an update

I'm doing really well with this new lifestyle. I haven't missed the little bit of meat that I did eat before at all. I'd say *at least* 5 days a week I'm eating RAW for two meals, breakfast and lunch.

I've been drinking more water than ever before in my life. I've stopped drinking pop completely. and it's wierd, I've given up pop before, but I always end up going back to it. since I gave it up this time I haven't had a single craving for it like I used to! I even tried to drink an Arizona green tea one day (which has high fructose corn syrup in it, bummer), and it was too sweet. I took a few sips and started to feel a little queasy. So I went back to my water. I think it really helps that I keep a pitcher in the fridge at all time, ice cold is the only way I can drink it.

I've always loved smoothies, but they used to be so boring, milk; strawberries and bananas. Now I've discovered I REALLY love adding carrots and apples and orange juice and coconut milk and SPINACH! which I never would have thought of before. even the kids love them. :) I look forward to trying out more greens and a bigger variety of fruits when they're in season soon!

I haven't completely cut out dairy but I've definitely reduced it significantly. I haven't had any cow's milk since I started (which I used to love), never much liked eggs anyway so that was an easy one. I got this great book about vegan substitutions so I'm excited to bake something without using dairy soon! :) I think the only dairy I've had has been in a couple of the dinners I cooked... cheese.

I've tried a number of new recipes for dinners and I haven't been disappointed yet. I can't say as much for the boys, BUT they've never been real thrilled when I tried to throw a new recipe into the mix, veggie or not. lol I will say, I made a couple of my regular dishes that I would have used ground turkey for in the past and I substituted veggie crumbles. If I hadn't told the boys, they never would have known I made a switch. So that's awesome.

Buying organic where I can. Reading the labels of everything at the store, it's crazy! I've bookmarked a bunch of stuff in the few vegan cookbooks I bought, along with a number of websites. I can't wait to try them all out!

All in all it's been awesome. This is totally the way I've always wanted to eat! Since I was little, I've never been a huge fan of sweets, but always LOVED raw fruits and veggies.

I am a little worried about my first foray into the real world. We're going to my sister's this weekend for three days and I'm worried there will be nothing to eat! lol I can't take my whole pantry/fridge/freezer and I can't afford to buy another set of groceries for the weekend over there. So we'll see. I may live on salad or something for three days. lol

GREEN smoothie...

or maybe brown??? lol 

I just made my first green smoothie (though because of the strawberries it turned out to be more brown than green). Cameron walked in the kitchen as I was adding the spinach and said EW GROSS! when I was finished I let him taste mine... and he wouldn't give it back!! lol yum! Here's the recipe:

1 cup carrot
2 cups spinach
2 apples, peeled and chopped
1 cup orange juice
2 bananas
2 cups strawberries (I use frozen)

I start by adding the liquid first, then the carrots, bananas and apples. After a quick blend I toss in the spinach and last the strawberries.

My blender has a bit of a hard time with this much volume so it takes a bit. I hope to invest in a vitamix someday. :)

RAW!

Raw is easy for me. I can easily eat raw for breakfast and lunch... my kids do like some raw veggies, but I'd say I can probably count the number on one hand. I've been eating raw green beans this past week with my lunch, in place of something like chips or fries. My kids were mortified. lol Then yesterday I made Carter close his eyes and take a bite of a fresh/raw green bean. (keeping in mind that my kids HATE green beans) Carter just finished practicing his violin, came out to the kitchen and asked if he could have some green beans for snack! o.0 picking my jaw up off the floor now.

SMOOTHIE!!!

I have been a lover of smoothies for as long as I can remember. Up until today, my homemade smoothies have consisted of skim milk, frozen strawberries and banana. That's it. Yum... but there's a whole smoothie world out there!! Today I got up early and made smoothies for the boys before they were heading out the door to school. 

Strawberry Orange Coconut Smoothie

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups hulled strawberries
• 1 orange, peeled
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 4 Ice cubes (optional)

Directions

1. Place the strawberries, orange, coconut milk, and ice cubes in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth. 

 

The verdict is in. Everyone LOVED it! I'll definitely be making this one again!! :)

trying new things...

minced an actual clove of garlic for the first time ever and baked some asparagus to go with dinner, also for the first time ever (I've never even purchased either item before)! totally used some tips I learned from 'Take Home Chef' too! lol

The asparagus was YUM! Here's the recipe I used:

Ingredients

• 1 bunch thin asparagus spears, trimmed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line baking sheet with foil for easier clean up!
2. Place the asparagus into a mixing bowl, and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss to coat the spears, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper. Arrange the asparagus onto a baking sheet in a single layer. (I combined all the dry ingredients in a small bowl first, then just sprinkled the whole thing over the asparagus after laying them out on the baking sheet)
3. Bake in the preheated oven until just tender, 6 to 10 minutes depending on thickness. Sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving.(I used half a lemon and squeezed it right over the asparagus)

my first official vegetarian meal...

