Cupcake Break!

The lazy days of Spring Break have been a much welcome respite from the rat race of the school year. I've been sleeping in until 11, rolling over to find Mica still in her clothes from the night before passed out with her thumb hanging out of her mouth, and JT flung across my feet with his hawk half smashed down on one side, the puppies going nuts in their crate and my dogs curled up in little balls, not even glancing at any of us. At this point, Paul has been gone for 5 or 6 hours already. We've visited family, stayed up late watching movies, and drank way too much wine. Well I did, not the kids. When the days got long and the kids got bored I pulled out my Nook and we opened up Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. We have been gorging on cupcakes for weeks, and my pot belly is loving it...

First up on Mica's last Thursday of school I volunteered to bring the cupcakes for the "Green

Day Party." The teacher was hesitant because she doesn't allow any sugar, the party menu consisted of various green veggies with

ranch dyed green to dip, green sugar-free jello and some plain

chips. I knew something had to be done to save Green Day! I busted out my Nook and made... wait for it... 4 dozen Vegan & Sugar-Free Green Agave Cupcakes with Mint Chocolate Icing! Oh yes, I went there. I hauled them all in and they were a hit, with everyone but Mica who said they were gross. Then at dinner when

we played "high/low" her low was that "Mommy brought me a cupcake and I thought it was going to be SO good and it wasn't Daddy, it wasn't, and I was like

'

what is this what is this!!!'" Then she shook her head ruefully. Whatever Mica Stinka, everyone else devoured them and a

teacher with a diabetic husband took some home for him. My only mistake was using Mint instead of PEPPERMINT extract. Duh.

These are the only cupcakes we didn't finish, they dried out super fast, but they were unique!

Next were my attempt at self-control... the Sexy Low Fat Vanilla Cupcakes with blackberry

jam, a quick swirl of Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, and drizzle of simple icing and a few dark

chocolate chips for garnish. Mica added (non-vegan) pink heart marshmallows to hers but everything else was animal free, low fat, and delicious!

Most recently Mica and I got back to basics, enough of this low fat sugar free crap, am I right!? We picked up a package of vegan oreo knock offs and made Cookies N Cream cupcakes. They are amazing, modesty is futile, we added crushed cookies to the basic chocolate cupcake batter, and then more crushed cookies to the

basic vanilla

buttercream frosting, along with a tiny bit of almond extract. We piped the frosting

on to the cupcakes in huge, chunky creamy swirls and topped each cupcake

with half a cookie.

Spring Break is only half over, this year JT got 2 weeks and Mica got 1, but I made the executive decision to keep her home for the 2nd week as well. Her teacher agreed, she isn't missing anything but playtime at that school. No matter what happens to me in the coming years I'll always cherish the simple things I do now with my kids, and look back on these lazy cupcake days as some of the best, most fattening and delicious days of my life.

Another Almost Vegan Weekly Meal Plan!

As I was chopping sweet potatoes today I realized I had another weekly vegan meal plan to share! Well, it has eggs twice so it is not 100% Vegan, but there is no meat, milk, cheese, butter etc. If you wanted to be pure about it you could use tofu in the breakfast scramble and buy a vegan sausage patty instead of the Morning Star brand which has egg in it. The kids have been busy with dance and taekwondo, so I am in the habit of cooking everything in the early afternoon, then turning it off when I leave and simply reheating when we get home at 7. When I do this I am still able to get the kids in bed by 8! With meat dishes I don't think that would really work, but with vegan dishes a little heat and extra seasonings brings everything back to life!

The more meal plans I post the more you will notice I cook the same things over and over, like most moms, with the occasional wild card! This is what I set out on the table this week:

Monday: Soyrizo, bell pepper & black bean mix; heated corn tortillas; homemade guacamole; chopped romaine; Daiya vegan cheese; Dessert: TJ* Fruit Bars.

Tuesday: TJ Whole Wheat Gnocchi; marinara from Anthony's Ristorante; sauted kale; yam chips. Dessert: TJ non-dairy Mochi

Wednesday: Sloppy Janes (made with tempeh); chopped romaine; pickles; whole wheat thin-which for Momma, TJ whole wheat buns for fam; steamed broccoli.

Thursday: (not quite Vegan) Breakfast for dinner! Whole Wheat Pumpkin & Flax Pancakes; Morning Star Farms veggie sausages; hashbrowns; Reddi-Egg omelettes with Daiya vegan cheese.

Friday: Pizza & Family Movie Night!! Vegan Berkeley Calzone from ZPizza for Mom, Papa Johns for Fam. Popcorn & candy for everyone! (I'll be noshing on my fave vegan candy bar, a Mahalo**)

Other things I am cooking this week:

SO Delicious Coconut Yogurt with chilled quinoa and cinnamon

Falafel & hummus on pitas with cucumber & tomato for snacks/lunches

Vegan Cupcakes and Vegan Banana Bread

*TJ= Trader Joe's!

** I buy all my vegan goodies at Viva La Vegan, a new local vegan store that has saved me from having to go to Henry's every week!

