Please take a second and watch this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvYS5yGI9H4

Where have the days gone? My twins have stopped napping so things have gotten a little crazy. However, the vegan lifestyle continues to go well. It's been 4 weeks now and I still feel great! I keep trying to figure out if I will stick to this when Lent is over. I just feel so good that I would like to keep it up. Also, I just watched the above video and now feel like I can't really go back when I see things like this. This really happens, it is in our country and people need to be aware of it.

I have a couples supper club this weekend and I will be bringing a vegan dessert. I can't wait to try the recipe because of what I've read, no one will be able to tell that it's vegan....meaning it has no dairy or eggs in it. I'll let you know how it goes.

Tonight a group of girls are going to Bambu for sushi. I am so excited because sushi is a vegan treat! I know that there will be plenty on the menu for me to choose from and that makes this girl very, very happy!

My new discovery this week is the mock chicken salad at Whole Foods! Can I say delish? Wow! I couldn't even tell it wasn't meat when the guy behind the deli counter let me sample it. He says it actually sells better than the regular chicken salad to meat eaters alike.

Eating out is still a little challenging, but if I do my research ahead of time it's not too bad. I think all in all that is the hardest part about this lifestyle. There is usually something I can have on the menu.

I've been wanting to post links to other vegan blogs, foods, resources, etc but I've been having some technical difficulties with the blog. Hopefully I can get those figured out and pass them along. Until then....have a great sunshiny day!

You are what you eat!


Live life to the fullest, it's the only one you've got!

My top 4 reasons to be a healthy mama...

My 3 beautiful children and wonderful husband! If they see their mama wanting to be healthy and happy, then hopefully they will want the same thing out of life...

Daily workout: 5:15 am-5 mile run (with Jen)

Todays meals:

Breakfast:

Coffee with coconut milk hazelnut creamer

sprouted grain bagel with 1 TSP almond butter

banana

coconut water with pineapple (YUM!)

Lunch:

Vegan burrito (EVOL brand, delish) whole wheat tortilla filled with brown rice and veggies (corn, black beans, peppers, etc)
So Delicious mini ice cream bar (for dessert!)

Snack:

1 oz raw almonds

Dinner:

Falafel, whole grain couscous with toasted pinenuts, and sweet peas

You are what you eat!

Live life to the fullest, it's the only one you've got!

Cookie Monster

For the last couple of days I've had a MAJOR sweet tooth! When I crave sweets, I crave cookies and cupcakes, I mean who doesn't? To my surprise at Whole Foods the other day, I found wheat-free, dairy free Newman-O's cookies. I almost jumped for joy in the aisles!! And they were on sale!! I've eaten Newman-O's before, but wasn't aware of this version, which happens to be vegan friendly. I know cookies aren't healthy, but a girl needs what a girl needs every now and then, so I bought them. And how did they taste compared to an oreo? YUMMALICIOUS!! Nothing fake or artificial about them and that's what I love about them. My boys won't eat these everyday, but I feel less guilty giving this to them as a 'special' treat. There is a whole lot of goodness in these cookies...lets compare the ingredients of an oreo to those of the wheat free-dairy free Newman-O:

Oreo:Sugar, flour, hydrogenated soybean oil, cocoa, high fructose corn syrup, whey, corn starch, baking soda, salt, soy lecithin, vanillin, chocolate

Newman O: Organic Barley Flour, Organic Sugar, Powdered Sugar, Organic Palm Oil, Organic Corn Flour, Organic Rice Flour, Canola Oil (expeller pressed), Organic Cocoa, Cocoa (processed with alkali), Organic Unsweetened Chocolate, Natural Flavor, Salt, Baking Soda, Soy Lecithin (an emulsifier).

And for about 50cents more a package, why not feed you and your children something better for them?

Daily workout: 5:15 am 2 mile track run at the gym, 60 minute body pump class

Todays Meals:

Breakfast:

coffee wth coconut milk hazelnut creamer

mango, banana, blueberry smoothie

Snack:

handful of almonds

2 (wheat free, dairy free Newman-O's)

Lunch:

toasted sprouted grain bagel with 1 TSP almond butter

handful of veggie chips

Dinner:

blue corn tacos with avocado, corn, black bean salsa with gardein sesame crusted chickin (for me) and chicken, cheese and sour cream for everyone else.

And because I have Bunco with the girls tonight: RED Wine!! (maybe 2 glasses if I'm feeling good!) Hey, it's full of antioxidants....

You are what you eat!

Live life to the fullest, it's the only one you've got!

I'm vegan and I don't have 3 eyes!

