Showing posts with label Vegetarian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vegetarian. Show all posts
Monday, January 13, 2014
How This Carnivore Became a Vegetarian (and like it)
Here is the latest article I published on Yahoo! voices.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Culinary creativity
So lately... as in the past several months... I've been in somewhat of a cooking rut.
Like, big time.
Between the kids' school schedule, my school demands, and the daily comings and goings of life in general, creative cooking gave way to old favorites. Same ol' same ol'. Yummy, but boring and predictable!
But since it is summer time, and since I lack much else to do since moving to a new state and not yet feeling established here, I have branched out and began experimenting with some new recipes.
Last week, I made jambalaya for the first time.
To be honest, I didn't like it. The Husband, and my two boys did. My daughter and I... not so much.
It wasn't that it tasted bad or anything. For my daughter, I think she just found it too spicy. For me, I found it a little dry, and it was lacking something- something I couldn't put my finger on. So I'm going to find a new recipe and try again.
Yesterday was much different. I made a Four-Cheese Penne, and holy crap balls it was delicious!!!
Granted, for someone who is sensitive to dairy, it wasn't the smartest choice, per se. But it was super yummy all the same. It just requires a little portion control- both for the extreme amount of cheese in it, and for the simple fact that it is crazy high in calories and sodium. I made steamed broccoli to go with it, in an attempt to beef up the health factor of the meal. And I just have a deep love of steamed broccoli!
Tonight, I'm going for something quite a bit healthier. Chicken and Roasted Veggies. In the crock pot! (I haven't used my crock pot in... years)
I'm using chicken breasts, rather than thighs, because I find chicken thighs repulsive. I also added extra gravy to it, because I added extra potatoes, so I figured it should balance out (hopefully). This recipe has less than half the calories of the penne dish, as well as less than half the sodium content. And the addition of veggies is always a plus in my book!
I may make some homemade bread to go with it, but I haven't decided yet.
I'll let you know how it turns out!
Both the chicken and penne recipes came from this little Casserole & Slow Cooker cookbook I grabbed one day in the check-out line at the grocery store. And then proceeded to forget about. For years.
Upon moving, I rediscovered it in my stacks of cookbooks, and the rest is history!
Yummy, easy, cheap, and family-friendly recipes? Score!
Like, big time.
Between the kids' school schedule, my school demands, and the daily comings and goings of life in general, creative cooking gave way to old favorites. Same ol' same ol'. Yummy, but boring and predictable!
But since it is summer time, and since I lack much else to do since moving to a new state and not yet feeling established here, I have branched out and began experimenting with some new recipes.
Last week, I made jambalaya for the first time.
 |
| Mine didn't look this good :-( |
To be honest, I didn't like it. The Husband, and my two boys did. My daughter and I... not so much.
It wasn't that it tasted bad or anything. For my daughter, I think she just found it too spicy. For me, I found it a little dry, and it was lacking something- something I couldn't put my finger on. So I'm going to find a new recipe and try again.
Yesterday was much different. I made a Four-Cheese Penne, and holy crap balls it was delicious!!!
Granted, for someone who is sensitive to dairy, it wasn't the smartest choice, per se. But it was super yummy all the same. It just requires a little portion control- both for the extreme amount of cheese in it, and for the simple fact that it is crazy high in calories and sodium. I made steamed broccoli to go with it, in an attempt to beef up the health factor of the meal. And I just have a deep love of steamed broccoli!
 |
| Crazy delicious!!! |
Tonight, I'm going for something quite a bit healthier. Chicken and Roasted Veggies. In the crock pot! (I haven't used my crock pot in... years)
 |
| I feel like chicken tonight, like chicken tonight |
I'm using chicken breasts, rather than thighs, because I find chicken thighs repulsive. I also added extra gravy to it, because I added extra potatoes, so I figured it should balance out (hopefully). This recipe has less than half the calories of the penne dish, as well as less than half the sodium content. And the addition of veggies is always a plus in my book!
I may make some homemade bread to go with it, but I haven't decided yet.
I'll let you know how it turns out!