Meal Planning

I am going to start sharing our weekly dinner meal plan so you guys can get an idea of what the heck we eat to keep 4 different people happy in my household. Paul eats freaking everything, but is happy as long as he is full and has meat a couple of times a week. I don't eat meat or milk products in any form, but I love the heck out of egg whites! JT is not allowed to have dairy or processed foods. Mica loves milk, but has started rejecting meat and I limit her processed foods as well. With a little planning and research I keep us all fed and satisfied for less than $100 a week on groceries! I usually make a bunch of stuff, and grab other random things from the fridge, and then put everything on the table with serving spoons buffet-style. Everyone just eats what they want. So this is what is on my table this week:

Monday: Morningstar Farms Vegan Riblets for Mommy & Mica, prepared fried chicken from Albertsons for Paul & JT, potato wedges, sauted kale & breadsticks.

Tuesday: Leftover chicken for Paul & JT, Amy's brand curried lentil soup, vegan potato salad (just use vegenaise instead of mayo, TADA,) steamed broccoli, & rolls.

Wednesday: Awesome Brown Rice, Soyrizo Fajita Mix, fried plantains, burrito fixings (whole wheat tortillas, shredded vegan cheese, salsa, guacamole, shredded lettuce,) soy & flaxseed chips

Thursday: Sloppy Janes (made with tempeh, bell pepper, onion, garlic & tomato sauce) served on sandwich thins & sauted kale.

Friday: Pizza Night! We have pizza every Friday, I order a Vegan Berkeley from Z Pizza & then a regular pizza from wherever. Sometimes I just make my own with homemade whole wheat dough, some ragu, caramelized onion, vegan cheese, jalapeno and pineapple YUM.

WEEKEND: This weekend I'll be running Surf City with some friends from the NF Endurance Team, so that's it for this week. See, that was easy!

Recipes:

Awesome Brown Rice: Saute onion & garlic, add 1 -2 cups of rice and brown, add cumin, seasoning salt & black pepper, 1/2 can diced tomato & chilis, enough green tea to just cover rice. Cover and simmer til all liquid is absorbed, about 45mn. Top with ground almonds and bake til almonds brown.

Soyrizo Fajita Mix: Saute onion & garlic, add 1 or 2 chopped bell peppers, 1 pkg of soyrizo & a can of black beans.

Issues

There are two issues I really need to deal with on this blog right now: Nutrition and Fitness. The two have been working against each other for me lately. I run, I'm hungry and I eat. Or, I starve, I'm tired, I skip workouts. Neither is a healthy way to exist, and I have been floating back and forth between the them every few weeks. I need to find a way to nourish myself and stay active at the same time, and balance those needs within the context of the rest of my life without them taking over. I drive everyone around me insane, constantly overwhelming myself with miles, weights, calories or carbs. I remember telling my Dad (an admitted work-a-holic) that he should "work to live, not live to work." Seems I need to start taking my own advice.

Nutrition: I love to eat. I mean I know most living creatures do, but allow me this moment of self-absorbency and assume I really do love to eat more than the average person. Carbs are my secret lover, I eat them at every meal, and lately a lot of them. Unfortunately I am apple shaped by nature. I have girlfriends who are naturally pear shaped and hate it, but I always point out you never hear a man complain his wife's butt is too big! I am ridiculously skinny everywhere, but my stomach. Everything I eat goes right there. Every time I eat I am either under-eating and starving myself, or overeating and gorging. I know something has to change, and I think after years of struggling with my food issues I have improved to a point where I can listen to my body and respond to it's needs. As a vegetarian, I wont eat meat and that is not going to change. I also wont drink milk or eat cheese (awww, cheeeeeeese.) I have decided that for my own personal sanity, and waistline, I am going to eat eggs. Not even free-range ones (free-range is just an overpriced label the egg industry created to allow consumers to pretend they aren't supporting factory farming.) Egg whites, those mysterious little cartons above the eggs, are my friend. Low in calories and carbs, high in protein, and oh so tasty. Anyone who is vegan would shake their head in shame. Egg laying chickens are the worst treated animals in the factory farm business. I can't even go into it, and if you don't know about it yet don't ask. TRUST ME. Anyway, I can replace at least 1 carb a day with egg whites, and another with greens, and I feel my nutrition needs will be met with minimal animal consumption and maximum satisfaction. No calorie counting necessary!

Fitness: Today I hit the gym, and when I left I could feel the burn in every major part of my body. Every step I take feels strong, and my abs contract every time I bend to put a dish in the dishwasher. I love that feeling, so why is it so difficult for me to maintain a fitness routine for longer than 2 weeks without taking days off? There is not much to consider when it comes to this, I need to just stop quitting. Every Monday, Wednesday & Friday morning I need to be running then at the gym. If I absolutely have to miss a day because life gets in the way, then I work out the following day and pick back up where I left off. I love Nike, not only because of the Nike+ sports band, but because of their long-time motto: Just Do It. So cheesy (mmm, cheeeese) but so true!

