Welcome to our Blog!

I went vegetarian over a year ago because I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. My sister-in-love, Dianne gave me a DVD from the RAVE diet and it changed my mind about food and health. As a result, I went "all in" and completely revolutionized my lifestyle. This blog will be in part about my journey and the results I achieved. It will be about encouraging you to achieve similar or better results. It will be a forum for ideas and recipes. It will be a resource for folks that want to embrace the vegetarian lifestyle, but also want to eliminate refined foods from their diet. I am a very practical girl. I will apply common sense to what I'm doing and will not be fanatical. I did not go vegetarian because of my love for animals although I am an animal lover. I'm not strictly vegetarians as I will eat fish once every two or three months. I just want to be the healthiest that I can be. Period. I invite you to join me on our continuing journey.

AOL Health Article that ran on 1/12/09

Eating less meat is a proven way to lighten up on the scale. Research shows that vegetarians weigh an average 20% less than nonvegetarians. George Washington School of Medicine researchers found that women who followed a vegan diet for 14 weeks lost 2 1/2 times as much weight as those who limited fat intake. There's no need to go cold turkey--just eating less meat can make a difference. In a Brigham Young University study of 284 women, 53% of those who typically averaged about 10 ounces of meat a day were overweight, compared with 16% of those who ate less than 6 ounces. Plant-based foods are naturally low in calories and high in nutrients and satiating fiber, so you feel full without overdoing it, says Gabrielle M. Turner-McGrievy, RD. A cup of lentil soup, a small handful of nuts, or 1/4 cup of chickpeas tossed with whole-wheat pasta and veggies are all good protein-rich swaps. Not ready to nix meat altogether? Start by trying three vegetarian dinners a week for a month to allow your tastebuds to adjust. (Trust us, they will--in another weight loss study of new vegetarians versus low-fat dieters, a third more of the vegetarians had stuck with the diet a year later.) Courtesy of AOL Health

Sunday, January 4, 2009

About Breakfast...

Because I am going for maximum health, I want the first meal of the day to really count. It is the fuel for our morning and needs to have staying power. Because  I look at a glass of milk as equal to a slice of beef, we use Rice milk as a substitute. Several of our friends enjoy Soy milk, but is has estrogen issues that my daughters don't need. Anyway, I top organic whole grain cereals with Rice milk and fruit, raw honey or even a tiny bit of organic pure maple syrup.  I don't eat much cereal, but we do enjoy oatmeal. Some of the breakfast items I have as staples are the following:

Ezekiel bread toasted with almond butter and honey,

Ezekiel bread toasted with a tiny bit of Smart Balance butter substitute and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese,

a slice of baked butternut squash with a dash of maple syrup,

a vegetarian Vita top muffin (blueberry bran is my favorite) found in the freezer case at most grocery stores,

fruit and a handful of almonds,

an apple with organic peanut butter,

and occasionally, we enjoy an omelet, a recipe we will post very soon.

I hope these ideas help you as you look for great ways to start your day!
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Thursday, January 1, 2009

Staples for your pantry and 'fridge

Scott and I have found that having certain items on hand help to take care of lunches, snacks, and unplanned meals. We keep the following on hand in the pantry: Progresso seasoned black beans, organic pinto beans, organic vegetarian refried beans, organic corn taco shells,organic cornbread mix, couscous, whole wheat pasta, several organic pasta sauces, organic almond butter, organic peanut butter, raw honey, pistachios or almonds. In the refridgerator we keep various 2% cheeses, parmesan cheese, Total 2% plain yogurt, rice cheeses, avacado, salsa, Vegenaise (found at Earth Fare and Food Lion), spelt tortillas (Trader Joe's), blasamic vinegar, hummus, fresh fruits and assorted vegeatables. From this list, you can create several mexican dishes, pasta dishes, and various snacks.
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