1 Month Anniversary

I can't believe first of all that another month has come and gone and second that Saturday is our 1 month anniversary of being Vegan. I am proud to say that during this month I ate 98% vegan only had a few slip ups which were small. Now am I feeling the best ever, I'm not sure about that but I do feel good. My energy level is high, my digestion is good and my migraines are a smidge better than normal I would go out on a limb to say. 

Verdict- I am going to continue, another month goal of eating Vegan 90% and this coming month I will need that 10%.... my Mom arrives next week. And yes, I am cooking Vegan for her each night but we are going to splurge and get burgers one day and my lunches most likely will not all vegan!

Now, to celebrate the one month anniversary I have another GREAT recipe to share with you! I LOVED this. I made Lentil Sloppy joes on Sunday and then they also made the BEST leftovers!!! I will say cook your lentils all the way until soft. That took mine 45minutes. If they are too hard, they will be dry and this recipe won't be as good!

 I got this recipe from this blog HERE

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried lentils rinsed well
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 medium green pepper diced
• ½ small yellow onion diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ tbsp mustard
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• salt & pepper to taste
• Hamburger buns
• Optional for serving: onions pickles, sliced cheese

Instructions

1. Place your lentils and water in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
2. Once the water is boiling reduce the heat to medium and let them cook for about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain liquid and set aside.
3. While your lentils are cooking in a wide pan heat olive oil over medium heat. Sautee onion and bell pepper for about 5-8 minutes or until soft and onion is translucent.
4. Add in tomato sauce, tomato paste, mustard, and spices. Mix until combined. Reduce heat to about medium-low.
5. Add cooked lentils to sauce mixture and let cook for another 5-10 minutes or until sauce is thickened and flavorful. Add in any more flavorings you might need.
6. Serve piled on a hamburger bun

If you follow me on Insta then you see these great micro greens on top of most of any dinners and I am OBSESSED! They are Sunflower Greens and they actually have a spicy bite to them, I got them at my regular grocery store and they were prefect on top of the sloppy joes as well!!!
Enjoy guys!

Tikka Masala

You guys!!! So I have never made Indian food at home and only truly eaten it like twice ever, I just don't know what to order... yada yada. WELL I found this recipe for Tikka Masala that happens to be vegan and I made it on Saturday and I just finished it for lunch today and OH MY GOSH This is soooo good! Really even if you are not vegan or are new to Indian food you MUST try this! My Mom is coming to Colorado in a few weeks and I will 100% make this for sure!

Matt loved it just as much as I did, it is full of flavor, earthy, stocked with veggies and I love the tomato base to it! I found this recipe on Food with Feeling...

INGREDIENTS

• Large yellow onion (1/2 goes in sauce in blitzed sauce, 1/2 is finely chopped)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 inch of ginger, peeled
• 10 sprigs of fresh cilantro (plus more for serving)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of salt (optional)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of garam masala
• 400 g of canned plum tomatoes, not drained
• 1 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
• 1 small container of vegan yogurt**, roughly 5 ounces (I typically use So Delicious ensweetened coconut yogurt)
• 1 15 oz can of full fat coconut cream or milk**
• 1/2 head of cauliflower, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 3 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup of frozen peas
• Optional for serving: chopped cilantro, extra yogurt, basmati rice cooked

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a food processor, combine half of the onion, garlic, ginger, cilantro stalks, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Blitz until fully combined about 1 minute. (see photo above) Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add in the chopped onion and spices, stir to combine and cook gently for 10 minutes.
3. Into the skillet, add the plum tomatoes (with the liquid from the can), tomato sauce, yogurt, HALF of the can of coconut milk and the blitzed onion and cilantro sauce. Cook for an additional 5 minutes over medium heat.
4. Add in the cauliflower and carrots and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Once the veggies are tender, add in chickpeas, frozen peas and the remaining coconut milk. Stir to combine and let cook for 5 more minutes or until peas are fully heated through.
6. Serve with rice and (optional) a bit more cilantro leaves and yogurt.

