Complex Dinner

Portobello Mushroom, Pecan, Sun Dried Tomato, Garlic stuffed Manicotti with a Butternut Squash Creamy Sauce served with Mushroom Sherry Quinoa and Steamed Broccoli.

1st: Cook Quinoa as directed ( 1 cup serves 4)
2nd: Steam Butternut squash and broccoli
3rd: Start manicotti, boiled as directed
4th: Cook Garlic, Pecans, Mushrooms Sun Dried Tomatoes in Sherry and Water.
5th: Puree 1/2 block of Silken Soft Tofu, unsweetened almond milk, lemon juice, garlic, butternut squash, salt, italian seasonings.(This is the sauce to top the manicotti)
(Remove from Pureer)
6th: Puree 1/2 block of silken soft tofu with lemon, salt, hot sauce, pepper, unsweetened almond milk, and half of mushroom mixture. (This will be used to fill the manicotti)
7th: Fill manicotti and top with butternut squash sauce and sprinkle of Chipotle Pepper, bake at 400F till bubbling
8th: Mix Quinoa with sprinkle of sherry and unpureed portion of mushroom mixture, with 2 TBL of juice from mushroom pan.

Struggles and confession

So this is a real confession:  We have been doing our best at the Vegan Diet since July 2011.  In the last week, I have had blue cheese dressing, caesar dressing, peppermint coffee creamer, icing on a cake(not vegan).  I have been really struggling with Dairy.  I crave it like a DRUG.

Today, however, I was drinking juice out of my grandmother's little juice glass and I was reminded that I don't ever want to get diabetes.  She died at 65, had diabetes at 40.  I have been off my pre-diabetic medication now for over a year.  I need to continue to do this lifestyle for my health and my future.

I need to reread, "The China Study" and "Women, Food, and God."   These 2 books are the key to my choices.  It is important to know that "You can eat these foods(meat and dairy), but you don't want to anymore for health reasons."  Also,  to "Eat when hungry and only till satisfied" will help with weight loss.

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

Serves 2

1 Zuccini sliced thin long ways, and cut in half to make it shorter. (season with pepper and oregano)
1 portobello mushroom ( lemon and pepper), half it for each sandwich, or use a whole one per person.
3/4 yellow onion
2 garlic cloves

Grill all of the above

Put all on assorted bun (dairy and egg free).
top with fresh chopped basil and the grilled garlic(chop it after grilling)

Sauce is:
Puree 1 large jar of garlic and herb marinara(warmed) and 2 TBL of Vegan Cream Cheese and 1/2 TBL of Sriracha hot sauce (our favorite), add pepper and garlic powder and pinch of salt.  Pour over sandwiches.

We used the extra sauce and topped our Red Skin Mashed Potatoes.
I got the idea from eating the Grilled Vegetable Sandwich at Portillo's/ Barnelli's in Illinois.
see picture below.

Summer Sizzle Pasta Salad

1 box Bowtie noodles -cook al dente and chill.

Special Mixture

1/2 Red onion chopped

1/2 cup Kalamata Olives sliced

1/4 cup Craisans

Small Cherry Tomatoes, whole, about 20(you decide)

1/4 cup walnuts chopped fine

Spices 

(season to taste, I used mostly chipotle pepper, gave it a nice kick to the craisans.)

Chipotle Red Pepper

Black Pepper

Salt

Italian Seasoning(just a little, could likely skip this)

Sauce  you want it thin.

3-4 Sundried tomatoes chopped, drain most of the oil.

Sun dried tomato pesto 1-3 TBL, plus 1-3 TBL of water

Once noodles are cooked and chilled, toss in the special mixture, then add the sauce, and spice to taste.  You want it mildly spicy.  Then chill all to coagulate the pasta.

New Toy: Vegetable Spiralizer

I am so excited about this contraption.  I used it today for lunch.  I did 1 zucchini, 1 yellow squash, 2-3 carrots (didn't work very well for the carrots).  I added a can of garbanzo beans, cooked spinach, garlic, basil and some Sam's club bruschetta spread, warmed(has oil in it).