LUNCH! Today while the boys were at school I made myself a grilled portobello mushroom "burger" with mozzarella, tomato and cucumber. It was DELISH! It probably would have been even better if I'd marinated the mushroom like the recipe called for, but I was too impatient! I've been running errands since I dropped Carter off at school at 8 this morning and I was starving! It was SOO good! Maybe tomorrow I'll even try it with the marinade! ;)

Portobello Mushroom Burgers

Ingredients

• 4 portobello mushroom caps
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 (1 ounce) slices provolone cheese

Directions

1. Place the mushroom caps, smooth side up, in a shallow dish. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, basil, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour over the mushrooms. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or so, turning twice.
2. Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
3. Brush grate with oil. Place mushrooms on the grill, reserving marinade for basting. Grill for 5 to 8 minutes on each side, or until tender. Brush with marinade frequently. Top with cheese during the last 2 minutes of grilling. 

 

Obviously I only made one. :) and I used my little George Foreman grill on the counter top. I really need to try that marinade!

and the winners are...

After reading through more reviews than I can count, I decided on a few books and placed an order today...

Vegan with a Vengance: Over 150 Delicious, Cheap, Animal-Free Recipes That Rock  

Supermarket Vegan: 225 Meat-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Recipes for Real People in the Real World  

The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions: Veganize It! Foolproof Methods for Transforming Any Dish into a Delicious New Vegan Favorite 

I look forward to being able to flip through the pages. :) 

I also did a little online searching and found some recipes that sound really tasty so I'll be trying some of those soon as well.  

starting over...

So... back in high school I was a vegetarian. When I was pregnant with my oldest son I thought I needed to eat meat so he would get all the nutrients I was missing in my less than stellar diet. Though I never went back to vegetarianism, I really don't eat a lot of meat so it's not too much of a stretch to give it up completely. Not to mention the fact that I've always loved raw fruits and veggies, even more than sugary sweets! I've really been thinking about this for a good long while now and there are a number of reasons I think it's a good idea. Not only to eat healthier and to help my children learn to eat healthier but after watching many a documentary and seeing the horrible ways in which so many animals are slaughtered, after living equally horrible lives, well I just don't want to be a part of that. :(

The thing that makes me worry is, NOW I have to cook for not only myself, but my children (who can sometimes be a bit picky when it comes to trying new things). And I'm pretty sure we need to eat something other than just pasta. lol 

So today I went on a little hunt. I checked Amazon and read A LOT of reviews. I have a stack of cookbooks in my cart. What I really need is a book (or book*S*) with meals that aren't too difficult because I really can't spend hours making dinner every night (or maybe I should say, I don't WANT to spend hours making dinner. I'm not all that fond of cooking). The recipes should also not contain a million hard to find ingredients because I'm not going to waste time or gas going to fifteen different stores to find what I need. I know there are loads of free recipes online but I just don't even know where to begin looking for something that might please everyone. I thought flipping through some books, marking some pages and then trying a few things out would be a good start on the road to vegetarianism. 

These are the books I am contemplating: 

Vegan with a Vengance: Over 150 Delicious, Cheap, Animal-Free Recipes That Rock 

Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook   

Appetite for Reduction: 125 Fast and Filling Low Fat Vegan Recipes

Supermarket Vegan: 225 Meat-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Recipes for Real People in the Real World  

The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions: Veganize It! Foolproof Methods for Transforming Any Dish into a Delicious New Vegan Favorite 

The Vegan Table: 200 Unforgettable Recipes for Entertaining Every Guest at Every Occasion

Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar: 100 Dairy-Free Recipes for Everyone's Favorite Treats

Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule 

Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook: Crazy Delicious Recipes that Are Good to the Earth and Great for Your Bod

Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Food: 65 Everyday Meal Ideas for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner with Over 150 Great-Tasting, Down-Home Recipes

Green Smoothie Revolution: The Radical Leap Towards Natural Health

The Happy Herbivore Cookbook: Over 175 Delicious Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes

The 30-Minute Vegan: Over 175 Quick, Delicious, and Healthy Recipes for Everyday Cooking

Color Me Vegan: Maximize Your Nutrient Intake and Optimize Your Health by Eating Antioxidant-Rich, Fiber-Packed, Color-Intense Meals That Taste Great

The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook: 350 Essential Recipes for Inspired Everyday Eating

Vegan on the Cheap: Great Recipes and Simple Strategies that Save You Time and Money

Yeah... that's the narrowed down list. No one will ever accuse me of being a lazy researcher. Though I have been accused of being a bit obsessive once I latch onto something. ;)

At any rate... I am pondering them. I will be reading further into the reviews to find a book or two that will be the right fit for me. As well as searching online recipe sites. And I hope to try out my first new recipe soon! 

I wanted to keep track of it all here on this blog, mostly as a reference. A place I can come back to and see what I tried, what I liked and what I didn't.

Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar: 100 Dairy-Free Recipes for Everyone's Favorite Treats