It's yet another end-of-quarter and I'm starting to wonder where this time is going by so quickly!! It's crazy busy at work and it just leaves me without much time to blog how I would like to. So pardon the tardiness of this post.
On St. Paddy's Day, Hunk and I took the Metro Rail (along with half of Austin) into downtown in order to avoid the hassle of parking on a day when two monster events collided- the final day of SXSW and St. Patrick's Day. I've always had a strange interest in public transportation, of which Austin really isn't known for. But now that there is service on weekends, it might the something that we take advantage of more in the future.
Anywho, we finally arrived downtown and exited the can of sardines, only to find mass chaos on the streets. The people watching was spectacular!! We walked about 8 blocks down to find a friend at The Rattle Inn. It's a somewhat new bar sandwiched in between Star Bar and Ranch 616, and to be honest with you- it just didn't stand out that much. Sure- it has a big patio upstairs, and a place for live music inside. But so do lots of places in that area. We stayed long enough for a drink or two, but then made our way back towards the center of downtown.
Need I remind you that we're still observing Lent, and not eating any meat or dairy (or oil, if possible). So far, our will power has been tremendous. But on this sunny day of celebration, we absolutely broke down. And we couldn't have done it at a better place! We took a slight detour on our way back to the rail station, to a hidden little gem called Easy Tiger. It had just opened up when we started this crazy diet, so we didn't have the chance to go and sample all of their goodness. The thought of waiting another 3 weeks was just too much to bear, so off we went down the steps of temptation, into their wonderful little oasis on Waller Creek.
Easy Tiger is, quite possibly, the most amazing place on earth. It's a bakery, AND a beer garten. And I couldn't believe our luck that day when Hunk found us the most perfect table for two, close enough to the back door that we could hear all the great music playing on their patio. We had already decided to hell with no meat or dairy- that we would enjoy this one indulgence, and then move on. Making decisions regarding the menu was certain torture. We really wanted one of everything. But we first decided on a fresh baked pretzel with beer cheese for starters, and then ordered the New Yorker board to share. We must have look barbarian in the way that we scarfed down every crumb of food in front of us. I swear Hunk was salivating with each bite of corned beef that he took. And I'm pretty sure that I was guarding the container of beer cheese as if my life depended on it. God help the wait staff who tried to pry it from my greasy hands!!
Needless to say, the food was delicious! The small pretzel and beer cheese, at only $4, was a downright bargain. The New Yorker board ($15) contained yet another pretzel, fresh baked bread, and the juiciest slabs of corned beef and pastrami I have ever seen. It also had house made sauerkraut and mustard- perfect for making little sandwiches. And then there was the beer. Definitely one of the best beer menus I've seen in Austin, again at reasonable prices. I think we made it our of there around $40 (not including tip), which is a real steal in my book!
The decor is exceptional, and I cannot wait to go back and give their patio a try. It's one of the first places along Waller Creek as the city attempts to revive that area, and I believe they have set the bar really high! It's a great place to meet up with friends, certainly a fun afternoon/evening date location, and the crowd contained a little bit of everything. Definitely one of my new favorite places in Austin.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Beauty: Birchbox
I first heard about Birchbox from my sister in law, and then from another blogger friend. Though I'm not the girliest of girls, there is a lot of appeal in getting a cute little box with goodies packaged inside. I couldn't resist any longer, and signed myself up for the waiting list. 5 weeks later...I finally got my very first Birchbox. It was everything I had hoped for.
First, I open my mailbox to find this adorable pink box:
First, I open my mailbox to find this adorable pink box:
I open up the pink box to find an even more adorable cardboard box inside with the pink Birchbox label. Inside is pink tissue paper folded around 6 delightful samples. There was even a helpful welcome card that listed the items in my box, as well as how much each full-sized item costs. Another plus- you get free shipping if you order any of the items that came in your box.
When you first join, Birchbox asks that you fill out a profile so that they can do their best to customize your box. I think they did a really great job, as I just about love everything that came in it. Mine contained 5 beauty samples of the following products:
Color Club Nail Lacquer in "He Loves Me"- This is a pretty, Spring pink color (it reminds me of Easter), and not something I would normally choose. (I usually stick with OPI Red. End of story.) So I'm excited to try this fun, light color. Now if only I could get a little color on my legs.....
