tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59500699072659124112024-03-05T17:49:32.129-08:00The Chickpea ChroniclesFollow this meatatarian along on a 30 day experiment of becoming vegetarian!chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-80682375809447385092009-10-11T16:02:00.001-07:002009-10-11T16:11:18.617-07:0030 Days and 30 Nights Complete my Vegetarian Journey!Well I did it! 30 days and 30 nights of vegetarianism complete….well I guess 29 nights if you want to count the 1 night I had seafood while on vacation. It was interesting to say the least! When I set out 30 days ago to learn more about what it’s like to live life sans meat, I had many reasons for doing so. First and foremost, I was inspired to try it from reading The China Study and also by hearing from others dealing with cancer and using vegetarianism as a way to fight their disease with nutrition. Outside of that, as a personal trainer and someone who offers a lot of support to others looking to reach their health & fitness goals, I wanted to see if the things I would normally recommend to clients or friends would even still hold true or be “doable” without including meat in their diet. On a personal level, I was curious how it would make me feel. It seemed to me that every vegetarian I’ve met is just crazy about their lifestyle and they all seem very devoted to staying vegetarian. I wanted to see what it was all about, and I think to understand something better it’s good to experience it first-hand. I’ve always been a hands-on learner! Even though there is surely much more I could explore and learn about vegetarian living, I’d think to think that I’ve at least gotten a little taste by doing it for a full 30 days. I know that there are quite a few people who’ve been reading this who haven’t commented or become a “follower” and that’s ok:-D I appreciate everyone taking the time to pop in and read and hopefully a few people have learned a thing or two right along with me! <br />So to sum up this little journey, I thought I’d share some reflections on the past month…<br /><strong><br /></strong><br /><strong>Some take-away tidbits from this:<br /><br /></strong><br />1) It IS absolutely possible to get enough protein to support even the most active lifestyles with vegetarian eating. For anyone doing or considering doing Body-for-LIFE, it IS absolutely possible to do it as a vegetarian too. It does take a bit of creativity and planning for anyone who’s trying to consistently get a certain required amount (ie. 110 g protein per day) into their diet successfully. It’s equally as necessary to be mindful of carbohydrate and fat intake for anyone trying to do BFL, but it is absolutely possible and become easy once you find staples that work for you.<br /><br /><br />2) There are no vegetarian sources of protein outside of cheese that do not also contain carbohydrates and fats. I never found one. If I’ve missed something feel free to drop me a comment, but I looked pretty hard and couldn’t find any. ALL vegetarian proteins also contain carbs and fats to my knowledge. <br /><br /><br />3) Dairy is not the devil. I think this little experiment helped me realize I had a pretty big fear of dairy before. Outside of fat free cottage cheese, I just never really ate cheese much. God forbid I allow anything with lactose into my body! No I’m not lactose intolerant, but I think being so involved within the fitness community has somehow unconsciously made me think that if I eat cheese, I will get fat. Well, I ate quite a bit of cheese during the past month and didn’t gain an ounce of fat as far as I know. However, I did pay VERY close attention to choosing cheeses that were fat free or reduced fat AND rBGH free, as well as close attention to serving sizes (taking the time to measure) anytime I ate cheese. Cheese was many times my saving grace to get to my magic # of 20-25 g of protein at each meal. <br /><br /><br />4) Most vegetarian high protein sources that are even close to reaching an equal protein content found in animal sources are all derived from soy. Things like tempeh, tofu and really any and ALL vegetarian “meatless” products are simply soy in a different form and flavored with different flavorings. Even though I was changing up the foods I was eating, I felt a little uneasy about ultimately having a fairly limited diet that wasn’t as varied as I would have liked. When it came down to it, I was just eating more of the same many times…soy. I also already knew that there were many soy products contained in many many foods on grocery store shelves and that we really don’t even think about (same with corn), but this made me pay even closer attention to nutrition labels and ingredient lists…man this world is made of soy. Too much soy in my opinion. I know the jury is still out on the whole soy controversy. I do think it has benefits, but I also think that too much of one thing is probably not the best approach to having a balanced diet, so I am on a soy hiatus for a while after this month. I’ll continue to eat edamame, but probably won’t be purchasing any Morningstar Farms for a while.<br /><br /><br />5) I did however, realize that meatless products are helpful in more ways than just getting more protein into one’s diet. For instance, meatless breakfast sausages and meat crumbles are absolutely a better choice in my opinion that the full fat, full cholesterol options. I’d rather have an overabundance of soy in my diet than to eat cow lips and pig parts any day. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that ALL of the meatless products I used such as those made by Light Life (Smart Dogs & Roast Turkey style lunchmeat slices), were free of carcinogenic nitrates and nitrites as well as a whole host of other harmful chemicals….things which ARE present in most processed deli meats. Again, I’d rather choose soy laden meatless dogs and lunchmeat over Oscar Meyer any day of the week no contest….yes, even over sliced turkey breast if it isn’t all natural and free from nitrates and nitrites.<br /><br /><br />6) Although I realize there are many more recipes and dishes I could have tried, I wanted to try to maintain my normal 40/40/20 ratio of macronutrients as closely as possible. That meant I wasn’t going to be feasting on grains, beans, and fat sources without paying attention to the amounts. I know there are going to be people out there that disagree, but I still consider things like beans, legumes, and so-called high protein grains such as quinoa, to be carbohydrates first and foremost. I also consider peanut butter to be a fat first and foremost. Yes they have protein, but the amount of protein compared with the other macronutrients they contain is very small. Open up any vegetarian cookbook, and you will see that it is very rare to find a recipe that falls within the 40/40/20, which is why I made the choice to piece together my own meals, rather than just trying a bunch of recipes out of a cookbook that were filled with higher carbohydrate and higher fat recipes. (I didn’t do the math on every single meal I made, but I did pretty good at maintaining equal amounts of protein and carbs at each meal in my opinion.) Plus, I like things to be simple and don’t typically have an interest in making things that take 10 + ingredients for the most part. Just as I do in my normal everyday life as a meat eater, I found things that worked for me, and made them staples into my diet, because they were easy, convenient, healthy, and balanced according to my own dietary goals.<br /><br /><br />7) I never had a vegetarian epiphany. That is….I didn’t hate being vegetarian in the least, but I also never had a light bulb moment whereas I felt completely different or improved in any physical or mental aspect. Admittedly, I did feel better on days where I ate more vegetables, especially on those days where I ate upwards of about 5-10 servings of veggies per day. However, as an omnivore I already ate a ton of vegetables, rarely ever ate red meat, and consistently already getting roughly 30 g fiber usually daily before this. I think that is perhaps why I never experienced any drastic changes in energy levels or with digestion of the food. People would consistently ask me if I felt like I was doing a cleanse with all of this vegetarian eating, but really I didn’t. <br /><br /><br />8) Eating out healthfully at restaurants is challenging! If you think it’s hard to order healthy when you are out as a meat eater, you should try doing it as a vegetarian! This was perhaps the biggest eye opener for me. Vegetarian restaurants and options on menus are pretty limited, especially where I live in Texas, where beef is what’s for dinner. I am pretty well versed on ordering out healthy. Give me a menu….any menu, and I will figure out a way to order a perfectly balanced healthy meal (as an omnivore that is). During this experiment, I found myself for the first time in quite a long time extremely hungry and floundering at a sports bar trying to think of something healthy to order that was vegetarian and wasn’t just a lame iceberg lettuce salad. I ended up eating queso and chips! Ha ha! If I would have been eating meat, I could have at least had a grilled chicken salad or sandwich, but I’m telling you that I was STUCK for the first time in a long time, and finally gave up on even trying and decided to just order whatever would come to our table quickest…I was that hungry and at a loss of options. It showed me just how important it is for vegetarians to be able to research restaurant menus ahead of time to find good healthy options at restaurants. It made me even more passionate about my belief in the need for nutrition facts labeling on restaurant menus too. Fires me up just thinking about it! I was, however, also pleasantly surprised on occasion at having more vegetarian options than I even knew existed. For example, I got lucky on my layover in Dallas at Au Bon Pain where they had an entire section of their menu with really yummy healthy vegetarian options. As much as I’ve shopped at Whole Foods in the past, I never actually realized how many vegetarian options they really do have. Wow! That is the place to shop and grab some quick lunch or dinner if you are a vegetarian for sure! I love it even more now! Two thumbs up for Whole Foods!<br /><br /><br />9) Supplements are a big help to anyone trying to adhere to a high protein diet. Although I use EAS, which does contain milk and soy in many of their protein products, there are also Vegan protein powders out there which do not. Whole Foods carries some, as do other health food stores. I think it would be beneficial for any vegetarian looking to their build/maintain muscle mass and/or lose fat to include supplements as part of their daily diet. My whey protein and other supplements were a hug staple in my diet throughout this past month. I incorporated them even more than I did while eating meat, because I was looking for ways to get the magic 20-25 g of protein at every meal. I feel really strong right now and I feel like I have slightly more muscle definition than I did four weeks ago. I wouldn’t doubt that including supplements have had something to do with it.<br /><br /><br />10) Trying something new is never a bad thing. It’s good to try new things to see what else is out there. I’m a pretty big creature of habit…probably one of the biggest I know! It’s good to think outside of the box and try something new just for the sake of trying it and learning something new. Not only did I learn a few things about what vegetarians might experience in some aspects of daily life with respect to diet, I also learned a few things about myself in the process. I learned what I can live without more (surprisingly chicken wasn’t missed much) as well as forming a deeper appreciation for the things I can’t wait to have back (seafood!!!). <br /><br /><br /><strong>So what will change now if anything?</strong><br /> <br /><br /> I am definitely more familiar with different types of vegetarian meals that can work for me and which I rather liked. I still have quite a few vegetarian foods here, and I plan to continue to incorporate them into my diet. I will definitely be cutting back on eating so much chicken. I really did not miss it much, despite the fact that I probably ate more chicken than anything else before I started my vegetarian eating. I don’t hate chicken now, but I don’t anticipate that I will go back to eating it upwards of 2-3 times per day as I did before. If anything, I might use it in dinners from time to time, but I’m not going to feel the need to put it in anything and everything anymore. I do look forward to stocking up on some good quality wild caught seafood….salmon, mahi mahi, shrimp, and scallops are what I’ve missed most. I really feel like God put those things here on Earth for us to eat, and so I will be happy to have them back in my life!<br /> <br /><br />More than anything, this experiment has taught me to just practice moderation. I no longer feel like it’s absolutely necessary to add a piece of meat to every single meal, and I’m much more aware now of ways to come up with balanced meals that don’t contain any meat or even any “meatless” products at all. I definitely plan to continue using some of the meals I used regularly as part of vegetarian eating. Protein oatmeal anyone?! I tried it only because of this experiment as a way to get protein, and now I’m completely hooked. There are a million and one ways to make it, and there are plenty I haven’t tried yet. Protein oatmeal isn’t going anywhere and neither are my yamcakes, veggie flatbread pizzas and huge salads with edamame. Tofu, that’s another story. I like tofu, but prefer ordering it when someone else is making it. I’ll probably be more adventurous when ordering out in the future if I have options to order vegetarian foods, but I don’t see tofu making it into my shopping cart each week as a regular staple going forward. I also won’t be getting nearly as much soy in my diet. Moderation is foremost on my mind and just trying to get as much variety into my diet as possible from here on out. Too much of any one thing, whether it be chicken or soy, isn’t a good thing.<br /> <br /><br /><strong>Eating goals going forward…</strong><br /><strong><br /><br /></strong>- To eat mostly whole unprocessed foods<br />- To eat five servings of vegetables per day on most days<br />- To eat one serving of fruit per day (tomatoes count)<br />- To continue eating 40/40/20 for most meals on most days<br />- To continue eating a balanced meal every 2-3 hours<br />- To continue drinking at least 1 gallon of water each day<br />- To continue avoiding products containing hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, aspartame and other artificial sweeteners, preservatives, nitrates & nitrites, and foods containing refined carbohydrates.<br />- To continue to use supplements as part of a healthy balanced diet for added support for training.<br />- To practice moderation and vary my protein sources to include those from plant sources more often in lieu of animal protein sources.<br /> <br /><br /><br /><br />I’ve had several people ask me if I’ll still be posting my meals on this blog. Really this was intended to chronicle my vegetarian experiment, and now that it’s ended, I won’t be posting all of my meals every day as I have been. However, I do plan to leave the link active so that it can possibly be of use to anyone in the near future. I’ve had many nice compliments from people who’ve passed along this blog to someone else they thought could gain something from seeing it. I figure if anyone is interested in learning about how they can eat a high protein diet as a vegetarian, they might be able to look at this and see that it can in fact be done. There are also people in the Body-for-LIFE community that I think can benefit from seeing that you can definitely do BFL as a vegetarian. Hopefully I’ve shown that if I can do it, anyone can!<br /> <br /><br />If you want to stay connected, feel free to check me “Emily Alvers” out on facebook as a way to stay connected if you’d like. I’m not going anywhere, just going to be continuing to focus my energy into helping others live a healthy lifestyle through a variety of other avenues. <br /> <br /><br />This has been an enlightening experience that has taught me a great deal! Thanks again for taking the time to read The Chickpea Chronicles!<br /> <br /><br />With Gratitude,<br />Chickpea 4 Mechickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-82510828507063884212009-10-10T03:52:00.000-07:002009-10-10T04:54:55.821-07:00TGI my last Friday as a Vegetarian<div align="left">And so...this is my last Friday as a true vegetarian. This whole vegetarian experiemnt has been interesting, and I really do feel like I've learned something new every single day of it, whether it is finding and trying a new food, making new combinations of food that are balanced with proteins and carbs, dealing with struggles presented by being vegetarian, or just experiencing the way that different foods make me feel. I will be up front and say right now that I don't plan on staying completely vegetarian once my month long stint is over. I'll get into more of a summary of the whole experienece in my next post, but as for now, I will say that I'll probably continue on a path of eating that is mainly pesco-vegetarian. I cannot live without fish. Nor can I live without egg whites. I definitely don't see myself ever becoming Vegan, but I surprisingly don't miss chicken that much at all....mostly just really missing seafood. So, here is it...my last Friday as a vegetarian...Hope I don't bore you too much with my food today.....was a bit lazy on the creativity and preparation front and just throwing stuff together. Look for my long final post on living as a vegetarian to come soon! :)</div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Pre- Workout (6 am)- EAS Catapult</div><div align="center"><br /></div><br /><div align="center">Didn't expect my breakfast to be smiling at me this morning...he he</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Meal 1 (8 am)- 2 Morningstar Farms maple sausage patties + 1/2 cup egg whites (this is what happens when I don't have pre-chopped containers of veggies in the fridge ready to throw into things...plain egg whites) + EAS Muscle Armor + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyl-z2ossHqMePysYOGs7DyBKRebajKJg1SEXsZax8E6W08uQLwYud4WVWmJC49mCR3yKRVRUF47WKzaMAOqLttwfgP5rcgt3l6BUMEo7_KbSS1UCxHWPTc-ZqSzQ1UJp6RnwFVNYryM/s1600-h/SDC10822.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390927081904986466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZyl-z2ossHqMePysYOGs7DyBKRebajKJg1SEXsZax8E6W08uQLwYud4WVWmJC49mCR3yKRVRUF47WKzaMAOqLttwfgP5rcgt3l6BUMEo7_KbSS1UCxHWPTc-ZqSzQ1UJp6RnwFVNYryM/s320/SDC10822.JPG" /></a> Tried another new variety of vegetarian sausages, this time maple....really yummy and made the whole house smell like maple. I thought that the serving size was 2 patties, but just realized that only 1 of these tiny little things has 10 g of protein....holy cow! No wonder I was so full yesterday morning!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rUAfPgXG-nM4wmpjhzG0ckvEq7pMBxPTnymCfdK719tCQn-P56egKNtF-YWeRXbbDUCSyTFVoKjwcQx63d4n7ov2eCbzbIqDupt72F1iR-LSRTutOnNcRljc02cVTwCcqGnbbKYwoL8/s1600-h/SDC10821.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390927073341753746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rUAfPgXG-nM4wmpjhzG0ckvEq7pMBxPTnymCfdK719tCQn-P56egKNtF-YWeRXbbDUCSyTFVoKjwcQx63d4n7ov2eCbzbIqDupt72F1iR-LSRTutOnNcRljc02cVTwCcqGnbbKYwoL8/s320/SDC10821.JPG" /></a>Meal 2 (11 am)- AdvantEDGE RTD + small gala apple + 12 unsalted almonds<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTND1Cp36BHM7eYO9ovZZzTiocy_q0tpxfF_ZYj5WMnnEg86vP_HTq_Id3Ver4G5RY184ad0ytkmtr9_PxIxQzNwPLK-Kc2U-1kU6YKqCZsRn_4DsHS2axy1dmVtd1Ld1iH5WsOHpzm5M/s1600-h/SDC10823.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390925547860108002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTND1Cp36BHM7eYO9ovZZzTiocy_q0tpxfF_ZYj5WMnnEg86vP_HTq_Id3Ver4G5RY184ad0ytkmtr9_PxIxQzNwPLK-Kc2U-1kU6YKqCZsRn_4DsHS2axy1dmVtd1Ld1iH5WsOHpzm5M/s320/SDC10823.JPG" /></a><br />The Whole Foods checkout isle got me again with their enticing little dark chocolate squares. The tub of two bite brownies were also calling my name, but they remained on the shelf. I've found that dark chocolate is WAY more satisfying than baked good and doesn't cause me to just crave more later. This really does a good job of satisfying my sweet tooth.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_z-yt97gWEKk_vZynDk7PB7BcwJOzcptAnAHxqx-MT-r_MCo_5vTeLR1wo57tyYb3bOXS9Twzdhrs-69aGpScsE9_sar3yIHl8jqSEzAJbW3fwURxsjQHNM2myDYBgPOtWoDDDFB0OuQ/s1600-h/SDC10592.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390925541418069634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_z-yt97gWEKk_vZynDk7PB7BcwJOzcptAnAHxqx-MT-r_MCo_5vTeLR1wo57tyYb3bOXS9Twzdhrs-69aGpScsE9_sar3yIHl8jqSEzAJbW3fwURxsjQHNM2myDYBgPOtWoDDDFB0OuQ/s320/SDC10592.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 3 ( 2 pm)- Whole Foods Tofu Satay -grilled tofu, peppers, bok choy & steamed brown rice w/ their "special peanut sauce".<br /><br /><br />I must say that for the first time EVER I was disappointed with something from Whole Foods, mainly because of their so-called special peanut sauce. I've had satay from plenty of other places and this stuff was completely watered down to the point that it made my meal a bit soupy and watery with not much flavor. Bland doesn't begin to describe this. I wanted to try a different tofu dish today, but in the future I will definitely stick with the tofu teriyaki bowl instead. You cannot go wrong with the teriyaki bowls at Whole Foods.,...my absolute favorite!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPR-UghS5wQy1bhP16ZundKq6j175cUi_zHaMDDlNC8Vw_HSbbyIOb9_yy69YtCod2VOskGTgoqQsIpJXUlPuCTMMfBlJATQG0kpaXUNFIpHi4BDgaYB37bVt05YH0d6tT1g4xlk_PRM/s1600-h/SDC10825.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390925538133788738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPR-UghS5wQy1bhP16ZundKq6j175cUi_zHaMDDlNC8Vw_HSbbyIOb9_yy69YtCod2VOskGTgoqQsIpJXUlPuCTMMfBlJATQG0kpaXUNFIpHi4BDgaYB37bVt05YH0d6tT1g4xlk_PRM/s320/SDC10825.JPG" /></a>Meal 4(5 pm)- Wondering what I can eat that doesn't require any effort..just need some eat something quickly...a couple cups of raw broccoli & 2 tbsp. Newman's Own light vinagrette...no protein here. I could have eaten some cheese with this for some protein, but I just wasn't in the mood for any so I didn't force myself to.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OSEhQBeG4aA499lJiDStwedvmh-YtpPsMd7nwepqXT_nMx_eiZUiauCKwpn6-_r5AQCPF9OfaVuthkdCrdv7zH2Ky3XXIqkecH6f5qKvN4AEzByj55iAiQdl722xNPpr-CXJW51nvN0/s1600-h/SDC10747.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390925522031872226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OSEhQBeG4aA499lJiDStwedvmh-YtpPsMd7nwepqXT_nMx_eiZUiauCKwpn6-_r5AQCPF9OfaVuthkdCrdv7zH2Ky3XXIqkecH6f5qKvN4AEzByj55iAiQdl722xNPpr-CXJW51nvN0/s320/SDC10747.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Got busy and realized I should probably eat something for dinner at some point. I am seriously not feeling like cooking and don't feel like going out to eat. I just need to eat for fuel right now, not the enjoyment of any glorious meals so I threw together a carb and a protein.<br /><br /><br />Meal 5 ( 7 pm)- 6 roasted garlic triscuits topped each w/ 1 vegetarian meatball & shredded parmesan cheese broiled in the toaster oven...actually pretty tasty and hit the spot....better than the soggy meatball sub I could have had...I have to have some crunch! Munched on a few triscuits w/ a couple tbsp. hummus while these heated up.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgyhjZsYadpWQ7uw2PD-SD_8CfWfAqUz_-CPwqXA8zC5N8MbabczG1k7yFoDbAsAqyS7by9X97KYIRCg4s9zaRYqkFP_R9hGaFi5UOM6hO084CGEQL0h-DI8jofAgfInyaMhn61RHeg4/s1600-h/SDC10826.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390925517457894002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgyhjZsYadpWQ7uw2PD-SD_8CfWfAqUz_-CPwqXA8zC5N8MbabczG1k7yFoDbAsAqyS7by9X97KYIRCg4s9zaRYqkFP_R9hGaFi5UOM6hO084CGEQL0h-DI8jofAgfInyaMhn61RHeg4/s320/SDC10826.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Ok day eating. I wasn't into my food too much today if you couldn't tell. I always feel better when I have at least one huge salad with a big variety of veggies! I know I'll be running around this weekend, but getting in lots of fresh veggies in my goal for the weekend. Going to start making salads to go right now... :-D<br /></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-12742053334510476862009-10-08T17:15:00.000-07:002009-10-08T18:11:42.953-07:00Cloudy with a Chance of Vegetarian Meatballs!<div align="left">Not too much to write tonight. I had a bunch of things I wanted to say, but honestly I am exhausted, and my head is a bit in the clouds right now. I'll save you from my ranting until tomorrow;) Lots of pics today though! Making the most of this last week of vegetarian living!</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Body Fat update...exactly the same as the last time I took it....I can deal with that. </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62cv7v_knHlgTTQmKrcvZAX6YAjDScgJx7YnY94tO8vrFsGTo9y-xLSdduGGeS6dKGPEgLcfEZrziMPjWhusP-9-CcmHAd3l4yAzdDTnRIkEJ_6q7rd2EiHpMe9y7Bo23DOo_1heDdqM/s1600-h/SDC10790.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390396632197885186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62cv7v_knHlgTTQmKrcvZAX6YAjDScgJx7YnY94tO8vrFsGTo9y-xLSdduGGeS6dKGPEgLcfEZrziMPjWhusP-9-CcmHAd3l4yAzdDTnRIkEJ_6q7rd2EiHpMe9y7Bo23DOo_1heDdqM/s320/SDC10790.JPG" /></a> I am not a scale addict, but I need to weigh myself to do my body fat, and I am curious if there will be any changes with my body fat...still exactly the same as it was last time I took it.<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5YMEPJsi0MKf2_bxU67vwqF_CQyOm4S-nJE-M7CU1ak_4hfTq1VQ28NUgA6pG5JyZzIdlqEmsLdsen26Zu0WD33dNdhIJSUWLm00Vcl6yGktbgj2Q6STdhnn-SfZw5WkeE-py43eVXs/s1600-h/SDC10793.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390396622699954130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5YMEPJsi0MKf2_bxU67vwqF_CQyOm4S-nJE-M7CU1ak_4hfTq1VQ28NUgA6pG5JyZzIdlqEmsLdsen26Zu0WD33dNdhIJSUWLm00Vcl6yGktbgj2Q6STdhnn-SfZw5WkeE-py43eVXs/s320/SDC10793.JPG" /></a> I don't have an overabundance of sympathy for people who whine about not having enough $ to eat healthy. Some of the healthiest meals in the world are super cheap! It just take a little extra work....more than going through a drive through at least. It CAN be done....actually cheaper than a bunch of prepared processed microwaveable stuff too.