Vegetarian Eggplant Parmesan

13 Mar posted by

Vegetarian eggplant parm. isn’t as borning as it sounds. It’s actually quite delicious. You can make it with any kind of sauce (we make our own). Our sauce is just peppers, onion, garlic, and tomato sauce. With spices course.

Slice your eggplant thin and use any kind of breading you like. We like panko and we dip in water then the panko. No milk or egg for me. Bake at 400 until golden brown. About 25/30 minutes.

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You can have this with noodles, but I use asparagus. Cause I’m cool like that.

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Tyrell usually makes this for me on the weekends. He spoils me.

Look good?


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Filed Under: Food, Recipes, Uncategorized, Vegan, Vegetarian

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

26 Feb posted by

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Super easy. Super quick. Let’s do this.

2 green peppers (to stuff)
1 red pepper
1 onion
Garlic
I can of tomato sauce
Rice-cooked and set aside (I used brown long grain)

I make alot of rice so I can pile it on the sides and MAYBE have leftovers.

Grab your green peppers and slice them down the middle.

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Scrape and wash them up. Then brush with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper onto them.
Put in a 375 degree oven until they are soft. While those are baking, sautee red pepper, onion, and garlic in olive oil. Season to liking. I like to add veggie broth to help them cook and for flavor.
Once cooked and soft add rice and sauce. Take your peppers out and fill them up with your mixture. Tyrell has cheese on his. I just sprinkled some parmesan on my side. Have a big bowl of greena with this meal and you are good to go. One of my faves! Enjoy!

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Filed Under: Food, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian, Weightloss

Best Ever Vegetarian Chili

27 Nov posted by

This is by far THE best chili I have ever made. I used ingredients that I had in my kitchen. No trip to the grocery store required, which makes it even better.

I gathered up everything that I wanted:
Meatless veggie crumbles
Jar of salsa (I used the salsa I made a couple of months ago)
Frozen corn
Black beans
Vegetable broth
Tomato soup

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I decided to cook up some rice while I was chopping my green and red pepper, onion, and garlic. I use long grain brown rice.

Saute veggies with crumbles. Do you like my reindeer spatula? Jealous?

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Once the veggies are just about cooked, add a cup or two of broth. I didn’t measure anything. Just eyeball it. You want to cover the veggies so they cook all the way through. Once they are cooked add the beans, tomato soup, corn, and salsa.

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Don’t forget about the rice!

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Spice it up to your liking. I let mine simmer for two hours. I also threw a sweet potato in the oven. Love this combo!

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Chili time!

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Thank God for leftovers. Enjoy!


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Filed Under: Food, Recipes, Vegan

Veggies and a hot bath.

25 Nov posted by

So bummed that it’s Sunday and we have to go back to work tomorrow. Boo for work. So, did you stuff yourself like crazy this Thanksgiving? I did! This was my first big holiday as a vegetarian. Not a big deal for me. I just ate  a ton of other food!

I started the day off with a 5K run. My hip has been bugging me lately so it was a slower run. I had to stop and walk a few times. I felt clumsy so I knew I wasn’t running “right”. Something must be out of whack.

We made caprese skewers to bring over to my grandparents for Thanksgiving. Every skewer I made I ate a tomato. They were so good! I bought them the Sunday before Thanksgiving and I worried they would be all wrinkly by then. I read somewhere that you shouldn’t put them in the fridge, so I thought I would try it. I never have any room in my fridge anyway. Let me say, this tip is right on! Stop putting your tomatoes in the fridge people! We put balsamic vinegar in the middle of our skewers.

skewers So good! All you need is some fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, and some cherry tomatoes. Oh my heavens. My cousin Lee Ann and I scarfed these down. I think some other people might have had a chance at some too…if they were lucky.

