Juicy Joyful July!
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Morning all...(my Thursday)
Today's Plan:
black coffee
Joe's Mean Green
Oatmeal - my day and my tummy just love this stuff... @Mihani Kinda little pac mans that scrub my colon
Kale Salad
Cantaloupe
yogurt and granola
Great job, Mark, analysing your plan and readjusting. I plan on making changes over my ten-day stretch of days off.
Good job thinning out the heard, @Mihani ...another thing I need to do.
Trying to keep my TO DO list on my days off not overwhelming so I do get some things done. Such a good chunk of time to make a difference. My second vacation week will be the first week of September.
Have a good one everybuddy!
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*thinning out the herd. oopsie0
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Happy Sunday morning, all!
@Mihani - Thanks so much for asking about things!
🍕 The pizza was for the 13 year old, who is interested in eating vegetarian, but not vegan. It did come out really well, based on the fact that I made him 2 14-inch-pizzas, and that all but 2 pieces (so 1/8 of the batch) was gone in 24 hours. The crust was gluten-free, made by starting from a Bob's Red Mill GF mix I found when Kondo-ing my pantry (it was so old that I used a newer packet of yeast, just in case!). The big thing about it taste-wise was adding in Italian herbs (rosemary, oregano, basil, thyme). I also made my own red sauce with lots and lots of onion and chunks of tomato, so each pizza included a red onion and about a pound of chopped tomatoes. Toppings were chopped yellow bell pepper and mushrooms (both partly cooked ahead of time so I could drain them and not have soggy pizza), plus a few tomato slices to top. Anyway, it was not strictly an ETL cooking project, but it was super fun, and I did manage to feed The Boy a lot of good veggies.
As a follow-up -- I need to try making a cauliflower crust for myself sometime! That's a great idea!
💪🏽 Yes! I did get lots of project work done, and the meeting went well. As a result of the meeting, I now have a huge stack of additional to-do's, and am working to see how many I can get done today! I just got off the phone with someone about one of the items. Moving it all along! And something I would count as an ETL victory -- despite feeling more than a little stressed about it all, I took care of myself by sticking to good food choices.
🛒 Side note - Shopping victory: I stopped by the health food store yesterday to pick up nutritional yeast, and realized they have bulk spices. This is awesome, as I have been going through lots of some spices that are not cheap at the regular grocery store-- tarragon and celery seeds, for example -- and not carried by the south Asian market I get many spices at inexpensively. So one of the things I will do today is make a jar of this Savory Spice Blend (like a homemade Mrs Dash).
@00markw -- Good for you for continuing to work on WFPB, and figuring out for yourself how to ease in to more plants in a way that works for you! Switching out fruit for processed snacks is a big change -- awesome!!
@magic71755 - I love those Dillon Holmes videos. Thanks for sharing! I'll be sharing those with a couple of people that have expressed interest in the plant-based eating.
@LizLovesVeggies - How are you doing this weekend?1 -
That pizza sounds yummy Austin! Congrats on getting all your work done and hope the rest goes well also. Glad you found a good source of spices.
Mark, sounds like you are on the right track! Any steps we take to better diet and health are good.
Magic, my to-do list was sooo overwhelming that I started to make a new page for each room or area of the house rather than it all on one page which made me feel hopeless. The mind games we play with ourselves LOL! I'll be happy when it is all done that's for sure.
I went to the office just about half a day because I wanted to go visit friends I haven't seen in several weeks. Had a nice visit and now it's time to cook! On my agenda for tonight: glowing spiced lentil soup, golden french lentil stew, roasted cauliflower, roasted fingerling potatoes, clean and prep salad lettuce and veggies. I still have some of the steamed broccoli and sauteed kale/onions that I made on Friday so this additional should set me up for the whole week.
B - sprouted grain toast, broccoli, spring mix with a balsamic/brown mustard dressing
L - cantaloupe, lara bar
D - probably a little of this and a little of that as I cook
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That pizza sounds too good, @AustinRuadhain!
I got back on the horse and had half a pound of salad today. It was nice with just a touch of lemon juice, garlic and black pepper to go with my leftover Cauli Curry. Had a glass of wine more than I should have, but half made up for it with a 4 mile walk.
Right now it looks like weight and bp have done silly things this first week of ETL, but I'll confirm tomorrow.
Happy healthiness, Etlers!1 -
My Friday...day before vacay...10 days with my weekends bookending.
Sounds like there is a great report coming our way, Mark.
