Vegetarian Vacuum

i knew it. i knew it. i'm a natural born vegetarian.

type A's (i mean blood not personalities but it is ironic that mine match) need to live on a vegetarian diet to have optimal health (according to Eat 4 Your Blood Type). the past 2 years have been an experiment in new eating styles involving minimal red meat, some chicken and many veg. recipes. so to do a 3 month vegetarian experiment will be easy to follow -right? the other 3 under my culinary care are accustomed to vegetarian choices:

(tori drinks rice milk)

(sophia usually packs a veggie lunch)

(matt appreciates my meal choices)

i expect it to be easy and accomplish great results. (other times when i've eaten vegetarian or vegan my skin even glows - matt says so himself)

how to fill the vegetarian vacuum and continue fighting the final fifteen?

the plan:

1. make meals from "the kind life diet," whole foods' cookbook, vegetarian times, & Cinch!

2. continue the offenders list (most are not vegetarian)

3. do pilates 2 x's a month

4. fast once a week (i started this at the end of the French Phase. fasting from lunch to lunch was easy and made my body feel restored.

the easier the plan the easier it will be to feel successful

the 4th of July seems a looooooong way away.

easter. spring break. weekend get-aways. family vacations.

lots will happen in the next 3 months but hopefully one of those events is sucking up some of the fifteen in the vegetarian vacuum:)

The FInal Fifteen:What's next?

three months. no chips. no candy. no soda. (well i cheated a few times on the soda)

it was easier than expected and quicker than projected. once the first month was over it became second nature (or french-like) to skip the chips when i served them to the kids, drink lemonade instead of the sprite with my sweet pork salad, or reduce my portion control.

i felt good. physically could see changes. enjoyed the challenge of the law:) in addition to the avoiding the offenders i did pilates once a week. between the two i saw the benefits. but i didn't achieve what the french woman promised: at least half way to my ideal weight.

i'm sure it was my application of the process she called recasting. maybe i didn't eliminate enough offenders. maybe i didn't exercise . but i still became aware of what i eat and why. it was eye-opening and a good start to a year of Fighting the Final Fifteen.

it's 4 days past the end of phase 1 and i still have yet to decide what to do for phase 2.

Go vegetarian or vegan? Cinch!? pilates?

while pondering this decision i came across a book 'Cook 4 your blood type.' i've heard many people talk about eating for you blood type and this book showcases menus and meals to prepare. i discovered what foods are best for my blood type (A).

What's next in the fight for the final fifteen: Vegetarian!!!

Fitness:2012

I have chosen French Women Don't Get Fat
as my first tool to use for this year's goal of Physical Fitness.

THE PLAN:
{Inventory: 3 weeks in January}
{Recasting: 3 months of avoiding the Offenders found during Inventory}
{Stabilization: Reaching the final weight gain and maintaining}

Phase 1: 3 weeks of food inventory
{Jan 1st - Jan 21st}

Tracking my meals, snacks, and indulgences for 3 weeks has been easier than expected and eye opening as well. I purchased a spiral bound index card...thingy. What are those called?
The goal is to record patterns, foods, habits, etc - Offenders - as author Mireille Guiliano calls them.
My Offenders so far are
1. Soda
2. Chips
3. Candy
4. Portion Control
5. Lack of water
6. Mindless eating/ grazing
7. Coffee with French Vanilla creamer

I have two days left of the Inventory stage. For 3 weeks I have deliberately eaten what I wanted in order catch them in the act. Admittedly I have indulged in things that aren't regulars in my diet in hopes to make the Recasting easier - since I've only been eating them for 3 weeks (or so). But all the indulging has made me tired of eating some of those offenders; I'm more than happy to eliminate them.

Bring on the recasting!

However, it petrifies me to think that this Sunday begins the 3 months of no soda, candy, chips, etc. That seems IMPOSSIBLE!! Boring!!! Lonely!! I don't even eat THAT much of all that stuff, but just the fact that I CAN'T makes me want to do it anyway.


But I just had an Oprah moment....you know what I mean...yes you do...admit it. The ahHA!

Lent is coming. I can use this as a spiritual and physical time of 'recasting' if you will. Setting my mind on things above and not on early things like French Vanilla creamer and another taco. Actually a Spiritual fitness goal was created when I created the Physical fitness goal. I plan on memorizing verses from the New Testament that match my ideal weight. (HYPOTHETICALLY speaking - if I want to be 210 lbs I would pick every {2:10} chapter:verse to memorize.) Seeking first the Kingdom then everything else will fall in to place.

Day by day. Meal by meal. I want to prove to myself that I can do it. Hopefully I'll be able to report inches lost, more energy, a healthier me. If this plan works, 3 months of fasting from foods will be worth the results......beating The Final Fifteen.

Going Down?

(I hesitate to blog because I have discovered I am an introvert at heart and will do anything not to be seen or heard. Funny thing, in a blog I'm neither seen nor heard. So I let myself do it believing that no one will read it except me and the random, accidental tourist in Ardenland.)

2012 Goal:Fitness.

Sure (wink. wink) It's still January and everyone has a New Year's resolution that has a little fire under it's-er- butt and/or belly. Every year I claim to make it the one where I lose X number of pounds by my birthday in October - 10 months is enough time, right? The goal never happens.

"Why is it my goal every year?" I'm glad you asked.

