Dedicated in December??
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Karrie, did the cat approve of the new home? At present I have NO junk food in the house. No blue corn chips or anything, and I was looking for them tonight! I think I should leave them at the grocery store lol. Well done on the swim and the initial loss! I agree just getting right at making a good dinner is the best way to avoid eating something you don't need. I read something that really stuck with me from In Defense of Food, that work used to be kind of a food-free time other than lunch, but now work places are well-stocked with food to get us through that LONG stretch between breakfast and lunch, and the LONG stretch between lunch and dinner. So true! I am really working on sticking to no snacks at work, or at least make it an apple or veggies.
Carla, I have tried quite a few buddha bowl recipes and always love them. I think the sauces are what make them so great too. The flavors are so complex. Hope you had a nice visit with your mom. And yes I slept great last night! I am going to start morning exercise next week. I can't face it yet this week lol.
I do most of my shopping on Amazon too. We have a small family and none of us have kids so it's pretty easy. I'll get to it next week. I will have to think about what I'm contributing to Christmas dinner. I think the festive chickpea tart and I'll figure out something else.
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I had a great walk with my Mom downtown the other day. It was a beautiful sunny day, and we got in our walk before our shopping so that we wouldn't be too tired or out of time. I found a pretty necklace and earring set for my SIL, and my mom picked out a couple of things that she liked, too, so it was an enjoyable and productive day.
Our french onion soup and Waldorf salad meal was really good...definitely a keeper! Last night neither of us was hungry enough for dinner, so we didn't have our taco salad, but I had one of the patties in a sandwich and enjoyed it. I'm making the Festive Chickpea Tart tomorrow for the dinner we're going to at my FIL's place.0 -
I think the cat is undecided. He sure did get dusty investigating, though. Not sure where he was, but at least he cleaned it as he went by!!
On Monday I seem to have talked a friend into doing a Triathlon with me next summer. Who knows what I was thinking there... She was so inspired by our conversation, that she brought a swimming workout for us to do last night. It was tough! I told her "I'm not sure if I like you anymore..."
So apparently I'm doing a triathlon next summer.... sheesh.0 -
Awesome Carrie. My husband did a 1/2 ironman last year in Switzerland. He wants to do another one this year back in Whistler in July. That is a great goal to train for. You can do it!
I have been riding to You tube spin classes at the lodge we are staying at. Great spin bike here. Yesterday we had a 7 mile walk to and around Lost Lake. Weather was beautiful. The pool here is too small for laps. Saturday morning we go back to Vancouver to the hotel with pool and lap lanes.
The plus is it has a kitchen and back to roasting vegetables and making salads. It has been a break from not weighing and measuring my food and not weighing myself. I don't care if I don't lose on vacation but I don't want to gain one pound of the hard fought weight I lost. I have had wine and drinks here and there. Exercised everyday.0 -
I did this same triathlon a few years ago. Will want to beat my time, but it shouldn't be too hard, because my time sucked.
I've done 1 triathlon, 1 tough mudder, 5 half marathons (maybe more, I've lost count) and 2 full marathons...1 -
Glad you had a nice time with your mom, Carla. I used to love French Onion Soup back before I was vegetarian. That was a looooong time ago, but now I’m thinking I should look up some recipes and try a vegan version. I’m so glad you like that chickpea tart. It’s so pretty and tasty! Impresses everyone.
Karrie, cats have to poke their noses into everything, always! That is awesome to have the Triathlon goal for summer. Should definitely help keep you motivated. I should think about a 5K and start running again. I never really ran a lot, but I did the Couch to 5K thing for a while, never quite got to 5K all running though. I remember when you did the tough mudder… your description decided me on never ever lol.
Sounds like you are having such a fun trip Donna! I imagine with all the walking and other exercise you are doing you should be fine when you get home. Is your husband still sticking to vegetarian? When are you heading home?