19%

Before.......

December 2012, 176 pounds

 After.......

August 2014, 141 pounds

Top: J Crew HERE ; White Jeans: Forever 21 HERE ; Shoes: Target HERE ; Necklace: Anthropologie, Sold out

You guys......I have never before looked at a picture of myself at my heaviest and then myself now.....I'm embarrassed! Why didn't anyone tell me? Ok, I take that back my brother told me....isn't that what little brothers are for???? Thanks (sarcasm)
Ok....back on track.............
As of today, I lost 19% of my body weight and I am officially down 35 pounds. It doesn't seem like that much to me until I get my Weight Watchers magazine and I see that they feature people for losing 35 pounds....that is what puts it into perspective for me. And FYI....I still have 5 more to go! 136 is the end game for me!!! And I have 2 months to do it.....until we go to Mexico in October!!!!

Let me say something to everyone wanting to loose weight fast......... it doesn't work.

This took me 18 Months!!!!! 

No fad diets, no pills, no wraps, no creams no nothing but plain and simple watching what I eat and increasing my activity. During that time I never gained it back, I only maintained in between losing and that is truly the only way to go.

Here are the things I did that help me...........

* Weight Watchers!!!! I did this religiously for the first 9 months by tracking everything I ate but after that I knew what foods where what points and what I needed to eat and what not to! (that was a mouthful, ha...no pun intended) WW is the way to go.....it is a lifestyle NOT a diet!
* No goals........... What you say??? Think about it....everyone who says I am gonna do this and loose 10 pounds this month is setting themselves up for failure. When you do not meet that goal you say "F it" and then gain back and have to start over. I just lived my new lifestyle and if I screwed up over the weekend I got back on track on Monday and then the number I see on the scale every week was a bonus!
* I also only aimed to loose weight every other week......the other weeks I tried to maintain that weight, which really worked for me!!!!!!
* NO Pop (NO diet pop which is awful for you), NO Mixed drinks, NO Beer....only Coffee, Tea and Water plus the occasional glass of wine!!!!
* What I cooked was the #1thing for me.......... Check out all my posts tagged "WW" and scroll thru and find my favorite recipes!!!! You can see that HERE

For everyone who wants to know about me "testing" the Vegan waters...........

I have played around with being Vegan for years and the main reason is my LOVE for animals and the way they are treated. But it has been hard for me to go cold turkey. The last 6 months I have found a way to make this work with me.....Part time Vegan. The book above is the perfect thing for people like me and the weight loss is an added bonus to this lifestyle! I eat vegetarian about 4-5 nights a week and now I incorporate at least ONE Vegan meal a day! Taking out meat occasionally is very helpful in losing weight! It works for me, you can look into it for sure! I have been posting some new Vegan meals on my blog lately that I have tried and loved! You can find my first 2 recipes HERE!!

And guys.....I am NOT at all the expert, my way is not best but people have asked and I wanted to share with you things that have worked for me! The #1 thing..... Patience! I am still a work in progress and yes, I still love donuts and cake in moderation!
#weightwatchers

Get ya some Gazpacho

My husband thinks that Gazpacho is literally drinking salsa but I beg to differ.....when made the right way it literally tastes like Summer....plain and simple! I love soup and I really love Gazpacho...it's the perfect lunch to take to work with you! I love it anytime but for me when I have been eating particularly bad I will mix up a batch and eat that for lunch for a week and I feel more healthy. Not at all a cleanse but a re-set button for me! I have to share with you my recipe and I usually just add everything to taste or eyeball it but I will be a little more helpful than that for you!!!

Get Ya Some Gazpacho!!!!!

Get Your Ingredients!

5 Plum or San Marzano Tomatoes

2 Large Red Bell Pepper

1 Red Onion

3 small Jalepenos

3 garlic cloves

1/2 cup of cilantro

1 Medium Cucumber seeded

Salt & Pepper to taste!

1 Tablespoon Sugar

3 Tablespoons Lime juice

3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

2 Cups Tomato Juice!

EVOO

How To!

