Loving Veg, Snow, Ice, and Puddles

I have to admit. The thought of eating meat (other than fish/seafood based "meat") is starting to take a toll on me. I really can't imagine when my next piece of organic chicken will be. I don't know if I'll ever go back.

It has been so easy to maintain this eating style, and enjoyable as well. While I would like to take it a step further in the future (trying out a Vegan diet as I mentioned once before)I am not ready for it, and am really enjoying the place I am in as of right now.

I thought that I would at least want chicken when I decided to take on this idea, but no, not even chicken. I am quite surprised because staying a vegetarian was never the plan.

Just look at all the wonderful Indian dishes out there. Some do contain meat, but I stick to the meatless ones. Full of curry, ginger, lemon grass, vegetables, protein, soy, so good, and so good for you.



I am feeling wonderful by the way. Since changing around my eating (to veggies) I have ...

- Felt physically better
- Had an easier time eating outside of the house (I know it sounds crazy)
- Tried many new foods by devoting more time to cooking

The reason it has been easier for me to eat outside of the home is because many vegetarian options are also vegan options. That means, no milk (a key look for out me personally). I am lactose intolerant so questioning the milk factor when eating out side the home is always a worry.

Secondly, if there are no meatless options, I stick to a salad. Healthy, delicious, and effortless. I also hardly use dressing and when I do it is olive oil.

Thirdly, I don't have to worry about whether the chicken is breaded or grilled.

Fourthly, I am always getting plenty of fresh, unprocessed, as close to nature as it gets, veggies, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, etc. because what else is there to eat?!

I love to cook, and find my self cooking more and more because if I don't, then I don't always eat a complete me. Complete meal's are number one in my book (I.e. a balanced ratio of protein to carbs to fat). And it isn't just cooking, it's trying new recipes that are delicious and wholesome.

Love it!


Sports Sections ...

A run on the snowy/icy/melting (not so safe)boardwalk this morning. It was beautiful. With much ice and puddle dodging it was fun.



Also, Wii Fit Plus. You don't even need to call it exercise it's so fun! Playing Wii Fit with family and friends is great entertainment, and it gets you moving!

Long Time No Post!

It has been a few weeks since a recent post went up. I did this semi on purpose, semi because it has been a rough few weeks.

I wanted to try out this vegetarian lifestyle a bit on my own without feeling obligated to do so or remember to do so because I am used to blogging (which is an instant vegetarian reminder).

It was very easy! Here are some of the new daily things I have been eating:

- Homemade Cuban Black Bean Soup (with ginger, and sweet potato). Delicious!

- Homemade Miso Soup (with seaweed, tofu, sesame seeds, and scallion)

- Homemade Granola

- Homemade Whole Wheat Bread (this was a disastrous experiment)

- Packaged non dairy, soy free, gluten free, macaroni and cheese (Had to try it), a little garlicky, but low in calories, and a nice substitute with a little getting used to)

- Hummus

- Spelt/Sprouted bread

- Dairy free, Rice Mozzarella Cheese

- Soy Yogurt

- Tahini Paste (a sesame paste that I have yet to incorporate into a meal, but did buy it)

...and more that I cannot remember off the top of my head.

I also have been investigated the foods that work best with my body type. There is a system called Metabolic Typing. It basically helps to evaluate the way your body digests food, therefore determining the best foods to eat. I am a protein type.

Therefore, I have been trying to find ways in which I can reduce my carbohydrates and up my protein intake so that I feel the healthiest and most energetic. This is NOT a low carbohydrate diet. I do not believe in a low-carb diet. However, I do believe that everyone's body is able to absorb, metabolize, and use the macronutrient groups (protein, fat, and carbohydrates) differently.

Not only that, but as American's we are told to eat far more carb's than is really necessary because the government has a big role in this industry and must maintain its economy through these products (I.e. sugar, corn, rice, etc.).

I will leave you with an interesting drink that I just adore. It is Synergy. It has very few calories, a very fermented (almost beer like ), sour, acidic taste. However, it is a wonderful drink to boost the immune system (thanks to the kombucha with in it). Feel free to request more information about Kombucha and this drink!



