How Blogging Has Helped Me (And How It May Help You!)

While sharing this morning in one of the plant based/starchivore/low fat vegan Facebook groups that I frequent, I was asked the question: Has blogging helped me in my journey? The short answer … yes. The complete answer, however, turned out to be quite longer ... too long to want to post on a Facebook feed, thus this new blog post. Thank you, Cheryl L., for the inspiration.

First of all, I believe writing in general, i.e. journaling, blogging, helps with introspection and the working out of thoughts, feelings and emotions. For a person with food issues, who has been overweight literally all her life (obese her entire adulthood) and who comes from a history of food addiction and abuse*, introspection plays heavily into the journey. (*I’m referring here to me abusing food, not me being abused, though I have lived through the latter as well. That, however, is a subject for another post …  maybe.) 

Of course, I don’t put everything out there. There are some things just for the journal … some things just between me and my Maker. But I do try to be real and authentic in what I do put out there. And, hopefully, someone else may, at some time, find it helpful ... if they can actually find my blog.

Secondly, and something I really need to concentrate on, it helps me to look beyond myself and try to be an encouragement to others who may find themselves on the same journey by sharing tips and recipes, what has worked for me, etc. With no advertisements or affiliate links! (Sorry ... pet peeve of mine. Though it shouldn't be, I know. People gotta make a living.)

Thirdly, on those occasions when I feel less than enthusiastic about the food I'm eating, or am craving what many of the groups call "non compliant" food (Argh! I really don't like that terminology!), or when it seems that I haven’t had much progress, it helps to look back and realize that I’m certainly not in as much pain today as I was a month ago ... a week ago ... to recognize that not all changes will be visible. Some may be harder to discern, but they are there nonetheless.

It also helps me keep track of recipes I have tried, tweaked, and want to keep making. I want to do more of this in the future. Maybe Pinterest would make this easier … not sure. I kind of get caught up there ... sometimes ... as I do on Facebook or the internet ... sometimes. This spot is all mine. I won't get lost searching for hours here.

It provides a creative outlet for writing and photography. Are my photos food blog worthy? No ... emphatically no! Much as I enjoy arranging (playing with?) my food and choosing dishes to use for plating, and even though I have a strong desire (obsession?) to photograph my food, I have no talent in this area. I know this because I search many food blogs and see much, much better photos everywhere. I also have a daughter who is an extremely talented photographer ... something she did not get from me. I have even thought, perhaps, I should ask her to help me in this area, but it's the writing, the chronicling of my journey, not the food, that is my main focus here. That, I do believe, is a talent. (Though some may disagree.) And, as with all talents, I believe they improve, you improve and grow in them, the more you use them ... exercise them ... share them ... Don't hide them under a bushel!

So ... yes ... blogging has helped me. If reading this post, or any of the others, inspires you to begin your own, I say GO FOR IT! And, please, send me a link so we can encourage each other on the journey.

Out of Limbo and Losing Again!

The scale is finally moving in the right direction again ... downward! And I'm celebrating with pizza! Just kidding ... as a person with food issues, I no longer use food to celebrate these days. I've actually been celebrating the new digital display since yesterday when it registered 58 pounds gone! Finally a circumstance worthy of my happy dance. I've been in a little bit of limbo since the end of April ... a plateau, I guess. I had been fluctuating, up and down, between 54-56 pounds for a couple months. So jazzed to be losing again.

The pizza just happens to be today's lunch and an opportunity to try out a new recipe. Today's noon time meal answers the question: "Can you take 1 cup quinoa and 1 cup water and make an awesome fat free, gluten free pizza crust?" The answer ... OMGoodness, yes you can! I had been hearing about a two ingredient quinoa flatbread recipe in the Forks over Knives Facebook group and wanted to give it a try. Of course, as always, I made my own modifications, especially since I was going to use it as a pizza crust.

Quinoa Flat Bread/Pizza Crust

1 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried basil (if I had had fresh basil I would have just put in on top of the pizza, but I didn't)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse quinoa well in a fine mesh strainer (unless you have purchase a pre-rinsed brand. Kirkland from Costco is one such brand.) Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender. It should be like a thick pancake batter. Spread out on parchment paper or silicone mat (I used the latter). Use a spatula to smooth out and shape. Should be rather thin. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven, turn over and put back in for another 8 - 10 minutes. Be careful when turning so as not to tear. I had to use a spatula on the silicone mat to release. When I made it using parchment, that wasn't a problem, however the flatbread kind of ballooned up and wasn't exactly flat when I used parchment.

