Day 4 "This is not me complaining"

First Thought:

I think I'm getting into a groove. I'm also glad this week is almost over! The vegan thing requires entirely too much effort. Being vegetarian would be a great happy median between the two. I could eat my cheese, and that's really my only complaint. I could also eat fish for protein which the kids love.

So for breakfast

 we had more fruit, and more Morning Star breakfast sausage along with toast. That was quick and easy.

For lunch we had more of that great pasta and mixed greens from the night before.

Then for dinner we tried these Tasty Bite Indian meals, with Wegman's Naan bread. They are vegan, and low in sodium. The company that makes them grows all the ingredients that go into making their food.

Not only were they Vegan they were also gluten free, preservative free and Kosher.

For packaged food they were tasty! They had lots of other Indian dishes to choose from, like my favorite Paneer (Indian cheese) Masala. I told you I like cheese! Even the hubby who wasn't a big fan of Indian food liked these. I decided to try these meals because they are quick and easy to heat and serve and I needed a break from all of these specially prepared meals. It's alot of work planning and cooking meals while washing dishes and cloths, and cleaning and combing and brushing hair and teeth and shuttling this one here and this one there and chasing behind an 11 month old. This is not me complaining, I'll do that on another day, I'm just trying to paint the picture. While eating healthy is important so is your sanity. I try not to beat myself up when I take meal time short-cuts, and you shouldn't either. I think its all about using your time wisely, and if watching a little less TV can give me more time to cook for the fam, then that's a good trade off!

Day 3! Is this Week over YET?

First Thought:

Is this week over YET! That's me being honest. My problem is not the food, it's the time it takes to make each meal. Yes I'm sure other people don't spend as much time as I do preparing vegan meals, or maybe they do.

I should report that the hubby is still perfectly happy and I'm starting to worry I might have to talk him out of continuing this diet when the week is over. I've been offering the kids grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch, which they turned down. They wanted PB & J instead, they always want PB&J!

I guess now is the time that I pat myself on the back for having a game plan. At moments of weakness like these all I have to do is "stick to the script."

This is what I made the girls and I for Breakfast.

Whole Grain Toast buttered with Earth Balance Spread, Morning Star meatless breakfast patties, and fruit salad. The Morning Star Breakfast Patties are a big time WINNER!!!! They have a great texture, and taste just like breakfast sausages. They are like the sun shining through the clouds!! I heart them <3!!! They made my morning!!

For lunch I had this 

a big bowl of leftovers along with the beet greens I saved. Sauteed with a little garlic and canola oil.

Beet greens have great flavor, and they come free with the beets.

Then it was onto dinner.

Dinner:

Warm Pasta Salad with Spinach, Mushroom, Roasted Red Pepper, Garlic, Tomato and Tofurky Italian sausage. First I roasted red peppers and 2 whole heads of garlic in an oven bag.

Then the cherry tomatoes

While they roasted I sauteed the spinach

and mushrooms.

Then I pulsed the "Italian sausage" in the food processor, until it looked kind of like ground beef. Then I sauteed it to get some nice carmelization.

Then everything gets mixed with the pasta, I used "nugget" shaped radiatori pasta and mixed it with this...

It turned out great! LOOK!

The Tofurky "Italian sausage" was really nice mixed into this dish. It has big chunks of sundried tomato that you can see, and the texture was meaty. The mushrooms also had a nice meaty taste that was great in contrast to the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes and the roasted red peppers. Lets not for get about the roasted garlic it added a great earthiness to the pasta, and it's so easy to make.

I served the pasta warm over a bed of baby greens.

Final Thoughts:

I guess the 3rd day really is hump day, because I'm finally starting to feel good about eating vegan. Especially since I'm not so bugged up about not eating my cheese. This pasta dish totally helped boost my morale, it was soooo good! Not just vegan good but anytime good! Yeah!



Day 2! The Vegan Luster is Starting to Fade.

Tuesday

Thoughts:

I'm hungry! Not really but emotionally! I'm realizing I must be addicted to cheese, because I'm starting to feel withdrawal! Cheese is my comfort food of choice. It makes me feel happy, and in my happiness I feel "full" emotionally. I know it sounds complicated but cheese any kin dof cheese does it for me, and right now I'm depriving myself of happiness. Apparently I'm the only one starting to question this little vegan adventure. The hubby came home almost skipping. He LOVED his lunch! Ate it all and said he felt good inside knowing he was eating really healthy "good for you" food! Good for him! Yes, I'm almost rolling my eyes. Why am I not equally happy? This was all my idea! I guess I better suck it up and get focused. I'm no quitter!

