Saturday, April 14, 2012

Veganista Shopping

Being a Vegan in a small town presents a ton of challenges.  For example, stores like Save a Lot or Food Giant are going to have fresh vegetables and fruit, but that's about it.  So, you are left to do your shopping at Walmart.  You would think, in their We'reTakingOverTheWorld mentality, you would think that they would be on point with continuing trends in nutrition.  However, you would be dead wrong.  Walmart has fresh fruit and vegetables...they even have a small organic section with tofu and Veggie Slices cheese.  If you are looking for more - you'll be stuck there for ages trying to navigate through all the aisles and read all the labels.  Gluten Free pasta is not necessarily Vegan...Whole Grain pasta is not necessarily Vegan...and if you are new to Veganism, then Walmart is going to be the WORST place for you to begin. 

Your best option is going to be Kroger.  Lucky for you, there are two in Paducah and one in Murray.  My personal opinion is that the one in Murray is much nicer, newer, and easier to navigate.  So I suggest starting there.  They have a Vegan produce section, a Vegan dairy section, and a Natural Foods section.  This break down of the foods makes it super easy to shop Vegan.  Not to mention, I have always liked Kroger's produce. 

The trick?  Read the labels!  Most things that are Vegan will say so!  They will be marked with  "V" in a box on the back, or they will just have the word "Vegan" written with a check mark beside it.  The downside?  Be prepared to spend some real money!  Even with your Kroger Plus Card, items are still expensive.  One of my favorite Vegan soups is Amy's Chunky Vegetable soup.  60 calories per serving, and two servings per can.  The soup is $3.49.  That's kind of steep for a can of soup!  But, the health benefits are totally worth it!  All Vegan items are expensive...it's just a fact.  So, get past the sticker shock, and get to shopping! 

Today, I found a new product that is a taco filling completely made of vegetables.  It was super simple to make....and actually super delicious and filling!  And just look...if I invited you to dinner, and served you these tacos, you would NEVER know the difference! I used 100% whole wheat tortillas, chopped tomatoes, guacamole, salsa, and Daiya (a veggie cheese shred). 

Soooooo good!!


Health Issues:

My major health issue lately has been migraines.  I have been having migraines quite frequently.  I feel like it is too late in the game for it to be the fact that I cut out sugar two and a half weeks ago.  And although I would occasionally drink caffeine, it was really rare, so I don't feel like it is that either.  So, my doctor's suggestion is that I'm am severely iron deficient.  My iron count was incredibly low this week...almost scary low.  So, B12 shots and supplements are going to be a part of my life for a little while.  I am trying to up my protein intake.  This morning, I had a delicious tofu scramble...and I'm trying, really trying, to eat iron rich foods - except raisins, that is just not going to happen...ever.

However, the difference in my body is phenomenal.  I've lost about 7lbs so far, but the best thing is how my clothes feel and how I feel.  My clothes fit so well, and I feel great!  I know that I may not carry this Veganista lifestyle forever, but I will definitely bring aspects of it into my everyday life!  I feel like I am finally over the plateau hump!  Bring it!


Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Vegan Deliciousness....

Tonight I finally found a really good dinner recipe.  I was leery at first, but it turned out really well, so I thought I would share! 

Last week, while grocery shopping at Kroger, I stumbled upon this package of tofurkey sausage.  It was on sale, so I thought Why not? Tonight I cooked Spinach pasta that was made with artichoke flour.  I then chopped up the sausage into bite size pieces and put it in the skillet.  I added a small amount of olive oil, fresh garlic, and chopped red pepper.  I sauteed it for a few minutes while the pasta cooked.  I drained the pasta and tossed it into the pan with a little vegan butter, garlic salt, and cracked pepper.  The end result?  Really, really good...



I did 3.9 miles at Kess Park last night, and it felt really good.  I listened to a lot of Christian music and had some quality prayer time....it was nice, and I realized just how much I have missed running outside!  Welcome back Spring!!!


Tuesday, April 10, 2012

The Veganista answer to a nacho craving....

So, let's get real...being a Vegan is hard.  Not only is it hard to change your mindset and grasp what it is you can and can't eat...but finding the right foods and making sure that your daily meals are well balanced and that you're getting the right amount of healthy calories.  For the love!  So, today I was craving nachos...like chips and cheese, and the works.  So, when shopping a week or so, we found this...

So...here's the "Meatless Ground" - supposed to be like ground beef, but includes no meat, mostly soy.

And here's what it looks like cooked.  I mean, it really does look like ground beef!