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">3 ingredients is all you need for this one.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgKKn2c9c8WCxqKuCDwW0J2Zmjy7tEwT6VL1GM1OI6gRr7A8EPjRDMyTC10Fvdj8rij5oZFd59uwLemvw9lcvc5XJXk43ChTuN7U6wmbzrEfkGE-L_Ik_kTs_pOv0QP7Cnqi5jvlhrXA/s1600-h/SDC10794.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390396613842057618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgKKn2c9c8WCxqKuCDwW0J2Zmjy7tEwT6VL1GM1OI6gRr7A8EPjRDMyTC10Fvdj8rij5oZFd59uwLemvw9lcvc5XJXk43ChTuN7U6wmbzrEfkGE-L_Ik_kTs_pOv0QP7Cnqi5jvlhrXA/s320/SDC10794.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 1 (8:30 am)- Strawberry 'n Cream protein oatmeal (1/2 cup quick oats + 1 scoop EAS vanilla whey protein + 1/3 cup diced strawberries)...wallah! + EAS Betagen & Glutamine + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnczArpjJvW_12fk3M-3sxlEUIyRtBayRKIRv5d01fBZqfZ-L-yybG9JXMyKL6zACO27SR81a6nFPPtZD0IwlXdYpWFN67L1oaMZtzchMmyLvnqBuvoxA9p0kMNAwlA8h-0UeyEqIX1k/s1600-h/SDC10795.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390396604818007682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnczArpjJvW_12fk3M-3sxlEUIyRtBayRKIRv5d01fBZqfZ-L-yybG9JXMyKL6zACO27SR81a6nFPPtZD0IwlXdYpWFN67L1oaMZtzchMmyLvnqBuvoxA9p0kMNAwlA8h-0UeyEqIX1k/s320/SDC10795.JPG" /></a>Meal 2 (11:30 am)- Organic wild rice tempeh cooked in evoo & reduced sodium soy sauce + steamed asparagus & 1/2 sweet potato w/fat free Parkay butter spray...adding the 1/2 sweet potato this time was the trick to keeping me full for longer...worked like a charm<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYuWwfL71NssZmwy05O-PyQnuGYx-hwg9yxfId4Ps6zfaFDyDdFYemqoC79UsUGb5S3RxFDYx2Zioek7Bd-zRYcd1ROrX9l_piXZ78TubGuJu4AHrye_Bg6YgM0Eg54a-lN3V9Hhbrl6E/s1600-h/SDC10798.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390396599593113538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYuWwfL71NssZmwy05O-PyQnuGYx-hwg9yxfId4Ps6zfaFDyDdFYemqoC79UsUGb5S3RxFDYx2Zioek7Bd-zRYcd1ROrX9l_piXZ78TubGuJu4AHrye_Bg6YgM0Eg54a-lN3V9Hhbrl6E/s320/SDC10798.JPG" /></a><br />Same old song and dance at the car dealership. Every time I go there I have the same view....ha ha! I was actually grossed out by these cookies....only because I knew I brought something WAY better with meeeeeee:) So NO I didn't have any of these.<br /></div><div align="center"><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXpNRRQygwlgM7A6hCiNUD2mcahMyMcY4Ve9L2XF3ZJ0ylYqjof_R4BR2TMowmwpAd6CUWArHfrp9tCcCwASh4EuV-DAGftPAv7vDB5sGaeMmrW-jcflo3SbP7tUlV98XSJ-pLzg1gvoE/s1600-h/SDC10799.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390394227735225522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXpNRRQygwlgM7A6hCiNUD2mcahMyMcY4Ve9L2XF3ZJ0ylYqjof_R4BR2TMowmwpAd6CUWArHfrp9tCcCwASh4EuV-DAGftPAv7vDB5sGaeMmrW-jcflo3SbP7tUlV98XSJ-pLzg1gvoE/s320/SDC10799.JPG" /></a> I love these coolers that they have at Target. I could hold an 18 pack if I even drank beer (which I don't), but instead I can stuff it full of really large waters, shakes, salads...it fits anything and it's super light weight and cute....cute for a cooler anwyays<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj724JNumM2Xi3YxzWJJ8ndjQedUfC9F5vPLdEsOQSiSEoqCz24PXSHvIb99I0nAwSYiRFtYjyqyQQTLbZZ5zkx9CPrfLVvzUZuKMBTi9DEMoPVtYvc1t9-DINOfFQ86wIJmLiGPhkavFk/s1600-h/SDC10802.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390394217748211474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj724JNumM2Xi3YxzWJJ8ndjQedUfC9F5vPLdEsOQSiSEoqCz24PXSHvIb99I0nAwSYiRFtYjyqyQQTLbZZ5zkx9CPrfLVvzUZuKMBTi9DEMoPVtYvc1t9-DINOfFQ86wIJmLiGPhkavFk/s320/SDC10802.JPG" /></a>Love these "to go" containers from Target too! They come with a handy fork and a little snap in container for dressing or nuts or whatever else you want to put in it...they hold a LOT of veggies too!</div><div><br /></div><div>Brought my own dressing this time. Last time I brought a salad to the car dealership, I had to scavenger dressing from the break room, but I was prepared this time.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNX_4t0uHGPMn0zWimeHSAU7PCilAd_8kbCE9vapeUo3rfe4oFXG5iNADbRji36JaIQSxh0Ng71U20usBQZVYZ8ERPr9eCSSuATIm4Kq0kxxsb1ryzmaWgWbiIaz3BNuGG52edw3V3B0g/s1600-h/SDC10803.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390394209855722002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNX_4t0uHGPMn0zWimeHSAU7PCilAd_8kbCE9vapeUo3rfe4oFXG5iNADbRji36JaIQSxh0Ng71U20usBQZVYZ8ERPr9eCSSuATIm4Kq0kxxsb1ryzmaWgWbiIaz3BNuGG52edw3V3B0g/s320/SDC10803.JPG" /></a><br />Man I just love salads...especially with edamame!</div><div><br /></div><div>Meal 3 (2:30 pm)- Spinach salad w/red onions, shredded carrots, tomato + heaping 1/2 cup edamame + 1/4 cup reduced fat feta cheese + 20 sprays Ken's all natural raspberry walnut spritzer dressing<br /><br /></div><div>This made those cookies look like complete rubbish! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QEz5cnjwv-yddsOvQzBZX2VWZu76S55GxDAzi0u3ZWPRgzr1Up1wJa8w-9zBh4My0-sG2wH8Hlmr-LD1d89lBltminOtmVwotHSIFFjrmQdADolX_kSPXO2HTflQTfd9NMWstZhygX8/s1600-h/SDC10804.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390394201180627554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QEz5cnjwv-yddsOvQzBZX2VWZu76S55GxDAzi0u3ZWPRgzr1Up1wJa8w-9zBh4My0-sG2wH8Hlmr-LD1d89lBltminOtmVwotHSIFFjrmQdADolX_kSPXO2HTflQTfd9NMWstZhygX8/s320/SDC10804.JPG" /></a><br />The makings of a healthy dinner.</div><div><br /><br /><br /><br />We love spagetti squash in our house! Excited to try these meatless meatballs, and I love Barilla marinara....low sugar in many of their flavors....added some extra veggies of my own to the sauce. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGqxEBttZ3b9kgb13OsjLDeT0Or0NL5i8_-qdP2xZyRzST5XcUx2HA8sAg1jiI8Osde-h9Mt8qGuDAvsxLAHT-0orm7GwJ0uwQKL2DGDMtbr7XZZwzBqDmLxxfRKdjOem91w_KSxXi_0/s1600-h/SDC10807.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390394192836496370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGqxEBttZ3b9kgb13OsjLDeT0Or0NL5i8_-qdP2xZyRzST5XcUx2HA8sAg1jiI8Osde-h9Mt8qGuDAvsxLAHT-0orm7GwJ0uwQKL2DGDMtbr7XZZwzBqDmLxxfRKdjOem91w_KSxXi_0/s320/SDC10807.JPG" /></a>While I'm not the world's biggest fan of eating so much soy based food, reading labels like these makes me think....how bad can soy really be? I know the jury is still out, but I have been eating more soy than I'd like. However, I couldn't pass these up in Whole Foods and wanted to try them...3 meatballs have 90 cal, 9 g protein, 4 g carbs (not too bad), but also 4.5 g fat (higher than I'd like...as usual)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8OSFwttCUiV8_MkZqCQDXnewbDYTMO5r1WP5Ak8HTallqpqAv6y2OlaY08EakdF3eZ68C2sVFYdCiHUypNyrlJAkNuCKQYyx-hX8-z-kJMgGi5pHUxz7iINLGH4erI2CG3YV-A4o9990/s1600-h/SDC10806.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390390464276090370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8OSFwttCUiV8_MkZqCQDXnewbDYTMO5r1WP5Ak8HTallqpqAv6y2OlaY08EakdF3eZ68C2sVFYdCiHUypNyrlJAkNuCKQYyx-hX8-z-kJMgGi5pHUxz7iINLGH4erI2CG3YV-A4o9990/s320/SDC10806.JPG" /></a> I am always surprised when I tell people to use spagetti squash that many people don't know how to make it....I make it the easy and quick way...in the microwave.</div><div align="center"><div><br /></div><div>I use a meat cleaver to chop it in half or quarters, then scoop out all the seeds with a large spoon.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsCKO_SRvmI0x2SGQEU-Q_8AgNXcrfVwLFmt71C226fg5uGhM4oP63d5XCeKsgHjxbA89XaXCOfuCG5FWeX6vJ70V-1agcglCHgCj38jLtMv4Gd6QTpA4prtAgFCCJniEDLZD0HlcnwU/s1600-h/SDC10808.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390390456040902274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsCKO_SRvmI0x2SGQEU-Q_8AgNXcrfVwLFmt71C226fg5uGhM4oP63d5XCeKsgHjxbA89XaXCOfuCG5FWeX6vJ70V-1agcglCHgCj38jLtMv4Gd6QTpA4prtAgFCCJniEDLZD0HlcnwU/s320/SDC10808.JPG" /></a>Then I take a casserole dish with about 1/2 in. water in the bottom, place the squash cut sides down into water, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave until you can press on the outside of the squash and it gives a little...this really large squash took 13 minutes to cook.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0I6Wg2GQsp0GPIGTFT3i6AJ9euniNt_9n-LWgjJ1k17akI7SkyzEWGf9O4X9y7IPIJ1RdQXvzDxjFqxx3p9NFjE_fCKPMFRsEBmY_Ud87AtuGWmgiKHGN4fuZ_J4pie6ZU0CWMGQ99w/s1600-h/SDC10810.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390390450986340898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0I6Wg2GQsp0GPIGTFT3i6AJ9euniNt_9n-LWgjJ1k17akI7SkyzEWGf9O4X9y7IPIJ1RdQXvzDxjFqxx3p9NFjE_fCKPMFRsEBmY_Ud87AtuGWmgiKHGN4fuZ_J4pie6ZU0CWMGQ99w/s320/SDC10810.JPG" /></a> Then I use a large serving fork to remove the squash..it comes out stringy kind of like spagetti. I used that big quarter piece (on the right above) for my meal.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Meal 4 ( 5:30 pm)- 1 cup spagetti squash + 6 meatless zesty meatballs + garlic, mushroom, pepper & onion marinara sauce + 2 tbsp. reduced fat grated parmesan cheese....BIG fan of this sauce....huge chunks of garlic and only 6 g sugar and 12 carbs per serving (I always try to stay around 5-7 g sugar or less with marinara if possible)<br /><br /><br />Two thumbs up...even from hubby! I have extra meatballs left over which I can't wait to use for a sub or a meatball pizza tomorrow! yum! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__sLBHHx_W7snXC53V198QvftxF2EIN66XX8zEn6EwbTn9Mr8v4up-0t8CJZ5G82v_jRNL836s1ZAHUKlhhnP1WjjuMDXxZZP-3X-c00FDsmpbVj_htKokFpFsUNrmqDFmyVpwFevctk/s1600-h/SDC10817.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390390444470316034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__sLBHHx_W7snXC53V198QvftxF2EIN66XX8zEn6EwbTn9Mr8v4up-0t8CJZ5G82v_jRNL836s1ZAHUKlhhnP1WjjuMDXxZZP-3X-c00FDsmpbVj_htKokFpFsUNrmqDFmyVpwFevctk/s320/SDC10817.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 5 (8:30 pm)- Myoplex strawberry cream shake </div><div align="center"><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Z8bS5uD0dTn14b9JKX5nUSlmRMbSFhLogGyJmd0JdqH6zTwZT5gHZEQ19wzj9_23QHwgEKgD7nKcqGthrfR5oDr9R613jFj0xKhYzk1Vg2tGCkSToe0WaUFgqNUAQFd4T1LjvnuohFI/s1600-h/SDC10819.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390390433592734930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Z8bS5uD0dTn14b9JKX5nUSlmRMbSFhLogGyJmd0JdqH6zTwZT5gHZEQ19wzj9_23QHwgEKgD7nKcqGthrfR5oDr9R613jFj0xKhYzk1Vg2tGCkSToe0WaUFgqNUAQFd4T1LjvnuohFI/s320/SDC10819.JPG" /></a><br />Another day of clean eating...vegetarian style! Looking forward to tomorrow's UBWO bright and early...<br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-34456657879821941982009-10-07T16:44:00.000-07:002009-10-07T17:31:17.681-07:00Hamster Wheels and Gym Zombies<div align="left">I can honestly say it's been a while since I've gotten sore from a LBWO within hours of working out. I completely kicked my own arse in the gym this morning. I think the people in the gym think I am a complete crazy person by now, but I don't care. It's ALL about the intensity! I am probably louder than I even think because I am wearing headphones too. However, I am at least doing things in the gym that are just products of working out, like sweating, groaning in agony, and breathing heavily...I have an excuse. I still haven't figured out what is going on with this lady that waves her arms and sings gospel on the bike, or the other woman who does this Y-M-C-A looking dance in there. he he I think it's great to see people of all types in there, because at least they are working out and not down the street going to one of two McDonald's that are directly across the street from each other. Yes, I live in Texas...one McDonald's is clearly not enough for a two lane road that is among cow fields. I am going to take a pic of the cows next to McDonald's...what an oxymoron! ha ha! </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">But back to the gym...Sometimes I feel like I am part of a strange movie being filmed in the gym. Do you ever feel like you are in a movie? Hubby and I have this running joke when we feel like we are experiencing a strange moment in time....we'll look at each other and one of us will say, "Is this for real right now?!" Then the other will say, "It's happening. This is really happening" We die laughing every time. I swear sometimes that the show Candid Camera has made a comeback and they are following me! </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">I am probably one of the biggest gym rats in there, but sometimes I feel like the treadmills are like hamster wheels and we are all part of a big experiment or something. Probably because most of the people aren't really changing the pace and most others are just "going through the motions" on the machines...it's like they are zombies sometimes! Man I do not miss spending hours on end in the gym with no results. I used to be one of those gym zombies....never going back there.....ever again! Can I get a hallelujah? And how about some arms waving and some gospel to go along with it?;)</div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Pre-Workout (6 am)- EAS Catapult</div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Meal 1 (8:15 am)- EAS Muscle Armor + Whey Protein Isolate + 1/2 sweet potato w/10 sprays Parkay fat free butter spray & cinnamon (just pick it up and eat it with the skin and all)...super fast on the fly breakfast + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAz2pfEzF42fDlaMAODbtS_kfKbd43j_mmXGsdccYHX1K2UfXJ8EyGg7wpn_Ldu_z5lOwp2zYVNWRgfugdlN___0gJBvqMpthnvLMTGEhsd89QnZ3SGSZgKswzZ0M0nyNL7BngOEY6h6k/s1600-h/SDC10786.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390011919251815266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAz2pfEzF42fDlaMAODbtS_kfKbd43j_mmXGsdccYHX1K2UfXJ8EyGg7wpn_Ldu_z5lOwp2zYVNWRgfugdlN___0gJBvqMpthnvLMTGEhsd89QnZ3SGSZgKswzZ0M0nyNL7BngOEY6h6k/s320/SDC10786.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 2 (10:30 am)- Myoplex banana cream RTD</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCzYPQdsxG5KtNHXuOij08gmk3OUy2y7dAf_YJjN_qbBs1pXYqslrSxntmflT9qFKvGt34LO26uLHabytIQ_aZbYALW20d-qRvJj-nuWKf0KwIs3UrP7l6DOfqBNIXS47ExckFDNOb8Mc/s1600-h/SDC10787.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390011911990973314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCzYPQdsxG5KtNHXuOij08gmk3OUy2y7dAf_YJjN_qbBs1pXYqslrSxntmflT9qFKvGt34LO26uLHabytIQ_aZbYALW20d-qRvJj-nuWKf0KwIs3UrP7l6DOfqBNIXS47ExckFDNOb8Mc/s320/SDC10787.JPG" /></a> Meal 3 ( 1:15 pm)- Rosemary La Tortilla Factory tortilla + tons of spinach, zuccini, mushrooms, asparagus, red peppers, red onions + 1/4 cup low fat feta cheese + 1 tbsp. reduced fat grated parmesan, salt & pepper....not sure why this was soggier than yesterday's...maybe the Rosemary doesn't get as crispy as the Whole Wheat tortillas? Was still yummy!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390011902476585826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpHRzCrIszxUi-1KUHoji3zxa9t_rx-t38iryAHf-hg7KHgD1InlX4zrTWq4p1Jj09ZpyjU5LrCxnW5_DBk9oEq-npfLS4yTC38uN6Ti0abdIL1EEUgM_nb_EmgrMNjvyCDbQK-RGWSiY/s320/SDC10789.JPG" /> Meal 4 (4:15 pm)- Wild Rice Tempeh cooked in evoo & reduced sodium soy sauce + 1/2 plate steamed broccoli w/20 sprays fat free parkay butter spray, salt & pepper...I still really LOVE tempeh...too bad it is so freaking high in fat...I really do not like the fat content of this stuff. It would be worth it if it filled me up for a long time, but it really does not. I could eat the whole package easily (this is 1/2 of the package).<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAuOuJldquwHtS1oFLOWHz5Rxcu_Mb_RZC0866zs8cyh2-00rlqQ_dWXLqNEbB3JNoFgOIe8TtuqesEe96vl6IVKN4GbIibdbwwT6ldGlaSXJsgxLZvBFGFIimPtKN1OthXNu0q1W-CM/s1600-h/SDC10632.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390011894784423458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAuOuJldquwHtS1oFLOWHz5Rxcu_Mb_RZC0866zs8cyh2-00rlqQ_dWXLqNEbB3JNoFgOIe8TtuqesEe96vl6IVKN4GbIibdbwwT6ldGlaSXJsgxLZvBFGFIimPtKN1OthXNu0q1W-CM/s320/SDC10632.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 5 ( 7 pm)- 3/4 cup fat free cottage cheese + 1 diced gala apple<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqOLMYcm-m0CMo4C6RKGLpwgRqJhRA2QA6s9ObmYUmd28vZULt-uM1EcfTv4CE_Fy9DPRjH0oKpNYNSy359I5vQYxAK1j2L7Ie4hal2OxcbJ2_qlhUgKS48uSL3Pg86ShfonNGw_onWIw/s1600-h/SDC10495.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390011886438995810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqOLMYcm-m0CMo4C6RKGLpwgRqJhRA2QA6s9ObmYUmd28vZULt-uM1EcfTv4CE_Fy9DPRjH0oKpNYNSy359I5vQYxAK1j2L7Ie4hal2OxcbJ2_qlhUgKS48uSL3Pg86ShfonNGw_onWIw/s320/SDC10495.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div><br /></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-89842120082005774322009-10-06T17:25:00.000-07:002009-10-06T18:24:25.384-07:00Biggest Loser and a SaladTonight's Biggest Loser episode has so far been my favorite episode. The contestants about lost their marbles when they were told that the refrigerator would be chained shut and that they would have to order out for all of their meals. They also took a trip to a Mexican restaurant and had to get creative to order food that was still authorized. It's neat to watch so many people have a lightbulb moment all at once! I was laughing to myself, because it made me feel better about being so specific when eating out. Because most places do not list their nutrition facts on the menu's (someday they will be required to do it, and I will be very happy when the happens), using keys words to recognize unhealthy items and to also give the order to the waistaff that way you really want it is a learned skill for sure. No, it's not always the easiest to do. Usually I know that I can ALWAYS order a grilled chicken salad or some sort of lean meat and vegetables...however, last Friday night was my first experience trying to get creative in a sports bar where the menu is only 1/2 of one page on one side of a menu and where the drink menu is longer than the food menu. It's definitely necessary to get more creative as a vegetarian and options are much more limited when trying to order out healthfully. I could have ordered a garden salad for dinner last Friday night, but when you have an appetite like mine, a garden salad made with iceberg lettuce along simply won't do.<br /><br />I think it would be REALLY awesome if they had a vegetarian on the Biggest Loser....I don't think they've had one...really curious what they'd have that person eating. I've done pretty well so far for such a novice at this as far as making sure I still get enough protein (around 110-120 g per day). It's not always easy, but I am getting it in any way that I can. It does take more effort, but it IS possible to do Body for LIFE as a vegetarian...I know that for sure now that I'm doing it myself.<br /><br />Speaking of which...back to eating my protein packed salad and watching Biggest Loser:-D...<br /><br /><div align="center">Pre-Workout (5:15 am)- EAS Catapult</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Meal 1 (7:45 am)- Chocolate Protein Banana Nut protein oatmeal - 1/2 cup (dry measured) quick oats + 1 scoop EAS chocolate whey protein + 1 packet Sun Crystals + 1/4 cup diced banana + 1 tbsp. silced almonds + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAyEVcFujeUf9FMEJoN73n0XMZ0qGmIbJhOAx2JVi7Q2gPt-QEKhx6z-FvNFSWjNdCVMysPspzG0P-sUqmpveIqrUy60Uib2ya7KB6EwBrGcpJwhi-OGFoHs851ZkpNa1cuwFHKIeKUI/s1600-h/SDC10773.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389653400612620738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAyEVcFujeUf9FMEJoN73n0XMZ0qGmIbJhOAx2JVi7Q2gPt-QEKhx6z-FvNFSWjNdCVMysPspzG0P-sUqmpveIqrUy60Uib2ya7KB6EwBrGcpJwhi-OGFoHs851ZkpNa1cuwFHKIeKUI/s320/SDC10773.JPG" /></a> Are you all getting sick of seeing my flatbread pizzas yet?....cause I'm not getting sick of eating them...I put enough veggies on this tortilla to make a huge salad!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQUX7XLHGEj_jvjUGlf1qAYenS_4tDmln9R4mwzlum6kS8niCWQ6oH1OMZrsHzCb0RKjYomIA4PzhcS6k6MTEhg1erGDFge-ibGetQBHNETNfZzUtFghoGYzGZ2wc-6dsiLg5Sl_aFH4/s1600-h/SDC10776.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389653398907138290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQUX7XLHGEj_jvjUGlf1qAYenS_4tDmln9R4mwzlum6kS8niCWQ6oH1OMZrsHzCb0RKjYomIA4PzhcS6k6MTEhg1erGDFge-ibGetQBHNETNfZzUtFghoGYzGZ2wc-6dsiLg5Sl_aFH4/s320/SDC10776.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 2( 10:45 am)- La Tortilla Factory whole wheat tortilla + 2 large handfuls fresh spinach + zuccini + lots of fresh asparagus + red onions + 1/4 cup reduced fat feta cheese crumbles (I am having a hard time finding fat FREE feta forever now!) + 1 tbsp. grated reduced fat parmesan cheese, salt & pepper + evoo mist<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34Pwdc85a_7_bpCzcVhnKD2rYgNopwJtOt2W5_tA9BPEGqtK9iEocKanBT6BP-C5yP8JM5GGCpCVg9hOqgPcvBaoQhxZFqCcfKekq4ElVjoP2iJH6PTsWXV7fQJdsuThzpiLSGCvpEis/s1600-h/SDC10778.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389653388586721330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34Pwdc85a_7_bpCzcVhnKD2rYgNopwJtOt2W5_tA9BPEGqtK9iEocKanBT6BP-C5yP8JM5GGCpCVg9hOqgPcvBaoQhxZFqCcfKekq4ElVjoP2iJH6PTsWXV7fQJdsuThzpiLSGCvpEis/s320/SDC10778.JPG" /></a> Meal 3( 1 pm)- 3/4 cup fat free cottage cheese + 1/2 cup diced fresh strawberries<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciALiAYmFg-v0846m2UZYG9CJoh9I8mrFLJkpQbmz0bopvZ-GSzJZ8nfVjO7xvYY2fyssZ6u0IXzdCijq8GuKt0mAblxpl6SwSySkKGNmYp6JVERqR9KQjfsSEJOeDmAZp2sLXSwSkJQ/s1600-h/SDC10769.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389653380407071218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciALiAYmFg-v0846m2UZYG9CJoh9I8mrFLJkpQbmz0bopvZ-GSzJZ8nfVjO7xvYY2fyssZ6u0IXzdCijq8GuKt0mAblxpl6SwSySkKGNmYp6JVERqR9KQjfsSEJOeDmAZp2sLXSwSkJQ/s320/SDC10769.JPG" /></a>Realized I still had some veggie products I haven't tried...Morningstar Farms Chik'n Grillers...worth a try...going to make some open faced Chick'n Melts!<br /><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaIiGUUGQO9P6nrkzfMpN-WIMvaTVms16eqgDrQ4E0SDZogdRTG5TiK44YB9J-qtpS1_757dUaS_XqHoPRCmNg3flNl8SZFI_tGSL2nsfpb0WCX65n9baCzKev97wyjDUM71lyCPxqb4c/s1600-h/SDC10779.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389650392344157986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaIiGUUGQO9P6nrkzfMpN-WIMvaTVms16eqgDrQ4E0SDZogdRTG5TiK44YB9J-qtpS1_757dUaS_XqHoPRCmNg3flNl8SZFI_tGSL2nsfpb0WCX65n9baCzKev97wyjDUM71lyCPxqb4c/s320/SDC10779.JPG" /></a>This is what they look like cooked and cut in half to top off 2 Wasa crackers...<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJA4mSTZ6tw3XFKdV0XLft5SM4oCp22Fs_T-T3Og1p4MbbrmkIt_revRVl1FmCTZBdSvoIIJP7P03ceWLgMlfkXOCIWdhbQjBEy8zgU52HcBvxC1FyCAXHOaDf8-VoJPAo7ZkEZUR-0lQ/s1600-h/SDC10780.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389650385454469090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJA4mSTZ6tw3XFKdV0XLft5SM4oCp22Fs_T-T3Og1p4MbbrmkIt_revRVl1FmCTZBdSvoIIJP7P03ceWLgMlfkXOCIWdhbQjBEy8zgU52HcBvxC1FyCAXHOaDf8-VoJPAo7ZkEZUR-0lQ/s320/SDC10780.JPG" /></a> Meal 4 (4:15 pm)- 2 Wasa light rye crispbreads + yellow mustard + spinach + Chick'n pattie + 1 slice Jarlsberg Lite swiss cheese + sauteed red peppers & onions + sliced roma tomato</div><div><br /></div><div>These were AWESOME! Tasted just like a grilled chicken sandwich or turkey burger...yum! Highly reccommend these!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxSKq1gObddBWnszybF3gdCWqI228HVKQzaw64ynzrJHLwFWZm7ChgJ5X2aoODdGJJFgzT7l9mhFn0W3LO6bESwcFrym0cfpPNM9R0A27hgSN7EdrdjHw9GiUJYmd7bopBtPfGLXo1fc/s1600-h/SDC10781.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389650372538404802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxSKq1gObddBWnszybF3gdCWqI228HVKQzaw64ynzrJHLwFWZm7ChgJ5X2aoODdGJJFgzT7l9mhFn0W3LO6bESwcFrym0cfpPNM9R0A27hgSN7EdrdjHw9GiUJYmd7bopBtPfGLXo1fc/s320/SDC10781.JPG" /></a><br />I think this humongous spinach salad put me at about 10 servings of vegetables today...seriously..losts of veggies...</div><div><br /></div><div>Meal 5 (7:30 pm)= Huge spinach salad + roma tomato, shredded carrots, red pepper, 1/2 heaping cup edamame + 1/4 cup fat free cottage cheese + 1 tbsp. Newman's Own light vinagrette</div><div><br /></div><div>So far edamame (soybeans in a completely unprocessed form) is the only thing that comes close to making me feel as good as things like salmon, mahi mahi, and ahi tuna...hard to explain...almost like a high when I eat those types of seafood ...edamame is a close second!<br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzXnaDJGRNUOOXTtFmclkNa8xcDpeLJllYmau1e_VdBwLGuj1861r6K4kiQfefJnkQnisXIAqJw3vjlfyKO70SGdfb1v-vRTEUkOomfV5dZ0Nr-lAmuFM7Bgf0fwCxeppKjEwQNX8gLo/s1600-h/SDC10785.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389650369575515586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzXnaDJGRNUOOXTtFmclkNa8xcDpeLJllYmau1e_VdBwLGuj1861r6K4kiQfefJnkQnisXIAqJw3vjlfyKO70SGdfb1v-vRTEUkOomfV5dZ0Nr-lAmuFM7Bgf0fwCxeppKjEwQNX8gLo/s320/SDC10785.JPG" /></a><br />Gret day of eating today in my opinion:-D<br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-59109109743799372672009-10-05T16:12:00.000-07:002009-10-05T16:58:07.881-07:0012 Weeks Until I Won't Make A NY Resolution!I was reminded this morning that there are only 12 short weeks left of 2010! I cannot believe how fast this year has flown by! It also reminded me of the upcoming holiday season and all of the tempatations that start lurking around every corner starting this month. I remember a time when I couldn't even make it through the grocery store without stopping in the bakery, grabbing a container of cookies, and start eating them while shopping, or even downing a candy bar right there in the checkout lane only to hand the cashier the empty wrapper to ring up once I reached the front. Yes, I had a sugar addiction that was THAT bad! I still like sweets and can appreciate a good brownie sundae or some random treats here and there on the weekend, but sugar does not control my life anymore.<br /><br />With that said, I was just in Target today... It's like a battleground in there with all the Hallloween candy. I treat the ice cream isle, the candy isle and the bakery as war zones. I just don't even go there and expose myself to open fire. I actually think it's really sad how strategically things are placed in order to catch the eye of children....don't get me started on that topic!