I was ordering a smoothie from a local smoothie joint the other day and asked for it to made without honey. "Why no honey", she asked? "Are you allergic?" I sighed deeply and answered, "I'm a vegan for Lent so that means no animal products or by-products". She looked at me strangely and said, "You don't look like a vegan". I didn't ask what that meant, but I'm pretty sure I knew what she meant. In doing a lot of research I am finding that there are LOTS of vegans out there and they seem normal, like me! So yes, you can be uber-trendy and on the cutting edge of fashion (ha, ha, joking) and be vegan. Imagine that! It really is amazing the looks people give you. For kicks, I thought I'd post this list of celebrities that are vegan. I thought it was a pretty eclectic list...

•Alicia Silverstone
•Alyssa Milano
•Carrie Anne Moss
•Casey Affleck
•Casey Kasem
•Daryl Hannah
•Demi Moore
•Daniel Negreanu (professional poker player)
•Elijah Wood
•Ellen DeGeneres
•Emily Deschanel
•Gillian Anderson
•Ginnifer Goodwin
•Heather Mills
•Jennifer Connelly
•Joaquin Phoenix
•Keenan Ivory Wayens
•Kevin Nealon
•Mayim Bialik (Blossom)
•Mutt Lange
•Natalie Portman
•Pamela Anderson
•Portia de Rossi
•River Phoenix
•Sandra Oh
•Tea Leoni
•The Artist, formerly known as Prince
•Toby Maguire
•Vanessa A. Williams
•Weird Al Yankovic
•Woody Harrelson
•Zooey Deschanel

Daily workout: Running- 5 miles @ 5:15 am (with my friend Jen!)

Meals for the day
Breakfast:
coffee with coconut milk hazelnut creamer
Pure organic apple cinnamon raw bar

Snack:
mango, blueberry banana smoothie
vegan apple cinnamon muffin

Lunch:
veggie medley garden burger on sprouted grain and seed english muffin
black bean hummus
pita chips

Dinner:
Risotto with porcini mushrooms, sweet peas and kale (shrimp with everyone elses)

You are what you eat!

Live life to the fullest, it's the only one you've got!

Lesson learned

On the weekends, we like to eat out as a family at least one night. It gives me a break from the kitchen and teaches the boys how to use their manners in a restaurant. We were out and about on Saturday running errands and decided to eat at a local Mexican restaurant last minute. Poor planning on my part. There really wasn't anything that I could eat except chips, salsa and guacamole. This restaurant was not 'fresh' Mexican, but what my husband refers to as 'slop' Mexican..the type of place where everything is cooked in oil and slopped on a plate. So, I ordered the guacamole and of course it came out brown...YUCK! I was hungry, so I filled up on my chips and salsa and felt disgusting afterwards. Even my husband, who ordered on the lighter side as well, did not feel good. We both made a pact after we left to try fresher, healthier alternatives next time! Lesson-learned, I will always plan ahead and know my menu options next time we dine out. Luckily Charleston has a wide variety of this type of restaurant, so it shouldn't be hard. And with spring and summer fast approaching it should be even easier to find this.

It's been almost 2 weeks since I started this adventure and I must say, I really do like it. Yes, I miss the occasional piece of cheese, but my digestive system is oh so thankful! Will I ever eat cheese again? Oh I am sure I will, but after 2 weeks without it...I know that it will at least be every now and then, or I may decide not too. We shall see...

Since I plan my weekly dinners on Sunday. I'll try and post what we are having each week on Monday.

Weekly Dinners:
Mon-Spicy Cilantro Chickpea Burgers on sprouted grain buns with mango chutney, tomato, sliced avocado and roasted sweet potatoes

Tues-risotto (made with vegetable stock), sweet peas, porcini mushrooms and kale (my family will have shrimp in theirs)

Wed-pizza made with whole wheat dough (sans cheese for me)

Thurs-Blue corn tacos with avocado, corn, blackbean salsa (shredded cheese, chicken and sour cream for my family and gardein sesame crusted chickin tenders-all vegetable based for me)

Fri-Falafel and black bean hummus and whole grain couscous with roasted squash.

Daily workout: Running-2 miles on the track at the gym, Body Pump (strength training) 1 hour class

Today's Meals:
Breakfast:
Organic Pure Chocolate Brownie raw bar
coffee with coconut milk hazelnut creamer
banana

Snack:
handful for peanut butter pows cereal (I have a major sweet tooth today and these are the ultimate guilty pleasure, with none of the guilt, just don't eat too many. Available at Whole Foods.)

Lunch:
Gardein sesame crusted chickin tenders (all vegetable based) on sprouted grain and seed english muffin (Food for Life) with horseradish mustard and veganaise
handful of Whole Foods brand veggie chips
2 wheat-free, dairy-free Newman O's (yes, definite sweet tooth today! and these taste JUST like an Oreo, with none of the yucky stuff. Just don't eat too many.)

Dinner:
Spicy Cilantro Chickpea Burgers on sprouted grain buns with mango chutney, tomato, sliced avocado and roasted sweet potatoes


You are what you eat.

Live life to the fullest, it's the only one you've got!