New Year's Eve

Oatmeal with apples

exercise

oatmeal with apples and maple syrup

polenta with bean paste and salsa
bran muffin
cookie
coffee and tea
9 cups of water
smoked tofu
brown rice and curried chickpeas
2 hershey kisses
rye and ginger 

Driving and eating

Driving family members hither and yon so started the day with some potato, then exercised, then had smoked tofu and some sweet potato.
A late morning social visit had our host serving us Persian tea and plates of cookies and chocolate of which I ate some (5 or 6 chocolates and three cookies)

Lunch was at a tandoori restaurant and I had a spinach and potato dish, curried chick peas, rice, lettuce and naan.
A late afternoon latte. Just realized that was dairy! Old habits still linger : )

December 29th

19 years ago today I got married! It was sleety and cold, but the wedding was in a tropical plant filled atrium so was warm and elegant. no meal, but a afternoon tea of cream filled cakes and sweets. I happened to weigh my lowest ever adult weight but was also working out daily and under eating,

Today we are going out for lunch and I will try to order as plant based as possible and will report back in.
Breakfast was white and sweet potato with fresh salsa.

Lunch was plant  based! Yeah me! hummus and pita, olives, dal, salad and coffee.
Had an orange and  an ounce of chocolate at home.
Later some rye bread with peanut butter and apple slices.

Slow cooker baked ( steamed?) potato

Wrap some washed potatoes in aluminum foil, enough to fill your crock pot ,and set on high for 3 - 4 hours or low 6 - 8 hours. I cooked 2 sweet potatoes and 6 white and cooked for 3 1/2 hours on high. The sweet potato were very soft and the white ones  were perfectly cooked. 

Inspiration comes in many forms

Finished The China Study, read the McDougall website, regretted giving away my 20+ year old copy of The McDougall plan that I had.  I am going to do the 10 day mini plan starting Dec. 31- every meal is basically the same - a starch vegetable and yellow/green vegetables and fruit when preferred. With these cold winter days baked potato, hash browns, sauteed potato slices with grilled peppers, potato soup, mashed potato and freshly steamed vegetables will be welcome meals.

Today, up early for a winter walk, coffee and oatmeal and hemp seeds. Off to groove it to Sports Alive.

It feel so good to be back on track with my food. That plus a few days of moderate exercise and I feel so much better.

Meal 2  was homemade vegetable soup, orange pepper with mashed beans as a dip, 1/2 litre of water

Meal 3  was a banana and some leftover oatmeal, mandarin orange and some rye bread, and 1/2  litre of water

Meal 4 was rye bread and peanut butter and water

Meal 5 was brown rice with curried chickpeas and spinach, 3 slices of chocolate orange

Trying for 100% plant based today

Woke early so read some  more of The China Study which strengthened my resolve to keep trying to move towards plant based eating.
Started the day with a litre of water and  had a banana and an apple and put some oatmeal to soak until I feel hungry again.

Getting closer to better eating : )
had the oats with some applesauce
some raw pepper slices with mashed pinto beans
some homemade vegetable soup with limpe and margarine
more soup, leftover oatmeal with soy milk and an apple
4 small dried fruit/ground nuts/hemp seeds rolled into balls
1/2 a whole wheat bagel with a schmear of peanut butter and a small glass of Lillet aperitif
1/2 slice of chocolate orange and a bite of shortbread cookie.

End of day analysis - just the bite of cookie and candy had some dairy ( and were the least useful calories consumed).

Felt pretty good and got in some exercise. Finished the China study and have absouely no concerns about eating vegan. Bought some b12 and vit d.

off to a nice start

hot cereal with raw pears and hemp seeds for breakfast.

Got out of the house first thing to get to a bank and then shovelled a bit of ice off the steps. Just being outside can improve your mood.

raw pepper strips
green apple slices
more cooked cereal with homemade applesauce
limpe (swedish rye bread) with low fat cheese
limpe with margarine and jam
leftover roasted root vegetables
butternut squash stuffed cannelloni
1 piece toblerone
1 slice Chocolate orange
1.2 chocolate cupcake - started it, then dumped the rest in the garbage
plus an Easy level workout on EA Sports Alive for Wii

Not necessarily a great day of eating for losing weight, but a better day in terms of less refined sugars. Salut!

need a plan

Talking to diabetic relative today who in passing mentioned how much better  their  blood sugar was controlled when  travelling and eating on schedule. Also that when they went for a 30 minute walk their blood sugar dropped to normal. I know I felt the best when I ate a very routinized pattern of breakfast lunch dinner and two snacks, one at 3:30 and one at 8 p.m.

