Today was the much awaited Orlando VegFest. This is the first VegFest I have attended, but I have been anxiously awaiting it. I was so excited to go to a live event where I could be emerged in the vegan lifestyle and become rejuvenated. It was a very enjoyable experience. There were samples, demos and guest speakers...everything vegan. I found it pleasurable and replenishing. It is exactly what I needed to help get myself refocused on making a healthy lifestyle change for my family. This last month has been very rough, but I am ready to get back on, full steam ahead!
Of course it was perfect timing that the new, Oster, slow masticating juicer I ordered was being delivered to my house the same day. On the way home, we stopped for some produce, hit Walmart for mason jars and silicone straws and continued home to try out the new juicer. I think I am totally going to love this new juicer! We juiced a full bunch of kale, most of a stalk of celery, 2.5 cucumbers, 5 apples, a thumb size piece of ginger and a lemon. The yield was three 16oz mason jars filled to the brim. This will get us started for tomorrow morning. Tomorrow, we will try some other recipes and try to juice up enough to get us through Tuesday morning. Two of my daughters and myself will be juicing. Hope, who is 13 years old, will eat a vegan diet along with her juice. However, Megan, my 24 year old and I plan to juice exclusively. I would like to do a full 60 days and then have my bloodwork checked again to see if it will help lower my cholesterol.
I am excited to be refocused on my health and the health of my family. I am not 100% sure what caused me to stall so bad, but I am back on track and moving forward with changing our lives. I will continue to post about my juicing experience.
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Saturday, September 20, 2014
A New Twist on Raw Vegan
Today we tried the Veggetti, spiral vegetable slicer. It is a small gadget that cuts vegetables, such as zucchini, squash and cucumbers, into strips like spaghetti. I was very concerned that it would not taste so good. We had a tough time deciding what we wanted to dress our vegetti with and settled on a very natural spaghetti sauce. The sauce we ended up getting was called Monte Bene Farm Fresh and we went with the tomato and basil variety. It had very few ingredients in it and everything you would put into a homemade sauce. I had concerns that the kids may not be eager to eat the squash veggetti, so I also got a package of rice spaghetti to mix with it on their plates.
Well, let me tell you, we were all very pleasantly surprised! The kids ate their half & half spaghetti/veggetti with no comments or complaints. My 8 year old son said he could not tell which was which. This seemed odd to me because it had a very different texture with even a bit of crunch. I took that as his way of saying one was as good as the other. He cleaned his plate! Those of us who had only veggetti also loved this new twist on pasta. I am sure that this delicious sauce added to the enjoyment of the meal, but this was fabulous. I truly think I could go without ever eating spaghetti pasta again! This will most definitely become a regular weekly dish in my house :)
As for todays totals, I ended the day with 1111 calories breaking down as 85% Carbs, 8% Fat, 7% Protein. I walked for 2.8 miles today, trying to add in more exercise to help with improving my health, lifestyle and weight loss. Feeling better about these changes everyday, so glad I am back on and going to try hard not to get side tracked by processed food again.
Well, let me tell you, we were all very pleasantly surprised! The kids ate their half & half spaghetti/veggetti with no comments or complaints. My 8 year old son said he could not tell which was which. This seemed odd to me because it had a very different texture with even a bit of crunch. I took that as his way of saying one was as good as the other. He cleaned his plate! Those of us who had only veggetti also loved this new twist on pasta. I am sure that this delicious sauce added to the enjoyment of the meal, but this was fabulous. I truly think I could go without ever eating spaghetti pasta again! This will most definitely become a regular weekly dish in my house :)
As for todays totals, I ended the day with 1111 calories breaking down as 85% Carbs, 8% Fat, 7% Protein. I walked for 2.8 miles today, trying to add in more exercise to help with improving my health, lifestyle and weight loss. Feeling better about these changes everyday, so glad I am back on and going to try hard not to get side tracked by processed food again.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
The day after
This was my recovery breakfast. I decided on a high antioxidant meal to try to offset the carcinigens that were definitely in last nights campfire dinner. It was 2 bananas, a kiwi fruit, a cup of raspberries and a cup of blueberries. DELICIOUS :)
I was so surprised to get through the night without feeling ill, but believe me, I did not escape the perils of last night's toxic meal!! This evening, about 24 hours after, I got so sick. I had severe cramps and awful diarrhea. On top of that, I felt parched all day. I just could not get enough to drink. I am certain that came from the outrageously high sodium in the hot dogs and beans. My weight was up this morning and I know I am going to be paying for that meal for days to come :(
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Campfire chEATing
Today we had another cheat day but did not keep vegan. My grand-daughter was wanting a campfire meal like we had a few years ago for her birthday. In an attempt to make it as healthy as possible, I got Applegate turkey hot dogs to roast over the campfire. Of course no weenie roast can be complete without smores.... so I also got marshmallows, some gluten free short bread cookies and some mini Ghirardelli caramel chocolate squares. We also had baked beans.
