The Next Hundred Pounds

BARE PANTRY VEGGIE CHILI

Today is grocery shopping day, and last night as I approached my pantry shelves, there did not appear to be much in the way of fixins' for dinner. That is a personal challenge to my cooking skills, and so I rustled up what turned out to be some of the best vegetarian chili I've ever made, plus some cornbread ('cause you got to have cornbread with chili).

 

Wish you could smell this!

 

Like all my recipes, ingredient amounts are guesstimated. You've been warned. However, near as I can tell, this recipe makes about 5 hearty servings which weigh in at a whopping 224 calories each. Now you can't beat that, because one serving WILL fill you up. Here goes.

CINDY'S BARE PANTRY VEGGIE CHILI

1 Vidalia onion, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cups mushroom broth (I use Pacific Organics)

1.5 cups chili beans (I use Westbrae Naturals)

28 oz  diced tomatoes (I use Muir Glen  Organic Fire Roasted)

4 oz chorizo style seitan (I use Upton's)

Chili powder and hickory salt to taste

 

In a large pot, heat the olive oil and sautee the onions with a little salt, until brown. Add mushrooms and carrots and continue sauteeing until soft and fragrant. Add garlic and sautee until it, too, is brown.

Add mushroom broth, tomatoes, seitan, and chili powder and stir well. Let it come to a boil and reduce about 1/4 of the way.

Remove 1/3 to 1/2 of the chili and place in a blender or food processor (you could also use an immersion blender). Process just a few seconds, until a thick, still chunky sauce forms. Pour it back into the chili pot and stir. Add hickory salt to taste.

Serve up with hot cornbread and crumble a little into your chili. Mmmmmmmmm.

BTW, although not generally a fan of mixes, there are a few I trust and I like both Hodgson Mills and Bob's Red Mill products. I used a Hodgson Mill cornbread mix (you add an egg, a little honey, a little oil, and water) to make a delicious batch of cornbread.

BOCCONCINI CAPRESE, POLENTA WITH SQUASH HASH, GREEN VEGGIE ENCHILADAS, and LIQUID SALAD

One of the joys of finally being home for a stretch of time is getting to do some cooking again.

 

A cute and tasty take on insalata caprese

 

There was no opportunity, alas, to plant a spring garden, and all that came back was weeds and basil. Thank goodness for basil. I've been plucking it by the handful for pestos and delicious side dishes like this colorful version of insalata caprese. Mixed red, yellow, and purple cherry and pear tomatoes (so sweet!), shredded basil, and bocconcini (bite-sized mozzarella balls), drizzled with some fresh Texas olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper. Couldn't be easier or more delicious!

 

Polenta - so easy!

 

One night (the day before Grocery Day ... when there wasn't much left in the house) I scrounged around the pantry shelves and found a bag of Bob's Red Mill Corn Grits.  If you're a yuppie, or Italian, you call this polenta. It's very easy to make, and since I can never leave well enough alone, I added my own touch, which was to boil the grits in mushroom broth instead of water, for added flavor, and toss in a big handful of basil.  Here's the recipe:

MUSHROOM BASIL POLENTA

6 cups mushroom broth (or water)
3 tbsp butter (optional; could also use olive oil)
1 tsp sea salt
2 cups corn grits aka polenta
Big ol' handful of shredded fresh basil
1/2 to 1 cup of shredded parmesean cheese

In a heavy, deep pan, boil the broth and salt. Stir in the polenta a little at a time. Reduce the heat and simmer for about half an hour, stirring frequently, until the mixture is very thick. I suggest a long-handled wooden spoon. Add butter if you're using it, basil, and the cheese. Stir well and turn out into a greased pie tin. Let it sit for about 10 minutes; then cut into thick slices and serve hot.

There are lots of ways to enjoy polenta --- traditonally you'd spread a little tomato sauce and sprinkle cheese on top --- but I opted to make a squash hash.

 

Cindy's polenta topped with squash hash

 

The squash hash is also REALLY easy.

