Cop out

Isn't it so lame when bloggers just post links of other blogs. I guess sometimes other people just post things I wish I had posted. Or maybe it just goes to show that as God's Children, we need each other and all the varied talents and ideas we each bring to the table.

At any rate, my wonderful sister wrote this, and I was touched.

My other little *sister could sure use some love this month! I can't believe it has been a year since we lost Scotlin. I wish he was here now. I wish we were watching him learn to walk and play with his cousins. I wish we could all see the big picture behind this tragedy, but we're still a bit shocked, sad, and lost.

Reading in Luke 1 the other day, I had the reassurance that Scotlin's little spirit was in his body. When Mary meets with Elisabeth, John jumps in Elisabeth's womb for being in the presence of the Mother of the Son of God. I think Heavenly Father was reminding me that Scotlin had his brief mortal existence, and Scotlin has other purposes in the eternities that we can't yet comprehend. Still, I feel the loss of my little nephew. I wonder what he would look like. I wonder what his little personality would be like!

For now we continue following the Savior. I find great comfort in the words of the Savior: "IN the world ye shall have tribulation. But be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world."

*Don't read Whitney's blog unless you're prepared to cry.*

num nums

No, that is not a euphemism for anything. It's what my niece called anything tasty for a while.
And you can bet I'll be trying this pumpkin nutella cake this Thanksgiving!! Thanks Two Peas and Their Pod!

Food for thought.

The benefits of soy. Interesting. I'm inclined to think moderation in all things is a good maxim for life. But this fact sheet certainly makes me think twice before consuming animals.

a fun hobby

Artistic. Not a word I would ever use to describe myself. Still, I'm surprised by these




Yep. I made those. More mathematical than artistic. I'm pretty impressed with myself.

Vegetarian week 2 in review

How shocking that I haven't kept up with my posting schedule about my vegetarian experiment! But I did want to share a few things that I've learned this past week.

First, I have not had success in cutting out dairy and eggs, although I have definitely cut back by about 1/2, which I think is good!

Next, I'm trying not to think of my diet as a restricted one. Instead, I try to think off all the things I can eat and try (nutritional yeast, anyone?). I made a date/fig quick bread, which wasn't too awesome. But I tried it.

Whenever I start drooling over the thought of meat, I know that I'm hungry. So I eat something, and the cravings cease.

DH is completely supportive. To the point that he is mean to me whenever I ask him if I should put chicken into the white bean soup, or when I beg him to stop on his way home and pick up a ham sandwich. Perhaps mean is too strong a word. He just thinks I need to try this for a month to really perceive any health benefits.

I really don't know if I will make this long term or not. We shall see. Here is what I do know:
1. I plan on eating 8-10 servings of fruits/vegetables a day. Two at each meal, and at least 2 snacks a day.
2. Processed foods don't belong in my diet. That includes junk food, mixes, etc. Doesn't include canned beans or fruits.
3. Continue to limit sweets/refined sugars and flours, and fats (especially hydrogenated fats.)
4. Lots of whole grains (breads, pastas, rice, etc...)
5. Try at least 1 new recipe a week.

I'm still not sure if I'll eat turkey on Thanksgiving. At first I was planning to, but now I'm not so sure. The Thanksgiving we're going to is going to have a deep-fried turkey, and I'm just not down with that. However, I'm thinking I'll do a vegan fast the first week of December. (You know, going a week with absolutely no animal products. I might miss butter the most...)

Yummy stir-fry

I decided that instead of trying crazy new recipes all the time, I would just modify recipes I already like. So here is my Vegan veggie/lentil stir fry. (I would have used edamame, but I didn't have any.)

3 cups fresh veggies (your favorites, I used brocolli, cauliflower, and carrots, 1/2 onion).
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 C soy sauce
1/2 C vegetable broth
1/4 C water
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
dash black pepper
1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 C cooked lentils

Start rice cooking. When it has 15 minutes left, start stir-fry

Heat oil in skillet and stir fry veggies for 4 minutes. While veggies are cooking, stir together the rest of the ingredients, except the lentils, dissolving sugar and mixing well. Stir sauce and lentils into the veggies and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in a little thickener (cornstarch dissolved in water) and simmer until veggies are as tender as you want them and sauce thickens.

YUM!

Why not eat animals?

Just in case you want to ask why I'm trying not to eat animals or their products, I have created a list of reasons. If you think this is weird, that is fine. Please keep that to yourself. Or complain about it to your husband. :) Something I've learned this week is that Veganism is a process, and it isn't a list of dos and do nots. It's more about doing what you feel is best for your body and giving respect to everyone and everything around you. It involves being aware of the planet and how you impact everything you come in contact with. I still have a lot to learn, but these are the reasons I'm choosing to eat only plants.

