Vegan Kickstart: Day Two

Today's menu was really simple and enjoyable, a welcome reprieve from all of the cooking I've been doing. 

Breakfast: Cereal, plant milk (your choice), and banana and berries. Since I'm not normally a cereal person, I had to run to the grocery store before breakfast, so I just grabbed a banana to tide me over.  I chose Wholefoods 365 - Bite-Sized Wheat Squares with almond milk, pretty tasty but nothing photo-worthy.

Lunch: Hummus and Sundried Tomato Wrap and cup of leftover Curried Tomato Lentil Soup (leftover from yesterday's lunch)

 


The cool crispness of the wrap was a nice compliment to the spice of the soup, great combination. I never knew making my own hummus was so easy, why bother with store-bought?

Snack/Dessert: Ginger Banana Smoothie.  I decided to save this for after-dinner dessert, delicious! I love ginger but never would've thought to put in a fruit smoothie, brilliant! I was kinda hungry in the mid-afternoon so I had a big tossed salad with 1/4  cup of the baked chickpeas from yesterday. 

Dinner: Moroccan Bean Stew with Sweet Potatoes with side of Couscous
Just as yummy the second time around, and the couscous makes it such a hearty meal.

Sorry for the lack of pics today, have been catching up on household chores, running errands, etc. Hopefully tomorrow will hold more photo op's. I'll leave you with this, my food log for the day, in case you're interested in the nutritional analysis for the Kickstart.

Vegan Kickstart: Day One

I hesitate to share a pic of last night's Moroccan Stew with Sweet Potatoes because the photo doesn't do it justice. It's not an especially pretty stew (are they ever?) and unlike the Ormond house, the lighting here stinks! But it was so delicious, so please look beyond the image. Everyone liked it, from the vegans (Kristyn & me) to the omnivore (Chip) to the fledgling vegetarian.  Glenn ooh-ed and ahh-ed his way through every bite, said he he enjoyed it immensely.




So, today was the first official day of the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart.  Since I had already done the shopping for the first couple of days, I was prepared and ready to roll once breakfast time came around.



Breakfast, Day One: Green Apple Oatmeal. I used Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk as the liquid, adding a few calories but between that and the sprinkling of Saigon cinnamon, it tasted almost like apple crumble! Surprisingly filling, and just over 200 calories. What a deal!



Lunch, Day One: Balsamic Zucchini Sandwiches and Curried Tomato Lentil Soup. Now, I am not a big fan of balsamic vinegar. Not sure why, it just doesn't tickle my fancy, so I substituted red wine vinegar instead. Oh, my, goodness, this was sooo yummy! All around wonderful soup & sandwich combo, and let me tell you, I was stuffed afterward!



The rest of the Day One menu included a snack of Oatmeal Banana Bites and Fettucine with Grilled Asparagus, Peas and Lemon for dinner, with Baked Marinated Chickpeas. Knowing Chip's lack of affection for peas, along with the fact that we are going out to meet some friends this evening, I decided to forego the Fettuccine recipe.  I did, however, make a batch of the Chickpeas and plan to enjoy them as a snack or a salad topping later.  As for the Banana Bites, I honestly don't think I need any baked goods in the house right now. If I have a craving for something sweet, I'd rather go for the actual banana or other fruit. 

If you're following along and have made any of today's recipes, I'd love to hear from you!

Quickies and My Ex-Husband

April 1984 - barely a baby bump of Kristyn

That got your attention, huh? Well, it's not exactly as it sounds..my ex-hubby #1, Baby Daddy to my first born daughter, is still a very big part of my life even though we've been divorced for 25 years.  He lives within walking distance of my home down south, enabling him to spend lots of time with Kristyn.  Not only is he one of my closet friends in the world, he's also an awesome daddy and, when needed, excellent pet sitter.  We have an unusual situation here in that..hope you're sitting down..he and my current hubby are best friends and have been for 40 years.  Yes, you read that right. I'll spare you the long soap-opera-ish story, but if you're bored curious enough, you can read about it at my old blog.  Anyway, Glenn and Chip are best friends. Glenn and I are exes. My kids love them both.  We're one big messy, happy hippy family, and it's all good. Very good.  But I digress..

Chip & Glenn, still crazy after all these years

Without invading his privacy too much, I'll tell you this: Glenn has some health issues that have caused us all a bit of concern, and he is making some lifestyle changes in order to combat those.  This past week he made the announcement that he's decided to become (mostly) vegetarian. Well, knowing how much this Italian loves his sausage (the meat, get your mind out of the gutter!), we were understandably shocked! Then, thrilled. And then, being the control freak ex-wife that I am, I started planning.  Knowing that the bachelor won't cook a lot for himself, Kristyn and I put our heads together and decided to help.  Since his doctor wants him to limit white, starchy foods (yay!), we're going to introduce him to some healthy grains he's never tried, such as quinoa.  To his advantage, Glenn is a huge veggie lover so I honestly think the transition will be easy as, well, spinach pie! My dream is that he becomes like Chip (in this one area only) and is a vegetarian at home, indulging on an occasional dinner out.

