Day Five. I woke up in the middle of the night sick as a dog. Without going into too many details, I threw up all damn day. Yuck.
When I finally felt like I could eat, I tried some miso soup and a piece of toast with Earth Balance spread. That did not go well. I could not keep it down. I was so weak I could barely move. So I laid on the couch and watched a marathon of "Tabatha's Salon Takeover" on Bravo until Chris got home from a coffee meeting. He wanted to know what sounded good to me; he offered to go get me a veggie burger from Yeah! Burger (which I usually adore). That sounded terrible, given the fact that I had a black bean burger last night that didn't make it too far down my digestive tract. The absolute only thing that I thought I could stomach was the good-old, decidedly unvegan Campbell's chicken noodle soup with some saltines. So he ran up to CVS and got me some soup. Lo and behold, it worked. I ate the whole thing, plus the whole sleeve of crackers. And I felt a whole lot better.
Please don't judge me.
Friday, January 7, 2011
"It's My F*@!'n Birthday!"
Day Four. Woke up with a ton of energy. Work was completely crazy, but I did manage to wolf down lunch of a sweet potato with maple syrup and pecans, and steamed zucchini and yellow squash during a working lunch. I never did manage to get to the hummus and red peppers that I packed for my mid-afternoon snack, so by the time I got home, I was famished.
Day Four was also Chris' birthday. We had originally intended to celebrate on Friday, so I had planned to do a stirfry, but that didn't feel at all festive enough for a birthday meal. He agreed. When I got back to the house, he was of the complete mindset that he wanted to go out to our favorite pub for dinner and a beer. He just kept saying, "But it's my f-ing birthday!" What kind of wife would I be if I didn't play along?
As luck would have it, our pub changed its menu yesterday (it isn't typically the most veggie-friendly place). I ended up finding something I could eat and still stay on my diet: a black bean burger with grilled pineapple and jalapenos, with a side salad with balsamic vinaigrette (holding the cheese and bacon that usually come with the salad). And they were actually really delicious!
Day Four was also Chris' birthday. We had originally intended to celebrate on Friday, so I had planned to do a stirfry, but that didn't feel at all festive enough for a birthday meal. He agreed. When I got back to the house, he was of the complete mindset that he wanted to go out to our favorite pub for dinner and a beer. He just kept saying, "But it's my f-ing birthday!" What kind of wife would I be if I didn't play along?
As luck would have it, our pub changed its menu yesterday (it isn't typically the most veggie-friendly place). I ended up finding something I could eat and still stay on my diet: a black bean burger with grilled pineapple and jalapenos, with a side salad with balsamic vinaigrette (holding the cheese and bacon that usually come with the salad). And they were actually really delicious!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
"It's Greek to Me."
Day Three. Worked from home today, and got a ton done. Much needed productivity. Made some yummy food, as well. For breakfast, another burrito (I'm in kind of a rut). For lunch, a sweet potato with maple syrup and pecans and some carrots. For dinner, I did a make-your-own-takeout Greek night: hummus, tzatziki, whole wheat pitas, baked falafel, and Greek salad. Thank goodness for that dinner, because Chris came home in a foul mood. He was a happy man after partaking of some delicious Mediterranean goodness!
Vegan Tzatziki
Makes about 4 (2 Tbsp) servings
5 WW pts/serving
1/2 cup Veganaise
1/4 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and minced
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp dill weed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Super yummy with warm whole wheat pitas.
Day Two
Day Two over and done with. It went really well. I made another spinach and black bean burrito for breakfast, with a glass of Spicy Hot V-8. Lunch was leftover pasta and non-meatballs for lunch, with a small salad with Annie's Naturals Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette (I love that stuff!). Some fruit for lunch from the work cafeteria. And still, no Diet Coke! Hooray!
Dinner last night was my take on Mexican: avocado, tomato, and cucumber salad, and baked vegetable burritos (shrimp for Chris). The salad is so delicious that I often want to lick the plate when I'm finished. I especially like to make it in the winter because it feels so summery and refreshing. I forgot to take a photo, but I will in the future. Here's the basic recipe:
Avocado, Tomato, & Cucumber Salad
Serves 4
3 WW pts/serving
1 medium avocado, pitted and cubed
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 2-3 limes
1 tsp sea salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (to taste)
black pepper (to taste)
Combine the cucumber, tomato, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Fold in avocado, being careful not to mash it. Adjust salt, pepper, and garlic to your taste (I like mine a little more salty). Let sit at room temperature at least 5-10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to develop.