<br /><br />Next month it will be Thanksgiving, and then Christmas....but that isn't going to stop me from maintaining the balance that I've now found. Last year was the first New Year's that I didn't make a New Year's Resolution involving weight loss....cause I didn't have any to lose! What a freeing feeling, and that is what is going to motivate me to stay healthy this holiday season too. I will NEVER again be making ANY New Year's Resolutions to lose weight...because THIS is for LIFE. This past year, my New Year's Resolution was to cut out aspartame....which meant diet coke and diet sprite were ousted obviously. I am happy to say that I have not purchased any and have only had a diet cancer...I mean diet coke when out to dinner maybe 2 or 3 times total this year.<br /><br />There is just something about deadlines and numbers that spark motivation in me to start setting new goals and being mindful of where I want to be and what I need to do to get there. 12 weeks and counting until I wake up NOT needing to make a resolution to lose weight.....again. :-D I am going to be shredded on January 1, 2010. Period.<br /><br /><div align="center">Pre-Workout (6 am)- EAS Catapult</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Meal 1 (8 am)- 1 cup liquid egg whites w/spinach, tomatoes, onions + 1 packet Cream of Wheat w/1 packet Sun Crystals & cinnamon + EAS Muscle Armor + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr22tpTW40B_Pmr9Shi29kCdpH_wi6JHZUyMD7TmqmAGrWhRchfpIyJrodiYdOwpaoZ5xYx5ERsKTHU0qSP3UoZqAXXoscAkIRxGCnfTj_rsfLSWKcr_jvAVr2Y71r1ZXUYqKrYG1m7Xo/s1600-h/SDC10767.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389260929681834498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr22tpTW40B_Pmr9Shi29kCdpH_wi6JHZUyMD7TmqmAGrWhRchfpIyJrodiYdOwpaoZ5xYx5ERsKTHU0qSP3UoZqAXXoscAkIRxGCnfTj_rsfLSWKcr_jvAVr2Y71r1ZXUYqKrYG1m7Xo/s320/SDC10767.JPG" /></a> Meal 2 (11 am)- Huge spring mix salad w/ tomatoes + 1/2 cup reduced sodium black beans (rinsed and drained) + huge amount of sauteed peppers & onions + 1.5 oz. Cabot reduced fat white cheddar cheese + red wine vinegar as dressing<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJAy7p4AozqhDWOhb6F7C5-EKaZLPy_6TMdYZmkCErKEiIbxYw_rtPMmauPtfb08lgZzmIRJI49aeG6U5S4nd9xhepqQANdfsrFZxF8CYKz9vGiKAn1hfJyerz9oqRktx0JXyIkafX3c/s1600-h/SDC10770.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389260920808779042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJAy7p4AozqhDWOhb6F7C5-EKaZLPy_6TMdYZmkCErKEiIbxYw_rtPMmauPtfb08lgZzmIRJI49aeG6U5S4nd9xhepqQANdfsrFZxF8CYKz9vGiKAn1hfJyerz9oqRktx0JXyIkafX3c/s320/SDC10770.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 3 (2 pm)- Large La Tortilla Factory whole wheat tortilla + 1/2 cup fat free ricotta cheese + 15 large steamed asparagus spears + 1 tbsp. reduced fat grated parmesan cheese + salt & pepper<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81Ti6RFB-gxWtxlLh6MaVrRdOGhUcdpXMVbH3jYs-RQ02ID6so7YUqssQab_uzc4jYjKhems0SIslyeGzQlqdLzJUk_KCnwD_FFXNGEwZ_4XqNQ2O6y3heVX7pbjRjsYemcyEQUznltg/s1600-h/SDC10772.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389260915596393922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81Ti6RFB-gxWtxlLh6MaVrRdOGhUcdpXMVbH3jYs-RQ02ID6so7YUqssQab_uzc4jYjKhems0SIslyeGzQlqdLzJUk_KCnwD_FFXNGEwZ_4XqNQ2O6y3heVX7pbjRjsYemcyEQUznltg/s320/SDC10772.JPG" /></a> Meal 4 (5 pm)- 3/4 cup fat free cottage cheese + 1/2 cup diced fresh strawberries </div><div></div><div>(Just deleted my pic...oops!)<br /><br /><br /><div>Meal 5 (8 pm)- Myoplex chocolate mint protein shake<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2Y0HtOS8iejvBsG0zDYIcJYJEwaDYyB2_xO0iDZ63prWPZkaRm3Auj7ARyOBp1Q881A2dtB0t0igTtxDrq7s5MMmIAmxYxVLox-wB3CUu2HRAW422b71EUJKlBLzKrx2sqiEjweAnuA/s1600-h/SDC10536.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5389260897413679458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2Y0HtOS8iejvBsG0zDYIcJYJEwaDYyB2_xO0iDZ63prWPZkaRm3Auj7ARyOBp1Q881A2dtB0t0igTtxDrq7s5MMmIAmxYxVLox-wB3CUu2HRAW422b71EUJKlBLzKrx2sqiEjweAnuA/s320/SDC10536.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-15565557579550920712009-10-04T16:44:00.000-07:002009-10-04T18:06:04.924-07:00Another Wonderful Vegetarian WeekendThere is nothing better than a rainy weekend to make for a great start to the next week. It's been raining on and off in Austin all weekend and it's been steadily getting cooler here. I took the opportunity to go buy some new candles for fall and have been taking in the aroma of pumpkin spice and apple cider all weekend. Mmmm! Love this time of year!<br /><br />We were supposed to go to a big music festival here called Austin City Limits, but we sold our tickets at the last minute. We just found out that hubby has a herniated disk in his neck, so with all of his traveling lately, we just really wanted a weekend to spend time together rather than standing up in crowds of people. It actually worked out perfectly since it ended up raining the entire weekend anways. We took the opportunity to instead go check out the Texas Stars hockey game. We had so much fun and cant wait to go back! Gorgeous brand new facility and I was amazed at how much the crowd was into it. I've been to NHL games before, but didn't know what to expect with minor league...wow....very impressed...plus there were more fights than you see in NHL, which is a pretty big part of the fun at hockey games...he he :)<br /><br />Rather than post every little thing I ate and drank this weekend, thought I'd just include some of my favorites. I'm looking forward to a great UBWO tomorrow bright and early!<br /><br /><div align="center">Banana Nut Protein Oatmeal- 1/2 cup (dry measured) quick oats + 1 scoop EAS vanilla whey protein + 1/4 banana + 1 packet Sun Crystals + cinnamon + 1 tbsp. sliced almonds - Pure Heaven!</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJmRXqis9EhYeOXrREBQqIu6KWBPcrjvAcQXE-w9hHjSWwFlrySAU8xhrDteUmffyQNfeSJjy7YXhDCyjvi2OWm4iPHRCxDSyUUlWu-gUfPLZCWL4opZljfTm0P0py1fjt_qSDxkFP00/s1600-h/SDC10755.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388906165827332930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJmRXqis9EhYeOXrREBQqIu6KWBPcrjvAcQXE-w9hHjSWwFlrySAU8xhrDteUmffyQNfeSJjy7YXhDCyjvi2OWm4iPHRCxDSyUUlWu-gUfPLZCWL4opZljfTm0P0py1fjt_qSDxkFP00/s320/SDC10755.JPG" /></a> Tomato Basil & Roast Turkey Style Wrap- La Tortilla Factory tomato basil tortilla + 4 Vegetarian Roast Turkey style slices + mustard, spinach, red onions, tomatoes- I will never get sick of wraps! This my favorite vegetarian wrap...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw1RtFb2cQxoRcLywfTXa0mrH8nu2KHwrJXXTKVhuKYU3XZFTbofif0xpojumuXNpw9cJfjnlySYqEpydsxIYg9kY8CbGYXfmizPnvg755JCsaMYNPU6WedgKKekqwHIzvIAzsbdlC1EI/s1600-h/SDC10757.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388906159508569106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw1RtFb2cQxoRcLywfTXa0mrH8nu2KHwrJXXTKVhuKYU3XZFTbofif0xpojumuXNpw9cJfjnlySYqEpydsxIYg9kY8CbGYXfmizPnvg755JCsaMYNPU6WedgKKekqwHIzvIAzsbdlC1EI/s320/SDC10757.JPG" /></a> Went to Olive Garden before the hockey game- Oh yeah! I noticed they are now selling their house dressing in bottles, so I checked the nutrition label on the way out (of course), and I was actually pretty surprised that it was 8 g of fat for 2 tbsp...thought it would have been more, but not as bad as I thought it would be.<br />>br><br />Skipped the bread sticks to save room for some whole wheat pasta...<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgysbMMURVVdr1qrCCbUgZG4ORM74aIYnZ_4-C-SpaKHaTaIruQUZMQc3HjvEaEHnz01wuwpcExHCgM_W6KGsERWi2s2TladSaGgF3QqG6vHOORl7SrmYKJue7Uv_NZEWmzmcFgM1Bni54/s1600-h/SDC10758.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388906148894440290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgysbMMURVVdr1qrCCbUgZG4ORM74aIYnZ_4-C-SpaKHaTaIruQUZMQc3HjvEaEHnz01wuwpcExHCgM_W6KGsERWi2s2TladSaGgF3QqG6vHOORl7SrmYKJue7Uv_NZEWmzmcFgM1Bni54/s320/SDC10758.JPG" /></a><br />So I was really let down by Olive Garden a while back when they discontinued my all time favorite meal which was the Chicken Giardino. It was bowtie pasta w/chicken breast, zuccini, squash, peas & lemon herb sauce. It was a "fit fare" menu item, and when they discontinued it, there really was nothing that I like for a while.<br /><br /><br />I was SO excited that they now offer whole wheat linguine with a roasted portobello mushroom marinara sauce as part of their endless pasta promotion...yes! You can't really see how great the sauce was under the grated parmesan, but I was impressed with this new sauce, and having whole wheat noodles is a definite must in my book...I left very happy:-D<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxuMEhMhDAsV2EdBzrQQ3LpaeTmgKRp8OdWmdfsOMqKA9TTHx9HltrEQci7kEWcuXT7MPnHnlKPbxc-zt5lDPgkrij1gTDsdmHPFHHuE2iEMiI58jiaEeEkjnFU3qS9QLPJ4Cu2EitpM/s1600-h/SDC10759.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388906140440039858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxuMEhMhDAsV2EdBzrQQ3LpaeTmgKRp8OdWmdfsOMqKA9TTHx9HltrEQci7kEWcuXT7MPnHnlKPbxc-zt5lDPgkrij1gTDsdmHPFHHuE2iEMiI58jiaEeEkjnFU3qS9QLPJ4Cu2EitpM/s320/SDC10759.JPG" /></a><br />I know you probably wouldn't even know how much I love lentils, because I haven't eaten them much as part of my vegetarianism, but I really do love them. I found a whole variety of different easy to make lentils at the new farmer's market near my house and had to try them...two thumbs way up!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqSNOgdCRaGTORo4oEcPwslUL-hR00skYESUcyjfG-NfqhyV-6U8_P_IXEe8PFxB5hlmxWWBQsLRUiDFnPu2DuUeW_y0FO0ZMNHXurvWi1kPkhxi90dB01j_Gnt76bnGDq6fA14rS5dsA/s1600-h/SDC10762.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388903076736993634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqSNOgdCRaGTORo4oEcPwslUL-hR00skYESUcyjfG-NfqhyV-6U8_P_IXEe8PFxB5hlmxWWBQsLRUiDFnPu2DuUeW_y0FO0ZMNHXurvWi1kPkhxi90dB01j_Gnt76bnGDq6fA14rS5dsA/s320/SDC10762.JPG" /></a><br />Ate the 2 servings that come in the pouch...whole meal with low fat cheese was 270 calories, 18 g protein, 32 g carbs, 16 g fiber, 7.5 g fat...I will definitely be buying more of these Tasty Bite products.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY8mR5KiRXl71ZjvVd98mYllQ9P8BjBMwaioPOgGU3CDdmiKYdrGisE7tp3Sd-WPGqHBHKCs6wA-oC4HDPBL9JX6js-uysfRdnDzy5ESeTV1zNGAK_ba8Hye2wRUKuNdHCpy7GkNXb1sw/s1600-h/SDC10763.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388903070039975010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY8mR5KiRXl71ZjvVd98mYllQ9P8BjBMwaioPOgGU3CDdmiKYdrGisE7tp3Sd-WPGqHBHKCs6wA-oC4HDPBL9JX6js-uysfRdnDzy5ESeTV1zNGAK_ba8Hye2wRUKuNdHCpy7GkNXb1sw/s320/SDC10763.JPG" /></a><br />I don't like regular hot dogs, but the smell was making me crave them last night at the hockey game, so I had some vegetarian dogs instead today...and these don't contain a bunch of chemicals and nitrates/nitrites like regular hot dogs either...definitely a plus!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjDb5wYCn1f9hBgUgeda1dN0ZbjOpxlSY4SsNByhQPoSDuHOuK5T3d1tQTIPW65Skqa1sy_G09IbkopX8_ItO0foceagwVNYtNGMbnMHmXaZjCwc661wyHBBxqh_i3iJKzsgfH3CecH4/s1600-h/SDC10764.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388903060461419842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjDb5wYCn1f9hBgUgeda1dN0ZbjOpxlSY4SsNByhQPoSDuHOuK5T3d1tQTIPW65Skqa1sy_G09IbkopX8_ItO0foceagwVNYtNGMbnMHmXaZjCwc661wyHBBxqh_i3iJKzsgfH3CecH4/s320/SDC10764.JPG" /></a><br />Used 2 small La Tortilla Factory whole wheat tortillas instead of bread + mustard + sauteed onions + 2 Smart Dogs...all of this for 200 calories?! I can deal with that! I wil be having these again...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Qa3MJFYfFfifyjnrTScODvA-6-op6lK-lZ7ZY-uh1I7qAaHGI_7qq3SyCT-NFSxDK1_bmQN2himxXc6GBMHhQ_GDErU8PBOgJfXCuBp7_W7E2PROuLisz-WaKnsYXsg1MmsvxF3BVSA/s1600-h/SDC10765.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388903048696852626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Qa3MJFYfFfifyjnrTScODvA-6-op6lK-lZ7ZY-uh1I7qAaHGI_7qq3SyCT-NFSxDK1_bmQN2himxXc6GBMHhQ_GDErU8PBOgJfXCuBp7_W7E2PROuLisz-WaKnsYXsg1MmsvxF3BVSA/s320/SDC10765.JPG" /></a><br />I think I'm on a bean and tortilla kick this weekend.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sunday dinner- 2 small La Tortilla Factory whole wheat tortillas + 1/2 cup reduced sodium (drained and rinsed) black beans + sauteed peppers & onions + tiny bit of shredded Kraft reduced fat 2% white cheddar + diced fresh tomatoes..I like these a lot, but I think hubby is getting bored of all of my meatless dinners... God bless him for going along with my food experiment! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnrHW7zqj_uOih9wj1YtaYODwGefx9ujuRauRUULjUZMmYWHJ4pIP8doTzjzUfQQQql1si4TmjkGNHQLPTeG9lVjiOcK53nLhWiyhw37Ls7aQtY_1JeN5bRrOAiq1TUAWP9D-aN0HN5c4/s1600-h/SDC10766.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388903045149431810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnrHW7zqj_uOih9wj1YtaYODwGefx9ujuRauRUULjUZMmYWHJ4pIP8doTzjzUfQQQql1si4TmjkGNHQLPTeG9lVjiOcK53nLhWiyhw37Ls7aQtY_1JeN5bRrOAiq1TUAWP9D-aN0HN5c4/s320/SDC10766.JPG" /></a><br /></div><div></div></div></div></div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-38376748393975763522009-10-03T11:52:00.000-07:002009-10-03T12:50:54.670-07:00Happy Livestrong Day!<div align="center">HAPPY LIVESTRONG DAY!!!</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">For those of you who didn't know, Friday Oct. 2nd was Livestrong Day...If you didn't do it this year, make sure you wear yellow in support of cancer survivors everywhere next year! It was also Lee National Denim Day for breast cancer support. I wore both!</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">One of the most important things we can all do is to give back to our community, especially if the cause is one that has a great deal of personal meaning to us. I am extremely blessed to be able to donate time to Livestrong each week. I couldn't ask for a more outstanding organization to be a part of! I know that I am a dork for this, but I've gotten teary eyed more than once while doing the most simple of tasks while there...I do whatever they need help with...but I know deep down in my heart that it ultimately makes a HUGE difference in the lives of thousands and thousands of people in some way, shape, or form. I love it!!! Every time I go there I feel like my mom and dad are watching and sending a big hug down to me:-D</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFfDIollfUL4QnYY-PDSbQ8_6GraaFykPtvqqjb2AKZyTsxIrKIWJvBlwb-uHkbqpdCJ7sRf_v86gMDM91ibd-Z4QpDDMdBYIyI6EJJY1YcseyNV_XJrPi5ArIH6rBGogfF5arBi_iTU/s1600-h/Livestrong+armband.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 206px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 144px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388457591601305650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFfDIollfUL4QnYY-PDSbQ8_6GraaFykPtvqqjb2AKZyTsxIrKIWJvBlwb-uHkbqpdCJ7sRf_v86gMDM91ibd-Z4QpDDMdBYIyI6EJJY1YcseyNV_XJrPi5ArIH6rBGogfF5arBi_iTU/s320/Livestrong+armband.JPG" /></a> Pre-Workout (6 am)- EAS Catapult </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Meal 1 (8 am)- EAS Muscle Armor + Whey Protein Isolate + 1 slice Ezekiel toast w/20 sprays fat free Parkay butter spray + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM<br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4taWpGzR6EYwA8rrcrLYDa2OevwyHfZjmk8GBCjM8V33SOarW8XTiSDJEUoHMmkf55nu2JyOZ87GP35L1ug5ofhKmm9SjPPOppQGMvT0atVdHMyBSTxnEDV-y5dsPOLOxdiHUTsqsFR0/s1600-h/SDC10707.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388451170661540034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4taWpGzR6EYwA8rrcrLYDa2OevwyHfZjmk8GBCjM8V33SOarW8XTiSDJEUoHMmkf55nu2JyOZ87GP35L1ug5ofhKmm9SjPPOppQGMvT0atVdHMyBSTxnEDV-y5dsPOLOxdiHUTsqsFR0/s320/SDC10707.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 2 (11 am)- Protein Yamcakes + 1/4 cup sugar free maple syrup- Had extras to go (just nuked them in the microwave 1 minute, and they were causing quite a buzz in the office...I guess they smelled good?...he he)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUlzeKED_pzpxdWiAUpLonTkKqGdOn_Jbe1fzRzvMyR26stJkf3iARemfxmFKqpdzOln3iu-XyWS-NkUggrwbjVk70NvM3RzyMTU72Ah3JyZBeYjiCR8MfNCy6O7lQ9htqL4_Y4tnjScU/s1600-h/SDC10752.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388451162018138850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUlzeKED_pzpxdWiAUpLonTkKqGdOn_Jbe1fzRzvMyR26stJkf3iARemfxmFKqpdzOln3iu-XyWS-NkUggrwbjVk70NvM3RzyMTU72Ah3JyZBeYjiCR8MfNCy6O7lQ9htqL4_Y4tnjScU/s320/SDC10752.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 3 (2 pm)- 5 hard boiled egg whites (yolks removed) + 1/2 tbsp. tomato basil organic hummus in each (5 tbsp. hummus total)<br /><br /></div><div align="center">If you are ever want to make deviled eggs with a twist, these are completely CHOLESTEROL FREE! ..compared to about 1075 mg. of cholesterol that would have been in 5 eggs (most eggs have around 215 mg. cholesterol each)!...I don't really remember the last time I have eaten an egg yolk. Yes, they have a bunch of amino acids, but I think I have that area covered with the BCAA's in all the protein shakes and also the aa's in all this soy I've been eating!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0tjbMuOyfQyLffvPZsF7MLnJQJsCaFODOlUkF8TegGJ1MhzU_vmbJhLayg6R6-5lBUGPMSasbgnZe2d3iXKoylep1fw0Respuzhj3-JK5XjqNCKR3YO3XK196Kh9uBbOr6r7-fL4pUNc/s1600-h/SDC10753.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388451154593574450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0tjbMuOyfQyLffvPZsF7MLnJQJsCaFODOlUkF8TegGJ1MhzU_vmbJhLayg6R6-5lBUGPMSasbgnZe2d3iXKoylep1fw0Respuzhj3-JK5XjqNCKR3YO3XK196Kh9uBbOr6r7-fL4pUNc/s320/SDC10753.JPG" /></a>Meal 4 (not pictured)- Free Meal: chips, salsa & queso- My excuse is that is was absolutely gorgeous outside and the only place to eat outside while we were shopping for Halloween costumes was a sports bar with absolutely nothing healthy and vegetarian on the menu...it was either this or fried mozarella sticks (yep that's my story and I'm sticking to it...it IS the truth though;)</div><div><br /><br />Finally stopped at a new Farmer's Market store to check out what they had. One of my favorite ice creams of all time is Rice Dream....SO GOOD! I flipped when I saw they carry mint & carob chip flavor and HAD to buy it for dessert! At 1/2 pint and about 1/2 cup carob covered raisins...so yummy! This stuff tasted like REAL mint, not the fake green kind in most ice creams...as far as ice creams go....this is the bomb diggity!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY28TM0jg8rUL87N0mr5F-HHzrrjuyYFnx0-7hyIiTw3wNRbkbquk7wupunNFPZJOtmZVntABha0iDc5lO3uOoKIftCcb_HJ-qqUBUHGrLvyDtGFawKlk-SxXuPlh9qxd06-pzM7Kuq2c/s1600-h/SDC10754.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388451146296919714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY28TM0jg8rUL87N0mr5F-HHzrrjuyYFnx0-7hyIiTw3wNRbkbquk7wupunNFPZJOtmZVntABha0iDc5lO3uOoKIftCcb_HJ-qqUBUHGrLvyDtGFawKlk-SxXuPlh9qxd06-pzM7Kuq2c/s320/SDC10754.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div><br /></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-55480734993334416072009-10-01T11:26:00.001-07:002009-10-02T12:21:11.615-07:00Best Run So Far!<div align="center">Ended the day with mini pizzas for dinner.</div><div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388081942948468098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8wlIc7bpDKAEzULuIfqilnfG_nQ1tPIb5_G6HG-TioNhjA-lCx9Z0VH8OV7oyVmaIKCGUDSfGBawiTg3Gge2vQAjU9i_VP0LxYxobeH7Na6TBsosduOJYdGdr4pJsokOpgkUAnhOR40/s320/SDC10748.JPG" /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Meal 5( 7:30 pm)- 2 mini veggie pizzas- 1 Oroweat sandwich thin divided in 1/2 + 1 heaping tbsp. pizza sauce on each + 1/4 cup Kraft fat free mozarella cheese on each + zuccini, red onions, mushrooms + shredded Kraft parmesan</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">This was really yummy and I kept thinking about how great these would be for kids to make as well. This was less than 250 calories, about 20 grams protein, and 25 g carbs, so not too bad. However, I was actually getting a little frustrated trying to think of something to make to get protein and that didn't involve meat!...I think I am about to overdose on cheese... really starting to miss salmon! </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dhh-PG_UyzxDI3H17Ijs15ia-pjpPjcqgIwZWusNxI1z7kYcFvpAI-fk_-YQ1oIlqHG0Zb-kbOWkyDVPWCgdGMfHGRrYRPFEsGJiOpLyQlYtLox6RwZwQrk08LhpgzsrglXy_HjE-Gw/s1600-h/SDC10750.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388081950681707202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dhh-PG_UyzxDI3H17Ijs15ia-pjpPjcqgIwZWusNxI1z7kYcFvpAI-fk_-YQ1oIlqHG0Zb-kbOWkyDVPWCgdGMfHGRrYRPFEsGJiOpLyQlYtLox6RwZwQrk08LhpgzsrglXy_HjE-Gw/s320/SDC10750.JPG" /></a> Snack (6 pm)- 2 cups raw broccoli + 2 tbsp. Newman's Own light vinagrette<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEvmhz1U5A5zwk12x8GxaQy1aFYRwp5IyP2ONebyxFHjb1esE2VS2_YvkyPjf3yzXTwueQ14-N00R9lXGktUtKewiIKbAgtdN-XWqoXJNyvsqMEF_W-qTMEu3-I59bPdiZC9ndtbFt3k/s1600-h/SDC10747.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388081924971287970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEvmhz1U5A5zwk12x8GxaQy1aFYRwp5IyP2ONebyxFHjb1esE2VS2_YvkyPjf3yzXTwueQ14-N00R9lXGktUtKewiIKbAgtdN-XWqoXJNyvsqMEF_W-qTMEu3-I59bPdiZC9ndtbFt3k/s320/SDC10747.JPG" /></a><br /><div align="center">I'd been eyeing the recipe for the broccoli cheese soup on the back of the Veggie Shreds package for a while, but it was a little high in fat and calories...today's huge calorie deficit was the perfect opportunity to whip it up and try it out...SO glad I did...I highly recommend it! Just 4 ingredients (I also opted to add a bunch of Kraft grated parmesan into the soup at the end too). YUM! I ate 1/2 of the entire recipe. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Recipe: Heat 1 cup soy milk + 16 oz. vegetable broth over medium heat. Add 1 package cheddar Veggie Shreds (add handfuls slowly stirring constantly until dissolved). Added about 1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets (no woody stems...just tiny florets). Heat for 3-5 minutes, and it's done! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdNGY_mjTSm8Wt0J-GAQ2mwkRvZO5yeX6jqcy1B9AbR9nxxapd_5MiFK5nJ_AWL69lvON3A7n3XLtGPkPOOJJlBgyGhAATu9IydmrPgbv_78ASaaJv-n2DuCryXt5x2palNyTOOlykaWM/s1600-h/SDC10744.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387749125911128418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdNGY_mjTSm8Wt0J-GAQ2mwkRvZO5yeX6jqcy1B9AbR9nxxapd_5MiFK5nJ_AWL69lvON3A7n3XLtGPkPOOJJlBgyGhAATu9IydmrPgbv_78ASaaJv-n2DuCryXt5x2palNyTOOlykaWM/s320/SDC10744.JPG" /></a> Meal 4 (3:45 pm)- Bowl of broccoli cheddar homemade soup (1/2 of above recipe) + huge spring mix salad w/mushrooms,tomatoes,red onions + red wine vinegar<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW1prOS4cMncAUsZazh-lS-oQseETJKuTRUDUjt4uM6HC0OB6WraWecWRCMVFcKexGXwP-dSw3aJGMSQYLOtIXWSDaEJDuFtdjcEsuoxPFPnVrhhse2che5SATKQ0vMxzBgBb7MeM38yo/s1600-h/SDC10746.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387749115564688562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW1prOS4cMncAUsZazh-lS-oQseETJKuTRUDUjt4uM6HC0OB6WraWecWRCMVFcKexGXwP-dSw3aJGMSQYLOtIXWSDaEJDuFtdjcEsuoxPFPnVrhhse2che5SATKQ0vMxzBgBb7MeM38yo/s320/SDC10746.JPG" /></a>Meal 3 (12:45 pm)- ASAP after run- Large leftover vegetarian stuffed pepper (last one!) + 1/4 cup fat free cottage cheese + 1/2 granny smith apple </div><div align="center"><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTL76P3SadCIW0oOc4KMukC0aT7rYJtQzLc0Pe03mpsIj-a6TEb3-zWCkNwnvW2SNDeqn-oRAxg69WhlURng1nDxkjcyMB3HIeOMgn4xp4swwM1CdSLWwkJU6piIWm-BI0Siq4mBGTzKI/s1600-h/SDC10743.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387701756609717586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTL76P3SadCIW0oOc4KMukC0aT7rYJtQzLc0Pe03mpsIj-a6TEb3-zWCkNwnvW2SNDeqn-oRAxg69WhlURng1nDxkjcyMB3HIeOMgn4xp4swwM1CdSLWwkJU6piIWm-BI0Siq4mBGTzKI/s320/SDC10743.JPG" /></a></div><br /><br /><div align="center">(INSERT 9 mile run in 1:36 HERE)</div><br /><br /><br /><div align="center">Meal 2 (9:45 am)- Immediately before running - Pre-Workout shake (no pic)- EAS Muscle Armor + Whey Protein Isolate + Catapult (mixed it all together for a muscle preserving, energy boosting shake...liked this pre-run cocktail...tasted exactly like a red Starburst candy!) </div><br /><br /><br /><div align="center">Meal 1 (7:45 am)- Vanilla Almond Protein Oatmeal- 1/2 cup (dry measured) quick oats + 1 scoop EAS vanilla whey protein + 1 packet Sun Crystals + 1 tbsp. sliced almonds <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKBgIKrhkQMZqfYokmkkOCR2mi_Tk__JpordvOKZvwrVY6-bcZ7A9NnOqAfwLxeSczxPpAwUZzNH5UuDzFjRgoVYtfolfSqtlBlUIaGx5EqIUtQhv0sSGCMtqtEJJTBtAZ8JA3mgEMR8/s1600-h/SDC10741.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387701750607693666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKBgIKrhkQMZqfYokmkkOCR2mi_Tk__JpordvOKZvwrVY6-bcZ7A9NnOqAfwLxeSczxPpAwUZzNH5UuDzFjRgoVYtfolfSqtlBlUIaGx5EqIUtQhv0sSGCMtqtEJJTBtAZ8JA3mgEMR8/s320/SDC10741.JPG" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><p align="left">Today I had the best run yet for 1/2 marathon training. Even though I ran 8 miles non-stop last weekend when I was in CA, I was bored to pieces on the treadmill. I couldn't wait to get back outdoors to see if I could hang with hills and wind...not to mention be back with my running partners and have better scenery. We decided to start doing our one long run per week on Thursdays, so today that meant we were to run 9 miles....woo hoo...happy to report that we kicked some major behind and did 9 miles in 1:36... at least I feel like we kicked major behind. I have never run that far in my life before, and there were some pretty massive hills as well as lots of wind. I had some minor weird things going on with my right ankle, but absolutely no knee pain. I think wearing these new Nike Air Max shoes is going to be a huge help.<br /><br />As we were doing the last couple miles, I was reminiscing back to a couple years ago (before BFL) when I couldn't even run at a 12 min. pace. Today our best pace was down to 8:30....talk about an improvement! I think I am going to ball my eyes out when I finish this first 1/2 marathon, because I was actually feeling pretty moved just from today's run:-D<br /><br />...going to try to add a little extra to each meal and eat every 2 1/2 hours at least in order to feed my muscles and make sure I get enough nutrition before tomorrow's UBWO...