When done you can enjoy as is or make a pizza like I did. While the flatbread was baking I simply sautéed onions, red peppers and some shredded lacinato kale in a non stick pan and used that for my topping over a basic no oil marinara sauce. Sorry ... didn't write down that recipe. I then baked the whole thing for another 5-8 minutes and sprinkled some almond parmesan over it when it came out of the oven. So yum!

Vegan Parmesan

1/2 cup almonds (I used sliced almonds)

3 tbsp. nutritional yeast

1/4 tsp. garlic

1/4 tsp. salt

Process all ingredients in a blender until consistency you desire. Don't overprocess. This is awesome! I could eat it with a spoon. In fact, I did. I also used it on some Alfredo Zucchini yesterday.

Expanding My Horizons

This Southwestern Quinoa Salad is so simple and so yummy. And, it keeps in the fridge for at least three days. Maybe more. I’ve never had opportunity to test it for any longer. It tends to go fast in my household as does any Southwestern, Tex Mex, or Mexican dish.

I’m kind of new to the quinoa scene. I have previously made this salad with couscous, but I am expanding my grain horizons. Actually, technically, quinoa (pronounced “keenwah”) is not a grain at all. It is harvested from a species of a plant called goosefoot and is officially a seed. Grain … seed … my belly doesn’t care. It’s yummy and full of protein and fiber and I think I like this salad better with it rather than the couscous.

This dish is great for a household with plant based eaters and meat eaters alike, as it can easily be modified to incorporate some sliced rotisserie chicken (or grilled shrimp) on top for the latter. I have a latter … my husband. I no longer cook him any meat since going plant based August 2017, but he will often bring home a rotisserie chicken from Costco for himself.  I have even “forgotten” to include sliced chicken on the top for him and he still eats it. It’s pretty hearty and has everything he needs, even if he doesn’t realize it.  

southwestern quinoa salad

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 cup vegetable stock (or water)
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 ears fresh cooked corn (can sub canned or frozen)
• 1 can diced green chilis, mild
• Grape tomatoes (as much or little as you want)
• 2 avocados, cubed
• ½ cup chopped red onion
• ½ cup chopped red pepper
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp. cumin
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Before cooking the quinoa, be sure to rinse thoroughly, unless the package states pre-rinsed. (Kirkland brand from Costco is one that you don’t have to rinse.)
2. Add the rinsed quinoa to a medium sized pot and stir over medium heat until excess liquid is cooked off and quinoa is slightly toasted. Add the 2 cups of broth or water. Bring to a gentle boil, cover and simmer on low until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool.
3. While quinoa is cooking and/or cooling, dice onion and red pepper, cut grape tomatoes in half and cut (precooked) corn off the cob. Place in a large bowl.  
4. Drain and rinse the black beans and add to the bowl.
5. When quinoa is cool, add to the bowl and sprinkle cumin, garlic powder and chili  powder over the top. Adjust spices, more or less, to your taste.
6. Cube avocado and add to the bowl, pour lemon juice over all and toss together gently. Salt and pepper to taste. 

The lemon juice is the only thing you need to dress this yummy salad, and helps to keep the avocado from turning color. It works for at least three days, in my experience.

TIP: I love raw onion, but sometimes the taste is too in your face, harsh. To combat this, I boil water in a small sauce pan. When boiling I add the chopped onion, stir it around for 20-30 seconds, drain and rinse with cold water and dry on a paper towel. This leaves them with a more mild and enjoyable flavor.

Sharing the Love

Pure, plant based potato salad perfection here! No eggs, no oil, no sacrifice of flavor! The green olives, in my humble opinion, are what take this scrumptious salad over the top!  My first memory of green olives was when I was about 4, maybe 5, years old. My dad gave me one to eat and I remember the initial shock of that first bite and the assault on my taste buds. My response was to gag, cover my mouth and run around the house trying to find somewhere to spit it out. My dad’s response was to run behind me to make sure I didn’t spit, or worse, behind the couch. I suppose my palate was just too unsophisticated at that age to appreciate their awesomeness. 

