samosas!

I am a fruit fan and agree about the beauty of the colours. I like that you go for the PB on rice cakes. That's a fave of mine!

grace - Sugar is definitely a problem. I often wonder why it was so easy to cut out animal products but I can't for the life of be kick the sugar/junk addiction. Probably because eating vegan chocolate doesn't weigh on my conscience. The only person I'm hurting is myself, and I'm notorious for not really caring about that. Thanks for the perspective on the running/leg muscle issue - I know exercise builds muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat, but for some reason that particular fact never occurred to me. My anatomy teacher would be so disappointed! :)

holiday at sea - 4 hours?!? Wow! Talk about inspiration. :) I used to say the same thing about running. I think it's a bit addictive that way.

kleopatra - Thanks! I really think I could live on just fruit and be happy. PB on rice cakes is a recent discovery, and now it's one of my favorites. :)

Way to go on the 20 min of running! I have yet to go there, I just really don't care for running. Maybe someday I'll feel bold enough to try and take it up again, but right now there are about a million other things I would rather do to get my heart rate up rather than running. I did cardio kickboxing and a bunch of squats yesterday, my quads are hurting today :( I really need to make me some samosas soon. Mmmm...

wow, that fruit is soooo beautiful! That looks like my kind of lunch. And the moong dal is also so impressive. Wow. You are my favorite today =) 20 minutes of running is so admirable. No matter how much I've tryed to brainwash myself, I hate to run. And, it also gives me debilitating shin splints. I mostly take long 3-5 mile walks most days. I love my walks. But I so admire your operation shake that ass =) Keep it up, yo. And I love your new picture! Cuteness.

shananigans - Ooh, kickboxing. I've been wanting to get some kickboxing DVDs - any recommendations? I wouldn't go so far as to say that I love running or anything, but I like it well enough. There's always been a bit of a a glamour about it for me. It's like, running is something fit people do. I want to be a fit person. Ergo, I must run. I will say that I prefer running faster for shorter periods of time to a slow, sustained jog... my legs hurt less when I'm able to open up my (admittedly very short) stride. But I know sustained activity us better for burning calories.

Definitely make the samosas. They're 5-star delicious. :)

ms. mercedes - Ouch, shin splints. I love taking walks, but for some reason I never make the time to do it anymore. And fear not! I plan to keep shaking my ass 'til it disappears. :)

I don’t really buy workout videos, I record stuff off FitTV and then pick a workout to do at home whenever I’m not going to make it to the gym for some reason. I like it because 1) it’s free 2) always something new. The kickboxing I did yesterday was on Gilad's Bodies in Motion and then I did an hour of yoga with All Star Workouts. My stability ball is on its way, should get here this week. A whole new world of at-home-workout is about to open up to me, I’m so psyched! (I sound like a workout freak, never thought I’d see the day.)

Congrats...20 minutes is a big milestone in running! In my opinion the first 20 minutes of any run is always the hardest. If you can do 20 minutes, double or triple that isn't too far off.

Do you have a running buddy? Having one makes a huge difference for me!

Dal...everytime I make dal I find it's a bit bland too. I don't know what it is.

shananigans - How have I never even heard of FitTV? I'm pretty sure I don't get it, in any case. I need to get me a stability ball - they're so colorful and shiny. Why yes, I am a raccoon. Why do you ask?

megan - Double or triple? Eeek! I think you're right, though - the beginning is the hardest part. I usually run with my boyfriend, and it does help. Last time I did think I ran by myself, and it's definitely harder to get motivated when you're only going to be disappointing yourself. How sad is that?

If you want a flavorful dal, try the PPK's Red Lentil Dhal. It is SO GOOD.

Moong Dal looks interesting. Colorful but scarily like adult babyfood. If I made that (which I probably would) my mother would think I'm absolutely batty. I'm adventurous eater, my mom could find 6 recipes she likes and live off of them.

Chocolate and me are parting ways. I had cut it out in the transfer to veganism (milk chocolate is not vegan) and am not really searching to replace it. Bread however is a problem. I need to cut back. But it is yummy and so versatile.

20 Minutes! Congrats. Running for 20 straight is a big accomplishment!!! Where did you find this running program? I could browse through your archives but asking is so much easier.

That lunch looks freaking magical!

I hit a high point in my bike commuting today, I went both ways without stopping or walking my bike up an enormous hill, yeah! congrats on the 20 minutes!

jessie - I love to try new recipes, but I'm guilty of making a few favorites over and over as well. So I can't fault your mom for that. :) Oddly enough, bread and I have mostly parted ways - it wasn't really intentional, I just find myself not craving it as much anymore. I wish the same could be said for chocolate. :) And since you're feeling so lazy (I kid!), the running program I'm following is the Couch to 5K plan from coolrunning.com. It's a great way to ease into running.

jess - That's because fruit = magic. :) I've never biked seriously, mostly because I don't actually own a bike, but hills have always seemed like they would be problematic. I think it's so awesome that you commute via bike rather than car.

I'm thinking that as I get farther into veganism and actually cooking for myself - something which i avoided like the plague before - bread and I will be able to be separated. At the moment i'm a tad on the busy side bread is serving as the portion of the meal i dont have to cook.

That photo of the moong dal and samosas - so appetizing - yum! I actually love samosas in phyllo, so much lighter than fried... though there are days when having something fried just hits the spot! I think I just love phyllo pastry so put anything in there and I'm happy! Awesome photos on your blog, btw!

Hi! I've been lurking for a while now, enjoying your beautiful food photos, and found myself cheering for you when you announced reaching 20 minutes of running! That's really fantastic -- and, like Megan the Vegan said, that really IS the hardest part. Even when I'm in my best running shape, the first couple of miles are always the hardest. I think my body believes that if it rebels enough, I'll get back on the couch and turn on the TV! So once you mentally know you can make your body go at least 20 minutes, it becomes much easier to go the distance. Keep it up!

Aww, thanks! You're right, sometimes I really do think that my body just wants to get back on the couch. And then other times it feels so good to be up and moving. It's weird. :)

The beginning is always the hardest. If i can get off the couch and put the book I'm reading down then I'm allready halfway there. When I actually start the workout then I know I'll be fine because after the warmup I push myself to do well. But man, getting started is one hell of a hill to climb every time.