<br /><br /></p></div></div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-58978839197908657552009-09-30T16:38:00.000-07:002009-10-02T08:39:54.079-07:00In Defense of Food<div align="center">Pre-Workout (6 am)- Started the day off right with EAS Catapult</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJQBmmv6LjGB7W9PeErtX4bl9Hi9_pVYCdg_AVYTUj7ORzyxQHNiVTXwhjXHFZLlnpzFAujO2NXG5LYaGRh0dS3XK3BZFdkoEl18bX1XJ0Xs3w-AdojYS5IRjCbAyldBbItCmwW45zHk/s1600-h/SDC10556.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387420043334955378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJQBmmv6LjGB7W9PeErtX4bl9Hi9_pVYCdg_AVYTUj7ORzyxQHNiVTXwhjXHFZLlnpzFAujO2NXG5LYaGRh0dS3XK3BZFdkoEl18bX1XJ0Xs3w-AdojYS5IRjCbAyldBbItCmwW45zHk/s320/SDC10556.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center">Meal 1 (8 am)- EAS Muscle Armor + Whey Protein Isolate + Cream of Wheat packet w/cinnamon & 1 packet Sun Crystals (liking this new all natural sweetener....it's stevia and pure cane sugar mixed...5 cal, 1 g carb, 1 g sugar) + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiI7Pca6ACr3HwPDeUhrXSHYHWe_MVInWQ-R3qazh7VGEbg_LEzjXUtNKqG2Mvs7bStRDPhc1ClvgSj6Dzmvq3hpzLyH7tIDv1lxO-brkOVlcawms0OcVCPlGNNEk_0lMS8719x244lY/s1600-h/SDC10730.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387412744832771954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiI7Pca6ACr3HwPDeUhrXSHYHWe_MVInWQ-R3qazh7VGEbg_LEzjXUtNKqG2Mvs7bStRDPhc1ClvgSj6Dzmvq3hpzLyH7tIDv1lxO-brkOVlcawms0OcVCPlGNNEk_0lMS8719x244lY/s320/SDC10730.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div align="center">Meal 2 (11 am)- Had the BEST flatbread, but didn't realize I didn't have my camera card in the camera..duh! </div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div align="center">Veggie & Cheese Rosemary Flatbread: 1 Rosemary La Tortilla Factory tortilla + 1/4 cup fat free ricotta cheese spread evenly + tons of fresh spinach, asparagus & mushrooms piled high + evoo mist + 1/4 cup fat free Kraft shredded mozarella cheese + McCormick basil & garlic seasoning </div><div align="center"><br /><br />Meal 3 (2:30 pm)- Huge spring mix salad w/ shredded carrots, chopped celery + 1/2 diced granny smith apple + 1/4 cup diced strawberries + 20 sprays Ken's all natural raspberry walnut vinagrette spritzer dressing + 1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese<br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVw8pBVb51_-EtubQy38gpzUBvQRxHw1fPSrhDP-V9ROT7UCAWRZv8kuzeGf9QJ6ofjJk4wz7YSxAg8lkutlTzseuqUTuce-kJhpBMN7FCsTGHmkybhuUh3K83UBnzStDYoo8e0PzPNKI/s1600-h/SDC10738.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387412737535661394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVw8pBVb51_-EtubQy38gpzUBvQRxHw1fPSrhDP-V9ROT7UCAWRZv8kuzeGf9QJ6ofjJk4wz7YSxAg8lkutlTzseuqUTuce-kJhpBMN7FCsTGHmkybhuUh3K83UBnzStDYoo8e0PzPNKI/s320/SDC10738.JPG" border="0" /></a> I was really brave and decided to try my 2nd attempt at making tofu. This time I used EXTRA FIRM Nasoya Organic Tofu (much better!)<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIsuD4UQ2jxpeajxHjL5kU_KjzozFSaJbh1rDnkCgAFhifb9FBrrQy1Z_XBbxS479Wzi6ZSj7PMKForYLZ93QfM7G2atgKTKyPCCNQUAR63f4sB6Rz7ehcGZfbLL05dug_gUq4zlPiws/s1600-h/SDC10739.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387412735046712322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIsuD4UQ2jxpeajxHjL5kU_KjzozFSaJbh1rDnkCgAFhifb9FBrrQy1Z_XBbxS479Wzi6ZSj7PMKForYLZ93QfM7G2atgKTKyPCCNQUAR63f4sB6Rz7ehcGZfbLL05dug_gUq4zlPiws/s320/SDC10739.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Meal 4 (6 pm)- Tofu teriyaki steaks + baby bok choy<br /><br /><br /></div><div align="center">Yay! This was actually really good! I rather enjoyed this... had only 3 ingredients and was super easy to make. A little salty even with low sodium soy sauce, but I like the texture of the extra firm way more than the firm that I tried last time. This was a success!<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH8m1hDaAr_b509ZEpGs3vhicQSh93SqdLySM-4G7y0oxJV6P8-1QywIcw9-J3tGplOiiNE0YeNbEftVOETlvkx252Xl1kxVrd0mJeM6lUmYyR7qcMSsu_xeKZYaLjQul3arlGVx25qEM/s1600-h/SDC10740.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387412725386049730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH8m1hDaAr_b509ZEpGs3vhicQSh93SqdLySM-4G7y0oxJV6P8-1QywIcw9-J3tGplOiiNE0YeNbEftVOETlvkx252Xl1kxVrd0mJeM6lUmYyR7qcMSsu_xeKZYaLjQul3arlGVx25qEM/s320/SDC10740.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /><div align="center">Meal 5 (8:30)- Going to have either a Myoplex shake or protein oatmeal...not sure yet</div><br /><div align="center"><br /><br />My new book that goes in line with everything else I've been reading lately. </div><br /><br /><div align="center">Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly Plants....very good advice! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJw3b8gwvjNGZ7gkg8Ylw6Iuyoc-e0HuAa8KhSp4u0uT5TyV-OroBUISVqpKWkHIb__uLyaj-FNILOThC8LnGX-goNSiIx7k55p9hx56bESfUybF3eAUmfiTCdcumimUV-DjPNbeacKVI/s1600-h/SDC10716.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387412712840602802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJw3b8gwvjNGZ7gkg8Ylw6Iuyoc-e0HuAa8KhSp4u0uT5TyV-OroBUISVqpKWkHIb__uLyaj-FNILOThC8LnGX-goNSiIx7k55p9hx56bESfUybF3eAUmfiTCdcumimUV-DjPNbeacKVI/s320/SDC10716.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div align="left">I couldn't wait to start reading my new book, and I found some time today to do just that. The author writes in a tone which forces me to read it carefully. He speaks with a somewhat sarcastic tone while talking about events that have occured pertaining to the food industry. I had to stop a couple times and re-read to see if he was joking or being for real. Some of the humor is more obvious than other parts. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">It's been a pretty good history lesson so far with tidbits of interesting information about things that have occurred over the past century...all with the underlying theme that what we now consider food is mostly "fake food" and it takes the reader through the progression that has led our nation to the point that it's at now. Most interesting so far is the perspective that he gives on "nutritionism" as a business that been a guiding force behind much of our approach to curing disease, albeit a not-so-successful one at that. I'd never thought about it this way, but he brings up a point that "nutrients" now seem to dominate everything (carbs, fats, proteins) rather than actual "food".....highlights a lot of the self-defeatist approaches that our society uses to cure/prevent chronic disease and points out studies which show just the opposite of what we are all told to you in relation to cardiovascular diseases, etc....all with the same theme that was in The China Study....that basically there are tons of studies out there showing these "health claims" to be untrue, but the $$ behind the corporate food companies, government entities, and the like have managed to successfully sweep the info. under the rug. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left">On page 41, he talks about various studies proving that low-fat/low-cholesterol diets are not sound measures to prevent heart disease (the real cause is hydrogenated fats or trans fats). I liked this part. He says.... "I was flabbergasted at the news too, because no one in charge-not in the government, not in the public health community-has dared to come out and announce: <em>Um, you know everything we've been telling you for the last thirty years about the links between dietary fat and heart disease? And fat and cancer? And fat and fat? Well, this just in: It now appears that none of it was true. We sincerely regret the error. " </em></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left">He goes on to talk about how food companies profit off of any little health claim they can cling on to and which is hot for the moment, like Omega fats right now. I already knew about companies like Eggland's Best getting the extra Omega's into their eggs by the feed they give the chickens, but I wasn't aware that companies are now trying to feed pigs flaxseed and fish oil as a way to possibly get more Omegas into hot dogs, just so they can them put a ridiculous health claim on hot dogs. Ridonculous! </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">I will admit that some of the food I eat is "fake food"....I guess supplements and protein shakes would fall into that category? Reading this book is sparking some socratic thinking about some of the things I eat or drink, but I still contend that using supplements as part of a sports nutrition regigmen is NOT the same thing as eating a diet that is filled with processed foods and refined carboydrates...it's like comparing apples to oranges.....you just can't lump those things together. I know how I FEEL when I eat prcoessed fake food that has high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated fats, and a whole laundry list of other ingredients. You won't find a single thing in my house with either of those things on the labels. I also know how I FEEL when I take supplements as part of a healthy diet that is filled with nutritious fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. I think it's all about finding a balance and listening to your body. </div><div align="center"></div></div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-58274594138793824542009-09-30T06:31:00.001-07:002009-09-30T11:11:34.589-07:00Tuesday...10 days and counting left<div align="center">Woke up to a nice cool morning, but raining heavily outside, so had to go to Plan B and take a run indoors on the treadmill. Ran 6.09 miles in 1 hour with a moderate random hill program difficulty level 5.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Craving a nice warm breakfast..</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Meal 1 (8 am)- Protein Yamcakes w/sugar free syrup + 1 serving EAS Betagen & 2 glucosamine/MSM + multivitamin </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYvIqpYA-JEZ8wxLSSdXmSZYTAVOVpWEbXbRFYq83Nm-b5UZKu1sKEetOxsr06L-2NJ9DMnR4glqMX4lyF36RLK-JLpBQaNRR8qQYNKtFiSDgQUQgwsDdoUz2f-pBh2D_EIj1bnuBcN4/s1600-h/SDC10725.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387255887340705330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOYvIqpYA-JEZ8wxLSSdXmSZYTAVOVpWEbXbRFYq83Nm-b5UZKu1sKEetOxsr06L-2NJ9DMnR4glqMX4lyF36RLK-JLpBQaNRR8qQYNKtFiSDgQUQgwsDdoUz2f-pBh2D_EIj1bnuBcN4/s320/SDC10725.JPG" /></a>The joys of making a real dinner and only feeding 2 people...there are ALWAYS leftovers!</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Meal 2 (11 am)- Leftover large vegetarian stuffed pepper <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9Q4u8UbrQlc6426NO2hj1K78NGiReZM5Alam1ziN0JDYxJaUBjZmic9khy3_SpD5_HgluHEyJWi15rL6scldAUVDOFbexLnIW-g67LzUUQItn58-pDuFuFMVdOayBd-WXFPmp3-dYig/s1600-h/SDC10726.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387255873037094098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9Q4u8UbrQlc6426NO2hj1K78NGiReZM5Alam1ziN0JDYxJaUBjZmic9khy3_SpD5_HgluHEyJWi15rL6scldAUVDOFbexLnIW-g67LzUUQItn58-pDuFuFMVdOayBd-WXFPmp3-dYig/s320/SDC10726.JPG" /></a>After yesterday's diet with so much liquid, I was craving a huge salad loaded with veggies.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Meal 3 (2 pm)- Spinach salad w/ tomatoes, red onions, mushrooms,shredded carrots + 1 serving tomato basil tofu + 1/2 cup edamame + red wine vinegar + 1 serving EAS Betagen<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLs2Psp0dvAUgyc13d8bU9qdZvZtj_H_KjpwkuBAar1kngMs8UuhY-Moqgw49fVdi9Zwxlq3iQV6piDsAuTwf1Nz7xXL7MdBG_9JgE2zkgBfxPG9bgJtugrzPA0stTz0xF3-krT8J_8Tc/s1600-h/SDC10727.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387255864736481666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLs2Psp0dvAUgyc13d8bU9qdZvZtj_H_KjpwkuBAar1kngMs8UuhY-Moqgw49fVdi9Zwxlq3iQV6piDsAuTwf1Nz7xXL7MdBG_9JgE2zkgBfxPG9bgJtugrzPA0stTz0xF3-krT8J_8Tc/s320/SDC10727.JPG" /></a>Found out we'd be entertaining about 5 extra guests for dinner, so had to think ahead about how to make the rest of my day work with eating...</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Meal 4 (5 pm)- EAS AdvantEDGE RTD + 4 reduced fat triscuits on the fly (just needed something to hold me over for less than 3 hours....did the trick!) <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Wkb-Xo93KsOr7Hve_8SB-xml8LZgOcdQqTDJ-d0vu7Z82fl35LzqCrqnuwhmZbGanqHdrn0NA4A5oAkHOO_TW17GmSdHx5dAgA-bj9BigA0f3hl2EOyCagZ12Y2FRcaMjtsLuN8D_Mw/s1600-h/SDC10728.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387255851992258786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Wkb-Xo93KsOr7Hve_8SB-xml8LZgOcdQqTDJ-d0vu7Z82fl35LzqCrqnuwhmZbGanqHdrn0NA4A5oAkHOO_TW17GmSdHx5dAgA-bj9BigA0f3hl2EOyCagZ12Y2FRcaMjtsLuN8D_Mw/s320/SDC10728.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 5 (6:30 p,m)- 1 cup Barilla Plus ziti w/pesto sauce (evoo & pesto packet) & peas + 1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese + grated parmesan cheese + 1 piece homemade garlic bread (whole grain bread w/Smart Balance & garlic salt) + side salad (spring mix, tomatoes, red onions, feta cheese & Newman's Own light balsamic vinagrette). </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Too many carbs...could've done without the bread for sure...but hey, at least it wasn't crappy pre-buttered frozen garlic bread with unhealthy ingredients. I always make my own garlic bread to serve...none of that toxic frozen stuff in my house!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxHnvyx60la_UO7wSF42Dnnb0VxmbALtwYcbG3tp3HcufBHmd4V69bRNHtUfNfG1G9xDlu2ze5BJ6BIKRdxpaovTWAYferMq4XVArEICp1m8h-UT2lwclRRhvZ875BdIvi9RZuSB2X0M/s1600-h/SDC10729.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387255833709833042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxHnvyx60la_UO7wSF42Dnnb0VxmbALtwYcbG3tp3HcufBHmd4V69bRNHtUfNfG1G9xDlu2ze5BJ6BIKRdxpaovTWAYferMq4XVArEICp1m8h-UT2lwclRRhvZ875BdIvi9RZuSB2X0M/s320/SDC10729.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left">Yesterday was a pretty good day for eating. Had to practice a little creativity with dinner, as I made chicken pesto pasta for our dinner party. Just saved myself some pasta before adding the meat and topped it with some cottage cheese for some added protein. Made the cutest little mini cheesecakes for dessert, but didn't have any. I just enjoy making desserts, but I had absolutely NO desire for anything sweet after this past weekend's vacay. Sent the rest with hubby to work today so I don't have to look at it in my fridge. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">Ended up being way too busy to start reading In Defense of Food, and I am dying to crack it open! I WILL make time today!</div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">10 days left in this vegetarian experiment!</div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-52520382476301554862009-09-28T15:25:00.000-07:002009-09-28T16:45:22.622-07:00Back to Business as Usual<div align="center">Meal 5 (8:30 pm)- Myoplex Lite RTD (Geez this is a lot of shakes for one day for even me. I need to get back to eating tons of fresh veggies tomorrow.) </div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYHyVmM-AHcddT53Q075vjH93xnxOlHzRikqd32-lOn-c1dLLJ4KoUMWek4rF-fKqoaTjOJkZR0RZkow7theSAj4sNugEg9eP7UPzv1JYAvGoMYwOKKwvlhehPgEReHjAzPj0MYxVS4Kg/s1600-h/SDC10620.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386664486760259730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYHyVmM-AHcddT53Q075vjH93xnxOlHzRikqd32-lOn-c1dLLJ4KoUMWek4rF-fKqoaTjOJkZR0RZkow7theSAj4sNugEg9eP7UPzv1JYAvGoMYwOKKwvlhehPgEReHjAzPj0MYxVS4Kg/s320/SDC10620.JPG" /></a><br /><div align="center">Meal 4 (5:30 pm)- 1 large stuffed pepper (a few more carbs than I'd prefer, but yummy nonetheless)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXbW1Mf2zABx1IawrIYtOhNojlw66e_DFLDa-Vu7GcJM6ivQdZR8HITK_vQ_2yqEYeZpzqxKFpwNto_-xc3IKdFzEWuwytdIZtr2pgV1I-ylC_LAtWTrTwJk1U2-9_URaLebmfuDBSWY/s1600-h/SDC10724.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386660987743320066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXbW1Mf2zABx1IawrIYtOhNojlw66e_DFLDa-Vu7GcJM6ivQdZR8HITK_vQ_2yqEYeZpzqxKFpwNto_-xc3IKdFzEWuwytdIZtr2pgV1I-ylC_LAtWTrTwJk1U2-9_URaLebmfuDBSWY/s320/SDC10724.JPG" /></a> Boiled cleaned out peppers in a large pot of water for about 5 minutes to soften up. Drained and stood upside down on towel to allow to drip dry. Filled with rice mixture. Baked at 350 F for about 15 minutes, added about 1/8 cup Kraft 2% reduced fat shredded cheddar and cooked until melted. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZIkkO3YIsIjgajamy8-lkLWo26tLRCNYIY2k2OEt22fx0adJMgBtQcpIksri7ceuFGmdWKM7LHLOe92CGSk8z2AXI9Ksrvjvqtnqy5RWDcz0en4guLGC4wSUUkUOU3SJwtBzvP0qexM/s1600-h/SDC10723.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386660240762512850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZIkkO3YIsIjgajamy8-lkLWo26tLRCNYIY2k2OEt22fx0adJMgBtQcpIksri7ceuFGmdWKM7LHLOe92CGSk8z2AXI9Ksrvjvqtnqy5RWDcz0en4guLGC4wSUUkUOU3SJwtBzvP0qexM/s320/SDC10723.JPG" /></a><br />Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers for dinner...Here is how I made the stuffing...1 bag Morningstar Farms meal starter crumbles browned + 1 cup (dry measured) brown rice (cooked it in separate pot, then added to cooked meat) + 1 can diced tomatoes (drained) + a couple cloves of garlic + 1/2 cup black beans + salt, pepper, basil and garlic seasoning <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBBREZprLrHO6MpN7_fSvJxbTi-p-MAiNEvtoxhCCrXOaFAx32rMlRYmscv6kI1XmcYCBqhWtQZJn3q18m2BOIaoC6Q1l1CXMfXbU2bdUwLtcjyVhmC16jAGwwPSQmB5NJ9w2C7ZSdXQ/s1600-h/SDC10720.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386660235379135490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBBREZprLrHO6MpN7_fSvJxbTi-p-MAiNEvtoxhCCrXOaFAx32rMlRYmscv6kI1XmcYCBqhWtQZJn3q18m2BOIaoC6Q1l1CXMfXbU2bdUwLtcjyVhmC16jAGwwPSQmB5NJ9w2C7ZSdXQ/s320/SDC10720.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 3 (2 pm)- Orowheat multi-grain sandwich thin toasted + 1 boca burger + yellow mustard + spinach, tomato & sauteed mushrooms & onions <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0_VWqNHL_5D5U2otcwxaTtzpM_2yVK7ow-aoySpd0oywBo_QsHs0UpVZIttzI-JTEDI4eHcXiDuRzz86NIg9kiQ_RlBGQNfg6jM_eC7-8MIYD5i3MxdMglwcXRpdR1ScZ2aOGt7nakY/s1600-h/SDC10714.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386660224860298930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio0_VWqNHL_5D5U2otcwxaTtzpM_2yVK7ow-aoySpd0oywBo_QsHs0UpVZIttzI-JTEDI4eHcXiDuRzz86NIg9kiQ_RlBGQNfg6jM_eC7-8MIYD5i3MxdMglwcXRpdR1ScZ2aOGt7nakY/s320/SDC10714.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 2 (11 am)- Apple Pie shake (1 cup crushed ice + 1/2 cup diced gala apple + 1 packet EAS Vanilla Carb Sense protein + 1 cup water + apple pie spice) <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDp5cOXxpAJPclDTYVNy3ksjjYc0fVSDza1XQAZFa-Qca8kMswmlUH3K8449XS9hEMBOul-awr2v02tqXKHsynOql-oGx8BL3uTzk1VZrVldEGr1ySlzQVxmONyAXIO-wPAAJnjVHM7T0/s1600-h/SDC10709.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386660218297411714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDp5cOXxpAJPclDTYVNy3ksjjYc0fVSDza1XQAZFa-Qca8kMswmlUH3K8449XS9hEMBOul-awr2v02tqXKHsynOql-oGx8BL3uTzk1VZrVldEGr1ySlzQVxmONyAXIO-wPAAJnjVHM7T0/s320/SDC10709.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 1 (8 am)- EAS Muscle Armor + Whey Protein Isolate + 1 slice Ezekiel toast w/20 sprays parkay fat free butter spray + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3GS8qOuiESLtp3dDf4LhXLPMbddM7jSVk52j-qItorz4brBhkBc9hqtDxP6TIymceL8N0Rca8Sta5Oxdn7cKtrIHwDER1Gg7krGqfnb0ydydrHwUkUjxFJYP3ziHudasUXZrWqmHS-c/s1600-h/SDC10707.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386660206995978994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3GS8qOuiESLtp3dDf4LhXLPMbddM7jSVk52j-qItorz4brBhkBc9hqtDxP6TIymceL8N0Rca8Sta5Oxdn7cKtrIHwDER1Gg7krGqfnb0ydydrHwUkUjxFJYP3ziHudasUXZrWqmHS-c/s320/SDC10707.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><div align="center"><div align="center"><div align="center"><div align="center"><div align="left">Well it's back to business as usual after a busy weekend. It's crazy how much a 2 hour time difference can throw me off in as little as two nights, but I was not ready to get up this morning at 5:30 to hit the gym. I was so close to not even going, but I knew if I didn't I'd still be lying there awake, just dead tired, and feeling guilty. So, up I went and had a great UBWO. I was so happy to be back home and get back onto my normal routine and schedule. Traveling is fun, but it's also always good to be back home in my own bed.<br /><br />Stopped by Barnes and Noble today to pick up a book I've been wanting to read, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. I've heard a lot about the author Michel Pollan from his other book, The Omnivore's Dillema, but this newer book sounded more interesting. I'm so excited to have a fresh new read! I haven't read anything since the China Study, and even though I was aiming for a funny lighthearted book this time around, non-fiction once again won out. I am just more of a non-fiction person, unless it is a really funny book for the most part. I just love learning, and unfortunately, fiction doesn't really provide me with much of that. Plus, I figured this book might provide some more insight into vegetarianism. The cover has a big head of lettuce with a subtitle scrolling along the twist tie holding it together which says "Eat food. Not much. Mostly plants." Sounds like much the same message that the China Study had, but this is written from a different angle, so I'm excited to see what it's all about!</div><br /></div></div></div></div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-66592580032386750082009-09-28T12:36:00.000-07:002009-09-28T15:24:04.158-07:00Vacay Weekend in Review<div align="center">THIS is what made my weekend trip...The one and only.....Tony Bennett...was pretty cool to see such a remarkable man perform live....He's still got it for sure!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386613175831442802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1jhdCHO_YX8wqpzU8B3CqKUZhL95FZ3tr1RYOhxLD8QsPKOYjA5fxj0-FvUrVGIcuO3spAsbpQA7TGrVp1FugWhjkW74arORoBiymGpRN4ZufKnClhKW01bXzw51he2IBEGn8BwckDLk/s320/SDC10681.JPG" /></div><div align="center">At our connection at DFW I wasn't sure what I'd be able to come up with for vegetarian options, but thank goodness for Au Bon Pain!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386613166618383266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3Q8P2qdmOwRmMez8gmNEJmLPOvTXh56PrMj2QRjf1qJyQ9R2XIgjcrQsQHDtFQAUsQQh4IUA6MjOotK3uwh9qRhEY6stw0AeZlEtz-_JV24uE6szlRelZhf60bgovoV6qih3RQ7_4tI/s320/SDC10663.JPG" />Fields & Feta Wrap- YUM! Very impressed with this!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKt6F6XdHs6eS_E-8eW1ov_y2duBTT9jioscMY0A_aGj0HiiRJ8iupk9DAUhysiEuvT95oiVd1Jsl21ua0IuNa-jsHxtqigIXDjqAZFFYAiCEa960wMFiZ4pbIVo0WC3q_77bkDDpYOh0/s1600-h/SDC10664.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386613157530038946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKt6F6XdHs6eS_E-8eW1ov_y2duBTT9jioscMY0A_aGj0HiiRJ8iupk9DAUhysiEuvT95oiVd1Jsl21ua0IuNa-jsHxtqigIXDjqAZFFYAiCEa960wMFiZ4pbIVo0WC3q_77bkDDpYOh0/s320/SDC10664.JPG" /></a>Snack on plane- Homemade trail mix (3/4 cup Kashi Go Lean cereal w/2 tbsp. slivered almonds & 6 whole unsalted almonds)...lots of water all day <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386613148270568706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNovFtHlfXTA0TIVVjePY2kedgQQyJhLD7UWzGfsDvFbXr8h41Q6D_GV9WcZFrM8iERLLOb42iKjo5NKzd2Kf_ailN_bSoIGOpiqAiIUreB_0j6zRIfM-k1mZ7OfvPxy-eLic1jJYey3g/s320/SDC10666.JPG" />Upon arrival to friend's place raided the fridge and found this- La Tortilla Factory tortilla + spinach & tomatoes + 2 slices Jarlsberg Lite swiss cheese + drizzle low fat Ranch dressing<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwU72KGLFwk7z-UGBRAfZcjZA54b39_c5QFEHqfkC7o0DbuhCY7TExOgEKEVk-JRiyrDHwrZ6k2r72jnMh9b0_oiNHEEo4twFnbMfOPnADKb-x0lEPA7Luq6gGxRyfCXVMo1qFYykC2c/s1600-h/SDC10667.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386611172710251314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwU72KGLFwk7z-UGBRAfZcjZA54b39_c5QFEHqfkC7o0DbuhCY7TExOgEKEVk-JRiyrDHwrZ6k2r72jnMh9b0_oiNHEEo4twFnbMfOPnADKb-x0lEPA7Luq6gGxRyfCXVMo1qFYykC2c/s320/SDC10667.JPG" /></a> (INSERT 8 mile run at 5.5 mph pace here)<br /><br /></div><div align="center">Post-workout- Had an apple and Myoplex that I had packed with me.<br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRCTmYG0YSPAgietVSyJ6OCZkJ_w6ONoM4AMkh-ulNFRhYjIRAbxDaTZrKw9eL1kKAEqBcNXBVHSiEP_Y3gn6sn0sfQ0MLjtc182LK732fH8KN4bI92W2_ycnWi4RPGfKgDBoalk72dqo/s1600-h/SDC10668.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386611165178119042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRCTmYG0YSPAgietVSyJ6OCZkJ_w6ONoM4AMkh-ulNFRhYjIRAbxDaTZrKw9eL1kKAEqBcNXBVHSiEP_Y3gn6sn0sfQ0MLjtc182LK732fH8KN4bI92W2_ycnWi4RPGfKgDBoalk72dqo/s320/SDC10668.JPG" /></a><br />Fri. dinner- chips w/salsa & guacamole, fresh fruit salad, spinach salad w/goat cheese & Newman's Own light vinagrette + 3 chocolate covered strawberries + red wine<br /><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Sat. dinner (Pesco-vegetarian style)- steamed mussels, citrus glazed salmon, cocktail shrimp w/cocktail sauce, spring mix salad w/parmesan cheese & balsamic vinagrette + sourdough roll w/butter + wheat crackers & assorted cheeses + 2 lemon squares & 1 brownie + chardonnay (over-the-top dinner for an over-the-top night!)<br /><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZHds5gtf89daYStf4AIVYdfzLn15AvktbKz87-K2AuBgX4GwZZNZplFc_QIEhZjE0YyPI2aSAK6eFco_8SAwcBTS3ly3U_COXQAqBIB9twsjT_ix0x_MNs8_esTBDIMIhGSjZfFy8YY/s1600-h/SDC10671.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386611159552537042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZHds5gtf89daYStf4AIVYdfzLn15AvktbKz87-K2AuBgX4GwZZNZplFc_QIEhZjE0YyPI2aSAK6eFco_8SAwcBTS3ly3U_COXQAqBIB9twsjT_ix0x_MNs8_esTBDIMIhGSjZfFy8YY/s320/SDC10671.JPG" /></a></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Sun. (...back to the airport)</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Breakfast- veggie omelette made with egg beaters and light cheese + breakfast potatoes (not the best choice for a carb I realized)<br /><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG56ZLO_Js9FpAjxNaDrGPAmNi-6hABkTUuohXvZqjF7hCpQPdgNrHlWDmaxyUEmoxyUIgTWaJjwQTx2fuI5affDVMMnCg1BO3TuglPHwIykgHN-BgdT3EuuLYdFUI-lw_wyiY5QeWjEk/s1600-h/SDC10701.