In order to get the desired effect I used organic yellow corn chips, two servings, which is roughly 28 chips.  I took two slices of veggie slices (veganish cheese) and cut them into this strips.  I added the chips and a serving and a half of the grill to a baking pan, then layered the veggie slices.  I baked it in the oven for about five minutes, then topped it with two tablespoons of organic salsa, and a 100 calorie pack of guacamole.  The total calorie count for the meal was 600 - which was perfect for me, because even though I had eaten breakfast and lunch, I'd only had around 300-400 calories. 

Want to see the final product?!?!?!? You totally know you do! So, here it is:




And...if you try hard, it really does taste like the real deal.  The meatless grill was nice, it does make you think of actual nachos and the salsa and guacamole are really nice. 
 
I was talking to a friend earlier today, and I realized that part of the reason I have been so tired lately is that I am not eating enough.  Fruits and veggies are great for you, if you make sure you are eating them properly and in a good combination.  I've been exhausted this week - more so than just because it's the first few days back from spring break.  I am going to try eating five or six small meals per day, instead of three meals and a snack.  I am also going to have to bite the bullet and add more tofu.  I have been sticking it to a breakfast item, but I am going to have to branch out a little.  :) 
 
Remember, if you are going to try Veganism, just make sure that you are open and that you do it in a way that works for you!  Good luck and happy Vegan-ing!!!
 
 

Monday, April 9, 2012

A Very Berry Vegan Breakfast

One of the most difficult things is finding Daniel Fast appropriate breakfast foods.  Most cereals have honey of some sort or sugar, refined, cane, or otherwise - none of which is allowed on the Daniel Fast.  And while Veganism allows sugar, the jury is out on honey.  A lot of Vegans overlook the fact that it is made by bees, and technically not a food they should eat - though the hard core don't do honey at all. 

Is your brain hurting yet?  I know mine is.  On the Daniel Fast (Veganism with an Edge, as I like to call it) you aren't supposed to have any sugar what-so-ever.  I am trying really hard to shy away from any and all sugar, although I had a soy yogurt this morning which has minimal amounts of dried cane sugar.  It's kind of exhausting.  So, to make a long story short - I am doing my best with avoiding any and all sugar. 

While shopping last week at Kroger, I stumbled upon Vegan waffles by Vans (no, not the shoe manufacturer).  However, since I can't have syrup, I topped the waffles with vegan butter spread and strawberries and blueberries.  It was a really good, really filling breakfast.  So much better than the fruit I'd been eating for the last week by itself as a breakfast item.  

Don't be jealous...all this waffle goodness for 220 calories...word...




Thursday, April 5, 2012

...a Veganista breakfast...to tofu, or not to tofu???

I've been looking through the cookbooks we downloaded from The Daniel Fast blog for a while now, and a lot of the recipes include tofu.  Now, being the true southerner that I am, I have always turned my nose up at the thought of tofu.  I don't eat it when I order Pad Thai at Pei Wei...or anywhere else, for that matter.  And, I mean, what in the world is tofu anyway?!?!?

Tofu is also called bean curd.  It is a food made by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks.  (Yeah...not my idea of a good idea either...) Tofu originated in China and quickly spread throughout Asia.  It is used in a lot of Asian dishes and is often seasoned or marinated to compliment the dish.  Tofu has a low calorie count, is high in protein, has very little fat, and is high in iron (something this borderline anemic desperately needs!). 

In my fourth day of Veganism...I decided to be brave and tackle the tofu!!  The cookbook has a great recipe for a Tofu Scramble for breakfast, and since the tofu has the consistency of cooked egg whites, it seemed like a great way to introduce it into my new Veganista lifestyle.  So, the first thing that I did was gather all the ingredients.

One pound of firm tofu, one green pepper, one orange pepper, one half red onion, three Roma tomatoes, and Veggie Slices. 

The first step, unwrapping the tofu...it's like opening a Christmas gift from that aunt that's kinda crazy...you are a little excited, yet completely sure you are either going to be elated or horrified at what you find inside the package...

 I'll admit...the tofu is not so appetizing in it's natural form...but I soldiered on and started to chop the veggies.

Now this I can totally get behind!  I LOVE fresh veggies.  And nutritionist always say that your plate should be colorful!  The next step was to add it all to the pot!

I will admit...at this stage, I was completely still skeptical.  But, the simple fact is, as a Vegan, you are going to be missing important nutrients if you aren't willing to shake things up and try new things.  With tofu being so high in protein and iron, if I can handle the taste and texture, it will be a great supplement to this lifestyle. 

Voila! The finished product!  I didn't add the sliced tomatoes to the pan, because I don't like cooked tomatoes.  I put about a cup of the scramble (I am guessing that was an approximate serving) on the plate and added half of a Veggie Slice cheese substitute.  I then added a mix of grapes, strawberries, and blueberries to round out my breakfast. 



