All posts in category Vegan

Shhh…. Don’t Tell Him That It’s Healthy

I’m Back!  I had SO much fun being at girls camp last week, but to say I’m happy to be home and trying to get back into my routine would be an understatement.

One thing that I am trying to do this week is DETOX.  I failed to mention last week that the theme of our camp was “Candy Land”.  There was candy everywhere!  Anyone who knows me knows that I have a MAJOR sweet tooth.  Chocolate and ice cream are two of my biggest problem foods. When I got home on Saturday I felt sluggish, dirty, and tired, and I’m sure the crappy eating was one of the bigger issues for having those feelings.

On Sunday I sat down and made a diet detox plan for the week and I am forcing myself to stick with it so that I will feel better.  Even after only two days of getting some real greens in me and no sugar I feel about 80% better.

I also splurged this week and had Kombucha make a come back!

My body is in some serious need of getting the bad out and the good in.

I also made a Sam’s Club run this week and stocked up on fresh fruit.  I may have gone a little crazy and I now cant fit anything in my fridge, it is PACKED.

This morning while reading blogs I came across a recipe from my favorite Vegan website Oh She Glows I may be a little obsessed with her recipes.  It was for a jam, and coincidentally I had just ran out of jam, and had all of the ingredients on hand, shocker.

Try this recipe now: Magical Blueberry Vanilla Chia Seed Jam

IMG_1224

Photo Credit is of course to Angela over at Oh She Glows since she is a FAR better photographer than I, and I don’t want to disrespect her recipe!

The hub’s loves jams and jellies so when I told him that I found an easy jam recipe he was in full support of me using some of our overly stocked fruit to make this Magical Blueberry Vanilla Chia Seed Jam.  The even better thing is that it is actually a HEALTHY jam.  Why I never thought of Chia seeds for a jam recipe is beyond me.  I have been learning so much about plant-based cooking that one day I might just venture out and start trying to create some of my own recipes.  But until then Oh She Glows is my top go to for delicious & quick vegan meals.

But don’t tell my husband that it’s healthy, k?

4 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on June 26, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Blogs to Read, Candy, Challenges, Diet, Energy, Kombucha, Link Love, Meal Planning, Plant Based Diet, Vegan

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on June 26, 2012

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2012/06/26/shhh-dont-tell-him-that-its-healthy/

Weight Loss Killer

Sweat it Out:
50 Minute Hilly Walk
20 Minute Strength Training
650 calories burned, according to Bodybugg

I miss when I use to start every post with what my workout was for the day, so let it be said “sweat it out” is back on the books!  This is the first time I have worked out in about 4 days and in all honesty it is because I have been having some stomach issues lately.

Ya, it’s going to be one of those post’s again!  If you are a new reader I will warn you that through the years I have become increasingly obsessed with BM’s.  I have had an inconsistency of them my entire life which has left me asking everyone and their dog about how frequently they use the bathroom to try to get some idea of what the norm is.

The thing is, for me at least, not going to the bathroom on a regular basis is a weight loss killer.  My weight can fluctuate up to 3 pounds if I have not been going as often as I should.  The food goes in, and nothing comes out.  Sometimes even for days at a time.

Odd thing is that when I was doing a plant-based diet I went everyday, and I felt that lightness and emptiness that I should feel on a daily basis.  I don’t know if it was because I was drinking Kombucha almost everyday (which has a TON of probiotics in it for healthy digestion) or it was all the fruits and vegetables I was eating.  I’m sure it was a combination of the two.

Three weeks ago I started eating dairy and meat again and there are a few things that I have noticed:

  • Inconsistent bowel movements (obviously)
  • Horrible sleep patterns (waking up more frequently, feeling hot, waking up several times a night
  • Low energy
  • Skin breakouts, like GINORMOUS zits all over my chin, so gross!

So here I am again, trying to make some changes to my diet…..again.  I want to do what is going to work best for my body and my weight loss, and I am tired of having a bloated stomach, and having inconsistent patterns in my digestion.  The hub’s has agreed that I should go back to plant-based, and with his blessing it’s ON.

On a lighter note, I will be happy to see my grocery bill go down (yes, I said DOWN).  Whenever we are eating vegan my grocery bill is almost non-existent.  Fruits, veggies, and beans etc., are cheap my friends!

The one thing I will be doing this go around is counting and measuring.  If I can keep my calories to 1400 and get some kind of workout in everyday, I think the scale will show it.