By posting these decisions in my blog I have committed myself to them, and although I know nobody really cares, I still feel the need to meet the goals I set and am therefore more motivated to do so. My body fat percentage was 27% just 6 months ago, and through determination and sweat it is down to 17%! I have just 7 more percentage points to go, and nothing is going to stop me.

Vegans Eat This, Not That!

Yes, I totally ripped that off from a super popular book. It is a very simple diet changing premise, and comes in very handy when switching a typical recipe into a healthy & delicious Vegan meal!

Milk for baking and drinking = Silk Pure Almond Milk or Almond Breeze or SO Delicious Coconut Milk

Milk in cooking = Organic Soy Milk

Butter = Earth Balance

1 Egg in baking recipe = 1/2 banana, pureed

Slice of cheese or Cream Cheese= spread of Tofutti Cream Cheese

Ground Beef or Chorizo = Soyrizo, Trader Joe's is gluten free!

Burgers = Morningstar Farms Vegan Grillers

Sausage = Morningstar Farms Sausage Patties (have a small amount of egg, booooo)

Ribs = Morningstar Farms Veggie Riblets (these are so good, I had to include them!)

Ice Cream Desserts = Rice Dreams Mint Cookie Sandwich, Tofutti Cuties, sorbet, SO Delicious yogurt or ice cream (made from coconut milk!)

Finally, a day late and a dollar short, my meal plan yesterday:

Breakfast: Bowl of Trader Joe's quick cooking steel cut oats topped with ground flaxseed, cinnamon and sliced bananas.

Snack: Protein Shake & Trail Mix

Lunch: Almond Butter & Jelly on sprouted grain bread, side of broccoli

Snack: 1 leftover birthday cupcake with sliced green apples, then Wine Tasting with crackers (don't judge me!)

Dinner: Sweet Potato and Lentil Chili with homemade vegan cornbread

Dessert: Wine

Today I am behaving because tonight is my birthday party and I need to fit into a teeny tiny dress, so instead of allowing some eggs or cheese I have instead stuck to an extra day of my strictly Vegan diet, and I feel great!

Breakfast: 2 homemade vegan oatmeal cookies

Lunch: Simple Salad with organic vinaigrette, okay, and a tiny bag of BAKED Doritos!

Snack: Trail Mix and 1 vegan cookie

Dinner: at Hugos for my birthday!

Snack: chocolate covered apples at MBar while we watch a Burlesque Show!

Why am I still sitting here? I need to bust out the sequins and red lipstick!

A Very Un-Fabulous Day

I know I promised to post my own "Eat This, Not That," and that you all have been waiting with baited breathe throughout the day for my little post, but today is just not the day. Today was one of THOSE days. So today you see the not-very-fabulous-running mommy's diet when I snap and need carbs. A lot of them. I am going to place the food in chronological order, along with its excuse.

Wake up to find the kids' lamp fell and shattered all over the carpet in their now pitch black room. The kids are still asleep from being up late for my birthday dinner the evening before, and all 3 of us need showers. It's also my volunteer day at Mica's class...

Breakfast: apple and 1 slice of cold leftover vegan pizza in the van while driving to Mica's school, an hour late.

Snack: Spent chasing 4 year olds and heaving them all across the monkey bars once they realized Mica's Mommy is a sucker.

Got home and received a text from my Dad that he lost a piece of JT's broken glasses (long, unimportant story.) JT is blind without glasses, need to get to Sears for a replacement, but no time to get there and back before JT gets out of school. In the meantime the dog bites Mica, and as I am punishing him Mica has an "accident."

Lunch: The rest of the cold vegan pizza, carrots, strawberries, a bag of trail mix, a half a pot of coffee, and the crusts off Mica's PB&J.

Get JT and get to Sears, no they don't have the frames, it would take a week to get them. Need to go to Lenscrafters.... forgot the prescription at home. Home... Lenscrafters... wait for my Dad who graciously covered the glasses since he lost the piece from the other glasses. 5pm, headed home to make dinner (planning Moroccan Couscous) and realize the kids' room is still pitch black. Swing by Kmart for a lamp... get stalked by weird little man who I finally turn and stare directly at, he then asks me if I speak Spanish and scampers away when I growl NO (in Spanish.) See a Lil Ceasars in the Kmart and grab a pizza for the kids, I'll finish off the Chana Masala.

Get to the car, JT spills the entire pizza on the passenger seat of my van. I snap and start yelling at him only to realize he burned himself, and I have to totally apologize and help him clean up. Saved most the pizza, get home, serve the kids and...

Dinner: Half a slice of pizza with (most) the cheese and ALL the pepperoni peeled off. The crust of 2 other slices. A large glass of white wine.

Dinner #2: Now if you'll excuse me I am about to finish off that Chana Masala with a Smart Bagel smeared with Tofutti cream cheese.

Dessert: Another glass of white wine with some dark chocolate while I watch Greys Anatomy and pass out!

What do Vegans eat?