EASY SQUASH HASH

1 large zucchini, grated
1 large yellow squash, grated
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, diced
Olive oil
Artichoke hearts, chopped
Cherry and pear tomatoes, sliced in half
Smoked mozzarella

Brown the onions in a little olive oil and salt; add the squash and garlic, and cook until most of the moisture is gone and all is nicely browned. Serve over a hot slice of polenta; top with a slice of smoked mozzarella. Let the mozzarella melt; then top with artichoke hearts and tomatoes.

Let me tell you, this dish was a hit at my house. If you're worried about protein, I'd just throw a couple scoops of protein powder into the polenta mix. Or add some black or cannellini beans.

 

Green veggie enchiladas for homemade TexMex goodness!

Determined to get back to my old, good habits of cooking a big dish or two per week (less temptation to run out at the last minute and get something I shouldn't!), I bought the stuff to make enchiladas. It's Hatch chile season here in the southwest, and hubby has been jonsing for some Tex-Mex, which is delicious but can of course be very fatty. What follows here is my lazy version of enchiladas. For extra flavor, I would have grilled the veggies first.

CINDY'S LAZY GREEN VEGGIE ENCHILADAS

1 large zucchini, chopped
1 large yellow squash, chopped
1 large sweet onion, chopped
Garlic cloves to taste, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 package chicken-style seitan (optional)
1 can of Hatch green chiles
2 cans of Hatch green chile enchilada sauce
1 package of fresh corn tortillas
1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese

Sautee the onions, garlic, pepper, squash, and seitan in a little olive oil and salt, until  most of the moisture is gone and they're nice and brown. Add the canned chiles. In a rectangular pan, pour out a little enchilada sauce; the cover with torn up bits of corn tortilla. Top with veggie mix. Repeat these layers until the pan is full. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 F for about half an hour, or until throroughly heated, with bubbly cheese.

If I were doing a big, nasty, calories-be-damned version, I'd take the time to roll the veggie mix in each corn tortilla, cover with enchilada sauce, and use a whole lot more cheese. By tearing and layering the tortillas, you use less; and by sprinkling cheese on top instead of saturating the whole dish with it, you're saving a lot of calories without sacrificing taste.

 

Or, as I like to call it, Liquid Salad

For breakfast, I've been making lots of green smoothies. It's a great way to get your veggies in at breakfast, and help set up healthy eating for a day when you'll be on the run. There are lots of great recipes out there, but this is my favorite:

 

THE GREEN PINEAPPLE

2 leaves of kale
4-5 mini carrots
1/2 a zucchini
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup frozen pineapple

Throw it all in the Vitamix and blend. If you don't have a Vitamix, you might need to chop the veggies up very well first. Also, if you want it thicker, add a few ice cubes; sweeter, a teaspoon of maple syrup or a little more pineapple. Looks like oobleck but it tastes good and stays with you!

So there you have it. Cookin' up a storm, all of it healthy, cheap, and really, really quick and easy (just what you want in the hot summer time). Enjoy!   

CINDY'S SQUASH CAKES

Last night at dinner, at one of our favorite typical-Austin, southside-hippie-locavore joints,  a friend ordered some extravaganza involving a squash cake. It looked good. I mooched a bite and it tasted good, though the texture was a little gummy for my preferences. Nevertheless, determined to replicate it at home, this evening I gave it a go. As usual with my cooking, my favorite method involves messing around with whatever I have on hand, and basically poking it 'til it looks right and tastes good. Mileage varies, but this was quite a success.

Sorry there are no pics. It was too successful to stand still for a photo op, and got eaten up fast.  But never fear! There were leftovers, so when I make up another batch I'll snap them before they get snapped up.

CINDY'S SQUASH CAKES

1 large zucchini, grated
1 large yellow squash, grated
1 medium sweet onion, chopped fine
Big ol' handful of cilantro, chopped fine
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large eggs
1 scoop of whey protein powder
1 cup (or more) of finely ground pretzels or bread crumbs, or maybe whole wheat flour or cornmeal (I used pretzels)
Chili powder to taste

Mix it all up, just til combined. It will be a little wet. If it's too wet and doesn't hang together, add a little more of the ground pretzels or cornmeal or what have you.

Heat  frying pan, coat lightly with the cooking oil of your choice (I used EVOO), grab a handful, form a patty, and slap that sucker in the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until nicely browned.