I am still struggling… I tend to get blue for a few days sometime before Christmas. I think mostly because I always loved Christmas and got so into decorating, baking cookies, shopping, etc., but my job is so crazy and end of year is even crazier, that I just don’t really get into it at all the past 6 or 8 years, and I miss my parents most this time of year. So I have been a little weepy the past couple days, and hoping my blues are nearly over with since it usually only lasts a few days.
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Karrie, the triathlon with a friend sounds great! You have each other for motivation and as workout partners, too. Your time sucked....LOL...so you completed the triathlon? I'd be SO stoked about that. It's epic. You're epic
You'll probably cream your old time.
Donna, I've never tried a spin bike. It's great that they have one. Have the hotel gyms been crowded at all? It sounds like you're doing this vacation up right, nice and balanced between all the physical activity yet having a glass of wine and a meal out here and there. You're making me want to go to Whistler again. It has been too long. We don't ski, but I think I'll look into an off season deal for a night or two. There's tons to do there all year round and I feel like going for that walk around Lost Lake again. We are a 2.5 hour drive away, so it could be done in a day, but having an overnight trip makes it more fun & relaxed.
Traci, I'm sorry you are struggling. I know what you mean about feeling like you are missing out because you aren't baking or decorating etc. Last year I was sad and mad at myself for not putting in the effort to do those things, but this year I put up the tree & lights and it isn't doing much for me anyway. At least I don't have the guilt over not trying! (that's worth quite a bit!)
Yesterday I was a snack monster. I grazed all day and wasn't hungry enough for dinner. It was supposed to be a stir fry night. I'm going to make the stir fry on Sunday since we bought all the fresh veggies for it, and we'll freeze some of the other leftovers we have for lunches.
Friday is when the meal plan for the following week is released. This coming week week we're having Creamy Vegetable Grain, Coconut Kale Bowl with Garlicky Baked Tofu, Creamy Tomato soup w/ Smoky Garlic Crackers & Mixed Grain Salad with Blueberries, Noodles w/ Spicy Peanut Sauce and Veggies, and Smoky Baba Ganoush Stuffed pitas. I noticed that each week there's also a fast track option, where you make up only a few of the items and then just serve them with soup or salad quick & easy style. I'm sure we'll be making use of that option on crazier weeks.
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Hi Carla - This was a great time to visit Whistler. We had blue skies everyday except today. Brooks skied as hard as he wanted with no lift lines. We took the bus everywhere and were able to sit, not stand. The busy season is suppose to start tomorrow. If I lived a few hours away and just here for a night or two I would be happy at a hotel but it has been nice to have a kitchen plus washer and dryer. The only thing I would change is having a lap pool. The spin bike has been great. I would also bring snack food such as nuts, fruit, cut up veggies and drinks. Today I am going to hit the spin bike, do a little yoga and short walk for buying gifts. Going out to eat after Brooks gets done skiing. Going to a place we know to have veggie plate with hummus!
Hi Traci - he will eat vegetarian meals that I prepare but when he goes out he orders meat
It is a compromise. He does not ask me to prepare meat but he will eat it. He ate all my brussel sprouts last weekend that I ordered for take out He is looking great though and his energy level is high. No knee pain skiing. The big thing he has not bought cookies, cake or sweets for the lodge or when we go out. He works out hard. On Monday he ran 5 miles on treadmill. Wednesday we walked 7 miles....that he considered his exercise day off while it was a big day for me..
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The meal plans sound great Carla! I agree with you about Karrie's triathlon... doing one at all is aMAHzing!
Sounds like a wonderful trip Donna. And that's great your husband is doing so well with not snacking or eating sweets.
This has been one of my worst days at work ever. Everything seems to be a crisis these days. This whole week has been crazy and today was sort of a topper. I am tired, frustrated, sick to my stomach. I am seriously thinking of not going to the office tomorrow and take a breather, but it may just make things worse. Guess I'll decide tomorrow morning.
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Oh no, Mihani, I hope today is much better, whatever you decide!!