Harvey Prince "Ageless" Pink Grapefruit Scent- This is the only thing that I was a little meh about. It's not that I dislike the scent. It's just a little sweeter than what I usually wear. Besides, I'm 100% dedicated to my Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb scent, and not really looking for something new right now. But this is (again) something that seems perfect for Spring. Light, and a tad sweet.
Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint- This product is by far my favorite, and I'm likely to order it next paycheck. At $38, I think it's a very reasonable price. It's extremely lightweight, but gave my skin a wonderful dewy look. Given that I'm battling dry skin/aging issues, I think this is a really good match for me. It also received Allure magazine's "Best in Beauty" seal. Good enough for me!
Orofluido Beauty Elixir- This oil serum is supposed to strengthen, smooth, and shiny-up your hair. Given that I have really fine (and sometimes oily) hair, I'm not too sure about this one. I'm worried that it's going to weigh mine down, so I haven't tried it yet. It sure does smell good though!
Stila "Smoky Eye" Card- I'm saving this one for a fancy date night. The colors look fantastic, but not something I would use everyday. I love that the card has instructions for how to apply. Given my limited make-up application skills, that should come in handy.
Last but not least, each box contains one "lifestyle" sample. I've heard they have included music downloads before, which sounds great. In my box, I got 3 samples of Tea forté skin smart teas. Since I'm not drinking soda or any other artificially flavored drinks right now (and hopefully never), this was a welcome surprise. I've already tried the Cucumber Mint (for youth recovery) and the Cherry Marzipan (for anti-aging) and both were delicious. A box of 16 bags cost $6, which seems a bit pricey. But if they can reverse aging, I'll pay whatever!!!
Overall, I was really pleased with my first Birchbox, and I can't wait until April for my next one. Signing up is easy, just be prepared to wait for a bit.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Song of the Day: Hold On by Alabama Shakes
In my old blog, I used to highlight new (or sometimes new-to-me) songs that I really loved. It's been awhile since I heard something worth sharing- but I would feel awful if I didn't tell you about my my most recent music experience.
I don't consider myself to be a very lucky person. Good things have happened to me, but it's usually because I work hard to make them happen. Yesterday was a different story. I got a text from a good friend asking if I had plans for the evening. I almost answered "yes", since I usually run with Gazelle's on Tuesday. But this friend always knows the cool things going on, so I asked for more information. Turns out she had won tickets to see an ACL Live taping, but wasn't going to be able to make it. I had not heard of the band before, but one short iTunes search later and I knew it was a show not to be missed. Although the band was formed in 2009, I think they only started to tour last year. Their album isn't even going to be released until next month, though they do have the single "Hold On" available. They are already selling out shows, and getting tons of buzz. If you don't believe me, you can find several reviews already from the land of SXSW here and here.
I have never been to an ACL taping, and if you ever get the chance to go- do it, no matter who is playing. They are always on top of what is sure to be the next big thing, and I have no doubt we will be hearing more from this young and talented band. Brittany Murphy, the lead singer, is only like 22ish years old, with a voice well beyond her years. It's a deep, soulful sound and it's hard to get enough of it. She can go from singing a softer ballad like "Boys & Girls", to belting out "Be Mine". If I have to pick a favorite though, besides Hold On, it would be "I Found You". I am in love with the lyrics... "Well, I traveled a long way, and it took a long time. But I found you. You know I found you!" Overall, it was a super fun, impromptu date night with Hunk, and hopefully I'll get the chance to see them in action again soon.
Enjoy the video of their single "Hold On".
I don't consider myself to be a very lucky person. Good things have happened to me, but it's usually because I work hard to make them happen. Yesterday was a different story. I got a text from a good friend asking if I had plans for the evening. I almost answered "yes", since I usually run with Gazelle's on Tuesday. But this friend always knows the cool things going on, so I asked for more information. Turns out she had won tickets to see an ACL Live taping, but wasn't going to be able to make it. I had not heard of the band before, but one short iTunes search later and I knew it was a show not to be missed. Although the band was formed in 2009, I think they only started to tour last year. Their album isn't even going to be released until next month, though they do have the single "Hold On" available. They are already selling out shows, and getting tons of buzz. If you don't believe me, you can find several reviews already from the land of SXSW here and here.