Wish me luck, and for some smooooth results (sorry, I couldn’t resist)!

Anyone else out there obsessed with people’s pooping schedules?

Ever seen the series Downton Abbey? The hub’s and I cannot stop watching it!  Every evening after we put the babe’s to bed we watch an episode, and I am LOVING it!

8 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on June 5, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Kombucha, Plant Based Diet, Vegan

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on June 5, 2012

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2012/06/05/weight-loss-killer/

Wanna be a “Skinny Bitch”?

Shocking title?  I know.  It is the exact same thing I thought when I went into Borders 5 years ago and purchased the book titled “Skinny Bitch”.  Do you thrive on tough love?  Do you like being called a Fat Cow?  Then this is the book for you!

I don’t know about you, but I tend to keep a healthier diet when I am reading books that promote a healthy lifestyle. I actually first read this book back when I first purchased it in 2007 and I had no idea what I was in for.  I will admit that the title totally got me (and the writers fully admit that is the reason why they titled the book the way it is).  So when I was looking for good books to read recently, I decided that I would read this book again and brush up on the lifestyle that I was too scared of back then.

The first chapters title is “Give it Up”, and then proceeds to list items in your diet that you should give up, and reasons why you should give them up.  Basically everything that was in my diet at the time. Dairy, meat, caffeine, candy, and anything else you can think of that makes your taste buds have a party in your mouth (at the time).  I was thinking that the diet they were promoting would be more South Beach, or Mediterranean, since those were the “hot” diets at the time.  I thought to myself, “I’ll get this book and just keep reading the same old, same old”, but I found very different information than what I was use to.

This book is written by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, both former models, and Kim holds a Master’s Degree in Holistic Nutrition.  I will say that they are straight forward with their tactics on how to get fit and healthy.  This works well for me, or at least I take it well, I should say.  I remember it was around 6 years ago when I went to an Endocrinologist because I wasn’t getting a period regularly.  The blunt Doctor told me I was too fat and that I needed to lose weight.  At the moment I was offended and kind of wanted to cry until I told myself “she’s right, and just because she didn’t use the best tactic doesn’t make it any less true, and she wasn’t saying it to be mean”.

Anyway, I like the book’s straightforwardness.  It also has an entire chapter dedicated to poop (my favorite subject), and how a plant-based diet helps you to move things along.

It gives you information on government agencies and the role they play with our food, and without getting too controversial, I will just say that the chapter is titled Have No Faith: Governmental Agencies Don’t Give a Shit About Your Health, and I have to admit, the proof is in the Pink Slime (if you have never heard of Pink Slime, click to link to a shocking demonstration of how 70% of America’s meat is containing this HORRIBLE concoction of meat and chemicals) .   I like the tagline in this chapter that states “Trust No One”.  It empowers you to get to know your food and the ingredients.

The one thing I found hard with this book is that I felt overwhelmed.  There were so many things that you feel like you have to cut out of your diet at once it seemed impossible and frustrating before you even started the method.  My advice for people who want to do a major overhaul in their diet is to make one small change at a time.  A big step for me this year has been the Vegan kick-start that I did in January, and now in April, but I also realize that my hub’s will never be a health guru and that I am going to have to compromise on a few things (like not completely cutting out meat products).  So on the weeks that I have not been doing the kick-start we have meat products at dinner every other night.  This is a big step considering we are used to eating meat multiple times a day.  Eventually I hope to get it down to 2-3 times a week, but like I said, small changes at a time.

Bottom line for this book:  It was entertaining, gave good information, and was definitely food for thought. I still think that meat in moderation is okay for you, but I do think that you need to research where you are getting your meat, and purchase the highest quality you can find.  An example that I just can’t get out of my head is the fact that my Grandma is 92 years old, in great health, and has eaten meat and dairy her entire life, in moderation.

Do I recommend this book?  Absolutely!  If for anything it will definitely make you laugh!

4 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on April 10, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in 21-Day Vegan Kickstart, Book Review, Books, Diet, Nutrition, Plant Based Diet, Poop, Vegan

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on April 10, 2012

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2012/04/10/wanna-be-a-skinny-bitch/

Menu Plan Monday!

PCRM’s 21 Day Kick-start starts today!!!  I’m so excited for another 3 weeks of energized, joint pain-free, and deliciousness!  Last night I sat down with my trusty vegan websites (post on those to come later), and planned out the entire week of meals, and I must say that my mouth was eager to get this week started.

