30 day Vegan Challenge COMPLETE!

As of yesterday Saturday, January 30th I completed my 30 day Vegan Challenge. And... It turned my hair brown!!! Haha, just kidding. I did dye my hair though. My hair has been naturally getting darker for the past year or so and I decided to switch things up a bit and go "dark blond". I wasn't sure about it at first, but it's growing on me :)

I can't believe how incredibly fast these 30 days went by. I thought for sure that by week 3 I'd be counting down the days until I could eat a greasy cheese enchilada or a plate of nachos or heck maybe even a big slice of cheese pizza...


I was so very VERY wrong. I don't miss it at all, which is honestly is surprising to me. Day 29 came around and nothing dairy sounded appealing to me at all. I have felt so much better these past 30 days, physically and mentally. Kind of like I took a weight off my shoulders. I know your probably ready to commit me or check to see if I bumped my head. I promise you I am feeling very good right now.

For the past 2 weeks I've been toying back and forth on whether I'm going to stay Vegan or go back to Vegetarian. I even was considering doing 90% Vegan 10% Vegetarian....


I have decided to stay Vegan. Why change something that is working for me? The more I read on the milk industry the more and more I'm turned off by it. I wont get into details right now though.


So as I bring this blog entry to a close I decided to list a few of my favorite Vegan things I've discovered these past 30 days:

1) "The Kind Diet" by Alicia Silverstone: This is my #1 favorite book regarding Veganism I've read. I wrote a blog post especially for this particular book. I recommend it 100%

2) "The Vegan Table" by Colleen Patrick Goudreu: This is a FANTASTIC cookbook, one of the best cookbooks I own. I made probably 50% of my meals the past 30 days out of this cookbook.

3.) Ezekiel Products: No I didn't just discover these, in fact I've been eating their products for a long time now. They were however a staple items in my meals. I eat a Sprouted English muffin with Almond butter for breakfast mon-fri at work... and I love making veggie wraps with the tortilla's.

There are so many other things I could list, I'm tired though and ready for bed.

Night Night :)

99 Things

99 Things

I've borrowed this from another blog. You're supposed to bold the things that you've done in your life to date. 47 out of 99 isn't to bad... I definitely have alot more living left to do though :)

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightening storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Gone Running - Day 25 Vegan

I love this pic so much, I look at it often as motivation. I haven't been constantly running for a few months now.. I miss it so much. I've been getting plenty of other exercise in, just not my beloved running. I have decided for the next 30 days I will be focusing on Running and Yoga and see where it takes me.

It will be a combination of out door and indoor running, I think week 1 I will stick to indoor on my treadmill, and then week 2 throw in a day or 2 of outdoor.

Here will be my week schedule:

Mon:

Run

Tues:

Yoga or Pilates Class

Wed:

Run

Thurs:

Run

Fri:

Yoga Class

Sat:

Run or Spin Class

Sun:

Rest

Today is day 25 of being Vegan! Wow its gone by fast. I cant believe Saturday will be day 30! Where did the month of January go?

I haven't decided if I will continue to be Vegan after the 30 days or go back to Vegetarian... I plan to watch "Food, Inc." this week... so we'll see. haha.

Chocolate Covered Katie is having a Vitamix give away!

The title says it all! Be sure to check out this link here for a chance to win one yourself!

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2010/01/16/vitameata-vita-mix-giveaway/

I'm in love w/ a New Cookbook. Part 2

Yes I'm blogging about the SAME cookbook two posts in a row. There is good reason for this...

This is a FANTASTIC cookbook! I've now made 6 recipes from this book the past few days and I have so many more I plan to make this week! For those of you that didn't read my previous blog post I am referring to "The Vegan Table".

The flavors are fresh, and smell wonderful. and ALL Vegan.

Last night for Dinner I made the "Pan-Fried Asparagus w/ Lime", along w/ the "Basil Pesto". The Basil Pesto was very easy to make in my food processor, so fresh with fantastic flavors from the basil, pine nuts and evoo. I cooked some Arborio Rice and Barley together and mixed in the pesto when it was finished. YUM! I'm having left overs for lunch today. The Asparagus came out great as well, I loved the blend of evoo, garlic, pepper, salt and lime. It was just enough to enhance the flavor of the yummy fresh Asparagus. And this entire dinner took less than 30 mins to make! My kind of meal :)

The night before that I made a side dish from the cookbook. "Broccoli w/ Garlic Butter and Cashews". This recipe was a hit for Caleb and I.. The brown sugar in this recipe is definitely the key. The flavors it brings out in the cashews, garlic and broccoli is mouth watering. I had the left overs the next day for lunch w/ some Quinoa mix in with it.