So for Breakfast:

The girls and I had more Fruit Salad, Blueberry Muffins and Blueberry Soy Yogurt. Hubby had more Oatmeal and sliced bananas.

After yesterdays fiasco which I amazingly forgot to share?! I decided to cut us all a break and fall back on an old faithful. 

Lunch:

PB & J on Whole Grain Bread with Almond Milk and Fruit Salad.

So let me tell you about yesterday's lunch. What started out as a great idea ended badly!

I decide the girls would like making their own pizzas. I made them on these Flat Out Wraps which don't say they're vegan but have no animal products in them other than honey which I know some vegans don't approve of. Okay so we know I'm not a real vegan and as much as I consider myself a purist I still bought these wraps , and I'm calling them vegan, sue me. The tomato sauce and Daiya mozzarella cheese are vegan.

Everything was going great, and the girls enjoyed spreading the sauce out and sprinkling the cheese.

Then we toasted the pizzas in the toaster oven to melt the cheese and warm the wrap.

Looks great doesn't it? Well it would have been, the Flat Out Wraps are really tasty! The problem was the Daiya veggie cheese. I'm not going to be prejudice against all veggie cheese but this brand was terrible. Here I go, ready? The texture was nice until you chew a little, then it feels like your mouth is stuck together. Maybe it was just too much "cheese" but that's just me being nice. It was a really weird feeling in your mouth! Even the girls decided after a few  Needless to say I had to make something different for lunch. Which took up more time, that I don't have. 

So dinner has to be a HIT!

Dinner:

 Gardein Enchiladas Suiza garnished with Toffutti Sour Cream. On the Side Stewed Garbanzo Beans, Yellow Rice, and Steamed Broccoli.

First I pulled out a Secret Weapon (not secret anymore)!!!!

SOFRITO!!!

I keep it in my freezer, it freezes beautifully! I make it in a big batch and use it as I need it. It's made of  fresh cilantro, garlic, green peppers and onion. Some people add tomato but I do not.You can add it to just about anything, it gives this really authentic Spanish flavor to everything. Eggs, Soups, Stews, Roasts, Tacos, Rice and in this case Enchiladas.

So to make the Suizas part you half, season and roast Tomatillos along with garlic and onion.

When they are soft you blend them in a food processor along with some cilantro, and blend until smooth. While the tomatillos roast I cooked the garbanzo beans with Red Onion, Sofrito, a little cumin, and Sazon. Sazon has Mexican saffron in it and that's what gives rice and beans their lovely yellow color.

I like to cook the beans on low until they are tender and falling apart.

Then I sliced and sauteed the Gardein Chicken Scallopini with more of the Sofrito and a few spoonfuls of Suizas sauce.

Doesn't it look like real chicken!!! Then I assembled the Enchiladas.

You just make a little burrito with the "chicken" and I sprinkled a little Daiya cheddar veggie cheese, and poured some sauce on top.

Dinner is served!

And everyone loved it!

Except me :(

Again wit' tha cheese! The shredded "cheddar cheese" just turned me off. The label reads "vegan flavoring" but my buddy Jen the "food scientist" tells me the chemical name ins Diacetyl, thus the name Daiya Cheese. Well it smells almost like real cheese and the taste is a buttery cheesy taste. It's not a bad taste, but when you heat the cheese up it smelled just like vomit. The smell burned my nose it was so bad. So if you make this DON'T use Daiya cheese!

Other than that dinner was great and I especially LOVED the Tofutti non-dairy sour cream! It tastes better than sour cream, creamy, no after taste and lots of flavor.
For dessert:
 I made some labor intense vegan cut-out sugar cookies.