Donna, I agree on the kitchen, it's not only really convenient to have, but it can save a lot of money, especially in Whistler where everything is on the pricey side. I'm sure that's even more the case since I was there last. Great that Brooks was able to ski without lineups and crowds!
The Festive Chickpea Tart was a big hit, and my FIL's wife wants the recipe. She was also eager to keep the leftovers, which works fine for us since we still have some of our meal plan food left to eat this weekend.
Today my job is to stay away from the HUGE box full of Christmas cookies that my MIL mailed to us all the way across the country. Fudge in different flavors, chocolate covered peanuts, marshmallow wreaths, sugar cookies, anise seed cookies, chocolate coated cereal cookies, and more. She got Ruby a hedgehog that grunts and baked treats, and Reba got treats and a 'lambchop' stuffie with catnip inside.
I've finished my Christmas shopping! The last of our Amazon orders should be here on the 19th. Because we have to cross the border with all of those gifts, I can't really wrap them in case they want to look through them. I just put some in gift bags, and others I cross with and then wrap at my Mom's place last minute.0 -
Awww, Carla that's so sweet your in-laws remembered the pets. But no presents for the chickens? LOL
Are the cookies vegan? I have no problem avoiding all the hundreds of Cheryl's cookies that get sent to us at the office since they aren't vegan. They really aren't even good cookies IMHO, but I used to eat them anyway before I went from vegetarian to vegan. So I'm glad that temptation is gone.
I am not making the chickpea tart after all. My brother has been making a spicy buddha bowl recipe the past few years instead of the traditional Christmas fare, and it is SO good... can't wait. http://www.crazyvegankitchen.com/spicy-buddha-bowl/ So I'm making Dreena Burton's chocolate pumpkin pie as my contribution. It's relatively healthy. No oil or anything, and easy peasy. I haven't tried the recipe before so I hope it's good.
Haven't managed to accomplish much today even though I decided to stay home. I've been doing nothing very energetically though. Spent a small fortune at the grocery restocking all the household goods. My basic plan for the rest of the day is a quick surface only cleaning of the house, and a couple loads of laundry. It's pretty warm today, in the 40's, and sunny. That's nice at least.0 -
Oh, and Carla I love your new user name!0
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The cookies are not vegan, Mihani, but that doesn't stop me. There are a few I like a lot, but some of the others aren't my favorite, yet I still eat them. And then get mad at myself at night and can't sleep thinking about all that sugar in my system. I'm going to ask Joe to take them to work to eat in his office.
The spicy Buddha bowl looks great. I added it to my list of recipes to try once we're off of the meal plan. Or, maybe if one of the meals doesn't appeal, I can swap in the bowl. I always love buddha bowls.
Speaking of spicy, I found some pickled jalapenos that I LOVE! They are super crunchy and "tamed" so they aren't quite so deadly spicy which is a good thing, because I keep eating them straight out of the jar. The brand is Mezzetta, deli-sliced tamed jalapenos. Yum!
Something else I've been having lately, is low sodium club soda/seltzer water with a shot of white peach vinegar in it. SO good! It's a quality vinegar with no added sugar. I fill a large glass with ice, add the shot of vinegar, and then fill with club soda.0 -
Carla... I honestly don't want all the clients to know that I am vegan, they would probably start sending vegan goodies at the holidays. I don't need that temptation. The buddha bowl is really good. I could eat it all day long. I have never made it myself though. It looks like a lot of work and food for one person, so I just have it on Christmas Day. I've never tried pickled jalapenos but they sound good. I used to buy that brand of garlic stuffed olives, but if I am remembering correctly they have lactic acid and it doesn't specify plant-sourced so I had to quit buying them. I should try to find out if they are vegan. I love olives. Oh, and I drink a LOT of sparkling water. I buy Dasani or La Croix mostly. It helps when I've had a bad day and want a beer... at least I can pop a can and pretend lol.