** DO NOT blend it all together at once.....or parts will become mush and some parts will be too chunky, blend each veggie individually!

1. Each go around....rough chop your vegetable, toss it into your blend with a drizzle of EVOO and blend! DO not puree it too much...you will want a little consistency to your soup! (see below)

 2. I add each batch to a large bowl as I go..... This is my red pepper batch.

 3. Make sure you seed your cucumber and tomatoes so your soup will not be too runny!!!

 4. My secret ingredient is SUGAR!! It brings out the flavor of the tomatoes!!!! Just do it!

 5. Some recipes call for White wine vinegar but I prefer Red Wine, it gives the soup more depth! That is what you are doing here creating a flavor profile!

 6. Now....until you add your tomato juice your bowl is gonna look weird....but I promise once you add the juice it will turn into the rich red color that we are after!

7. You will be surprised at how much salt you will need to add.......I added about 1+ tablespoons!
This soup gets better the longer it sits, so my lunch today will be perfect!!!! I like to add a dollop of Sour Cream (vegan) when I eat mine to add richness!!!
TIP!!!! You can add 2 cups of diced Watermelon to this dish easy......but do not blend long at all....or it will be mush! This adds a little sweetness and I would then omit the sugar!!!

I really hope you love this as much as I do.....this dish will make you feel healthy and satisfied!

Shiitake Mushroom and Lentil Asian Tacos

One of my favorite things since living in Denver is Door To Door Organics!! #doortodoororganics 

It is a local and organic delivery service that charges no delivery fee, that is amazing! I get mine delivered once a week and I subscribe to the "Local Bitty Box" a small box filled with an assortment of local fruits and veggies each week! The website is amazing also..... you can grocery shop via recipes! So when I find something I want to make I click buy and all the ingredients for that recipe will be in that weeks box! Yes, this makes me beyond giddy!

This week I picked out a yummy Asian recipe and I have to share it with you, it was THAT good! (Ignore the check marks on the ingredient list)

Shiitake Mushroom and Lentil Asian Tacos

Ingredients

• Buy Ingredient
  3 garlic cloves, peeled
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  2 cups packed basil leaves
• Check Mark
  1 cup packed cilantro leaves
• Buy Ingredient
  2 tbs white or yellow miso
• Buy Ingredient
  1 tbs honey
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  1 tbs soy sauce
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  1 pinch red pepper flakes
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  3 tbs orange juice
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  3 tbs rice vinegar
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  2 tbs toasted sesame oil
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  ¾ cups brown or green lentils
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  salt [to taste]
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  2 tbs olive oil, divided
• Check Mark
  1 onion, thinly diced
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  12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, sliced
• Buy Ingredient
  1 tbs apple cider vinegar
• Check Mark
  16 corn tortillas, warmed
• Check Mark
  2 large or 3 small avocados, peeled and sliced
• Check Mark
  5 small carrots, peeled and grated
• Buy Ingredient
  sprouts

Directions

1. For the sauce: Place the garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the cutting blade; process until minced. Add the herbs and process until pureed. Add the remaining ingredients [miso, honey, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, orange juice, rice vinegar and sesame oil] and process until the sauce is evenly mixed. Transfer to a serving bowl; set aside.
2. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Add the lentils and ½ teaspoon of salt. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, partially cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, until tender. Drain.

1. In a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until it flows like water when the pan is tilted. Add the onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened and translucent. Add the mushrooms and another pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms soften and release their liquid. Once the liquid evaporates, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and cook until the mushrooms and onions brown. Stir in the cooked lentils and the cider vinegar.
2. Stuff each tortilla with the mushroom-lentil mixture, carrots, avocado, microgreens, and miso-herb sauce. Serve immediately.

I know the ingredient list seems long but I promise by the time your lentils are cooked you will have prepare everything! About 1/2 of the ingredients were things I already had at home which made it easy! And I didn't have carrots so I used romaine lettuce and just avocado to garnish mine! This also reheated perfectly for dinner the next night!
To visit the website click HERE