I've been letting things slide on here, so it's probably time to get caught up on family news, youngest to oldest.
Brooklyn
Eeek! That girl is the sweetest thing, I tell ya. She's cuddly, loves hugs and kisses, and still has a delicious smile. She's been walking solidly for a month now and loves to try to keep up with Jack. Although she never took a bottle, she's a fantastic eater. I didn't think Jack was that picky of a toddler until we had Brooklyn and realized that some children will eat anything. It's awesome! Tonight, she was fussing at the table, so I let her get down. She walked to the counter and pointed at a spoon. Turns out, she just wanted to have her own utensil! I gave her a bowl of applesauce, and she ate it with her spoon like she was a pro. *sigh* Why do I forget that she's not a helpless baby anymore?
Jack
Just when I think that he couldn't possibly become more fun, he does. Some of his favorites lately are monsters, Jesus, Jonah/large fish, wolves, ghosts, elephants, and trains. He's also becoming genuinely helpful too. He folds washcloths, sets the table, pours/stirs ingredients when I'm baking, uses the swiffer wetjet on the kitchen floor, and shovels the deck. Oh! And he's potty-trained! He still has an occasional accident, but I'm slowly starting to take him out in public in undies. Well....clothes too. By the way, how do you handle the super inconvenient potty emergencies? Like when you're in the checkout line at the grocery store with both kids or in the middle of a doctor's appointment?
Anyway. Here are a few recent quotes:
"Friday night is Jesus' birthday."
"Daddy go potty 'cause him go pee in his pants." (which did not happen, in case you're wondering)
"I want the light off and the door open. That might be fun." he told me at nap-time.
"HEY GUY! GET BACK UP ON THAT LADDER!" yelling to the man fixing the neighbors' tv dish.
"I'm too old to pick up [toys] because I'm getting big."
"I need to drink coffee so me feels healthy."
"I'm happy you came home Mommy."
Amanda
Mehh, not too much news to report here. I mean, the whole vegan thing has kept me busy trying new recipes, and I'm almost finished with the book, The China Study, dealing with nutrition and the typical American diet (which hardly belong in the same sentence together, it would seem). I feel great and have more energy, although I'm pretty sure I'll feel even better when spring hits. I don't mind the snow/ice/cold per se, but I'm not a huge fan of putting sixteen layers of clothes on my herd of wild cats every time we want to go outside. What? You have a herd of wild cats? Sorry, I mean, the kids.
Jeremy
Hold on to your hats people. Jeremy has been feeling pretty stinkin good lately. And in case you didn't know, that is big news. Jeremy's had chronic back pain for 6.5 years, catalyzed by the bridge+rope swing+shallow water incident, and injured further when we moved almost 2 years ago. Our chiropractor, Dr. Michael, has helped a ton since the move, and he helped to bring us out of a very difficult time. That being said, Jeremy's had to see him 1-2 times a week for nearly two years. Until this month. He hasn't gone yet. Yes, the same month that we switched to a totally plant-based diet, Jeremy's back pain improved dramatically. One possible explanation for this is that clogged/blocked arteries can cause pain and degeneration. As blood flow improves, pain decreases. Makes tons of sense, really. And it's probably all the incentive that we need to stick with this thing...because there's nothing like good health.
Alright, that should do it for tonight. I'm off to slaughter a vegetable.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
What's For Dinner?
Oh hey. It's January 11. Remember when I was going to post a vegan meal plan of what we'd be eating this month? How about a list of what we've been eating and a link to a menu already planned out?
What we've had;
*Veggie sandwiches (think Subway with tons of veggies, no cheese, and a bit of oil)
*Spaghetti with garden vegetable marinara, steamed veggies on the side
*Rice and bean enchiladas using a bit of Daiya cheese instead of cheddar
*Stir-fry over rice (or noodles). Jeremy tops his with Thai peanut sauce; Jack and I stick to plain soy sauce
*Tacos with black beans, rice, salsa, tomato, onion, and whatever other veggies you like.
*Wild rice burgers with sweet potato chips/fries on the side.
*Pizza using this super easy crust recipe, topped with artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms (or any other combination of veggies) and a bit of Daiya cheese
*Butternut squash soup, adapted from a friend's recipe.