I have to say that I have so much fun Menu Planning on Sunday nights!  I love going to different websites and trying recipes that I have never tried.  This week’s menu is making my mouth water.  Here is what is on our menu in the Seals household:

Monday: Tomato Basil “Cream” Pasta with roasted broccoli

Click pic to go to source

We tried this recipe a few weeks ago, and not only is it super tasty, but it is EASY to make!  My little one LOVES tomato’s and the sauce is such a great tomato and “cream” sauce, you would never guess that it was dairy free!

Tuesday: Taco’s with Corn Salsa

In this salsa there is corn, orange pepper, purple onion, cilantro, lime, and garlic salt.  I put it over black beans and serve in a corn shell.  It is fast and totally curbs a craving for mexican fare.

Wednesday: Butternut Squash Soup with roasted cauliflower

The only thing I will have to change in this recipe is to swap out chicken broth for vegetable broth and voila! Vegan.

Thursday: Avocado Wasabi Salad

Click pic to link to source

I am so serious when I say my mouth is full on watering by looking at this salad. Anything that involves avocado’s is a win in my book.  And to think that before I met Dustin I didn’t like them.  Craziness.

Friday: Roasted Veggie Pizza with “cheeze” Sauce.  I will have to let you know how this one turns out.  I am experimenting with a few different recipe’s and rolling them into one.  We’ll see!

Saturday: Mushroom Risotto with Carmelized Onions

Click pic to link to source

Sunday: Sunday gets tricky because it is Easter Sunday and we have already got invites to people from our church homes for dinner.  The only thing I can think is to eat before I go over (most likely leftovers), and then I won’t be tempted to eat the things that usually derail me.

The rest of the weeks grocery list is getting things for smoothies, and snacks.  I have been on a hummus wrap kick lately, and I will most likely have some version of that for lunch every day this week.  I am so glad that I don’t mind eating the same things everyday!

Sweat it out:

I haven’t had a chance to sit down and come up with a workout plan, but I do know that I am going to do my FIRM DVD’s on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  In addition, I will also be taking a walk for at least 30 minutes everyday so I can get out of the house.  Most of today I will be trekking down to Grand Junction and going food shopping to stock up the fridge for the week!

Have a great day!

What’s on the menu for you this week?

 

2 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on April 2, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in 21-Day Vegan Kickstart, Meal Planning, Vegan

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on April 2, 2012

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2012/04/02/menu-plan-monday/

And So It Begins….

Let’s face it, March wasn’t my month.  I am ready to make April the new beginning for the rest of the year.  Tomorrow starts the 21 Day Vegan Kick-start, and I am revving to go full speed ahead into the next 3 weeks!  I am looking forward to getting back to my lowest weight of 248, and break out of the 240′s if it kills me.  These past few weeks I have felt sluggish and heavy.  When I get out of bed in the morning I just FEEL like I’m carrying around more weight.

How do I help myself out with a successful week?  Planning.  Goal making.  Executing plan, and following through.  Back to the beginning where I had weekly goals, and back to the beginning where I had monthly goals.  These thoughts give me comfort that I can get back on track.

Monthly Goals:

  • Workout 6 times a week.  Ahhhh.  Remember when I had no issues with this?  I am excited to get started on my at home workouts.  I will be adding and planning those workouts to my meal planning calendar that I complete every week. Also, I bought an exercise ball, and a yoga mat, so this expands the workouts quite a bit.
  • Complete the Kick Ass April challenge that is being put on by Shrinking Jeans.

If you want to follow along you go to Shrinking Jeans and print off a copy of this calendar.  This is also a challenge extended to us by Dacia, where the Monica’s Birthday Challenge is going on (I’m giving it the good fight, and even though I haven’t been at the top of my game I am still reporting my non-existent weight loss every week.  I am hoping that I can catch up in the last 3 weeks of the challenge!).

  • Finish out the Monica’s Birthday Challenge.  Hopefully the 21 day challenge will help me to at least lose a few pounds before the end of this challenge.
  • Complete the PCRM’s 21-Day Vegan Kickstart.  The great thing about this goal is that I have already completed this challenge once and so I know what I am in for.  The first challenge helped me to prepare for the second and so I am hoping that the transition isn’t as jarring as the first round was.
  • Wear my Bodybugg.  My poor bodybugg has been sitting in my dresser drawer for the last month.  I didn’t want to have to update it, and be reminded of how little I was doing towards my goals.  Also, it is now short sleeve season and you can see my BB clearly, which is a little embarrassing (I have to get that out of my head).  I tried to wear it on my calf, but it wasn’t accurately counting my calories.  I will just have to get over myself and wear it at all times.