I love ‘em now!  Pimento stuffed, garlic stuffed, blue cheese stuffed (before going plant based) unstuffed. Any way you have them, that’s the way I like ‘em. And, as I just discovered, I especially love them in potato salad!

I used the recipe from Brand New Vegan (link below) but, as always, I had to make my own modifications. I didn't have red pepper so I used some grated carrot just for some color. Looks like I could have used a little more. And, of course, I added some pimento stuffed green olives. I also, sometimes, like to add peas and/or kidney beans, but didn't this time. Instead of relish I chopped one huge dill pickle and left the chunks kinda big. I like my pickles also. 

For the dressing I added a little more pickle juice than it called for and a whole lot more mustard. Instead of brown sugar I used succanat. The dressing recipe is definitely a keeper and I can see it having more applications than just potato salad. This was a hit with my non plant based co-workers today. I took a picnic lunch in and this was one of the dishes I shared with them along with no tuna sandwich spread, veggies with tzatziki dip, edamame and for dessert ... donuts! Awesome, healthy donuts using a banana muffin recipe baked in silicone donut molds.


Recipe links: 
https://www.brandnewvegan.com/recipes/vegan-potato-salad
http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/vegan-tzatziki-239629 (omit the oil)
https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-no-tuna-salad-sandwich/#gs.1hGcdN4
https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/just-bananas-muffins/#gs.v9zVi=A

Girl Gone Wild

I was always a good kid when it came to fruits and vegetables. I have always enjoyed and eaten fruits and vegetables, in, what I believe to be, a good variety. However, that being said, never, ever, would I have considered eating fruit WITH vegetables (or vice versa) together in the same recipe. Not even touching on the same plate. No, no, no. Carrot and raisin salad? … uh uh. Waldorf salad? … no thank you. Spinach salad with strawberries? … oh heck no!

But look at me now. I have arrived. I feel like an adult … like I have finally graduated to the big people's table. I love gazing on the beauty that is my lunch today. A scrumptious, scintillating,  and yes, I think, sophisticated salad of baby spinach, baby kale and baby chard with roasted golden beets and zucchini, air fried breast of tofu, vegan feta* and RASPBERRIES!!! All dressed to perfection with a balsamic vinaigrette.** 

This isn't my first venture into the world of fruit and veggie salads. I have been enjoying them for a few weeks now. Ever since dipping my toes in the water with a kale and apple salad. And now … I’ve dived in head first and don't want to come up for air. I feel kinda like a girl gone wild … wild on plants that is.

* I didn't link to the recipe I used for the vegan feta, because, honestly, it was just OK. It was not one I would repeat, and therefore I can't recommend it. I will be searching for another recipe, however, and will let you know when I find a good one.  

**To the balsamic vinaigrette recipe I added a little agave to sweeten and some xanthan gum to thicken it. I have subsequently used this also on my kale and apple salad, instead of the lemon vinaigrette, and it rocks that as well!.

Shelving The Scale

My scale no longer resides in the kitchen, where, for years, I had kept it tucked under the baker’s rack so that I could, while trying to lose, weigh myself every week. Or, in truth, usually every other morning, or every morning, or even, sometimes, multiple times a day. Do you see the problem? I was far too fixed on its digital display … the blinking and the beeping as it counted down, me with my breath held until I received it’s assurance that I had been “good.” As if I could shed any noticeable amount of fat during any 24 hour period. Or worse, it’s earth shattering news of an increase.

When I was on those programs that had you weigh, measure and count your food I became obsessed with measuring and calculating  … not just counting points or exchanges, but also using food tracking software (in the days before apps) to tabulate grams of fat, carbs and protein along with vitamin and mineral intake. And the scale. The be all and end all of it all, it seemed, was the scale.

As I have been eating whole food, plant based, no oil (WFPBNO) these past eight months, I have been able to let go of most of that. I have been able to lose over 50 lbs. without weighing and measuring my food, without tracking points or grams of fats, carbs, protein. But the scale has stilled held far too important a place in this journey. I have allowed it to be the most important measure of my success. No more.

Dr. Doug Lisle has some good advice, based upon science, regarding the scale. You can see Chef AJ’s interview with him regarding this issue by clicking here.

After watching this interview I have, literally, shelved my scale. It now resides in my closet, on the top shelf. I may or may not allow it to measure my weight fluctuation in a month or so, but not my success. It will never again be a measure of my success. My blood pressure, my A1C, my loose fitting clothes, my increased energy, the lessening of pain and inflammation, beginning my day with veggies for breakfast, being an encouragement to someone else on their journey … these are the things that shall mark my success from now on.

