A little about Kait and reduced fat peanut butter

Happy Monday!
Well since it is monday, I should tell you that it is starting of that way. Once again my computer has failed me and I only got two pictures up for you today. The weather is jacked up here and my computer just cannot stand inclement weather I guess...Touchy thing! I am seriously thinking of buying a faster newer version of my Dell...(do you hear that computer? That's right, I will replace you....you better work for me!!!!)
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This morning I got up and made my youngest daughter Kaiti a smoothie for her breakfast!
I used 1/2 cup of orange, 1 banana, 1 large handful of spinach (remember, I have large hands) and 1/2 cup of strawberries, 1 cup of ice and 1/2 cup water, I whipped it up in the Ninja. She drank about half before she had to head off to school.
In her haste to leave she left her water bottle...sigh...she always leaves something behind.
Kaiti is going to have to be coaxed into this way of eating, because she has always been a junk food vegan and then she went back to eating chicken, then vegan again..
Please send some good vibes this way that she will be able to stick to it!
Did I tell you my entire family have decided to Eat To Live? Yes, they have and I am thrilled. I was especially thrilled when my husband, whom I nagged incessantly finally agreed to try it!!!!
Even Emma, my junk food baby (she is 20) is going to start ETL as soon as she can!
She will be joining us for dinner every night until she can grocery shop again to get her goodies. Her main question was "Is it expensive?" I told her in my opinion, it is the cheapest way to eat.
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So back to Kaiti. I didn't want to scare her to death with anything she would consider funky. I have already sprung an oil free salad dressing on my family last night to see how they would react. Chris was less than thrilled but he ate it, and both the girls liked it. I will post the salad dressing tomorrow! I packed a spinach and carrot salad with the leftover dijon herb dressing from last night, 2 sliced pears rubbed with lemon and a water. Kaiti is not a big school eater, she would rather talk to her friends at lunch, but she promised me she would eat her lunch for me and I trust she will.
Kaiti is very open to veganism, her main problem, in my opinion is she is a teenager in a school filled with cow and wheat farmer children. All these kids eat meat and potatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner and if you go against the grain so to speak, you are a freak.
Sadly, my daughter already thinks she is a freak. She is an avid reader and a brilliant artist, she wears funky clothes and listens to Swedish and Japanese rock. I told her she is exceptional and that someday she will be ok with other people thinking she is a freak, because she will know who she is...She is wonderful and perfectly made!
She thinks I am a freak too....LOL, and a hippy. But she loves me anyway, so that is all that matters to me.
I am a hippy and a freak too!
I will proudly wave my freak flag!!
I listen to african and french music! Ha Ha!
Ok enough about us, lets get to the peanut butter, shall we?
Ever since I read from Alicia that you can make All Natural Organic peanut butter reduced fat, I have wanted to try. If you would like to see where I got this idea go here Here is what I did.
I dumped off all the nasty oil on the top of my peanut butter jar, be careful not to lose about a 1/4 cup of peanut butter in the trash can like me, then scoop out all the peanut butter into the food processor. I washed the glass jar so the reduced fat PB wouldn't get any oil residue back into it. Honestly, I wouldn't try this in a blender, even a vitamix. It is thick!
I started by adding about 1/2 cup of water into the food processor and then processed it with the peanut butter. It turned into a huge lump, so I added more water until I had added roughly
1 1/4 cups of water total to get a really a nice smooth peanut butter. That is 1 1/4 total including the 1/2 cup previously. It turned a really light tan color and is light and smooth. I tasted it and was surprised how airy it was. I am pretty sure this is the best peanut butter I have ever had. I wish I had known about this years ago, as I have never been a peanut butter fan.

I really think this is the way to go with peanut butter and I have no plans to ever go back to the stirred in oil type. I might even eat this on an apple...maybe.
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I did alot of cleaning yesterday and I mopped and dusted, did laundry and moved around the dining room getting ready for the cabinet. It takes up one whole wall, so I turned my table the opposite way of how it usually sits. I like it this way and I wonder why I hadn't thought of it before?
Well I am off to take out Coco and then start some beans soaking.
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Since tomorrow is February, I am gearing up for the soup competition!
I am going to start off with Vegan Heartlands Minestrone soup! I am excited to see who's soup will win!
The winner will be named February 23rd!
Good Luck!

XOXO
Viv~

Sunshine Smoothie's

Good Early Morning, bloggers! I hope you slept well!

Since I am up so early I thought I would make some sunshine in this dark over cast morning by making me a sunshine smoothie!
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I did my usual morning ritual... you know, kiss the cats, let the dog out, trip over the cats, talk to the cats, kiss the cats, feed the cats, turn on my morning music (this morning, I am listening to french music), kiss the cats, push the cats off the counter, let the dog in, kiss the dog, give the dog a treat, bundle the dog up in blankets on the couch, remove the cats away from my smoothie, kiss the cats, hold the cats..The usual.
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If you would like to hear what kind of music I listened to this morning I have a sample for you here !!
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I was dragging on the floor this morning, blame the late night Bones Season Two marathon Chris and I had, or the late night reading of Eat to Live...(by the way, if you haven't bought the book yet, go get it!) It is life changing and is great for reference and for reassurance.
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But I could barely function this morning, so I made me an eye opening smoothie!!!!

Sunshine Smoothie!

2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice or 3 large oranges cut up, skins removed

2 bananas, frozen and sliced

Th ow everything in a blender and whiz around until nice and smooth!

ENJOY!!!

I like to have a full fruit smoothie once a week, not only does it elevate your mood, but it helps with bowel function, fights disease, and gives you huge vitamin boost!

Here are some facts for you!