Both the chicken and penne recipes came from this little Casserole & Slow Cooker cookbook I grabbed one day in the check-out line at the grocery store. And then proceeded to forget about. For years.
Upon moving, I rediscovered it in my stacks of cookbooks, and the rest is history!
Yummy, easy, cheap, and family-friendly recipes? Score!
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Cat puke and cancer screenings
Okay, so first of all, what is it about animals that makes them feel compelled to eat non-edible items and then proceed to puke them back up in my entry way or on the bamboo area rug under my dining table?!?
Because seriously.
It's gross.
Is this a feline thing?
Is my cat just extra-special stupid?
Is he a vindictive ass-hat who's doing it on purpose to make my life difficult?
At some point last night or the wee hours of this morning he ate three pieces of yarn and part of a Nerf dart, and clearly his little body didn't approve of that snack, and now I have a stain on my area rug that I'm still trying to figure out how to get rid of without ruining the hardwood floors underneath.
*grumblegrumble*
I'm contemplating using Spot Shot, because that stuff gets anything out of carpet.
Seriously. Anything.
Tea, lentil soup, bloody nose, Crayola marker, mud/traffic stains, you name it, I've removed the stain with this stuff.
I'm just not sure if it'll hurt the wood floors, and I'm a little hesitant to risk it....
Stupid cat.
ANYWAY!!!
I mentioned awhile back about being somewhat of a vegetarian. I used to be really good at it, and in the last several months I've gotten a little too lax about it. When life gets busy it's easy to fall into a pattern of what is easy, rather than what is healthy.
And suffice it to say I've definitely been feeling the effects of falling off the veggie-saurus wagon.
See, the whole reason I quit eating meat in the first place was because for several years I'd been having digestive "issues", and couldn't figure out why. I tried cutting out caffeinated beverages, fried foods, dairy, wheat, all the usual suspects, and with only limited improvement. Then, when I cut out meat, BAM! Instant improvement.
And thus my veggie-saurus-ness was born.
I am someone who is probably more aware of my digestive patterns than most. I can't help it, it's ingrained in me at this point.
My dad died of colon cancer when I was 16.
At first, I didn't really know much about it or make a point to learn. I think I was in denial about the whole thing and it took me a few years to work through all that (but that's a whole blog post unto itself, so we'll discuss that another time).
Finally, the more I came to accept what happened, the more I was willing to learn about colon cancer. Signs, symptoms, prevention, all that jazz.
So I am aware of the need for high fiber intake. I know that diets high in Vitamin D3 aid significantly in prevention and during treatment, and that D3 deficiencies have been linked to various cancers, specifically colorectal cancers. I know that red meats, processed meats, and charred meats are directly linked to colorectal cancers. And I know the red flags that something has gone awry in your guts.
And right now, I am experiencing some of those red flags.
Now, I'm not in some panicked tizzy thinking that I totally have cancer or anything like that. I haven't had... ahem... blood... you know... back there... and that's usually the first big sign that you likely have colon cancer.
So I'm not freaking out.
But my digestive patterns have been, shall we say, less than ideal lately. In the opposite way as what they used to be like. And the weird thing is that even in doing all of the things that normally get things back on track- drinking plenty of water, eating lots of fiber-rich foods, regular exercise, etc- it hasn't helped. To the point of being in physical discomfort on a regular basis.
So I'm going in to see a gastroenterologist next month. I'm curious what they will say. I'm assuming a colonoscopy is on the table, though I don't know if they will jump directly to that or try other approaches first. This is all new to me, man, so I have no idea what to expect.
For now I'll keep on keeping on, trying to rebalance my digestive system and get back to my happy place.
Oh yeah, and drinking my daily glass of MetaMucil, as per my doctor's suggestion.
Because seriously.
It's gross.
Is this a feline thing?
Is my cat just extra-special stupid?
Is he a vindictive ass-hat who's doing it on purpose to make my life difficult?
At some point last night or the wee hours of this morning he ate three pieces of yarn and part of a Nerf dart, and clearly his little body didn't approve of that snack, and now I have a stain on my area rug that I'm still trying to figure out how to get rid of without ruining the hardwood floors underneath.