I think that is a sufficient amount of goals for the month of April.  Not overwhelming, but still challenging.

Weekly Goals:

  • Successfully Start the PCRM 21 Day Vegan Kick-start.  
  • Meal Plan.  When you are eating a plant-based diet planning is crucial!  All it takes is a moment to lose everything that you have worked so hard to achieve!  Lucky I have a TON of recipes “pinned” on Pinterest, and a lot of recipes that I like the first time around so it is just about picking a weeks worth and I am set.
  • Workout 6 times this week.  Along with a Meal Plan, I should have an exercise plan as well.  I will be mapping out my workouts for the week and where I can find them (HULU plus, netflix, or a video of my own).
  • Drink 100 ounces +.  Self explanatory.
  • Take a walk each day with Hanna.  We finally live in a neighborhood that has sidewalks and a walking path.  This means that I am going to try to take a walk either in the morning or afternoon with Hanna so we can both get out of the house.
  • Read something!  I use to read at least 2 books a month, but this number has decreased dramatically since having Hanna a year and a half ago.  The only times I have a chance to read is during Hanna’s nap time (which is when I usually blog), or after she goes to bed (and then my eyes almost immediately close automatically.  With eating plant-based I should have a lot more energy so I have ordered two books off Amazon: Disease Proof your Child, & The 21 Day Weight loss Kick Start.  Both of these books are on Veganism and the second is what the kick-start I am starting is about.  I will do full reviews of these books as soon as I get them and read them.

Here is to a great beginning to a new week!

3 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on April 1, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in 21-Day Vegan Kickstart, Body Bugg, Challenges, Diet, Goals, Meal Planning, Plant Based Diet, Vegan

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on April 1, 2012

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2012/04/01/and-so-it-begins/

The Sweet Relief of Routine

Hallelujah!  My internet is up and running!  And so is my Google reader, apparently,  considering I had over 150 items to be read from the last week!  I’m slowly working my way through and seeing what all of my blog friends are up to.

I am happy to say (more like ecstatic) that life is starting to settle down and that all-to-familiar motivation is creeping back into my mind.  You know the I’ve-been-off-the-wagon-for-so-long-that-I’ve-actually-gotten-sick-of-eating-out-and-I’m-ready-to-kick-ass-on-weight-loss kind of motivation.  That’s the one!

The Diet (And when I say diet, I mean the food that I consume and not a diet plan.  This is a lifestyle not a diet)

I’ve been concocting a plan of action these last few days, and after getting the thumbs up from the Hub’s we are going to be doing round 2 of the PCRM’s 21-Day Vegan Kickstart!  The truth is, I have never felt better in my life than when I was doing round one of the kick-start in January.  I cannot deny that this way of life agrees with me.  It is simple to follow, and I feel like all aspects of my life improve when eating a plant-based diet.

I will be tracking my calories on Livestrong.com, and I will be keeping daily blog food diaries.  The food log posts may be boring, but the whole reason I have this here blog is for accountability and documentation.  I will try to keep them interesting with lots of pictures and hopefully, some fun recipes!

The Exercise.

This is where I have to show how dedicated I am.  I no longer have a 24 hour gym with child care.  In fact, the hours of the activity center (although free) are from 8-9, which is not the most convenient of time for me.  I am not the kind of person who likes a lot of change in my workout times.  I like to workout at the same time everyday so that my routine is not thrown off.  Walking (and then hopefully running at some point) will be a major player in my exercise regime.  Keep in mind that I live on the side of a mountain, and I am also pushing 40 pounds worth of baby and stroller up and down hills.  Great interval workout right? Right.

Here are some pictures from the first of many walks that we will be embarking on:

These pictures do not do the hill climbs justice.  It felt like I was walking uphill both ways!  My legs are actually sore today!

We are also planning on checking out the Activity Center tonight so that we can get a better idea of what it offers.  We may even walk there considering it is less than 2 miles away from our house, but uphill the entire way.