Then, a friend sent me this awesome website for those that are trying out a vegan menu. It's super helpful, and has suggestions for dining out and other considerations. Thank Erinn!!
We're only eleven days in, but we can already tell a noticeable difference. We both have more energy and leave each meal feeling full but never overstuffed. If I'm hungry I eat and snack on fruit, veggies, bagels, nuts, etc. One interesting thing is that Jeremy's back pain has been greatly diminished. I find it hard to believe that it's a total coincidence, and I'm interested to see what the rest of the month brings. If changing our eating habits could mean pain relief for him, I would be sold for good.
By the way, this whole no meat/dairy/eggs thing is really pretty easy and delicious! You just have to be willing to try new things!
What we've had;
*Veggie sandwiches (think Subway with tons of veggies, no cheese, and a bit of oil)
*Spaghetti with garden vegetable marinara, steamed veggies on the side
*Rice and bean enchiladas using a bit of Daiya cheese instead of cheddar
*Stir-fry over rice (or noodles). Jeremy tops his with Thai peanut sauce; Jack and I stick to plain soy sauce
*Tacos with black beans, rice, salsa, tomato, onion, and whatever other veggies you like.
*Wild rice burgers with sweet potato chips/fries on the side.
*Pizza using this super easy crust recipe, topped with artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms (or any other combination of veggies) and a bit of Daiya cheese
*Butternut squash soup, adapted from a friend's recipe.
Then, a friend sent me this awesome website for those that are trying out a vegan menu. It's super helpful, and has suggestions for dining out and other considerations. Thank Erinn!!
We're only eleven days in, but we can already tell a noticeable difference. We both have more energy and leave each meal feeling full but never overstuffed. If I'm hungry I eat and snack on fruit, veggies, bagels, nuts, etc. One interesting thing is that Jeremy's back pain has been greatly diminished. I find it hard to believe that it's a total coincidence, and I'm interested to see what the rest of the month brings. If changing our eating habits could mean pain relief for him, I would be sold for good.
By the way, this whole no meat/dairy/eggs thing is really pretty easy and delicious! You just have to be willing to try new things!
Butternut Squash Soup
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 T olive oil
3 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cubed
11 whole leaves of fresh sage, washed, divided
4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup vegan cream cheese (I think you could probably use almond milk too?)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1. In stockpot, saute the shallot in olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add squash, 3 sage leaves, vegetable stock, salt, and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes, until squash falls apart when stuck with a fork.
3. Puree soup by portions in a firmly covered blender, 2 cups at a time. When you've finished, return pureed mixture to stockpot.
4. Stir in cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg over low heat. Taste the soup to determine whether or not to add more cinnamon, sugar, salt, and pepper.
5. Serve garnished with whole leaves of fresh sage.
4 T olive oil
3 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cubed
11 whole leaves of fresh sage, washed, divided
4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/3 cup vegan cream cheese (I think you could probably use almond milk too?)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1. In stockpot, saute the shallot in olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add squash, 3 sage leaves, vegetable stock, salt, and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes, until squash falls apart when stuck with a fork.
3. Puree soup by portions in a firmly covered blender, 2 cups at a time. When you've finished, return pureed mixture to stockpot.
4. Stir in cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg over low heat. Taste the soup to determine whether or not to add more cinnamon, sugar, salt, and pepper.
5. Serve garnished with whole leaves of fresh sage.
Vegan Rice Patties
Mix in a medium bowl:
*2 cups cooked wild rice
*1 cup (or less) Daiya cheese
*3 T flour
*1/2 cup minced onion (I use onion powder)
Whisk together:
*1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
*3 Ener-G "eggs" (the original recipe called for 3 egg whites)
Combine with rice mixture.
Heat oil and spoon approximately 1/3 cup of rice mixture onto the skillet. Press down to make a patty shape. Cook patties, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Top however you like!
Here's the original recipe, using egg and cheese.
*2 cups cooked wild rice
*1 cup (or less) Daiya cheese
*3 T flour
*1/2 cup minced onion (I use onion powder)
Whisk together:
*1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
*3 Ener-G "eggs" (the original recipe called for 3 egg whites)
Combine with rice mixture.
Heat oil and spoon approximately 1/3 cup of rice mixture onto the skillet. Press down to make a patty shape. Cook patties, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Top however you like!
Here's the original recipe, using egg and cheese.
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