Recipe: Stuffed Curry

I always say that coconut milk covers a multitude of sins. You can add it to a simple pot of boiled vegetables and they will have instant flavour and taste that weren't there before. This recipe is a version of the different types of curry I make once a week or so. No curry is ever the same!

   1 large sweet onion, diced
   Olive oil to fry
   Dash of cayenne pepper
   Salt to taste
   Sprinkles of curry powder, turmeric, cumin, and coriander
   9 medium red potatoes, cut half cross-wise, then in quarters
   3 medium carrots, diced
   Sausage water or broth   5-7 garlic cloves, sliced
   1/2 cauliflower head, cut into florets
   1 medium yellow squash, sliced
   1 tub of extra firm tofu (I like the Trader Joe's brand), large cubes
   4 Big Franks, sliced
   1 tin coconut milk (Thai Kitchen or Natural Value)

Fry the onion in the olive oil for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until it is translucent. Add the spices and salt, stir well, then add the potatoes and carrots. Stir well for about a minute, add broth (I used the water from the Big Franks tin), place a lid and simmer on high until the potatoes are about 5-7 minutes from being cooked. Add the cauliflower florets, the squash, the tofu cubes, and the Big Franks. Simmer with the lid off (to reduce the liquid) until the potatoes are done. The cauliflower should not be mushy. Turn the heat off and add the coconut milk. Stir thoroughly. Serve with white basmati rice.

Recipe: Dill & Black Olive Spread

Here's a really simple recipe that works well with firm tofu that you buy at the grocery store (not Mori-Nu). The seasonings can be changed up to adapt to your tastebuds and preference. Measurements are given as approximations.

   1 vacuum packed firm tofu
   Nutritional Yeast, 1 T
   Black olives, half a can
   Dill weed, 1 t
   "Chiken" seasoning, 2 T
   Apple cider vinegar, 1 t
   Garlic powder, 1 t
   Olive oil, 2 T

Place the tofu in a cuisinart or blender. Add seasonings and blend well, scraping the sides to get everything in. Add olive oil in a slow dribble. Season to taste. Serve as a spread on crackers or toast. You can also thin it with extra olive oil and lemon juice and serve as a dip with raw veggies.

A Goal Post

Well, even though the scales struggle to register any significant changes, and even though I know I have a long way to go to reach my goals, I am still excited that I am living a healthier life now. It's really quite ironic. For years I was this on-again-off-again type of person, knowing that I needed to exercise and eat properly and yet doing the exact opposite. I remember weeks when I would literally have a stash of junk food in my bedroom and I would steadily work my way through the items, alternating sweet and salty so the "high" would last longer. I had a box of brownie bites once and finished it in less than a week. All 48 bites. I shudder to think of the calories and the coating of my arteries!

When I entered the store, whether it was Walmart or a grocery store, I would pull processed foods off the shelves and place them directly into my grocery cart without a second thought about what I had just done. I would pretty much zone out, grabbing everything that "looked good" and was filled with fat, sugar and grease, while meanwhile muttering to myself that "I deserved it." Well, I didn't. What I deserved was something completely different.

What I deserved was health. Real health.

Now I eat at least two servings of fruit a day whereas before, I would count myself lucky if I had two fruit in a month. I eat plenty of raw vegetables with my sandwiches and at lunchtime, along with lots of cooked leafy green vegetables. We eat cooked beets in a delicious cold salad that includes layers of shredded potatoes and carrots, along with fried onions, all covered with a thick layer of vegenaise. I indulge in a dessert once a week and appease my sweet tooth with fruit or a slice of toast with honey and vegan cream cheese on other days. I'm doing my best to eat as many whole grains as possible (I'm probably at about 50/50 right now). I exercise for about an hour early in the morning, five times a week. Religiously. Even if I only slept 6 hours the night before. (my eyes are usually opening after I've finished the first mile and a half!)

Of course there are many ways I can still improve and am working on. I need to incorporate some sort of strength training or interval training into my exercise routine. I need to cut down on my salt intake and experiment with other seasoning ingredients. I need to prioritize my sleep. I need to remember that one serving is enough, or two small servings, but not two large ones.

I am also struggling with the meals and the timing aspect of it. I eat breakfast at 7:15, lunch at 12:15, and supper at 6. I am usually not as hungry at breakfast or lunch but between 4:30 and 6, I am ravenous. Which means I end up eating too much at supper and then suffering from a very full stomach. Not a good idea late at night! I really really don't want to snack, though, and water doesn't do the trick either. So I shall just have to keep experimenting, to see whether it is only time for my stomach to adjust, or whether I should have a little more fat earlier in the day when I don't feel like eating as much (ie. a spoonful of peanut butter).