So tomorrow my main goal is to eat regular foods, oatmeal, fruit, vegetables, hemp seeds, maybe some soy milk and start to return to a regular eating schedule.

Also, I bought EA Sports Active for Wii and that as been a fun way to start exercising again. So far just 20 minutes at a time but so much more than the past few months.

December 25th truthful accounting of food eaten

1/2 of weight watcher bagel with peanut butter and jam and coffee with soy milk
several slices of Terry's chocolate orange
chili cheese hot dog
crackers with warm brie
Christmas cookies
aperitif type wine
butternut squash stuffed cannelloni
roasted root vegetables
Brussels sprouts
about an ounce of beef
buche de noel cake with meringue decorations x  slices
coffee
 Smart pop popcorn
terry's chocolate orange slices


Oatmeal, quinoa flakes and oat bran soaking for breakfast tomorrow. it will be a relief.

Christmas Eve

Went out for late lunch and ordered a noodle and vegetable bowl but have not stayed plant based today as I had some dairy.

Started reading the China Study and know that I will have to do some planning and prepping to return to plant based after December 25th.
Merry Christmas to anyone reading!

late night musings

Yesterday went fairly well. Had to buy a Lara bar while out shopping because I forgot my snack. Picked up a copy of the China Study from the library today - I have been on the  wait list for it for months. Plant based is harder right now so I am going to do two plant based meal a day and the third one can be whatever it ends up being with the family.

We bought EA Sports Active yesterday for the Wii and everyone tried a workout. Just two days of extra activity made me feel better.

Lentil soup, limpe ( Swedish rye bread ) on the menu today.

Eating Challenges at Christmas

Well, it is all a challenge so, my best bet is to commit to posting about my days food throughout the day as a way of tracking. One great thing about this blog is that it is private ( as in, almost no one reads it) but public enough to make me feel accountable ( in case someone reads it)

4 holiday food focused days ahead - and I am primarily concerned with not over eating and not so much just vegan eating for the moment.
Breakfast)was a 1/2 serving of vanilla chai Vega shake ( hate that stevia after taste. Why do they oversweetened things?), sliced  pears, shredded wheat, soy milk ( heated).

Homemade lentil soup, a slice of homemade rye bread with margarine and 4 medjool dates.
Out shopping today so will take a 1/2 serving of Vega shake mixed with water and a few almonds.

Transitional eating

It is been harder to stick to a plant based diet since the cold weather hit here. Up until mid September I was buying local produce from a farmer that set up a stall nearby. I am back to my usual apples, oranges and bananas from the grocers. Meat and dairy has crept back in, not in large amounts but enough to make me think about how I am going to do this. I also seemed to be veering towards a grain and bean heavy diet and not many vegetables or fruit.

Yesterday I bought a tray of pre cut and cleaned vegetables and just having that on hand increased my vegetable intake.

I used to like mixing grains, dairy and fruit ( yogurt,  berries and raw oatmeal) and maybe just need to look at what were my staples and see if I can make them vegan.

Lemon Chick pea soup

2 onions, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, chopped
6 cups veggie boullion
1 t. tumeric
1 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. cayenne
1 potato, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 can (28-oz.) tomatoes, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 cup cooked noodles, any kind
1 can chickpeas,drained, or 2 c. cooked chickpeas
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. Italian parsley, chopped
2 T. mint leaves, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
 
Bring onion, celery, red pepper, and 1/2 c. of the boullion to a boil
in a large pot. Simmer about 10 minutes to soften the veggies. Add
the remaining boullion, spices, potato, carrots, and tomatoes; simmer
20 minutes. Stir in zucchini, noodles, chickpeas, and lemon juice,
and cook 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley, mint and pepper before
serving.

 6-8 servings.

Coconut Beans and Rice in the Slow Cooker

2 cups brown rice
1 x 14 ounce can light coconut milk
1 x 28 ounce can red kidney beans
1/2  teaspoon allspice
1 cup chopped onions
2 cups water

Place all ingredients in slow cooker, mix and set on low for 4 - 6 hours.