@Mihani I am going to go room by room and try and stay focused. Major declutter mission.
@AustinRuadhain sounds like your focus to get the kiddos to have more veggies totally worked with the pizza! Anyway to get more veggies in them is a good thing.
Today for work:
Black coffee
cantaloupe
Joes Mean Green
baby potatoes with Hatch Green Chili Salsa
Will update later Need to make my own oat milk and almond milk. So oatmeal later today, and most likely bean tostadas for dinner.1 -
Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend.
Mark - I hear you re: veggies. When I first started eating ETL I also had an issue eating the amount of raw veggies recommended. Soups, stews, curries and starchier veggies helped me and hopefully that will make you feel less like a lawn mower lol.
Magic - LOVE kale salad and LOVE avocado. Good for you for prepping the salad in advance! I almost never make kale salads because they do take some time to break down and I always want to eat right away.
Mihani - Getting someone to do salad prep is sheer brilliance. WTG and thanks for the idea!
Re: Batch Cooking --> One thing my husband and I are doing that has been AMAZING is pressure cooking a big pot of beans once a week and then incorporating into meals throughout the week. We put them in the pot with some better than bouillon (yes it's got salt in it - a little goes a long way but def skip if you're avoiding salt entirely) and an onion cut in half (that we remove later - gives it a nice sweet taste). I've been incorporating those beans into buddha bowls, soups, tacos, on salads and just plain as a snack. They are super filling and it's been a game changer. I've lost fat (not focused on losing weight - just focused on losing fat because I'm trying to build muscle!) since going on the beans kick.
Austen & Mihani - YES! I love Dr. Greger. Read HNTD several times and listen to his podcasts (which I'm pretty sure are the audio content from his youtube videos). I also downloaded the daily dozen app which I use occasionally and try to keep in mind daily. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.nutritionfacts.dailydozen
Magic - ENJOY VACATION! Swimming is one of my favorite things. Have the best time!
Speaking of Game Changers, the movie, I did get to see a full length special preview of it and it WAS amazing. Can't wait for it to come out already! It's going to be a HUGE deal for getting people to move towards healthier plant based eating, especially for men.
BTW - anyone else trying to build some plant based muscle? I decided I needed to do this when I couldn't open jars without help and carrying heavy grocery bags became difficult.
Question for the group - What are some of your favorite ETL desserts??? I'm still in the mood for something sweet after dinner and have been eating frozen cherries or blueberries but looking for something with a little more pizzazz.1 -
PS - Austin (with an i!), thank you for asking. Weekend was great. It was VERY hot so reading indoors was my primary activity. Read Ariel Levy's The Rules Do Not Apply & am 1/2 way through The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith - pseudonym for J.K. Rowling - which I'm listening to while I do dishes, take the dog for walks etc. I love to read & book recs are welcome!
Memorable meals this past weekend:
B- Smoothies every day with bananas, frozen blueberries, chia seeds, frozen spinach, vanilla extract, water & plant milk. One day we added Vega protein powder.
L- Salads with lentils & grilled veggies.
D- Tacos (I make a taco salad bowl on soft corn tortillas) with beans, seitan, lots of veggies, tofu, pico de gaillo, guacamole & hot sauce.
Snacks - blueberries, plums, apples and hot chocolate with cocoa powder & plant milk (it was hot outside and this made no sense but I enjoyed it anyway)1 -
@LizLovesVeggies
A bit richer deSsert than just NICE CREAM...
Nice Cream...bananas, plant milk, unsweetened cocoa in the vitamix
spoon into these* little cups half-way or so (6 oz for portioned control)...
dollop in some natural peanut butter...
fill with more nice cream
maybe three walnuts OR PEANUTS chopped up as a topping.
freeze
take out, let set for a bit...and then enjoy.
PEANUT BUTTER CUPS
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CUPS FROM AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/StarPack-Portion-Control-Freezer-Containers/dp/B07KC2J7HT/ref=sr_1_59_sspa?crid=31SIN94NWN1NP&keywords=starpack+home+silicone&qid=1563804454&s=gateway&sprefix=star+pack+home,aps,214&sr=8-59-spons&psc=11 -
@Mihani - I hope you had fun with your friends, and then fun with meal planning and prep!
Oh, and I like your room-by-room To Do List. I might try some version of that.