I am doing better the past couple days. I prepped a lot of food. Have steamed broccoli and cauliflower, baked russets, baked Japanese sweet potatoes, roasted eggplant, brown rice, lettuce and raw veggies for salads, greens sauteed with onions and mushrooms. I am going to make a batch of cheezy chickpeas tonight and have a big bowl of chickpeas, veggies and rice, and make a lemon tahini dressing to drizzle over top. I have kale and red chard yet to cook tomorrow or Wednesday, so I am set until the weekend once I make the chickpeas. I've been telling myself that Sunday and Monday with Christmas Eve and the actual day is going to be more non-compliant, but that's no excuse to let myself go all week.0 -
Mihani, when I told my friend about the jalapenos, he already knew the brand and also recommended the garlic stuffed olives. They must be good! I need to tell myself the same thing regarding the holidays. There's no reason to stray the week before and the week after Christmas! I'd do much better being strict and then going a bit off plan for the 2 days.
I opted to try the quick 'n dirty batch version this week, rather than doing 5 complete meals. I think it's going to work well for us. I made the grains in the IP, made the 2 dressings, and did 2 blocks of baked tofu. I had an early lunch because it all smelled so good: a big bowl of salad, topped with some of the mixed grains and the baked garlicky tofu, and then Orange Sesame dressing over the whole thing. Crazy fast to throw together and so tasty.1 -
I'm actually home a bit early. Had to run by and see my mechanic so he could put some sort of cleaning additive in my gas tank. It has been periodically running really rough and he thinks this may help. We're trying some things short of replacing parts that will cost lots of money.
The tofu and orange sesame dressing sound really good, Carla! Glad you are enjoying the meal plans.
I am planning to start another strict round the day after Christmas. I already know I will have 3 non-compliant events in January, but that's just one evening each, and can be "mostly" compliant food-wise, and limit the wine.
I'm still super busy so I will likely continue to be a bit scarce the next few days.0 -
Mihani - I will join you after Xmas, I am maintaining my weight loss and then get back on track after xmas. We have friends staying with us until Friday and then Brooks has call at hospital on Saturday so I am going to grocery shop and prep for the weekend. I hope your car is running better. Limiting wine is rough for me this time of year. I don't mind not eating meat or the cookies but no wine is challenging.
Carla - I will start the meal planning soon. What is the dirty batch? Are there options other than tofu?
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I am trying to catch up on reading posts. I know it will motivate me! I have a history of congestive heart failure, and although I’ve been healthy for several years, I ended up back in the hospital a couple of weeks ago with my heart failing again. Long story, but the doctors expect a full recovery again, so I’m taking it easy for now, and hope to get back to work at least part time starting in the new year. Ironic, since I started this plan to lower my cholesterol, but I’m optimistic, and plan to start back today.
So, I am cleaning out my fridge today, but I plan to allow a few holiday treats. Looking forward to catching up with you all!0 -
Hi Limath - good to hear from you. Have you read Dr. F's book Eating for Health? I found it very inspiring..maybe more than Eat to Live. Take good care of yourself and good for you for cleaning out the fridge. A good place to start.0
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Hi Limath, glad you are on the road to recovery. We're all here to support you!
Donna you are home? Sounds like you had a really nice trip. I agree about Eat for Health. It's "friendlier" than ETL. I'm planning to shop on Tuesday hoping the stores won't be mobbed with pre-Christmas dinner shoppers. I need to get back to a lot more salads. I am just so swamped with work this week that it has been rough. I am heading upstairs to my home office to work for a couple more hours tonight.
Most of my presents showed up today. One book was damaged though and a replacement is being expedited with a return label for the one to return, but geeze. I should really shop earlier, but I've never had something show up damaged before. Grrr. It's supposed to be delivered to the office Saturday, but I don't know if it will be there before I leave for the day, and if not then I have to run back down there on Sunday, and not feeling overly hopeful that it will not be stolen from the porch there if it comes after I leave.
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Limath, nice to see you back! I hope all the nutritious food makes you feel great and gets you back to work soon. Did your doctor recommend walking or an exercise program?