Squash and couscous in the slow cooker - vegan

2/3 cup chopped, dried apricots
1 1/2 cups boiling water
6 cups cubed butternut squash (1" pieces)
7 ounce box of lemon and spinach couscous ( I used Casbah brand)
2 tbsp pine nuts or hemp seeds

Combine apricot and 1 1/2 cups boiling water in a small bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. Drain, reserve 1 cup of the water. Transfer apricots to 4 to 5 quart slow cooker.

Add squash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low 6 - 7 hours, or, on High 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until tender.

Combine couscous with reserved water. Add to squash mixture. Stir gently. Cook covered, on High,  for 10 minutes, until couscous is tender and water is absorbed.

Sprinkle with pine or  nuts of hemp seeds.
Makes 7 cups

1 cup 270 calories, 5.7 grams fat (2.2 Sat) 54 carbohydrate, 6 g fibre, 7 g protein, 375 mg sodium.

Slow cooker Barley Primavera Casserole (dairy)

This is a slow cooker meal that requires an additional step 30 minutes before serving. Creamy and filling with a rich flavour and a nice chewy bite from the barley,  it was a nice dinner all on its own.


Ingredients
2 cups pot barley
6 cups water
3 bouillon cubes
4 cups mixed vegetables.  I used a frozen Italian mix that I thawed.
1 1/2 cups Alfredo pasta sauce


Put the barley, water and bouillon cubes into the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 - 6 hours, or, 2 1/2 - 3 hours on high. Stir in the vegetables and Alfredo sauce and heat for another 30 minutes. Serve.


Makes 12 cups.
1 cup 270 calories, 12.7 fat ( 5.8 sat), 34 g. carbohydrate, 6 g. fibre, 6 g. protein, 577 mg sodium

Vegetarian Chili in the slow cooker - Fast and Easy recipe

2 cups kidney beans
1 cup frozen corn
1 large can diced tomato
1 tsp - tbsp chili powder
1 bouillon cube of choice
2 cups diced celery, carrot and onion, any proportion to taste
1 tbsp minced garlic


Put it all in the slow cooker ( I use frozen vegetables and frozen kidney beans). Set on low and leave 6+ hours. Serve by itself or over grain of choice.

Slow Cooker Curried Chickpeas

Prep time 5 minutes
Serves 6 - 8


1 large can (28 ounce) diced tomato
1 can chickpeas
1 tbsp curry powder
1 bell pepper, red yellow or green diced
2 cups Spaghetti Blend frozen vegetables (onion/carrot/celery)
1 bouillion cube, any flavour.


Place all ingredients in slow cooker and set on Low, overnight, or for the day.
Serve with grain of choice ( brown rice, whole wheat couscous, quinoa, whole oat groats, millet).

Plant Inc.

Saw the movie Food Inc. While most of the material was familiar to me, it was still provocative and informative. If you are reading here you likely already eat close to home, less processed and out of sync with the mainstream North American diet. If you live in the US check here  to see when the film is coming to an area close to you.

Samosa stuffed baked potato

From Veganomicom, this is something to think about making if you have some leftover baked potatoes. Essentially a scooped out potato with the filling mixed with spices, and then placed back in the potato skin shell.

4 large baked potatoes cooled
1/4 cup soy unsweetened non dairy milk, water or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon oil
1 tsp yellow mustard seed
1 tsp crushed coriander seeds
1 cup diced  onion
1 cup diced carrot
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup frozen peas
juice of 1 lemon

Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out insides leaving about 1/2 inch of potato in skin. Mash the potato insides with the milk and set aside the skins.

Preheat oven to 400 F

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, Add mustard seeds and coriander seeds. The mustard seeds should start to pop. If not, turn heat up a bit. Keep a lid on the pan and let them pop for about a minute. Add the onions and carrot and saute for 7 - 10 minutes or until onion begins to brown.

Add garlic and ginger, cumin, turmeric and salt and continue to saute. Add a splash of water if it seem dry. Add potatoes and mix well in pan. Add a bit more water if it looks too dry. Cook until potatoes are heated through, then add frozen peas, and cook until those are heated. Add the lemon juice and stir in until  well incorporated.

Scoop and press  the filling into the potato shells. Place potato halves on a baking sheet  and bake for 20 minutes. Serve.

Quinoa, black bean and mango salad

I like the combination of flavours in the recipes  in a new cookbook by Moskowitz and Romero, Veganomicon. This one is very  easy and can be any mix of grain, fruit and bean that appeals.