@00markw - I hope your check of weight and BP numbers today went well. I wasn't sure if numbers doing something silly was a good thing or a bad thing! But it does sound like you are on a path to improve them! As @Mihani commented, any steps we take to better diet and health are good! Dialing back on raw veggies and easing back in as it seems appealing all sounds super smart!
@magic71755 - Yes, with the kiddo, I try to support him in eating more plants to the degree that he is interested. Since he wanted vegetarian pizza, I got him to choose toppings (onion, tomato, mushroom and peppers were all his choices) and then did my best to have it be delish. He asked for several salad lunches this week, so yay for that!
@LizLovesVeggies - I am paying attention to building muscle. I recently started weight training 3 times a week.
I also love to read, both fiction and non-fiction. A few recent fiction favorites:
The Jewels of Paradise (great audiobook!), The Eight Mountains (also a great audiobook!) , and All Systems Red.
@LizLovesVeggies - Mmm, a dessert discussion! (Oh, and no judgement as to hot chocolate!)
Things I love:
- Warm up some frozen blueberries and add a little cashew milk/oat milk/ etc plus some cinnamon.
- Warm up blueberries and some frozen tart cherries and add a little cashew milk/oat milk/etc plus some cinnamon.
- Dice up a big bowl of butternut squash, add a little diced apple. Microwave until the butternut is tender, then stir in a little cashew milk/oat milk and cinnamon to taste.
- Vegan strawberry banana nice cream; or do the nice cream with raspberries or some other fruit
- More ideas: The Ultimate Guide to Nice Cream
- Mix up a cup of cashew milk/oat milk/etc, a frozen banana, a teaspoon or so of cocoa powder, and a teaspoon or so of peanut butter. Mix with an immersion blender.
- Oatmeal Peach Dessert
- Blueberry Chia Pudding1 -
LizLovesVeggies wrote: »that will make you feel less like a lawn mower lol.
Haha! Yes, it did feel a bit like that - but then today I tried out a no-oil hummus recipe, and had a hell of a time translating it into Canadian can sizes and ended up with hummus smoothie, lol. It tastes great though, and I wolfed down a pound of celery, carrots, cucumber and peppers without feeling like a lawn mower at all!
@AustinRuadhain sorry that was a bit vague! I don't know what happened to the scales midweek, but [drumroll please] I lost 7lbs on my first ETL week
It's prolly mostly water, but I don't feel any pressure to quit so... Also, my blood pressure has been consistently 10% lower than like ever, for the last 4 days straight. Again, it might be just the reduction in salt, but I'm happy as punch about it
Also 2, nailed my breakfast smoothie (with a slight cheat): 1 cup spinach, 1.5 cups blueberries, 1/2 banana and 1.5 cups of low calorie cranberry juice (which apart from the aspartame is basically non-existent as far as I can tell). A real zinger for the morning, but I keep forgetting to add chia seeds.
Big reader here too: just found a pristine copy of Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch in a little library nearby and am thoroughly enjoying it. Our bookclub is reading Atwood's Handmaid's Tale next which I read years ago and didn't much enjoy - her poetry is much more interesting to me than her prose. Anyone else read poetry?
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@00markw - What fabulous news about your numbers! Especially that healthier BP number!
And a big hurray to all the ways you are finding to eat more fruit and veg without feeling like a lawn mower! (I love that description!) Nailing your breakfast smoothie -- such a win!
I have not read The Goldfinch. It's on my list of books I should get to!
I do also read some poetry, and I love short stories. I am currently reading #notyourprincess. Do you ever check out the Poetry Foundation's website? I enjoy finding new people there occasionally. (Here's a recent find from there by Aimee Nezhukumatahil!)1 -
Great numbers, Mark! I agree with Austin, especially that BP number going down.
My first day of vacay...
Prepped salad fixings and having one for breakfast. (this is all I had in my house...really need some scallions...and will probably add a little potato for next time to make it more scrumptious.)
Air fried mushrooms
steamed cauliflower and broccoli and then ice water shocked to stop cooking...(I never do that...but trying to make this a health retreat kinda feel on my vacay.)
Chopped bell peppers ... red and yellow and yellow squash
romaine
cilantro
Tahini lemon dressing.
Enough for probably three more salads.
Going for a hair cut...when I get back...will portion into quart mason jars to have each morning.
Lunch: fruit salad
Dinner: bean tostadas
Dessert: Oatmeal with berries/flaxmeal/cinnamon/raisins OR Lara Bar with tea
Trying not to snack so much while on vacay. Just so I get a better routine in place for when I go back to work. I eat too much at work* because I am so bored.