*grumblegrumble*
I'm contemplating using Spot Shot, because that stuff gets anything out of carpet.
Seriously. Anything.
Tea, lentil soup, bloody nose, Crayola marker, mud/traffic stains, you name it, I've removed the stain with this stuff.
I'm just not sure if it'll hurt the wood floors, and I'm a little hesitant to risk it....
Stupid cat.
ANYWAY!!!
I mentioned awhile back about being somewhat of a vegetarian. I used to be really good at it, and in the last several months I've gotten a little too lax about it. When life gets busy it's easy to fall into a pattern of what is easy, rather than what is healthy.
And suffice it to say I've definitely been feeling the effects of falling off the veggie-saurus wagon.
See, the whole reason I quit eating meat in the first place was because for several years I'd been having digestive "issues", and couldn't figure out why. I tried cutting out caffeinated beverages, fried foods, dairy, wheat, all the usual suspects, and with only limited improvement. Then, when I cut out meat, BAM! Instant improvement.
And thus my veggie-saurus-ness was born.
I am someone who is probably more aware of my digestive patterns than most. I can't help it, it's ingrained in me at this point.
My dad died of colon cancer when I was 16.
At first, I didn't really know much about it or make a point to learn. I think I was in denial about the whole thing and it took me a few years to work through all that (but that's a whole blog post unto itself, so we'll discuss that another time).
Finally, the more I came to accept what happened, the more I was willing to learn about colon cancer. Signs, symptoms, prevention, all that jazz.
So I am aware of the need for high fiber intake. I know that diets high in Vitamin D3 aid significantly in prevention and during treatment, and that D3 deficiencies have been linked to various cancers, specifically colorectal cancers. I know that red meats, processed meats, and charred meats are directly linked to colorectal cancers. And I know the red flags that something has gone awry in your guts.
And right now, I am experiencing some of those red flags.
Now, I'm not in some panicked tizzy thinking that I totally have cancer or anything like that. I haven't had... ahem... blood... you know... back there... and that's usually the first big sign that you likely have colon cancer.
So I'm not freaking out.
But my digestive patterns have been, shall we say, less than ideal lately. In the opposite way as what they used to be like. And the weird thing is that even in doing all of the things that normally get things back on track- drinking plenty of water, eating lots of fiber-rich foods, regular exercise, etc- it hasn't helped. To the point of being in physical discomfort on a regular basis.
So I'm going in to see a gastroenterologist next month. I'm curious what they will say. I'm assuming a colonoscopy is on the table, though I don't know if they will jump directly to that or try other approaches first. This is all new to me, man, so I have no idea what to expect.
For now I'll keep on keeping on, trying to rebalance my digestive system and get back to my happy place.
Oh yeah, and drinking my daily glass of MetaMucil, as per my doctor's suggestion.
 |
| Because I have the guts of a 70 year old, clearly |
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Veggie-saurus Rex
I have been a vegetarian for approximately four or five years now, though lately, I must admit, I've been a really lousy veggie-saurus. It's something I have been struggling with since September.
The kids started back to school, my school started shortly thereafter, the holidays snuck up on me, and pretty soon it was macaroni and cheese, pizza, and takeout. There have even been a few trips to McDonald's wedged in there. And today we had Taco Time for lunch....
I know!
It's terrible!
I fully understand how gross and unhealthy it is. I'm one of those people who try and hide their face as they go through the drive thru, and then hide the bags when I get home so my neighbors don't see them and judge me for eating crap.
I figure, if I'm that ashamed of it, I shouldn't be eating it right? Of course right.
But you know what, sometimes life with kids gets a little crazy. Add in full-time school and it gets even crazier. And so I go for what's easy. And what's easiest is usually absolute garbage.
Hence my predicament.
So I'm making a point to get back on the straight and narrow and start eating right again.
See, there are a few reasons why I quit eating meat to begin with.
