Surprises I LOVE!

I have been pleasantly surprised with the effects and tastes of two of my new favorite ingredients - whole wheat flour and brown rice. About a month ago I switched our usual bleached white flour to minimally processed whole wheat flour. I was shocked to find how much BETTER everything tastes when it is made with this flour. I've always liked the texture of wheat and other grains in their natural forms, so why did it take me so long to buy wheat flour? Everything from cookies and breads to entrees at meal time are improved with the use of wheat. Meals have a thicker consistency and baked goods have a coconut-like texture. Make the switch - you won't look back!

Since eliminating meat and dairy from my diet, I've relied heavily on grains. Brown rice has been a staple. I thought I would be bored with brown rice, fearful of a bland taste and boredom with meals. I've actually found my relationship with brown rice to be the complete opposite. Plus I feel so full after eating brown rice, I don't find myself searching through cabinets and the fridge looking for snacks during the afternoon and evening hours. Brown rice is better than any diet pill out there when it comes to conquering hunger. Another benefit of brown rice - beautiful skin. I know eliminating animal products has helped in this area too, but after researching the benefits of brown rice I found it contains essential B vitamins that promote healthy, youthful looking skin. Hallelujah!

Baking goes Vegan, Pt. 1 - Chocolate Chip Cookies

For those of you who don't know, I've been treating AJ to 10 Days of Valentine's. I've done pretty well with organization and having his gifts ahead of time so that he is sure to get his gifts on the designated day, but I must admit today and tomorrow I am empty handed. Since Ava and I are snowed in we haven't been able to get out and get anything. Luckily one of AJ's favorite treats is a chocolate chip cookie and I had all the ingredients to make them today! Little will he know he's eating vegan cookies. *Note: AJ won't eat anything if he knows it is sugar free, vegetarian, or vegan - regardless of how good it tastes. I've stopped telling him and he has no idea!

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. firmly packed light brown sugar or natural sweetener
1/4 c. pure maple syrup
1/2 c. corn oil
Egg replacer for 2 eggs (2 T. ground flax seed + 6 T. water, mixed)
1 t. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. semisweet vegan chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped nuts of your choice (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil two baking sheets (I use parchment paper instead!)

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, maple syrup, corn oil, egg replacer, and vanilla, mixing until blended. Add half of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients nad mix until just combined. Fold in the vegan chocolate chips and nuts (if using). Drop dough by the spoonful onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.

Bake until golden brown, 12 minutes. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Ava LOVES these cookies!

Acknowledgement:

Robertson, Robin. Vegan Planet. Boston: The Harvard Common Press, 2003. p.510

Baking goes Vegan, Pt. 2 - Banana Bread

The past two days Ava and I have been snowed in at home. Although we're in the middle of the week, our forced time at home makes us feel like we're in our usual weekend routine and that means baking. One of Ava's favorite treats is banana bread. The recipe for the version I usually bake is loaded with eggs, cream, white sugar, and butter. Now that I'm feeling more comfortable with vegan options in baking I thought I would experiment with my own recipes. I tried two options I'll refer to as the Agave version and the Maple Syrup version. The Agave recipe is simpler and does not have all the extra ingredients of raisins and nuts, but it is not as moist or flavorful as the Maple Syrup recipe. I would suggest baking the Maple Syrup recipe if you can! The recipes are listed below. Try them - I'm sure you'll love them!

----------------------------------------------------------

Agave Nectar Banana Bread Recipe

3/4 c. Agave Nectar
1/2 c. Earth Balance Butter Spread
Egg Substitute for 2 eggs (2 T. Ground Flax Seed + 6 T. water, mixed)
3-4 very ripe bananas, smashed
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
chopped nuts (as many as you like)

Mix in order given. Pour into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 50-60 min.

----------------------------------------------------------

Maple Syrup Banana Bread Recipe

1 c. 100% Pure Maple Syrup
1/2 c. Earth Balance Butter Spread
Egg Substitute for 2 eggs (2 T. Ground Flax Seed + 6 T. water, mixed)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3-4 very ripe bananas, smashed
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
chopped nuts (as many as you like)
raisins (as many as you like)


Mix in order given. Pour into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 60-70 min.

Vegan Convenience

Kashi makes a wonderful selection of frozen vegan meals

and pizza. I know eating freshly made meals provides the best nutrition, etc. but as a busy working mom there are mornings I just don't have time to make a lunch. Due to where we live and the small variety offered at our local grocery stores there are only a few Kashi meals available to us. Tuscan Veggie Bake, Veggie Chana Masala, and Mayan Harvest Bake are my current go to meals. See all Kashi has to offer at http://www.kashi.com/.

Recipes

Previously I posted some of my favorite recipes. You will quickly see that most of them are not vegan/vegetarian friendly. However, all of them (maybe with the exception of the Italian Beef Recipe) could be modified to fit the vegan diet through the use of meat substitutes. The Muesli recipe remains one of my favorite dishes and the chi tea recipe only requires a dairy-free replacement for the milk powder. I will add suggested alternatives in the recipes soon.

The Beginning

This blog and the ones following it are meant as a personal record of trying to convert from a meat and dairy filled diet to a vegan diet. I am not a doctor, specialist, or otherwise expert on the subject. I am just an ordinary person trying to live a healthier life.
---------------------------------------------------------
In January 2001 I was determined to lose the weight I gained during the first three years of college. Thanks to the bookstore gift card AJ gave me for Christmas that year, I was able to buy a diet book. The book of choice was Mary Lou Henner's Total Health Makeover. I was expecting to read a book about restriction and diet tips. Mary Lou provided much more. I read about the poor effects red meat and dairy have on the body. I was curious to see how omitting those things from my diet would change my body. I was thrilled to find I felt better. I had struggled with asthma my entire life, but without the red meat and dairy in my diet my asthma symptoms all but stopped. I had energy I had never experienced before. Over the years I reverted to my old eating habits and I could feel it! Luckily I went back to being a vegetarian a couple years before getting pregnant (2005-2007). I was not a healthy vegetarian. I did not eat meat, but I still ate a lot of bread and candy and SUGAR. I lost most of my muscle mass and was weak. Fearful of not giving Ava the nutrition she needed during the pregnancy, I began eating meat again. Now, nearly three years later, I am ready to go back to my old lifestyle. I want to be smarter about it this time, getting the iron and protein I was lacking last time. I even want to take it a step further and move from vegetarian to vegan. I read The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone. Note: I am not switching back to this way of eating to lose weight - althought that would be a bonus. I am looking for a healthier, more energized life. The information in the book is very similar to Total Health Makeover, but the recipes are strictly vegan and much more intriguing to me. I plan to record my experience making this switch on this blog.

Muesli

If you are a grain lover like I am, you will absolutely love this granola-like cereal! It is hearty and healthy and a great treat any time of day. I enjoy heating it on a cold day, or eating it raw with cold milk.



Ingredients:



4 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/2 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup oat bran
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (maple sugar if wanting to omit white sugar)
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds



Directions:



In a large mixing bowl combine oats, wheat germ, wheat bran, oat bran, dried fruit, nuts, sugar, and seeds. Mix well. Store muesli in an airtight container. It keeps for 2 months at room temperature.

Weight Watchers: 1/2 cup = 5 points