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386611151266546434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG56ZLO_Js9FpAjxNaDrGPAmNi-6hABkTUuohXvZqjF7hCpQPdgNrHlWDmaxyUEmoxyUIgTWaJjwQTx2fuI5affDVMMnCg1BO3TuglPHwIykgHN-BgdT3EuuLYdFUI-lw_wyiY5QeWjEk/s320/SDC10701.JPG" /></a>Plane snack- homemade trail mix again (glad I brought these....really come in handy!)<br />Hadn't read Women's Health in forever..pretty good issue this month!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdVn96W5OUTmmmhl460qh0RsVff3K_VuOrM5w6m8-zZKoXNj_3FiSwsqjp1h2sGvZ2ko1kN0xelmWsOoIc6t1CLlYk2O4KDLN4KpjMjvDI5wJk1tF7ghETMYxw8yI3EdHKhIkiAhuV44/s1600-h/SDC10702.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386611144281434146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdVn96W5OUTmmmhl460qh0RsVff3K_VuOrM5w6m8-zZKoXNj_3FiSwsqjp1h2sGvZ2ko1kN0xelmWsOoIc6t1CLlYk2O4KDLN4KpjMjvDI5wJk1tF7ghETMYxw8yI3EdHKhIkiAhuV44/s320/SDC10702.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div align="left">What a great weekend I had! Even though it was a super short weekend trip, it was SO great to be back in CA and spend time with good friends! I didn't take pics of everything...I was on vacation after all :-D. </div><div align="left"><br /><br />Friday I left with a few goodies packed for random meals. I wasn't planning on being super strict with eating this weekend, but I also didn't want to eat junk for every meal. I don't know what it is about being on a plane, but it makes me want to eat. I think it's just a behavioral habit...kind of like going to the movies. I feel the need to start eating just for the simple fact that I'm in the air or something. Anyways, I had that covered with my homemade Kashi & almond baggies. I at least know to prepare for those situations, and I never come empty handed. When we arrived at our friends' place where we were staying I was so excited to open the fridge and see pretty much an exact replica of my own fridge...La Tortilla tortillas, mass amounts of fresh spinach, low fat cheeses, tons of fruits and veggies...yay! Made myself a wrap and headed out to scope out a pass to a local gym. I needed to do cardio since I subbed weights for cardio on Thursday (as I knew I'd be traveling), and I was just made aware that according to our 1/2 marathon training schedule, I was supposed to be doing an 8 mile run....yes 8 miles! I have never run that far in my entire life...at least not without stopping! What the heck...hubby went into work in the CA office and I really had nothing better to do, so I figured I'd try it. Low and behold I ran the full 8 miles. It tooke me 85 minutes, and I thought about stopping a couple times, but just kept going. I just wanted to see what would happen to my body the next day, so I was determined to finish. I survived! Headed back and about swallowed my apple whole I was so hungry, and chased it down with a Myoplex banana cream. Yum! I was feeling pretty good about the fact that I'd managed to get in the 8 miles after traveling all day, still stayed perfectly on track with eating, and definitely had more than 1 gallon of water down. Our friends had a BBQ that night with turkey burgers (which I didn't have), but I was very content with my huge salad, plate of fruit, chips w/salsa & guacamole & wine.<br /><br />Saturday was definitely a free day for eating for me. Hubby and I slept in fairly late and headed to the gym for a quick workout. I was stoked to go back because they have a stepmill, which I don't have in Austin. There is absolutely nothing like HIIT on the stepmill! It about killed me. Did intervals ranging from a level 8-14. We did some shopping afterwards while waiting for Fresh Choice to open at 11 am and someone had the smart idea to buy a bag of Halloween candy to snack on as we walked around...don't know WHO that could have been! (still running on empty here...yikes!). We were craving Fresh Choice so we wanted to hold out till it opened. The CA locations are even better than the ones in Texas. They have even more options and locally grown fresh foods too. Wish I had my camera for that one, because it was fabulous! They had a feta cheese & pesto pizza that was amazing and the freshest veggies and tomatoes. I was so starving by the time we got there, I definitely went a bit overboard. But hey, at least it was good quality food and not fast food.<br /><br />Went to see Tony Bennett play live at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga that night. We had all purchased the dinner buffet served before the show. I had a feeling they might have some pretty yummy seafood there, and of course they did. As soon as I walked towards the buffet I quickly realized that the non-vegetarian options were not going to be good choices...mashed potatoes, potato salad, macaroni salad, egg noodles, tons of baked goods, and tons of cheese. Really the only healthy non-vegetarian option they had was salad. So I made an executive decision to declare myself a PESCO-VEGETARIAN FOR A NIGHT!!! I was not about to pay $40 to subsist on mashed potatoes when they had steamed mussels, citrus glazed salmon, and jumbo cocktail prawns! I hadn't eaten any meat in a whole two weeks, and I felt I deserved it. I obstained from any of the chicken or beef of course. It did open my eyes to the fact that all of the true vegetarian options were basically all unhealthy. I am finding that is the case many times unfortunately....that outside of vegetables, many non-meat options are either refined products or just have a ton of fat in them. So, I enjoyed my night as a pesco-vegetarian to it's fullest and savored every single bite....along with every sip of wine while listening to Tony Bennett! I think I either ingested a ton of sodium or was just standing in heels for too long, because I had cankles like a 9 month pregnant woman by the time we got home. It didn't stop me from having some more Halloween candy as we all wound down back at home though, and I went to bed rather fat and happy I must say.<br /><br />Sunday was a rest day from working out, and a day of travel and trying to get settled back in at home. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">All in all, it was a fabulous weekend! I didn't get to try any cool vegetarian Indian dishes as I'd hoped, but there just wasn't enough time to do everything I wanted to do. No missed workouts, got all my water in, and eating was somewhere in the middle....not the best...but not the worst. I had the most "free" free day I've had in quite a while, but it was a good reminder of why I eat clean and according to Body for LIFE most days of the week....and most days of my life!<br /><br />This trip opened my eyes up to the ways vegetarians have to assimilate into situations like BBQ's and dinner buffets. It's not easy! It was interesting to have to make choices I'm not used to having to make. I surprised myself in that I really had no desire for the chicken at the concert whatsoever. It kind of grossed me out again. I think I am actually growing rather distant from my beloved chicken....so strange! 2 more weeks of eating vegetarian, and I'll re-assess if it's something I want to do for longer term. As of now, I think I still love seafood way too much to live without it forever, but this whole lack of desire for chicken recently has thrown be for a bit of loop.</div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-17000546172398735512009-09-24T12:14:00.000-07:002009-09-24T15:40:57.526-07:00the BIG HOWEVER<div align="center">As for Meal 5- Clocking out for vacation early tonight, but will probably finish off the soup before bed. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Was in the mood for some soup, so whipped up some homemade vegetable barley (look no protein in sight! wow!) Made it with 1 carton veggie broth + 1/2 bag vegetable soup mix frozen veggies + 1 cup quick barley...YUMMY! Next time I think I'll add some kidney beans and extra broth...maybe even some Morningstar Farm meal starter crumbles</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8J-dvdenQsrEHh8kAtIaVowFgSn_s5PoMp128p5S4yr3dHUVVAczJhbO_2OvpkIO9385MSXOvJYSQwPAhdvfKx3-TQYNO_v0ZOknvtwpN0QYpvs4N_7IcX7c58tFPv-MdaPHguX9m5LQ/s1600-h/SDC10658.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385165196452656034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8J-dvdenQsrEHh8kAtIaVowFgSn_s5PoMp128p5S4yr3dHUVVAczJhbO_2OvpkIO9385MSXOvJYSQwPAhdvfKx3-TQYNO_v0ZOknvtwpN0QYpvs4N_7IcX7c58tFPv-MdaPHguX9m5LQ/s320/SDC10658.JPG" /></a> Meal 4 (5 pm)- Had a few triscuits w/hummus while making dinner...then some yummy homemade vegetable barley soup w/ 1/2 grilled cheese sandwich (1 slice Orowheat 100% whole wheat bread + 1 tbsp. Smart Balance spread + 1 slice cheddar...the FULL FAT kind...living dangerously I know!)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitv1n9yy0j5NuyoAUil0udRc-LiIX7jqUrWo06tA3micE-w-QkcSBN3x4DQ5ZyCfC6lgEU-wgj4bM3hJGKWNDFK9vahKU42dddOqE0_1Cz45Pj_urmts4BQpbhKJHoRZvRjI0YcLeJ32U/s1600-h/SDC10660.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385165185408061986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitv1n9yy0j5NuyoAUil0udRc-LiIX7jqUrWo06tA3micE-w-QkcSBN3x4DQ5ZyCfC6lgEU-wgj4bM3hJGKWNDFK9vahKU42dddOqE0_1Cz45Pj_urmts4BQpbhKJHoRZvRjI0YcLeJ32U/s320/SDC10660.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div align="center">Meal 3(1:30 pm)- YUM! 2 small La Tortilla Factory tortillas + huge amount of peppers and onions sauteed in evoo + 1/4 black beans (drained, rinsed & divided) + 1/4 cup 2% reduced fat Kraft shredded cheddar (divided) + diced tomato & rest of tomato<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15Egx9pEgPLJPgGOpayZbTwNI5p9_GushvADIaX6IMEjaAb6DZRmgcr_3ZXdnbGj0O_wRfW8Dm8pYDDBwF-KmYQ3dW6nEVh52DHJsa6PIn-S_QUP4R4SsXYama6gzZriXpVceYRA5yD8/s1600-h/SDC10656.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385144231020997026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15Egx9pEgPLJPgGOpayZbTwNI5p9_GushvADIaX6IMEjaAb6DZRmgcr_3ZXdnbGj0O_wRfW8Dm8pYDDBwF-KmYQ3dW6nEVh52DHJsa6PIn-S_QUP4R4SsXYama6gzZriXpVceYRA5yD8/s320/SDC10656.JPG" /></a> Meal 3 (10:30 am)- 3/4 cup egg beaters w/mushrooms, peppers, onions (I'm out of spinach! Nooooo!) + 1/3 cup (dry measured) oatmeal + 1/3 cup fresh blueberries (think I've had my blueberry quota for a while...this is the last of them!) <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY01nmKbjj741h4aF5MrpYWP2vC6u8ZZ2LUbvzrlFI01zvWGXp7b4n23YmvUkTg4MMBmPMKVqXto_vkSOS6zjhC8aC4ATJqLlfJoln1psqyn8yFiPQVHKsreywPF6X3gUSIM7-WVA9Y_c/s1600-h/SDC10655.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385144222142493826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY01nmKbjj741h4aF5MrpYWP2vC6u8ZZ2LUbvzrlFI01zvWGXp7b4n23YmvUkTg4MMBmPMKVqXto_vkSOS6zjhC8aC4ATJqLlfJoln1psqyn8yFiPQVHKsreywPF6X3gUSIM7-WVA9Y_c/s320/SDC10655.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 1 (8 am)- EAS Muscle Armor + Whey Protein Isolate + 1/2 100% whole wheat bagel w/20 sprays fat free parkay butter spray + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtJIZ5qfZYcKcY_1nBrWLkwM3NtonMoCnD5LYEB2Wegzk39NZuFGhLx34ejAtWwIHbaqOa_Hg-9Q67TdHrkq1klGLP9WGUI0np96TN_72awh-YsPGnVec9H1HsuY2Q7GfttzbPbIm7PQ/s1600-h/SDC10640.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385144213834860434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtJIZ5qfZYcKcY_1nBrWLkwM3NtonMoCnD5LYEB2Wegzk39NZuFGhLx34ejAtWwIHbaqOa_Hg-9Q67TdHrkq1klGLP9WGUI0np96TN_72awh-YsPGnVec9H1HsuY2Q7GfttzbPbIm7PQ/s320/SDC10640.JPG" /></a> Pre-Workout (6 am)- EAS Catapult<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOwW2-TDP1kIdRbBAJ5tyPJpbxIW5_gd-IgT14pAY1g0bpDxIh9YsNQvFQ4bvbqabq_8XYbva_FEkY0BuXDQttxWnL0MYkaHFaK0B4C2I295LNVpnfrjkDMyIu4uEs1QFlenEMYcSNmE/s1600-h/SDC10556.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385144207044554178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOwW2-TDP1kIdRbBAJ5tyPJpbxIW5_gd-IgT14pAY1g0bpDxIh9YsNQvFQ4bvbqabq_8XYbva_FEkY0BuXDQttxWnL0MYkaHFaK0B4C2I295LNVpnfrjkDMyIu4uEs1QFlenEMYcSNmE/s320/SDC10556.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><div align="center"><div align="center"><div align="left">This weekend will make 2 weeks living without meat of any kind. It's crazy how fast time flies when you're having fun! Honestly, I would be lying if I said it has been ALL fun. I admit that there are some things I've been struggling with mentally in going vegetarian. However, and this is a BIG HOWEVER, I think it's those things that cause me to learn new things. For instance, I have really been struggling with getting over my strict adherence to making sure that all meals maintain the 40/40/20 approach to eating. This is that 40% of all daily calories come from protein, 40% from carbs, and 20% from fat.<br /><br />I am pretty mindful about trying to keep this balance in most meals for most days of the week. Not because I think the world might end if I don't, but I have done it and not done it enough times to know that I just feel a bazillion times better when I keep most meals to that ratio....energy wise...strength wise...etc. It has been a bit challenging to do this when incorporating vegetarian proteins into the mix. Why? Because protein sources like tofu have about 1/2 the amount of protein and double the amount of carbs and fat that would be contained in the same exact calorie intake of something like chicken breast. Veggies and carbs alone just aren't enought to keep me satisfied and full. So let's compare...<br /><br />A 1/2 of a large chicken breast has roughly calories 90 calories, 20 g protein, 0 carbs, and 0.5 g fat...<br /><br />Compare that with tofu having 90 calories, 8 g protein, 3 carbs, and 5 g fat (almost 50% of the calories come straight from fat)...<br /><br />Yes, tofu is made of soy, which is said to have ALL of the essential amino acids (something not present in chicken), which is a definite plus. And if the research pointing to animal proteins as promoters of cancer (outlined in the China Study) is true, then fat should be my least of worries I'm sure. Obviously there are plenty of other sources of vegetarian protein, but they ALL also contain carbs, and some of them very high amounts. It's still a little out of my comfort zone and this is why....<br /><br />Some mental challenges thus far:<br /><br />Eating more fat than usual....trying not to obsess about it and just enjoy trying new things, but it's still in the back of my mind sometimes. You'll notice I didn't use salad dressing yesterday on my huge salad, because I already had 10 g of fat from the tofu and wasn't about to add an additional 5 g of fat to that salad. As close of an eye as I've had on everything, I can see how the fat could get seriously out of control if I wasn't looking at labels. I'm not trying to overanalyze, but there is still a healthy and unhealthy amount of fat, and I'm not willing to cross that line for myself. A meal here and there is fine, but you do have to watch it if you are eating vegetarian foods and aren't used to having to look at fat content so much.<br /><br />The same is true with eating more carbs lately. It's definitely strange to change my mindset from thinking of things like beans as carbs only to having an approach where I am looking at them as a source of protein, be it a rather small one.<br /><br />The same is true with dairy. I don't remember the last time I drank a glass of actual milk, and outside of cottage cheese and the occasional (by occasional I mean a few times total per week)crumbled feta, there hasn't been much dairy at all in my diet. The fact that I am eating shredded and block cheese frequently is way different than my normal.<br /><br />So remember that BIG HOWEVER?...well guess what? Despite my uneasiness with doing things in a different way, it's actually helping me to overcome some stubborn mindsets that I think might be good to snap out of at this point. I'm realizing that amazingly enough, even with a few extra carbs and fat in my diet, the world is still turning! I'm still wearing a size 0. My body fat is still under 20%. My abs are actually showing more definition than they were two week ago when I started this whole thing. I feel like my strength is actually increasing and like I am still getting enough protein to support my intense workouts and recovery.<br /><br />So where does that leave me now? Well I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing and see how the next couple weeks goes. At this point, I haven't felt any superhuman powers from the vegetarian foods (the way I feel when I eat salmon and sushi), and haven't really come to a point where I would say "I feel SO much better!" as I've heard many vegetarians say. With that said, I haven't had any complaints either in regards to the way the food makes me feel. So it looks like I'm 1/2 way done and 1/2 way yet to go on this adventure!<br /><br />On that note..I won't be posting this weekend while I travel sans computer, but will definitely take some pics along the way to share when I return. Have a great weekend to anyone reading</div></div></div></div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-53642258394715997042009-09-23T16:35:00.000-07:002009-09-23T17:43:35.440-07:00September Body Fat and other Fun Stuff<div align="center">Took my body fat this am upon waking (5:30 am)..I thought it would be around 17%-18%ish, so this seemed kind of low at 15.7%, but I'll take it! BMI was 20.4....Just figured I should probably take a look at it. Will do it again in one month and see if anything has changed...I'll post an update on that front!</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAaicvztMR5ky0F2uK1P852AA1Iac5RUps5FsF_y-F1JLNL4ivOUPbVF2mIyHfyTFDlLGfhkQwy-tcgnaqiFDm3rUSDdZTDkFzTiWttXxZniTqbeAuQiuA-EDc76NA7a1-5SRgmgLACE/s1600-h/SDC10638.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384820569746751074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAaicvztMR5ky0F2uK1P852AA1Iac5RUps5FsF_y-F1JLNL4ivOUPbVF2mIyHfyTFDlLGfhkQwy-tcgnaqiFDm3rUSDdZTDkFzTiWttXxZniTqbeAuQiuA-EDc76NA7a1-5SRgmgLACE/s320/SDC10638.JPG" /></a> Pre-workout (6 am)- EAS Catapult<br /><br /><br />Meal 1 ( 8 am)- EAS Muscle Armor + Whey Protein Isolate + 1/2 100% whole wheat bagel w/20 sprays parkay fat free butter spray +multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigknseTIdJ6tiSIFH_zLHlUNLLQPOT0SN0I36JGUfWffe_9iY1S2osXZdbhvOHrGpV29CjPP9ojvD2wsljAU-vPHXC9KohSKQK83SOHc2VwlUubcwPx8IQ5TQ6vyWLaeqEYp3_0rEkFT4/s1600-h/SDC10640.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384819456808266594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigknseTIdJ6tiSIFH_zLHlUNLLQPOT0SN0I36JGUfWffe_9iY1S2osXZdbhvOHrGpV29CjPP9ojvD2wsljAU-vPHXC9KohSKQK83SOHc2VwlUubcwPx8IQ5TQ6vyWLaeqEYp3_0rEkFT4/s320/SDC10640.JPG" /></a><br /> Meal 2 (11 am)- Huge spinach salad w/tomatoes, red onions, red peppers, squash, carrots + 2 servings tomato basil tofu (doubled up this time so I'd stay full) + red wine vingear as dressing<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384819448299858674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuibukZsM1BXaqt0rI27GdKmvfK38EjRY0uBtdml8lb6e87Ls4HlGZWe27jU93XNrQZYVSLr05r5YboPd3rLpCHPgJVlOrPd5UpDp-b66Mdx-hrCOGOlPzNEoFmUTfIB4BXdcAxFyysTE/s320/SDC10641.JPG" /><br />Meal 3 (2 pm)- Huge bowl of zuccini, squash, red peppers, onions sauteed in evoo & chili powder + 1 cup black beans (low sodium drained and rinsed)...this was SO YUMMY and filling!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBLcOofp4U6TMXvO0Zp6LrKT9gTmWDQkihZf60IgjLHyJ3Z-i5BJTSDNuoQwagKfqbkk0eWHq9_4IwidaV9PbWXRxOIs2zEIZ18373I9leYL7VbOKGVfI_9jOyxX6UCA8_uj7IKKbsoY/s1600-h/SDC10651.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384819433050696946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBLcOofp4U6TMXvO0Zp6LrKT9gTmWDQkihZf60IgjLHyJ3Z-i5BJTSDNuoQwagKfqbkk0eWHq9_4IwidaV9PbWXRxOIs2zEIZ18373I9leYL7VbOKGVfI_9jOyxX6UCA8_uj7IKKbsoY/s320/SDC10651.JPG" /></a> Meal 4 (5 pm)- chocolate protein oatmeal: 1/2 cup (dry measured) + 1 scoop EAS chocolate whey protein + 1 packet stevia + 2 tbsp. slivered almonds<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgByvKEBMZutyqbLGBZKfirayy1s8ekC6HNORGI-XdIWCAypUN3wlTO7C1ixLl3MCCHw4-m6n9GUt5md0wAgaAidG4bD33F_mgPEm6wxIxlPyURZGlDgCuei5gB6FyJ4Ox4N6GGwRPNHhU/s1600-h/SDC10608.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384819424171908658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgByvKEBMZutyqbLGBZKfirayy1s8ekC6HNORGI-XdIWCAypUN3wlTO7C1ixLl3MCCHw4-m6n9GUt5md0wAgaAidG4bD33F_mgPEm6wxIxlPyURZGlDgCuei5gB6FyJ4Ox4N6GGwRPNHhU/s320/SDC10608.JPG" /></a> Meal 5 (planned for 8 pm)- Going to have a frozen strawberry Myoplex Lite shake and hit the hay!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><div><div><div align="left">How about it for real fall weather?! I've been enjoying every second of this break from the TX heat! If it goes too long without sun I know I'll start having withdrawls and the tanning bed might start calling my name eventually, just so that I stay sane...but for now I am loving the cold and wet weather. It's a reminder of the upcoming 3 months of holidays, which fly by so fast! I spent 20+ years of my life in FL, where there really aren't seasons, so it's nice to know I get to experience this change every year now. woo hoo! Makes me want to rake up a big pile of leaves and jump head first into them!!! </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">I love colorful leaves almost as much as I LOVE COLORFUL FOOD...I feel so great when I am eating from every single color of the rainbow. Today's meals were great and gave me superhuman energy....Eating was on point today...drank well over 1 gallon of water...Had a great LBWO (already feeling it in the glutes! woo hoo!)...Scheduled an UBWO for tomorrow instead of cardio, because I have a massive blister from running with crappy shoes and also because I just think it will be easier to do cardio while traveling than hunting down weights, so I am just switching cardio to Friday. I've traveled enough to know that it's just easier this way. </div><br /><br /><div align="left">ust remembered that I'm probably going to the most perfect place possible for being vegetarian ...Why? Silicon Valley has a high Indian population and lots of Indian restaurants, which as you may know...have many vegetarian options. I've actually only eaten "real" Indian food once before if you can believe that. I can't wait to try something I've never tried before...hopefully something really spicy! YUM! </div></div></div></div><br /></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-18788215748420995192009-09-22T18:06:00.000-07:002009-09-22T18:58:58.720-07:00Who Says You Have to Eat Eggs for Breakfast?<div align="center">Started off the day with an unconventional post-workout meal. Was craving Triscuits like crazy and had fat free ricotta cheese with no plans for it, so broiled up some mini spinach and cheese bruschetta melts (I guess that's what I'll call them!)</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPLnRbfVqUmBH8JVHHVi4MZUqTdKTdxh8YCvhXexKzweQ7DCDCewetaCthn5sltdZxpWFUaafcSOB48EIGKaXIdMEa22mF_gph4UoQzOZfRQjhVVkWgxN1SzTsT1Rr_VWudQPmnUe5Cc/s1600-h/SDC10624.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384470783484175106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPLnRbfVqUmBH8JVHHVi4MZUqTdKTdxh8YCvhXexKzweQ7DCDCewetaCthn5sltdZxpWFUaafcSOB48EIGKaXIdMEa22mF_gph4UoQzOZfRQjhVVkWgxN1SzTsT1Rr_VWudQPmnUe5Cc/s320/SDC10624.JPG" /></a> Meal 1 (8 am)- Yes I ate this at 8 am and it was DELICIOUS! </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">10 reduced fat triscuits each topped with fresh spinach leaves+ 1 tbsp. fat free ricotta cheese (first ingredient is whey so figured it would be good post workout) + McCormick garlic & basil seasoning, salt & pepper + slice of roma tomato + sprinkle parmesan cheese (broiled for 5 min. in toaster oven)+ 1 serving EAS Betagen & 1/2 tsp. Glutamine + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzMa_nHoQlsH9g95LYChXaWukdNFcjrqr-ZiZ3fUXqU_jmjovHZ6tYiq8-OHXB9AQtHLACAQID6h2VrQ8jRFBbYgs9p8xkbPQmPx8MhgvByNFws6JEkSx6onFKZbQROE_4lrWlFDRCb0/s1600-h/SDC10626.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384470776369418130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzMa_nHoQlsH9g95LYChXaWukdNFcjrqr-ZiZ3fUXqU_jmjovHZ6tYiq8-OHXB9AQtHLACAQID6h2VrQ8jRFBbYgs9p8xkbPQmPx8MhgvByNFws6JEkSx6onFKZbQROE_4lrWlFDRCb0/s320/SDC10626.JPG" /></a><br />Felt kind of funky about buying fake meat in the sliced form, but wanted to give it a go. On the plus side, these products don't contain any nitrates or nitrates, like most deli meats....so that's a plus.<br /><div align="center"><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhht7k5nbGkmYnNDuDXY0_mgqZhFkBTlxxcHbTXawUlQA2ZhCa7Z4vq0w40YqYmuHSMN_sFeGfLoM-BdXW5rIPbFejPJbys2xM1uLGDFOieWVUlpmEKE74tAtgRYMcdA-eibRo72QzKUao/s1600-h/SDC10627.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384470769196155874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhht7k5nbGkmYnNDuDXY0_mgqZhFkBTlxxcHbTXawUlQA2ZhCa7Z4vq0w40YqYmuHSMN_sFeGfLoM-BdXW5rIPbFejPJbys2xM1uLGDFOieWVUlpmEKE74tAtgRYMcdA-eibRo72QzKUao/s320/SDC10627.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Meal 2 (11 am)- La Tortilla Factory tomato basil tortilla + spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions + Smart Deli vegetarian roast style turkey<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjDzJ6bd35-AiaisMDjkxYztr_N_H-YakGZqae3MPZ8VmJ5CTY-bKI5AX-jhWBgF_qPPTAoajIZIwSIG6pFA8ixupMQvxy0fpW3aarkJjccOXNl3txRga6Z_J3PvTGu0mPtCkwcOyh08/s1600-h/SDC10628.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384470760771355922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjDzJ6bd35-AiaisMDjkxYztr_N_H-YakGZqae3MPZ8VmJ5CTY-bKI5AX-jhWBgF_qPPTAoajIZIwSIG6pFA8ixupMQvxy0fpW3aarkJjccOXNl3txRga6Z_J3PvTGu0mPtCkwcOyh08/s320/SDC10628.JPG" /></a><br />Couldn't wait to try this! It looked so interesting and yummy!<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29P1BuJkO1Nwf-HM_vKkONbBWFDHq2i2E-NWgcoakivKz8P7iaBSzFX2YqO9lqe42R7aFrsSDAv_DfnX4I38WgRCfpczKFN0bPvbn5vqbw_BvhimgV8Hgi1pIeJhnxbO34qmFKBDKMWU/s1600-h/SDC10630.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384468331230495858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh29P1BuJkO1Nwf-HM_vKkONbBWFDHq2i2E-NWgcoakivKz8P7iaBSzFX2YqO9lqe42R7aFrsSDAv_DfnX4I38WgRCfpczKFN0bPvbn5vqbw_BvhimgV8Hgi1pIeJhnxbO34qmFKBDKMWU/s320/SDC10630.JPG" /></a>Meal 3 (2 pm)- Organic wild rice tempeh sauteed in evoo & low sodium soy sauce (YUMMMM!!!)