First of all, because I was tired of feeling lousy all the time. I'd been sick for a few years, and when I cut out meat I suddenly started feeling much better. I had previously tried cutting out dairy, junk food, soda, and sugar, but to no avail. I cut out meat, and BAM, instantly better! Apparently I just don't digest it well?
The second reason is more personal.
Reader's digest version- my dad died of colon cancer when I was 16.
Colon cancer is genetic, but it is also affected largely by diet. In fact it is, to my knowledge, the only cancer that has been directly linked to diet- specifically red meat, processed meats, and anything charred.
So yeah, I probably need to get back on track. Partly so I go back to feeling better (definitely regretting that Taco Time), but mostly to cut my cancer risks and not have it floating around in the back of my mind.
I'm not going to live my life in fear and the 'what ifs', I totally agree with enjoying yourself (within reason).
But I also need to face reality and treat my body better so that I can be here for decades to come. My dad got sick when he was 40. I'm 29. I go in for the colonoscopy later on this year.
Time to put my big girl panties on and face it, methinks.
The kids started back to school, my school started shortly thereafter, the holidays snuck up on me, and pretty soon it was macaroni and cheese, pizza, and takeout. There have even been a few trips to McDonald's wedged in there. And today we had Taco Time for lunch....
I know!
It's terrible!
I fully understand how gross and unhealthy it is. I'm one of those people who try and hide their face as they go through the drive thru, and then hide the bags when I get home so my neighbors don't see them and judge me for eating crap.
I figure, if I'm that ashamed of it, I shouldn't be eating it right? Of course right.
But you know what, sometimes life with kids gets a little crazy. Add in full-time school and it gets even crazier. And so I go for what's easy. And what's easiest is usually absolute garbage.
Hence my predicament.
So I'm making a point to get back on the straight and narrow and start eating right again.
See, there are a few reasons why I quit eating meat to begin with.
First of all, because I was tired of feeling lousy all the time. I'd been sick for a few years, and when I cut out meat I suddenly started feeling much better. I had previously tried cutting out dairy, junk food, soda, and sugar, but to no avail. I cut out meat, and BAM, instantly better! Apparently I just don't digest it well?
The second reason is more personal.
Reader's digest version- my dad died of colon cancer when I was 16.
Colon cancer is genetic, but it is also affected largely by diet. In fact it is, to my knowledge, the only cancer that has been directly linked to diet- specifically red meat, processed meats, and anything charred.
So yeah, I probably need to get back on track. Partly so I go back to feeling better (definitely regretting that Taco Time), but mostly to cut my cancer risks and not have it floating around in the back of my mind.
I'm not going to live my life in fear and the 'what ifs', I totally agree with enjoying yourself (within reason).
But I also need to face reality and treat my body better so that I can be here for decades to come. My dad got sick when he was 40. I'm 29. I go in for the colonoscopy later on this year.
Time to put my big girl panties on and face it, methinks.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
I think I'm doing it wrong
Tomorrow we are hosting a Super Bowl party for a bunch of our friends, and while I am excited because it should be fun, I'm also somewhat irrationally nervous.
"But why Sarah, it's just a Super Bowl party, what's to be worried about?", you may ask.
Because I've never hosted a Super Bowl party, for one. I've only ever been the guest.
And for two, because I'm not sure how to... Super Bowl.
(Yes, I made it a verb. Go with it.)
I'm a chick. I watch the Super Bowl for the commercials. The little men in the tight pants running around jumping on each other? Superfluous, in my opinion.
(Sorry, bro)
Clearly, I'm missing some enigmatic plot point or something, because my idea of Super Bowl food is crudités and other assorted light appetizers, followed by a fresh, healthy meal.
(Yes, yes, laugh it up)
Our actual menu?
A bunch of artery-clogging crap.
Jalapeño poppers, deep fried mozzarella sticks, cheese fries, pizza, and, of course, enough buffalo chicken wings to feed, well, a football team. There will also be chips and salsa and beer, natch.
Being the stubborn girly-girl that I am, I am insisting on making a vegetarian chili so that we have something with actual substance and nutritive value. I'm also making some sweet and spicy roasted almonds, and a sun dried tomato, garlic, and herb crostini.