1 mango, peeled and small diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and small diced
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup scallions, chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons oil (optional)
2 cups, quinoa, cooked
1 (19 ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed, or 1 1/2 cups beans

Combine everything but the bean and quinoa in a bowl and mix together. Then add quinoa and stir into well coated. Fold in black beans. Can be served immediately or let sit, for favours to meld

Energy bar variations

Inspired by Plant-Powered's bars take on Lara bars, I made these versions;

Top left - 3 cups dried dates + 2 cups raw cashews = 12 x 45 g. bars

Bottom - 1 .5 cups dried dates + 1 cup pecans + 1 tbsp raw cocoa powder = 8 x 35 g. bars

Top right - 2 cups raw blanched peanuts + 2 cups dried dates + 1/2 cup dried cranberries = 11 x 40 g.bars

Put half the nuts in the food processor and chop, then add the fruit, process a bit more, then add the rest of the nuts. Continue to process until well blended. It will appear crumbly, but will hold its shape when pressed into muffin tins (lined with paper liner cups). Refrigerate overnight and store in a covered container. All of these versions calculate out to  around 150 calories per piece.

Savoury Loaf Creation ~adzuki, squash, potato

Preheat oven to 350 F

4 potatoes, baked, skin on, or sweet potato
1 acorn squash, large or two small, roasted,   or any cooked squash
1 cup oat bran or oatmeal
4 tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp Italian seasoning (rosemary, oregano, basil, fennel) or seasoning of choice
1/2 cup onion, chopped  ( I use frozen diced onion for convenience)
1 tbsp garlic, minced ( I use frozen minced)
4 cups adzuki beans, or any bean of choice.

I happened to have all these ingredients on hand, so mixed them together in the food processor until smooth, and then  turned into two parchment lined loaf pans and baked at 350 for one hour.

Carolbars

My friend Carol over at plant-powered.com has created a homemade version of a delicious whole food energy bar made with just dates and raw cashews.

Baked Yam koftas and sauce

Koftas:
2 medium yams (peeled,sliced,boiled,drained)
1/2 c peas
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
2 T chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
pinch pepper
2 T cornstarch
1/4 tsp baking powder
 
Sauce:
1 cup water
1/4 C peas
1/2 C green bell pepper
1/2 C cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp black mustard seed
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees


Combine kofta ingredients and mix thoroughly. Form into 1 inch balls and bake 1 inch apart on a non stick baking sheet until golden, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together the first 5 sauce ingredients in a blender. In sauce pan on med-high put mustard seeds and heat until they start to pop, then add blended ingredients. cook 5 min and add the rest of the spices. Simmer for 10 min.

Cool koftas for 5 min. Pour sauce into a serving dish, add koftas and serve hot with rice or grain of choice.

Roasted Pepper Hummus

1 1/2  cups cooked chickpeas (one can drained, save liquid)
2 tablespoons tahini (optional)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup -3/4 cup roasted red  or yellow peppers (depending on taste)

Put all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth. Add water a tablespoon at a  time if too thick or the liquid from the canned chickpeas.

I used roasted yellow peppers and three of us ate this in one sitting as a dip for vegetables and as a filling for whole grain tortillas.

Added: I have been making this without the tahini and using fire roasted peppers so that smoky taste is predominate. Very good with pita, on vegetables, as a topping for grains.

Kids rated this 9/10

Vegan Pancakes

1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
4 TBS Energy Egg replacer
1 TBS Vinegar
1 cup soy or rice milk
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

Mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients seperately
and then together. Mix just enough to wet the dry
ingredients because over mixing causes flatter pancakes.

Ladle batter into non stick pan.  Cook over medium heat.

These are thick and dense and my kids rate them 7.5/10
It made about 7 pancakes and we cut the remaining ones in half horizontally (they are thick!) and used them as an accompaniment to roasted yellow pepper hummus.

Black Bean And Barley Salad

Borrowed from WWDonna at Bootcamp Buddies veggie forum. Thanks!

Serves 9

3 C. cooked barley (3/4 C. barley in 4 C. boiling water for 45 minutes)
2 C. black beans
1 1/2 C. whole kernel corn, thawed
1 1/2 C. tomato, fresh diced
1 C. green peas, thawed
1 C. chopped avocado
1/4 C. cilantro

Dressing:
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 C. water
2 TBS. lemon juice
1 TBS. grated onion
2 garlic cloves, minced

Romaine lettuce and 18 wedges of tomato (for garnish and under the grains)

Combine 1st 9 ingredients in large bowl, toss gently. Combine water and next 4 ingredients in a jar; pour over salad. Toss gently. Serve warm or room temperature.

