Monday, June 10, 2013
Granola
We decided to take on the task of making granola to eat for breakfast and for a good snack. I looked and looked and finally found a recipe that didn't have a lot of sugar in it. I just wanted Honey. I made this recipe, and it was realllly good! We have been eating it for breakfast and have noticed that we stay fuller longer, and we have more energy than just the normal cereal. We love to snack on it to, it is very satisfying!!!
failure # 1
I agreed to post the meal failures here so that it wouldn't seem like being part time vegetarians was all glorious!! I found a recipe on pinterest that sounded sooo yummy!!! It is called pasta with butternut squash and pecans. It was found here. I figured it would be really yummy because it was from martha stewart. It wasn't that fabulous. I blame the ricotta. It was thick and just not good. It formed a huge globby mess in the pan and didn't look anything like the picture!! SO sad!!
Cheesy Taco Soup (Veggie Style)
We have been doing OK with our Veggie eating lately, but we did just get done with family reunion's and baptisms and birthday's so we are excited to get back on track. Tonight, I tweaked a version of a taco soup recipe from the six sisters blog that sounded good. I call it Cheesy Taco Soup. The kids actually liked it, which has been a struggle with some of the meals we have eaten, so that is good! It is pretty similar to a dish we ate around here called taco pie. Here is the recipe :)
1 medium onion, diced small
2 cans pinto beans, drained
2 cans black beans, drained
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 can condensed tomato soup + half can of water (I used this because i didn't have Rotel)
1 sm can of diced green chilies (leave this out if you get the Rotel)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 packet taco seasoning
2 cups frozen corn
salt and pepper to taste
toppings like sour cream, shredded cheese and corn chips.
saute the onions in a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper until they are translucent. In a large sauce pan or pot, combine beans, cheddar cheese soup, tomato soup (or rotel) chilies, milk, and taco seasoning. Add the onions and bring to a boil. Boil for about 3-5 minutes then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the frozen corn and simmer another 5 min or so, until the corn is warmed through.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of cheese and crushed corn chips! It is a very satisfying meal!!!!
1 medium onion, diced small
2 cans pinto beans, drained
2 cans black beans, drained
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 can condensed tomato soup + half can of water (I used this because i didn't have Rotel)
1 sm can of diced green chilies (leave this out if you get the Rotel)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 packet taco seasoning
2 cups frozen corn
salt and pepper to taste
toppings like sour cream, shredded cheese and corn chips.
saute the onions in a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper until they are translucent. In a large sauce pan or pot, combine beans, cheddar cheese soup, tomato soup (or rotel) chilies, milk, and taco seasoning. Add the onions and bring to a boil. Boil for about 3-5 minutes then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the frozen corn and simmer another 5 min or so, until the corn is warmed through.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of cheese and crushed corn chips! It is a very satisfying meal!!!!
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Avacado, Spinich, Tomato Sandwiches
On the menu tonight was Avacado, Spinach, and Tomato sandwiches on Honey Grain bread with Swiss cheese. I usually don't add cheese when I make BLT's, but it sounded good with the veggies. I thought it tasted great, and I didn't miss the bacon too much. The kids however, were freaked out by the avacado's. Don't ask me why, they love guacmole. Crazy kids. I felt full and satisfied after dinner, which is always a good sign. Tonight when my snacking time hits, I'm all ready with some carrot and celery sticks and fruit. Not a bad start!!
Monday, May 20, 2013
Welcome to Veggie Nerds!
Vegetarian.
I have loathed that word for most of my life. When I was about 10 years old, my mom stopped eating meat. She would have the occasional burger, or other meat entree, but for the most part, she was vegetarian. We ate meals filled with vegetables, substitutes, or the dreaded TOFU. Yuck. I thought she was crazy. I LOVE meat. Beef in particular. Chicken is OK. I could live without it if I had to, and pork is pretty good too, but we don't eat much of it. Beef is in my heart and always will be. I laughed at vegetarians. HA! Poor souls. Oh well, it was their loss! More beef for me to eat, right? Then I found out about Vegans. We will stop that discussion right there. My husband and our 3 children were quite content with being full fledged carnivores.
Some time ago, my father in law announced that he was no longer eating meat. He said he really wasn't a fan of it anyways, and that it wasn't hard for him to stop eating meat all together. I had the thought of "oh well, that is great for him!" He told us some stories about meat that made me gulp a little, but nothing that would deter me from my carnivorous behavior.
This last weekend, we went on a little mini-vacation to see my husband's sister and her family. When we there, they informed us that they were "Part time Vegans who cheat a lot" ha ha! I thought that was clever. I asked if my father in law had gotten to her. She said that it was sorta because of that, but mostly because of a book they read. I don't know the title, but I will get it from her. Another reason was because of the word of wisdom. We are LDS (Mormon) and we obey what is called The Word of Wisdom, and that is the main reason we do not drink alcohol and why we are discouraged from drinking coffee and tea. In a book of our scriptures called The Doctrine and Covenants, it outlines what we should eat and what we should stay away from. You can read the full section here: D&C Section 89. Here are the basics:
-Vegetables and fruits, which should be used “with prudence and thanksgiving”
-The flesh “of beasts and of the fowls of the air,” which is “to be used sparingly and in times of winter or famine.”
-Grains such as wheat, rice, and oats, which are “the staff of life”
My sister in law said that was kind of how they started (she can scold me if I am wrong) but what they were saying made sense. While we were there for the weekend, we tried a few of their meals. They weren't bad at all. They said that for the most part, they eat salads, fruits, vegetables, beans and some grains, and mostly stay away from dairy, but they will eat what they want some times just so they don't go nuts. She said they cheat daily :) That is my kind of meal plan!
