I'm liking this new diet but for one thing ... the missing fat! Somehow the butter and the oil smooths out the food, makes my mouth feel somewhat silky! I'm getting some fat from nuts but it's not quite the same. This doesn't mean that I'm quitting ... quite the opposite. I feel good and not counting calories feels really good and eating whenever I'm hungry is a real treat.
Today I ate:
-1 slice of whole grain bread with tomato slices and pea shoots
-2 slices of whole grain bread with mustard, field greens and tomato slices
-1 banana
-2 oranges
-2 handfuls of trail mix
-3 slices of soya cheese and 10 rice and seed crackers
-1 cup of all bran with one cup of chocolate almond milk ... I know chocolate ... it tasted like dessert
-3 cups of root veggies (potatoes, yams and carrots) roasted with garlic, herbs and 1 tbs of olive oil.
-1 large green salad topped with ground flax seeds, tomatoes and yellow pepper
Seems like a lot of food ... well it was and I feel satisfied and I don't feel guilty, aah life is good!
Friday, December 28, 2012
Thursday, December 27, 2012
On my way to a healthy new me....
Forget New Year's ... I'm going to change today! Big words I know. How did I get here? That's a two sided question. How did I let myself get so fat, so out of shape, so UNHEALTHY, that's one question and the other ...how did I decide adopting a veganish way of living was the way to go. Please note the word "veganish" ... I will explain in later posts.
A little while back I watched Forks over Knives documentary and it just made sense to me. Basically it talks about a healthy all plant, whole food diet. Lots of tests to back it all up. I urge you to watch the film. So starting today I'm giving up any food that has a mom and dad, be it meat or liquid.
I will try to document best I can the ups and downs of this new dietary journey very honestly. Today was easy ... but then I am excited about this new thing in my life and I just went out and bought a ton of fruits, veggies, nuts, soy milk and soy cheese ... my mind is turning and spinning at the prospect of cooking in a new way.
So far I have eaten:
- two slices of whole grain toasted bread, one slice with peanut butter and the other with sliced tomato and pea shoots.
- 3 cups of black coffee
- 1 banana
- 10 organic whole grain crackers with 3 slices of soy cheddar like cheese
- 2 glasses of red wine
- green salad with about 1/3 cup of trail mix, 1 diced tomato, 1/4 cup of ground flax seeds and 1 tbs of balsamic vinaigrette
- 2 cups of chick peas with about 5 cups of diced red pepper, eggplant, yellow and green zucchini, onion, garlic and diced tomatoes.
-1 apple
- a handful of pitted prunes and dried apricots
- green tea
Looks good doesn't it?
More tomorrow!
A little while back I watched Forks over Knives documentary and it just made sense to me. Basically it talks about a healthy all plant, whole food diet. Lots of tests to back it all up. I urge you to watch the film. So starting today I'm giving up any food that has a mom and dad, be it meat or liquid.
I will try to document best I can the ups and downs of this new dietary journey very honestly. Today was easy ... but then I am excited about this new thing in my life and I just went out and bought a ton of fruits, veggies, nuts, soy milk and soy cheese ... my mind is turning and spinning at the prospect of cooking in a new way.
So far I have eaten:
- two slices of whole grain toasted bread, one slice with peanut butter and the other with sliced tomato and pea shoots.
- 3 cups of black coffee
- 1 banana
- 10 organic whole grain crackers with 3 slices of soy cheddar like cheese
- 2 glasses of red wine
- green salad with about 1/3 cup of trail mix, 1 diced tomato, 1/4 cup of ground flax seeds and 1 tbs of balsamic vinaigrette
- 2 cups of chick peas with about 5 cups of diced red pepper, eggplant, yellow and green zucchini, onion, garlic and diced tomatoes.
-1 apple
- a handful of pitted prunes and dried apricots
- green tea
Looks good doesn't it?
More tomorrow!
Friday, November 23, 2012
food fermentation
The Powell River Food security project hosted a beginners course on food fermentation last week. I was interested because sauerkraut was on the list and I love sauerkraut.
If you asked me two weeks ago I would have said sauerkraut is cooked and vinegar is used as a preservative, not true .... sauerkraut is fermented using salt and whey.
It's really quite simple, all you need is a little bit of time. This is what we did:
Very thinly slice one head of cabbage
Shred 1 - 2 carrots
add 1/4 cup of whey
add 1tbsp unrefined sea salt or 2 tbsp if you are not using whey
Mix everything together into a large bowl, mix it/beat it well for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the veggies release their juices and are very wet.
Pack the veggies very tightly into a 1litre jar with a tight fitting jar, before closing the lid, add a cabbage leaf and tuck it around the shredded cabbage. The cabbage must be underwater at all times or it will spoil. Leave about 1 inch of head space. Place the jar at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks and then store in the fridge or in a cool cellar. The sauerkraut will be good to eat as early as a week after you make it but it will become more flavourful as it matures. Store leftover sauerkraut in smaller jars to ensure you maintain the 1 inch head space in the jar.