Note: DO NOT serve straight from fridge!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
"I Don't Recall Asking for Your Opinion."
Day One of being a vegan went pretty well. I got up a little later than I had originally planned, and ended up having to rush around to make both breakfast and lunch. I had sauteed spinach and black beans with salsa on a whole grain tortilla for breakfast, and black beans, zucchini, and mushrooms with brown rice for lunch. Packed a banana and some pecans for snacks, and I was all set.
Eating no animal products wasn't really a problem on Day One; not having any Diet Coke was most definitely a challenge. I typically have between 3-4 Diet Cokes a day. I gave them up in conjunction with going vegan. By 4 p.m. yesterday, I had a searing headache. I mean, POUNDING. Right around this time, I had a meeting with our senior attorney and my supervisor on this pain-in-the-ass case I'm working on. Our senior attorney is a great guy, but he has an opinion about everything. And he believes that he knows the correct way to do everything. So I mention that I've stopped eating meat and dairy products. He begins to tell me that, instead, I should just "eat better. You know, more fruits and vegetables." (Duh. That's what I'm doing.). And then I tell him I've given up Diet Coke, and he gives me this quizical look, like I've just told him that I've decided to grow a tail. "Why would you do that?! You have to drink caffeine!" Maybe because Diet Coke contains a known carcinogen, tricks your body into not recognizing fullness (thus making you fat), and I consume enough of it to put down a small pony on a daily basis?! And besides, I thought, I don't recall asking for his opinion or thoughts on my diet. Yeesh. Why do people feel they need to weigh in on my lifestyle? It's really annoying.
So I suppressed my caffeine-withdrawal-induced temper tantrum and finished my day (albeit nearly an hour later than my "normal" work hours, but that's a story for another time). Got home and fixed dinner: mixed baby greens, mushroom, and tomato salad with Annie's Naturals Roasted Garlic dressing; and whole wheat penne, marinara sauce, and Nate's Zesty Italian non-meatballs. Pretty yummy.
(I also made some roasted garlic hummus to snack on and for Wednesday's Greek dinner!)
Eating no animal products wasn't really a problem on Day One; not having any Diet Coke was most definitely a challenge. I typically have between 3-4 Diet Cokes a day. I gave them up in conjunction with going vegan. By 4 p.m. yesterday, I had a searing headache. I mean, POUNDING. Right around this time, I had a meeting with our senior attorney and my supervisor on this pain-in-the-ass case I'm working on. Our senior attorney is a great guy, but he has an opinion about everything. And he believes that he knows the correct way to do everything. So I mention that I've stopped eating meat and dairy products. He begins to tell me that, instead, I should just "eat better. You know, more fruits and vegetables." (Duh. That's what I'm doing.). And then I tell him I've given up Diet Coke, and he gives me this quizical look, like I've just told him that I've decided to grow a tail. "Why would you do that?! You have to drink caffeine!" Maybe because Diet Coke contains a known carcinogen, tricks your body into not recognizing fullness (thus making you fat), and I consume enough of it to put down a small pony on a daily basis?! And besides, I thought, I don't recall asking for his opinion or thoughts on my diet. Yeesh. Why do people feel they need to weigh in on my lifestyle? It's really annoying.
So I suppressed my caffeine-withdrawal-induced temper tantrum and finished my day (albeit nearly an hour later than my "normal" work hours, but that's a story for another time). Got home and fixed dinner: mixed baby greens, mushroom, and tomato salad with Annie's Naturals Roasted Garlic dressing; and whole wheat penne, marinara sauce, and Nate's Zesty Italian non-meatballs. Pretty yummy.
(I also made some roasted garlic hummus to snack on and for Wednesday's Greek dinner!)