What about you? How do you measure success?

The VFB (Veggies For Breakfast) Experiment Begins

Monday's breakfast: 1 lb. of veggies and 1 cup brown rice.

So today is day number five of veggies for breakfast or VFB, as Chef AJ calls it. To be precise: 1 lb. of veggies for breakfast … an experiment I started last Friday. I’m calling it an experiment, because I don’t want to commit at this point. Maybe I'll give it 30 days and see how it goes.

Friday I had broccoli. Saturday I had cauliflower. Sunday I had a mix of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. I tell you, frozen bags of veggies have really made this easy. Good thing, ‘cause I haven’t done much food prep. Yesterday (Monday) I again had broccoli, but it was only a 12 oz. microwaveable bag, so I sautéed some fresh onions, carrots and celery and riced cauliflower and added the broccoli after microwaving it. Kind of a fried rice dish, adding, of course, my thai peanut sauce (recipe below). I also added about 1 cup of cooked brown rice to that, but couldn’t finish it. Had the rest for lunch.

And this morning I brought a bag of microwaveable brussel sprouts to work, along with some thai peanut sauce and some leftover green beans from dinner. I figured I’d cook them when hungry and chow down. Along with the veggies for breakfast, I am trying to eat only when hungry. I have found that I am not always hungry first thing in the morning and that I often eat breakfast, and even lunch, when not hungry, but just because I think it’s the appropriate time to do so.

So, I did start getting hungry about 10:15 a.m. but then decided I’d rather wait until I go home at 11 a.m. for my two hour lunch break (I know … awesome huh?!) so I could saute or air fry the brussels (my favorite way of eating them!) instead of steaming … my least favorite way of eating them.

It’s now 11:15 a.m., I’m home and I am ravenous! Or, at least really, really hungry. I ate dinner last night early, before 6 p.m., so it’s been awhile. Yeah … I’m hungry. Strange feeling and even stranger realizing I haven’t felt this in, probably, years. Time to get cooking!

********************************

Simple Low Fat Thai Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup PB2 powdered peanut butter

2/3 cup water

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. ginger root, minced

1 tsp. sriracha sauce

1 tsp. maple syrup (optional)

1/2 tsp. xanthan gum (optional)

All all ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. I use my Vitamix and so do not have to mince garlic or ginger first. Makes approx. 18 servings of 2 tbsp. each. For a rice bowl I will probably use 1/4 cup. I list the maple syrup as optional because the PB2 does have some added sugar itself. The xanthan gum helps to thicken the sauce, but is also optional.

Recipe adapted from www.yummymummykitchen.com

Broccoli for Breakfast?!

Broccoli for breakfast! I ate broccoli for breakfast. A whole bunch. And when I say a whole bunch, I mean a whole bunch … a 1 lb. bunch of broccoli … for breakfast. That’s a first for me. I steamed it and drizzled some thai peanut sauce over it. By the time I got to the last couple of bites I was second guessing my decision, but I got through it. And I tell you, my two blueberry muffins tasted so much better afterward. Good thing I ate the broccoli first, ‘cause there’s no way I would have gotten to it after the muffins.

So, you may be wondering what prompted this particular breakfast this morning. Or, maybe not … maybe broccoli, or other veggies, are the norm for you when breaking your fast. Not me … I’m an oatmeal and fruit kinda gal. Anyway … I watched a Facebook live with Chef AJ and she mentioned how she eats 2 lbs. of green veggies every day, before other foods, and in addition to other veggies that she has with meals. And, regarding calorie density and satiety, it makes perfect sense to me to fill up on veggies before going to the more calorie dense foods like fruit and starches. And, as I already said, there wasn’t any way I would have chosen to eat broccoli after my blueberry muffins. Certainly not at breakfast, probably not at any meal. Once I’ve had something slightly sweet, that signals the end of it for me. Unless, however, I am not satisfied, fullness wise (satiety). And then ... I will go back, and back, and back to the sweet stuff.