I have never been to an ACL taping, and if you ever get the chance to go- do it, no matter who is playing. They are always on top of what is sure to be the next big thing, and I have no doubt we will be hearing more from this young and talented band. Brittany Murphy, the lead singer, is only like 22ish years old, with a voice well beyond her years. It's a deep, soulful sound and it's hard to get enough of it. She can go from singing a softer ballad like "Boys & Girls", to belting out "Be Mine". If I have to pick a favorite though, besides Hold On, it would be "I Found You". I am in love with the lyrics... "Well, I traveled a long way, and it took a long time. But I found you. You know I found you!" Overall, it was a super fun, impromptu date night with Hunk, and hopefully I'll get the chance to see them in action again soon.
Enjoy the video of their single "Hold On".
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Monday, March 12, 2012
Week 11: Plant-Based Diet Update
Well, I've survived 3 whole weeks of eating not eating meat/dairy/oil. I thought it would get a little bit easier each week, but the truth is- it's only getting harder. The first week I think the novelty of it helped me get through. The second week, I did more meal planning with Hunk, and that was fun. But this week? All I want to do is stuff my face with the biggest slice of cheese pizza I can get my hands on. Instead, I tried to meal plan efficiently, and spent about 2.5 hours in the kitchen yesterday prepping some new dishes so that I wouldn't spend all my time thinking about cheese. To make matters worse, SXSW is in full effect this week with opportunities at every corner to partake in all the food goodness that Austin has to offer.
The good news is that I've lost about 3.5 pounds, and my jeans are definitely looser. I have a few more to go, but I'm trying not to lose more than a pound a week. I met with a nutritionist last week and we went over all the things I should be including in my diet to stay healthy (including calories and grams of protein p/day), and that has definitely helped with keeping my energy level up. Overall, I would say that I feel great. I'm sleeping fine, and able to get through my work-outs without any problem. Hunk is another story. I don't think he's been getting enough calories OR protein, and is having to make some major adjustments this week. Hopefully he'll feel better by doing so.
This weekend we had a "what happens after Lent" discussion, and how we incorporate the good things about a plant-based diet in with the things that we really just don't want to give up permanently. The key to keeping the pounds off of course is moderation. Duh. We have 4 more weeks to go before we have to worry about that, and I think we can do it. In the meantime, we're just going to do our best to have a good variety of foods, and not focus too much on what we're missing. For all the benefits of eating this way, I will say that it feels isolating- and that's just not something I'm willing to deal with for the rest of my life. I have still been able to go out and eat with friends, but there is way too much thought (and high-maintenance ordering) to deal with for me to make this a long term lifestyle.
To make things more interesting, I ordered some bento-style lunch boxes from Easy Lunchboxes. There's something about packing a neat and organized lunch that makes it more enjoyable for me (it's the OCD, I know). Today was the first day that I got to use it, and I have to say I made a pretty killer lunch. It's colorful, full of great things for me, and tasty to boot. Unless I bring leftovers, lunch for me is usually salad and fruit, along with morning and afternoon snacks. Today I had a spinach salad with roasted beets, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini and a 3-bean salad with an oil-free apple cider vinaigrette. I also had roasted red pepper hummus with carrot sticks and strawberries for dessert. In case I get hungry this afternoon, I have soy yogurt to tide me over. Not too shabby, if I say so myself.
The good news is that I've lost about 3.5 pounds, and my jeans are definitely looser. I have a few more to go, but I'm trying not to lose more than a pound a week. I met with a nutritionist last week and we went over all the things I should be including in my diet to stay healthy (including calories and grams of protein p/day), and that has definitely helped with keeping my energy level up. Overall, I would say that I feel great. I'm sleeping fine, and able to get through my work-outs without any problem. Hunk is another story. I don't think he's been getting enough calories OR protein, and is having to make some major adjustments this week. Hopefully he'll feel better by doing so.