The Motivation

As if I need any more motivation than my sweet baby girl and amazing husband, but alas, baby talk has been happening.  I think this is the one and only time in my life that I will experience my hub’s wanting another baby before me.  Don’t get me wrong, I would LOVE to have another baby right this very second, but I REFUSE to go through another pregnancy like my last.

I’m not saying that I need to lose a hundred pounds before I’ll consider having another baby, but we did come to the conclusion that I was going to give it my all until next January.  Then we can start trying for another.

This thought has weighed heavy on my mind lately, and I cannot wait any longer.  No more dragging my feet and being “off plan” more than I’m “on plan”.  I have been on this WLJ since June of 2011 and all I have lost is around 30 pounds.  It’s time to get serious and not let life’s obstacles get in the way.  It’s time that I show how committed I really am.

4 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on March 29, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in 21-Day Vegan Kickstart, Commitment, Diet, Motivation, Planning, Plant Based Diet, Vegan

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on March 29, 2012

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2012/03/29/the-sweet-relief-of-routine/

WIAW: Fake Meat Flop

I made a major grocery run yesterday so that we would have plenty of food in the house.  I went to 3 different stores and got food that both Dustin and I could enjoy.  Since we will be moving soon (hopefully), the urge to eat out is clear and present, so instead of going out to eat every night, I bought food that would be satisfying, but not diet destroying.

Although, after I looked at all of the pictures I took all day of my eats I noticed that veggies were nowhere to be found!?  The theme of this month is VEGGIES after all!

Oh well!  Let’s get to it!  Thank you to Jenn over at Peas and Crayons for making this fun activity every week!

Breakfast:  Oatmeal, as always.  Nothing fancy just Quick Oats, Flaxseed, 1/2 a banana, and Agave Nectar.  The perfect pre-workout meal.

Morning Snack: Chocolate Coconut Larabar (unpictured)

Lunch: I was so excited to try out my lunch today.  I LOVE pizza.  It is absolutely, without a doubt, my most favorite food.  So when I started eating a more plant-based diet I didn’t have a lot of wiggle room when it came to this glorious meal.  I went to the health food store and bought some “alternative” mozzarella cheese, and some “pepperoni”.  I had such a great experience with the Italian Tofurky, that I thought I could venture onto something different.

My ingredients: La Tortilla Factory Low-carb Tortilla, Daiya Mozzarella “Cheese”, and Yves No -Meat Pepperoni.

I layered a tortilla with Classico spaghetti sauce, fake cheese, and fake pepperoni.  Then I broiled it in the oven to make it “melt”.

Finished product:

Looks pretty good, huh?  Well, it WASN’T.  In fact, it tasted like ass.  Ya, it was THAT bad.  I took one bite, and immediately threw it in the trash.  So much for trying to create a plant-based version of my favorite food.  I will just have to have a REAL pizza from time to time to calm my cravings.

New (and much better) lunch:

This lunch, on the other hand, was awesome!  Low carb tortilla with brown rice, black beans, and a mashed up avocado with a little garlic salt.  It totally hit the spot, and took the taste of the “pizza” out of my mouth.  Now let’s never speak of this again, ok?

On the side of my lunch I had an apple and 1/2 of a Kombucha:

Dinner:  My body was CRAVING meat.  I veered from my meal plan (which had meatless fajita’s on the menu), and decided to make some White Bean Chicken Chili.  It is basically chicken, broth, white cannelloni beans, and green chili’s.  I topped it off with some crushed tortilla chips and a dollop of plain greek yogurt, and I had a delicious dinner that my body was happy with.

I’m trying to give my body the things that it wants (healthy wise), and just go a little more with the flow.  It feels like the more foods I try to take out of my diet the harder it has been to eat well.  I’m counting calories, and if I eat the right portion size, and don’t go crazy, I should see a loss on the scale.  We’ll see.

How many grocery stores do you go to when doing your weekly shopping?

Ever experimented with fake meats or cheese’s?

Eaten anything memorable lately? 

5 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on February 22, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Plant Based Diet, Vegan, WIAW

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on February 22, 2012

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2012/02/22/wiaw-fake-meat-flop/

Adventures In (Meatless) Cooking, Don’t Be Scared.

Sweat it Out:
Elliptical 60 Minutes

A couple weeks ago I was at our local health foods store and ventured into the “Alternative Meat” section.  Fake meat, say what?  I am not oblivious that there is fake meat out there, although I was skeptical about how “meat like” it would be.  I picked the best looking package of Tofurky Italian Sausage and went on my merry way.