I wasn’t clear if she eats the 2 lbs. all at once before breakfast, or splits it up through the day. I only had 1 lb. of broccoli (thank goodness!) so I just had that before breakfast. At lunch time I had only 10 oz. of broccoflower left, so I air fried that and ate it with some more thai peanut sauce. I actually wasn’t hungry for my entrée after that (kale and chickpea curry) and didn’t even eat it until about 2:30 p.m. I did notice today that I wasn’t snacking at my desk in the afternoon, nor did I come home at 4 p.m. feeling like I had to have another snack before dinner.

She (Chef AJ) also talked about the food addiction aspect, which really, I haven’t found addressed elsewhere. Not in the McDougall program, not at Forks over Knives. I am definitely going to do more research on her ultimate weight loss program. I do believe I am a food addict. Even eating plant based, and forgoing so many foods that I used to eat, I can still overeat, and have been doing so recently, on nuts, dried fruit, avocados. There’s something about sweet and fat (and salt) together that does something in my brain that is hard to turn off.

So that’s why I ate broccoli for breakfast this morning. And why I may do it again …probably will do it again. Veggies for breakfast. Makes sense to me. What about you? Do you veggie for breakfast?

Chopped in my kitchen

I don’t really plan out my meals before I prep for them. I know that probably seems silly to some, but I know the foods I enjoy and eat often, so I just prep those foods knowing that I will be able to incorporate them into some awesome meals and snacks during the week. That said, as it gets toward the end of the week, putting together a whole food, plant based, no oil meal for me can look like a round of Chopped. But I do enjoy a good episode of Chopped … on the tube and in my kitchen.

I showed you my fridge after meal prep on Monday. Yesterday (Saturday) there were some things I really needed to use up. I still had some mushrooms leftover from my Vegan Gyro, some roasted onions and peppers, some baked (actually steamed in the micro) whole red potatoes, some steamed broccoli, some plain brown rice, some assorted raw veggies, some hummus, a couple zucchini muffins and some brussel sprout and cranberry salad, which I had actually put together Friday night using the rest of the shaved brussel sprouts. I threw the hummus in the freezer in half cup servings. I had made it to go with the gyro and, at the time, I knew I was making too much for just me. Good thing it freezes well. The raw veggies I knew would be gone soon, as I primarily use them as vehicles to deliver tzatziki to my mouth. Which, by the way, was gone Thursday, so I made another batch. Love that stuff! (If you use the link for the recipe, omit the oil. It's not needed.)

I decided I’d use the potatoes, peppers and onions and mushrooms to make hash for breakfast. I was going to do it on the stove top, but then had the idea to use the oven … less hands-on time needed while I took care of a few chores. I cubed the potatoes and put them in a large bowl with the

Ready for the oven...

mushrooms and peppers and onions. Then, over the top of all, I sprinkled some garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, paprika and 1 tablespoon of oat flour. I imagine any other flour would work as well, it’s just what I had handy. Then I tossed it all together to coat all the veggies and spread it out on a cookie sheet, on top of parchment paper. Twenty minutes @ 425 degrees, stirring once half way through, then 5 minutes under the broiler to get them a little more brown and another experiment was a success! It may be that they would have browned more on their own if I had let them go longer, but I was getting hungry.

Lunch time took care of the brussel sprout salad and zuchinni muffins, and for dinner, I made fried rice using, of course, the brown rice, the broccoli, some of the raw veggies and some tofu that have been marinating since last night. All in all … I think I did pretty darn good this week. {Patting myself on the back.} Here’s a look at some of the plant based dishes I enjoyed through the week thanks to my plant based prepping:

Vegan Gyro with tzatziki and hummus

Pizza with  FOK spinach/artichoke dip and roasted onions and peppers

Veggie soup, kale and apple salad, sweet potato toast with FOK spinach/artichoke dip.

Air fried broccoflower with thai peanut sauce
I used PB2 instead of peanut butter in this recipe.

Burrito bowl.

Pineapple dessert: zucchini muffin topped with fresh pineapple
and dressed with coconut cream sauce
(soymilk, coconut extract and a little guar gum to thicken)

Veggie soup, kale and apple salad,
sweet potato toast with FOK spinach/artichoke dip

Veggie soup and gyro

Brussel sprout salad and zucchini muffin

Oven hash, sweet potato toast and pineapple

"Fried" brown rice with tofu and veggies

Rice bowl with air fried tofu and veggies, steamed veggies
and brown rice, topped with thai peanut sauce

I'll  hit The 99 Cent Store today to see what they have in the way of produce, then maybe Sprouts or Trader Joe's and tomorrow (I now have Mondays off) … I’ll start the prep work all over again … and again … and again.