Lemon Sugar Cookies which I put a drop of pink food coloring into for Valentines day. Instead of butter I used Earth Balance and instead of eggs I used apple sauce. I did have to add an extra 1/2 cup of flour and freeze the dough instead of just refrigerate it.
This vegan thing sure does require a lot of time and attention! It makes sense that it would be better for you!
Final Thoughts:
Everyone especially the hubby is loving the vegan thing. That is everyone but me, I'm already counting the days. I don't want any meat but some real cheese would sure be nice. Plus I'm literally spending the entire day cooking and preparing. Well that's an exaggerations, because I am baking and doing a lot of extra things most people wouldn't do. I'm Not complaining, because I'm not starving and I am having fun playing with food.
I know I'm behind on my posting but I'll catch up, and if you haven't noticed all of my pictures were taken with my IPhone (I can't find my camera).
Day 3 coming soon!

Day One of Vegan Week!

Monday

First Thought:

Deep breath, exhale! Okay here we go! I really hope they like the food or this is going to be a loooong week!

The Plan:

Wake up early pack hubby's vegan lunch (pray he eats it...and likes it). Make my lunch as well, get cookin on dinner for tonight, and make the girls some breakfast. Here is what I made my husband for breakfast and lunch.

Breakfast: Fruit Salad, Cinnamon and Raisins Instant Oatmeal with fresh sliced bananas, and Banana Crumb Muffins.

Lunch: Fakin Bacon BLT Wraps with avocado and edamame hummus spread, and a Blueberry Soy yogurt.

 I did myself a favor and made the fruit salad and baked muffins along with the Super Bowl food I made the day before. The vegan muffins I made were soooo good if all else fails I'll just eat vegan muffins all week!! The vegan banana crumb muffins and vegan blueberry muffins were really easy to make too.

(click for the recipes and more pictures)

Back to breakfast, the girls and I had fruit salad and muffins. Then I got to work doing my prep for dinner. The hubby loves fresh beets so I plan to cook then now and keep them in the fridge to break out either today or tomorrow or  Wednesday, or lunch one day. Either way they'll get eaten.

I just cut off the greens and cover them with water, and boil them till they look like this.

Do yourself a BIG favor and don't chuck the beets tops! The leafy greens on beets are really good sauteed with a little garlic and olive oil. I almost prefer the greens to the beets!

I also made really great Vegan White Bean and Cauliflower Rosemary Soup.  (click for pictures and the recipe) My plan it to send the hubby to work with soup tomorrow and keep the rest on hand as a quick meal. I decided to go with a quick easy meal for dinner.

Dinner:

Curried Cauliflower with Sauteed Tofu peas and raisins with Cous Cous season with spirulini and green onions.

Nice way to finish the day. Everyone was happy with dinner even though the girls complained that the cauliflower was spicy (my bad). Despite that they ate the cauliflower and had second helpings of tofu and cous cous!

Vegan White Bean and Cauliflower Rosemary Soup

Now this is a super easy recipe! You can not screw this up as long as you don't burn it! Get all of the ingredients in the picture.

3 cans Cannellini Beans

at least 1 cup Cauliflower rough chopped

4-6 garlic clove (your taste)

1/2 onion

2 rosemary sprigs ( I suggest you pluck the little leaves and chop them, but you don't have to.)

2 tablespoon Canola oil

On medium heat Add the oil, garlic and onion first, cook till the onion is soft. (don't burn it)

Now add everything else and 4 cups of this...

This is what makes this recipe Vegan, if you don't care about that use chicken stock. Bring the stock to a simmer and turn heat down to low. Cook for another 30-45 minutes or until the beans start falling apart.

 Then taste and season with salt and pepper to your taste. Spice it up with a few dashes of Tabasco. You can also add carrot along with the Cauliflower.

Once the soup is seasoned to your taste blend it in a food processor until smooth.

This is a great recipe to freeze for later, and break out as a quick dinner, or lunch!! ENJOY!!

Vegan for a Week!!!!

So I've finally gotten the green light from my hubby! We're going vegan for a week, and we're bringing the kids along with us! I'll just put this out there right now, I've already decided the kids can cheat, cuz how can I deny them their chicken nuggets fix. But Mama and Papa are committed to this vegan adventure.

So I'm sure that a lot of people saw the Oprah Show and their going vegan for a week episode. I also shouted it out on Facebook and got a lot of feedback. I have been wanting to change my diet and eat healthier, more vegetables less meat, less carbs. And I thought going vegan would be like going to rehab. At the very least when this week is over I'll just add dairy back into my diet, which would make me a vegetarian which, I can do!