Donna, the quick batch option was what I was talking about with the dirty batch. It is an easier version of the weeks meal plans - a batch of beans, grains, a soup, and a salad dressing. You then put that together however you want during the week. I think she has a sample menu that you can get for free to try out before deciding if it's for you. https://cleanfooddirtygirl.com/mealplans/ There's a ton of info on that page, too. The menu for next week will be available tomorrow. It is always released on the Friday. I will post it here, and you can also join the private FB group. You don't need to be on the meal plans to join the group.
Mihani, that's irritating about the damaged book. Did it come from Amazon? I've never had anything arrive damaged from them before, even though a highway patrolman came by to drop off a package to our front door once...followed a few hours later by our tearful mail person who had been searching the streets for our package. She'd left it on top of her car and driven away! Hopefully the additive you're adding to your car makes a difference.
Karrie, how are you managing? Is December your son's last month delivering the paper?
The tofu, grains and dressing over greens has worked well for me this week. I've been looking forward to my salad every day for lunch. Next week I'm going to have something similar, but sub black bean burgers for the tofu, and use whatever the meal plan dressing is for the week.
I'm coming down with a cold so I'm not sure if we're still going to go ahead with all of our plans for Christmas Eve and Christmas. We had our first snowfall of the season two days ago.
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Pretty picture Carla! I think I'm coming down with a cold too. I was sneezing and sniffling today. I am going to bed in a few. We have clients stacked again tomorrow. Sigh. Glad the meal plans are good! I do like her website.0
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Mihani - that is a bummer about the book. Yes, we are home as of Sunday night. Wonderful trip. I didn't gain and was about .5 lbs down so all good.
Our friends have been with us for about 4 weeks. They closed on their house today and the furniture & stuff arrive tomorrow. It has worked out really well for everyone. They took care of my 3 dogs while we were gone...they had a dog too and everyone got along well. I will miss them when they leave but also plan to get back to smoothies and salads.
I played 2.5 hours of tennis today...in pain despite motrin but it was fun. Had a mammogram this morning. They are not as bad as they use to be.
Going to Trader Joes early tomorrow before mobs show up.
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Donna, will your friends be living close enough to you that you can get together as often as you like? If so, what a nice bonus living in a new city! I've only been to Trader Joe's once without a mob being present, and even then, it was getting crazy by the time I was checking out. Their prices are good and I like a lot of what they carry, but the parking is always terrible, the crowds are insane, and maybe it's due to the layout, I'm not sure, but no one uses 'the rules of the road'! In all other grocery stores, people seem to 'get' that you travel up an aisle on one side, and down the aisle on the other. TJ's is just a free for all, like driving in India! (I know, that's a lot of feelings about a grocery store!)
Oh no, Mihani! Just what you needed on top of it all, a cold. I hope you can fight it off. This morning, I'm feeling better than I was yesterday...maybe I can still fight it off and get through Christmas day. My Mom is the Inspector Clouseau of colds. She just has to pinpoint whodunnit as far as passing germs on. I was grilled yesterday. Sometimes it is funny, but the way I've been feeling lately, things like that are irritating. I want my good moods back!
Here's my meal plan for the coming week. I won't post it from now on, because it is probably only exciting to me! It's been fun finding out what the coming week will look like every Friday.
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Hi Carla,
Thank you for the explanation and sharing the menu for the week. I will check it out. The winter harvest with farrow looks interesting. We were lucky this morning at Trader Joes. Yes it can be crazy. There are two in San Antonio and we go to the less "snooty" one. It was actually fun shopping with hubby. The only ones who got xmas cookies were the pups....they got Gingerbread dog treats. That is a beautiful picture you posted of the snow.
What a bad time to get colds. I too try to track down where I was exposed. Our friends staying with us caught something at work. Hoping we don't catch it. Their house is about 20-30 minutes away. I wish they had bought something closer. Traffic is horrible in San Antonio. It is the 7th biggest city in the US.