It has been almost 3 years since I read Skinny Bitch, and then announced to my family I was no longer going to eat meat. They all smiled at me patronizingly, assuming this would no doubt be another fad I was into for a few weeks before moving on to the next shiny idea. Unfortunately for them, specifically my husband, that was only the beginning. As I absorbed more information on the cruel treatment of factory farm animals, the antibiotics, steroids and hormones we absorb from the meat, and the history of vegetarianism in general, I only strengthened my resolve. After devouring Slaughterhouse by Gail Eisnitz, there was no turning back.

Recently I started allowing eggs and fish into my diet in moderation, and I have always clung to my cheese addiction without an ounce of guilt. Then I read Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet and realized what I have been missing out on. Why bother to limit my diet if I am not going to reap the benefits? By continuing to eat animal products I was still poisoning myself and slowing down my digestive track. If I want to truly live clean, I can't do it with a daily dose of dairy. By the time I turned the last page, I knew it was time to recommit myself.

Thanks to Facebook most of my friends and family are already aware of my newfound commitment, and most of them ask the same questions. They ask what I eat, and they ask how I do it. This week I am going to share everything I eat to give a realistic picture of a vegan diet. I will share my Rules tomorrow, they are also a great weight maintenance plan when paired with running (of course!)

Monday

Breakfast: 1 slice homemade vegan banana bread, 1/2 green apple dipped in natural peanut butter

After Work Out Snack: Trail mix and Protein Shake

Lunch: leftover quinoa with cherry tomatoes and fresh basil

Snack: Protein Shake

Dinner: Eggplant Chana Masala, brown rice, brussel sprouts, Naan

Tuesday

Breakfast: Trader Joe's quick cooking Steel Cut Oats topped with ground flax seed, sliced bananas & cinnamon

Snack: Trail Mix

Lunch: leftover Chana Masala and Naan

Dinner: Dine out at Chilis, Spicy Black Bean Burger topped with lettuce, pickle, tomato, grilled onion & ketchup with steamed veggies on the side! (who says Vegans don't eat!??)

Bikini Mentality

Now that I know JT is just fine, and my lumbar tumor has miraculously stopped swelling, its time to take this blog back to its original purpose! I have been walking a fine line with my fitness, throwing in runs only once or twice a week, adding seafood to my previously vegetarian diet, and munching whole boxes of cookies at 9pm while watching tivo. I glanced at my calendar yesterday and realized I have just over 3 weeks until the CTF Patient Forum in Las Vegas!

The header of the event's website is a gorgeous gold with palm trees swaying on the horizon, an obvious reminder to expect gorgeous weather that weekend. Gorgeous weather in Vegas means one thing: Bikinis. Yes, after having 2 kids and countless surgeries I, with every other woman my age, still yearn to rock an itty bitty teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini! Well, maybe not yellow, ew. Last summer I came so close! I even sported a tankini with minimal anxiety. This is my summer, and I started my plan yesterday.

Several people have asked what my plan is, and I wish I had some magical secret, but the truth is when I want to get fit I just focus on the goal and control myself. I have a handful of rules that work for me:

1. No coffee! It is dehydrating and addictive, makes your teeth yellow, and causes a crash at midday that tends to lead to a carb binge. Get up, splash ice water on your face, and get moving!

2. Hit the gym for cardio, weights, abs, then yoga at least every other day. In between workouts stay busy and on your feet! I try to have my workouts and all chores done by noon, its a great feeling!

3. Drink tons of water, and nothing else. I carry a big refillable sipper bottle with me at all times. The ones with the straws seem to make it the easiest to consume larger amounts.

4. Eat something small every 3 hours. Today I am spreading out: 1 packet of oatmeal with almond milk and flax seed, a rice milk and whey protein smoothie, an activia yogurt, a green smoothie, and whatever I want for dinner, but only a small salad plate worth. (and when I say whatever I want it means: vegetarian, nothing fried, avoid extra sauces and dressings)

5. No food after 7, allow ONE glass of red wine! I'm only human people!

6. No TV or couch time til after 8. Daytime TV is a brain drain anyway. Schedule a lot of social & volunteer activities.

7. Be flexible... we have pizza every Friday and I always order veggie pizza and have it cut into squares to maintain portion control. On donut day Paul always grabs me a blueberry muffin. If I really want something, I have it, but not the whole box. If you don't allow for tiny cheats you wont make it, you will freak out and binge within a week. This is not a diet, it is a mentality and lifestyle. No counting calories, just use common sense!

That's it! Its not so hard, I promise. Once you are used to it it just feels natural. I followed this for a long time and was in great shape, but I fell off the wagon. Well I am climbing back on!

Kale Hummus Bites

After reading several books on factory farm conditions and exposes on the food industry I cut meat out cold foturkey one bleak December day in 2008. I am a food person, I have never been the kind of girl that orders a salad for dinner, or even lunch. I refused to sacrifice flavor and enjoyment, so the experiments began. From the good (pesto pizza!) to the bad (cold potato soup?) my kitchen has become a bit of a science lab of sorts. My newest creation is a combination of 3 simple ingredients: crackers, hummus, and kale. Enjoy!