BANANAS
Bananas consist mainly of sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose) and fiber, which makes them ideal for an immediate and slightly prolonged source of energy

Reducing Depression
Bananas contain tryptophan, an aminoacid that can be converted to serotonin, leading to improved mood
Anemia
Bananas are relatively high in iron, which helps the body's hemoglobin function
Constipation and Diarrhea
Due to their content in fiber, they help restore a normal bowel function. In addition, diarrhea usually depletes your body of important electrolytes (of which the most important is potassium, contained in high amounts in bananas). They also contain pectin, a soluble fiber (hydrocolloid) that can help normalize movement through the digestive tract.
Eyesight Protection
Research published in the Archives of Ophthalmology has proven that adults consuming at least 3 servings of fruit per day have a reduced risk (by 36%) of developing age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.
Healthy Bones
Bananas are an exceptionally rich source of fructooligosaccharide, a compound that nourishes probiotic (friendly) bacteria in the colon. These beneficial bacteria produce enzymes that increase our digestive ability and protect us from unhealthy bacteria infections. Thanks to fructooligosaccharides, probiotic bacteria can increase both in number and functionality, increasing our body's ability to absorb calcium.
In addition, green bananas contain indigestible short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that are very nutrient to the cells that make up the mucosa of the stomach. These cells, when healthy, absorb calcium much more efficiently
Healthy Kidney
About 190,000 cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed each year.
Research published in the International Journal of Cancer has shown that daily consumption of whole fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, is highly protective to kidney health. The results show that, over a long timeframe (13.4 years), women eating more than 2.5 servings of fruits and vegetable per day cut their risk of kidney cancer by 40%. Among the fruits, bananas were especially protective. Women eating bananas four to six times a week halved their risk of developing the disease compared to those who did not eat this fruit. The conclusion of the study is that frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, cabbage and root vegetables, may reduce risk of kidney cancer. This is because bananas and many root vegetables contain especially high amounts of antioxidant phenolic compounds, while cabbage is rich in sulfur, necessary for effective detoxification of potential carcinogens.
Blood Pressure
Bananas are extremely high in potassium (about 4673mg), yet very low in sodium (1mg), thus having a perfect ratio for preventing high blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Heartburn
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood-sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Smoking
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. They contain vitamins B6 and B12 they contain, as well as potassium and magnesium: these substances help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Ulcers
This is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicle cases. It also helps reduce acidity and reduces irritation. Bananas stimulate the cells on the internal stomach lining to produce a thicker mucus (which protects against acid). Additionally, bananas contain protease inhibitors that help eliminate bacteria in the stomach that have been pinpointed as a primary cause of ulcers.
Nerves
Bananas are high in B vitamins that have been shows to improve nerve function
Mosquito Bites
Many people report that rubbing the inside of a banana peel on a mosquito bite is very effective in reducing itching and swelling
Stress Relief
Bananas are high in potassium, which helps normalize the hearth beat and regulate the body's water balance. During periods of high stress, our body's potassium levels tend to be rapidly depleted: eating bananas is a healthy way to rebalance them without using drugs
Stroke Risk
According to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can reduce the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%

ORANGES!!!!!

Orange is one of the most favorite fruit in the world. Orange is loaded with vitamins, and the most abundant vitamin in orange is Vitamin C. This powerful vitamin protect our body against harmful elements.
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Orange is Beneficial in the following cases :

•Asthma
•Bronchitis
•Tuberculosis
•Pneumonia
•Rheumatism
•Prevent kidney stone
•Helps lower cholesterol
•Helps prevent diabetes
•Arthritis
•High blood pressure
•Persons addicted to alcohol have found that the desire for liquor is greatly reduced by drinking of orange juice.
•Consumption of large quantities of oranges will decrease the outpouring of mucus secretions from the nose.

Nutritional Contents of Orange :


1.Betacarotene, another powerful antioxidant that protects our cells from being damage.
2.Calcium that helps protect and maintain the health of our bone and teeth.
3.Folic Acid for proper brain development.
4.Magnesium helps maintain blood pressure.
5.Potassium helps maintain electrolyte balance in the cells, and is important in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system.
6.Thiamin helps to convert food into energy.
7.Vitamin B6 helps support the production of hemoglobin that carries oxygen to all parts of the body.


Nutritive Values : Per 100 gm.


•Vitamin A : 190 I.U.
•Vitamin B : Thiamine .08 mg.;
•Vitamin C : 49 mg.
•Calcium : 33 mg.
•Phosphorus : 23 mg.
•Potassium : 300 mg.

Do you like that I give you all this information?
Do you think it is too much to read?
Would you like me to continue giving you facts about what you eat?

I found all this information for you here and here !!!

It's my 1 year anniversary!!!!

Guess what??? I have been blogging for an entire year! Yes, this is my 1st blog anniversary!
I didn't ever realize it had been a year!

In January last year I wrote what I consider my favorite post. It was called You know your a vegan if...and by far it is still my absolute favorite!

So one year later, here I am with a new list!
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YOU KNOW YOUR A VEGAN IF....
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1. You know your a vegan when you look at a picture of tofu and you start salivating.
2. You are constantly looking for new burger recipes, you get excited when you see this burger, and actually clap for the picture....
Clap clap clap clap!!!!

3. You stopped using plastic before it became the "eco" thing to do. You knew those high numbers meant something and it made you nervous, so you took them to the dump for proper disposable and they stared at you like you were purple, but they took them anyway.

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The next year, they started a real recycling center because you nagged them all the time.

4. You have more produce in your fridge than a fully stocked grocery store.

5. You still have a hidden tattoo that says VEGAN and still no bumper stickers Shhhhhh....

6. You take one look at Joaquin Phoenix and think WOW, Veganism is sexy!

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7. While you no longer want to paint women's fur coats with red spray paint, you still stalk them down the aisles of Wal-Mart occasionally for fun!

You may even own my own faux fur and love it. It doesn't mean you want to wear an animal, it just means that they make you really warm and you are so skinny you're constantly chilly.

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8. You now know the best places to eat 500 miles in each direction.

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9. You have outgrown your Isa Chandra Moskowitz cookbooks and are writing your own.

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10. And finally after years and years of being a vegan, you cannot imagine eating any other way,
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So here is my new list! It is a little older, a little wiser and a whole lot more fun!

I hope many of you can relate and enjoy my little list!

How was your day?

Does anyone out there have spring fever yet?

XOXO

Vix~

Thank you to all of the vegan bloggers who take such beautiful pictures for me to borrow on google.com

Thank you for Joaquin Phoenix for being so sexy and compassionate.

Thank you to me readers, you make me so happy with your comments daily!

What I ate today!!!!!

Well guess what...

My computer hates me again and I cannot load my pictures yet again. I was able to get my snack on and that is when she stopped working....

So I figured that this shouldn't be a complete waste of post.

I thought I would share what I ate today, I do not have the pictures to show you...iso I guess it is imagination time..

I woke up not very hungry, but I was thirsty so I made some apple lemonade. Very thirst quenching.

It is easy too!

Take one apple and core it. Juice it with 2 lemons, a handful of parsley and 1/4 tsp. garlic.