So I ate a thousand tomatoes, four hundred cucumbers, 80 carrots, and 28 black olives. I got my veggie fill in! I also pigged out on Lee Ann’s pumpkin pie chex mix. I should have taken a picture, so good and addicting. When the actual dinner started I just grabbed a tablespoon of mashed potatoes (I don’t like them. I just felt I should have some), some corn, coleslaw….and I ate half of my mom’s veggie tree. It was a good day!

Now that we got all of that Thanksgiving business out of the way…Christmas decorations have been put up! I put out a lot more this year. Maddox is getting older and HOPEFULLY he’ll be careful. So far so good! Here’s our pretty tree.

tree Today  I was scheduled to do my last workout for month 2 with Les Mills. Well, I woke up, sat up, and twisted wrong. Now it feels like there’s a monster under my shoulder blade eating away. I could barely get my contacts in. Tyrell rubbed it for a while and I made him stop because I was going to cry like a baby. So, I spent some time on the foam roller. Seemed to help a little bit. Tyrell suggested I go take a bath. I thought this would be the perfect time to try out that detox bath on Pinterest. I never take a bath. Too many toys to clear out and this just doesn’t seem like the peaceful haven it once was.

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I didn’t play basketball or anything. I took advantage of the quiet time and just did NOTHING. Life sure changes when you have kids! Your bathroom and bathtub that used to have all kinds of soaps, lotions, and candles around it no longer exists. Oh well, I wouldn’t change it for the world.


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Filed Under: Random, Recipes, Vegan, Weightloss, Workout

We got the beets.

15 Nov posted by

Why did I wake up craving pickled beets today? I didn’t have them for breakfast, but I did incorporate them in my lunch and dinner. My mom gives me jars of her pickled beets thankfully, so I didn’t have to shop or do any work.

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I was already thinking last night that today was going to be a rest day. It was on the shedule, but I don’t take them if I don’t want or need to. I am glad I did. Lifting is getting more intense with Les Mills and I greatly appreciated the extra sleepy time. In fact. I am looking forward to doing it again very soon.

I woke up , started my work computer, got ready, and had my shake for breakfast. Second breakfast (a couple hours later) was peanut butter oatmeal. Snack was greek yogurt. Then it was time for lunch. I had a giant baby green salad. Toppings: pecans, tomato, red onion, and avocado.

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I snacked on some popcorn with Maddox this afternoon and had a green apple. I am either always eating or washing dishes. Why am I telling you everything I ate today? I have no idea. Maybe you need snack or meal ideas. There.

I wasn’t that hungry for supper, but I knew I wanted a sweet potato….and beets. Can you guess what I made? I chopped up a sweet potato and mixed a tablespoon of coconut oil, salt, and pepper with it. 400 degree oven for 40 minutes. House smelled super deliciously amazing.

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Doesn’t this look good? This would be a great side for any meal. Or, how about Thanksgiving? Oooo. So, I wasn’t too creative tonight, but this is what I wanted. It made a pretty plate. And it was so freaking good. The sweetness of the potato and the pickled beets mixed wonderfully. Another hit in my books.

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Oh yeah, did you see Engaged and Running’s post? A little Q&A with me. Go, read, and love it.

Night night.


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Filed Under: Recipes, Vegan, Weightloss, Workout

No cheese please pizza.

26 Aug posted by

We have no food. You would think that would mean going grocery shopping, but no. I was starving today after my run. I had some veggies left in the fridge so I decided to make a no-cheese pizza. (I’m going off dairy for a few weeks to test something. I’ll report back.) The ideal situation and healthier option would have been to make my own crust, but I didn’t have the time, nor the ingredients. So, I used a store bought crust. I sat Maddox up on the counter and started. He likes to sit up where the action is. He pretty much just stirs everything I’ve chopped and dumps it out. He’s very helpful. I used what I had:

  • Zucchini
  • Red onion
  • Garlic
  • Diced tomatoes

I crushed the garlic and mixed it in with the diced tomatoes. I added various spices until I loved the taste:

  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Basil
  • Garlic salt

Then we dumped the sauce on the crust and placed all the veggies on top. The pizza looked so pretty. Almost too pretty to eat.

