Days 28-35 and -10.5 pounds!

I made the "Easy 3 bean chili" from the Eat to Live book. It has tofu, 3 kinds of beans (duh), zuchinni, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, onions, spices and garlic. It was really good. The key is chopping up the vegetables very fine and you really don't even know they are there. It's just a hearty chili that is healthy. Jason loved it. So did Will. haha I had to post this picture of Will sitting at the table. He will often do this when we sit down for dinner - it's like he has to be a part of it to. Annie put her bowl in front of him to make it look like he was eating too. haha!

This is the cornbread I made with the chili - because you can't have chili without cornbread! It was really tasty - made without eggs or dairy. It was very biscuit like - almost like bisquick biscuits. I put a little honey on mine. Everybody love it! It was a nice treat!

I found this egg replacer at Sprouts. I read about it in a magazine. My sister -in-law asked me weeks ago how I would make things that required eggs....what do you use for a binder in recipes? Well Jenn, here's the answer! I guess many people don't buy it at Sprouts because I had 4 people looking for it, and eventually the manager was called, and he found it. They are so great at that store to help you find whatever you are looking for! You mix 1 1/2 tsp of the powder with 2 tbsp of water and that equals 1 egg.

Here's the cornbread mix that I used. I LOVE this brand - Bob's Red Mill. This is the brand of quinoa I buy as well. Costco has it in big bags for the quinoa. I would definitely make the cornbread again.
This recipe is courtesy of Dr. Oz that I found in Oprah's magazine - Lentils with Chia Seeds. I LOVED THIS! Keep in mind, and this is a helpful hint - YOU DO NOT NEED TO BREAK THE BANK TO BUY DIFFERENT BOTTLES OF SPICES! Sprouts has a spice section that you can scoop into a baggie and just pay for the amount you need. It's so great! Here is the recipe:

2 Tbsp. olive oil (I used just a drizzle then added some vegetable broth)

1 large white onion

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp minced ginger

2 tsp turmeric ( I love the color of this spice! Bright yellow)

1/2 fresh jalapeno, peeled, seeded, and minced

31/2 cups vegetable stock

2 cups red lentils, rinsed

1 14 ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 Tbsp chia seeds

4 Tbsp chopped cilantro (I wanted more! You can put more in your bowl when you serve)

Cooked brown rice, for serving (I used quinoa, yum!!)

1. Heat oil (and veg. broth) over medium heat. Add onion and saute until lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add cumin seeds, cardamom, and garlic; saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

2. Stir in 4 cups water, ginger, turmeric, jalapeno, vegetable stock, lentils, and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in salt, chia seeds, and cilantro; serve immediately with brown rice (or quinoa ) on the side of using.

If you don't know what chia seeds are, just think chia pet! haha Yes they are the same seeds, however - the benefits are AWESOME! They are full of protein, omega-3's, and they absorb 10 times their weight in water! Very cleansing to the intestines too because they absorb toxins. I use these amazing seeds in my green smoothies also. You don't even know they are there. You can find them at any health store, or online.

These are the kale chips I made. No they are not potato chips! But a good alternative for something crunchy and salty, with hardly any calories. Plus you get in your greens. If you don't know what kale is, or haven't tried it, it's very good in smoothies and cooked.

Here's the recipe for the Kale chips:

1 bunch of Kale

Pam spray or olive oil

salt

Remove stems and large ribs from the center of the leaves. Tear off leaves into about 1 inch pieces. These will cook down a lot. Spread out on a baking sheet to cover. Give a light spray with Pam just so the salt will stick. LIGHTLY salt and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 min. I went more toward the 15 min. mark to make them really crispy. Thanks for the recipe Steph, Yum!

Here's what Kale looks like fresh. The leaves almost look like ruffles. Kale is full of protein and tons of vitamins and minerals that we need.

This is a picture of the "Fabulous Bean Burritos" from Dr. Esselstyn's book. We did a casserole type of thing with salsa and chopped tomotoes on top. It has onions, garlic, pinto beans, and the Ezekiel tortillas (they are sprouted and no flour is used). Jason loves these! I think because it is a "casserole" type of thing (TOT) and he loves any casserole type things.

I'm down 10.5 pounds! Not bad in 1 month, 4 weeks. And it's a healthy loss - not too fast. This week I will begin my 3rd week of working the my trainer Sassi at the gym. She is awesome and I am really enjoying it. I have been more sore in the past couple weeks than ever before, but I know it's what I need! I figured I am eating so well, might as well kick it up some notches and hit the gym more. This is helping me break through my plateau for sure.

There is only one thing I am trying to get to the bottom of. I sometimes feel a bit dizzy - still. This is going on 5 weeks and I know it's not normal, since Jason has had no such symptoms. I was talking with my wonderful, beautiful friend Nikki who is a nutrition major right now and is so knowledgeable about this subject. She wants me to get a nutrition profile blood test done to see if I'm deficient in anything. She says that we all have a phenotype. She made an interesting comment - "You might not have the phenotype to be a STRICT vegan. Your body may require more protein, even a small amount from animal sources." It hit me like a ton of bricks. She suggested maybe adding some white fish a couple times a week and maybe even a small piece of red meat (3 or 4 oz. ) which is not a lot, once a week. I am going to digest this advice. I have made a commitment to follow this for 3 months. Would I be breaking my commitment to add in some fish a few times a week, even if it is trying to make me feel 100%? Nikki said this is all trial and error. What do you guys think? I would love to hear some opinions, so comment if you so wish to. I feel like I need some advice/help.

Until my next post....