Hummus:

in food processor combine:

3 drained cans of garbanzo beans (chick peas)

3 tablespoons minced garlic

juice of 2-3 lemons

2 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup of olive oil, or more as desired.

(Process one can of garbanzos at a time to ensure no garbanzo is left unturned, drizzling olive oil through the funnel as you go to maintain creaminess. )

Kale Chips:

Thoroughly wash and dry one big bunch of kale. A salad spinner works best, but you can also leave the kale in a strainer covered by a cutting board or plate for a few hours. Tear kale into bite sized pieces and place in bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle liberally with parmesan, sea salt and pepper. Using hands, mix kale until all pieces are coated, shiny, and sprinkled. Transfer to 2 baking trays, spread kale out evenly in a single layer. Bake at 350 for 15 mn and remove to cool. Kale chips are delicious and addictive. My kids even gobbled them up after another hesitant stare at their insane Mommy. Kale is only $1 a bunch at the farmers market, and is one of the best food choices a person can make.

Plating:

Set out chosen crackers (I use garlic herb toppers), dollop a mound of hummus, and then place 1 crispy kale chip on top!

Simple, healthy, full of protein and cancer fighting kale! These are the types of foods I eat, and the reason I have maintained my choice for so long. I hope someone else is able to enjoy it as well!

Food Labels

2 years ago when I stopped eating meat I had several flimsy reasons which over time grew into strong convictions. If everyone in the world were vegetarian it would end world hunger... The fecal pollution from raising enough livestock for mass consumption is a huge part of global warming... We wouldn't eat our pet dog or cat, and all other animals deserve the same consideration... Cutting out meat and dairy, when done correctly, is healthy and promotes safe weight loss.

People always ask me if I eat fish, as though a fish is somehow less of a living creature than a frog or dolphin. There is the constant comment that "fish is not meat." Fish is indeed meat. The definition of meat is the flesh of a living creature, and it confuses me as to why people make a distinction between fish and all other animals. I am aware Catholics are allowed to eat fish on Fridays, even though they are not supposed to eat meat, and that is where the confusion has been bred. My Dad laments not baptizing me as a baby, as though it somehow contributed to my heathen ways, so maybe if he had then I would believe fish is not meat!

On top of not eating meat, I have chosen not to eat eggs or milk, but I do eat cheese because I am only human. Yes I am aware cheese is made from milk, I can only do so much people. Over the last 2 years I've also had the occasional slice of french toast, and once I popped a tiny shrimp in my mouth in Vegas when no one was looking (okay twice!) I felt worse for being a hypocrite then for murdering the shrimp.

That is why things are beginning to change. I had an omelet this weekend, and forced the image of an egg being a chicken's period out of my head. Then it happened, I ordered the seafood combination at Benihanas and enjoyed every bite of that shrimp and lobster. So I cannot call myself a vegetarian, and while some have pointed out I am technically still a pescaterian, I am just done with being defined by my food choices. The fact is that eggs and chicken really skeeve me out... I love pigs, they are intelligent and beautiful creatures (they also have the longest orgasm of any mammal, look it up!)... and beef just looks like bloody carcass to me. Lobster and shrimp have just never triggered my guilt switch, and instead of being a hypocrite I am just going to move on from the labels and eat what I want in moderation. That makes me a flexitarian, which is the new buzzword with all the healthy running mommas, I guess that is one label I can live with.

End of an Era

So the next time I run a half marathon, someone please remind me not to take an entire week off to eat, drink and be... lazy! This week I had to break the bad habits that seem to form much quicker than good habits. My first day back at the gym I stepped on the scale and had gained 3 pounds! In one week! Why does it take 3 months to lose 3 pounds and only 1 week to gain it back? That little stab in the eyes has motivated me throughout this week and I already feel myself getting back into my groove. Eating this week has been excruciating, last week at one point I had about 7 pieces of pizza for dinner, dipped into 2 full containers of garlic sauce and washed down with a couple of beers! Not even light beer! So this week when I attempt to fill up on a normal portion size there is space left over and I am just plain hungry. Do I regret those 7 slices of red crushed pepper covered heaven? Not one bit! Nor the wine, plate of chile rellenos, or 2 bags of Doritos. The extra sets of reverse crunches that trashed my core today were so worth the potato skins and pazookie I added to my regular pizza and 2 pints at BJs. Pizza and beer seem to be a theme here.

Vacation time is now over, JT starts back at school Monday. With the school year comes early alarms, mostly vegan meals, hard workouts, and early bedtimes. Only 9 weeks until I run the full marathon in Long Beach! Oh my goodness I just counted that on the calendar and it is much sooner than I thought, I have a lot to get done, and I'll just have to do it without pizza and beer!

Green Smoothies!