Throw everything in your blender and add 16 oz. of ice if desired. Blend up and enjoy. This is awesome in the summer time btw. If you are just starting to juice, you may need some additional sweetness, feel free to add some stevia to your taste.

For lunch I was thinking something hot, due to the weather is so darn cold out, but once I got in to the fridge, I was called to eat some of the Monster salad I had the other day with a little lemon and pepper on it. I would say I ate about 4 cups of salad. For desert I ate some fresh anjou pear slices

Dinner was a hodge podge of what was in the fridge. I ate about 1/4 cup of this I made Sunday except I made it over about 2 tbls. mashed garlic cauliflower, a bite of broccoli pepper stir fry, 1 whole cucumber that I sliced and then sprinkled with lemon pepper and a small salad of spinach and mandarin oranges and red onion.

About 7 pm. I was snacky.

Dessert was some frozen banana slices sprinkled with carob powder and cinnamon and dipped in peanut butter, because I was too lazy to make soft serve.

This has to be my new favorite treat.

When I was a kid my mother made chocolate covered banana's as a treat in the summer. I will not tell you this reminds me of it, but I have to tell you I enjoyed this just as much.

The picture is the actual amount I ate for a snack,

I think I have about 1/4 tsp. organic peanut butter that was made low fat by removing the oil from the top and then adding in water until it is light and fluffy.

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It is awesome to see how much oil comes off the top of the peanut butter. If you hate the all natural and organic peanut butters due to the oil, try this it works! Drain off the oil, place the peanut butter in your food processor and add about 1/2 cup water gradually until you reach the desired appearance of your peanut butter (this is based on a small jar. 28oz. jars can take as much as 1 1/2 cups of water) Your peanut butter will be aerated and most probably will not fit back into the original container. I place mine in a large wide mouth glass ball jar with a lid. It is delicious and easy to make plus you can make it even healthier by removing it and placing it on glass.

What did you eat today?

I eat alot and still manage to lose weight, isn't that weird?

Do you have issue's about keeping weight on?

When I was chunky I would hardly eat and never lost weight. Now I eat tons and rarely gain weight, unless I eat out for a week, then no more than a pound or two.

Would you like a demonstration on how I reduce the oil in my peanut butter the next time I make a batch??

I am glad Monday is over, it has been tiring. This cold weather is just murder on my body. It makes me slow and uncomfortable in my skin. Come on Spring!!!

See you all tomorrow!

XOXO

Viv~

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DON'T FORGET TO SEND IN YOUR SOUP RECIPES BEFORE FEBRUARY 1st!!!

The 111 in 1/11

I was recently reading the tiny sprout blog here and she did something called the 111 in 2011 and I really loved it. It was a list of 111 things she wanted to do in 2011.

I thought why the heck not! So I am doing it too and then passing it along.

This list is all about possibilities and believing in the future, opening your heart and being a little naive and childlike.

Don't we all need this now?

Here is my list

1. Really start to exercise, don't just talk about it

2. Learn to listen more and talk less

3. Be more open to my husbands idea's

4. Put down the cell phone when I am with people I love

5. Travel to Wichita at least twice a month

6. Go visit my mothers grave and tell her all about my blog. Read to her.

7. Do not cut my hair, even if it drives me crazy

8. Wear high heels for no good reason

9. Visit my friends more

10. Blindly love...

11. Eat more chickpeas

12. Go to the library once a week and talk to the woman that works in the book store

13. Stop eating out

14. Stop buying things I do not need

15. Start saving money to go on a cruise to the Bahama's

16. GO to the Bahama's

17. Collect as many seashells as I can

18. Read all the classic books Chris bought me for Mother's Day last year

19. Make a new book list of must have books

20. Eat outside more

21. Plant a garden

22. Work in the garden

23. Heal myself the best I can

24. Try to get off Remicade

25. Drink more tea

26. Have friends over for dinner

27. Stop being anti social

28. Smile at the neighbors...maybe....

29. Travel to Wamego and visit the Oz Museum

30. Go to Oklahoma Zoo

31. Spend loads of time at Kanopolis Lake this summer

32. Swap fat clothes for skinny clothes

33. Get up early

34. Go visit my father and take the Amtrak, just cause it is fun

35. Do not eat italian beef, just because my father begs me.

36. Toughen up

37. Try to enjoy 4th of July for my husbands sake

40. Make kale chips in the dehydrator

41. Make homemade lemonade every week

42. Buy a Johnny and June Carter Cash Cd

43. Dance around the house like I did when I was 20

44. Don't fret

45. Learn to make a vegan healthy version of Dutch letters

46. Be a better wife

47. Send more cards through the mail

48. Remember every ones birthday and buy them a present

49. Laugh out loud, even though my laugh is too loud

50. Eat brown rice... no really, eat it

51. Go to Overland Park, Kansas and visit all my friends

52. Go to Kansas City and kiss the brass pig

53. Be a better person

54. Go to nursing homes and sing folk music with my daughter for fun

55. Read more Biography's about people who interest me

56. Just read. period

57. Finish my book and send it to the publisher

58. Sing louder

59. Go to Church

60. Reconnect with people I miss

61. Make Indian food

62. Make African food

63. Make Irish food

64. Make my own milk from rice, almonds and soy

65. Buy a new used car

66. Re become a hippy

67. Inspire someone

68. Make my daughter smile

69. Be open to change

70. Learn to crochet

71. Keep fresh flowers in the house spring until fall

72. Buy all my veggies and most fruit at the farmers market this year

73.Chase my husband around the house more often

74. Stop snapping at people when they don't answer me quick enough

75. Be patient

76. Be still and know

77. Be pretty everyday, for no other reason than for myself

78. Talk to people about health, don't be afraid.

79. Get my degree to be a vegan dietitian

80. Learn Mandarin Chinese

81. Relearn German

82. Go to the Tulip festival

83. Be more assertive, in a good way

84. Allow my oldest daughter to be herself

85. Don't be ashamed of my scars

86. Let people take my picture

87. Celebrate New Years, don't go to sleep early

88. Watch every chick flick I want

89. Buy every chick flick I want, second hand, of course

90. Wear outrageously flouncy skirts

91. Read War and Peace

92. Actually use this list

93. Stop rolling my eyes at my husband

94. Dance with the stars and work out

95. Paint the house this year

96. Carpet the house this year

97. Keep my toenails painted

98. Throw out all the old dank junk in the basement and shed

99. Take better care of my teeth

100. Go window shopping alone, and take that time to remember my mother

101. Celebrate all the holidays

102. Do silly stuff with my daughter

103. Have date night with my husband no matter what

104. Watch for rainbows

105. Believe in myself

106. Take lots of pictures

107. Take lots of baths

108. Paint the living room and bathroom.

109. Stay away from negative people

110. Spend more time on the front porch

111. Stop and find beauty in the little things.

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There is my list! What are your hopes and dreams this year??