We were so full!! Love it.  A few ideas to try with the "noodles":  peanut asian style, sweet with mandarin oranges and pineapple, lemon& dill, greek with peppers and kalamata olives.


This will be a great meal maker for a few times a week.  The spiralizer is so easy to use, even though it is totally made for a righty, which I am not and had to use it backwards.



Here is a picture of the "noodles" before I added the beans, etc.

Journal and Pressing On

Journal
We are stuck, no more weight loss. I am so discouraged.  After all the sacrifices, we need to do better.
We need to cut down on the sugar, reduce our carb intake, and reduce our fat intake.  Overall, Steve and I just really love to eat.  There is no way around it.  I have to reinforce the truth about "stop when you are full or you'll just eat until you are sick."- paraphrase from Geneen Roth.

Today I woke up and thought about Geneen Roth's books ( I don't remember which one); she says "If you aren't sure if you are hungry, you're probably not."

I struggle with NOT eating when I am NOT hungry.  I make these fabulous meals that I enjoy making and sometimes I sit down and I don't even feel hungry and I ALWAYS eat it anyway.  It is the most annoying, nagging feeling that I continue to suppress.

Reinforce my goals:
When I started reading Geneen Roth's books, I hit 200lbs.  It was shocking and a defining moment for me.  Wow, I really got to my limit.  Talk about a reality check.  I think the biggest misconception is that people compare themselves to others.  70% of adults in the US are overweight or obese.  I hope you are looking at the 30%.  For me, it is about being healthy, active and agile to play with my energizer children.
Google: What is a healthy weight for my height?  It is a large range that I am striving to just be within.  70% are not in the range.  I am still part of the 70%.  I feel like the healthy weight for my height is so close I can taste it.  While living in Reno, adhering to Geneen Roth's guidelines, I got down to 167 lbs.  That is the lowest I had been since before having kids.  Moving to SD,  I shot back up to 185lbs within 6 months.  Now, at 159 lbs, less than when I was 21 years old. I feel so much better, but I don't feel like I have finished the work.

Have a plan or plan to fail:
Failed at getting rid of the coffee by May 1st.
Removed all artificial sweeteners from my diet weeks ago, and can't stand the taste Any soda.
Never add oil, but if it is in something it counts and we need to eliminate it(vegan mayo).

Taking steps to:
-Eliminate Coffee - purpose is to reduce added sugars and caffeine
-Eliminate White flour/rice: sugar
-Reduce added fats: Eating too many avocados, olives, nuts and high fat soy replacements(sour cream)

I love this picture. Focus on the organs, they are so unhealthy.  I would feel so sufficated.  Sometimes I still do.  It is so freeing to begin to feel comfortable in my clothes.  Losing the muffin top, the thighs rubbing together, arms waving around.  I look in the mirror and my face looks younger and less swollen.  I find that when I look in the mirror, I smile and I say to myself, " Well hello there, it's been along time, but I remember you."  I am going to make it.  I am going to reach my goal, even it if takes me years to do it.  It is better than being diabetic, or have sleep apnea, or getting cancer, or being constipated or having a heart attack at 42 years old(my aunt).  I have to say that how miserable would that be.  I am working hard to prevent diseases of influences(Dr. Esselstyn).  Anyone want to join me?

PS- I am so thankful to have the support of my husband, Steve.  Without him, I would not have been able to maintain this lifestyle.  I would have been easily tempted.

Vegan Creamy Polenta

Ingredients:
Tube of Polenta, sliced 1/2 inch thin
Block of Frozen Spinach, boiled and drained well
8 oz Mushrooms, chopped or sliced
1/2 White onion, sliced thin ( I precooked in a small skillet with water, I hate undercooked onions)

In a food processor, puree
1 block of drained Silken Soft Tofu
5 cloves Garlic, pressed
lots of fresh or dried basil, oregano, rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
squirt of lemon juice
1/4 -1/2 cup unsweetened soy or almond milk
Puree till smooth, you want it to be the thickness of Alfredo Sauce

