My Indy trip (Saturday)

Yesterday was our trip to Indianapolis.
It was my first trip to Trader Joes (Boo went about 12 years ago when he lived in California).
I can see where it would be handy if you lived near it, but I doubt I would go to Indy specifically to goto TJ's. I picked up some tempeh to try, some flax oil, some toothpaste & sunscreen, strawberries, and light coconut milk. I think I will go back to get toothpaste and things like that, but only on the way to Costco. Nearby it was Pennzys Spice store, I had never been to one of these before either, lol. I grabbed some arrowroot, fenugreek seed, and a couple of misc. spices.

We used to go to Sam's club. It was all bulk stuff like I like, but it was missing alot of things I was looking for. Having heard good things about Costco, we decided to check them out this time. I am glad that we did! I found quinoa (!!!), unbleached flour, brown rice (I have been wanting to find this in bulk forever!), veggie straws, veggie burgers, etc. Needless to say, I spent twice as much here as I did at Sam's.

Blessings of blessings, right across the street from Costco is an asian market. I have been trying to find some miso paste for quite some time. I found it! yay. Last time I went to get sushi nori at Meijers they were out so I also grabbed a pack of those as well. It was a pretty thick stack of it too, not the over priced packets I can sometimes get lucky enough to find at Meijers/Walmart.

I think we now have enough food to settle a small colony, and shouldn't have to buy much aside from fresh veggies. It was a pretty good trip, and I was happy to brave the traffic to check it out. I am feeling great about cutting out the meat soon, and even pookie has said he might try a week without dairy to see how he feels =)

Winter Stir Fry & May Menu

I was visited by a few ducks today, and thought I'd post a pic ('cause why not).

They must be loving all this non-stop rain! I think the news said 14/15 days were rainy.

happy quacky ducks.






I finished my menu :


Luckily, I am finally to the point where I am eating more veggie days than meat days, yayyy.
I am noticing that it takes more beans, veggies, and fruits to get my points in (not a bad thing!).





Went to the grocery :
I was hoping to stumble on more of the tofuttis.. it's eventually going to be a long hot summer. No luck.
I did score BIG on tofu though. It's a pretty small town so there are no asian markets etc to buy it nearby. It was on sale for 99c (usually is 2.49) for the nasoya brand. Bought all they had (10 packages), and left the store very giddy. I will work on freezing it tomorrow.
Went to big lots, they carry natures own bread at 1.20 a loaf. Left with 3 loaves of double fiber bread, one box of the sweetzel's philly cookies (marked down to 1$), and one bag of kettle chips (also marked down to 1$).

Food:

B- ppk red lentil dhal (3)
L- winter stir fry (4)
s- 28g kettle chips, reduced fat, Poore brothers brand (2.7)
D- 29g tortilla chips (3), lettuce (0), salsa (1), avocado (2), ff refried beans (2), 1/4c instant cheez-it (1)
s- lf popcorn (1.5) & 2 beers (6)
40 oz water
26.3/26

Falafel(s?)

Today I made my first falafel(s?). I used the Middle East Chickpea Spread recipe from the book Vegan delights. I did not add flour, instead, I added less of the chickpea cooking water. I also just used the food processor to mix rather than mashing them.
Boo thought they were fab (he didn't say fab, but that's what he meant I bet). I thought it was tasty too... though I didn't really have a "side" for them. The pita itself was pretty filling (I had 2 halves..) so I think it's ok to be sorta side-less this time around. I found four sad little baby carrots lost in the fridge, so that's what I went with.

B- PPK red lentil dhal (3)*it was cold when I woke up!*
s- Grapes (1), 24 oz water
L- 29g kroger tortilla chips (3), ff refried beans (2), lettuce,tomato (0), 1/4c Instant Cheez-it (1)
s- 1/2c cantaloupe & 1/2c honeydew (1)
D- WW pita (2), 2c spinach, 1/4c cucumber, 2 slices red onion (1), falafel(2), 4t evoo (4) 4 baby carrots (0)
s- lf popcorn (1.5) - during the biggest loser
s- Tofutti cutie (3) *found these on sale for 99c a box, bought the last 4*

24.5/26


Exercise = wiifit free step, 3000 steps

Taco salad with instant cheez-it sauce

Re-started weight watchers today.

Food log:

B- Fiber1 pancakes (3), 2 slices turkey bacon (2), Coffee (0)
s- 1c grapes (1), 30 oz water
L- last of the mexican pork with veggies (5)
D- PPK's Red lentil dahl (3), Brown rice (3)
s2- lf popcorn (1.5)

Gossip Girl season finale snack plate-
29g Kroger brand tortilla chips (3)
Lettuce, tomato (0)
1/2c FF refried beans (2)
1/4c Instant cheez-it sauce (1)
*from the ultimate uncheese book*
verde sauce (0)

40 oz water



25/26 pts


Exercise:

WiiFit Free step- 30min / 2617 steps

Weigh in - 222, guess it wasn't just a bad dream hehe

Working on my monthly menu plan tonight, will post it soon =)

Getting back into the groove

I am so far off the wagon, here lately, that I can't even see it anymore!

I have decided to one day at a time it, and just get things done ('cause that's how I roll, lol).
Ok, so I typed that.. ran off to weigh myself... skulked back. My fears were well founded! I am 222, nooooo. Oh I knew my slackin' ways would catch up to me. Time to take the bull by the horns!