Sports section:
Lovely runs throughout the past few weeks. Although I did catch a cold for the first time in two years! It put me out of commission for two days! Then, we had another semi-blizzard, and even the gym was closed. To make up for this I ...

-Played Wii Fit Plus
-Shoveled for an 1.5 hours

Can't wait to get back into the game.
5K Susan G. Komen Race in about 2 months!

A Big Heart For Veggies

This weekend coming up includes Valentines day. I'll be away from the computer all weekend, with limited to no access so posting will resume Monday.

Today was yet another snowed-in day. Lot's a tasty eating occurred ...

* Pineapple with cinnamon, plain Greek yogurt, chocolate soy milk and a cup of Oolong for breakfast.

* Whole grain baked black bean empanada, small bowl of vegetable soup, and Zanzibar Rooibos tea.

*Cheez-it snack bowl, hot pepper and carrots with hummus, goji berries, homemade shake made of kefir, nopalea, water, chia seed, oatmeal, banana, mixed berries, all natural no salt, no oil, popcorn.

*Sushi dinner of salmon rolls with brown rice, eel with brown rice, miso soup, and a side salad.

Basic Terminology In Case You Aren't Familiar With The Food Items ...

Kefir = a yogurt like drink packed with probiotic bacteria, excellent for the digestive system, boosting immunity, and a secret weapon for long living of many countries. Slightly effervescent in taste, flavored or plain, thick and creamy. Plus it will not upset your tummy if you have dairy digestive issues lacking the lactase enzyme.

Goji Berries = Another secret weapon of other countries, originally found in the Tibetan Mountains. Researchers wondered why the people of these native villages appeared so youthful and full of life even at older ages. The secret was in the well water drunk by the people. Goji berries would fall into the well, and their antioxidants (along with numerous other less common health benefits)leeched into the water.

Zanzibar Rooibos Tea = Rooibos is a tea by itself. It is also called the African Red Bush tea, native to Africa. The zanzibar version is an infused tea. Along with rooibos (A slightly sweet tea, with bark like properties)there is cinnamon, rose petals, ginger, and more in the tea.

More food items will be discussed in further posts such as Nopalea. These are food everyone should be familiar with, especially one who is going by a vegetarian diet. The more variety, and higher quality, closest to natures original form, foods you can get, the easier, tastier, and healthier you will be.

Here Comes The Sports Section ...

---> 25 minutes kundalini yoga
---> 30 minutes boxing + minor strength
---> 20 minute out and back run due to the snow and ice making it next to near impossible to find semi clear/safe roads.
---> More shoveling!

Yoga styles will be discussed soon, and believe me, there are many!

Happy Valentines Day to All.

It's Snowing Vegetable Shrimp

A quick glimpse into the Winter Wonderland going on at my home this moment ...




Today is a day I wish I had those snowshoes I have been dying to get!

Today was a shrimp and vegetable (with a side of white rice)lunch. After an incredible snow storm that brought the family together home early, and in one place, we decided to order Chinese food. I had a little bit of the shrimp with vegetables, but mainly a vegetable tofu soup. Not bad for take out.

We don't usually eat Chinese take out, unless it is from one place and one place only. They do not cook with any MSG, GMO, or other dangerous preservatives, chemicals, etc. Here is a sample picture of one of the meals ...



It was a quick and easy decision. While I am not a huge fan of takeout, sometimes when everyone else is ordering, you just kind of have an obligation to be apart of it. The best way to handle it is to think creatively, do a little research, and try something new. You never know what you'll discover as a vegetarian. Now that I've ordered this meal, I have another meal idea to add to my list of vegetarian foods I can make at home another time.

Aside from shoveling nothing else to add to the sports section.

Let It Snow Vegetarians ...But Why?

Supposedly snow is on its way!...

I know I mentioned that I was going to try out a vegetarian diet, but I never really explained why exactly. Mostly, it is for trial and error. I have explored, studied, and investigated many of the fad diets that have come out over the past 10 years. You know, Atkins, South Beach, My Pyramid, etc. So now I felt that it was time to see what being a vegetarian was really like.