I should take this moment to issue a little disclaimer. I'm not recommending anyone just go vegan for a week on their own. Definitely ease into it! Try eating vegetarian once or twice a week. Take the time to try out alternatives to meat and dairy products. Give you self the chance to develop a taste for them. I am a professional chef and I have taken the time to try lots of different vegan and vegetarian products with my family. I've also planned a menu with a variety of fresh products not just processed meat alternatives, so we not only get a variety of flavors but a variety of nutrients. We also take vitamin supplements every day.

The trick to changing your diet is always find great substitutes for your favorite dishes, and never let yourself get hungry, plan your snacks!

So, the first thing I figured out is my plan. Not any old plan you mark out in your head. A real plan, the kind you sit down and write on a piece of paper. Starting with, what the hell am I going to eat?

Okay so this is my plan......

First I trolled the Internet looking for sample menus just to get an idea of what other vegans eat. Then I

applied my Culinary skills and came up with my own menu. Meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 7 days, plus snacks and add on meals. I'm going vegan and I don't plan on starving plus I have 3 children and I need to get focused so I don't panic every time they say, "I'm hungry."

Here it is my menu! Well, I won't tell you that now. I'll share that later this week. Let me tell you about my grocery store adventure!

After I got my menu together I made a grocery list of everything I would need and headed down to my favorite place, Wegmans, Or as we call it at our house, "Weggy Wegs." Thank goodness I made a grocery list!

Because its easy to get distracted in Wegmans. Wegmans has alot of really great store brands that taste amazing and are really affordable. So, It was really nice to see such a huge variety of vegetarian and vegan products. Plus Wegmans has a special labeling system which tells you if products happen to be vegan, vegetarian, lactose free, heart healthy, Kosher, etc. I'm prity sure other stores have similar labeling systems. I found this really helpful because it meant I didn't have to look for some new vegan product to use in place of some product we already know and like. As an example we have oatmeal in the morning, and for the convinence we use instant oatmeal in the individual packs and add fresh fruit to it.. The Wegmans brand Maple and Brown sugar oatmeal is not vegan but the Wegmans brand Raisin & Spice is, so we just switched flavors. I used this trick for a few items.

 

 I also bought twice as much fresh fruits and vegetables. That along with some new vegan meat alternative, tofu, seitan, Almond Milk, Earth Balance Butter, Soy Yogurt, and Daiya Veggie Cheese.

As for the produce I picked  items that packed the most punch both in nutritional value and flavor. I got cantaloupe, blueberries, pineapple and strawberries for a fruit salad. I figure we can have fruit salad for breakfast a few days and for dessert or snack a few other days. I got both spinach and collard greens, plus I plan to cook the green on the beets. I grabbed tomatillos and tomato for plus fresh herbs, Cilantro, rosemary and thyme. The Avocados I like to throw on everything, salads, sandwiches, bread or just mash them up. Cherry tomatoes will be sliced in half and roasted over pasta. In our house broccoli is a staple item, along with sweet potato. One of my husbands favorites is fresh beets; so I got golden and regular cooked with carrots they are so sweet!

 

In all fairness I should say that a lot of the vegan and vegetarian products shown above are not new to my family. The kids actually prefer Almond Milk to cow's milk and have been drinking it for at least a year. They eat soy yogurts for breakfast about 4 days a week althought they prefer cow's milk yogurt, but I think the soy is better for you. The Morning Star breakfast "meat" we've all had quite a few times before, same thing with the seitan fakin' bacon, and tofu. The Grits are totally animal product free, good thing because we wouldn't want to give them up anyway. The veggy cheese I've had before but not the Daiya brand.
So the new products are the Tofurky Italian Sausage, Daiya veggie Cheese, non-dairy sour cream, Gardein "chicken" scallopini, and the Tasty Bites Indian Food.

A few things I didn't mention are the Canneloni beans, Falafel, edamame hummus, and the Bolthouse Juices. Later this week I'll be posting the recipe for a super easy and really flavorful White Bean and Rosemary soup that I plan to make. Yes, it's vegan! The edamame hummus was another of the hubbies favorites so it was great news to find out, it too is vegan.
I will post this weeks adventure as it unfolds. Wish me luck!
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