This weekend we had a "what happens after Lent" discussion, and how we incorporate the good things about a plant-based diet in with the things that we really just don't want to give up permanently. The key to keeping the pounds off of course is moderation. Duh. We have 4 more weeks to go before we have to worry about that, and I think we can do it. In the meantime, we're just going to do our best to have a good variety of foods, and not focus too much on what we're missing. For all the benefits of eating this way, I will say that it feels isolating- and that's just not something I'm willing to deal with for the rest of my life. I have still been able to go out and eat with friends, but there is way too much thought (and high-maintenance ordering) to deal with for me to make this a long term lifestyle.
To make things more interesting, I ordered some bento-style lunch boxes from Easy Lunchboxes. There's something about packing a neat and organized lunch that makes it more enjoyable for me (it's the OCD, I know). Today was the first day that I got to use it, and I have to say I made a pretty killer lunch. It's colorful, full of great things for me, and tasty to boot. Unless I bring leftovers, lunch for me is usually salad and fruit, along with morning and afternoon snacks. Today I had a spinach salad with roasted beets, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini and a 3-bean salad with an oil-free apple cider vinaigrette. I also had roasted red pepper hummus with carrot sticks and strawberries for dessert. In case I get hungry this afternoon, I have soy yogurt to tide me over. Not too shabby, if I say so myself.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Week 10: Get Dirty
This past weekend was one of the prettiest that Austin has seen in awhile. The sun was out, there was a nice breeze, and temps hovered in the upper 70's. If you weren't outside at some point, you seriously missed out. I had a great weekend, and did my best to enjoy as much of the weather as possible. Part of that time was spent in the yard over at Hunk's house, getting his backyard ready for hopefully some more beautiful Spring days. He has a neat corner of the yard designated for lounging, but everything surrounding it needed to be brought back to life after winter.
We headed over to Home Depot, and for around $100, made some major improvements to the backyard. He did a ton of trimming, worked on digging up some bushes to transplant in a different location, and also planted 3 trees (2 of them are peach trees, which I'm very excited about). I planted some herbs and vegetables, and generally bossed him around the rest of the time. We got some sun, some dirt on our hands, and overall had a great time. I'm sure my mom is laughing because I'm not known for having much of a green thumb, but it was a fun way to spend an afternoon together. And hopefully, fingers crossed, we'll have some fresh herbs and veggies soon. (Unless his dog continues to eat the broccoli I planted.)
We headed over to Home Depot, and for around $100, made some major improvements to the backyard. He did a ton of trimming, worked on digging up some bushes to transplant in a different location, and also planted 3 trees (2 of them are peach trees, which I'm very excited about). I planted some herbs and vegetables, and generally bossed him around the rest of the time. We got some sun, some dirt on our hands, and overall had a great time. I'm sure my mom is laughing because I'm not known for having much of a green thumb, but it was a fun way to spend an afternoon together. And hopefully, fingers crossed, we'll have some fresh herbs and veggies soon. (Unless his dog continues to eat the broccoli I planted.)
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| Veggie Garden Before. Marley is already stalking the empty bed. |
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| Veggie Garden After. Two kinds of tomatoes in the back, broccoli in the middle, and peppers in the front. |
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| Compost Bin Before. Hunk built this himself, but it really needed a few friends. |
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| Compost Bin After. We moved some Texas Sage Shrubs from another location to here. |
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| My favorite- Strawberries!!! Not sure if they'll take, but I'm hoping to grow at least a few before Marley eats them. I also planted basil, oregano, rosemary, tarragon and mint close to these. |
Monday, February 27, 2012
Out and About: Hippie Date Night
On Saturday night, Hunk took me out on a "hippie date night". He's been getting a lot of flack for things like our plant-based diet and his new compost bin, but at least we can make fun of ourselves! So we decided to embrace it and visit a couple of local establishments that might be dubbed hipster/hippie.
We started the afternoon with a trip to Ikea. Not really hippie, but fun nonetheless. They are in the middle of an expansion, though I can't imagine it getting much bigger. I love looking at all the kitchen designs and cool drawers, but overall it's very overwhelming to me. The point of the trip was to get cheap storage containers for our pantries. I'm wishing I had grabbed more, but at least I got a good start on getting mine better organized.