I thought it was cute and made me smile, I hope it does the same for you!!!

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Don't forget to send me your soup recipes before February to help me out with my hubby! You can win a cute prize!!!

Viv~

Check out my new look!

Hi bloggies!
How are you today?
I started out today like I usually do. With a smoothie! What a shocker right. I don't think I can focus with out one anymore. I made my usual garlic smoothie, apple, garlic, kale, frozen banana, ground ginger, cinnamon and flax seed, followed with a splash of water and some ice. Pretty isn't it!
This is Chris' favorite smoothie believe it or not and he will practically turn in circles to get one...lol

I have been laying around for the past few days after having my wisdom tooth removed on Tuesday. Normally I wouldn't be such a baby, but the tooth broke and then I bit my cheek and it got infected, so I feel awful. Not to mention the snow and freezing rain that is pelting us these past three days.

My psoriatic arthritis is really playing havoc in my achilles heel on my right foot.

It makes me limp like I am 90...or a pirate...lol

I am loading up on garlic and smoothies, eating loads of vegetables trying to combat the cold and the arthritis! I am counting the days until spring...

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So, I changed up my blog a little to entertain myself tonight, check it out and see if you like it and let me know your thoughts!

I think it is cute with the colored silverware and just a basic design.

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I am in need of soup recipes, my husband is not a soup eater, but he is going to try to go vegan in February. Most of you eat alot of soup, like normal people. I eat soup almost everyday for lunch, it is simple, cheap and filling. Chris is not normal, he thinks soup is not filling.

So here is what I need friends.

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Soups that are hearty and healthy, inexpensive and tasty!!!

I know it is alot to ask, but I am desperate for something to feed him for lunch and my food is WAY to clean for him. I need to lure him into the vegan lifestyle with hearty delicious soups that are healthy, and since I read almost every single one of you, I know you all make delicious healthy food!!

How about a little competition?

To make this fun, I can spotlight the soups I try and put them on the blog! Please send me a recipe or link to your favorite soup. My family will test them and our favorite soup will win a prize!!!

Does this sound fun?

The prize will be something fun and exciting. I won't tell you what it is (because I don't know yet), but you will like it!!!

Start sending me your recipes either on my blog or e-mail me. I will start this Soup Fest February 1st and it will end February 21st.

I am so excited!!!
Viv~

A Tutorial on Homeamade stock

Yes, Ladies and Gentleman!!!
The stock tutorial is finally here!
I have finally managed to upload all the pictures to show you how easy it is to make your own stock for everything from soups to base sauces!

I started my day with a strawberry banana smoothie. Mine is smaller than Chris'. He needs more calories than I do, so he gets the big cup.
Like this!

Here is what I made today,

Field green strawberry banana smoothie!!

2 big handfuls of field green salad mix

2 frozen banana's

2 Brazil nuts

2 tsp. ginger

2 tsp. cinnamon

Throw everything in your blender, add 1 1/2 cups of water and 16 oz. ice and blend until smooth. It was really yummy. Chris did let me know it wasn't sweet enough, but I liked it just fine. I suppose you could add 1 tiny scoop of stevia if you like.

Well, shall we get onto the Stock project?

I make stock whenever my freezer container overflows with leftover veggies that I have tossed in there all month long. The vegetables can vary from just onions, celery and carrots to a whole menagerie of goodies like the following broth.

I clean out my fridge every week and decide what stays and what is getting to old to use. That way, I never find surprises in the back of the fridge. If a veggie is getting limp or past it's prime, but can still be used, it is destined for the stock bowl in the freezer. I place everything in there and then when I am down to only a few jars of broth I grab everything and make a new batch.

Here is what I had.
(The potatoes, did not get used this time)
1-2 cups spinach that I froze last month
2 onions, cut in half
1 bunch of celery, getting a little limp
1 pound of cremini mushrooms that never made it to a stir fry
1lb. carrots, I have 7 lbs. in my fridge right now...
2 cups peas, frozen
1 lb haricot verts, frozen
organic garlic, if desired

Here is my secret to making super easy broth. USE YOUR CROCK POT!!!!
You heard me right, it is that simple.
Put everything in your crock pot, chop your onion, leaving the skin on, chop the mushrooms in half, chop the celery and carrots. Throw in a little garlic if you like. No need to peel anything, just wash them really good and toss in the pot.
Cover it with water and put on before you go to bed at night. When you wake up, your house will smell terrific and you will never have to adjust temperatures, turn it off if you go to town, or stir it.

When you get up you will find this waiting for you!

Here is the fun part! Prep you area, get a large bowl and strainer. Set it up in your sink so if you spill, it won't make a huge mess.

Drain all the broth from your veggies. The bowl beneath will catch all the yummy goodness and you will have all the veggies separate to make into a base if you like!

The Broth

Using a ladle and a funnel, pour the stock into ball jars when cooled slightly. If using the vegetables, you will want to remove the skins from your onions and throw them away. Add all the veggies to your food processor and run until it is smooth, like baby food.

This is a 1/2 base, 1/2 stock combination for cassoulet or a bean and pasta soup.

Stocks to put up

#1 Base only, used for 14 bean soup

#2 Heavy broth, not diluted

#3 Broth and Base, 1/2 & 1/2

#4 Light broth, diluted by half

#5 Base only, for cassoulet

Leave enough room so when broth expands it doesn't explode in your freezer, I leave about an inch and a half of room below the rim. The sixth jar is homemade spaghetti sauce I made last month.

This is so simple anyone can make it, even if you have never made a stock in your life and don't know your way around the kitchen, you can do this!

You will never buy store stock again. You can control the flavor, the depth, the type, and whether or not you want to add salt. I never use salt in my broth anymore. I find that I do not need it. I never thought I would say that...LOL

I promised you I would share my shopping items I planned to buy on Friday. Here they are.