Just Another Mile

I did it!!! I made it through a whole month with desserts only once a week! Today I start my second month of doing it all over again. If you don't think about it, and eat lots of fresh fruit and some crackers with honey on them, it really isn't that hard!

Yesterday I started walking 3 miles in the morning, for about an hour a day, five times a week. I'm super excited and now I look forward to stepping on those scales, bright and early, as I'm pretty sure that this extra push will be just what I need to sail on down the road of healthiness. (Hmmm, is that even a word?)

Throw Everything Out the Window, including the Diet Book

I have discovered the secret to weight loss. It includes late nights & little sleep, 200-calorie breakfasts, stress eating, snacking on Pringles, no exercise, and meals at 10:30 at night. This is guaranteed to help you drop over two pounds in one week.

Okay, maybe it isn't such a good idea after all. I think what happened is that my body hit a plateau, where I hovered for about two weeks, and it went up and down like a needle charting someone's heart-beat, but never quite managing to break the trend and keep on going down. Then I hit a stress week and everything went out the window. I wasn't eating right, sleeping enough, exercising properly, or tracking my weight loss. One thing I am proud to say, however, is that I did not snack on sweet things or high-fat foods (such as Cheddar cheese). I reached for the carbs and consoled myself with foods I had available in my cupboards, most of which were healthy options. Something shook up my metabolism and the scales registered it this morning!

I do hereby commit, however, to return to my healthy weight-loss plan that includes a proper breakfast, plenty of fruit and vegetables, vigorous daily exercise, and enough shut-eye to keep me happy. I am also pleased to report that tomorrow I will have completed an entire month of no-desserts-except-on-Sabbath! It wasn't easy, but it was definitely worth it. After buying that 7th Heaven DVD I've been wanting, I shall begin the next month of no-desserts-except-on-Sabbath and begin to work on my vegenaise addiction next. Hmmm, what shall I save up for this time?

Eat Your Fruits and Veggies Now. . .

Fruits, fruits, fruits. Veggies, veggies, veggies. That is the real trick and key to successful weight loss. I didn't really believe it before, but now that I'm starting to see the results on the scales, I'm excited that what I'm doing must be the right thing!

It really isn't that hard to include more fruits and vegetables in your daily meal plan. The important thing, though, is to find what works for you. I used to think that I had to eat apples, oranges, and tomatoes on a regular basis. I really don't like apples because I feel stuffed after a half an apple, I don't like the time I have to waste on getting an orange ready to eat, and tomatoes go bad on me way too fast. I stick them in the fridge and three days later there's mold all over all the other vegetables!

So while I dutifully bought the fruits and vegetables I didn't like to eat, bringing them home to sit in my fridge until they turned bad and I could finally throw them out, I wondered how I could find something that worked for me. Then the berry season began and I discovered blueberries. And cherries. And grape tomatoes.

My fruits and veggies shopping list looks quite different now that I have done some experimenting and thrown away bags of rotten produce! I'm not spending a significant portion of my budget on junk food, so I invest it in my health by buying quality fruits and vegetables that I enjoy eating. Here's a look at my staples, along with some favourites I pick up on a less regular basis.

• Blueberries
• Cherries
• Grape tomatoes
• English cucumbers
• Green bell peppers, red & orange & yellow only if they're on sale
• Baby spinach, bagged & pre-washed (every now and then)
• Arugula, bagged & pre-washed (every now and then)
• Bananas (every now and then)

I have learned that I prefer to buy produce that is easy to eat. I like something with a crunch and crispiness to it, but I don't like eating waxy produce (ie. the apples). Green leaves are great to stuff in a sandwich while grape tomatoes and bell peppers make for a lovely accompaniment. With each bowl of cereal I throw in a handful of blueberries, and often I begin supper with a bowlful of cherries. I make eating produce fun and I make it a major part of my meal.

Sometimes I worry that I am not getting all the nutrients I need because I have a smaller selection of fruits and vegetables. However, the list above is simply what I eat for breakfast and supper. For lunch I have a healthy portion of vegetables and usually a large green salad, so I stock up on the other items mid-day. I'm grateful I've found what works for me and I'm super excited because I know I'm eating a whole lot more fruit and vegetables than I used to. And I'm lovin' it!