There it sat, my tofu “sausage”, starring at me from the dairy drawer in my fridge every time I opened the refrigerator.  What was I going to make with this stuff?  Should I tell the hub’s that it is Tofurky, or hide it in sauce and not tell him?

I have no problem handling raw meat.  I could prove that with how many times I have stirred the meatloaf with my hands, and having chicken almost every night (until a month ago) since the beginning of my marriage.  Raw meat and me? We are totally BFF’s.  So why is it when I was taking out one of these Tofurky Sausages, I treated it like I was scraping roadkill off of the highway? (mind over matter, stupid!)

Very careful to not get any of the juices on me, I sliced it thin and threw it in a frying pan with a little Pam (since I’m trying to cut back on those oils!).  I cooked it up for a few minutes (following directions, it told me to make sure and NOT over cook it!), stirring occasionally.  Then I put some Classico Spicy Red Pepper tomato sauce in the pan.

Once it was hot (and I’m assuming it was done?) I put it over spaghetti squash and had myself a little taste of Italy.  What was the verdict on this meatless wonder?  Thumbs up!  It was a great “meat alternative”.  I will say that I chewed ever bite pretty slow so that there wouldn’t be any surprises that I wasn’t expecting.

I’ve really got to figure out how to use my camera correctly, these pictures are ridiculous!

This has opened up a door for me into the fake meat world.  I could totally see eating something like this once a week, and check out the nutrition facts:
Serving Size: One Sausage

Calories: 270 (not bad considering all I ate with it was spaghetti squash and tomato sauce)

Fat: 13 grams

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Carbohydrate: 12 grams

Dietary Fiber: 8 grams (Um, normal meat has NO fiber last time I checked)

Protein: 29 GRAMS!!! (who says that vegan’s have a hard time getting in their protein?!)

All in all I thought this experiment with meatless sausages would be a flop, but I have discovered one more ingredient to help add a rainbow of flavors to my diet!  Think what would happen if we opened ourselves up to ideas that at first didn’t seem that great?  Apparently, you could be missing out!

Have you tried any Alternative Meats? Like? Dislike?

What is one thing you opened yourself up to that you thought you would not like?  

3 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on January 31, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Diet, Good Food, Plant Based Diet, Protein, Vegan

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on January 31, 2012

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2012/01/31/adventures-in-meatless-cooking-dont-be-scared/

Friday Night Pizza…A Possible Comeback

Sweat it Out:
Spin Class 45 Minutes

When I was young one of our family night traditions was Friday night pizza night.  My mom would make homemade pizza and we would rent a few movies to watch.  It was a total couch fest, and some good quality bonding time with the fam.

One of the things I have noticed while I have been eating my plant based diet is that there is not a lot of room for indulgence (this is not necessarily a bad thing).  I have been craving pizza like crazy lately, and of course because of the cheese and some of the pizza toppings I couldn’t indulge in one of my favorite foods.

Until last night.

I have found a lot of joy in finding new recipe’s online to try, and I have found a kindred spirit (in regards to tastebuds) in the blog world.  Oh She Glows has become my go-to for delicious plant based recipes.

Back to this amazing pizza…

I’m not going to lie, there was an actual PDF attachment for this recipe and it was almost 4 pages long.  After not watching tv ALL DAY, I was up for a cooking challenge and so I got my appliances ready to make something amazing.

I had actually pre-made the dough in the morning and let it rise most of the day.  I found the secret to good dough is 2 teaspoons italian blend spice (to die for!).  And olive oil, lots and lots of olive oil.  Side note:  I have used almost an entire half gallon of olive oil in the past couple of months (crazy!).

This recipe was called: Roasted Tomato, Onion, Basil, Pesto Pizza, with Vegan Parmesan Cheese (and then I added some roasted artichokes and black olives).  There was a separate recipe for each step, the dough, the roasted vegetables, vegan parmesan cheese, and pesto sauce.  I have never really tried pesto, so I didn’t know what to expect.  I am glad that I tried it, for I don’t want to know a world without pesto again.

I won’t go into too much more detail since this is not MY recipe, but if you want to try out this seriously delicious and guilt-free recipe head on over to ohsheglows.com and print out the recipe, you will not be sorry (and please don’t compare how perfect looking her pizza is and how NOT perfect mine is)!

Finished Product!