The verdict?  It was really good!  The tofu really does have the texture of an egg white in this scramble, so it wasn't difficult to eat.  The taste was enhanced by the veggies it was cooked alongside and the garlic salt that I added.  The Veggie Slices were interesting.  They are really salty.  We'll see if I use them on a regular basis or if I just use them when I am really, really craving cheese!  I have yet to make the recipes in the book for whole wheat tortillas or whole wheat flat bread....who knows, maybe I'll try those next!!  







Wednesday, April 4, 2012

...all the cool kids are doing it...

Are all the cool kids really doing it?  Veganism, that is....are all the cool, coffeehouse dwelling, eyeglass matching, saving the earth one animal at a time kids really on to something? 

 A couple of weeks ago I was in the check out line at Walmart doing what everyone does...waiting...when I start perusing the magazine racks.  My eyes skimmed over the latest Kardashian Katastrophe (a headline waiting to happen), the up to the minute news on Angelina and Brad, the Reese Witherspoon "baby bump" watch, and finally landed on a magazine that I never read.  There were all the obvious articles on creating the perfect dinner party, raising the perfect children, giving the perfect...well, you get the idea.

All of a sudden my eyes landed on an article on how to jump start your metabolism and gain spirituality as well.  For anyone who knows me, you know that I have been somewhat obsessed with getting healthy for the last year.  In fact, it was a year ago this month that I won "The Biggest Loser" competition at my former employer, with a total weight loss of 40 pounds.  Since then, I've lost an additional 30...but then all of a sudden...plateau.  And while I know that is completely natural, it seems like everything I've done to combat it has been met with the same result...not much.  I began running last year as well.  I competed in my first 5k in August at the Fancy Farm Picnic.  Since then, I've done three others and am preparing for the Warrior Dash in Elizabethtown in June.  I am constantly changing up my workout.  I try to run in intervals at the gym while lifting weights and working on strength training.  I zumba twice a week, sometimes more.  I recently added nightly crunches and push-ups.  I feel like my exercise is going well. 

My eating, on the other hand...isn't always ideal.  I cut out carbonated beverages for Lent, although at the most I was having one or two Diet Cokes per week...and the occasional Sundrop or regular Coke when the mood hits.  But in the past couple of months I have totally slacked off...allowing those processed foods to creep their way back in...making less time to cook and just stopping for fast food somewhere...either way...it is NOT working. 

Back to the article...So, I picked up this magazine and started skimming over the article.  It was an article about changing the way you eat in order to boost your metabolism.  However, it has a biblical spin on it.  It is called "The Daniel Fast" and you can research it online here.  It is based on how Daniel prepared himself for entering into the lion's den.  It is a 21 day "fast" but you are still eating...it's not a non-eating fast!  I don't think I could teach and not eat for 21 days...I'd be a mess!  It is a Vegan diet, with a few more restrictions, such as, no sugar what-so-ever.  In a Vegan diet, sugar is allowed.  There are also other restrictions, but the author gets more into it in the blog, if you are interested. 

So, with article in hand, I convinced my mom to join me on this 21 day fast.  Although, I think I will make it a full month.  But I wanted to start this blog just to put into words how I'm feeling from day to day about the fast, interesting meals I've created or found, the frustrations of trying to shop for Vegan items in rural Western KY, and the results, of course!

So, here we are, day three, and all I can say about today is "I WANT A CHEESEBURGER!!!" Haha...but seriously, I love cheese...and eggs...and milk...and ice cream...for the love.  So, today has been a little bit difficult.  I am finding that you do have to eat more often on a vegan diet.  You are eating a lot less calories, and you have to be sure that you are still getting the vitamins and nutrients that you need. 

Today I ate:
Breakfast:  2 Vegan waffles with vegan butter spread and strawberries
Lunch:  Iceburg lettuce salad with carrots and pine nuts with Annie's Vegan Goddess Dressing, hummus with Vegan Sweet Potato chips, and a handful of grapes
Dinner:  I took a sweet potato, squash, and onions and roasted them with olive oil and sea salt in the oven.  I boiled fresh corn, then cut it off the ear and added it to a saute' pan with fresh portabello mushrooms.  I added the potato/squash/onion mixture to the pan and browned it for an additional five minutes.  I then served it with blue corn chips. See?

It was completely delicious!!

I jotted down my starting weight...and will keep up with the weight loss throughout the blog.  And who knows...at the end of this month, I may decide that the Veganista lifestyle is for me!!  (Until someone offers me a really nice steak....) Either way, I plan to complete this month of Veganism while continuing to grow my spiritual relationship with Christ.  I am currently doing a Beth Moore personal bible study called "90 Days With the One and Only".  I have done a couple of her studies before and I love them...I am also currently working on memorizing the book of James, based on my last Beth Moore study.  Who knows, maybe by the end of this, I'll have memorized the book of James!   Care to join me on my Vegan adventure?