I recently read Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko I was intrigued by the idea of ingesting blended greens. The premise is that if you study nature, specifically chimpanzees who are genetically simiar to us humans, you would see them digesting a very large amount of greens over each day. Greens are dark leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, collards, parsley and many more. The book explains that greens are so different from other vegetables, that they should be their own food group as high up on the food pyramid as any other major nutrient. Well that sounded great, I mean I'll just sit and eat 2 pounds of salad everyday right? The reason people don't get enough green is because it seems so unattainable and gross. Now what Green for Life introduces is the Green Smoothie! You can read the whole book for a lot more information, but what I took from it was get all the greens you need for a day and place them in a high-tech blender, then add a bunch of fruit to overpower the taste of the greens and blend away. I was skeptic at best, these industrial blenders run about $400. Then I found Green Smoothie Girl!! I absolutely adore her site and am working on her 12 Steps right now. I'll go into that in a separate post. Through this blog I was able to read more realistic testimonials about green smoothies, and view a youtube demo of the preparation. It suddenly seemed very simple and obvious to me, and so I took the plunge and invested in a Blend Tec. When I came home from Stanford and saw it had arrived I was giddy with excitment.
The following morning I was completely prepared with spinach, apples, bananes, and a bag of frozen berries from Trader Joes. I am happy to say the smoothie tasted so good both of my kids chugged it down and asked for seconds! The Blend Tec worked like a dream, pulverizing all of the greens until all that was left was a perfectly smooth drink... you might want to call it a SMOOTHIE. HAHA yes, ok, the point is there were no chunks, and the blender succeeded at breaking up the plant cellulose making the nutrients digestible and palatable.
As the week went on I expanded my smoothies, the kids still like them but need a little bribe to finish an entire mug. I am ashamed to say I bribed my children with Luna Bars and iCarly to finish those drinks everyday!

This is my current Green Smoothie Recipe:
2 cups water
2-3 tbsp fresh pressed flax oil ($7.99 at Trader Joes)
1/3 a bag of Trader Joes Southern Greens Blend (collards, turnip, spinach and mustard greens. $2.99)
BLEND
1-2 quartered apples, including core and seeds
2 bananas
1/2 bag Trader Joes frozen mixed berries ($2.99)
1/2 bag Trader Joes pineapple tidbits ($2.99)
BLEND twice

If it's thick, add more water and blend again.
Total cost: $5 ...and it's enough to fill 2 adult and 2 childrens cups.

It's been 1 week... my stomach is a bit smaller, and my digestive system feels great! I feel more energetic and confident throughout the day. I am able to eat less at all meals because I don't feel unsatisfied, the Green Smoothie actually tastes good and makes you full! I don't recommend running right after drinking a serving, it's a heavy drink and not one you want bouncing around inside your stomach, on run days I have it for lunch post-workout instead.

If you try it let me know!

Milk is for Babies

No other species drinks the milk of another species. No other animal drinks milk past infanthood. Milk is meant to encourage growth in the offspring of the nursing creature. Dairy cows are kept in horrible, tight, cramped conditions. They are unable to even turn around or lay down for hours at a time. When they give birth to a calf the baby is immediately taken away, and the cows are known to cry and bellow, kicking the walls in their tiny dirty stalls in pain. If you don't care about how the cows are treated, then consider the disgusting health conditions of thousands of dirty cows in the heat covered with flies dripping their mastitis infected pus into the milk that is forced out of them by hormone abuse. Milk is nothing but fat and cholesterol, all the nutrients the dairy association has convinced you that you "need" from milk can easily be attained by other healthier sources. The calcium so highly touted by the dairy conglomerates actually comes from the plants the cows eat! Cheese, butter, all other dairy products contain even higher levels of cholesterol and fat than plain milk. Stop drinking dairy, and see how quickly you stop bloating throughout the week.

Personally I still struggle with cheese. I have easily replaced milk with vitamin enriched rice milk, and yogurt with SO Good coconut milk yogurt. But cheese, my evil lover, I give you up and you are back the next day, covering a delicious piece of veggie pizza. Hey, I'm working on it, and I will get there!

I don't give my children milk either, and limit their other dairy intake. I like to think I am raising them to view animals and simple creatures who inhabit the Earth the same as we do, not walking vending machines put here for our unappreciative abuse. My kids don't go to the circus, where beautiful wild animals are dragged from town to town in cages. They only eat meat when we visit other people's houses, and I hope that eventually they choose not to eat carcass at all. I do leave that decision up to them, and as of now JT is a proud little carnivore.

My little Mica, Paul thought he had her on his nasty flesh eating side, but Mica adores animals. She has since she was very litte, and I have a feeling as insensitive as she can be that God's furry creatures are her soft spot. At Amy's Farm yesterday we saw a cow, and the other Moms asked their children what comes from cows, to which they smartly replied Milk! I asked Mica, baby what comes from a cow? She said... "a baby cow!" That's my girl.

The Best Tacos EVER

When I was growing up "Taco Night" was always cause for excitement. I firmly believed my parents made the best tacos in the world and was incredibly deflated when I grew up and realized the recipe consists of prepackaged envelopes and cans! It still tasted amazing, but now I knew they were not unique to only our family. I no longer eat that pound of ground up cow saturated in fat and Lawry's taco seasonings, but I have come up with a really yummy and healthy taco that I want to share with you all... because I love you that much...