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Getting Ready for Week One
I spent the afternoon putting together my weekly menu and shopping list. We already eat pretty healthy - whole grain pastas and breads, beans, veggie "meats," etc. Nevertheless, the shopping list was a beast, because of having been gone for nearly two weeks for the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
Chris won't be eating strictly vegan, so I have to plan dinners that can have lean meats easily added to them. Here's the dinner menu for week one:
Monday: whole wheat penne with vegetarian meatballs (Nate's Zesty Italian);mixed baby greens salad with garlic vinaigrette and pecans
Tuesday: vegetable burritos (sweet potatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, and black beans); avocado, tomato, and cucumber salad
Wednesday: baked falafel, homemade hummus, and pita; Greek salad
Thursday: (Chris' actual birthday) spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce; pineapple-pecan quinoa stirfry; sesame baby bok choy
Friday: Chris' birthday celebration - maybe Thai?
Saturday: red lentil and cauliflower curry; basmati rice; garlic naan
Sunday: vegetarian chili; cornbread
-----------------------
Finished up at the store, and managed to get everything I need at my local Kroger. Take a peek at my freshly-stocked, vegan-friendly fridge and pantry!
Chris won't be eating strictly vegan, so I have to plan dinners that can have lean meats easily added to them. Here's the dinner menu for week one:
Monday: whole wheat penne with vegetarian meatballs (Nate's Zesty Italian);mixed baby greens salad with garlic vinaigrette and pecans
Tuesday: vegetable burritos (sweet potatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, and black beans); avocado, tomato, and cucumber salad
Wednesday: baked falafel, homemade hummus, and pita; Greek salad
Thursday: (Chris' actual birthday) spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce; pineapple-pecan quinoa stirfry; sesame baby bok choy
Friday: Chris' birthday celebration - maybe Thai?
Saturday: red lentil and cauliflower curry; basmati rice; garlic naan
Sunday: vegetarian chili; cornbread
-----------------------
Finished up at the store, and managed to get everything I need at my local Kroger. Take a peek at my freshly-stocked, vegan-friendly fridge and pantry!
"I'm Gonna Be Like That Junkie That Shows up at Rehab High!"
My husband, Chris, and I went to Austin this weekend for New Year's Eve. Texas, in general, is not the most vegetarian-friendly place (although I'm sure there are plenty of tasty vegan establishments in Austin, being the progressive place it is!). Since I've decided to start my veganism on Monday, this weekend was like a long "going away" party for me and animal products.
Started the weekend with a barbecue plate at the Salt Lick in Driftwood. Then dinner of small plates at Second Street in Austin (brisket pizza, chive-and-tomato gnocchi, chorizo fundido, and pulled pork pizza). Next day, gumbo at some crappy chain restaurant (totally not worth it) and chips, salsa, and guacamole for dinner. Yesterday's breakfast was the hotel buffet: scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and fruit. A lunch of processed-meat-and bacon club sandwich at the airport (yuck) yesterday. Finally, won ton soup and chicken fried rice for dinner last night. I feel like I spent the whole trip trying to figure out how I was going to order vegan meals at restaurants and noticing what might be vegan-friendly for future reference.
On the ride from Austin to San Antonio for our flight home, I couldn't help but notice the billboards and chain restaurants touting processed, fatty meats. It was disgusting. I was ready to come home and get shopping.
Started the weekend with a barbecue plate at the Salt Lick in Driftwood. Then dinner of small plates at Second Street in Austin (brisket pizza, chive-and-tomato gnocchi, chorizo fundido, and pulled pork pizza). Next day, gumbo at some crappy chain restaurant (totally not worth it) and chips, salsa, and guacamole for dinner. Yesterday's breakfast was the hotel buffet: scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and fruit. A lunch of processed-meat-and bacon club sandwich at the airport (yuck) yesterday. Finally, won ton soup and chicken fried rice for dinner last night. I feel like I spent the whole trip trying to figure out how I was going to order vegan meals at restaurants and noticing what might be vegan-friendly for future reference.
On the ride from Austin to San Antonio for our flight home, I couldn't help but notice the billboards and chain restaurants touting processed, fatty meats. It was disgusting. I was ready to come home and get shopping.
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