Shelled Hemp Seeds

These were new for me. I found Manitoba Shelled  Hemp Seeds in the local health food store and had a spoonful tonight. It was like eating chopped walnuts and quite tasty. I was impressed that 2 tablespoons had 20% of our daily iron and 11 grams of protein plus a great balance of all the omega fats.

Blueberry Oat Breakfast Bars - a serving of oatmeal in every bar!

1 pint blueberries
1/4 cup sweetener of choice
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with enough water or juice to form a smooth paste

3 cups oatmeal (not instant)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
4 ounces unsweetened applesauce (one small container)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sweetener of choice
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F. Oil an 8x8-inch baking dish.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the blueberries, sweetener and water. Bring to a boil. When it boils, stir in the vanilla and the cornstarch mixture. Continue to stir as it thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.

In another bowl mix  the oatmeal,cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.  Stir in the apple sauce, sweetener, water, and vanilla, and mix well.

Spread half of the oat mixture into the prepared pan, patting it in place to fill the corners. Spoon the blueberry filling over the batter, and cover the blueberries with the remaining oat mixture. I scatter it by hand in an even layer so that some of the blueberries show through.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

Breakfast and Lunch

Yesterday I made Quinoa with plum and lemon ( lovely purplish hue to the grain), so today I had a sweet potato and some of the quinoa for breakfast.

Since I worked today and had to bring lunch I packed a container with some bean loaf, roasted plum and quinoa. Another with watermelon and blueberries ( gorgeous!) and a third with pepper strips. Finally a, just in case I get hungry, serving of blueberry crisp.

Grains with Plum and lemon

Prepare 3 cups of grain of choice.
Quinoa or couscous would be good.

Into the cooking water add
8 Italian prune plums, pitted and diced

After cooking add
Zest of 1 small organic lemon
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Serve hot or at room temperature.

Roasted Italian Prune Plums

We have a  bag of purple prune plums and here is a delicious way to use them. This was excellent with  dinner as an accompaniment to a slice of the bean loaf and some sweet potato and green beans. These roasted plums would also be good as a topping on cooked cereal, or any cooked. grain.

Preheat oven to 425 F

12 prune plums, pitted and sliced
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 cup water 
 
Lay sliced plums in a  baking dish. Combine sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and sprinkle over plums. Drizzle water on top. Toss gently. Cover with foil and roast for 20 minutes.

Corn and Oat Chowder

Makes 6 servings

1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup onions, diced
1 cup celery, chopped
2 1/2 cups water
10 package frozen corn
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 small bay leaf
2/3 cups rolled oats
2 cups soy or rice milk

Saute onion, garlic and celery in a little water in soup pot. Add Water, corn and spices and bring to a boil. Stir in oats and, reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in soy or rice milk and heat through sirring constantly. Do not boil.

Discard bay leaf before serving.

Hummus

16 ounces rinsed chickpeas
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup oat bran

In a blender, or food processor, combine all but the oat bran. Blend until smooth.  Spoon  into a bowl and stir in oat bran. Mix well. Cover and chill.

Potato Oat Pancakes

Makes 18 3" pancakes

In food processor add,

2 large washed, unpeeled potatoes, cut into cubes
1 small onion, quartered
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
3/4 cup rolled oats

Process until smooth ,and let sit 15 minutes.

Pre-heat non stick skillet and drop mixture into pan and cook pancakes until brown, turning carefully.

Per pancake
42 calories
1 g protein
0 g fat
9g carbohydrate
75 mg sodium
0 g cholesterol
1 g fibre

Bean Loaf - Great as a pate, cold or warm

Preheat oven to 350 F, and line a 4 x 8 loaf pan with parchment paper, or grease well.

In food processor add;

1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup water
1 pound, canned , rinsed White beans (Great Northern, navy, butter)
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup diced onion
2 tablespoons oat bran
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp each dried oregano, basil m thyme , sage
salt to taste

Process until smooth and pour in loaf pan. Bake 60 minutes or until firm and slightly puffy. Loaf will settle on cooling. Eat warm, cold, spread on crackers or bread, in wraps.

For convenience we use a frozen diced mix of carrot,celery and onion from the grocer's. Makes this recipe even easier : )

 6 servings

Per Serving
160calories
9 g protein
1 g fat
29 g carbohydrate
19 mg sodium
0 mg cholesterol
7 g fibre