I bought this cassoulet pot at our area Goodwill store for $5.99 and it was made in France!

Here are some other goodies I bought.

(From the top)
A lime juicer

A lemon juicer

A hand held spiralizer

Measuring spoons

Measuring Cups

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I hope that you enjoyed my tutorial and it will inspire you to make your own stock soon.

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Would you like me to show you how to make more homemade convience goodies at home?
Do you make your own stock?

What type of Vegetables do you use?

Viv~

Green smoothie and Apple pie oatmeal

I will start by saying I hope everyone is staying warm if you are up north like I am, it is darn cold outside people! I am dressed in layer upon layer. No joke.
I haven't been doing anything too exciting lately. We are planning on heading up to Wamego, Kansas to see my husbands family this weekend. I am going to have to prep for staying with meat eaters who like to pick on me mercilessly about my food choices. All the while they suck down their Dr.Peppers and eat their dead things then tell me how poor their health is.
SIGH....It is enough to drive a sane person over the edge..

I am thinking about packing a soup and salad lunch for me and Kait, making sure to have enough for everyone else too. Chris' father is planning on making pork and spanish rice. I will not be able to eat the rice due to the bacon fat he uses in it, but I remember it was my favorite dish before I was a vegan. Now I cannot even fathom why people start out a dish with fat....LOL
We wish me luck that I do not open my mouth and start a literal food fight like the last time I was there with Margaret, Chris' sister. It was really bad....

Anyway, moving on to my food!

I am not a huge oatmeal lover. Especially since I gave up sugar. I loved it laced with sugar and raisins as a child. As an adult it wasn't bad either, but since I am health conscious now, I care about what I put in my body.

I started making pie flavored oatmeal after I saw Vegan Epicurean making blueberry topped oatmeal here

I give you Apple Pie Oatmeal
I took 1/2 cup of oatmeal, 1 large fuji apple, 3 walnuts that I chopped and probably a full heaping teaspoon of cinnamon on top to start my "pie".

Next I added 1 cup of cold water and mixed it really good. Now, you can either use boiling water over your oatmeal or you can microwave if you are not into the nuking of it...lol

I nuked mine, cause I am lazy. Usually I am not, but I was cold. don't judge me....lol

Microwave for about 1-2 minutes then cover the top with a plate and let sit for about 2 minutes until the oatmeal is ooey gooey and the water is soaked up. You can sprinkle some stevia over it if you want a sweet oatmeal, or you can be like me and just eat it plain and boring.

I really liked this alot. It reminded me more of a strudel than a pie and it was really filling and made me warm and content.

I made my usual morning smoothie late today, but it was my usual breakfast smoothie for Chris and I.

Viv's Green Smothie

2 banana's

2 handfuls of kale, stripped from their stalks, (I have big hands btw, so I figure it was probably 3 cups full.)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger

2 tsp. ground golden flax seed

16 ounces ice

1 1/2 cups water
Throw everything in your high speed blender and whirl for about 2 minutes. Done!!

YUM!

Tonight Kaiti an I braved the snow to go out on our evening walk. It really wasn't bad until we were heading home and the wind picked up and was heading right for us..I thought my cheek bones would literally fall off..

Even in the winter I try to get out and walk not only for health, but for fun too. Nothing is more enjoyable to me than to be outdoors.

What is your favorite outdoor winter activity?

What do you do to warm up?

Tomorrow, I have a strawberry banana green smoothie planned and some fun shopping with my hubby for things I need in the kitchen.

Would you like to see what I buy?

Viv~

Spinach Smoothie

I was unable to upload any of my smoothie pictures for you this morning. The snow here must be interferring with my computer signal.
The weather man here in Kansas reported that we should be getting any where from 3-5 inches of snow.
He was actually right this time. Our yard is coated in heavy snow, perfect to make a snow man in!
My daughters car threw a belt last night at 11pm in Hutchinson, which is 40 minutes away. My husband talked her through getting home, but now he has to go work out in the snow replacing it. I am hoping it is not a hard belt to replace like the timing belt. Oh, Chris just told me it is the serpentine belt and will not be fun, especially in the cold...Poor guy!

Since I knew Chris would be out in the cold I decided to start him off with a smoothie and then flood him with peppermint tea afterward to keep his blood flowing.

Here is the smoothie I made today

Spinach Smoothie
3-4 cups spinach, I eye balled it, this is a guesstimate
2 brazil nuts
3 frozen banana's
2 tsp. golden flax seed, ground
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
water
16 ounces ice

Throw everything in your blender and then turn it on, let it blend until you have a uniform green color. Stop machine taste to see if it needs anything. Mine needed more water. Pour into your favorite smoothie glass and WALA, breakfast is served.

Chris is on his final leg of his cold. The coughing has started and the phlegm is working it's way out. Tomorrow I am going to do a clean sweep and get rid of any nasty cold spores that could still be lurking.

Well that is all for today bloggie peeps. I am going to go crawl back into bed where it is warm and watch Bones season 1 all over again....
Ciao,
Viv~

Is it time to throw out your plastics, your wax papers, your plastic cling wrap and say good bye to BPA

What is BPA?

BPA - PLASTICS and FOOD CONTAINERS

Why are plastics and food containers harmful to us?

What is in plastics and how do these toxins affect us?

What exactly is Bisphenol-A (BPA)?

How does it affect me my family?

What products contain BPA and what should I throw out without going overboard?

Let me assure you that by reading this article and making some simple changes in your life you will provide a safer environment for your family, if only by educating yourself on this topic. I am not a professional doctor or scientist so what I have attempted to do is pull down relevant research from the internet and attempted to decipher the lingo and make it easier for the non-scientist to evaluate. There are an extraordinary amount of products that contain BPA at a variety of levels and it is up to you how far you want to go to remove BPA from your house. I will provide you with an idea of what BPA is and what affects it has on you and your family according to recent studies. I will outline key items, which I refer to as my hit list, which you should consider not purchasing and/or remove from your house immediately.

Products to stay away from

Hard clear plastic, usually indicated as a number 7 plastic on the bottom, that contains BPA.

All plastic numbered 3 and 6. Number 3 (PVC) and Number 6 (Polystyrene) are also known to leach harmful chemicals

Canned foods, especially canned formula, that are lined with BPA

Plastic toys

What should I replace them with?

