very good advice

A great piece about how to start to make a change. Change is scary and it's hard, but the bottom line, if you want to make a change, then just start... start small or big or anyway that gets you to start!   

The most important meal of the day

A review of a new recipe
I  made the raw power-packed pumpkin pie buckwheat breakfast that my happy healthy friend recommended.  I had it for breakfast yesterday.  My first thought when I tasted it was, well, at least it's convenient.  My second thought was, maybe the flavors need to blend a little more and then it will be tastier.  My third thought was, maybe I need to get used to it.

I really wanted to like it, it has so many good things in it.

I ate it, Friday (about 8 am), because it so convenient.  Then I went to my incredibly fast-paced Zumba class, came home, straightened up the house (the cleaners were coming), and wasn't hungry until around 12:30 pm.  Whoa.  It was a good breakfast.  Usually, I'm starving after a couple of hours.

On Saturday morning, I was running out the door to take the girls to gymnastics and I realized I hadn't eaten. I'd gotten up really early to meet my class online and then I did some other work.  As usual, I was running late to leave.  I wasn't sure what I could eat 'cause it was TIME TO GO.  Nick, my husband, reminded me of the breakfast pudding (as we're calling it).  I thought, "Okay, well, it's convenient," and grabbed a bowl.  This morning, the flavors were more married and it tasted better.  I don't know if it's me getting used to it, or it aging well, but I will probably give the recipe another shot--not right away.  It totally wins because it is SUPER easy to grab a bowl and eat it.  We'll see if it keeps me full for as long as it did yesterday.  

Here's a link to the Happy Health Librarian's version of the recipe.  

Here's a link to the version that inspired Happy Health created by Oh She Glows.

My notes on the recipe

I didn't add any dates or any maple syrup to my version.  I only used a little stevia and banana for sweetner. Adding either date or maple syrup might have made the taste a little smoother and maybe I'd have enjoyed the buckwheat recipe more, however, I don't like to add too much sugar, even if it's natural like maple syrup or dates.  Also, Happy Healthy and Oh She Glows both recommended keeping out 1/2 the groats to add after the blending so you have a "textured" pudding.  Um, no.  I did that, tried it, and didn't like the texture at all.  Since I hadn't emptied it the blender, I added all the groats and blended until everything was smooth.  Other folks may like the texture with some of the pieces being hard/chewy, but all I could think was "crun-chewy" which was a word used in bad 80s (maybe even 70s) dog food commercials.  

Finally, I only made 1/2 the recipe that Happy Healthy and Oh She Glows made.  I didn't want to be committed for 4-5 breakfasts.  With the half recipe, I committed to 2-3.  I finished eating it this morning. I'll let you know if I "fall in love" with this recipe. Right now, it's convenient, good for me, and a breakfast that will take me all the way through an intense workout and beyond.  I will make it again, and give it another chance*.  I'll keep you posted.  

*I know that for some foods it takes 4-5 (or more) tries to like something.  If the recipe wasn't so easy and if it wasn't so darn convenient to eat in the morning, I'm not sure I'd give it another try, however, it rocks in that department.  I'm also going to try some of the other "prepare the night before" and eat in the morning breakfasts that Oh She Glows has.  I'll let you know what I think.  I've never tried them before.  I really like making (oat bars) and (scones) and (my PB cookies) as grab and go breakfasts, but prepared the night before cereals could be a new thing for more variety.  I'm thinking of trying the green monster overnight oats!

Broccoli and salsa

 
She's a vegan who likes vegetables.  Here she is eating broccoli, salsa, and brown rice.  (One of her Mom's favorite combos, too.)  You can see her green (kale) smoothie on the right side of the picture (just barely).  She's always liked veggies, even as a preschooler.  When she was 3.75, if she didn't have a veggie with her lunch or dinner she'd say, "I need something green." Green is her favorite color.  Someday, I'll ask her to do a guest post here. 

A new recipe

School started and I'm starting back to work, too.  I always forget how much there is to do at the start of school.  Of course, I don't have time to sit and surf the web, but I am doing it. I just found this awesome recipe at Forks over Knives.