Olivia's Tacos

canola oil
1/2 cup Chopped onion
heaping tablespoon minced garlic
2 chopped bell peppers (2 different colors, any combo)
1 package soyrizo
whole wheat tortillas

Simply heat oil, onion and garlic in a skillet and saute until fragrant. Add bell peppers and soyrizo, cover with lid, and cook on medium-low for about 30 minutes, stirring often. When the bell peppers are bright but soft, and the soyrizo is dark brown, it is ready! Serve up on warm whole wheat tortillas and top with:

Really Simple Guacamole
4 avocados
1 tomato
tablespoon minced garlic
juice of 2 limes
2 minced jalapeno
(optional) pour in a little of your favorite salsa!

Put all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth, add a heaping dollop to your tacos and enjoy! I generally serve this all with baked zucchini chips that have been tossed with olive oil, sea salt and McGrill Mates Montreal Seasoning and baked at 350 until crispy!

Enjoy, and if you make them come back and tell me how much you love them!

Fabulous Lazy Mommy?

Is it just me or has there been no running update for a while? I mean am I not the Fabulous RUNNING Mommy? Well I have been not-so-fabulous this week. I have been just relaxing, doing the bare minimum on my chores and feeding the kids poptarts for breakfast! Granted they get a piece of fruit and protein shake with that, but in this house poptarts are usually unheard of! I even had a little eel last night on my sushi! Yes I am still vegetarian, but come on... eel? That is not a freaking animal! I step on spiders so eating eel is not a huge leap. So I have been just getting by this week, and I am ok with that!

However... next week will be all about punishment! I'm starting the 200 situps program which will help me to be able to do 200 consecutive sit ups in 6 weeks! I will be in a 2 piece this summer, if I have to beat my belly off with a stick! I'm going to jump right back in with my running, with 1 interval and 1 mile repeat session a week, with a long run of course on Sundays. I am currently averaging an 11 minute a mile pace on my long runs, and before I distance train for the full 26.2 mile marathon I want to get closer to 10 minutes a mile! I will get there, I just have to buckle down, because as I have learned "Pain is Temporary, Pride is Forever!"

Running my own race

I ran an awesome 13.5 mile run yesterday in 2:40! At almost 12 minutes a mile this would hardly impress most runners, but I always run my own race. I don't worry about the people around me, or what a person may think, whether running, blogging or just living, I always run my own race. I was proud of my run yesterday and spent the remainder of the day relaxing. We walked over to the empty school and played until the sun started to go down and the air turned chilly. We packed up the van and had some great Mexican food down the street, dos coronas por favor, y dos horchatas. When our babies were tucked in tight cuddled up in our bed watching Toy Story, Paul and I sat trading foot rubs and retelling stories. I know all his stories and he knows all of mine, but still we sit laughing and just breathing together. We headed to bed early and as I fell asleep in his arms I knew this was the life I was meant for.

I have to share the easiest and yummiest vegetarian pizza recipe ever!

1 pkg of whole wheat Trader Joe's Pizza dough or make your own like I usually do
1/2 jar of Ragu or mix tomato sauce, tomato paste and fresh herbs of your choice. If you choose to make your own, steam and puree veggies and hide them in the sauce!
Shredded cheddar cheese vegan optional
Lots of fresh veggie toppings I use red bell pepper and zucchini

Spray a cookie sheet or pizza pan with non-stick cooking spray. Roll dough out to edges and top with all ingredients. Bake at 400 for about 10-15 minutes!

Serve with sweet potato fries! Just slice into rounds, toss with olive oil, pepper, and sea salt. Bake at 400 on a tray sprayed with cooking spray until soft and edges start to brown, about 30 mn. Just stick them in first while you assemble the pizza then add the pizza and both will be done at the same time!

A promise... and a tag!

I am sitting here with that deliciously tight feeling all through my body, knowing I ran 13 miles this morning and have only 6 more days until my next race! I am making a pact with myself, the same way I promised myself to become vegetarian, and then later to become a runner... I am going to pick my yoga practice back up! I was really getting into it when my friend and yoga instructor Amy moved away *tear* I loved Amy's class! I also love Amy and really miss her and her adorable son Denali. In class, she worked with my hearing and made adjustments to keep me included. I always left feeling flexible and as part of a whole. When I attend other yoga classes I always feel alienated and hurt my neck trying to watch for the next pose. I have a wonderful daily yoga book, and have learned a lot of the poses from Amy and various other classes already. So I will be really pushing myself to commit and hopefully a year from now I will not only be one of those annoying people avoiding the food you cooked, or the nerd running down the street with a water belt and visor... I will also be the bendy chick with the lean musculature only yoga can help you accomplish!

Now I have a little homework assignment to complete, my girlfriend Michelle who took some absolutley gorgeous photographs of my kids for me this week tagged me. So the 4th photo in the 4th file in my picture files is:

Ok that is a picture of my Dad, Tom, at my wedding reception at Maggianos in Las Vegas. He is so handsome! Thanks Michelle, now I am tagging Kadi, Priscilla, and KC!