Preheat oven to 400 F

In a rectangle baking dish:
Spread veggies and half of the sauce in baking dish, mix well and flatten evenly in pan
Top with polenta, then add the rest of the sauce.
bake 45 min, till bubbly.
Viola, yummy and we topped with some veggie italian sausage, sliced(not vegan, but close enough)

Easy Vegan Alfredo Sauce

1 block silken Soft Tofu
1/4 cup Unsweetened Almond or Soy milk
2 pressed cloves garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice
PUREE

mix in lots of fresh basil(sliced thin)

Change as needed, like add more milk if too thick or more salt etc.
This is so easy to make.  Warm slowly in sauce pan. (optional: add 1 tbl of Earth Balance butter )

Vegan Chocolate Cake

Amazing...This cake is a tease between a brownie and a cake.  

Amazingly you would never know it was Vegan.

Look at that texture....melts in your mouth.

Recipe.

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

1 1/4 cups flour (I added 1 TBL, add 2 if over 2500 ft.)

1 cup sugar ( I added 1 TBL, it needed to be a little sweeter for me)

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup warm water

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp distilled white or apple cider vinegar

Chocolate Glaze

1/2 cup sugar

4 tbsp margarine

2 tbsp soy milk

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

Note: if you don't care to make it vegan, or don't have soy milk or margarine, you can use butter in place of the margarine, and whatever milk you prefer in place of the soy.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In an 8X8 square pan/dish, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt with a fork, making sure it is really blended together. Add the water, vanilla, oil, and vinegar, and again, mix together so that it's really blended together. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides if necessary.

Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Cool on a rack completely (2 hours).

For the glaze, in a small saucepan, bring sugar, margarine, milk, and cocoa to a boil. Stir frequently; then reduce heat to a simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. It'll look gloppy, but it's just the bubbles! Remove from heat and stir for another 5 minutes.

Add vanilla, stir, and immediately pour onto cake. Glaze dries really quickly, so spread it immediately and add any sprinkles now. Let this cool for an 1 hour, if you can wait that long!

Purely optional, but chocolate cake always looks so...plain, so add some sprinkles if you like.

Vegan Lasagna

Ingredients in Blue (don't forget the Vegan Mozzarella at the end)


Lasagna Noodles: Bowl, drain, set aside

Use any kind of red sauce you wish.

Key:
Soft silken tofu
Unsweetened Non dairy milk ( I used almond)
3 garlic cloves, pressed
Italian seasoning
lemon juice and pepper to taste

Puree Tofu with about a tablespoon of almond milk, you want it slightly lumpy, add milk as needed.
add garlic, squirt of lemon juice spices to taste.  you may want to add a little salt, but not necessary.

Spinach. Boil, drain and squeeze very dry
Zuccini, spiced,
Mushrooms, chopped

Spray 9 x 13 pan with Pam.  Bake 350F (cover for 20 min, uncover for 10)
Layer:
Sauce
noodles
Tofu mix
veggies

reapeat, finish with sauce on top
then sprinkle with a Vegan mozzarella grated.  I like "follow your heart"

Vegan Baked Enchiladas

Ingredients


Small flour tortillas
Green Lentils
onion
green pepper
corn
mushroom
***Chop and use as much or as little as you want, we just used to accent texture


Vegan Sour Cream
Small Can of Green Enchilada sauce
Vegan Diaya(sp) Chedder Cheese
Mexican Rice(make according to package or make your own with chili powder and veg broth)

Boil about cup of lentils till soft, drain, puree about half with squirt of lime juice, return to pan and mix.
Saute onion, grn pepper, corn, mushroom till cooked add to lentils.
Preheat oven to 350F,

Spray 9 X 13 glass pan.  Prepare tortillas with lentil mix, lil rice, chreese, fold and close tighly with seam side down placed in pan.  Repeat until your pan is filled should fit 5-7 in pan.
Puree green enchilada sauce with 1/4 cup vegan sour cream.  Pour all over top of enchiladas, make sure tortillas are coated or they will dry out.  Top with a little more chreese.

Bake till sauce is bubbling.  Serve with a side of vegetarian refried beans and side sour cream.  We also had Chips and Salsa.