+ 1/2 plate of steamed broccoli w/20 sprays fat free parkay butter spray<br /><div align="center"> + ! serving EAS Betagen<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsXFQKMg4lVYthnBofirHFxvGIqpKIL7W_xeZaGfNDvGvpuFKUQFgTU9TS8TZIcfCff2j-0XJbZ-aFoipHOdAndCtYsUcmdehwBJVLN16-vuPtEXFo18jU72UxeSQ0PyUuWgbs77JLAuA/s1600-h/SDC10632.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384468322451123506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsXFQKMg4lVYthnBofirHFxvGIqpKIL7W_xeZaGfNDvGvpuFKUQFgTU9TS8TZIcfCff2j-0XJbZ-aFoipHOdAndCtYsUcmdehwBJVLN16-vuPtEXFo18jU72UxeSQ0PyUuWgbs77JLAuA/s320/SDC10632.JPG" /></a><br />Impromptu snack (3:30 pm)- 2 tbsp. Newman's Own light vinagrette dressing + heaping cup broccoli & sliced cucumbers</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">I am sure now that soy products just don't give the same satiety factor as grilled chicken. Edamame seems to keep me full, but the tempeh didn't hold me over 3 hours whatsoever...too bad I rather like it!<br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi20L3J51TjlbpXTCRPvivegeWBI6cE6-VmpR4YB-uBpN4ssNzLE7fd1IyJkf41t0-tFd4AizKqQPr9DxCQzvll8BYAhDl5U7-SU_MANlcTHWTE9J5gZF7f-sX2ZOQibjwoQjnYVZiMJE/s1600-h/SDC10633.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384468317114116898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi20L3J51TjlbpXTCRPvivegeWBI6cE6-VmpR4YB-uBpN4ssNzLE7fd1IyJkf41t0-tFd4AizKqQPr9DxCQzvll8BYAhDl5U7-SU_MANlcTHWTE9J5gZF7f-sX2ZOQibjwoQjnYVZiMJE/s320/SDC10633.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 4 (5:30 pm)- Breakfast for dinner! 3/4 cup egg whites w/spinach, mushroom, onions & peppers + 1/4 cup (dry) oatmeal + 1/4 cup fresh blueberries<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGNxt9BPBm33wcTgEyDNxVX6R031GluHVfG6YnHPSq9hIEYlJna0P7ew3uTnhamWg2PR4230LAZKIp_UWBad-FNQFTuSq_gCh9jX0GNOPLdG8g6VzEibrNByp3y_1motFNtDemSkgfUQw/s1600-h/SDC10522.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384468312029404306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGNxt9BPBm33wcTgEyDNxVX6R031GluHVfG6YnHPSq9hIEYlJna0P7ew3uTnhamWg2PR4230LAZKIp_UWBad-FNQFTuSq_gCh9jX0GNOPLdG8g6VzEibrNByp3y_1motFNtDemSkgfUQw/s320/SDC10522.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 5 (8:15 pm)- Myoplex Lite vanilla protein shake w/1 serving EAS Betagen & 1 1/2 tsp. Glutamine <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tE2ILHS-oY0C2c-7pOVPfdWImzHvjxYIbKrstg4i9kN7gxSxRicqY8E7TvSRtYrO9cJDjE4AdAYhkDDzVi_iEk8syiMpi9i2YaTtqVYy351FvoPYQyoPvbXqjEGZG2MVCmBGNXURCjI/s1600-h/SDC10634.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384468300697087874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tE2ILHS-oY0C2c-7pOVPfdWImzHvjxYIbKrstg4i9kN7gxSxRicqY8E7TvSRtYrO9cJDjE4AdAYhkDDzVi_iEk8syiMpi9i2YaTtqVYy351FvoPYQyoPvbXqjEGZG2MVCmBGNXURCjI/s320/SDC10634.JPG" /></a><br /><div align="left">Today was a great day for eating! Yesterday's meals about bored me senseless, so I made it a point to try a couple new things today. After my run this morning, I was craving salty food for some reason and was NOT in the mood for breakfast food at all. Who says you have to eat eggs for breakfast anyways? I've been liking them for dinner lately, and there are no rules on times for eating certain things. I know people who eat fish for breakfast, and I'm not talking about smoked salmon either...not even joking. Now THAT is a meatatarian! I really enjoyed the new stuff, but I didn't realize that the tempeh was ALSO made of soy. It seems that almost everything with anything of any sort of high protein content that is a vegetarian product is made of soy! I don't really like the thought of eating SO much of one thing when it comes to anything, but it's slim pickings when you are trying to get enough protein (without tons of carbs attached) as a vegetarian. It is definitely challenging. I managed to stay exactly on track with eating, even with the vegetarian products today, although I don't see myself eating this much soy over the long term....too many unknowns with regards to what it "does" or "doesn't do". This is an experiment after all though, so if it helps me to try different things I wouldn't normally try, then I'll just enjoy the experience! I really do LOVE the tempeh, which I would have never tried before!</div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-43200306725262741172009-09-21T15:15:00.001-07:002009-09-21T16:35:02.391-07:00Manic Monday<div align="center">Meal 5 (6:30 pm)- 3/4 cup fat free cottage cheese + 1 diced gala apple </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf6OqO_wwRwh_DUtZ1LXaM4683gyC1XVDzp0Wqo1lQbRP0jStrQ_MUmlFJFlVYhBZAzhDr_ybihHhWv6_qgo6r0sQbCWHNfJMUSklG3E4i0oH5_Kak_zIkl5kqatjcCWj_sNCODIzzLO4/s1600-h/SDC10495.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384058976670522274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf6OqO_wwRwh_DUtZ1LXaM4683gyC1XVDzp0Wqo1lQbRP0jStrQ_MUmlFJFlVYhBZAzhDr_ybihHhWv6_qgo6r0sQbCWHNfJMUSklG3E4i0oH5_Kak_zIkl5kqatjcCWj_sNCODIzzLO4/s320/SDC10495.JPG" /></a> Meal 4 (4 pm)- spinach salad w/tomato basil tofu + heaping 1/2 cup edamame + broccoli, cucumbers, tomotoes, red peppers, red onions + 2 tbsp. Newman's Own light vinagrette<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQTwZyxmv9rsD52vFDWOKX4BxYtf-O_I5W0i47GLFJtefdUH91Isseyvd6uzPpRiRJyMhg26ps7wok3Mk2vMQsAfxQMkw_qUX57Ryr5Fm9Mv2V6ql6DSCMi1YyPdYHM4kJAnO7A4K9Ig/s1600-h/SDC10614.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384058969686490274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQTwZyxmv9rsD52vFDWOKX4BxYtf-O_I5W0i47GLFJtefdUH91Isseyvd6uzPpRiRJyMhg26ps7wok3Mk2vMQsAfxQMkw_qUX57Ryr5Fm9Mv2V6ql6DSCMi1YyPdYHM4kJAnO7A4K9Ig/s320/SDC10614.JPG" /></a> Meal 3 (1 pm)- Myoplex Lite RTD<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjgBX5eFFZi6L_RYgmiDt3O5AyHZ1Gfyuvb4JO3HcfTvdUOuIJSMvTSOA39PcWDgduRB0Mgl4lIdPexOfgjPwu7R4wAe_9_aQmoJX3KvmXliMHd42uwwLzPZharILtWD8Dlm9zlk_JnA/s1600-h/SDC10620.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384058959913585618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjgBX5eFFZi6L_RYgmiDt3O5AyHZ1Gfyuvb4JO3HcfTvdUOuIJSMvTSOA39PcWDgduRB0Mgl4lIdPexOfgjPwu7R4wAe_9_aQmoJX3KvmXliMHd42uwwLzPZharILtWD8Dlm9zlk_JnA/s320/SDC10620.JPG" /></a> Meal 2 (10 am)- 3/4 cup egg beater w/mushrooms, onions & peppers + 1/3 cup (dry measured) oatmeal + 1/3 cup fresh blueberries<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihi5Z7nFfRlekoohctuCuRbJ2x_6L5tY0OE-H0RK43khMwNnUpUWsaqHXHvXZtGBpb4NRnk8WwVEa_-Y7JbBpcs3cY_Mr6zEHD8vg3xq8yWKexh4mm2S5AV03-5eMYmqj_q4Pzxnri8HU/s1600-h/SDC10619.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384058953304657138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihi5Z7nFfRlekoohctuCuRbJ2x_6L5tY0OE-H0RK43khMwNnUpUWsaqHXHvXZtGBpb4NRnk8WwVEa_-Y7JbBpcs3cY_Mr6zEHD8vg3xq8yWKexh4mm2S5AV03-5eMYmqj_q4Pzxnri8HU/s320/SDC10619.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Meal 1 (8 am)- EAS Muscle Armor + Whey Protein Isolate (not pictured)...on the fly<br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="left">Where or where has the day gone?! Just another manic Monday I guess. I was browsing upcoming topics to write about for Livestrong.com last night, and low and behold found one titled "A High-Protein Vegetarian Diet". I just so happen to know a thing or two about that! </div><br /><div align="left">Outside of training and writing, I'm excitedly gearing up for my trip to CA this weekend. woo hoo! Hubby flies back from his business trip just in enough time to hop on a plane with me for a weekend getaway to northern CA. We had free flights that were going to expire anyhoo, and so we figured we may as well take a little weekend trip rather than letting them expire (like they usually always do... unused). </div><br /><br /><div align="left">It will be my first time traveling as a vegetarian, so it should be interesting, but my plan is to stick with the vegetarian eating while traveling. Meals will be on point this whole work week for sure. I will not be adhering to BFL eating every 3 hours on a strict schedule while traveling, but that is what is so GREAT about BFL! It's about still being able to live and enjoy life without having to feel guilty about it! I do plan to stick with the vegetarian eating though, because I want to see how I am challenged to stick with it. My normal saving grace while traveling is typically tuna packets w/triscuits, which I will obviously not be able to eat this time, so I'll have to think of at least a couple different options to take for the plane and airport instead. Good thing that cheese and crackers just happens to compliment a day at the wineries perfectly! </div><br /><br /><div align="left">The focus right now and for the next 4 days during this week is to eat super clean, according to schedule, to have an intense LBWO Wednesday, and complete all scheduled runs this week for 1/2 marathon training. I've been super busy today, so haven't gotten too creative with the food, but I'll post it anwyays. I'm excited to try out the wild rice tempeh this week, maybe tomorrow. Hope everyone is having a great start to a great week!</div></div></div></div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-25619427060677006482009-09-19T18:30:00.000-07:002009-09-21T08:16:27.567-07:00Weekend Warrior<div align="center">Meal 5 (8:30 pm)- Myoplex chocolate mint shake </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_x6hRV6QAzNsulQOZqsiwCuOa5vazP6tzBpwowU8qht6pnIvWgLW1ifz7fLrHTLaTGLiTR7n5JFEfmI0vGFwpTiIl76IT53FoCliQg4pAbuRi1gAi0zdfWIfDx05NF1FnBx1rnZQV-c/s1600-h/SDC10536.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383939149549322722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_x6hRV6QAzNsulQOZqsiwCuOa5vazP6tzBpwowU8qht6pnIvWgLW1ifz7fLrHTLaTGLiTR7n5JFEfmI0vGFwpTiIl76IT53FoCliQg4pAbuRi1gAi0zdfWIfDx05NF1FnBx1rnZQV-c/s320/SDC10536.JPG" /></a><br /><div align="center">Meal 4 (5:00 pm)- I don't know what got into me with this one...Actually I do know...when I start eating so late (10 a.m.) I occasionally make a less than perfect choice later in the day...</div><div align="center"><br /><br />1 bowl Kashi Go Lean cereal + handful almonds + 1 cup unsweetened soy milk + generous drizzle honey</div><br /><br /><div align="center">It looks healthy, but this is too many calories, carbs, sugar, and fat for one meal for someone my size (doesn't fall into the 40/40/20 ratio ...not even close)....oh well, it's not an every day thing, and it was scrumptous while it lasted! </div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNKIyrysrPJtZyv7haQ2Jrely4VDiRtM2MmulrduJRcEq5rSbUHAzp-WBrwbiYz0Aa9tPCGfN3k0-gSTkr-79_iUNfNqNK9F8Lk8S_-au0ZsPuxJMGDId7TqXV_HqDTJ528HB-VAiOgw/s1600-h/SDC10617.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383669693875310962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLNKIyrysrPJtZyv7haQ2Jrely4VDiRtM2MmulrduJRcEq5rSbUHAzp-WBrwbiYz0Aa9tPCGfN3k0-gSTkr-79_iUNfNqNK9F8Lk8S_-au0ZsPuxJMGDId7TqXV_HqDTJ528HB-VAiOgw/s320/SDC10617.JPG" /></a> Meal 3 ( 3 pm)- Spinach salad w/broccoli, tomatoes, red peppers, red onions, cucumbers + 1 serving tomato basil extra firm tofu + 1/2 cup edamame + 1 tbsp. Neman's Own light vinagrette & extra red wine vinegar as dressing + 1 serving EAS Betagen<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Wwts4G3wUJAdIRg3iy6-9xcCQTMWMihg1x6rmiHD38Dy369nAp2sBxt8abaGVepaWe6PoonNP7nm5BL35ghTlFAzaJdxekftVF4aDeEj0q1hSoYMIBr03jaWwOA6JiqBapSSqI1pHp8/s1600-h/SDC10614.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383669691245377634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Wwts4G3wUJAdIRg3iy6-9xcCQTMWMihg1x6rmiHD38Dy369nAp2sBxt8abaGVepaWe6PoonNP7nm5BL35ghTlFAzaJdxekftVF4aDeEj0q1hSoYMIBr03jaWwOA6JiqBapSSqI1pHp8/s320/SDC10614.JPG" /></a><br />I can easily eat this tofu.....really tasty and good texture! Loving this!<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDn6KKe39UwlWR15g9PVJcBEfnt9uP-t-Y8lHbHMszMTy7gHwR3XSwPw7Iur3DBG1zvedp2LKIzv6MLp5j4IvDpdBqXWsDmjza9dG8NRzC7JOtS5ySFxDPSX86zDBCIijsY03BJhfFT48/s1600-h/SDC10612.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383669677977210658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDn6KKe39UwlWR15g9PVJcBEfnt9uP-t-Y8lHbHMszMTy7gHwR3XSwPw7Iur3DBG1zvedp2LKIzv6MLp5j4IvDpdBqXWsDmjza9dG8NRzC7JOtS5ySFxDPSX86zDBCIijsY03BJhfFT48/s320/SDC10612.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Meal 2 ( 12:30 pm)- La Tortilla Factory tortilla + spinach, asparagus, red peppers, squash, mushrooms + 1/4 cup reduced fat feta cheese + evoo mist + 1 tbsp. reduced fat parmesan cheese<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5hZH0pTZiUSOjRq8r48YpMyf8pGrB_zn_aaGv1ALWmXdQ63uPnFotw7gzcQRLHH4nfsymxkhJ_1-8OBrvVfHzbVgTLKrd4af-JaNzpegyQBA0QEd38qypQVuAi4y4ixXCJ_AWpTmxFJI/s1600-h/SDC10611.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383669671570160498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5hZH0pTZiUSOjRq8r48YpMyf8pGrB_zn_aaGv1ALWmXdQ63uPnFotw7gzcQRLHH4nfsymxkhJ_1-8OBrvVfHzbVgTLKrd4af-JaNzpegyQBA0QEd38qypQVuAi4y4ixXCJ_AWpTmxFJI/s320/SDC10611.JPG" /></a> Key to making a good flatbread...stack up the fresh veggies and spray them with evoo mist.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSopLW30Oz06hTUX-vOi4C70tL9H4iB6zjV2QUChEOLPB4EgbMrxVKX7RgNb5kbiUuSQk8rgwrOyKLQ7h4oWDWtyd-wbW61-tF9AY3J0wkj9GZUKA_BeEMOcL8wpuRf6ogFQKde1pekUA/s1600-h/SDC10610.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383669666577369794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSopLW30Oz06hTUX-vOi4C70tL9H4iB6zjV2QUChEOLPB4EgbMrxVKX7RgNb5kbiUuSQk8rgwrOyKLQ7h4oWDWtyd-wbW61-tF9AY3J0wkj9GZUKA_BeEMOcL8wpuRf6ogFQKde1pekUA/s320/SDC10610.JPG" /></a> Jazzy....aka. Fatty Pork Chops... Quite the camera angle to highlight her physique.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwfY3cvtiVhraTsutRz3pfusR_s73QLxCOLKRaFLFC93QmWT6YYr5WbAPCMTtdZVTsHY3GV-8ERItI2YLyRzdrzqPOlJCbQeaR04IfiLD40E6Ef5MF4QE_VD-O4jRhwntUU0d2hlhDuxY/s1600-h/SDC10607.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383574838079709682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwfY3cvtiVhraTsutRz3pfusR_s73QLxCOLKRaFLFC93QmWT6YYr5WbAPCMTtdZVTsHY3GV-8ERItI2YLyRzdrzqPOlJCbQeaR04IfiLD40E6Ef5MF4QE_VD-O4jRhwntUU0d2hlhDuxY/s320/SDC10607.JPG" /></a> Sunday's Meal 1 (10 am)- 1 cup egg whites w/mushroom, onions & peppers + 1 slice Ezekiel toast w/ 1 tbsp. sugar free strawberry preserves + EAS Betagen & Glutamine + multivitamin & 2 glucososamine/MSM<br /><br /><br /><div align="left">It probably makes no sense whatsoever to eat so clean with the egg whites and Ezekiel bread and then add chemical laden sugar free preserves. The fact is that I just try to moderate with stuff like this. I cut it out when I can and try to avoid artificial sweeteners when possible, but I allow it in some things where I think the benefit outweighs the risks. I was craving jelly and I didn't want to put a ton of sugar in my body. My hope is that it won't kill me to have every once in a while in certain things, if I eat enough other good clean foods with tons of antioxidants.<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPFuZWQF-b2AgksxXuS9FGU7Y5y1uQMw3VvsNJe0eBNa0DtMMq05Dfb-Dxkg3-JzY46qxrThyphenhyphenyxYYJWfDiD3P1PdrrdwgM0EmH6-oOWxy6W9NWvjCt6LQPDFahs8WLCuQYubT_gN8lVw/s1600-h/SDC10609.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383574827790293122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPFuZWQF-b2AgksxXuS9FGU7Y5y1uQMw3VvsNJe0eBNa0DtMMq05Dfb-Dxkg3-JzY46qxrThyphenhyphenyxYYJWfDiD3P1PdrrdwgM0EmH6-oOWxy6W9NWvjCt6LQPDFahs8WLCuQYubT_gN8lVw/s320/SDC10609.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 5 (9:30 pm)- Protein Oatmeal: 1/2 cup (dry measured) oatmeal + 1 scoop EAS chocolate whey protein + 1 packet stevia + 2 tbsp. slivered almonds....really good after meal 4 let down....might have to do this one more! yum!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7mWXeQKAJ-Lb-hhWlG-oJ1_hq3MAkLWux_EUdWFIAR0T7nofN-QB8sLLh65ZyYICs1vIygwxh8kHlDZJlpoiZ2baVFBE96M-OkCMFHCdGZlB20620JuG1nN2HA-hXMTD6mvK19tN-y0/s1600-h/SDC10608.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383574819623003970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7mWXeQKAJ-Lb-hhWlG-oJ1_hq3MAkLWux_EUdWFIAR0T7nofN-QB8sLLh65ZyYICs1vIygwxh8kHlDZJlpoiZ2baVFBE96M-OkCMFHCdGZlB20620JuG1nN2HA-hXMTD6mvK19tN-y0/s320/SDC10608.JPG" /></a></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">WARNING: If you ever see a place called "Souper Salad" and think about eating there, DON'T DO IT! Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Run the other way as fast as you can!<br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><div align="center"><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">While this might not look too frightening, I assure you this place was SCARY. The salad ended up being edible (after I bathed in some antibacterial I found near the register), but they had no vegetarian proteins whatsoever, only one type of bean for anything remotely composed of protein, and I'm pretty sure the soup had at least 1000 mg of sodium in every bite, not to mention I know it had full fat cream in it. Hubby and I felt like we were in a bad movie or something eating there....it was quite surreal. I was starving and so I did eat the salad, but we are never going back there! Learn from us, and stay far away!!!</div><br /><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div align="center">Meal 4 (7:30)- spinach salad w/ onions, tomatoes, zuccini, carrots, marinated mushrooms, broccoli, kidney beans + fat free italian dressing + a few bites of tomato basil soup...I really struggled on this one...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGde2q3je_pheIel8LFpIrR72UGkMEYLwvdnfZxxU77w8IMIshBjtfAD2wj4jlhw2IyGXCISEoDnaHtlYNiwLJPIrg3heKylgVp6zGbjeihxoxozb4zPLO0EtYwUk0_dvgeOpPP1gt3mQ/s1600-h/SDC10606.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383367962910711522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGde2q3je_pheIel8LFpIrR72UGkMEYLwvdnfZxxU77w8IMIshBjtfAD2wj4jlhw2IyGXCISEoDnaHtlYNiwLJPIrg3heKylgVp6zGbjeihxoxozb4zPLO0EtYwUk0_dvgeOpPP1gt3mQ/s320/SDC10606.JPG" /></a>(Insert 1 hour massage here from 6-7 pm...thus eating meal 4 late) </div><br /><br /><br /><div align="left">Meal 3 (3:45)- SO yummy! Huge spring mix salad w/ 1 cup diced gala apples + 1/4 cup reduced fat feta cheese + 1 tbsp. sunflower seeds + 20 sprays Kens raspberry walnut spritzer dressing <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrfyeUJ7HeA9xzS4FtanF9LkECLmvnZ2yO6sC6YiAMJjAb1GFrIEAzeRLPger9aHfYFMDP2HvMGVgjy3bJq7rHAxo8Fzj7agKeQ0fU56ojpIaB9oXT0XAvkh32XfP_jhoZoc-NEcJQsKQ/s1600-h/SDC10605.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383367953669062370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrfyeUJ7HeA9xzS4FtanF9LkECLmvnZ2yO6sC6YiAMJjAb1GFrIEAzeRLPger9aHfYFMDP2HvMGVgjy3bJq7rHAxo8Fzj7agKeQ0fU56ojpIaB9oXT0XAvkh32XfP_jhoZoc-NEcJQsKQ/s320/SDC10605.JPG" /></a>Meal 2 (12:45 pm)- Yes it is what you think it is....leftover vegetarian lasagna! (last piece, except for the rest which I froze) + side salad w/ 15 sprays Kens all natural raspberry walnut spritzer <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuoao_vbM9oG_QQEIq-wOMLLCQyr8DJNQyfQDgqiAhSag7yOsZGDVjXak7hK5W1HciU5TKpuS570LJUazoBPyalzLcnVgnoG5yAqe2Z6g7fQfOrOjYZOljZMDov1NokolHUu6DCjFRE68/s1600-h/SDC10602.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383367946176632866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuoao_vbM9oG_QQEIq-wOMLLCQyr8DJNQyfQDgqiAhSag7yOsZGDVjXak7hK5W1HciU5TKpuS570LJUazoBPyalzLcnVgnoG5yAqe2Z6g7fQfOrOjYZOljZMDov1NokolHUu6DCjFRE68/s320/SDC10602.JPG" /></a> The world's best tortillas in my humble opinion... <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAb69NDCbhhpaQLbeH8cepnypC2mtC5H4mKd9GaBXirV6awYTlwFyhXFXMtr_gdcfFn9ELniL07eh33J50Z7MH9_MzKGsgx0mouEDbCcRYRuSJFdy-KJ2giBtvEeWJ1wPnBd0bExtEHis/s1600-h/SDC10601.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383367930699248690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAb69NDCbhhpaQLbeH8cepnypC2mtC5H4mKd9GaBXirV6awYTlwFyhXFXMtr_gdcfFn9ELniL07eh33J50Z7MH9_MzKGsgx0mouEDbCcRYRuSJFdy-KJ2giBtvEeWJ1wPnBd0bExtEHis/s320/SDC10601.JPG" /></a> Meal 1 (10 am)- La Tortilla Factory whole wheat tortilla + 3/4 cup egg beaters w/spinach,mushrooms,onions,peppers + 1 serving EAS Betagen & Glutamine + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMARD8nRV6FZwdbljbSTWbA_ren6-mgXcmXsd1VkAdxvhEO3spcQGgtovSbXD-pLDYQZRxV0iZrq8DPGxT3iL_sg2_3HqWLerIVbyGkUVUNowyV7ZWpgjM5O2gpdOiNepl-bJEkommvSE/s1600-h/SDC10600.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383367921605261826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMARD8nRV6FZwdbljbSTWbA_ren6-mgXcmXsd1VkAdxvhEO3spcQGgtovSbXD-pLDYQZRxV0iZrq8DPGxT3iL_sg2_3HqWLerIVbyGkUVUNowyV7ZWpgjM5O2gpdOiNepl-bJEkommvSE/s320/SDC10600.JPG" /></a><br />Well this weekend started off ok, despite the fact that I somehow have put myself in a position to be fighting back two minor issues. One started a week ago...Last Friday evening when I went for a jog and took a water bottle to practice running with one in my hand. It seems that somehow I managed to tweak my wrist without even knowing it at the time. It's been sore ever since. I've been icing it on and off, taking Advil, the whole regular protocol, and it just keeps getting worse. I'm self diagnosing it as tendonitis, and I am just hoping that it gets better soon. I didn't even want to run today, because I didn't want it bouncing as my arms pumped, so I did HIIT on the stationary bike at the gym instead. I lifted super heavy yesterday and went heavy with bench pressing and did multiple sets of push-ups until failure, but it didn't bother it at all, but now it's back to being annoying. So, tomorrow, I'm going to buy a neoprene wrist brace to wear. I hate admitting that I might have a slight injury, and even worse that it could have originated from running with a freaking water bottle...ha ha!...but I'm pretty sure that is what started this whole wrist issue. At this point, I think I am not going to even try taking water to this 1/2 marathon and just chewing gum and stopping for water when I need to. This whole water bottle thing is turning into quite the fiasco! Besides that, My right knee has also been a little achy, but I'm used to that acting up. I just know when it does this, that I can't do any plyometric type exercises and have to take a day or two off of running, so that it doesn't get worse. I love being active, but I also know exactly when my body is trying to tell me something. I'm not about to do something stupid and put myself out of the game for good.<br /><br /><br />Other than that, weekend is going well. I just got my first article approved to be published on Livestrong.com, so I'm excited about being part of their writing team! I'm hoping my wrist gets better soon (typing aggravates it too), so I can write more this week. Hubby leaves tomorrow for business for 5 days, so don't be surprised if you see some creative food combos this week. If I am only feeding myself, I've been known to pair some strange things together! On that note, I'm going to take some Advil, rub some Bengay on, and call it a night. I sound like such and old lady...except I can't even knit with an injured wrist! ha ha! </div></div></div></div></div></div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-55133899417166299442009-09-18T12:44:00.000-07:002009-09-19T09:05:37.769-07:00TGIF! Whole Foods Here I Come!<div align="center">Meal 6 (9:30 pm)- 1 heaping cup Kashi Go Lean cereal w/ 1 cup unsweetened soy milk + 1/4 cup fresh blueberries</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OeM3x22taXHL7y_HgslmEmteKPbOtzEtxW-D-Ladn2iB4oe3fu_795QBGe-H3mht3YXYqytot4F_g_eV2UU2viaIU2VI4tjAJ4x6KbdIcpm6DG0zMD55noPXQDY7S-mrXxPR3wAUk14/s1600-h/SDC10598.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383208377460011346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OeM3x22taXHL7y_HgslmEmteKPbOtzEtxW-D-Ladn2iB4oe3fu_795QBGe-H3mht3YXYqytot4F_g_eV2UU2viaIU2VI4tjAJ4x6KbdIcpm6DG0zMD55noPXQDY7S-mrXxPR3wAUk14/s320/SDC10598.JPG" /></a> Meal 5 (6 pm)- Hubby and I split this smorgasboard of goodies- Triscuits w/ hummus & assortment of cheese (reduced fat Kraft 2% block cheeses & Alpine Lace reduced fat/sodium)<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHO5AG001ipmQ1DTB2geB-XxDbEbeSp7mS5Caa2M3Vjj5iFwgDNvi6_l72gi3qErKNQ8AfZdiMsfh_5oL3zcvQYQUPDbDMVb_CMw0cLahXxGLKhb7NCTPVCoh0FP9xzOCiv2VS8x1brCk/s1600-h/SDC10597.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383208368362342178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHO5AG001ipmQ1DTB2geB-XxDbEbeSp7mS5Caa2M3Vjj5iFwgDNvi6_l72gi3qErKNQ8AfZdiMsfh_5oL3zcvQYQUPDbDMVb_CMw0cLahXxGLKhb7NCTPVCoh0FP9xzOCiv2VS8x1brCk/s320/SDC10597.JPG" /></a><br />My new favorite hummus (sundried tomato and basil)...SO good and made right here in Texas!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUcVNxNCXoW3pV-tRuBsMWwHRSfGi5hj_HISz8H9-LxpBGJOzqx0c-4bittUmDgJGSUBh-nyr-Qe4w5jyLVnezY5SZxINqzqy8POeEvYawXH9flsRdUnhsRIkGVxR9r67zDbHnSGGgJg/s1600-h/SDC10596.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383208364078830834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUcVNxNCXoW3pV-tRuBsMWwHRSfGi5hj_HISz8H9-LxpBGJOzqx0c-4bittUmDgJGSUBh-nyr-Qe4w5jyLVnezY5SZxINqzqy8POeEvYawXH9flsRdUnhsRIkGVxR9r67zDbHnSGGgJg/s320/SDC10596.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div align="center">Meal 4 (3:30 pm)- Other 1/2 of tofu teriyaki bowl + 12 unsalted almonds.....so weird how tofu fills you up so fast and then you get hungry so soon after eating it</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="left">Meal 3 (1:30 pm)- 1/2 of my Whole Foods grilled tofu teriyaki bowl w/brown rice, bok choy & peppers + orange Zevia<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7RLyP77ixf-voj6y27dEdYus-o2Je-oNSzw4JBe6Jwa4Gz2DbDLWEX_fPfqgrLkPAW442kVbtOMv8OgiH8Lde-fJfeK6X7KSFyAxu-zi3zutyfpxagLybbYHQudWMH4rlC8AQUDN4ft4/s1600-h/SDC10595.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382905943811545330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7RLyP77ixf-voj6y27dEdYus-o2Je-oNSzw4JBe6Jwa4Gz2DbDLWEX_fPfqgrLkPAW442kVbtOMv8OgiH8Lde-fJfeK6X7KSFyAxu-zi3zutyfpxagLybbYHQudWMH4rlC8AQUDN4ft4/s320/SDC10595.JPG" /></a> (1 pm)- Couldn't pass these up in the check-out isle..2 dark chocolate squares <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLDcy2GG5NjIiprx3CzyIpSzZiI8r5B7sCEnoR4_o2IKv0Y37kbjXWxAWC4ebuafHrv4Lm7vbhZU0FF0im2hmC-Ci-VSc4kpjIui85KauseHysi1Qmf4OE1WpNy2Ob2Ne_I61tug5c3g/s1600-h/SDC10591.