The Adventure of Lifestyles Changes and the Girl in the Red Bug

Wow! It has been over two months since my last posting! It seems like every time I sit down to write, I am at a loss for what I want to say...although as always, I feel like I have a lot to say. I love writing and find it so therapeutic, so it always makes me a little sad when I don’t take the time to write consistently.

The new year has started out positively, I have been making some changes, on a personal level, that I feel  are sticking and I am noticing a change. I am one of those instant gratification people, which can be detrimental to setting and completing goals; especially, when it comes to diet and exercise.

I am continuing to train for my first 1/2 marathon, which I will be completing in 18 days. I will be participating in the Lost Dutchman Half Marathon on February 17 - which also happens to be my 48th birthday. I feel like this is a great way to celebrate my birthday, and in some way symbolic; symbolic of what I am not quite sure. Training has been going well. I kind of fell of the map, with training, during the holidays and put myself much further behind than I should have been, but I met with our Wellness Coach at work, and she helped me pen out a training schedule that I have been sticking with. It feels great to see the check marks on my plan, showing that I have completed my training sessions.

I am very excited about the 1/2, but also quite nervous. During my training runs, I have been using the Jeff Galloway method - which is a run walk method. It has helped with my times and allows me run to longer distances. So, we will see what I have to report on February 18...after the run!

Something else I am SUPER excited about is a dietary change that I recently made. I have switched to a primarily vegan diet. It has been one of the easiest changes I have ever made, amazingly enough. And, I will say, I haven’t felt this good in years, and it’s only been a little over a week; talk about instant gratification. I am not as lethargic as I was, and my breathing is clearer than it was. 

I have been trying new recipes and cooking at home more. I am also more organized with my breakfasts and lunches during the work week. It is such a great feeling to wake up in the morning and have everything organized for my day.

I have promised to share the recipes I have been making, so here they are. They are not original recipes, but ones I found off the internet. The first meal I made was a wonderful Vegetable Quinoa Chili. I found this recipe on, http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/vegetarian-quinoa-chili/.

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili

Yield: Serves 10-12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

This hearty chili is made with beans, vegetables, and quinoa. Meat lovers and vegetarians will love this chili!

ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
2-3 tablespoons chili powder, depending on your taste (we used 3)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Optional toppings: green onions, avocado slices, cheese, sour cream, Greek yogurt, chips, crackers, etc.

directions:

1. In a medium sauce pan, combine the quinoa and water. Cook over medium heat until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, jalapeño, carrot, celery, peppers, and zucchini. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

3. Add the black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir in the cooked quinoa. Season with chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Simmer chili on low for about 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Note-garnish the chili with green onions, avocado slices, cheese, sour cream/Greek yogurt, chips, crackers, if desired. This chili freezes well.

The next recipe was a Vegan Veggie Lasagna. I found this recipe on Food.com at the following link, http://www.food.com/recipe/vegan-veggie-lasagna-115553.

Vegan Veggie Lasagna

Ingredients:

8 ounces lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

1/2 cup tomato sauce

Tofu Mixture (from How it all Vegan)

14 ounces extra firm tofu

1/4 cup soymilk

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small onion, minced

2 cups spinach, chopped

Veggie Mixture

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

2 small zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices

2 medium carrots, sliced very thin (or shredded)

1 1/2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce 

1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.

2. In a blender or food processor, combine the tofu, soy milk, oregano, basil, salt,  

lemon juice, garlic, and onion. Blend until the mixture has the consistency of ricotta cheese.

3. Stir in the chopped spinach and set aside.

4. In a large saucepan, saute the red pepper, mushrooms, zucchini, carrots in the oil until crisp-tender. (Feel free to add any other veggies that you like. I just use the ones listed as a starting point.).

5. Stir in the tomato sauce and water.

6. Bring to boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If you find that the veggie mix is too thin, uncover for last 5 minutes.).

7. Cover bottom of lasagna pan with 1/2 cup tomato sauce.

8. Layer with lasagna noodles, trimming to fit, if needed.

9. Cover with a layer of 1/2 the tofu mixture, then layer of noodles, then layer of 1/2 the veggie mixture, then layer of noodles, then remaining tofu mixture, another layer of noodles, and then top with the remaining veggie mixture.

10. Bake, uncovered for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.

NOTE: I made my own spaghetti sauce, but you could use jarred sauce.

I hope that if you try these recipes, that you enjoy them as much as I did.

Until the next time....

The Girl in the Red Bug