1. To be healthier. I don't think eating small amounts of meat will cause you to die a painful death, but I have researched a substantial amount (not fad diets or tips from doctors who want to get rich, but from reading about 30+ years of comprehensive nutrition research) and feel that working towards eating few, if any, animals products is GREAT for your health, energy, and longevity.

2. The more I learn about how our bodies work, the less desire I have to eat meat. It really doesn't taste that great anyway.

3. I am aware that the Word of Wisdom does not say "Don't eat meat," but it does say to eat meat sparingly and only in times of famine or winter. I like to think of the Word of Wisdom in this respect, as telling us all the great things we can and should eat! Fruits in their seasons, every kind of grain. There are so many things I haven't tried.

4. I am really curious and want to try something new. :) I may be less strict when I get pregnant again, depending on how sick I get. But I kind of want to substantiate these claims that eating a plant-based diet is so great for one's body!!

Again, feel free to ask questions, or to think I'm crazy. But please omit any unkind comments. :)

And read the China Study. It just might change your life!

Some sites I've found helpful:
Whole Foods Vegan Momma
The Vegetarian Society

Information overload

I could attempt to inundate you with the vast amount of knowledge I've gained this week about practicing veganism (you read that correctly.)

Suffice it to say that my new-found knowledge is pushing me from the "experiment" stage into the "completely changing the way I think about nutrition as well as changing my lifestyle" stage.

Sounds crazy. I know.

And I will confess that, while attending a family party where the two main dishes contained meat, it was not easy to resist. I was very hungry. But when I really thought about it, the pulled pork and chicken salad really weren't appealing.

I'd like to share one tidbit, as I'm sure that if you are a personal friend and you are reading this, you are probably worried about me. The first thing my brother-in-law asked when I told him what I was trying was "aren't you still nursing?" I am, with no plans to stop in the near future.

So let's talk essential nutrients. There are 4 nutrients you get from animals that you can't get from plants. Vitamins A, D, &B-12 and cholesterol. You actually don't need to take in any cholesterol because your body can make everything it needs. Your body can readily convert all of the Beta Carotene you eat into Vitamin A, and if you spend 15 minutes in the sun every few days, your body will handily make all the Vitamin D you need. (Aren't our bodies awesome?!)

That leaves B-12. Dr. T. Colin Campbell, author of the China Study (one of the 3 books every person who wants to change their lives should read*), mentions in his book that our bodies store 3 years worth of B-12. So unless you're pregnant, nursing, or been a Vegan for more than a couple years, you don't need a B-12 supplement. He also mentions that all other supplements are unnecessary for those who eat a plant-based diet.

Isn't this all fascinating? I've tried to determine how I feel. I've still been eating a moderate amount of dairy, and I have eggs every day. I think I will replace dairy with soy and other plant milks (I tried soy yogurt this week and it was surprisingly good.) I may hang on to eggs for a while, until I get my pantry supplies built up. I may also continue to feed my girls an egg a couple times a week.

*The other two books being The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ and Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover.

I will go and do, not question You.

I have gained great strength from Nephi and his journey from Jerusalem to the promised land. His willingness to obey no matter what is inspiring. In 1 Nephi 9, Nephi explains a particular commandment. “I have received a commandment of the Lord that I should make these plates,” meaning the smaller plates. The large plates already contained a record of what had happened.

We know that Nephi is faithful in keeping God’s commandments. When he was commanded to obtain the Brass Plates, he knew why. He knew that his posterity would not have been able to obey the commandments unless they had the scriptures which contained God’s law. He knew they were commanded to leave Jerusalem in order to preserve their lives. He even knew that if he failed to obey the prompting to slay Laban, however repulsed he felt by such a command, would result in an entire nation dwindling in unbelief. So he had faith, not only that God would help him accomplish the commandments, but that each commandment had a divine purpose.

Verses 5&6 in 1 Nephi 9 provide interesting insights: “This Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not. BUT THE LORD KNOWETH ALL THINGS from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of his words.” The powerful message behind these words is that sometimes we may not know the reason for a specific commandment. Often times we don’t fully understand why we are asked to do something. But we can exercise a particle of faith and ACT, knowing that God’s purposes will be revealed eventually.

This principle seems to fall directly in line with what Elder Richard G Scot of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said in the most recent General Conference: “Thus, every time you try your faith—that is, act in worthiness on an impression—you will receive the confirming evidence of the Spirit. As you walk to the boundary of your understanding into the twilight of uncertainty, exercising faith, you will be led to find solutions you would not obtain otherwise. With even your strongest faith, God will not always reward you immediately according to your desires. Rather, God will respond with what in His eternal plan is best for you, when it will yield the greatest advantage. Be thankful that sometimes God lets you struggle for a long time before that answer comes. That causes your faith to increase and your character to grow.”