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382905934449017394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLDcy2GG5NjIiprx3CzyIpSzZiI8r5B7sCEnoR4_o2IKv0Y37kbjXWxAWC4ebuafHrv4Lm7vbhZU0FF0im2hmC-Ci-VSc4kpjIui85KauseHysi1Qmf4OE1WpNy2Ob2Ne_I61tug5c3g/s320/SDC10591.JPG" /></a> Meal 2 (10:30 am)- EAS AdvantEDGE RTD + nectarine <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QiZFclaECtHzKSDo2gpbuuRqVr1vhu3qcLiLoUj9AJm0rbe_o1JgV_bfFmD3ajcEXNsCC-I5WzPVKHfnOZ-BhOYUJGVn3aAJxLG7tTmqw2vfOYSkHSGB6g6YBk25eODl_cgNvzIURG8/s1600-h/SDC10586.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382905930427207538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9QiZFclaECtHzKSDo2gpbuuRqVr1vhu3qcLiLoUj9AJm0rbe_o1JgV_bfFmD3ajcEXNsCC-I5WzPVKHfnOZ-BhOYUJGVn3aAJxLG7tTmqw2vfOYSkHSGB6g6YBk25eODl_cgNvzIURG8/s320/SDC10586.JPG" /></a> Meal 1 (8 am)- EAS Muscle Armor + Whey Protein Isolate + Cream of Wheat w/stevia & cinnamon + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMs_AjIIhNl0sjmLPDxrC4cnq9mr8mCc8oqH4zHwwj_022MLO1OTCTpQKwFM-RK1lsYP1v2Hn0RnMCcPca62UAOIdmNmzWi1dEIgX0mOpWNTIKLgOzw5zXDCbKa5Nv7qSWXfWWLANRMA/s1600-h/SDC10521.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382905919603601314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMs_AjIIhNl0sjmLPDxrC4cnq9mr8mCc8oqH4zHwwj_022MLO1OTCTpQKwFM-RK1lsYP1v2Hn0RnMCcPca62UAOIdmNmzWi1dEIgX0mOpWNTIKLgOzw5zXDCbKa5Nv7qSWXfWWLANRMA/s320/SDC10521.JPG" /></a> Pre-Workout (6 am)- EAS Catapult <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQLmYZRiNrbQrsek8GpRzTNAKIDRM6h1QQhzg3U02r4pW_oimnMpnT7HfRY2ceXZ6TyIZrTmWhj-VNlgw3CYaD6lTMRadliXYH35YfuHkDy5p7xecBWcNJ_ctzBfP9k1kr6Iuy0EUoPA/s1600-h/SDC10556.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382905908569928722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQLmYZRiNrbQrsek8GpRzTNAKIDRM6h1QQhzg3U02r4pW_oimnMpnT7HfRY2ceXZ6TyIZrTmWhj-VNlgw3CYaD6lTMRadliXYH35YfuHkDy5p7xecBWcNJ_ctzBfP9k1kr6Iuy0EUoPA/s320/SDC10556.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Have you ever gotten into one of those conversations..."What would you do if you won the lottery?" I am dead serious when I say..."I'd shop at Whole Foods for every single thing for the rest of my life!" Granted you don't have to win the lottery to do that, but they don't call it "Whole Paycheck" for nothing. Despite the priciness, I just love it there! For one, it's the only place nearby that carries Zevia. For two, I became addicted to their grilled chicken teriyaki bowls some time ago. Lastly, let's not forget about the yummy samples...those don't really count towards my food for the day right?...it's like they never happened! Amazing how that works! </div><div align="left"><br /><br />I couldn't wait for my weekly Friday stop at Whole Foods today, because they have so many more vegetarian options....too many. I had to practice some serious self restraint during this trip, but I did get some select items:</div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">-zesty italian meatless meatballs</div><div align="left">-wild rice tempeh (which I've never had and can't wait to try)</div><div align="left">-some pre-seasoned tomato basil extra firm tofu (They don't have this pre-seasoned kind anywhere else)</div><div align="left">-organic hummus</div><div align="left">-a stockpile of Zevia</div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">...and I had another 1st...I ordered the grilled tofu teriyaki bowl (instead of my usual chicken teriyaki bowl). I bought a chicken teriyaki bowl for hubby and was actually starting to pout watching the chef make his...until he brought my tofu bowl out. Wow! The tofu bowl actually looked even better than the chicken, and I was super excited to try some tofu cooked the right way. Check out the pics and you'll see what I mean...YUM!</div></div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-10542836905213621002009-09-17T07:04:00.000-07:002009-09-18T12:44:09.091-07:00Yamcakes...Oh how I've missed you!<div align="center">Meal 5 (8:30 pm)- shake (Myoplex & Betagen) + 12 unsalted almonds</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudfy-PVbsindnJtoM3ImuQtVVVBmVzpkvHNR3Ety8GPv8lH-vEE66vfjmbrv32al5DQ_p2pJh_EH64G8Fw0koipgjrMvjBleTImRb4KCzdwRsdHsMpFZngg8C-hn1qsu4pY7M2w4QSqc/s1600-h/SDC10546.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382894679788645506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudfy-PVbsindnJtoM3ImuQtVVVBmVzpkvHNR3Ety8GPv8lH-vEE66vfjmbrv32al5DQ_p2pJh_EH64G8Fw0koipgjrMvjBleTImRb4KCzdwRsdHsMpFZngg8C-hn1qsu4pY7M2w4QSqc/s320/SDC10546.JPG" /></a> Meal 4 (5:30 pm)- Huge salad w/heaping 1/2 cup edamame & fresh grated parmesan cheese + 2 tbsp. Newman's Own light vinagrette<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87MqbkulwxD5u7hmxA_5LOwUdFYF8LVHTpsVo5L8qvQC-k1qH1AfN-KOukAkyDxgOLtgTujdm1S8MThohf6nbfFlVAWf7gZ-Jar97Va_msnjZWKwT7NGql_z51xRiIdCM0HH3P63APiM/s1600-h/SDC10585.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382894673471704290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87MqbkulwxD5u7hmxA_5LOwUdFYF8LVHTpsVo5L8qvQC-k1qH1AfN-KOukAkyDxgOLtgTujdm1S8MThohf6nbfFlVAWf7gZ-Jar97Va_msnjZWKwT7NGql_z51xRiIdCM0HH3P63APiM/s320/SDC10585.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div align="center">Meal 3 (3 pm)- Leftover vegetarian lasagna w/parmesan cheese..Nope still not sick of it :) + 1 serving EAS Betagen </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TgxwI8gJmHNSBQ64b0QpHv51basiLDp7GySFnEzEycOlEcNVi-88loSuit74IPi6MyR_KogqfhdotMHz78RcRwvF940TThy7vCG9Ai49d-25dU1ySpXuLyu2a-MrEXHfuI01lCVYR2M/s1600-h/SDC10584.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382544426484255154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TgxwI8gJmHNSBQ64b0QpHv51basiLDp7GySFnEzEycOlEcNVi-88loSuit74IPi6MyR_KogqfhdotMHz78RcRwvF940TThy7vCG9Ai49d-25dU1ySpXuLyu2a-MrEXHfuI01lCVYR2M/s320/SDC10584.JPG" /></a> Meal 2 (12:15....immediately after run)- Myoplex RTD<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVyUS1C8s8Iew_bybrCEBampOw6x0RdHKwGr47YPCtio30q6peEqu9Zj7jtw7ji_aCe0SXtqo7RO1vZhmxCacQaOw7ODeSZsTcTV4xoiZS2hLmNeQoVL3M2D-xadWV2l0Nrm8N6hk6kQ/s1600-h/SDC10583.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382544417016874098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVyUS1C8s8Iew_bybrCEBampOw6x0RdHKwGr47YPCtio30q6peEqu9Zj7jtw7ji_aCe0SXtqo7RO1vZhmxCacQaOw7ODeSZsTcTV4xoiZS2hLmNeQoVL3M2D-xadWV2l0Nrm8N6hk6kQ/s320/SDC10583.JPG" /></a> (INSERT 5 mile run in the wind with hills HERE)<br /><br /><br /><div align="center">Meal 1 (8:30 am)- Yamcakes w/sugar free syrup + 1 serving EAS Betagen & 1 1/2 tsp. Glutamine + mutlivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXQaRA_kudxLLRlXv856JEOMXx0AUh7zITq3YM7_zAdMj7HFVjjIYZ7iAz6ZF2AKq-1kdU1gvP2BVbo-GWp0WKJ5P370E-1B56n7hSplVE18yLkgt1QDsbUeiVVTLuT_zPkvJ26up-kQ/s1600-h/SDC10580.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382444675523956738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXQaRA_kudxLLRlXv856JEOMXx0AUh7zITq3YM7_zAdMj7HFVjjIYZ7iAz6ZF2AKq-1kdU1gvP2BVbo-GWp0WKJ5P370E-1B56n7hSplVE18yLkgt1QDsbUeiVVTLuT_zPkvJ26up-kQ/s320/SDC10580.JPG" /></a> See... just like regular pancakes! My mouth is watering!!! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNta5s5iHDrcbuhjF7bmxMs7PfqWF7EnjmcBQJxsEZDFI_3OW2fTJ6y3ijP_qZt9GX2W1mD62B1HDfuRPS2vHBo_nF9Jyz-DKTrt0JnGbjDmelEiaWQrFKx-ldrfv5UDdmkUHoZ8ik5sI/s1600-h/SDC10579.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382443711535202114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNta5s5iHDrcbuhjF7bmxMs7PfqWF7EnjmcBQJxsEZDFI_3OW2fTJ6y3ijP_qZt9GX2W1mD62B1HDfuRPS2vHBo_nF9Jyz-DKTrt0JnGbjDmelEiaWQrFKx-ldrfv5UDdmkUHoZ8ik5sI/s320/SDC10579.JPG" /></a><br />Measure batter using 1/4 measuring cup. Flip when edges firm up and yamcakes start bubbling. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJHuWgrn8fgZttxtf497L3hrqHNSS6l15PzR5t5zQZuMPHSEJyP5fzBj12px_MemFIKR0RO9EpdefL3k72MKSagvUt6WKSm6M7T7FZpzmVPfz52etsDxVBT8Cz9Wnj0aZI8XoE6BZknJE/s1600-h/SDC10578.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382443702100013794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJHuWgrn8fgZttxtf497L3hrqHNSS6l15PzR5t5zQZuMPHSEJyP5fzBj12px_MemFIKR0RO9EpdefL3k72MKSagvUt6WKSm6M7T7FZpzmVPfz52etsDxVBT8Cz9Wnj0aZI8XoE6BZknJE/s320/SDC10578.JPG" /></a> Yamcake batter <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdx8hAyKDp87SJLssXwe4g_Q2L-5-xTcFz1ZECI9FCStykI4kvybBTbZAv63WFNX87I3ClaLfQL5Fjfe6z8mKeY9iOe3h9OKQN0jTwUEVyn_5w4Om9KPwQ-i-s04UPJh3CWbSrF-dtSc/s1600-h/SDC10577.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382443694919926018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdx8hAyKDp87SJLssXwe4g_Q2L-5-xTcFz1ZECI9FCStykI4kvybBTbZAv63WFNX87I3ClaLfQL5Fjfe6z8mKeY9iOe3h9OKQN0jTwUEVyn_5w4Om9KPwQ-i-s04UPJh3CWbSrF-dtSc/s320/SDC10577.JPG" /></a> Mash the sweet potato with a large serving fork and add the other ingredients. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKO2zMDx8pVc8xQ6sLKcwK1N1kJIRZFlKEYqTDenz3gLh9-92HYxwevGCcWNkGeF-iKxOgw8WWWw0enLsUob9lfZ_8HRp4rglYS-aWil2YatUhbz_mpx9vlZQahfr-BRIdbJmP687cQZw/s1600-h/SDC10576.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382443685215249234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKO2zMDx8pVc8xQ6sLKcwK1N1kJIRZFlKEYqTDenz3gLh9-92HYxwevGCcWNkGeF-iKxOgw8WWWw0enLsUob9lfZ_8HRp4rglYS-aWil2YatUhbz_mpx9vlZQahfr-BRIdbJmP687cQZw/s320/SDC10576.JPG" /></a> Only 4 ingredients!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvuCFSknOI7KLzdMW0XA_cQaAGRBVK-ISB2k6NGypgCYwjsl8t9TZpz9d2dUKfGmos688GHBTngbspu2ilNv4xlmSLugDZY6ujra5jriHGZZsBm_zA-OamDLwDqLbt3xNh1-gaJSF-zg/s1600-h/SDC10575.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382443677878434434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvuCFSknOI7KLzdMW0XA_cQaAGRBVK-ISB2k6NGypgCYwjsl8t9TZpz9d2dUKfGmos688GHBTngbspu2ilNv4xlmSLugDZY6ujra5jriHGZZsBm_zA-OamDLwDqLbt3xNh1-gaJSF-zg/s320/SDC10575.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><div align="center"><div align="center"><div align="center"><div align="center"><div align="left">I mentioned yesterday how excited I was to have more vanilla whey protein. It is probably THE MOST versatile thing you can use to incorporate protein into your diet, because you can add so many different flavors to it, and it is mixes so well into all type of concoctions. A while back I learned this recipe from a friend of mine at EAS, and I just couldn't wait to share it with you today, as it's one of MY FAVORITE recipes and packs a mean punch of protein & carbs (really a perfect post workout meal in my opinion as it's higher in protein and carbs)....but it can be an anytime of the day meal for the on-the-go too. So, I will get right down to business and post pics with the recipe and nutritionals. Try them, and I can pretty much guarantee you will be hooked! Oh how I've missed my yamcakes, and I am so happy they have made a comeback in my kitchen!</div><br /><br /><br /><div align="left">Recipe:</div><div align="left">-1/2 sweet potato/yam cooked well (I just nuke mine till its mushy...skin should peel right off of flesh)</div><div align="left">-1 scoop vanilla whey protein</div><div align="left">-1/2 cup egg whites </div><div align="left">-cinnamon</div><br /><div align="left">Cook a medium/large'ish size sweet potato in the microwave until it's soft to the touch. Cut in half and mash flesh of 1/2 (minus skin) in a mixing bowl. Add vanilla whey, egg whites, and cinnamon. Wisk together into a batter (might seem thin, but don't fret!). Cook as you would normal pancakes on med/low heat using non-stick cooking spray. I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup and it makes about 4 pancakes total. Drizzle with sugar free syrup and you are golden! ** To make this recipe even more perfectly balanced as a post workout meal, throw in a couple tbsp. of all natural apple sauce to add some faster digesting carbs to the mix (I was out of applesauce today, but feel free to add it if you want.) Makes 1 serving (4 pancakes). </div><br /><div align="left">This meal has enough nutrition for a man, but I eat all 4 pancakes myself. It's easy to double up or quadruple and make for the whole family, or cook them in bulk to take in ziploc bags on the run.</div><br /><div align="left">Nutrition Facts: (This includes roughly 1/8 cup or 2 tbsp. sugar free syrup on top)</div><div align="left">Calories: 323<br />Protein: 37 g</div><div align="left">Carbs: 40 g</div><div align="left">Fat: 2 g</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-39597619449666485312009-09-16T15:43:00.000-07:002009-09-16T16:32:30.427-07:00Christmas in September<div align="center">Meal 4 (5 pm)- 3/4 cup egg beaters w/spinach,onions,mushrooms, peppers & tomatoes + leftover slices of tomato with salt + 2 Morningstar Farm sausages...hit the spot!</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTeXLA9wZVkFFvSI57z7_dAvY1eDZNbvMWMRopdFjE_QDQpVLALuhI0wx8P17WVCuTzWivJF-E-rPWsPbWHON9ku889slPB8khfXGoxEnTLmswsYgCfFVyWTEXTH_PnJY9wOSkmwRDCWk/s1600-h/SDC10571.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382209657959052626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTeXLA9wZVkFFvSI57z7_dAvY1eDZNbvMWMRopdFjE_QDQpVLALuhI0wx8P17WVCuTzWivJF-E-rPWsPbWHON9ku889slPB8khfXGoxEnTLmswsYgCfFVyWTEXTH_PnJY9wOSkmwRDCWk/s320/SDC10571.JPG" /></a> Craving breakfast for dinner!....I LOVE these Morningstar Farms breakfast sausages. Two thumbs up!<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVakpSmmNNIpX6ygPhjOY9ASpCtJ2c1EtIIVA3eu8vT8J3WJdh-i1dad_kwpRkhN2TQ1ALGDz8ne6tKalf8sBiigcLDKnMjx8oVYrbSv3drVrFl_1OAYRAtyQdFG_4TVXfdKOtcfl4OTw/s1600-h/SDC10570.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382209647049054290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVakpSmmNNIpX6ygPhjOY9ASpCtJ2c1EtIIVA3eu8vT8J3WJdh-i1dad_kwpRkhN2TQ1ALGDz8ne6tKalf8sBiigcLDKnMjx8oVYrbSv3drVrFl_1OAYRAtyQdFG_4TVXfdKOtcfl4OTw/s320/SDC10570.JPG" /></a><br />I think I have enough Banana Cream RTD's to last a while....<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6mpINbpnFH5iaLuh6YJVwASxCVhXpQR-76v_vb16TLy8MZrIgQpP4GqxeJne6jYqLf0GgG3eEBL0yYJq7cvQnPg-CXpz0Vi81hG8WlrZ3ngIZ1URMvArBquwt-Ywm4Q3eUDLdVD84ALw/s1600-h/SDC10569.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382209640458508098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6mpINbpnFH5iaLuh6YJVwASxCVhXpQR-76v_vb16TLy8MZrIgQpP4GqxeJne6jYqLf0GgG3eEBL0yYJq7cvQnPg-CXpz0Vi81hG8WlrZ3ngIZ1URMvArBquwt-Ywm4Q3eUDLdVD84ALw/s320/SDC10569.JPG" /></a><br />It all just barely fit, but I did it!<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX0gubtKidPHa4fO_UOeEBFnmnL1OylydTI3fsrOKv-xVYWJtD8OZoJKO8BwkwSTAbJwszyigzVfLsDncLnxDsFleS8E2KEzDs5387WXhVHk4m33Ir6l9tgU025nB3K7g25t-EZ81LJCs/s1600-h/SDC10568.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382209632815477986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX0gubtKidPHa4fO_UOeEBFnmnL1OylydTI3fsrOKv-xVYWJtD8OZoJKO8BwkwSTAbJwszyigzVfLsDncLnxDsFleS8E2KEzDs5387WXhVHk4m33Ir6l9tgU025nB3K7g25t-EZ81LJCs/s320/SDC10568.JPG" /></a><br />Got in an impromptu workout unpacking 6 boxes of EAS products onto my counter...<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHO9ROy9BgvcFwP6M2EcGgwBDsIGBDxpsJSN1NWFZfsI1dCs6P4c2F480_U5dDM3Cm1xH6tWPQaf6zVPUlATHGKUx7V5ohUafgK6fzZJ1ZbcVsj7Mu26CYlXPgtE7s6rYGaBtCcZLemI/s1600-h/SDC10567.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382209620730301458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHO9ROy9BgvcFwP6M2EcGgwBDsIGBDxpsJSN1NWFZfsI1dCs6P4c2F480_U5dDM3Cm1xH6tWPQaf6zVPUlATHGKUx7V5ohUafgK6fzZJ1ZbcVsj7Mu26CYlXPgtE7s6rYGaBtCcZLemI/s320/SDC10567.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 3 (2 pm)- leftover vegetarian lasagna + 1/4 cup fat free cottage cheese melted on top (always love to melt ffcc on top of leftover pasta....so ooey gooey)<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL35gpUHjSe2bMY0eatCz_V1CtFG28vi2i_vxZlRb_x_8-h4ieq0c-S4Mg1LWFrH53PcDsenymkeWZnFc9TmlnHswYCckH2gZbGZvrP1Xsaeu2UPbjDNZ6dSoiKsq4amHSu7UURFmTG1I/s1600-h/SDC10560.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382205954190220738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL35gpUHjSe2bMY0eatCz_V1CtFG28vi2i_vxZlRb_x_8-h4ieq0c-S4Mg1LWFrH53PcDsenymkeWZnFc9TmlnHswYCckH2gZbGZvrP1Xsaeu2UPbjDNZ6dSoiKsq4amHSu7UURFmTG1I/s320/SDC10560.JPG" /></a> By far my favorite brand of edamame...best quality & it's non GMO....an added plus in my book<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV800-mw6E25s6THq7nX-LLy5DZGpq4nWGSRE4AlUR0q2t6qgDTYjT5EJM4PWjBpYSpOCgQ2qWPQl_fTRKVrVGVtng5kd6aZTyHq-UR7w-L-KX8q-dWpzAR2bM9jOpw1XmoM99H0DKlSE/s1600-h/SDC10527.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382205947546442418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV800-mw6E25s6THq7nX-LLy5DZGpq4nWGSRE4AlUR0q2t6qgDTYjT5EJM4PWjBpYSpOCgQ2qWPQl_fTRKVrVGVtng5kd6aZTyHq-UR7w-L-KX8q-dWpzAR2bM9jOpw1XmoM99H0DKlSE/s320/SDC10527.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 2 (11 am)- huge salad: spring mix, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, red peppers, squash, carrots + heaping 1/2 cup edamame + 2 tbsp. Newman's Own light vinagrette<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifX6cnJOsI02vbahvDh6L1vDQaDnriouweVRsHKbGzZ1n4XpnxoB19gEFGG_1zszU1o-2TYk4EeU5yPzlNPYV0k7oPjyxTR41_0FXhnPcKjw5AVEXnbZn3wyaNdra9vLkgzQ9-EIzksXQ/s1600-h/SDC10557.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382205936597154482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifX6cnJOsI02vbahvDh6L1vDQaDnriouweVRsHKbGzZ1n4XpnxoB19gEFGG_1zszU1o-2TYk4EeU5yPzlNPYV0k7oPjyxTR41_0FXhnPcKjw5AVEXnbZn3wyaNdra9vLkgzQ9-EIzksXQ/s320/SDC10557.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 1 (8 am)- EAS Muscle Armor + Whey Protein Isolate + Cream of Wheat w/stevia & cinnamon...I LOVE hot cereal! + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iufw1w1VmPbZd-x2GmBefF474lJ00hostiz_XPxUzhRUMZGkBeBBiCI9_maQGirAooO3_HmW9LDdGuC6xt-MM2PHvZD-2b7pC1l7G1EacZ_M2PK_P4r5Y8YRBWtGtG6VJm5ynRL07Eo/s1600-h/SDC10521.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382205922418232978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iufw1w1VmPbZd-x2GmBefF474lJ00hostiz_XPxUzhRUMZGkBeBBiCI9_maQGirAooO3_HmW9LDdGuC6xt-MM2PHvZD-2b7pC1l7G1EacZ_M2PK_P4r5Y8YRBWtGtG6VJm5ynRL07Eo/s320/SDC10521.JPG" /></a><br />Pre-Workout (6 am)- EAS Catapult<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtnZvuc6YtL0u9LRGjCDL5rqvMhR1Rc4b_BNzod1YS2zaopQQzG_2JhaDtpbQi1a-GSb5eOYg7IfOMT-Sn3tsI6Z9E0tI_fMl1UOle3OwkMLbR6pGjBjkiSR8MfrPfYGr11xGplUJ6pw/s1600-h/SDC10556.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382205913691193266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtnZvuc6YtL0u9LRGjCDL5rqvMhR1Rc4b_BNzod1YS2zaopQQzG_2JhaDtpbQi1a-GSb5eOYg7IfOMT-Sn3tsI6Z9E0tI_fMl1UOle3OwkMLbR6pGjBjkiSR8MfrPfYGr11xGplUJ6pw/s320/SDC10556.JPG" /></a><br /><div align="left">Happy Humpday to anyone reading! I am smelling leftover lasagna that hubby is eating right now as I write this. It must have been pretty decent if he's eating the leftovers right....I declare an A+++++++.....I love that part in the movie The Christmas Story! Speaking of Christmas, Santa Claus just showed up at my door and was kind enough to bring gifts. That is translation for "The Fedex guy just dropped off my EAS shipment." woo hoo! It's always good motivation to get new products, and just makes me that much more excited to stay on track with good eating and exercise. There have been a couple things I've been craving like crazy, but I've been out of them!....</div><br /><div align="left">1) Myoplex banana cream RTD's....holy moly these things are good! I went through them so fast last time, and I am so happy to have them back now! I have so many banana cream Myoplex shakes I might turn into a monkey....seriously. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">2) Vanilla whey protein...I need it to make protein oatmeal and yamcakes (these are protein pancakes made with fresh cooked yams)....wait till you see them later this week....they are THE BOMB! </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">3) Endurathon- This product I have yet to try that is supposed to be great for endurance running...very excited to try it out this weekend when we take our longest run yet (shooting for a 7-8 miler). I'll let you know how it goes!<br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-52932946987511491742009-09-15T16:23:00.000-07:002009-09-15T18:36:55.846-07:00Take THAT tofu!<div align="center">Meal 5(7:30 pm)- Vegetarian lasagna (recipe below) + side salad w/red wine vinegar as dressing + 1 serving EAS Betagen & 1 1/2 tsp. Glutamine</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpzK3tr5ir2HsAooQlXLBDod7_TFsQSNFJIiV0eZ48irduxeBGDfuIOXW15iF8A-RJxyZIpW9gyr0b7WJ7Ib-fGlDFWGUIXIy2Gs-_kZSp9FX_J8cCzn0uAL24v4o-_sSPGVfF6CdfIo/s1600-h/SDC10554.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381870311340727042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpzK3tr5ir2HsAooQlXLBDod7_TFsQSNFJIiV0eZ48irduxeBGDfuIOXW15iF8A-RJxyZIpW9gyr0b7WJ7Ib-fGlDFWGUIXIy2Gs-_kZSp9FX_J8cCzn0uAL24v4o-_sSPGVfF6CdfIo/s320/SDC10554.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOqle0PGbmidYRNjdz__QCI1d2mqn4kCQ4eA5WK3oAgrrPlZmVVgzQ-wsWb2kXt19xs3tSw9cAKqF3sx4tF44cVXWvLqNLRgVeyesQr8tM0Wvbc1YeBCUzwWwHr7EVdBbhcMsrOgZcoc/s1600-h/SDC10555.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381870301925037074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOqle0PGbmidYRNjdz__QCI1d2mqn4kCQ4eA5WK3oAgrrPlZmVVgzQ-wsWb2kXt19xs3tSw9cAKqF3sx4tF44cVXWvLqNLRgVeyesQr8tM0Wvbc1YeBCUzwWwHr7EVdBbhcMsrOgZcoc/s320/SDC10555.JPG" /></a><br />Wallah! The finished product....vegetarian lasagna....take THAT tofu!<br /><div align="center"><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4x4darydtGs9HdHBs_0W4Nbiks_VLplLnj7neBYR64Ie8pM9XdpRhN6dwnpuxgFHP5sUfd0KYAPLl6340Q7Sx5DNljP3X8DIwIULoPsEOVPYfwiE5PtT4-7vCXahwcq0_cMTvsoWySNs/s1600-h/SDC10551.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381870287212914930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4x4darydtGs9HdHBs_0W4Nbiks_VLplLnj7neBYR64Ie8pM9XdpRhN6dwnpuxgFHP5sUfd0KYAPLl6340Q7Sx5DNljP3X8DIwIULoPsEOVPYfwiE5PtT4-7vCXahwcq0_cMTvsoWySNs/s320/SDC10551.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 4(5 pm)- not a big meal as I plan on having lasagna for dinner and would rather not eat much right now....broccoli, carrots, 2 tbsp. Newman's Own light vinagrette + 1 snack size Cabot 50% light cheddar<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuf6350d18vgeKAd0ePTcoDuDybQqO_KGi4lXgmXXs75KzKzOvNafs8gOEQjmh-ZWMrY7a0E8B9wMvCqbNi6Pv4n6YJy1XV_hm7NYl5THuLqMFfCF4qO3m-G6dxbXQLFXeBHeVMZ8OxU/s1600-h/SDC10548.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381870280379269346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwuf6350d18vgeKAd0ePTcoDuDybQqO_KGi4lXgmXXs75KzKzOvNafs8gOEQjmh-ZWMrY7a0E8B9wMvCqbNi6Pv4n6YJy1XV_hm7NYl5THuLqMFfCF4qO3m-G6dxbXQLFXeBHeVMZ8OxU/s320/SDC10548.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OybelwYj7CcqdU2RnPVYedzCrtbrbaAW5-2gW7CiiluY_azB3KHLCBtCbTNznJZkvlchh5Kzsdutqb5c7OCxbDlMMwMxXBF3Br6mdcuZahB-tQZiddMQLLYGH9yGEI9u5X2iUaqIZVc/s1600-h/SDC10544.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381870275143586098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OybelwYj7CcqdU2RnPVYedzCrtbrbaAW5-2gW7CiiluY_azB3KHLCBtCbTNznJZkvlchh5Kzsdutqb5c7OCxbDlMMwMxXBF3Br6mdcuZahB-tQZiddMQLLYGH9yGEI9u5X2iUaqIZVc/s320/SDC10544.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Meal 3(2 pm)- shake(Myoplex Lite vanilla packet + 1 serving EAS Betagen) + 12 unsalted whole almonds<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKXjzPrWOoqW0B7wdHwT4CSHl5FX5ek5iSqfQri90t0FDPByGxinUR6ysaa24ZfRMHo7Hyt_a5cXyTeV7bexzfYtai1AVyqRapWswiePblajWqMDoM4YWT6MsM1X_XohIqBVSRS1nZ2I/s1600-h/SDC10546.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381866784406784658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKXjzPrWOoqW0B7wdHwT4CSHl5FX5ek5iSqfQri90t0FDPByGxinUR6ysaa24ZfRMHo7Hyt_a5cXyTeV7bexzfYtai1AVyqRapWswiePblajWqMDoM4YWT6MsM1X_XohIqBVSRS1nZ2I/s320/SDC10546.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Meal 2 (10:45 am)- Joseph's Oat Bran, Flaxseed, and Whole Wheat Lavash Bread + fresh spinach, 6 fresh asparagus spears, red peppers, red onions, yellow squash + 1/2 cup Kraft 2% reduced fat shredded mozarella + 1 tbsp. reduced fat grated parmesan<br /><br /><br />I am loving these Lavash Bread flatbreads with a whopping 10 g protein! They are huge! This whole meal was no more than 250 calories and right around 20 g protein! Note to self....definitely use fresh asparagus on flatbreads more often.<br /><br /><div align="center"><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHArCEmNotPWPvSx1Pdnj6AHJBWEum7uJOt2hR7fE1dshOassstgdklnDEPP7f7DaaZkY7MzDh3rDNsYxBs4jt3ogPCOAUYsSF_s84mHQ5B8JYtKseyn0sJqB7JmI5NyeOPIaPrwhhKho/s1600-h/SDC10543.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381866778049216898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHArCEmNotPWPvSx1Pdnj6AHJBWEum7uJOt2hR7fE1dshOassstgdklnDEPP7f7DaaZkY7MzDh3rDNsYxBs4jt3ogPCOAUYsSF_s84mHQ5B8JYtKseyn0sJqB7JmI5NyeOPIaPrwhhKho/s320/SDC10543.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br />Meal 1 (7:45 am)- 3/4 cup egg beaters w/spinach,mushrooms,onions,peppers & tomatoes + 1/2 cup (dry measured) oatmeal w/stevia, drizzle of honey & apple pie spice + 1 serving EAS Betagen & 1 1/2 tsp. EAS Glutamine + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YaNKVgAkkgMIF78j1qE3J7guXIw74qc9dP0LhecxP_Z74dUVKDTNNMGheTIKNeulCLMepdhmP3bznSp0iVLY5WgA9szc9lofSPAeKOorzeP1vQwJqut6X1iQlhUEMveJvYx9P06IXzk/s1600-h/SDC10538.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381866766475670258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YaNKVgAkkgMIF78j1qE3J7guXIw74qc9dP0LhecxP_Z74dUVKDTNNMGheTIKNeulCLMepdhmP3bznSp0iVLY5WgA9szc9lofSPAeKOorzeP1vQwJqut6X1iQlhUEMveJvYx9P06IXzk/s320/SDC10538.JPG" /></a><br /><div align="left">Today has turned out to be one of the best days! I just had a visit from our friends Dana and Luis, whom we hadn't seen in so long we couldn't even remember how long it had been. I swear when they left here, Dana left some of her energy behind, because you just can't not be in a good mood when you're around her....just very rare to find people with that kind of glow and energy, and equally as rare to find it in other couples sometimes. I just love seeing other couples that are as much in love as my hubby and me. You can just tell when you meet people that have that really really special kind of love....the kind that you know will never end in divorce for real. Alright, I'm getting gushy now I know, but I couldn't resist. I wear my heart on my sleeve, what can I say?