My Main Purposes:
-To eliminate having to buy organic/free range meats/products. Although I do believe in a natural food cycle, it can be difficult to find organic chicken at a restaurant.

-To evaluate how my body feels and changes after going meatless.

-To eventually have the option to at least consider trying a vegan diet.

-To determine how truly easy or difficult having this type of diet can be.

-To find and create delicious ways to eat a balanced food plan to one day help others who are struggling as a vegetarian.

-To find out any other things that are to come up for me, emotions, health, social life, finances, etc.

Animals come first and foremost in my book, and I want to make that very clear as there can easily be confusion since I am not a vegan at this moment. However, as I mentioned before I do believe in a natural food chain, and I cannot imagine the world with an overpopulation of chickens.
With that said, I also do not believe in animal cruelty. Animal cruelty is what basically goes on at your average Perdue Chicken factory, KFC plant (or whatever you would like to call it), etc.
I do believe in giving an animal a happy life of roomy grazing with his other chicken buddies, eating foods that chickens are meant to eat, laying eggs that are a normal size, and living a full and complete life cycle instead of being raised from egg to chicken in 3 months. Not only that, but the killing of the animal is quick, as painless as possible, and usually done by people who have compassion. All that can get expensive! Sickening right? It cost more to let a chicken roam around and have fun for it's life. But hey, the extra cost, in my opinion, goes to giving the organic farmers the funds to raise their animals as humanly as possibly. So it's pretty much my way of making a donation for the next chicken family that is to come into this world. Naturally this goes for cows, and pigs also.

Today was a great day of eating. Here are a few items off the menu ..

-Homemade hummus and carrots
-Spinach and tofu whole grain empanada (not fried)
-Asian veggie burger on whole grain bread
-Apple
-Soy vanilla yogurt
-Regular morning shake (Strawberry kefir, TriVita's Nopalea, Almond Milk, Mixed Berries, Vanilla Soy Protein Powder, Chia Seeds, Wheat Germ, Banana)

Sports Section:
One Hour Boxing, strength, 3 miles of walking to and from car, and a bit of running.

Organic Greek Yogurt ...The Next Binding Agent?

And there you have it ...breakfast. What is it exactly? ..

- A light homemade egg salad. Basically after hard-boiling two eggs, I added a tablespoon of plain Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and black pepper. The yogurt is a great substitute for mayonnaise. I also found that adding lemon juice was not too necessary because the yogurt has a natural acidic and sour type of taste.

- Whole grain toast

- A bowl of berries, frozen raspberries, blueberries, and a few blackberries.

I also had a cup of Yerba Mate tea.

A great breakfast, and another great day of eating.

No Sports Section today!

Looks Aren't Everything You Know ...

Does look half bad right? Let's put it this way ...If your lactose intolerant, you'd be able to eat it. If you are on a low fat diet, you'd be able to eat it. If your on a low sodium diet, you'd be able to eat it. If your on a high fiber diet, it would help add to your intake. Finally, if you are a vegetarian, you'd be able to eat it. Why? It is ...
- Dairy Free
- Fat Free
- Contains less than 250 mg sodium
- Has 4g's of fiber
- Contains absolutely no meat what so ever

It is a completely vegan alternative. And it looks totally delicious and wholesome.

If you already enjoy healthful foods (I.e. whole grain versions of food such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, and soy options, plus diverse grain choices)then following a vegetarian diet really is not difficult what so ever.

It seems that the "cleaner" your palate is to begin with, the easier the transition from meat to meatless will be. In other words if you even so much as sort of like beans, bulgur, tofu, cereal, fruit, vegetables, and a few other staples of a vegetarian diet than all you need to do is eat them more often.

To do this you'll need to come up with creative ways that can incorporate these foods in a way that is flavorful, filling, and good enough to pass for meat.