I have switched almost all of my plastics within my kitchen to glass. Glass is a safe alternative and rather than diving into every plastic container/bottle and their contents, I found switching to glass easier. Glass baby bottles are gaining traction in the market and are a great alternative to the standard plastic bottles. Two manufacturers of glass bottles are Evenflo (however you need to use silicone nipples instead of their standard rubber nipples) and Born Free. Born Free also offers BPA free plastic bottles for those who are concerned about the potential of glass bottles breaking around their children.

As for toys, try keeping your eye out for natural wooden toys with lead free paint rather than plastic ones (they tend to be around the same price and most are conscious enough to be lead free as well). We provide natural wooden toys made by Plantoys on our website and I’m sure you’ll find a few more brands through the web.

BPA- What is it?

BPA is an abbreviation for Bisphenol-A. BPA is an ‘ingredient’ used in the chemical compound that lines the inside of food containers such as canned goods and cartons for liquids like milk and juice. It also is the major building block in Polycarbonate plastic. Plastics with the number 7 on the bottom of the container.

How does it get into me?

The bonds in BPA are prone to leaching (falls apart from its parent compound) into the foods contained within the can/carton or plastic container. This takes place over time and can be accelerated with heat.

How Does it affect me?

BPA acts as an environmental estrogen and once it is ingested it can disrupt proper hormone functioning, alter genes and interferes with normal physical and behavioral development.

My children come first!

The effects of BPA will be more pronounced in children because they are growing and developing at such a rapid pace. We as adults have mature brains (most of us anyway) and bodies. Therefore the interaction of BPA and our hormones/genes are dulled in comparison.


The case against BPA

The commentary to follow shows that the debate is still out regarding BPA, however research has proven at least some adverse affects of BPA ingestion. Obviously it is in the best interest of major plastic and food container manufacturers to quell this debate although in recent months it has hit the forefront with respect to our children. Hopefully over time the corporations producing these toxic products will bend to the pressure.


Two Researchers, Fredick S vom Saal and Claude Hughes, from the University of Missouri have concluded the following:

‘In this commentary, we document for the scientific, public health, and regulatory communities that exposure of experimental animals to "low doses" of BPA, which result in tissue levels within and even below the range of human exposure, has been related to adverse effects in a large number of recently published studies.

A recent case-control study reporting that blood levels of BPA are related to ovarian disease in women (Takeuchi et al. 2004) adds to our concern. A large number of in vitro studies show that effects of BPA are mediated by both genomic and nongenomic estrogen-response mechanisms, with disruption of cell function occurring at doses as low as 1 pM or 0.23 ppt (Wozniak et al. 2005).

Although the focus of most studies of effects of BPA has been on its estrogenic activity, recent reports indicating the potential to disrupt thyroid hormone action (Moriyama et al. 2002; Zoeller et al. 2005) mean other modes of action must also be considered. Very low part-per-trillion doses of BPA also cause proliferation of human prostate cancer cells via binding to a mutant form of the androgen receptor expressed in a subpopulation of prostate cancer cells (Wetherill et al. 2002), although BPA acts as an androgen antagonist in the presence of the wild-type androgen receptor (Lee et al. 2003; Paris et al. 2002) and can also block testosterone synthesis (Akingbemi et al. 2004).

A comprehensive document containing all of the low-dose BPA references, as well as information concerning mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, sources of exposure, and exposure levels in humans, is available online (Endocrine Disruptors Group 2005).

Our current conclusion that widespread exposure to BPA poses a threat to human health directly contradicts several recent reports from individuals or groups associated with or funded by chemical corporations [Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe (APM) 2005; Gray et al. 2004; Kamrin 2004; Purchase 2004]. For example, a recently published report on BPA prepared by a panel convened by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis (HCRA), which was funded by the American Plastics Council (APC), concluded that "the weight of the evidence for low-dose effects is very weak" (Gray et al. 2004). However, the charge to the HCRA panel, which was to perform a weight-of-the-evidence evaluation of available data on the developmental and reproductive effects of exposure to BPA in laboratory animals, led to an analysis of only 19 of 47 available published studies on low-dose effects of BPA. The deliberations of the HCRA were in 2001-2002, and accordingly, a cut-off date of April 2002 was selected for consideration of the published literature.

It is regrettable that the relevance of the analysis was further undermined by a delay of 2.5 years in publication of the report. During the intervening time, between April 2002 and the end of 2004, a large number of additional articles reporting low-dose effects of BPA in experimental animals have been published. The result is that by the end of 2004, a PubMed (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD ) search identified 115 published studies concerning effects of low doses of BPA in experimental animals.

The last U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) risk assessment for BPA was based on research conducted in the 1980s [Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) 1988]. The most recent risk assessment of BPA was based on a comprehensive review of the scientific literature conducted in 1998 by the European Union, with some selected articles added through 2001, at which time few of the 115 low-dose BPA studies had been published [European Chemicals Bureau (ECB) 2003].

I hope this has helped increase your awareness of the concerns surrounding BPA and that you will use this information to continue your own research. Developing your own conclusion as to what change (if any) you need to implement is extremely important. Remember, a lot of people pass on information they have ‘heard’ but by doing your own homework you can weed out ‘folk lore’ from the truth and therefore make educated decisions regarding your children and family.

Plastic Wrap

Beware of that cling wrap. Consumer group Choice, suggests we start avoiding plastic packaging for fear it could be potentially hazardous.

Of concern are materials containing polycarbonate - used to make food storage containers and bottles - and epoxy resins, used to line tin cans, Choice said.

Both have the potential to release bisphenol A, which has been linked to increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Choice has called on the industry to phase out the use of such materials, and until then, introduce mandatory labelling.

"PVC is used to make the gaskets that seal glass jars used for foods such as pasta sauces," Choice spokesman Christopher Zinn said.

"There are safer alternatives, which should be used instead... But they insist on using cheap materials and lack of knowledge from their consumers.

Wax Paper

When you use wax paper do you stop to think of what the wax is made of? Most wax paper has a petroleum based formula on it. I am scared to death of things like this. Therefore I only use all natural soybean wax paper.
Made from unbleached paper and coated with 100% natural soybean wax, it's ideal for wrapping foods without affecting flavor. Conventional waxed paper is coated with paraffin wax – a petroleum based product. Soybean wax is clean, safe, non-toxic, biodegradable, and comes from a renewable and sustainable resource grown by American farmers, giving them an economical use for their soybean surplus.