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I think I had to wait 3 hours before it was done. Well, not really. But it sure felt like it. I wish I could send you the smell. I put a lot of garlic on this. Oh, it smelled amazing. But I’ve been chewing a lot of gum since.

 

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Oh this was sooo good. I can’t wait until I actually have more groceries and I can play around with this a bit more. Who needs cheese? Not this girl!


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Banana Bread Oatmeal

18 Jul posted by

Did you see my post on Facebook this morning? My yummy Banana Bread Oatmeal? I made it ALL by myself and it turned out delicious!

1/2 cup oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill 5 Grain Rolled Hot Cereal)

1 cup Almond Milk

1 teaspoon Nutmeg (to taste)

2 teaspoon cinnamon (to taste)

1 tablespoon vanilla

Banana

Mix all ingredients except for banana in small pot and heat until oats are cooked through. When it is to the consistency you prefer take off heat. Pour in bowl and cut up a banana and place on top. Enjoy!

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I ran this morning before work. After I run I ALWAYS have Shakeology. It’s important to replace lost minerals and nutrients. It also re-energizes and reduces muscle soreness. There are so many more reasons why I still drink this every day. I could go on and on. Want me to? Later? Ok.

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Anyways, about an hour after I drink my shake I make my breakfast and it’s usually oatmeal. Peanut butter oatmeal is one of my favorites, but I decided I was in a banana bread mood. Hence, the new recipe.

About once or twice a week my husband and I do our own things for dinner. That’s when I make something I know I love and he doesn’t. Then I can eat it all! I found a zucchini (a huge zucchini) sitting in my garden today. I decided to chop it up and just roast it with a bunch of other root veggies like beets, carrots, and onions. I doubled the batch so I can I have left overs tomorrow. I made some quinoa to go along with it. They pair nicely.

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Tomorrow is my Friday. Tyrell informed me that he hates when people say that. He’s just jealous. I’m getting excited for the weekend. It’s our class reunion (10 years). We had such a small class, only 13 of us, so it will be fun to see and visit with everyone. I better start looking for something to wear now…


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Filed Under: Half-Marathon, Recipes, Shakeology

Eggs and Little House

6 Jul posted by

Workouts for the week:
Saturday: P90X Shoulders and Arms
Sunday: Run 4 miles (treadmill)
Monday: Cross training.
Tuesday: Run 3 miles (treadmill)
Wednesday: Bedroom remodeling!
Thursday: Run 3 miles (treadmill)
Friday: P90X Shoulders and Arms

Busy week! I am at the end of week two with my half marathon training. So far so good! I am mixing up my workouts to keep it interesting on my off running days.

We celebrated the fourth of July with a bang. Not. We started working on our bedroom. The country western border and pink carpet just weren’t doing it for me anymore. We have lived here for 4 years and it finally came down…after four hours of scraping! I think a great way to ruin someones day or to get even with someome would be to sneak into their house and put up a border.

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Bedroom is painted and closet is painted. Now, we need to pick out the fun stuff, furniture, carpet, and decorations. We are debating on the flooring, because we see that there is wood floor underneath the carpet…so, what should we do?

Was it just me or did Thursday feel like Monday? I ran that morning. My calves were so tight from standing on a ladder all day and my neck hurt, but I sucked it up and ran. Got to stick to my training schedule or I will get in trouble. I’m pretty tough on myself.

It’s Friday and I am living it up like usual. Watching Little House on the Prairie and watching the clock hoping it’s time for bed soon. Maddox just needs a bath and we are good to go. What kind of bedtime snacks do your kids like? We usually give him yogurt or unsweetened applesauce. We crush his vitamin and claritan and mix it up. Poor little man has been on this stuff since he was four months old. I wonder what it’s like to just put your kid to bed without medicating him. I am not complaining, just wondering. A mom can dream right? Hey, whatever it takes to keep
my baby healthy, I will do it! Maddox loves greek yogurt. Here’s tonight’s super hero snack:

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I had Shakeology at 4:00, so I made myself a late dinner. An egg white with veggie cheese on a slice of wheat toast, sliced peppers, pickles, and grapes. Nom.