So, with all of that in mind, you're wondering...ok, where does the Quickie part come in? Here goes: since I'm trying to lose weight and could use a bit more structure, I've decided to go back to the basics with Dr. Barnard's 21-Day Kickstart, or what I refer to as Quickstart.  All of the basics of a plant-based diet are covered here, including menu plans, recipes, etc.  I am going to follow the plan as closely as possible for the next 21 days, sharing meals/recipes with Glenn as much as he wants.  I doubt he'll want to spend every dinner at our house, but even if he just gets a few "doggy bags" per week it'll certainly be better than nothing.  As Chip and I will be "home" for at least a month, it seems like the perfect timing!

Now, the Quickstart is really for new vegans so if you haven't switched to a plant based diet, this is a great opportunity for you to do so! I'll be posting/reviewing the recipes as I go along, should be a wonderful experience for all of us.

I'll be shopping and planning this afternoon, will start the Quick Start with the first dinner recipe tonight: Fettuccine with Grilled Asparagus, Peas and Lemon. Hope you'll join us on this new fun-filled challenge!

Note: Due to unexpected time constraints this afternoon (damned flat tire!), I'll be making a recipe from Day Two of the Kickstart, using what I have on hand.  Pop back in tomorrow for a review of the Moroccan Bean Stew with Sweet Potatoes.

Happy Mother's Day

Magical, Heart-felt, mostly-handmade gifts from my children

I had a wonderful Mother's Day, hope you did as well.  My family members traveled various distances to meet at the Ormond Beach house to celebrate, can't remember the last time all of us were under one roof! Even Dad managed to break away from his job and join us. For the first time ever, I requested a 100% vegan menu. Though my family is in various stages of veganism, I am rather lenient about other people bringing their own meat dishes, but the more I embrace my own compassionate lifestyle, the less comfortable I am with animal products being in my home. I figured Mother's Day was the perfect day to take a (gentle) stand.

We began the day with a trip to the flea market farmer's market, grabbed a whole bunch of veggies for next to nothing (love the $1 bags of "slightly bruised" goodies!).

Beautiful Daughter

Another Beautiful Daughter & Grand-dog

Yet Another Beautiful Daughter!

Our meal consisted of various veggie burgers & sausages, tossed salad, bean salad, corn, vegetable skewers, baked potatoes, corn on the cob and grilled pineapple.

Veggie Skewers

Burger Fixin's

Triple Bean & Artichoke Salad

Grilled Pineapple

The whole she-bang

the menfolk surveying the spread

I got my intense love of veggies from my Dad

A good time was had by all, and not a single omnivore complained about the lack of meat on the table. I am so pleased, think this might be the beginning of many more veg-only family celebrations! 

Virtual Vegan Potluck: Triple Bean & Artichoke Salad

It's finally here, the moment hundreds of vegans across cyber-space have been waiting for: The third Virtual Vegan Potluck! I'm know you're as excited as I am, because where else can you find a virtual smorgasbord of delicious plant-based dishes, from appetizers to desserts, presented to you by the finest veggie food bloggers? If you're following along from the beginning of the pot luck, you've already whet your appetite with tantalizing appetizers and thirst-quenching beverages, so let's move on to the salad, shall we?

When I participated in the Potluck last November, I chose a seasonal favorite of mine, Moroccan Slow Cooker Stew.  While that was perfect for the chilly autumn weather, we're now experiencing warmer temperatures, especially here in the Sunshine State.  The late spring and summer months beg for light & easy dishes, salads that can stand in as the main meal as well as side dishes, casually enjoyed on the patio or poolside.  The salad I've chosen has long been a family staple, present at many a baby shower, graduation party, pot luck and barbeque. My friends rave about it and I promise that yours will, too! The best part: it has only a handful of ingredients and takes only moments to prepare.  How awesome is that? Toss this together an hour before guests arrive and it'll be marinating to perfection while you tend to the rest of your menu. I like it alongside veggie burgers and roasted corn, or over a bed of lettuce for a lighter main meal.  However you serve it, this salad will be a welcome addition to your next summer soiree.  So pour yourself a glass of fruity Sangria or fresh lemonade, stand back and enjoy the compliments! 

 

Triple Bean & Artichoke Salad

(print friendly)

Ingredients

• 1 can (15-ounces) Great Northern Beans, drained
• 1 can (15-ounces) Chickpeas, drained
• 1 can (15-ounces) Black-Eyed Peas, drained
• 18 ounces Marinated Artichoke Hearts, quartered
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 3 to 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl; blend thoroughly.
2. Chill for at least an hour before serving to allow flavors to mingle. 
3. Serve over a bed of lettuce if desired.   

 


For more scrumptious salads, you don't miss the wonderful blog that precedes mine, Luminous Vegans, and the awesome one ahead, Barefoot Essence.

To start at the beginning of the potluck (and you know you do!), go here.  

Big kudos to Vegan Bloggers Unite, it's been so much fun exploring other marvelous vegan blogs, thank you the inspiration!

Enjoy!