Unbleached paper
Totally chlorine-free (TCF)
100% natural soybean wax
Compostable
Minimum waste
Unbleached recycled cardboard packaging
Vegetable-based inks for printing
Non-toxic glues
Cardboard packaging biodegradable but should be recycled
Ideal for food preparation
Excellent for wrapping sandwiches and other foods
Use for separating cookies or cookie dough and pre-cooked meats or burger patties
Lines and protects kitchen surfaces and helps keep microwave clean
Microwave safe
Suitable for vegetarians and vegans
~

I have almost no plastic in my house and we never eat from anything that has been heated in plastic either.

I try to eat at places that have paper cups or I bring my own. I rarely if ever keep foods that come in plastic in it's original container. I remove the food and place it in glass.

I do not use hardly any wax paper and I never use plastic wrap.

The only exception I have with plastic is my husbands munch packs. They are made from BPA free materials. I ask that he does not reheat in them, but he is a man and probably does it anyway.

I am not saying you have to dump all your plastics, you do not have to do like I did and throw everything in the recycle bin and then stand there with nothing to put food into. Just slowly wean yourself off of relying on plastics.

How much plastic do you use?

Does anyone know where to get glass lunch containers made with heavy weight glass like Pyrex?

Cleaning out your fridge Smoothie

Happy Sunday ladies and Gents!

I hope everyone is lazing around in pajama's today and getting absolutely nothing done...

Isn't that was Sunday's are for?
So, I woke up with thoughts of organizing my refrigerator, and sorting through all of my bake ware, as I have way, way too much. Now that I am on ETL, I barely use any of it.

I started out just fine on the cabinets and then took a break to organize the fridge when I came across the most pathetic looking tangerines and lemons ever...

~

There was even one tangerine that had totally died and was black on the inside..oops.

~

What? I have been busy, don't look at me that way.....lol
~

Being frugal and not liking to be wasteful I sorted out all the good fruits and pitched all the not so great looking ones and set to making Chris and I a smoothie.

~

This is so funny, my husband has never ben a health food guy. I mean he loves salad and fruit and even brussel sprouts and spinach, but smoothies always freaked him out.

He would say things like, "I do not want any algae, garlic, sprout smoothies... thank you!"

I would argue that it was good for him and you could not taste the health part of the smoothie, but nothing worked.

~

I should also tell you my husband is a meat eater....sigh....and he smokes....double sigh....

~

So, I finally got sick of his unhealthy ways and told him 2 weeks ago that if he wanted to be stupid and smoke, I would have no choice but to put him on a very strict vegan diet to counter act the smoking.

I also told him I was taking away his goodies, like cookies, cakes and donuts.

He smirked at me...SMIRKED. Then I told him he was getting chubby....He stopped smirking.

~

I told him with his family health history, it was only a matter of time before he developed diabetes, high blood pressure, or end up breathing through an oxygen machine. I made him a deal...Eat my way or else.

He said he was going to keep smoking, I said fine....then we will start running like we used too...

He smirked again.

He knows I cannot run like I used too, due to my illness, I smirked back, and said, "at least I can run"....HA HA....

Two weeks later and Chris has a smoothie everyday.