Mmmm I'm getting hungry now... Good thing lunch is in a few minutes!

Today is day 20 of my 30 day Vegan Challenge.. Can you believe that? Where did January go? It's almost gone! I didn't write a week 2 review because I plan on just writing a full 30 day review on the 30th. I have lots of blog topics in my head though that I need to sit down and write.. Thoughts about Larabars... Coconut Water... Pine Nuts.. you get the point.

Have a good day everyone :)

I'm in love w/ a New Cookbook.

I'm in love with a new cookbook... Well it's not new, it's been out for awhile now. I just happened to crack it open for the first time this weekend. "The Vegan Table" has some AMAZING recipes. I've been a reader of Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's newsletter for awhile now and a listener of her podcast for about a year, but I never used her cookbook!

I'm glad I have now, I have so many recipes I plan to make out of it this week. This weekend I made "Chocolate Chip Cookies" that were AMAZING. Best Vegan cookie I've had... not dry at all, very filling and chocolaty.. I used Carob Chips instead of Dark Chocolate and they were wonderful.

Next Up I made the "Tofu Spinach Lasagna" and let me just say YUM! For the "ricotta cheese" type filling you put a few spices, fresh basil, firm tofu in the food processor, mix it up well and them stir in cooked spinach. I made it how the cookbook told me to experience the original flavor, but next time I'm going to add some red pepper flakes and a little more sea salt to kick it up a notch. I made 1/2 the recipe and it still came out to about 12 servings. I should warn you, this book is for entertaining.. so all the servings are 12-14 for each recipes. So if your making a meal out of it just for you and your hubby, try only making 1/2 of what the recipe itself calls for :)

I have lots more I need to update about... Week 2 of my Vegan Challenge... My beloved Chargers blowing it in the playoffs.. and other fun recipes I've been creating.. I'll leave you with this for now.

I'm also starting up a new work out program today. Insanity (Beach body Program) it's 60 days and like it's called it literally is INSANE! I got 2 weeks into it last year when it came out and then just never finished it. My 3 year "Weight loss Wake up Call" Anniversary is coming up in March so I thought it would be fun to finish this program right before then :)

1/2 way there!: 15 days into 30 day Vegan Challenge

Wow I'm 1/2 way there! Those 2 weeks went by so fast. I think people have been surprised that I've been able to stick with this challenge I set out for myself, including me. I honestly thought I would cave and eat some cheese week #1!

I have found this to be alot easier than I would have imagined it to be. I've had so much fun cooking, trying out to recipes, and saving money of course! Honestly I've saved probably $100 in 15 days from not eating out, or buying stuff I would normally buy and cook with. So if thats not a bonus I don't know what is!

I have done very well with getting all but 1 of my work outs in too. By Sunday I will have worked out 5 out of 7 days this week and I consider that awesome. I'm really looking forward to taking my yoga class this evening after work. The Picture above is the "Leek, Potato and Cilantro Soup" I made from "La Dolce Vegan" cookbook last night. It came out very yummy and hit the spot. I topped it with some "Vegan Gourmet Mozzarella Cheese" Mmmmm...

Here are some pics of some of the recipes I've made this week:

This was part of the fajitas I made: Collard Greens, EVOO, Mushrooms, Carrots, Peppers, Onions and Boca Soy Crumbles

"Barley Casserole" from "The Kind Diet" cookbook

(it had LOADS of veggies in it)

Barley Casserole w/ a side of steamed broccoli and Tofurky Tomato Basil "sausage"

(Note: I'm not a fan of this tofurky sausage at all, but i didnt want to waste it. I will not be buying it again)

Fajittas: Avocado, Onions, Zucchini, Peppers, garlic, Cilantro, Tofutti Sour Cream and Chiptole Salsa

So that's it for now!

Go Chargers!