Tanner's Update

So I know it's a little tacky to post my weight loss or how I've done on the diet, but I want to be held accountable. If I post it on here where others can read it then I hopefully it will motivate me to achieve my goals.  My 6 week goal is 25 lbs, and my 5 month goal is 53 lbs.

Week 1: I did really well with sticking to the diet and ended up losing just over 6 lbs! I'm sure a lot of that was water weight. I also quit drinking diet coke cold turkey and suffered through the headaches for a couple days. My only weakness was snacking in between meals, especially on almonds.

Week 2: My week started great. In 3 days I had lost 4lbs, but on day 4 and 5 I had a couple business dinners and cheated on both days. I don't really care that I cheated a little bit, but that on days 6 and 7 I lost control of my appetite and ate way too many snacks. They were healthy, but again went overboard on the almonds, and on day 6 I ate a whole thing of sugar free pudding (280 Cal). Anyway, I ended up only losing 4.5 lbs for the whole week. Which brings my grand total to around 10.5 lbs in 2 weeks.

My goal for week 3 is to CUT DOWN ON EATING BETWEEN MEALS. Again I don't really care that I ended up cheating a little on the diet. Nina and I keep saying that we are going to be as perfect as possible, but also live our lives. So if one week something comes up where I have to buy something at work because I forgot a lunch, well then so be it. I'm going to avoid these situations, but not going to beat myself up when they happen. Overall I feel really good on the diet. I feel a lot more in control of my hunger and I'm learning to study, watch football, and read without eating the entire time. Hopefully I finally grow some cojones and lose the weight!!!

Vegetable Bean Burrito

Vegetable Bean Burrito

Serves: 6
Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 head broccoli florets, chopped
1/2 head cauliflower florets, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons Dr. Fuhrman's VegiZest or other no salt seasoning
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 cup raw cashews or 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
1/2 cup unsweetened soy, hemp or almond milk
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans or 1 (15 ounce) can no salt added or low sodium pinto beans, drained and rinsed
6 whole wheat tortillas or large romaine lettuce leaves
no or low sodium salsa

Instructions:
Place 2 tablespoons water, the broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, bell pepper, zucchini, onion, garlic, VegiZest, basil, oregano, and parsley in a large covered pot. Saute for 15 minutes or until tender, adding more water if needed. In the meantime, place cashews and milk in a food processor or high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Add the cashew mixture and beans to the vegetables and mix thoroughly. Spread the mixture on the tortillas and roll up to form burritos. Serve with salsa.

These are really good, they take a long time to prepare, probably 20 -30 minutes . If don't have vegizest don't worry about it or maybe use a little Mrs Dash. ALso, you need Salsa to put on it....Good for several meals, I took to the office the other day for lunch and they were excellent..

Bean Burgers

Simple Sunny Bean Burgers

Serves: 2
Preparation Time:
10 minutes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 cups cooked or canned red or pink beans, no salt added or low sodium, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons low sodium ketchup
1 tablespoon wheat germ or old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet with a little olive oil on a paper towel.
Chop the sunflower seeds in a food processor or with a hand
chopper. Mash the beans in the food processor or with a potato masher
and mix with the sunflower seeds. Mix in the remaining ingredients and
form into six patties.
Place the patties on the baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, until you can pick up each
patty and compress it firmly in your hands to re-form the burger. Return
the patties to the baking sheet, bottom side up, and bake for another
10 minutes.

These are one of my favorites.... I like to have ketchup with them... Really good with a Salad

feeling better already

Guys I just have to say that I'm feeling really positive and good about this "time around." I just started on Monday but I already feel better. I think it's my body getting rid of all the bad stuff and feeling good and full on the good stuff. Maybe it's because I'm better prepared or because I've prayed really hard for help. But whatever it is I sure hope it sticks. It doesn't hurt to have amazing support like all of you. Thank you guys for everything and keep posting those great recipes!

Another Black Bean Soup

Vegan Black Bean Soup

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
  
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 4 (15 ounce) cans black beans (rinsed)
  
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (full can)
  

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion, celery, carrots and garlic for 5 minutes. Season with chili powder, cumin, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute. Stir in vegetable broth, 2 cans of beans, and corn. Bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, process remaining 2 cans beans and tomatoes until smooth. Stir into boiling soup mixture, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 15 minutes.

My tips: I cut back just a little on the chili powder and cumin. I would add a lot more carrots and celery next time. I used frozen corn instead of canned. And I omitted one can of black beans and added pinto beans instead (not to the blender part).

I really really liked this! I think it's my new favorite healthy soup.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

1 can, 14 oz black beans, rinsed and drained
2 c frozen corn kernels
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp hot sauce (tobasco)
1 lime, juiced
2 TB olive oil
salt and pepper (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Let stand at least 15 minutes for corn to fully defrost and flavors to combine, then toss and serve. The corn will also place a quick-chill on this easy side salad as it defrosts--no need to refrigerate.

My tips:
-I like to eat this with avocado.
-When doubling recipe do not double onion.
- I also add a clove of minced garlic to this and tomato.
-Unless you love red onion :) chop it very very fine. If not saute the onion before you add it or else it is really strong.
-For the hot sauce I use the milder kind of tobasco which is in a green bottle.
-I cut a tortilla into triangles and ate it that way. I also really like it when all the ingredients are sauted together.

Some helpful tips..

Here are some things that have helped us this past week (though we know Dad doesn't need it, he doing so awesome, way to go Dad!):

-Find variety, but within reasonable limits. It is expensive to get too crazy, but a lot of the base stuff that will last a long time will be pricey in the beginning. Especially with salads, you need different things to put on it to enjoy it. My new favorite is Costco's mango peach salsa. It is amazing! If you don't have a membership, have someone who does pick some up for you, it is $5 for a huge container and it tastes SO GOOD! I throw in some black beans, corn if we have it, and TONS of spinach and lettuce and voila! lunch. And you don't have to put a ton on-I put on about 2 tablespoons, stirred it around to coat the salad, and it was perfect.
-Cook some things ahead. Tanner has been buying dry beans, then soaking and cooking the whole bag one night, throwing it in a tupperware in the fridge, and then you have beans whenever you need them and don't have to rinse them from the can.
-Have some back up things that will hold you over when you are tempted-like the cookies, dips, or something healthy to snack on so you can indulge if you are feeling overwhelmed.
-Don't kill yourself if you do badly for one meal. Our neighbors do a weekly potluck lunch. Obviously I can't stay vegan if I go. Last week I went and I didn't let myself have more than one of each thing. I made sure I enjoyed it though, not worrying about only having one and wanting more (except the cookies, I did want another one of those). And when I was done, I felt that feeling that I could eat more because I wanted to, but I knew I wasn't hungry. If you miss a meal, don't freak out and blow it, just eat a reasonable amount.
-Remember, since so  much is raw, it isn't that hard to take on the go. I know eating a salad in public is never an attractive thing, at least not for me, but throwing greens and something to go on top in a tupperware and going works out great. Then a piece of fruit to go with it and you're good! I always justified that it was too hard to pack a salad to go, but it isn't that bad.

Hope this is helpful to anyone reading and hope you're doing well!