I'll post the photos Michelle took of the kids tomorrow, right now I need to go put up the tree with my kids!

An egg is a chicken's period...

Saturday morning I ran a really solid 14 miles! I mapped it out and just took off. It felt so good to be free, running in the crisp Autumn air, the weather was just perfect. The run was so long I was meditating, and just circulating positive energy. I came home and did my yoga, showered and drank some protein. It was the perfect way to kick off the day...

That night I headed to my friend Darci's for her bday! (Wendy went too, don't want to leave her out! LOL) We stayed up late drinking and laughing. Paul and Darci were playing pool.... and then I woke up the next morning in her son's bed sprawled out next to JT! Good times!

This week is hectic, trying to squeeze in a 5 miler, tomorrow I am taking the kids to Discovery Science Center with my Moms group, then Wednesday I will be a cooking machine! Instead of FoTurkey Roast *shudder* I am making soyrizo and pepperjack tamales with my vegetarian masa! Some whole wheat stuffing and mashed potatoes with rice milk will round it out... can't wait to steal the bowl of fried artichoke hearts and gorge myself on them! They're made with egg... but it's Thanksgiving! And I mean I'm not even eating Turkey or gravy! I'm only human people... stop judging me...

A week in the life...

Ok so I have my menu and training all planned out for this week, and am sharing it. All the food is homemade with mostly fresh ingredients. I will gladly share recipes if anyone is interested! I had Mediterranean food for the first time Friday and fell in love, so am trying to incorporate some recipes I found online. Falaffel has to be the most amazing thing I have ever tasted!!! Wish me luck guys, and hold me accountable! Just by posting this I am completely confident I will accomplish this entire list!

Monday:
Mediterranean Sandwich (roasted eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini with pesto spread)
Rest/Yoga

Tuesday:
Soyrizo Veggie Chili
easy 5 miles and strength training

Wednesday:
Bean tacos, brown spanish rice with tomatoes, and green beans
Rest/Yoga

Thursday:
Leftovers
4 mile morning walk, 3 mile repeats and strength training

Friday:
Eggplant Parmesan and gnocchi
crosstrain on elliptical for 500 calories, strength train

Saturday:
BBQ! Veggie Burger kabobs (wedges of onion bagel, veggie burger, pickles, cheese, & cherry tomato BBQ'd and served over greens, and grilled zucchini!)
Rest

Sunday:
Falaffel pitas with eggplant hummus and green leaf lettuce served with pineapple
10 mile run!!! then hit the beach!

All Choked Up

As I watched JT kick his way through karate class and flipped through Vegetarian magazine, I knew it was starting… It always starts with a tickle in my lower throat, and I break out in a cold sweat in sheer panic. Glancing surreptitiously at all the possible witnesses I grab the bottle of water I keep at all times and quickly make my exit. As a few stifled coughs trip out people start to look, noting the speed in my pace I can see them all wonder…. Is she ok? Roughly shoving pass the door I look back at my husband who is watching me, worried, knowing already what is happening. I rush to the nearest bathroom, chest burning, chunks rising, and once inside the door unleash a ripple of shuddering throaty coughs. Gasping for air I cough feeling my throat spasm and contract as I race to the stall. I gag and heave profusely, my body expelling anything that could prevent it from sucking in the air it desperately needs at this point. Soon I am able to draw a sharp breath and sneak a greedy gulp of the water. The coughing continues, deeper in my chest, but slowly dissipates as I sip and ease my raw throat back open. I breathe deeply and go out to the sink, splashing my face with cold water, the mirror reflects my bloodshot eyes and ruddy skin. A scratchy cough haunts me as I slink back to my seat, trying to avoid the curious stares of those I pass. I sit back with my husband and wave off his concerns, I’m fine, this time. JT continues to practice, completely oblivious to my bathroom trip…

Unfortunately choking seems to be another side effect of one of my tumors I just have to learn to live with. Having a slight cold to begin with made last nights episode that much worse, the burning traveled down deep into my chest and only Nyquil helped me finally ease into a restful sleep. I’ve had swallowing exams, neurological exams, and my MRIs reviewed. There is no clinical explanation for these occasional choking spells. As frightening as the episodes are, there is nothing I can do besides staying calm and keeping water with me.

This morning Mica’s round chubby face and lopsided pigtails peeked over the blankets at me… I awoke with a lingering cough and a delicious tightness in my arms and legs. I did my first tempo run yesterday at the gym. I am only now beginning to work on speed and it was incredibly challenging to hold my race pace for 10 minutes straight. 10 minutes sounds so short but feels like an eternity when you are running all out. After the run I really pushed myself on my strength training, adding extra reps whenever possible and stretching deeply between machines. It was worth the exertion, I left feeling weary but renewed and worthy of my day off today. As good as running feels, nothing beats lounging around the couch with my adorable rugrats…