New game plan - follow the darned plan (ha! take that me!).

So many people with soooo much more going on in their lives are getting it done, it's time for me to stop the excuses.

Goals - (haven't done this for a bit)

move it: Dear 20 exercise dvds/wiifit , I know you haven't seen the light of day in months!
We have the Pink Push 5k run/walk coming up and we haven't trained a lick for it. I think running it would be the bees knees, but boo thinks running in hot weather is silly. Seriously though, how awesome would running it be (can I get an amen)? Are we supposed to run in the winter? lol. Either way, that's a good bit of exercise for a couch potato, so I need to at least get walking.

ww it: I know how to add/subtract, I need to act like it
I am not put off doing weight watchers. I know it didn't fail me. I stopped counting. I stopped paying attention to portion sizes. I let me inner food demon out to play non-stop. It likes food, oh yes it does. Not hungry? - not a problem. lol
I plan to count my fanny off (literally). 'nuff said.

drink it: water (not diet mtn dew), water, water (maybe tea? lol)
Pookie & I are now trying to cut alcohol out of our lives, yep right after scoring those amazing booze related garage sale items (*frownie face* green monster in margarita glass anyone?). We drink, we make poor food choices, exercise less, and become more sloth-like in general.
The diet mountain dew / dr pepper is a real struggle though. I drink it all day, every day, non stop soda drinking action. I try to convince myself that I don't need it. I try logic - it is very expensive to drink it all the time. I tell myself it is the candy of drinks. I am apparently very stubborn on this issue though. Hopefully, if I drink more water (tea?), I will drink less soda.

Vegan Dad's Ultimate Vegan Hot Wingz

Today was a pretty tame day, silly cat kept me up all night jumping on the bed, so I just took it easy today.

Found a few more meat things in freezer (turkey sausage, turkey bacon, turkey burgers) so I made some fiber one pancakes to have with it. I missed my green monster =(

B- Fiber1 pancakes (3), icbinb (1), 1T Maple syrup (1), 2 Turkey sausages (2)
L- Turkey burger(3), 2 slices of Nature's own wheat bread (1), 1/2c Annie's mac n cheese(3), 1/2c corn (2)
s- 4 VD's ultimate vegan hot wingz (4)
D- Mexican pork chops with veggies (5), baked tato (3)

28/26

I made the hot wingz today because I hadn't added anything to the freezer in awhile. Convenience type foods that I can nuke and be done with aren't that important to me, but I do like them on occasion. I am a fan of the boca & morning star farms faux chikn patties, and am trying to find something I can make at home to take it's place. Yep, I find the price too high (side note- Boca's Bruschetta patties are to die for).

I have already made the chickpea cutlets from veganomicon, but pookie gave it low marks *said it was blah*. I think they have great potential, and may try them again in the next couple of weeks.

Today boo came home to vegan hot wingz, leftover mac n cheese, sesame sauteed kale. He first asked what's in it, lol. Guess he's just a little weary of my experimenting ;)
He ate one, said "Enh, I can eat it". Had some with the sides, commented, "You are feeding me like a child". Welp, I thought mac n cheese was a good fit, as they tasted sorta chicken nugget-y.
Either way, he said he could eat it every once in awhile, so that's boo's review.

I thought it had a nice enough texture, but would have liked it a bit more crunchy. I am freezing them and going to try baking it to reheat and see if that doesn't add some K-runch.

what a busy couple of weeks

I am about 99% sure I have put on a few lbs during my posting break. I am not getting on the scales to confirm though.

Spent the weekend at my FIL's house sorting through his things and selling some in the SR 38 annual rummage sale. I did pick up a few things at neighboring rummage sales, but it was pretty gimpy this year. Rained early Saturday, and then on and off Sunday (booo!!).

My auntie Vanessa gave me her big girl clothes couple days ago, and what didn't fit went into the rummage as well. She had the bariatric surgery and is dropping pounds left and right. I think I am the last of the mohicans big-girl wise in my family, lol.

My goodies -
Book on Cocktails, gardening book for zones 5/6, another misc gardening book, misc books, 6 Margarita glasses, decanter, 2 (idk, amaretto? That's their new function) glasses, Muffin tin, 6 homemade cookies (for boo) , homemade little caterpillars magnets, Pookie shirt for work, pair of shorts for me, Fruit container *going to use this as my compost bucket*, little white double planter, wooden santa ornaments



The slow progression to vegetarianism was further mired by having to clean out FIL's fridge/freezer. I think we gathered about 4 lbs of butter alone, lol. I believe, of the freezer stuff, all that's left to eat of his is some ham & ice cream.

My first garden is in a sad sad way. It is 1/4th turned over, not tilled, hoed etc. I am definitely running way behind on it! I really think with what all is happening here that I should just pay a guy to till it up for me. Last year it took so long to get the house bought that it was too late to start one. We aren't near done dealing with his dad's stuff, and I am worried it will get done too late... I have several tomato and peppers started inside, so I suppose if the worse happens that will be my first garden lol.

My living room also got the short end of the stick. We have sanded the stuff off the walls. I should have taken a before picture, it was like light poo smeared on the wall in some attempt to add texture. We have the carpet pulled up in it as well.


We have adopted my FIL's cat, Ralph(ie), and she seems to have finally settled into her new home.

She really digs napping by the plants, though I think she looks a little disgruntled that I woke her up for the snapshot. lol