I pack so much so I will not go to the snack machines. I do occasionally get the pretzels (vegan but not GF and not good for me) when I am low on snacks.
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Magic - Thank you for that rec. I just bought the cups & can't wait to make those!
Mihani - Savory breakfast - WOW. My husband loves savory breakfasts but I don't normally whip those up M-F. Tofu scramble w/ toast, avocado & tempeh bacon is my favorite. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.
Mark - CONGRATS! That is freaking awesome. Good for you!
Re: Books, I really enjoyed The Goldfinch and hope you do too. Also enjoyed the Handmaid's Tale though so perhaps that's a sign that we don't have the exact same taste in books? We shall see! Recently read City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert and loved it.
Austin - I don't read a lot of poetry but I love Upstream: Selected Essays by Mary Oliver. That baked poem you linked too is great! Noted on your other book recs - added to my goodreads list. & thanks for the dessert ideas list - the oatmeal peach dessert sounds really good.
I am also weight training 3x week and loving it. Every time I go up in weight I feel such a strong sense of accomplishment (even if it's from 10 lbs to 12.5 and the weights look so small compared to everyone else!).
Update re: desserts, I stumbled across a chickpea cookie dough recipe that is calling my name... Anyone made chickpea cookie dough before? I really like Eat Pastry's gf cookie dough (not WFPB) and hoping it will taste like that.
B- My Bean & Green "kitchen sink" smoothie w/ Canned navy beans, banana, frozen bluebs & cherries, frozen spinach, chia seeds, almond butter, vanilla, water & soy milk (really liking this organic edensoy extra bcs it's creamy, tasty and has 11g protein per serving)
L- Split pea soup & french lentils, An apple & frozen cherries.
D- "souper greens" soup from juice press (ingredients -> Broccoli, Spinach, Celery Root, Onion, Quinoa, Lemon Juice, About Our Parsley, Garlic, Nutritional Yeast, Black Pepper, About Our Sea Salt, Coconut Milk, Sunflower Seed Oil, Coconut Aminos, Rice Starch, Avocado) & big salad.1 -
What I ate today:
black coffee
salad carrots, yellow and red bell peppers, yellow squash, mushroom, romaine, steamed cauliflower & broccoli, lemon/tahini dressing
oatmeal with flaxmeal, cinnamon, raisins, frozen wild blueberries, oat milk
watermelon
more salad with added baby potatoes
Lara Bar...apple pie.0 -
I had a tasty ETL day:
B - black coffee; blended cauliflower, spinach, blueberries, flax seed meal; side of goji berries
L - roasted Brussels sprouts; steamed mushrooms; savory baked tofu; steamed zucchini with grape tomato, red onion, mint, basil & spices; steamed mustard greens, dijon & spices; steamed diced apple and butternut squash with a splash of cashew milk
S - walnuts + apple slices
D - steamed zucchini with homemade fermented hot sauce; small side of apple cider vinegar cabbage slaw; big salad (massaged kale, romaine, roma tomato, roasted beet); dressing (white miso, nooch, vinegar, lime, cilantro, green onion, spices); steamed diced apple and butternut squash with a splash of cashew milk0 -
Thanks everyone.
Let my hair down with a slice of cheese pizza tonight, but other than that another good ETL 6wk plan day for me today. Feel genuinely positively reinforced by last weeks numbers, and the planning and prepping is getting slightly easier.
That baked goods poem was great, Austin! Good find. I do know that site, and now you've got me scratching around trying to list other food related poems - that aren't really about sex or romantic love, lol.
Some great sounding dishes you're all creating - lots of food for thought! Here's hoping my hummus smoothie will be set by tomorrow
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@LizLovesVeggies - haven't read City of Girls but Elizabeth Gilbert is so deep on podcasts, recommend?1
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Hi y'all... been having a super busy week and working super late past two days. I am seeing progress, but it's going to take a while to actually get caught up. I'm reading everyone's posts but no time to respond. Hoping another couple weeks and my work life will finally start to settle down.
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LOVE being on vacation...even though this is just my weekend, still...my head is totally in Healthy Retreat Mode.
Today:
Black Coffee
Big Salad with salad dressing from the WFPB Cooking Show "Crack"
Oatmeal with the usual stuff
Bean Tostadas
Fruit
Grilled Veggies with Jasmine Rice
Nice Cream Chocolate with PB
Have a great day everyone!
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