 I'm a sucker for chocolate and pumpkin and I can't wait to make these.  The recipe looks excellently not sweet!  The only change I might make is to pull out a little of the oat flour and exchange it for flax (like do 1.5 cups oat flour and 1/2 cup flax).  I'll report back when I get these made.  (I kind of want to make muffins RIGHT now, but it's 10:30 pm and I have to get up kind of early in the morning.  School... Gah.) 

(Here's the recipe copy and pasted, you know, in case the Internet ever goes down or something.) 
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
Serves 6-12

1 medium banana, mashed
1 (15-oz.) can sweet pumpkin puree
1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups whole oat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 cup grain-sweetened dairy-free chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine mashed banana, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.

2. In a small bowl, combine oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Transfer mixture to large bowl and mix together gently until well combined. Avoid over-mixing to prevent toughness in the final product. Fold in chocolate chips.

3. Spoon batter into silicon muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins are lightly browned. Remove muffins from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Store muffins in an airtight container.

*Recipe derived from Julieanna Hever’s Blueberry Oat Breakfast Muffins in Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health, edited by Gene Stone

Mexican Sweet Potato Soup

I made this soup for the first time.  (Recipe pasted below.) It was good!  What would I change? Not much.  I'd add Kale, of course!  (Remember, I like it GREEN!)  I did add some kale to my bowl, and YUM! I think I'd also add Muir Glen fire-roasted tomatoes.  If you scroll down on this post you can read about Eden tomatoes being BPA free.

Oh, on the soup, I didn't saute the veggies.  I just threw everything in the pot and let it cook for a couple of hours.  Next time, I might saute the red peppers or if I were in a hurry, I'd add (jarred) oven roasted red peppers.

So it's been a while since my last post... where did I go and am I back now?  I have been busy getting ready for the fall.  I'll be working again and teaching.  I'm almost ready--kind of, but I don't want summer to end.  My brother is visiting and this coming weekend we have some birthday celebrating to do, so don't expect me back quite yet.  I've so enjoyed my summer off and hanging with the girls.  Thanks to my wonderful husband for encouraging me to take time off. 

And now, Happy Healthy Librarian's Sister's Soup Recipe. 

Serves:  8 (2 cup servings)
Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups cubed sweet potatoes

1 large sweet onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped fine

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

1 large red pepper, chopped

1 16 oz. jar of salsa (I used pico de gallo, but next time I might use a heartier cooked salsa)

1/2 tablespoon cumin

2--14.5 oz. can of black beans, drained & rinsed

6 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth (use 8 cups if you like a thinner soup)

1/3 cup Better'n Peanut Butter (low-fat), or PB2 equivalent, prepared, or real peanut butter

1 bag of TJ's frozen brown rice, microwaved (2 cups cooked brown rice)
Optional:  Add 1 1/2 cups of frozen roasted corn

Preparation:
Saute all the vegetables, with sweet potatoes for 5-7 minutes, until soft (I skipped this... I microwaved the sweet potatoes and just through everything in the pot and let them simmer for a couple of hours.  I do think softening the pepper a bit more might be good.)

Add salsa, cumin, black beans, & broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes

Add in peanut butter. Whisk well.

Add in rice & cook 2 minutes longer.  (I didn't add rice, but maybe next time.  I prefer kale over rice.)

This is loaded with nutrients!

Protein

Here's a link to an article on protein from Vegnews.com.

 I still need to think about calcium, but right now, I'm putting the final touches on my syllabus for my course for fall. 

Lunch with my girls

Today, we were spontaneous!  We went out to lunch without planning on it.  We drove past a strip mall and saw a Chipolte and decided we should go.

Chipolte is a fairly friendly vegan restaurant.  Their black beans are not made with any animal products.  (Their website gives lots of information about their food.) The girls had rice and black beans (one had brown rice and one had white) (the third girl was at a playdate so she had none).  I had a salad bowl with black beans, romaine lettuce, pico de gallo, and guacamole.  The girls and I also had a few tortilla chips--we split one bag.  We were very full at the end of our lunch. 
 
We ate alfresco; I should have taken a picture, but alas, I was caught up in the moment of enjoying the girls and the nice, cool summer day. Ah, summer, I love you.  I don't want you to end.