Plant Based Planning

I wish my life was this organized! Did some food prep today (had the day off!) to ensure a successful plant based week. Black beans in the pressure cooker, brown rice in the rice cooker … they really cooked themselves. A pot of Italian vegetable soup and some steamed broccoli was a quick fix on the stove top. The hummus and tzatziki went super fast in the Vitamix. Roasted some bell peppers and baked zuchinni muffins in the oven. Cleaned, cut, diced and sliced a myriad of veggies and made a couple new recipes: Forks over Knives spinach artichoke dip and Vegan Gyros from Brand New Vegan. Not seen here are also some steamed whole red potatoes that are in my crisper drawer. I always keep some on hand for quick air fried potato wedges. Washing and cutting vegetables probably took the most time. Nope. Scratch that … clean up took the most time! But I am set for a successful few days.

So breakfasts this week will pretty much be my grab and go single serve oatmeal along with some type of grab and go fruit. During the week I usually eat breakfast at the office, at my desk.  Snacks will probably be zucchini muffins and raw veggies with a dip ... either tzatziki, hummus or the spinach artichoke. Or my newest, favorite snack airfried broccoli with a peanut dipping sauce.  For lunches and/or dinners I see many possibilities ... pizza, cheesy broccoli pasta casserole, burrito bowls, another gyro (have leftovers) or wrap, broccoli cheese potato, potato hash with roasted onions and peppers, maybe a pasta salad, soup and salad. I even have an idea for dessert involving zuchinni muffins and pineapple

Eating My Feelings

I think it’s time to whip up a batch of soft, creamy, garlicy smashed potatoes. With a side of corn … pure, plant based comfort food. I’ve been doing some emotional eating the past couple days. And I’d rather do the smashed potato route than continue to reach for the nuts and dried fruit (and, if I’m totally honest, vegan dark chocolate chips) that I’ve been indulging in. And yet … should I really be reaching for food if it’s comfort I am seeking? That’s my old way of dealing with things … something I still, and may always, struggle with. It’s just easier to shove something in my mouth than deal with the actual situation. That would take evaluation and introspection and dealing with feelings. Things could get messy. Smashed potatoes, on the other hand, are so much easier and way less messy … right?!

So here's my garlic smashes potatoes. I was out of corn, so a side of
green beans with air fried tofu and toasted slivered almonds filled in nicely.

A Peek In My Fridge

This is what my refrigerator looks like this week … well … at least the top couple shelves that are entirely mine. The rest I share with a husband, two dogs and five cats who do not eat whole food plant based. I try to prep food on the weekend to cut down on cooking time during the week. I love to cook, but sometimes don’t have the time on a weeknight so having some items ready to go really helps.

Usually I will have a row of single serve soup, but didn’t get around to making a pot this week. I did make a chickpea, spinach curry that you see on the far right (single serve entrees). Next to that is a row of beans, portioned in 1 cup mason jars and the rest is labeled as well. This week it’s mayacoba beans. Some weeks it’s black beans, or pinto beans. Tzatziki (left) has been my go to dip this past week or so. This is probably my third batch in the last 10 days. I sometimes switch out the dip for spinach dip or hummus.  

The kale and apple salad is also my third batch in the same amount of time. When I find something I like, I tend to repeat. I don’t need a lot of variety during the week. What you see here is usually what I have, with the addition of a soup … usually a creamy cauliflower or minestrone. Something heavy on the veggies. I’ve been doing salads more this week than soup. The amazing cauliflower taco meat is something I do, maybe every other week. When I make it I usually make a double batch and keep some in the freezer. Even though it’s called taco meat, it has many more uses. The muffins (bananna and oat) are a staple for breakfasts and snacks. Not pictured, on a lower shelf,  are a couple recent favorites that I’ve made twice in the past week or so, an amazing all purpose vegan cheese sauce and chia seed strawberry jam. The cheese sauce goes great on pasta, potatoes, toast, nachos, taco salad … and more!  I've tried to include all recipe links above. 

So … with these items on hand I’ve been able to put together some fast meals and snacks this week …

Taco salad.

Steamed red potato, broccoli and asparagus with cheesy sauce.

Cheese toast

Spinach, chickpea curry over brown rice.

Kale apple salad with soup.