I say that it should be good enough to pass for meat because many feel that a meal is incomplete without meat. However, this isn't really true. Once you know how to turn beans into a burger and tofu into marinated heaven, you won't be missing meat at all. Just like chicken, tofu is quite bland by itself in its uncooked form. Add a few spices, marinade, and proper cooking technique and many will be fooled that it isn't meat at all.

It may seem tough at first, or ludicrous even, but once you form a level of eating sophistication you will understand exactly what I mean. The scary part ...it requires a little homework, experimentation, the will to do so, and half a brain. Those who tell you otherwise, that meat is the only way to go, are in fear of what's different, in fear of you being better than they are, and lack of ...half a brain.

So what was on the day's menu? A wonderful, Korean dish that I am not 100% sure of the correct name for it. My brother happened to bring me a dish from a restaurant he ate at, assuming I would enjoy it. Below is a picture along with a description.

Contents:
- Udon noodles (or so I suspect)
- Spicy, peppery, red sweet sauce
- Octopus
- Cabbage
- Pepper
- Several other green vegetables that were cooked down so I am unsure of what they were exactly, perhaps kale.



Unfortunately it does not look as appetizing in the photo or even in person, but the flavor was wonderful. Slightly too salty for my liking, but none the less, delicious.

Sports Diary:

So the Superbowl chicken wing substitution was really not difficult at all. Other than watching bits and pieces of the game I ran 4.5 miles (actually .5 was walked to warm up and cool down). Pretty soon it will be time to start training to bring my 5k time down in time for the race I'll be doing in April.

To Chicken Wing or Not Chicken Wing That is The Question ...

The focus for today was finding treats that non-vegetarian diets typically think to have for say dessert, taming a sweet tooth, or simply to add some decadence to the day!

On the menu for the weekend day was a combination of goodies, and here are a few ...

- Breakfast: Sunny side egg with pita toast, and a fruit/soy protein smoothie

-Lunch: Udon Soup (Japanese Noodle Soup with crab and veggies), green tea, and a side salad with ginger dressing

-Dinner: Italian Wedding Soup minus the meatballs in a bread bowl

-Snacks: Chocolate Soy Pudding, a plum, pretzels, and green tea soy ice cream

Soy Pudding: My initial thought of this pudding was that it had a slightly ethanol-type flavor (I.e. alcohol-ey) The texture was exactly like that of a dairy pudding, and the chocolate flavor was just as intense as a regular pudding. Perhaps it was more on the dark chocolate side of the spectrum, but never the less it was excellent.

Soy Delicious Green Tea Ice Cream: Now that was awesome! And why not add some chocolate sprinkles to really make it feel like an old fashioned ice cream cone. If you aren't familiar with green tea ice cream I suggest giving it a chance. The soy version has very little difference than the dairy version, it isn't too sweet (which is quite difficult to find in a U.S. product), the calories are kept low, and you have the added benefit of having more soy in your diet. Plus a portion of the profit goes to saving Sea Turtles (one of my favorite animals) .

Overall a good day of eating, easy to plan, tasty, and good enough to not want any meat!

Below is a picture of Udon Soup, known for its delicious noodles.



Sports Section:

Gearing of for the Superbowl of course. Well mostly the food! Tomorrow will take a bit of creative thinking to come up with an alternative solution to chicken wings. We'll have to wait and see!

Otherwise ...
1-1/2 hours of beautiful yoga with a local group, plus one mile on the tread mill.

Hopefully tomorrow won't be too icy so I can get in a nice outdoor run in (not a fan of the tread mill@

Where Have All The Carbs Gone ...

Although I am eating many other vegetarian meals besides what I post, I will stick to posting the most interesting or tasty meal of the day.

Today we have ....
















That would be a homemade tuna salad, cucumbers, slightly steamed broccoli, and a small side salad with olive oil and black pepper.

What's in the tuna salad?
Canned Tuna in Water, Celery, Hungarian Hot Pepper, Black Pepper, Turmeric, Lemon Juice, and 1/2 teaspoon of mayonnaise (A very small amount is really all that is needed because it is simply a binding agent that can even be substituted with other food sources). Typically my tuna salads will also have carrot, parsley, and dill.