I underestimated the vegetables and would have put a LOT more on in the future!  Also, this recipe makes a lot of pesto. If you are serving 2, you could definitely split this into 2 dinners.  Tonight we will be having pesto pasta with what is left over.

Now I am off to have leftovers for lunch, yum!

Do you have a weekly family tradition that you have fond memories of?

Do you like Pesto?

6 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on January 28, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Good Food, Indulgence, Plant Based Diet, Recipes, Tradition, Vegan, Vegetables

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on January 28, 2012

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2012/01/28/friday-night-pizza-a-possible-comeback/

The Verdict.

Sweat it Out:
Weights 45 Minutes
Elliptical 45 Minutes

This last week was less than stellar eating wise.  I’m not going to re-cap what I ate because doing that will only make me feel frustrated and defeated, and that is not what I need at the beginning of a new week.  I am VERY motivated this week. I have tasted success and it feels so good that I have to keep going.

Yesterday was the LAST day of the 21-day PCRM Vegan Kick-start challenge!  I finished, and I only had a couple days where I fell off the wagon.  Since December 26th I have lost 13.2 pounds! I have had major energy, I’ve been sleeping better and my head feels clear.  It is hard for me to deny the way that I have felt these past 3 weeks.  So what have I decided to do?  Do I want to continue on with this lifestyle?  Do I want to keep putting my husband through plant based hell?

Yes.  Yes I do.  In some form.

I mentioned how baby steps are the only way to make an impact on my way of life.  A BIG baby step was participating in the challenge.  But I am not going to deny that it is going to take some time to perfect it.

My next step is to replace the word “Vegan” with “Plant Based Diet”.  I was not a fan of the looks I got when I told people that I was doing a Vegan cleanse.  To me a Vegan is someone who is 100% dedicated to that lifestyle.  They are interested in Animal Rights, and use NO animal products (i.e. leather and such), and also benefit from the healthiness that the lifestyle brings.  Don’t get me wrong, I love animal rights, and know the animal cruelty that comes along with the slaughter of animals for big food industries is wrong, and I have researched it in the past.  The other side is that I think God put certain animals on this earth for us to eat…….sparingly.  That means that if we are eating meat the way God intended, there wouldn’t be a high demand and they wouldn’t have to slaughter millions of animals so that I can eat meat or dairy products 3 times a day like most Americans.  (steps off soapbox)

No more dairy.  I noticed the biggest difference when I quit dairy & eggs.  I didn’t think I ate that much dairy until I started trying to eliminate it.  Come to find out I was eating multiple forms of dairy, multiple times a day.  Besides there are some great cheese substitutes.  I made a Mac & Cheeze recipe yesterday that was BETTER than the dairy form.  And it was packed with protein.

No more red meat.  I enjoy myself a steak every now and again, but I don’t want the fat and cholesterol that comes with it.

Meat 1-2 servings a week.  I love fish and I love chicken, so I have decided that on the weekends we will have a MAX of 2 servings of meat.  For now.  In order for my hub’s to be on board for the rest of the week, I have to compromise with meat.  I may end up just making it for him, and me not eating it.

Bottom line.  I will listen to my body and eat what it craves.  It does not crave dairy, but every now and again it wants meat.  If there must be a label put on the way I am eating it would be a Flexatarian.   

New Rules of Lifting for Women:

I am happy to report that I am 2 workouts away from completing the final phase of NROLFW.  This last phase has been a killer!  Every workout is circuit style and has higher reps and more sets.  I wish that I had documented the last half of the workouts better, because I don’t have anything to compare it to.

I will promise that this next go around (start again next week) will have better results and better documentation.  I can’t wait to see what this program can do for me once I pair it with my new way of eating.

Musings….

I’m thinking of doing bi-monthly or monthly weigh in’s instead of the weekly weigh in’s like I have been doing.  I find myself getting a little frustrated with the scale and I’m thinking that doing it on the day I do measurements would help me out. I though about this because I haven’t had a weight change this week, but my body feels different.  My hub’s and I even noticed that my face is looking thinner. Thoughts?

I will being doing progress photo’s and measurements next week, as I have decided that I am going to do one more meatless/dairy-less week and see where it gets me.

What’s going on in your neck of the woods?

 

 

6 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on January 23, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in 21-Day Vegan Kickstart, Diet, Energy, Health Benefits, Nutrition, The New Rules of Lifting for Women, Vegan

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on January 23, 2012

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2012/01/23/the-verdict/

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