Up next was a surprise stop at Black Star Co-Op, a cool member-owner brew pub off North Lamar. Hunk had mentioned it a few times before, and I'm glad we finally made our way over there. I'll admit, it was really hard smelling all the delicious, garlicky food coming out of that kitchen. I tried not to look, but I think I saw some cheese plates, yummy looking sandwiches, and definitely some french fries. <sigh> For the record, they do have a veggie burger, but we didn't want to spoil our appetites for dinner. At least we were able to enjoy some nice cold beer. The space was really cool, and the people watching was spectacular. We really saw a bit of everything, from families with young kids, to a much older couple out on a date themselves. It was a fun environment. I still don't fully understand the Co-Op part, but apparently for about $150, you can be a member-owner that entitles you to certain privileges. I think I'll just stick with going there for the beer.
Last stop was Mother's Cafe & Garden, a vegetarian restaurant in the funky Hyde Park neighborhood. Since we pretty much prepare 3 meals a day, I want to be sure that we can have at least one night where neither one of us is having to do any work. We're using that as an excuse to try some restaurants we might not otherwise go to. Mother's is classic Austin, so it's no surprise it was first on our list. Dinner was great! We had a ton of things to choose from, though we both went with enchiladas. I think I ordered best with my tofu mole enchiladas. They were really tasty and filling! We had to pass on the complimentary chips/salsa (since they're fried in oil), but ended up ordering a delicious guacamole salad to start. Again, you can't beat the people watching when you go to a place like this. Families, couples, friends....and I can't forget the stellar electronic xylophone player for entertainment. Hippie at it's finest!! We rounded out our date night with a vegan chocolate-peanut butter pie that was absolutely amazing. It was seriously hard to tell that it wasn't made with the usual ingredients.
Overall, it was a really fun night and I'm looking forward to whatever other quirky ideas we come up with. But if you love beer, and you're looking for something different to try, I definitely recommend Black Star!
We started the afternoon with a trip to Ikea. Not really hippie, but fun nonetheless. They are in the middle of an expansion, though I can't imagine it getting much bigger. I love looking at all the kitchen designs and cool drawers, but overall it's very overwhelming to me. The point of the trip was to get cheap storage containers for our pantries. I'm wishing I had grabbed more, but at least I got a good start on getting mine better organized.
Up next was a surprise stop at Black Star Co-Op, a cool member-owner brew pub off North Lamar. Hunk had mentioned it a few times before, and I'm glad we finally made our way over there. I'll admit, it was really hard smelling all the delicious, garlicky food coming out of that kitchen. I tried not to look, but I think I saw some cheese plates, yummy looking sandwiches, and definitely some french fries. <sigh> For the record, they do have a veggie burger, but we didn't want to spoil our appetites for dinner. At least we were able to enjoy some nice cold beer. The space was really cool, and the people watching was spectacular. We really saw a bit of everything, from families with young kids, to a much older couple out on a date themselves. It was a fun environment. I still don't fully understand the Co-Op part, but apparently for about $150, you can be a member-owner that entitles you to certain privileges. I think I'll just stick with going there for the beer.
Last stop was Mother's Cafe & Garden, a vegetarian restaurant in the funky Hyde Park neighborhood. Since we pretty much prepare 3 meals a day, I want to be sure that we can have at least one night where neither one of us is having to do any work. We're using that as an excuse to try some restaurants we might not otherwise go to. Mother's is classic Austin, so it's no surprise it was first on our list. Dinner was great! We had a ton of things to choose from, though we both went with enchiladas. I think I ordered best with my tofu mole enchiladas. They were really tasty and filling! We had to pass on the complimentary chips/salsa (since they're fried in oil), but ended up ordering a delicious guacamole salad to start. Again, you can't beat the people watching when you go to a place like this. Families, couples, friends....and I can't forget the stellar electronic xylophone player for entertainment. Hippie at it's finest!! We rounded out our date night with a vegan chocolate-peanut butter pie that was absolutely amazing. It was seriously hard to tell that it wasn't made with the usual ingredients.