I do have to clarify that I think it is perfectly acceptable to ask Heavenly Father to help us understand why we are to obey the commandments. Especially if it troubles us. But failing to obey the commandment until we understand every detail and the eternal perspective of it can result in missed blessings, decreased faith, and ultimately apostasy.

Progress

Do you think eating 12 pumpking chocolate chip cookies cancels out any good I've done from not eating meat the last two days? And would you believe how tempted I was by a sausage McMuffin from McDonalds this morning?

This not eating meat thing is hard!

My motivation right now is really curiosity. I'm curious how I'll feel at the end of the month by not eating meat.

Here are the recipes from this week's meals so far:

Broccoli Cheese Calzones:
1 container ricotta cheese
1 box (9oz) frozen broccoli, thawed (I used 1 raw bunch, chopped)
1/3 cup grated parm cheese
2 egg whites
1 tsp dried Basil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
pizza bread dough
1 can pizza sauce (or make your own)

Mix all but the last 2 ingredients together. Spread onto rolled out dough, fold over, and seal edges. Bake at 400 F for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
Verdict: Good. Not great. DH liked them, except the bread part. I probably could have just baked the filling with noodles or something for him. Or put it into a veggie lasagna.

Mediterranean Minestrone Casserole:
3 Medium carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 cups water
1 cup vegetable broth
2 6 oz cans tomato paste
2 TBSP Italian seasoing
1 TBSP sugar
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 cups cut green beans
1 Cup uncooked elbow noodles

Mix everything except the noodles and green beans into a crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. 30 minutes before serving, turn crock pot to high and stir in noodles and beans. Top with parmesan cheese.

Verdict: make sure you cook your green beans all the way. Ours were too crunchy. This was good. It would have tasted better with some italian sausage... And it kind of looked like throw-up. Not to deter you from making this. It was good. Just not THAT good. If I make it again I will probably use kidney beans.

Anyway, things are going well. I'm determined. And my grocery bill was ON budget this week, WAHOO! So that is a major motivation to not eat meat. And I got cage-free eggs on sale, so I'm excited to try those tomorrow. We'll see if I can taste a difference. It's ok if you think I'm nuts. I probably am.

To eat meat...

You might say I've been on a health kick lately. Well, minus the hundreds of fun-size candy bars I've downed this week. But really, I've been running more than I've ever run in my life, practicing yoga, and trying to get in my 5 fruits and vegetables each day. Nutrition has always fascinated me, but I've always thought people who were vegetarian were probably nuts.

But lately I've had this little bird on my shoulder urging me to research a meatless diet, and bugging me to try it out. So I am. I'm not morally opposed to eating meat. I don't think you are going to die a horrible death if you do. I'm not even saying that I'm never going to eat meat again. I'm just going to try, this month, not eating meat. I will still eat eggs and cheese, though I'll probably limit those things. I will be sure to get enough protein, iron, and B-12. I'm really just curious.

I had a friend in high school who was the kind of vegetarian who wouldn't eat meat, but who would down an entire package of oreos in a single sitting. That is NOT what I'm going for. Part of my plan is to stay away from candy and other packages goodies. I can eat cookies and things if I make them myself, and they will probably be pumpkin cookies or carrot cake, or even apple pie.

I'm also excusing myself for Thanksgiving. Turkey is my favorite Thanksgiving food.

Follow along with my dinner plans on my Google Calender at the bottom of my blog. I'll be posting recipes. Every Wednesday I will post a tip for how to implement more meatless meals into your lifestyle while keeping the flavor and getting the right nutrients. On Saturdays I will review my meals for the week and give a report on how I feel. I'm excited. This should be fun!!

Monday: Broccoli & Cheese Calzones with whole-wheat calzone dough, ricotta, cheddar cheeses.
Tuesday: Mediterranean Minestrone with garbanzo beans and a variety of vegetables, plus whole-wheat pasta
Wednesday: leftovers with baked mozzarella sticks
Thursday: Lentil and mixed vegetable casserole.
Friday: Eat out (We're eating at a temple cafeteria, so we'll see if I they have a meatless option)
Saturday: Nephew's party, we're bringing the vegetable tray. I'll probably bring something to eat since they'll be serving pull pork.

Image from http://karmafreecooking.wordpress.com/topic-index/vegetarianism-as-a-way-to-loose-weight/

I needed this today.

This has been out there for a while, but in case you haven't seen it, it's great!