I am already feeling guilty about this meal and hoping that I do not get sick since I have not had any meat in 2 weeks, nor processed food. It sure made the kids happy while we were roasting though. These are the moments that are hardest to find replacements for. I will have to search for replacements for this sort of family activity in the vegan world because I already know we do not want to do this again. I am super thirsty from the salt content and the meal was not really gratifying while eating, only the process of making it together as a family was fulfilling (and I did not even participate in the roast due to the mosquitoes).
Even with the cheat meal, I only had just over 1200 calories today. This is just proof to me that a calorie is not a calorie, because I know that if I had a meal like this on a regular basis I would gain all the weight I have lost back and continue to gain more even with keeping the calories in my proper range.
I am already feeling guilty about this meal and hoping that I do not get sick since I have not had any meat in 2 weeks, nor processed food. It sure made the kids happy while we were roasting though. These are the moments that are hardest to find replacements for. I will have to search for replacements for this sort of family activity in the vegan world because I already know we do not want to do this again. I am super thirsty from the salt content and the meal was not really gratifying while eating, only the process of making it together as a family was fulfilling (and I did not even participate in the roast due to the mosquitoes).
Even with the cheat meal, I only had just over 1200 calories today. This is just proof to me that a calorie is not a calorie, because I know that if I had a meal like this on a regular basis I would gain all the weight I have lost back and continue to gain more even with keeping the calories in my proper range.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Market Day
Off to the market to replenish our produce stock today. What a beautiful, colorful site my kitchen counter is!
The entire family is really loving the added fruits. I feel as though everyone is healthier and we are truly off to a great start on our lifestyle change :)
I had a hard time today eating enough calories. Ended the day with only 807 calories breaking down as 85% Carbs, 7% Fat, and 8% Protein. Gonna keep working on it.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Almost raw breakfast for the kids
You may be wondering how the kids are making out with our Adventures in the Raw. I am not being near as strict with them as I am with myself. I am taking it slower and giving them time to adjust and they are doing wonderful with the changes.
One of their favorite breakfast meals is overnight oats. I have started getting the most out of my empty jars of peanut butter and jam by using them to make overnight oats, this allows for the oats to get flavored by the leftovers on the side of the jar that you just cannot get off. My kiddos LOVE this!
Yesterday, they finished a jar of applesauce and I used the jar to make a batch of overnight oats for them. In my recipe, I use old fashioned oats and almond milk. It is a 2/1 ratio or I often even just eyeball it. I need enough milk to completely cover the oats as they will expand overnight. I also add 1 tablespoon of chia seeds per cup of oats. With our Applesauce Oats, I served them in the morning with a dash of cinnamon and some raisins sprinkled on top. It was a HUGE hit!!
Give it a try in your house, even if you are not trying to make a full change to Raw of Vegan, this is an easy way to have a delicious, nutritious breakfast. And did I mention that since the prep is done the night before, there is no time lost in the morning accept to pour it into a boal and add toppings. It could even been eaten right out of a small jar :)
One of their favorite breakfast meals is overnight oats. I have started getting the most out of my empty jars of peanut butter and jam by using them to make overnight oats, this allows for the oats to get flavored by the leftovers on the side of the jar that you just cannot get off. My kiddos LOVE this!
Yesterday, they finished a jar of applesauce and I used the jar to make a batch of overnight oats for them. In my recipe, I use old fashioned oats and almond milk. It is a 2/1 ratio or I often even just eyeball it. I need enough milk to completely cover the oats as they will expand overnight. I also add 1 tablespoon of chia seeds per cup of oats. With our Applesauce Oats, I served them in the morning with a dash of cinnamon and some raisins sprinkled on top. It was a HUGE hit!!
Give it a try in your house, even if you are not trying to make a full change to Raw of Vegan, this is an easy way to have a delicious, nutritious breakfast. And did I mention that since the prep is done the night before, there is no time lost in the morning accept to pour it into a boal and add toppings. It could even been eaten right out of a small jar :)
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Vegan Cheat Day!
Yesterday was a CRAZY busy day making it very hard for me. Not to make raw vegan choices, but to have time to eat in general and get enough calories in. It was overall a bad day totaling less than 1000 calories.
Today, I did not feel good at all when I woke up. I had a terrible headache that I had actually fallen asleep with and I had absolutely no appetite. I did not feel like eating at all. It was 11:00 until I forced myself to eat a plate of 2 sliced bananas, 1 mango, and 1 kiwi. It tasted delicious but I just did not feel hungry. I did snack on 2 bananas throughout the day as well. Come dinner time, I was really hungry! I decided to treat myself with a vegan cooked meal, something very satisfying.
I made some thin wedges of red potatoes and roasted them in the oven while cooking up a batch of vegetarian taco filling and served them both up over a large bed of lettuce. It was delicious! Definitely hit the spot. The small amount of oil on the potatoes put me up to 16% fat for the day but it was worth it and I will make up for it the rest of the week by returning to the low fat, raw, vegan lifestyle I have been living for the past 10 days.
I cannot believe that I am 1/3 through the month already with no real desire to go back to my old habits. I really think this may be the diet I could live on :)
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