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Weekend workout plans will do a switcharoo. I am supposed to run 4 miles on Sunday, but we are celebrating my grandma and grandpas 50th wedding anniversary Saturday. Mass, reception, dinner, and dance. We know how to celebrate. So, I will switch my running to tomorrow. I am planning on having my feet hurt Sunday from dancing too much.

Happy Anniversary Papa and Grandma Shirley. Love you both so very much. Muah!


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Filed Under: Half-Marathon, Shakeology, Weightloss

Cookies and Wisdom

2 Jun posted by

Workouts:
Thursday-Rest (no workout)
Friday-Walk
Saturday-Run (Treadmill)

I took an unplanned rest day on Thursday. My body told me to, so I listened. Yesterday, I went for a walk with a friend. I wouldn’t classify it as a workout at all, just good girlfriend quality time. Today I ran on the treadmill. Do you like to listen to music when your running? It’s a must for me. I put the t.v. on closed caption and watch to pass the time. What do I watch? Frasier. I have a billion of them on my DVR. Shut up. It makes me happy.

I made some delicious chocolate chip cookies last night. They’re called clean eating chocolate chip cookies. I got the recipe from one of my favorite sites for clean eating ideas and recipes. They are super easy to make and you aren’t putting any junk in them (which is why they are called it CLEAN). No bleached flour, butter, eggs, or sugars. Just good stuff, that’s good for you!

Clean Eating Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Tools
Food processor
Large mixing bowl
Spatula

Ingredients
2/3 cup almonds
1/3 cup cooked oatmeal
3 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup grain sweetened chocolate chips (or dairy free chips)

Note: If you don’t want to use the chocolate chips, they could be very easily substituted with raisins, nuts or dried fruits of any kind.

Directions

Step 1 – Mix everything except the chocolate chips in the food processor. You should have a nice wet, sticky dough when you’re done.

Step 2 – Using your spatula, scrape dough into your mixing bowl and mix in chocolate chips.

Step 3 – Spoon onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Step 4 – Bake for 20 minutes.

have made alot of changes this past month with food. I have learned so much, so I am trying to apply it to my daily life. I have not had any meat in over a month, very small amounts of dairy if any, still no pop in over a year, and no coffee for almost two months. I have nothing against eating meat, I grew up on a farm I know how it goes. I just feel so much better not eating it. If I don’t like something, I won’t do it. Simple. We’ve grilled a couple of times in the past couple weeks and I have been eating veggie burgers with veggie cheese. I can’t tell the difference. I think they are delicious. And I don’t feel guilty or cruddy when I’m done eating. It has not been a challenge at all for me. I don’t crave it. I just don’t want it. This wasn’t planned, it just happened! Believe me, there are plenty of other ways to get my protein, which I do. It’s all good!

I keep going back to this, but it seems like it is something that people don’t want to face. You are what you eat. Period. So many people complain about the way they feel, look, etc. I wish they would just realize that if they tweaked their diets a bit and stuck to a workout routine, they would feel so much better. I know, there are alot of medical conditions that have nothing to do with this and sadly cannot be fixed without medicine, but there are alot of things that can be.

Staying active and eating right will certainly change your life. It has changed mine. When I had my son two years ago, I was 80 pounds heavier than I am today. 80 pounds! I didn’t take some magic pill or drink a magic juice. I worked my ass off, changed what I ate, and changed the way I look at food. My back doesn’t hurt anymore, my feet don’t hurt, I don’t have heartburn, I can sleep at night, I rarely have headaches, I rarely get sick…I could go on and on!

Educate yourself, ask for help, do whatever it takes. We only get one shot at life, why not make it great?

You know I’m here to help. All you have to do is reach out and ask :)


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