He is still smoking but he has cut down to 5 a day. I honestly believe he will quit.

~~~

So today I am in the kitchen looking through the fridge and I hear rustling behind me...

Chris thought he heard me making smoothies, so he came to get one.

I said "what are you doing?" He says "waiting for my smoothie"...sigh, men.

He is getting to be like my cats when they hear the cat food bag open.

Here is our healthy Smoothie.

4 tangerines, halved
5 lemons, halved
3 frozen banana's
3 cups of kale leaves, trimmed off of stems
1 bunch of parsley, that looked slightly limpish
water
16 oz. ice
1/4 tsp. powdered ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Loaded up and ready to go~

Blended up and ready to drink!

My smoothie glass, it is a small ball jar. My smoothie glass of choice! Perfect size and easy for me to handle due to my arthritic fingers and hands!!!!!

I just had to show off this plastic glass I found at Target. I know, I know, you probably feel off your chair when you read I bought plastic, but listen to this!

Totally BPA free, the straw is attached, so it doesn't get lost. It is insulated, so it doesn't sweat! $6.74 marked down from $9.99, I will be buying more of these bad boys on Friday when I am in town!

Do you have anyone in your family that is resistant to being more healthy?

Do you still use plastic at your home?

Are you as bossy as me when it comes to the health of someone you love?

Tomorrow I will post about all the hazards of plastics, wax papers, and plastic wraps!!

Until then

Tchua

Viv~

A midnight snack and Peppermint tea

I bought this little bottle of hot mix veggies so I can try and duplicate it at home. If you have never had pickled hot vegetables, you are missing out. Inside of this bottle is cauliflower, carrots, jalapeno, green olive and pickles. YUM~ I love love love this!

With my little snack I thought it would be nice to make Chris and I a nice cup of peppermint tea. I found this at Wal-mart during Christmas break.

The flavor is light and it really soothes a sore throat. Sadly this is the last box they had in Wal-mart until next Christmas, it is seasonal. So we will be back to plain ol' peppermint soon.

~

What is your favorite late nigh snack?

What tea do you drink when you feel under the weather?

A month full of menu's and a view of my town

Hello Blogsters!!!! I am proud to say I finally have finished next months menu and I am psyched!
I have had several readers ask me what I eat and how do I decide what to serve each month.
I thought it would be fun to share my method and madness for organizing and shopping for a months worth of meals! Type A much....lol

First off when I decided to try ETL , it took me forever to get everything organized and to get my brain focused on a new type of food. I was so used to eating like a junk food vegan that I was not accustomed to cooking without oil, without margarine, or processed foods. I liked my unhealthy ways but my body didn't at all.
I would say it took me about 4 months to get situated and comfortable enough to start writing down my recipes. I mean really, I was a successful caterer for Pete's sake. I hated ETL for about 4 months straight and then things settled down, and my mind settled in.

I started liking the foods I ate without loads of margarine and sugar. I gave up soda again and again, but I can tell you, this time it stuck, I can not stand the stuff. When we go out to eat now I almost always drink tea or water.

Once you get it, it is hardwired in your brain. It will never leave you, when you go out to eat you can figure what you can have within seconds and then from there, make an educated choice of your meal.

Each and every month I go through a notebook that has all of my successful meals I have made for ETL.
I have never read Eat to Live, but a friend gave me the basics and I went from there.
I attempted at first to redo my already vegan recipes into ETL.
Some worked and some failed miserably.
Next I started experimenting with what sounded good to me, friends recipes and a few books that I found at my local Goodwill and book store. If it was appealing and my family liked it, it went into The Book, to be written out in long hand so I can read it. Most of my recipes are scribbles until I go over them at least thrice...lol
The menu I am going to write out for you is a combination of new recipes, tried and true recipes and my families favorites.
I make a menu out of a standard large desk calendar that I can write on and keep on my recipe desk. (Everyone has a recipe desk right?) I have my own little office just for cookbooks and recipes right off the kitchen, so I can work undeterred.
I have smoothies, breakfasts, lunches, snacks and dinners planned or 30 days of the month.
Yes, that is what I eat everyday. It goes like this...

7am-smoothie
9am-oatmeal
12 pm -lunch salad or leftovers
4 pm-snack of fruit and nuts
8 pm- Dinner
~
I know you are going.... really? She really is this anal? Honestly...who does that?
ME....I do.
Hello I am Vivacious and I own hundreds of notebooks with test recipes, hundreds of recipes cut out of magazines, billions of post it note with idea's on them...

I am only going to give you a month's worth of dinners, because honestly...there is not enough room on this page for all of it.
~
This is February's menu
1.Kidney bean stew with spinach salad or veggie tray
2. Black Bean Chili over baked sweet potato wedges
3. Vegetable rice enchilada's in chile verde
4. Navy bean soup with vegetable tray
5. Lentil Soup Italian salad
6. Taco soup guacamole salad
7. Zucchini noodle Lo mein with green beans and mushrooms
8. Taco style salad with Raw jicama chili fries
9. Mushroom/green bean unfried rice made with couscous
10. Southwestern hominy soup, an adaption of Vegan Epicureans
11. Falafel salad with baked poppy seed pita crisps
12. Eggplant noodle squash lasagna with homemade red sauce
13.Stuffed acorn squash with brown rice pilaf
14. Pad Thai salad with cucumber pickle salat and hearted beets
15. Walnut Lentil loaf, with puree of cauliflower and parsnip
16.Shepherds pie topped with colcannon/cauliflower potatoes
17. Seitan chops with tomato okra topper over brown rice
18. Jambalaya with corn salsa topping
19. Cincinnati style tvp chili with avocado salad
20. Black bean stuffed chili relleno over Mexican rice
21. Peasant soup with cabbage noodle, with brown jasmine rice
22. Sesame encrusted baked tofu, zucchini and bell pepper over w.w. orzo
23. Cabbage rolls with brown rice
24. WW Nooch alfredo with spinach and cremini, tomato pizza, veggie tray
25. White minestroni with massaged kale salad
26. Black beans and brown rice, with turnip greens
27. Homemade spaghetti sauce with winter mix veg, over couscous
28. Chickpea Mediterranean sauce over collard green noodles
29. Old fashioned style porcupine meatballs over celery root puree, with broccoli
30. Chickpea cutlets with roasted root vegetables
31.Forbidden rice soup with leek and cauliflower, vegetable tray
You will notice I made a menu for 31 days in Feb. when it has only 28, that is just in case I decide against a certain meal I can switch it with something else and not have to run out and buy new groceries.

I buy 1 month in advance for my groceries and then I shop weekly for run of the mill items like cat food, toilet paper and fresh veggies.
While we were out shopping today I thought I would snap some pictures of my town for your viewing pleasure.

Welcome to Nickerson...
They are putting in a new water main all through town.
Gotta love the rubble.
Entering town you can see the grain co-op across from my house..This is the long distance view.

Our hometown grocer. I buy most of my fruits here.

North West Main Street

South west Main street

The co-ops behind my house....

This is at the beginning of the street form my house. You gotta love dirt roads!

Close up of previous grain co-op directly in front of my house.

I hope you are excited about my month of menu's and enjoyed looking at my tiny town.

When I said Adventures of Veganism Midwestern Kansas, I meant it!
~
Do you make up menu's at your house too?

What is your families favorite meal?

A light lunch

Today started like it usually does.
I drag myself out of bed, down the stairs, put the dog out, bring the dog in, talk to the cats about their evenings activities and head straight to the fridge to make a green smoothie for Chris and I. This morning was slightly different as Kaiti my youngest child was home sick today with a cold. I usually make enough smoothie for three of us.
I made my standard smoothie of kale, frozen banana, orange juice, garlic and lemon. I just added a little extra of this and that WA LA..Smoothies!
I had a half of apple left over from the smoothies so I sliced it for Chris and gave him 4 raw Brazil nuts to go with it. Brazil nuts have been shown to help protect men from getting prostate cancer, so I make sure Chris has 2-4 daily.

Chris' snack with his smoothie
I have been consuming more and more tea as the weather gets chillier. I like to drink an organic green tea powder that actually releases it's powder into the bottom of your cup, you can see the sediment if you really look.

It is the best tea I have had in awhile and I drink between 6-10 cups a day. Not only does it help with lowering cholesterol levels it has been proven that is has reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent.

University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

For no other reason drink it because it tastes good, it warms you up in winter and gives you an over all sense of calm.

I had two cucumber that needed to be eaten in the fridge. This is how I started my decision on lunch.

I thought I wanted to dip my cucumbers in a light Dijon vinaigrette

Country French Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup Tarragon Vinegar

2 tbls. red vine vinegar

1 tbls. Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp. Country french herbs blend

dash of freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

Whisk and eat.

But then I realized I had some baby beets and baby butter beans calling to me from the fridge...Salad maybe?

Baby butter bean salad with beets

3 cups organic fresh mixed baby greens with frisee
1 cup spinach
1.5 cups no salt added baby butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup sliced baby beets, cooked peeled and sliced thinly
1 cup baby carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced thinly
1/3 green pepper, diced small

In a pretty serving bowl, add your lettuces and spinach, toss to combine. Top with celery, green pepper, and carrots. Place sliced beets and baby butter beans on next.
Whisk vinaigrette and pour over entire salad, mix well with two spoons. Serve immediately.
Close up shot.
And finally lunch is served.

I really liked this salad, it was light and yet filling. I think this would be especially good in the summer when beets are abundant here in Kansas.

The vinaigrette is quite delicious and covered the salad really well.

WHAT DID YOU HAVE FOR LUNCH?

Viv~