Michele~

Quckie Weekend Recap

Long story short, we had to pack up ourselves, 3 cats and the dog yesterday, put everyone into multiple cars (thank you, Brynna for driving over from G'ville to assist!) and head south.  Chip has a work project in Ft Lauderdale that requires his presence for about 6 weeks, so you'll find me posting our South Florida adventures for a while.  I have mixed emotions, there are things I love about each location..bittersweet, but I'll adapt and bloom where I'm planted, as they say. The cats, however, were less than thrilled about being tucked into crates for the ride, and I have the scratches to prove it!

So, my eating plan was a bit off yesterday and as a result I'm feeling like crap this morning. I did my best under the circumstances (on the road, no "Michele" food in the house once we arrived, etc) but today will definitely be all about shop/prep/regroup.



I forgot to take a breakfast pic, hope Allan will forgive me and not toss me out of the challenge..grin..but lunch was a beautiful take-out salad from Tijuana Flats.  No shell, no dairy, just veggies & black beans, probably under 300 calories.  This was my homage to Cinco de Mayo; I did not eat one single chip, nor did I have even a sip of the frozen margaritas Kristyn made.  Before you give me any kudos, though, check out the happy hour/early dinner I consumed:



I have no idea how many pieces of pita I ate, nor how much hummus.  I didn't finish the whole thing, brought home leftovers, but between the food & the wine, I'm sure it was more calories than allotted.  Oh, well.

Later that evening we sat out by the pool where I had another glass of wine and gave in to the kids' offer of Chinese food take-out. Groan.  I had some Szechuan tofu and a HUGE pile of veggies; again, no clue how many/much calorie-wise. It was too dark on the patio to take pics, and at that point I was in the "whatever" frame of mind, stressed out and allowing that to be an excuse to overeat.  I did not have the (fried) spring rolls, though, so there's that small pat on my back.

Wait, that's not all! Let's not forget the pizza we ordered Saturday night when Brynna and Jon rolled into town..no cheese, just crust & veggies, but still..calorie count? Who knows. This is why I hate eating out!



So, there you have it.  Not the best choices, but not the worst, time to count my losses (er...gains?) and move on!

The best part of South FL is my daughter and her boyfriend who stay in my house; this week I have the added bonus of Brynna & her boyfriend visiting. Two out of three kids under one roof = one happy mama! I'm looking forward to cooking for someone other than Chip and myself, sorting through recipes now and then will be heading to the grocery store.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend, Happy Monday!

On My Hearth: Slowcooker Lentils with Tomatoes

I reuse pasta sauce jars to store many pantry items, the best kind of recycling!

Ah, the lowly lentil; how do you all feel about them? Myself, I love 'em, as do the majority of my family (except for Chip who says the consistency reminds him of..you guessed it, peas!). These little legumes are so good for you; high-fiber, low-calorie, chock-full of protein and virtually no fat, they should be a part of every diet, vegan or not. However, if they aren't cooked properly or seasoned well, the lentil can be rather, well, bland. Over the years I've prepared them in various ways, most commonly as an addition to soups & stews.  Sometimes, though, I just want a bowl of beans & rice, nothing fancy. Simple doesn't have to be boring, though, and this recipe below proves just that! 

Note: the original recipe called for cooking on the stovetop, but you all know how much I love my crock-pot so I adapted it for slow cooking. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Slowcooker Lentils with Tomatoes

(print friendly)

Ingredients 1 to 2 tsp Better than Bouillon vegetable flavor (or vegetable bouillon of your choice) 1/2 of a medium onion, diced 1 cup lentils, rinsed 2 cups water 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted) 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp grated fresh ginger (I used a little more 'cause I love it!) 1 tbsp curry powder 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (I used parsley this time as it's growing like wild in my herb garden!) Directions Saute onion & garlic w/a splash of water or vegetable broth over medium-high heat until softened but not browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Put onion, garlic, lentils, water, bouillon, tomatoes, ginger & spices into slow cooker. Cook on high for about 4 hours, or on low 6 - 8 until lentils are tender. Add additional water if needed, you're going for a stew-like consistency. Serve over rice or couscous (not included in nutritional analysis). Just before serving, stir in lemon juice & garnish with cilantro. Note: Vegetable broth may be substituted for the bouillon & water.  Makes 6 servings, approximately 1 cup each. Nutrition Info: Calories: 86.1 Fat: 0.4g Carbohydrates: 17.0g Protein: 4.2g  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ VeganGypsy says: Ok, these were hands down the best lentils I've ever eaten, seriously! I think the combination of the spices along with the bouillon (don't scrimp on this, please!) provided the perfect savory environment for the humble little lentil! The flavors blended so nicely in the crock-pot and allowed the legume to cook slowly to it's ideal soft-but-not mushy consistency.  Omni-Hubby Says: No, thank you, maybe I'll try them another time. (with a straight face, attempting not to grimace at the bite being offered him)  I plan to double this recipe next time so that I can stock the kids' refrigerators as well as mine. If you try the recipe, please let me know what you think; I suspect you'll never look at lentils the same way again!