Overall, it was a really fun night and I'm looking forward to whatever other quirky ideas we come up with. But if you love beer, and you're looking for something different to try, I definitely recommend Black Star!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Week 8: An Apple A Day....Adopting better eating habits
There is no hiding the fact that I have been indulgent and lazy in my lifestyle over these past few months. I could blame a new (very happy) relationship, holidays, a knee injury....there are plenty of excuses! But the fact is, I've gotten in the habit of making bad choices in regards to my diet and exercise. Sure, I trained for a half-marathon, but I pretty much did the bare minimum for that. I have completely neglected all the hard work I put into getting in shape for triathlon season last year, and it's time to put an end to it.
My family and close friends will certainly agree to this next statement- I have slight OCD tendencies. And these tendencies often manifest themselves in different ways. When it comes to trying to lose weight, they can definitely kick into high gear. For me, that usually means an all or nothing approach, and that's exactly how I'm tackling my current situation. Not everyone agrees with it, but it's what works for me. Here's how my recent "project" started...
I met up with a friend for drinks, and she was filling me in on her recent "plant-based diet", the result of a New Year's Resolution to eat better. I know I probably looked at her like she was crazy. No meat! No dairy! NO CHEESE!!!! For the love of God, why would anyone do this to themselves?! But the more I listened to her talk about the why, the more interested I became. She told me about a documentary called Forks Over Knives that focuses on the science behind a plant based diet, and the belief that it can help prevent/cure diseases and help people lose weight. The film also features a local Austin firefighter, Rip Esselstyn, who helped a fellow firefighter with life-threatening high cholesterol lose weight and get healthy, through a plant-based diet. He went on to write The Engine 2 Diet, full of helpful information, recipes, etc. Book #2 is currently in the works.
Hunk and I had both been moaning and groaning about how we had each gained weight, so he tossed out the idea of giving up meat and dairy for Lent. I'm not very religious, so my purpose was more about getting back to a healthier me. But how could I not support him for 40 days? So Lent it would be. But remember that OCD I mentioned? Starting a new way of eating on a Wednesday was not going to fly with me, so we did a bunch of meal planning over the weekend, a ton of shopping on Sunday, and officially started our plant-based diet on Monday.
The general guidelines (according to the Engine 2 book) are to exclude meat, dairy and oil from your diet. Most people (myself included) think that things like olive oil are "good fats". But the fact is that it has highly concentrated calorie and fat amounts, with almost no nutrients to make it worth eating. So the goal is to limit as much oil as you can, especially if you're trying to lower your cholesterol. That's not a problem that I have, but I'm sticking with it for now just to see what it does for me. You can get enough protein from sources like beans, whole grains, soy, and even vegetables (broccoli and spinach are two great examples) without eating meat and dairy.
Four days in, and I'm doing better than expected. Planning is a key factor in being successful, as far as I'm concerned. That way, you don't set yourself up for getting hungry, and then not having food you can eat readily available. I think our menu for the week looks great! I tried really hard to meet protein needs, as well as getting enough calories and other good nutrients. It's pretty easy to do as long as you're including a variety of food in your meals. I spent about $100 at the grocery store (excluding non-edible items), which I don't think is that bad for 3 meals a day for 7 days. Plus, I had to buy a few extra things that I'll use over the weeks to come, so I expect my grocery bill to go down next week. Here is what my first week of plant-based eating looks like:
I realize that this is a pretty radical change to our typical eating habits, and it's not a likely plan for everyone. I know my mom thinks I'm nuts, and wonders where the "real food" is. But honestly, all of the meals so far have been really good, and I don't feel like I'm missing out that much. I'm excited to see how I feel after a few weeks, and am hopeful that this will point me in a better long-term direction. I'm sure I'll start to miss things soon (cheese pizza anyone?), but so far so good. Hunk and I are trying to make it a fun adventure, complete with a hummus cook-off, date nights at Whole Foods, and even a picnic lunch on Fridays. I bet we can find even more ways to make this fun as we go along!
My family and close friends will certainly agree to this next statement- I have slight OCD tendencies. And these tendencies often manifest themselves in different ways. When it comes to trying to lose weight, they can definitely kick into high gear. For me, that usually means an all or nothing approach, and that's exactly how I'm tackling my current situation. Not everyone agrees with it, but it's what works for me. Here's how my recent "project" started...