Tip and Beauty:
The trick to following a healthy vegetarian diet is to bulk everything up. It is also the beauty of it. Sure it may be difficult to eat an entire cluster of beets, or a bag of carrots because they begin to go off after a week or so. But, as you start to see that you can place a few spinach leaves inside of a pita wrap sandwich, or dice up carrots to put into a tuna salad, and place a few beets on a veggie burger you realize that you are sneaking in these little health benefits into every aspect of your meals. Not only are you balancing meals in this way (because certain nutrients such as B12, Iron, Vitamin D, etc can be difficult to get from a veggie diet), but your also making a more filling and fulfilling meal while using up produce before it goes bad.

Spices are your other best friend. You can lower salt intake this way, and make something that seems boring and bland into a fabulous feast.

I used turmeric today. I use it often in rice, quinoa, salads, etc. It has natural anti-inflammatory properties, and adds a beautiful saffron like color to foods. Just be weary not to use too much because it can end up tasting bitter.

AMDR (Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range) Breakdown ...

Main Protein Source: Tuna

Main Fat Source: Olive oil, and mayonnaise (although you would really need to use more of it to consider it a source of fat)

Main Carbohydrate Source: I won't mention vegetables because they are rather limited.

This was indeed a low-carbohydrate lunch. But that's OK, I have an apple waiting for me.

Satiety Level: More filling than I expected, couldn't quite finish, but at least I'll have a 3:00 snack to nibble on.

Sports Time:
After an additional 4 miles yesterday, and a hectic day today, I may simply take the day to rest. However, with a potential snow storm brewing it may be a good idea to get a run in before the weather turns snowy.


Bon' Appetit Veggie Lovers

Veggie Burger Trial #1

Today's Veggie Delight ....
Morning Star's Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burger. After being introduced to these recently, I am hooked. Some say they enjoy other brands better, but this particular style I am a big fan of. So let's break it down ...

Texture - Pretty smooth for a veggie burger in a potato type way. No interestingly firm matter that you aren't sure if it is an uncooked grain or some other "thing."

Flavor - Not too spicy (although I can handle and enjoy quite a bit of spice so my opinion may be slightly tainted), but some zest. Other flavors going on as well such a peppery, salt, slightly garlicky.

Size - Not a very big patty. About the size of a coaster. Not too thick either, somewhere between 1/4th and 1/2 an inch.

Cooking variation - I enjoyed it both microwaved only (cooks in under 2 minutes) and thawed then pan cooked. Warning, it cooks very fast in the pan!

Freezer to Plate Ready - 4 minutes with toasting bread.

After bulking it up with some protein enriched whole grain bread, lettuce smeared with hummus, and tomato it was a filling lunch just by itself.

An excellent protein to carbohydrate to fat ratio ...

Main Protein Sources - Bread (due to special brand), Beans, Hummus
Main Fat Sources - Olive Oil in Pan, Veggie Burger itself, Hummus
Main Carbohydrate Source - Bread

Pair it with a piece of fruit, nuts, seeds, etc. for a larger meal.

Other Daily Idea's .....

-Oolong tea - to help with digestion, plus a bit of caffeine for those of you looking for a slight mid-afternoon lift, minus the java.

Veg on Veggie Lovers!


As for sports today ...

Pilates, Bender Ball, and hopefully a run later today!

Feel free to ask questions, make suggestions, and complain all you'd like.

Devling Into The Animal-less Thought

Lives are always changing. When you look back 5 years ago picture what your life was like. No kids to kids?, healthy to ill?, single to married?, overweight to athlete?, high school to grad-school?, 55 to 60?

Sometimes you can feel the change coming, like an innate vibe within you. Sometimes you plan change. Other times we're simply thrown into the mist of change.

I know change is coming for me. Graduating College (although I won't mention what level of study because it is simply unrelated to anything I'd want you to focus on), delving further into academia again, settling down, training for 5K's, 10K's, Half's, Fulls, Ultras, and more, changing automobiles, finding a real place to call home instead of feeling like you live in your own quarter for the time being, but mostly, tampering with the idea of vegetarianism.