I thought my husband would die laughing, but he didn't. He loves vegetables and could easily be a vegetarian I'm sure, but I was sure he would think the idea was crazy. He didn't.
We aren't super healthy eaters. Since getting married 11 years ago, and having kids we have gained a little more cushion onto our bodies. Nothing too drastic, but it is there none the less. I was ready to start being healthier. I gave up Soda and caffeine in March, something I never thought I would do, but it has been really easy. I will admit there were 2 days where I would have done anything for a Coke, but I didn't give in. Now it is just habit for me, and I have been enjoying it.
We have talked a lot the last few days about this topic and have decided to become Part-Time Vegetarians. We don't eat a lot of dairy to begin with, and are ok with keeping that part of our diet the same. We don't really drink milk, but we do use it on cereal, and we use sour cream, cheese, etc. We eat eggs when it is needed in a recipe or we feel like it, but it isn't anything excessive. Our main concerns are sugar, processed foods and bad carbs. The plan for now is vegetarian meals every day except for Sunday's and Wednesday's. Those will be our "cheat days." If I feel the need for a cupcake, I will certainly eat a cupcake. We don't view this as a diet, but a way to eat healthier to be able to be more active and feel better.
I decided to create this blog after viewing what seemed like thousands of recipes on pinterest. I have a love-hate relationship with pinterest because it is such a game of luck. Most of the recipes I have tried have been awful, but there are a couple that I actually like. I will post recipes on this blog of what we tried and what we LIKED, because there aren't many ways to know if something is good unless you have PROOF that it is good. We will mainly be eating salads, fruits, veggies and whole grains, but for the nights when I feel like we need BULK, I will try recipes that seem more "main stream" just without the meat.
Here goes nothing. We are now Veggie Nerds.
I have loathed that word for most of my life. When I was about 10 years old, my mom stopped eating meat. She would have the occasional burger, or other meat entree, but for the most part, she was vegetarian. We ate meals filled with vegetables, substitutes, or the dreaded TOFU. Yuck. I thought she was crazy. I LOVE meat. Beef in particular. Chicken is OK. I could live without it if I had to, and pork is pretty good too, but we don't eat much of it. Beef is in my heart and always will be. I laughed at vegetarians. HA! Poor souls. Oh well, it was their loss! More beef for me to eat, right? Then I found out about Vegans. We will stop that discussion right there. My husband and our 3 children were quite content with being full fledged carnivores.
Some time ago, my father in law announced that he was no longer eating meat. He said he really wasn't a fan of it anyways, and that it wasn't hard for him to stop eating meat all together. I had the thought of "oh well, that is great for him!" He told us some stories about meat that made me gulp a little, but nothing that would deter me from my carnivorous behavior.
This last weekend, we went on a little mini-vacation to see my husband's sister and her family. When we there, they informed us that they were "Part time Vegans who cheat a lot" ha ha! I thought that was clever. I asked if my father in law had gotten to her. She said that it was sorta because of that, but mostly because of a book they read. I don't know the title, but I will get it from her. Another reason was because of the word of wisdom. We are LDS (Mormon) and we obey what is called The Word of Wisdom, and that is the main reason we do not drink alcohol and why we are discouraged from drinking coffee and tea. In a book of our scriptures called The Doctrine and Covenants, it outlines what we should eat and what we should stay away from. You can read the full section here: D&C Section 89. Here are the basics:
-Vegetables and fruits, which should be used “with prudence and thanksgiving”
-The flesh “of beasts and of the fowls of the air,” which is “to be used sparingly and in times of winter or famine.”
-Grains such as wheat, rice, and oats, which are “the staff of life”
My sister in law said that was kind of how they started (she can scold me if I am wrong) but what they were saying made sense. While we were there for the weekend, we tried a few of their meals. They weren't bad at all. They said that for the most part, they eat salads, fruits, vegetables, beans and some grains, and mostly stay away from dairy, but they will eat what they want some times just so they don't go nuts. She said they cheat daily :) That is my kind of meal plan!
I thought my husband would die laughing, but he didn't. He loves vegetables and could easily be a vegetarian I'm sure, but I was sure he would think the idea was crazy. He didn't.
We aren't super healthy eaters. Since getting married 11 years ago, and having kids we have gained a little more cushion onto our bodies. Nothing too drastic, but it is there none the less. I was ready to start being healthier. I gave up Soda and caffeine in March, something I never thought I would do, but it has been really easy. I will admit there were 2 days where I would have done anything for a Coke, but I didn't give in. Now it is just habit for me, and I have been enjoying it.
We have talked a lot the last few days about this topic and have decided to become Part-Time Vegetarians. We don't eat a lot of dairy to begin with, and are ok with keeping that part of our diet the same. We don't really drink milk, but we do use it on cereal, and we use sour cream, cheese, etc. We eat eggs when it is needed in a recipe or we feel like it, but it isn't anything excessive. Our main concerns are sugar, processed foods and bad carbs. The plan for now is vegetarian meals every day except for Sunday's and Wednesday's. Those will be our "cheat days." If I feel the need for a cupcake, I will certainly eat a cupcake. We don't view this as a diet, but a way to eat healthier to be able to be more active and feel better.
I decided to create this blog after viewing what seemed like thousands of recipes on pinterest. I have a love-hate relationship with pinterest because it is such a game of luck. Most of the recipes I have tried have been awful, but there are a couple that I actually like. I will post recipes on this blog of what we tried and what we LIKED, because there aren't many ways to know if something is good unless you have PROOF that it is good. We will mainly be eating salads, fruits, veggies and whole grains, but for the nights when I feel like we need BULK, I will try recipes that seem more "main stream" just without the meat.
Here goes nothing. We are now Veggie Nerds.
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