I met up with a friend for drinks, and she was filling me in on her recent "plant-based diet", the result of a New Year's Resolution to eat better. I know I probably looked at her like she was crazy. No meat! No dairy! NO CHEESE!!!! For the love of God, why would anyone do this to themselves?! But the more I listened to her talk about the why, the more interested I became. She told me about a documentary called Forks Over Knives that focuses on the science behind a plant based diet, and the belief that it can help prevent/cure diseases and help people lose weight. The film also features a local Austin firefighter, Rip Esselstyn, who helped a fellow firefighter with life-threatening high cholesterol lose weight and get healthy, through a plant-based diet. He went on to write The Engine 2 Diet, full of helpful information, recipes, etc. Book #2 is currently in the works.
Hunk and I had both been moaning and groaning about how we had each gained weight, so he tossed out the idea of giving up meat and dairy for Lent. I'm not very religious, so my purpose was more about getting back to a healthier me. But how could I not support him for 40 days? So Lent it would be. But remember that OCD I mentioned? Starting a new way of eating on a Wednesday was not going to fly with me, so we did a bunch of meal planning over the weekend, a ton of shopping on Sunday, and officially started our plant-based diet on Monday.
The general guidelines (according to the Engine 2 book) are to exclude meat, dairy and oil from your diet. Most people (myself included) think that things like olive oil are "good fats". But the fact is that it has highly concentrated calorie and fat amounts, with almost no nutrients to make it worth eating. So the goal is to limit as much oil as you can, especially if you're trying to lower your cholesterol. That's not a problem that I have, but I'm sticking with it for now just to see what it does for me. You can get enough protein from sources like beans, whole grains, soy, and even vegetables (broccoli and spinach are two great examples) without eating meat and dairy.
Four days in, and I'm doing better than expected. Planning is a key factor in being successful, as far as I'm concerned. That way, you don't set yourself up for getting hungry, and then not having food you can eat readily available. I think our menu for the week looks great! I tried really hard to meet protein needs, as well as getting enough calories and other good nutrients. It's pretty easy to do as long as you're including a variety of food in your meals. I spent about $100 at the grocery store (excluding non-edible items), which I don't think is that bad for 3 meals a day for 7 days. Plus, I had to buy a few extra things that I'll use over the weeks to come, so I expect my grocery bill to go down next week. Here is what my first week of plant-based eating looks like:
MONDAY:
B- oatmeal, berries, ground flax seed
L- large spinach salad w/ mixed veggies and Cashew Ranch dressing
D- Galloping greens w/ cashew sauce (from E2 site)
snacks: clementine, hummus and veggies/crackers
TUESDAY:
B- mixed cereal w/ soy milk, bananas and kiwi
L- spinach salad with black bean veggie burger, mashed sweet potatoes on the side
D- Pasta Primavera (from E2 site)
snacks: apple w/almond butter, veggie sticks (carrots, bell peppers, celery)
WEDNESDAY:
B- oatmeal, berries, ground flax seed
L- leftover Pasta Primavera, small spinach salad
D- black beans and rice w/ veggie mix (peppers, corn, tomato, jalapeno, kale)
snacks: clementine, kale butter w/carrot and cucumber slices
THURSDAY:
B- mixed cereal w/ soy milk, bananas and kiwi
L- leftover beans and rice, grapes
D- roasted tofu and steamed green beans with cashew sauce
snacks: apple w/almond butter, veggie sticks w/kale butter
FRIDAY:
B- Fruit smoothie w/soy milk, frozen banana, mango pineapple, and protein powder
L- Hummus sandwich w/leftover veggies, applesauce
D- sweet potato gnocchi with veggie meat crumbles, tomato sauce and spinach
snacks: grapes, roasted sweet potato slices
I realize that this is a pretty radical change to our typical eating habits, and it's not a likely plan for everyone. I know my mom thinks I'm nuts, and wonders where the "real food" is. But honestly, all of the meals so far have been really good, and I don't feel like I'm missing out that much. I'm excited to see how I feel after a few weeks, and am hopeful that this will point me in a better long-term direction. I'm sure I'll start to miss things soon (cheese pizza anyone?), but so far so good. Hunk and I are trying to make it a fun adventure, complete with a hummus cook-off, date nights at Whole Foods, and even a picnic lunch on Fridays. I bet we can find even more ways to make this fun as we go along!
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