Many of these changes I'd like to think I created, but lets face it, either it will all happen, none of it will happen, some of it will happen, or it will happen except not as I planned.

Having a B.S. in Dietetic Science you learn a thing or two about vegetarians. Naturally, the idea of becoming one yourself crosses your mind. In general, I have been intrigued by nutrition, health and the body from a young age. To be honest, I don't eat much meat to begin with. And red meat? It's just not for me, so that has been out of the picture for some time now.

Ever see Food Inc. the film? Go see it. If you aren't 100% aware of the food industry, go see it. Even if it doesn't affect you in any way, at least you will have had a glimpse into what might be out there.

I haven't fully decided whether or not I will be a vegetarian for the rest of my life. It's these types of things I don't think I have control over.

-I do believe in a natural food chain, I don't believe in raising animals in inhumane manners.

-I do believe our teeth are more designed as "grain-eaters" vs. meat eaters, but that is a personal opinion.

-I do see little need to eat a buffet type variety of meat such as cow, chicken, pig, bear, ox, lamb, goat, duck, goose, dog, sheep, alligator, deer, dove, turtle, and the list goes on.

-I do see the benefit in getting proper nutrients from animal sources because they are more absorptive within our body than plant sources, although even I think this is up for discussion.

Sure there are different arrangements of amino acids, and other nutrients in different animals, and this is the easiest route to take. However, after educating yourself, planning, supplementing, and adjusting, the need for all these animals at the dinner table just seems silly. Unless of course they have their own seat, place setting, and have been formally invited to join you at dinner, then by all means, invite as many "friends" as you'd like.

So I will try a vegetarian diet. I am going to see how truly easy or how difficult it is. I am not going to force the matter, but I am not going to abandon it either. I'll be filling you in on the different products out there that make convenience products available to vegetarians. I will also find ways to make delicious meals that contain no meat. I am not one to put "crap" into my system. I.e. no chemicals, harmful preservatives, or anything else I just simply don't think are good for us.

Please note that I am lactose intolerant to begin with, so while dairy will naturally be limited, I'll still have products on my menu such as kefir, and yogurt (very similar). There are way to many health benefits for me personally, that I will not give up. Note that these products will be organic. Also, I am a fish eater. You can label me as a "Semi-Vegetarian" or a "Pesco-vegetarian" which ever makes you happy.

There are many forms of vegetarianism out there for those of you who are not familiar they are..

-Vegetarian (general term, usually still eats dairy)

-Semi-Vegetarian (May be defined slightly differently by the individual, but generally this type of vegetarian eats some sort of meat once a week)

-Pesco Vegetarian (will eat eggs, dairy, and fish, but no other forms of meat including fish)

-Ovo Vegetarian (will eat eggs, but no dairy (such as milk, cheese, ice cream) or meat including fish)

-Lacto Vegetarian (Will eat dairy, but no eggs or meat including fish)

-Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian (Will eat dairy and eggs, but no other forms of meat this includes fish)

-Fruitarian (Eats mainly nuts/seeds and fruit, but no forms of animal products, vegetables or grains)

- Veganism (Will eat fruits, vegetables, and grains, eats no animals products what so ever)

Many of these are newly coined terms, that are always up for some debate. Since I will be sticking to dairy products in a limited fashion and organically, as well as fish I simply consider that a vegetarian diet.

Do we really need so many terms to describe how we eat? No, of course not. After all when you call yourself, say, a "vegan" your not a vegan at all, you may eat a vegan diet, but you are still a human being. If I eat fish I am not a pesco-human, I'm still just human. So please do not feel bound to these terms because they do not define you. They simply help to place a category of diet so that it is easier to sort out and understand. And since most of the vegetarians I know, incorporate some dairy, eggs or fish I know that the products I will be trying, and diet I will be living, is going to pertain to much of the general population. It is also going to pertain to those who have ever tampered with the thought of vegetarianism. So climb aboard, and don't be scared, this is going to be delicious!