<br /><br />Back to the subject at hand...food. That is the reason I'm here writing in the first place. My ego was completely shot after last night's snaffoo attempt at the tofu, and I was determined to come back with something better than that for tonight's dinner! I don't seem to have much problem going vegetarian for breakfast or lunch, although I am thankful I am not going Vegan as of now, because I don't know if I could live without eggs AND cheese at this point with cutting out all the meat. Protein shakes have also been a bit of a saving grace, which contain milk products. My main problem with dinner has been finding foods that are high in protein while also being moderately reasonable in the carbs & fat department. It's been especially challenging, because typically I really do not even eat much dairy outside of the occasional cheese snack or sprinkle of parmesan. I've definitely been eating a bit more cheese lately in an attempt to add protein, but I'm just being as careful as I possibly can in regards to watching fat content. I will most likely cut back on the cheese tomorrow. I know I've had a few extra grams of saturated fats in meals, but I'm really trying not to get all paranoid about micro managing the nutrition contents so much so that it prevents me from trying new thing on this adventure....which brings me to tonight dinner! woo hoo! I probably shouldn't get too excited until I taste it, but I can already tell it is going to be TO DIE FOR! Here is the recipe and nutrition facts in case anyone's interested...<br /><br />1lb ground beef (*I subbed 1 package Morningstar Farms Meal Starters)<br />3 cups (26 oz jar) spaghetti sauce (aim for 5 g sugar or less & less than 10 g carbs..I used Classico roasted garlic)<br />1 1/2 cups water<br />1 3/4 cups (15 oz container) ricotta or small curd cottage cheese (used fat free Ricotta)<br />2 cups<br />(8 oz) shredded mozzarella or Monteray Jack cheese, divided (used Kraft 2% reduced fat)<br />1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (reduced fat of course)<br />2 eggs (used 1/2 cup egg beaters)<br />1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley<br />1/2 tsp salt1/4 tsp ground black pepper<br />9 pieces RONZONI HEALTHY HARVEST LASAGNA, uncooked<br /><br />Heat oven to 350°F. In 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, brown meat; drain. Add spaghetti sauce and water; simmer about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, one-half mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper. 5. Pour about 1 cup sauce on bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Arrange 3 UNCOOKED pasta pieces lengthwise over sauce; cover with 1 cup sauce. Spread one-half cheese filling over sauce. Repeat layers of RONZONI HEALTHY HARVEST LASAGNA, sauce and cheese filling. Top with layer of RONZONI HEALTHY HARVEST LASAGNA and remaining sauce; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil. Bake 45 minutes. Remove foil; bake additional 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Number of Servings: 12<br /><br />Nutritional Info (* This nutritonal content was based on the original recipe, before I subbed vegetarian crumbles and reduced fat products, so fat is probably less than this).<br />Servings Per Recipe: 12<br />Amount Per Serving<br />Calories: 277.3<br />Total Fat: 9.7 g<br />Cholesterol: 75.8 mg<br />Sodium: 519.1 mg<br />Total Carbs: 25.1 g<br />Dietary Fiber: 3.3 g<br />Protein: 23.9 g<br /><br />YUM! I might be able to get used to this vegetarian thing!</div></div></div></div></div></div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-56229953072251881562009-09-14T10:47:00.000-07:002009-09-14T17:40:44.778-07:001st Glimpse of Vegetarian Shopping<div align="center">Meal 5 (Hallelujah 7:30 couldn't come fast enough!)- Chocolate mint shake...weird that the tofu was so filling at first, yet I got hungry soon after eating it. Yay for Myoplex!</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRdOVB4f43sWl34YlkUglNj8z90gB9NyBI96h55p_WxaOXP8XG34_EqsXuxR9t1Zxt1hIDY2czgp5JoYz605s-MTzbdfzv2VmHqxr5M2kp95safn0COyREkebuDNA56-UAN48yR6wbooM/s1600-h/SDC10536.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381486273045054434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRdOVB4f43sWl34YlkUglNj8z90gB9NyBI96h55p_WxaOXP8XG34_EqsXuxR9t1Zxt1hIDY2czgp5JoYz605s-MTzbdfzv2VmHqxr5M2kp95safn0COyREkebuDNA56-UAN48yR6wbooM/s320/SDC10536.JPG" /></a><br /><div align="center">Meal 4 (5:15 pm)- Teriyaki, ginger & garlic tofu + 1/2 bag Steamfresh broccoli, snap peas, carrots & water chestnuts.....having a hard time looking at this picture...needs improvement for sure...the flavor wasn't bad, but definitely think I need to stick to extra firm for stir fry....had a hard time stomaching the texture of this meal...a pretty laughable first attempt at a tofu dinner, but I ate it anyways! As of now, I'd rather eat whole soybeans any day over this tofu!</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZNz1vv6_uINkqNysCv4CApGd1axE4lvR3F677S8XBlvKIzTIMB_fPcfnXYoUeoQa0oDMWLo-UhekbUDMcogxNK1rKnMSs2my0HOi1rLTkB9MLGZ395NBTjfp8fwp_jKn1JENW52tpsVs/s1600-h/SDC10532.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381464331959701138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZNz1vv6_uINkqNysCv4CApGd1axE4lvR3F677S8XBlvKIzTIMB_fPcfnXYoUeoQa0oDMWLo-UhekbUDMcogxNK1rKnMSs2my0HOi1rLTkB9MLGZ395NBTjfp8fwp_jKn1JENW52tpsVs/s320/SDC10532.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center">I was shocked when I took this out of the box! THIS is what tofu unseasoned looks like? Yikes!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0BbclzcyawRP45kTgwj0b7WsGi-e31WERgIBxe0pVbBhNVramxlT47A5pHoqoqfro5ZynndK10QihYaM2cTW-oOo1OmOmi43Pj7tI-2nLukgPHmr1V7b5jmYPjqoXFDhDUrgKMkB4NY/s1600-h/SDC10531.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381464325164989650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0BbclzcyawRP45kTgwj0b7WsGi-e31WERgIBxe0pVbBhNVramxlT47A5pHoqoqfro5ZynndK10QihYaM2cTW-oOo1OmOmi43Pj7tI-2nLukgPHmr1V7b5jmYPjqoXFDhDUrgKMkB4NY/s320/SDC10531.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div align="center">2:15 pm- 1 Tofutti pop....Look closely, because this is the last time you'll see this! Was so excited about these 30 calorie dairy free treats until I looked at the box more closely after I ate one...realized they contain aspartame...and apart from that they taste too good to eat just one... I can see them being a trigger food for me to want more than one. These are getting the boot!</div><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WY4QGCiiRVl7K5BuTc5SixoIJPR-Ylq2sQiRsd5rzzJ4UKygt5BzDtpvXKtb0VyTS9MVvOBorhD7gPpG49pOQdyFlsyhb1DO49DQqFbX3kcEaWMXz8Pvz7f9rgj1XX0LY0U0P455Wxg/s1600-h/SDC10529.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381415173645886194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WY4QGCiiRVl7K5BuTc5SixoIJPR-Ylq2sQiRsd5rzzJ4UKygt5BzDtpvXKtb0VyTS9MVvOBorhD7gPpG49pOQdyFlsyhb1DO49DQqFbX3kcEaWMXz8Pvz7f9rgj1XX0LY0U0P455Wxg/s320/SDC10529.JPG" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><br /><div align="center">Meal 3 (2 pm)- Huge organic salad: spring mix, red onions, tomatoes, red & green peppers, shredded carrots + heaping 1/2 cup edamame + 1 tbsp. Newman's Own light vinagrette & extra red wine vinegar + 1 snack size Cabot 50% light all natural cheddar cheese<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPreOmM9hWqmPxxhFOCMhZb_p8F8-sJ5yddx1untKpdQN_udZEqwFk7dI9rGW8xJgJEyOXhmI8sWmnrAtgAwRcTOrJVGUR2Ivfp7Duhl-SjzlhIzUHTHjl6p973UT5B6h1Hxh4BwB81o/s1600-h/SDC10526.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381415164990283106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPreOmM9hWqmPxxhFOCMhZb_p8F8-sJ5yddx1untKpdQN_udZEqwFk7dI9rGW8xJgJEyOXhmI8sWmnrAtgAwRcTOrJVGUR2Ivfp7Duhl-SjzlhIzUHTHjl6p973UT5B6h1Hxh4BwB81o/s320/SDC10526.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 2 (10:45 am)- 3/4 cup egg whites w/spinach,mushrooms,onions,red& green peppers + 1/4 cup (dry measured) oatmeal w/ 1/4 cup fresh blueberries<br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_MXLREAMu-95RBaCxDpEGdmr61Ydo-T2zVJt8GaNMnKH_QkOE4Hyr6YG6XeKHFz1u-K9GDDIfKFy4Q6GUthjTRuZSQBfnJtfPJb4jg0OvdMUKt-ICO2bt9oZGzq80gQvTIzMYzeHBVo/s1600-h/SDC10522.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381415160095505378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_MXLREAMu-95RBaCxDpEGdmr61Ydo-T2zVJt8GaNMnKH_QkOE4Hyr6YG6XeKHFz1u-K9GDDIfKFy4Q6GUthjTRuZSQBfnJtfPJb4jg0OvdMUKt-ICO2bt9oZGzq80gQvTIzMYzeHBVo/s320/SDC10522.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Meal 1 (7:45 am)- EAS Muscle Armor + Whey Protein Isolate + 1 packet Cream of Wheat w/stevia & cinnamon + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM<br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloaoJEJ9T4VFZVU7-uYR4y3zd0mJfKndfT9v2Dhz7YC4uaDd3flR-EOsfNfPA7hpTwhZDH51g8IFLLu3tBlT5fevlr226hrjTByrVV8yQak-Hh7WIroG3IjhnJQbN1Uj9KlxCtK1w5Us/s1600-h/SDC10521.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381415151125493458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloaoJEJ9T4VFZVU7-uYR4y3zd0mJfKndfT9v2Dhz7YC4uaDd3flR-EOsfNfPA7hpTwhZDH51g8IFLLu3tBlT5fevlr226hrjTByrVV8yQak-Hh7WIroG3IjhnJQbN1Uj9KlxCtK1w5Us/s320/SDC10521.JPG" /></a><br /><br />Pre-Workout (6 am)- EAS Catapult<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBNsJ4gnkmTh9Xw3IdxjX4ugyfu845KIuaQxyz20GrM3ZewUqPY_yL2uUqnvx1zDsJAIM9GtBCmu7iqrX6fbribnp1tUohqWcu5NJsGm_vnFKGfedXcQVlK-rSleki-6kMQNYniupoxQ/s1600-h/SDC10520.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381415141945698642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBNsJ4gnkmTh9Xw3IdxjX4ugyfu845KIuaQxyz20GrM3ZewUqPY_yL2uUqnvx1zDsJAIM9GtBCmu7iqrX6fbribnp1tUohqWcu5NJsGm_vnFKGfedXcQVlK-rSleki-6kMQNYniupoxQ/s320/SDC10520.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="left">So it turns out that being vegetarian opens you up to this whole new rhealm of social interaction. I stopped by the grocery store on the hunt for La Tortilla Factory tortillas today and of course got sidetracked by all of the beautiful produce. Before I knew it, my cart was sporting every color of the rainbow. I just LOVE a colorful shopping cart! They also had a big selection of vegetarian foods, so I felt obligated to also stock up on some new stuff to try out. I found some Silken Lite tofu that I'm eager to try. The entire box has 120 calories, 20 g of protein, only 4 carbs, and 2 g of fat...SCORE!..probably the closest nutrition content to chicken that I'll ever find in the veggie world. Now I just need to learn how to prepare it correctly so that it's edible!<br /><br />Unfortunately, I feel I have totally lost any kitchen confidence I might have had previously...completely out of my comfort zone here. I spent some time floundering around in the produce area, before pretty much just giving up on figuring out what I'd pair with the tofu and headed to the frozen section to explore what else they had. I've been hearing about toffuti pops forever now, and I still never tried them, so I had to pick up a box of those and some Ezekiel bread. A lady in the same isle starts sparking up a conversation with me saying how they are out of "abc" but they'll be getting more "abc" AND "xyz" next week just in case that's what I was looking for. She seemed extremely excited about being in the vegetarian food isle, which I thought was rather humorous. "Ummmm....you're speaking Chinese to me right now I'm afraid. It's only my 3rd day being vegetarian." I had no clue the types of foods she was talking about, but she seemed very much into it. She went on to tell me about a great new Vegan product that was fabulous. "I'm not going completely Vegan, but just starting with cutting out the meat. It's a pretty big step for me, and I'm still learning about all of this," I said. "Well that's a good start," she says in her perfect little mom like voice. When I run into people like her, it always reminds me of my mom, and it kind of made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.<br /><br />I had to restrain myself from buying any Rice Dream organic ice cream (which I happen to enjoy A LOT, but it's not in my eating plan right now) and headed to the check out lane. As I was unloading my cart, a father and son walked up behind me. "You must be vegetarian," the father says. "Well I guess I am for all of 3 days now, but I'm trying it out to see how I like it." The man goes on to tell me how his daughter is vegetarian...and just loves it...and won't have anything to do with anything that isn't vegetarian. The more and more I talk to people about being vegetarian, the more I'm convinced that there is really something great about this whole experience that has yet to be discovered, so I'm looking forward to discovering whatever it is that makes people so nuts about being vegetarian.<br /><br />As I scooted towards the area to pay, the lady bagging my groceries then remarks, "Well someone like veggies!" ha ha! I had to laugh...this shopping trip was turning into being quite the social event. Never before have I gotten so many random comments from strangers remarking on my purchases during a 10 minute trip to the grocery store. It's like there is a whole hidden social world attached to being a vegetarian that I never knew about! I don't know why, but it reminded me of that really old Saturday Night Live skit where Eddie Murphy dresses up like a white person to spy on the other white people on the bus...classic! It's like I am an undercover meatatarian learning about the vegetarian underworld or something. Hmmmm....makes me wonder what kind of things go on in vegetarian restaurants where EVERYONE is vegetarian?! I might have to put that trip on my "to do" list next! ;)</div></div></div></div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-33729426381285994692009-09-13T08:51:00.001-07:002009-09-13T17:58:50.266-07:00Day 2 ... Tennis and Tofu<div align="center">Meal 4 (7:45 pm)- Flat Out Light flatbread + spinach, broccoli, red onions, mushroons + 1/4 cup Kraft 2% reduced fat shredded mozarella + McCormick garlic & basil seasoning</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Just had a mini crisis with our rental property, got diverted and eating late as a result...not looking like Meal 5 will happen as it's getting late now! Tomorrow will be perfectly on schedule! </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHqqOawkC9UoSQHrUEH6OraT-GWtMZGwANU5a-gse0n8VwVZ5DofTkaCEVSIrOLj39y2aQK5BPiOEWSHfaHRKSp_NRbbBU1_Pn83E0kqzm0OJ8RQS_e2dYj0s-IlawaYDBD-bTW-C2-RI/s1600-h/SDC10518.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381119857494775106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHqqOawkC9UoSQHrUEH6OraT-GWtMZGwANU5a-gse0n8VwVZ5DofTkaCEVSIrOLj39y2aQK5BPiOEWSHfaHRKSp_NRbbBU1_Pn83E0kqzm0OJ8RQS_e2dYj0s-IlawaYDBD-bTW-C2-RI/s320/SDC10518.JPG" /></a><br /><div align="center">Meal 3 (3:30 pm)- Nature's Own 100% whole wheat sugar free bun + Boca burger + yellow mustard, spinach, onion, tomato + 1 serving EAS Betagen + lemon lime Zevia</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemeGb7Tiak4kyHqghIvDRL_UelrNSOBvVD3liER60Zj2E518SwKo9LQQQlktTCgLtJcrAPQ4AyUwPN9W-03f_sAxhWcTKfqucJ8onsW9NokgugAyQQKhVjYa8ZR2yqJlW5VYZzaWq5YM/s1600-h/SDC10517.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381064622331808706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemeGb7Tiak4kyHqghIvDRL_UelrNSOBvVD3liER60Zj2E518SwKo9LQQQlktTCgLtJcrAPQ4AyUwPN9W-03f_sAxhWcTKfqucJ8onsW9NokgugAyQQKhVjYa8ZR2yqJlW5VYZzaWq5YM/s320/SDC10517.JPG" /></a> Snack while making meal 3<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRZg4fFbDmx-04Z6Js7hCesXsTcmUQkn8D1DIvio0O4yaXNjPnTIE8YP55LHZAXOAMXHLtj-4JPBx_i0RjqX33TyBhu3RHTRSINsJT1RaHC9zbTpOMs4NwcT1JCwYOWkOa0R7rWt-uei4/s1600-h/SDC10515.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381064614204313634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRZg4fFbDmx-04Z6Js7hCesXsTcmUQkn8D1DIvio0O4yaXNjPnTIE8YP55LHZAXOAMXHLtj-4JPBx_i0RjqX33TyBhu3RHTRSINsJT1RaHC9zbTpOMs4NwcT1JCwYOWkOa0R7rWt-uei4/s320/SDC10515.JPG" /></a><br />Meal 2 (12:45 pm)- 1/2 cataloupe + 3/4 cup fat free cottage cheese<br /><br /><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFqqbAjmN9w7QlSmJAPw1K0lO6Nq8MTJtyIfvjVG5aqpeJIgNSTE9-Xom0bPG_80vbbfHAjhNw9Jutn9zzkogATpvafaOYJJ3ZS6JU716oTOP1LCyP1JTZai5CGfwjQfhP70CG97gau4/s1600-h/SDC10514.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381064608125510210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihFqqbAjmN9w7QlSmJAPw1K0lO6Nq8MTJtyIfvjVG5aqpeJIgNSTE9-Xom0bPG_80vbbfHAjhNw9Jutn9zzkogATpvafaOYJJ3ZS6JU716oTOP1LCyP1JTZai5CGfwjQfhP70CG97gau4/s320/SDC10514.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center">Meal 1(10 am): Protein Oatmeal- 1/3 cup(dry) quick oats + 1 scoop chocolate whey protein + 1 packet Stevia + 1 serving EAS Betagen & 1 1/2 tsp. EAS Glutamine + multivitamin & 2 glucosamine/MSM</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPL-_20IWOhKvwBNKi5sBxPrBP203MbBf7HS1Ck_55PL2u0I4yh46GSzuGA-byHhXnqxI2vywiVtp-G7uSLnDJRlIbu54melDqgnqjtXXGsd506YvTfMlXxQ8nO2N8rpwqHhSSWM_MmkQ/s1600-h/SDC10513.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380992251268657394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPL-_20IWOhKvwBNKi5sBxPrBP203MbBf7HS1Ck_55PL2u0I4yh46GSzuGA-byHhXnqxI2vywiVtp-G7uSLnDJRlIbu54melDqgnqjtXXGsd506YvTfMlXxQ8nO2N8rpwqHhSSWM_MmkQ/s320/SDC10513.JPG" /></a><br />Day 2 of the veggie experiment started off well...much better than yesterday for sure! I'm feeling completely well rested again after a day of rest yesterday and a good night's sleep, despite the fact that I kept having a recurring dream about tennis all night and a mental replay of Serena throwing a temper tantrum and anihilating her raquet. I started off watching the US Open match last night so impressed by Serena's physique and how ripped she is. She is definitely a powerhouse, and I just love watching these female tennis players for so many reasons....1) They are all so dedicated and committed to their sport, and it just shows in every single stroke when they play....really inspiring! 2) They are all so healthy looking and don't have the same type of look that you'll see in most fat burner ads. If you read any fitness mags, you know the look I'm talking about....not saying these ladies aren't hot, because they are, and I also admire the amount of dedication it takes to achieve that type of physique. It's just nice to see women with healthy all natural bodies projecting such a positive image of what "healthy" can look like at the other end of the spectrum. 3) The outfits are so cute! Seriously, after watching this US Open, I am considering taking some lessons and learning to play for real....just so I can wear the clothes. Nothing cuter than tennis gear!<br /><br /><br /><br />Even though I mentioned how impressed I was with Serena at the beginning of the match, I must admit that she left a pretty bad taste in my mouth by the end. If you saw the match you know what I'm talking about....throwing the tennis raquet and smashing it followed later in the match by mouthing off to the official. Even though I recognize the impact of adrenaline on people's reactions in these types of high stakes games, I thought she could have handled it with a bit more tact. As I watched her meltdown, I thought immediately to the last match with Wozniaki and Oudin a couple days ago. Even though I was routing for Oudin originally, I was immediately impressed with Wozniaki's remarks to the crowd that she made following the match. Now THAT is tact! Now I'm completely torn with what might happen tonight. I'll be happy if either Wozniaki or Clijsters wins. Wozniaki seems like a sweetheart, and Clijsters has the whole "Dara Torres" thing going for her....truly inspirational to come back after her 2 year maternity leave. I can't wait to watch and get another dose of US Open inspiration from the women!<br /><br /><br /><br />I had a great HIIT on the stationary bike this morning myself. My legs are always like rocks when I hop off the bike after a good HIIT. I try to maintain 60 rpm's while varying the resistance between a level 10-18 (4 times total). Felt great and finished reading my Muscle & Fitness Hers while doing so. (I can only read on the beginning stages of the interval of course, because there is no reading possible at a level 18 resistance & 60 rpm's on the bike)...just breathing and trying not to die at the high points. Also ran into my trainer at the gym who was there to work out himself. I am SO looking forward to doing some heavy legs tomorrow! We're going to do squats, deadlifts, lunges, just to name a few, and just go heavier than I would normally be able to sans spot. I'm SO excited! woo hoo!<br /><br /><br /><br />I really need to learn how to season tofu. I bought some, but it's not the kind that's already flavored, so need to figure out some options on doing that. I love kabobs and am thinking of making some tofu kabobs as a dinner this week. Hubby is pretty much on board with the whole vegetarian thing and isn't a huge fan of meat anwyays, but I'm not so sure if I can see him eating tofu either....should be interesting! Alright, off to turn into an energizer bunny and clean this house. Another rainy day in Austin, so going to put on some Michael Buble pandora radio, open all the blinds, light some candles, and clean everthing in sight! Nothing better than a clean house to start the week off right! </div></div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950069907265912411.post-53444911149936375262009-09-12T16:32:00.000-07:002009-09-13T08:28:50.774-07:00Impromptu Free Day....VEGGIE style!<div align="left">The only question I hear as much as "What do you eat?" is probably "What do you eat on a free day?" So here it is...pics and all! </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Dinner Part 2 (8:30 pm)- other 1/2 of the veggie sub </div><div align="left"><br /><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Dinner (6 pm)- This was a 1st for me! I ordered my first veggie sub from Subway. I was kind of skeptical if this would be satisfying, as I ALWAYS order the roasted chicken breast, but I was amazed at how filling this was....might have been from all the food I ate earlier too, but honestly I REALLY enjoyed the veggie sub...It was kind of surprising! I am emailing the owner of this Subway to ask him to start carrying spinach too (like all the other Subways in the world). I'm going to be living in this house for a long time, and I need spinach on my subs! </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdButzSr4sxIdGSWAzTNN29cFU-O4rP4EX1eRYTmGivkpklQ9tD7OY-XZjfyqlZ625FDVhjKz-Rx8ADmOFq57WhqFpbaicvqHrAlHjRkggTtTrx9VyIKy0QG_seXmZcNM_TAJtDh3-5VM/s1600-h/SDC10510.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380734192388068130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdButzSr4sxIdGSWAzTNN29cFU-O4rP4EX1eRYTmGivkpklQ9tD7OY-XZjfyqlZ625FDVhjKz-Rx8ADmOFq57WhqFpbaicvqHrAlHjRkggTtTrx9VyIKy0QG_seXmZcNM_TAJtDh3-5VM/s320/SDC10510.JPG" /></a><br /><div align="center">Dessert- low fat vanilla ice cream + caramel + sprinkles + whipped cream<br /><br /></div><div align="center">(I figured out the smart idea of using a soup bowl instead of the tiny dessert bowls they want you to use a long time ago)</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlEi4GSgnxQGzqsosGpDuiCcasBm5-ufBMXNrJ4lwpT1iGxDPcOma_WEDhmHOwEaTicjHbczza6Z4LQOG0LLoNWFqZBWfSa6M9GY-mRG3Gs1WVuub8k-F-GGshQ9u3aRDOSi5SPcv-2K0/s1600-h/SDC10504.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380734183038463138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlEi4GSgnxQGzqsosGpDuiCcasBm5-ufBMXNrJ4lwpT1iGxDPcOma_WEDhmHOwEaTicjHbczza6Z4LQOG0LLoNWFqZBWfSa6M9GY-mRG3Gs1WVuub8k-F-GGshQ9u3aRDOSi5SPcv-2K0/s320/SDC10504.JPG" /></a> Lunch (noon): Huge salad- (spring mix, broccoli, peppers, red onions, peas, celery, jicama, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, black beans, kidney beans, edamame, tofu, a couple croutons, quinoa, evoo & balsamic vinegar) + bowl of Texas tortilla soup (had some white beans in it, which I do not know the name of, but love...need to find out what these things are called..they're like a garbanzo bean but whiter looking) + slice of veggie pizza w/parmesan cheese (usually don't do the pizza here but do it occasionally if there is zuccini & squash on it)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0yLQrX-w37ZmwScop5rfFBRyH8otbhsqTiulKBKUeCQuj5N0879wpbzr4EMN6aI6ALWPsROkRkLaVNBjT-ARnXfQ3479D3HDsnN1sDWI2Rs53gov94YRrl7VR0wCyLmJ72uNH6NPSTVY/s1600-h/SDC10499.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380734176056324226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0yLQrX-w37ZmwScop5rfFBRyH8otbhsqTiulKBKUeCQuj5N0879wpbzr4EMN6aI6ALWPsROkRkLaVNBjT-ARnXfQ3479D3HDsnN1sDWI2Rs53gov94YRrl7VR0wCyLmJ72uNH6NPSTVY/s320/SDC10499.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div align="left">Woke up this morning thinking about how amazing last night's scallops were at dinner, and also about how much I rely on at least 8 hours of sleep in order to function whatsoever. After dinner with family last night, hubby and I got invited to join some friends to celebrate the 25th bday of a friend of ours. Since we rarely ever do the whole "downtown" thing and we were already there, we thought we would really be old if we opted to just go home and go to bed...so we had the smart idea of heading over to The Belmont after dinner at about midnight and didn't get home until 2:30 am. Keep in mind we are usually asleep by 9:30 pm and up by 5:30 am. Needless to say, I slept in really late and have been tired all day and pretty much worthless, scooting around in my pj's, and enjoying the rainy day. I was too lazy to even make my own food and had a serious craving for Fresh Choice salad buffet....which I am completely addicted to. I declared an impromptu FREE DAY, put on some real clothes, and we headed out. I've now broken two of my own rules (the "no wine and no cheats for a couple weeks"...in less than 24 hours), but life WILL go on...I'm not sweating it. Believe me, there could be worse free meals than ones you can find at Fresh Choice, so I don't mind bending the rules juuuuust a little today. Even though I declared it a free day, I decided I'd still stick to starting my vegetarian experiment today. I even threw away some leftover salmon in the fridge, so IT'S OFFICIALLY BEGUN! Fresh Choice has tons of vegetarian options too, so I figured it would be a great place to start....LOVE that place!</div></div>chickpea4mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05943427014755903320noreply@blogger.com3