I like my size. I don't want to buy new clothes. My husband doesn't complain. So why is it on the 'accomplish' list every year? Honestly? Maybe that's just what feels right on December 31st when I plan the yearly goals. Maybe it's one thing that stays on the list every year and I would like to scratch it off. Maybe I fear....obesity.....hiding behind pillows on the couch because my belly sticks out......outgrowing my jeans.....continuing a unhealthy legacy that has plagued my family for at least 3 generations. For me? For my girls? To change my family tree?

I want to believe this year the why is just so I can say I did it. For me. To prove to myself only (and the one or two who may read this out of boredom) that I have the will power, drive, strength, ability, and whatever it takes to do something that I want to do. Out of pride -possibly. Maybe the lack of pride was my demise previously. I'll be able to say "HA! See there Annual Goal List - I did it. Scratch it off."

The goal is not huge and I don't believe I am huge either. A personal, stabilized weight is good for everyone to maintain.
That's what's so ridiculous - some people lose 10x's more weight than I want.
That's what's so possible - losing 10x's less than some people.

"What's the magic number you ask?"
Don't you know never ask a lady her age or weight? I have a number in my head, but as I move down to that goal, I am willing to tweak it lower or higher dependent upon good health.

"Hey introvert! Why blog about such personal topic?" (you sure ask a lot of questions)
I want to keep a record of the process and hope that if it works it might inspire others to go after what they want. I don't want a movie deal out of it. I just want to track the goal of Going down!

Spaghetti Squash Bake

Even the 3 year old loved this one.
It makes a ton, but is really only 4 adult servings.
To stretch it out add a salad or bread.
However, we think you'll love it just that way it is.
Be prepared for no leftovers.

*4 Cups cooked spaghetti squash {350 for 60 mins} {I did 375 for 60 mins & it was perfect}
1 Cup baby spinach- or more if you prefer
1 Cup sliced mushrooms
1 Cup all natural marinara sauce
1 Cup cooked quinoa {Combine quinoa & 2 cups water. Boil. Simmer 20 mins}
1 lb cooked turkey
1/4 Cup Choice of pecans or sliced almonds
Italian seasoning
Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven 350.
Combine quinoa & squash and seasoning. Stir in spinach, mushrooms, marinara sauce, turkey, and pecans or almonds. Place in baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 15 mins. Remove foil and bake 5 more mins to toast pecans or almonds.

Serve hot. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

*Note: One spaghetti squash should yield 4 cups

An Easy Vegan Cuisine: Rice Waffle with Vegetable Melange

With or without the veggie melange (mixture) the rice waffles are a great way to get whole grains. My whole family loved the waffles-even with syrup. And surprisingly everyone loved the vegetable mix - 'twas only the adults who ate it on the waffle.


Waffles: Mix and cook
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 T mellow miso mixed with 3 T water (miso is a soybean paste used for flavoring)
1 cup water
** I'm going to make these the next time I have leftover rice. The girls demanded them for breakfast the next day.


Vegetable Melange
Sesame oil(recipe doesn't say how much. I used enough to cover bottom of pan)
1 Cup half moon onion slices
1 Cup seitan, thinly sliced (seitan is a wheat protein)
1 Cup carrots, sliced
1 tsp shoyu (organic soy sauce)
2 Cups broccoli florets
2 tsp dark sesame oil
Sliced black olives (optional)

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute 2 mins. Add seitan and saute 1 min. Arrange carrots on top of onions and seitan, add 3 Tablespoons water to pan. Cover and simmer for 7 mins, adding more water is it gets too dry. Add shoyu and broccoli to pan, simmer 3 mins. Stir to combine ingredients and remove from heat. Stir in sesame oil.

Place a waffle on the plate, topping with a heap of sauted veggies. Sprinkle on olives if using.


Miso, seitan, shoyu can be found at Whole Foods, Raley's Organic aisle, etc)

(Recipe taken from The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone)

Finding Grace in Karate Kid II

I confess (it's good for the soul) that I wanted to take karate, move to Fresno, marry Ralph Macchio, visit Okinawa, and sing Glory of Love with Peter Cetera all because of Karate Kid II. Don't misunderstand me, the first installment of the trilogy had me at "hello Reseda." But the landscape and love stories captivated my pre-adolescent heart. I still remember sitting through the credits at the theater just to hear Peter sing the song...(You can imagine the disappointment I experienced during college when Peter was not at the Chicago concert I saw. No one told me he had left a decade before.)

I've been reliving that old flame again as I watched parts I & II this week.
(An attempt will be made to watch part III, but I remember a lot of disappointment with that one.) My memory served me correct in most places - except that Daniel never wanted to move to Fresno with his mom. After all these years, dreams of seeing Fresno...dashed!

However, there was theme that had flown over my head in 1986: the destruction of ungrace & the power of grace

Grace in the Karate Kid?
I know, I know...I never saw it. Sure the two old guys were at odds because of a love interest. Yeah, Sato's 'honor' had been tainted. But I never saw the fight between grace and ungrace.
Mr.Miyagi was an agent of grace, while Sato (closest childhood friend) was the victim of ungrace.
While Mr. Miyagi lived in peace - sad yes - but in peace, Sato lived in constant hatred - taking it out on his village. The former taught and exemplified "principle over passion" while the latter left a legacy of "no mercy."


......Part I...... {staying true to Karate Kid form}