If you asked me two weeks ago I would have said sauerkraut is cooked and vinegar is used as a preservative, not true .... sauerkraut is fermented using salt and whey.
It's really quite simple, all you need is a little bit of time. This is what we did:
Very thinly slice one head of cabbage
Shred 1 - 2 carrots
add 1/4 cup of whey
add 1tbsp unrefined sea salt or 2 tbsp if you are not using whey
Mix everything together into a large bowl, mix it/beat it well for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the veggies release their juices and are very wet.
Pack the veggies very tightly into a 1litre jar with a tight fitting jar, before closing the lid, add a cabbage leaf and tuck it around the shredded cabbage. The cabbage must be underwater at all times or it will spoil. Leave about 1 inch of head space. Place the jar at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks and then store in the fridge or in a cool cellar. The sauerkraut will be good to eat as early as a week after you make it but it will become more flavourful as it matures. Store leftover sauerkraut in smaller jars to ensure you maintain the 1 inch head space in the jar.
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| Beat it and massage your veggies! |
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| The class busy chopping, dicing and mixing |
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| From left to right, sauerkraut, kim chi and ketchup |
Friday, November 16, 2012
Under the grape vines ...
We had so much under these now bare grape vines. Late night drinks with friends, a magical night with all the candles lit. Family barbecues, shucking peas and beans and lovely cool shade from the burning sun.
Til next year!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Sista party
I got to 50 first but my sisters are following ... this time it's Liz's turn. Hard to believe she is now 50 and it was time to celebrate. Julie flew in from Kelowna. Iolanda and I took the bus and ferry to Victoria and Alessia skyped from Australia.
Celebrating birthdays together is now a tradition. Some way or another we try our hardest to get together for sure, once every year, but if the stars, the moons and planets are aligned just right, twice.
Every year we have a great time together with a continuing theme, food and drink. Usually my sister Liz does most of the cooking, afterall, she is the most fabulous cook. Nothing scares her, she will tackle almost any ingredient and cooking method, and she will also come up with some super drinks, again she finds all sorts of unique spirits and liquers. Did you know there is such a thing as grapefruit liquer and did you know it makes a special glass of sparkling wine extra special? Well Liz knows! She also makes sure that a bottle of champagne is chilling at all times. This gal is full of life and joie de vivre and always ready to pop the cork to celebrate ...
So what to do for this very special sis on her very big birthday? Well we couldn't very well make her cook could we? We decided to all go out for dinner to a French bistro, the Bon Rouge, believe it or not this was the first time in history that we have gone out to eat for dinner. Dinner was fabulous, the restaurant is beautiful and we had a grand time. Could this be a new tradition? Only time will tell.
Next up will be Julie, she still has a few years before she reaches 50, wonder what we will do? Whatever we decide to do we will have many sista parties between now and then to discuss in great detail what we will eat and drink ... hope you are ready Liz! You have lots of cooking ahead of you. Love you all sisters.
Celebrating birthdays together is now a tradition. Some way or another we try our hardest to get together for sure, once every year, but if the stars, the moons and planets are aligned just right, twice.
Every year we have a great time together with a continuing theme, food and drink. Usually my sister Liz does most of the cooking, afterall, she is the most fabulous cook. Nothing scares her, she will tackle almost any ingredient and cooking method, and she will also come up with some super drinks, again she finds all sorts of unique spirits and liquers. Did you know there is such a thing as grapefruit liquer and did you know it makes a special glass of sparkling wine extra special? Well Liz knows! She also makes sure that a bottle of champagne is chilling at all times. This gal is full of life and joie de vivre and always ready to pop the cork to celebrate ...
So what to do for this very special sis on her very big birthday? Well we couldn't very well make her cook could we? We decided to all go out for dinner to a French bistro, the Bon Rouge, believe it or not this was the first time in history that we have gone out to eat for dinner. Dinner was fabulous, the restaurant is beautiful and we had a grand time. Could this be a new tradition? Only time will tell.
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| From left to right, Liz, Julie and Iolanda |
Friday, July 20, 2012
It's cherry time ...
This year the cherries hang in bunches like grapes, so many in our backyard tree. We picked a large bucket without the need of a ladder. Eat one - pick one, eat one - pick one ... easy picking for now. I'll now pit the cherries and then use them at the diner for pies, jam and compote, should be good!
Monday, July 9, 2012
Crafting up a new doll ....
I've been loving the Waldorf doll look and have made a few over the last few months. This little gal started with a really cute face but I ran out of material for the body ... her first little body was way to big for the head
Cut a new body out, in a different material, but ugh it was ugly! Anyway I could not throw that little face out and yet I was tired of seeing it on my craft table. I managed to finish the doll, she is out of my craft room and I'm happy about that.
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Cut a new body out, in a different material, but ugh it was ugly! Anyway I could not throw that little face out and yet I was tired of seeing it on my craft table. I managed to finish the doll, she is out of my craft room and I'm happy about that.
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