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!

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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