Green smoothie and PBJ

Tzatziki with lavash crackers.

Wrap with salad greens, tofu bacon and avocado.

Spinach chickpea curry over quinoa with kale apple salad.

Nachos

Burrito bowl.

What's in your fridge?!

The Pink Bakery Box

As I sat at my desk this morning a trio of women came into the church to do some work. They brought with them a square pink box filled with assorted donuts. Well ...  I didn’t actually look in the box, but I assumed that it was a bakery box and inside were donuts of assorted flavors. Maybe some puffy glazed donuts, some chocolate glazed cake donuts with sprinkles, maybe a maple glazed bar, or a chocolate bar with custard, a maple glazed old fashioned, or, my favorite, an apple fritter! (Geez … why did I just go there?!) Anyway, one of the women confirmed my suspicions when she popped her head in the office and asked if I was eating donuts.  I replied, “No thank you.” She said, “OK” and retreated. I immediately felt as though my response was less than it could have been … should have been.

So, I tracked her down (upstairs) and told her I would like to change my answer about the donuts to, “Thank you, but no thank you.” And I let her know that I did appreciate her asking me. She responded that my answer had been fine. I’m glad it was for her, but it wasn’t for me. I realized that there had been no graciousness in my response. No gratitude and acknowledgement of her generosity in the offering. It was generous and it was thoughtful, even if I didn’t appreciate the food item enough to want to partake in it … even though I now view such  processed foods as garbage and (almost) evil (too much?!). Certainly a detriment to anyone’s health who would ingest them. However, there was a time, not all that long ago, when I would have said yes and gladly scarfed down two or three … in a single sitting. And then gone back for more when no one was looking.

I really did appreciate her offering me the donuts … giving me the choice. Because the flip side of that, and something I encounter all too often with “well-intentioned” folks who know I am eating a certain way and don’t understand (aka the “food police”),  are comments like: “You don’t want these, you’re vegan.” Or, “You can’t have these… you’re on a diet.” That’s the one I dislike most. First of all, it’s not a “diet,” it's a way of eating. Second, I can have anything I want … my choice as a consenting, consuming adult. And honestly, I didn’t want those donuts. I still don’t after having envisioned them and written about them in varying flavors and types. They didn’t get under my skin as they once would have. That’s what whole food plant based eating will do for you.

I’m down 52 pounds. Off one diabetes medication. On a lowered dose of meds for blood pressure. Off prescription NSAID’s for five days now and not in as much pain as I would have thought. Off cholesterol meds and no longer “craving” donuts or other unwholesome, processed (junk) foods. And … I can feel my xiphisternum. Yeah … I went there. Two weeks ago I didn’t even know I had a xphisternum (or xiphoid process). That’s the little bumpy place where your lower sternum meets your ribs. I thought I had found a tumor or growth but no … just my xiphoid process coming to the surface as the fat melts away. I also have these little indentations in my neck and décolletage area, around my clavicle, that I haven’t seen in years. Yup, that's what a whole food plant based no oil (WFPBNO) way of eating will do for you!

Salad for breakfast???

Definitely not the usual breakfast at my desk this morning.

It’s not a pretty picture, I know, but sometimes food is just fuel. It’s awesome when it’s more than that … delicious, beautiful, attractively plated, appropriate for the time of day you are ingesting it, etc., but sometimes you are running late for work and forgot to make overnight oats the night before. So you run to your freezer and find you are out of zucchini oatmeal muffins as well. Then what do you do?! You grab whatever you have, knowing it will be OK because anything you grab is going to be healthy since you cleaned out your refrigerator and cupboards of all junk foods months ago when you began this whole food plant based way of eating. And, if you were me this morning, this is what you had: kale and apple salad and some steamed baby Yukon gold potatoes … not normally what I would consider for breakfast, but what the heck.

I’ve never had kale for breakfast. Now, I know some people have green smoothies for breakfast that incorporate kale, but I’m really not a smoothie person. I prefer to chew my food. It wasn’t difficult to wrap my head around apples, cranberries and slivered almonds in a sweet lemon vinaigrette for the morning, but kale? Well … let’s just say it was along for the ride because of the super duper health benefits. And it didn’t disappoint. Pretty yummy! And, with the potatoes, kept me full until now ... lunch time. I just may plan on salad for breakfast tomorrow. What’s your weirdest breakfast?