Day 2 Sort of vegan diet

Quinoa and Black Beans (from AllRecipes.com)
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3/4 uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 c vegetable broth (I use the Better than Bouillon vegetable base found in the spice section of Costco--cheap, organic, low sodium, and no MSG!)
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 c frozen corn kernels
2 (15 oz)cans black beans rinsed and drained
1/2c chopped fresh cilantro
Serve with: lettuce, tomatoes, sliced avocado, and lime juice

1.Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
3. Stir frozen corn into saucepan and simmer 5 more minutes until heated through. Mix in black beans and cilantro.

This is a recipe my sister shared that we had last night, the whole family liked it, if anything I'd add even more cilantro oh, and I added 1/2 a sweet onion.

I had carrot juice, water and apple slices for breakfast this morning and am full, then we are going to my nephew's baby blessing and I'll probably just eat what they have there afterwards.

It made me feel really good to make the quinoa/blackbean recipe, it was a new receipe that fit the diet I wanted, easy enough to make and it tasted good, so I'm excited to try some other ones. This wasn't too hard, we did have to go to two stores to find the quinoa though.

Second day, feeling positive and not letting myself be discouraged by slip-ups (like having some peanut m&m's) I sort of justified it by telling myself the nuts were healthy and it wasn't like eating straight animal product, but I do need to be careful of the sugars too. I like my other sisters idea I should add some moderate exercise, I'll try I guess it is hard when I feel pretty tired still with baby.

Day 1 vegan type diet

So my sister's had me watch Forks over Knifes on Netflix. So it motivated me to try an experiment on my own. My health could definitely improve, I did not like the lab results I got last so... I am going to try a mostly vegan diet for two months and have my doctor retest and see how my numbers look and see if the diet really does make a difference for me. I will allow cheating if we are visiting family and friends during meals and I might have milk or yogurt with healthy cereal and occasional egg, but that is all. The focus will be whole grains, vegetables and fruit.

So far today on breakfast we had strawberries, bananas with soy milk on our oatmeal. Sides of carrot juice, strawberry/apple juice/ cantaloupe, it was delicious and wonderful.

Lunch was canned green beans (I am hoping to start lowering the canned goods), mufti-grain Chips from Costco, apple slices and apple/strawberry juice (made by my son). I'm also trying to drink plenty of water. So I just made this resolution this morning, but I really feel like it is worth trying, thus the blog, I'll try to keep this up daily.

Days >??? Day 9

Actually, I skipped a few days and can't remember what I'm on, we'll call it Day 9
Life is full and busy. We've had our nephew Jonathan visiting and have enjoyed that a lot. He is so polite and J. enjoys having a little brother/cousin around and Em. has enjoyed having a playmate during the school days. It has been snowing, snowing, though the nice sun came out yesterday and cleared off our walks. Laundry, cleaning. Yesterday was the first day in several days I had two hours together to even get focused on housework. I love my books on tape. Right now I'm listening to Enna Burning by Shannon Hale and Elantris by Brandon Sanderson, and the Bible written by Prophets.

Day 8

Granola cereal
Helped a friend (I think this is a temporary thing, and even more important then going to the gym. Life is choices, but maybe while I'm doing this I can try to come up with a routine at home I can do that can use on days where other priorities take over)
Wrote my second sci-fi poem
Had writing group with my friends
Watched kids, took son to Chinese tutor
Fast dinner, chow mein noodles, buffalo chicken, green beans, hash browns
Saw my daughter in her 5th grade wax museum she was Mary Cassatt
Went to bed at a decent hour

Day 7

Dutch babies (german pancakes) and juice for breakfast

Got a blood pregnancy test (negative)

Spent a wonderful day with the family, movie, dinosaur museum, farm, eating an Asian buffet for dinner, so delicious, and still got the kids to bed on time, it was so nice to have Gordon home for this holiday.

Then I cried, got it all out when I found out about the pregnancy test at the end of the day, this was our second procedure and I was really hoping it would work, I’m still sad and unsure if we should continue, and what my role and what I should be pursuing with my children growing up, they need me and I’ll be so busy, but should I be focusing on other things, try another procedure? Do we look at adoption, do we move on to this next stage of life, and what does that involve for me? My husband has been a great comfort and the three wonderful children I have. He just holds me and tells me three children are fine, and he loves me. Just what I need to hear, he is so supportive and just wonderful.

Day 6

Exercise: Well sort of – snow shoveled for 15 min.

Breakfast: cold cereal

Then choir, stop by parents make sure their house is locked while they are gone, drive around the temple with the kids while singing, “I love to see the temple”, Stopped by grandpa’s and visited for a min. while husband shoveled the driveway.

Quesidillas with pico de miyo

Church where we partook of the sacrament, learned about Jesus’ miracles, and talked about sacrifice. My opinion is that we often look at sacrifice as a negative or painful thing, it should hurt a little bit, but it doesn’t have to be negative, it can be very positive, and seen as something that blesses us in spiritual ways.

Came back, had more chow mein noodles, chips and pico de miyo and ice cream with chocolate ( I know it just sounded really good to me, I sort of like spoiling myself, but not always good)

Practiced the piano for over an hour

Cuddled with the kids put them to bed with books and songs and prayers and teeth care.

Now updating blog, checking emails, and writing a letter for each of my kids, sort of journal entries for them (got this idea from one of the presenters at the conference).

Day 5

Breakfast: 2 eggs and four slices of bacon

Wrote my first Sci-Fi poem

Helped a friend with her kids

Went to the last day of the conference. It was neat to go, got to work one on one with a poet who looked over my poem, talked to three of the presenters personally, it was really neat.
Enjoyed classes on writing for young adults and participating two hours in the Writing Excuses podcast, that was really fun. And still debating wither I will read “I’m not really a Serial Killer” I heard it was really good, and seemed very intriguing, but I just don’t know what to think, maybe if my husband will read it with me I won’t get too scared.

Came back, ate a bunch of fish tacos our Mexican friend who lives with us made and the chow mein noodles she cooked.
We had some of our best friends over while the parents had there turn for a date (we switch off, it has been so nice) I got my baby cuddle time and that will hold me over for a while. Overall, Good day.