Sun is out after a dreary morning. Going to take some motrin and then go walk dogs.
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The menus sound so good Carla! I know I wouldn't follow through myself so I would be hesitant to try it. Maybe someday work will get better. Probably when I retire lol. Glad you are feeling better. I have a cough and headache today but I don't feel too awful. Hope you get feeling good enough to enjoy Christmas.
Donna, I think 2.5 hours of tennis would kill me! I admire how active you are. How was your Trader Joe's visit? I love that place, but I don't go too often. I usually stock up on tons of frozen items when I'm there though. Their veggie stir-fry and other frozen veggies just seem better than the brands I get at the regular grocery.
I left the office at 3:00 to stop at Fresh Thyme and got stuff to make myself pita pizzas for the next couple dinners. I am going to load the pitas up with sauce, roasted red pepper, onion, banana peppers, spinach and (cheating here) a little Daiya. I do use a very little bit, but it adds that hint of "cheesiness" that I miss since I haven't had dairy in 5 years now.
I'm going to the office for a fairly full day tomorrow, but taking Sunday and of course Monday off. I may work at home some on Sunday though. The end of the year really sucks and I just remembered one more case I should close before end of year that I have to get to tomorrow.
Amazon is seriously screwing me over this year! The damaged book is being replaced but won't be here until tomorrow, and two things I ordered got delayed and will be delivered tomorrow. I always have things delivered to the office so I sure hope they show up tomorrow before I leave for the day. Otherwise I'm going to printing pictures of presents and wrapping them.
I forgot when I ordered presents, but I have been meaning to get the boy one of those LED lighted collars. He's entirely black other than a small strip of white on his chest and a few white hairs on the tip of his tail (which is adorable) and I can't see him outside at night! I am going to get him a collar with LED lights so he can't hide from me when he's not ready for bedtime lol.
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Hi Donna... your post snuck in before mine. Hope the motrin helps. Glad you had a good trip to Trader Joe's. I forgot to mention, I do agree with Carla that nobody seems to remember how to shop and navigate a grocery when they hit TJ's. I get irritated with people. Of course, I am kind of naturally irritable. I'm going to be a horribly cantankerous old woman some day I'm sure!
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You know it is funny...almost every Trader Joes are laid out the same way. The aisles are narrower than traditional grocery stores. San Antonio has some huge grocery stores called H.E.B. superstore. They take forever to shop around. They are bigger than some malls I have been to and I don't like them. We had a wonderful little grocery store in Italy that I could run in, find what I need and get out.
Hip was better today. Able to get all 4 dogs walked despite a big drop in temp with cold winds today. I did two at a time and got 6 miles in. It was 74 this morning and then dropped to 48* with a wind chill factor.0 -
Step away from the xmas cookies. I don't know why I reverted to my favorite morning treat, cookies and coffee.....nothing healthy about that.0
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Donna, I often shop at Fresh Thyme, it is more convenient to me than Trader Joe's. While their prices on some packaged things aren't that great the fresh produce and store brand canned goods and frozen items are excellent prices, and they have a nice bulk section. I prefer it when I just want to pick up a few things. We have a couple of those huge type of groceries here, where they have so much stuff. I avoid them.
Were you able to walk away from the cookies? I think some holiday indulgence is natural and probably fairly healthy mentally at least. I am pretty lackadaisical about diet on holidays other than the fact I'm vegan 24/7. The problems start when the cravings start because I indulged, so I try not to go toooo overboard. I've always thought that "naturally thin" people just seem to naturally eat a reasonable amount of things and when they overindulge it doesn't spiral into days/weeks/months of overeating. My brain doesn't work properly that way.
Spent about 5 hours in the office, didn't get as much done as hoped (I never do) and brought a few things home to work on tomorrow. Spending Christmas Eve with friends that I've spent every Christmas Eve with since I was a teenager. The day will be at my brother and sister-in-law's and we always have a good time. It's pretty relaxed, just good food, wine, lots of laughs, some presents.0
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