Because I couldn't resist chick-i-fying Super Bowl Sunday, the manliest day of the year.
See, this is why I'm concerned. I think I broke the Super Bowl....
"But why Sarah, it's just a Super Bowl party, what's to be worried about?", you may ask.
Because I've never hosted a Super Bowl party, for one. I've only ever been the guest.
And for two, because I'm not sure how to... Super Bowl.
(Yes, I made it a verb. Go with it.)
I'm a chick. I watch the Super Bowl for the commercials. The little men in the tight pants running around jumping on each other? Superfluous, in my opinion.
(Sorry, bro)
Clearly, I'm missing some enigmatic plot point or something, because my idea of Super Bowl food is crudités and other assorted light appetizers, followed by a fresh, healthy meal.
(Yes, yes, laugh it up)
Our actual menu?
A bunch of artery-clogging crap.
Jalapeño poppers, deep fried mozzarella sticks, cheese fries, pizza, and, of course, enough buffalo chicken wings to feed, well, a football team. There will also be chips and salsa and beer, natch.
Being the stubborn girly-girl that I am, I am insisting on making a vegetarian chili so that we have something with actual substance and nutritive value. I'm also making some sweet and spicy roasted almonds, and a sun dried tomato, garlic, and herb crostini.
Because I couldn't resist chick-i-fying Super Bowl Sunday, the manliest day of the year.
See, this is why I'm concerned. I think I broke the Super Bowl....
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Back in the saddle again
Hiddely-ho internets! It's been awhile... But I'm back, bitches!
I had a blog many moons ago, back when blogging was less mainstream and more...
*gulp*
... hipster-y...
I know, the horror!
But then in a fit of writer's block and doldrums I erased it (three years of work!) and never looked back.
Until recently, that is, when I realized that I needed a creative outlet again. A way to express my constant, rambling dialogue that goes on my harried little brain. And so, here I am!
Don't really know what more to say. I don't really have a specific "plan" for the blog, per se. I know many people start out with the intent of "I'm going to write a travel blog", or "I'm going to show of my culinary masterpieces", or "I just really like pictures of cats"... but that's not me. I'll talk about many things on here, most of which will likely seem hilarious or culturally relevant to me and be nothing more than a *headscratch* and *facepalm* to others, but that's okay!
I'll talk about parenting and vegetarian cooking and my sad attempts at getting any of my work published (I know, a blogger who is an aspiring writer...SHOCKER!!!). I live in the Seattle area, so I'll toss in some Emerald City love here and there. I'm a student, so there will be venting and swearing during midterms and finals. I also love hiking and road trips and books, so I'm sure I'll throw a few of those in there from time to time to mix it up.
But basically, as with most things in my life, I'm just going to wing it and hope for the best!
And away we go...
I had a blog many moons ago, back when blogging was less mainstream and more...
*gulp*
... hipster-y...
I know, the horror!
But then in a fit of writer's block and doldrums I erased it (three years of work!) and never looked back.
Until recently, that is, when I realized that I needed a creative outlet again. A way to express my constant, rambling dialogue that goes on my harried little brain. And so, here I am!
Don't really know what more to say. I don't really have a specific "plan" for the blog, per se. I know many people start out with the intent of "I'm going to write a travel blog", or "I'm going to show of my culinary masterpieces", or "I just really like pictures of cats"... but that's not me. I'll talk about many things on here, most of which will likely seem hilarious or culturally relevant to me and be nothing more than a *headscratch* and *facepalm* to others, but that's okay!
I'll talk about parenting and vegetarian cooking and my sad attempts at getting any of my work published (I know, a blogger who is an aspiring writer...SHOCKER!!!). I live in the Seattle area, so I'll toss in some Emerald City love here and there. I'm a student, so there will be venting and swearing during midterms and finals. I also love hiking and road trips and books, so I'm sure I'll throw a few of those in there from time to time to mix it up.
But basically, as with most things in my life, I'm just going to wing it and hope for the best!
And away we go...
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