Then, pop it on a plate and top with black beans or some chicken, a slice or two of avocado, a little bit of cheese, and just a drizzle of chipotle aioli or lowfat sour cream.

Quick, easy, and OH so delicious.

Oh, and big ol' sugar sweet organic Ranier cherries for dessert. HEAVEN.

RECIPE DAY: HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES

Healthy eating does NOT mean eating stuff that doesn't taste good. Depending on where you're coming from, though, it might mean re-educating your palate. If you're used to the SAD (Standard American Diet, lots of processed and fast foods with a tremendous amount of added salt, sugar, fat, preservatives, and fake flavorings) adjusting to the taste of real, fresh food may take a little time and experimentation; but as you learn to eat foods that are fresher and less processed, you will lose your taste for too much salt, fat, and sugar. Here are some recipes that offer healthier versions of some favorite foods.

When you're trying to cut down on  carbs, you may find yourself missing pasta. Two great, healthy, low-calorie alternatives are spaghetti squash and zucchini.

For a delicious and refreshing raw meal, try peeling a raw zucchini into strips with a potato peeler and topping with a chunky fresh sauce whipped up in your food processor: about 1/4 of a sweet onion such as Vidalia or Texas 10-15; a small, firm tomato and a handful of sun-dried tomatoes; garlic to taste; a handful of basil from your garden. You could even add a handful of pinenuts or walnuts for additional flavor. Top with a little shredded Parmesean cheese.

Spaghetti squash is named for the look rather than taste of its pasta-like stringy innards (which bear more of a resemblance to Thai glass noodles than Italian pasta), but you get a similar look and mouth feel, and a mild taste. There's a very nice and simple recipe to try here; but I would suggest making your own pesto so you can control the amount of oil.  I make mine with a leafy green such as basil, spinach, or even cilantro; a handful of nuts such as pine nuts, walnuts, or pecans; a couple of cloves of garlic;  salt and pepper to taste; and just enough olive oil to make a thick paste. There's already fat in the nuts so you don't need to add much oil; just add water to get the pesto to the consistency you like. It's fun to experiment with different pestos -- I particularly like the walnut-cilantro combination.

I've been trying to use up some stuff in my pantry before it expires (too many cans of pumpkin purchased over the holidays), so I've been experimenting with various quick breads. We don't, as a rule, buy bread or make it very often, but every other week or so I'll make a batch of something yummy we can have for breakfast or an afternoon snack with coffee.

My homemade blueberry bread with a veggie sausage patty. Good breakfast!

CINDY'S BASIC QUICK BREAD RECIPE, with variations

You can use this recipe to make just about any kind of tea bread or quick bread. It's easy to make it vegan through your choices of protein powder and milk substitute. I'm going to show you the basic recipe, with a lot of variations.

1-2 very ripe bananas, creamed in the mixer;  OR 1 large apple, cored and pureed in a food processor
3 tablespoons ground flaxseed, mixed with three tablespoons water (let it sit for about 5 minutes)
1 cup pitted dates, pureed in food processor, OR 1/2 cup agave syrup OR 1/2 cup maple syrup
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
2 scoops whey or soy protein powder
1/2-1 cup almond or soy milk (or milk substitute of your choice)

Mix the banana or apple, flaxseed, and dates (or syrup of your choice) until well combined. Add the dry ingredients, then the vanilla and milk. Add just enough milk to reach a thick batter consistency.

Preheat your oven to 350F. Spray a bread pan with canola or other oil spray; fill the pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and bread is pulling away from the sides of the pan.

Now, that is the VERY basic recipe.If you find it is not sweet enough for you, try topping it with some large-grained sugar before baking. You'll get an extra burst of sweetness on the first bite.

Now, the variations:

BANANA BREAD

For banana bread, I highly recommend using the dates (it will be SO moist) and adding some spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove to taste; and topping with a handful of toasted walnuts. You can also use orange extract instead of, or in addition to, the vanilla.

PUMPKIN BREAD

Leave out the banana entirely and use a can of pumpkin puree or pumpkin pie puree. If you use the pie mix, it will already have spices and sugar, so I strongly suggest cutting the added sugar in  half or 1/4.

BLUEBERRY MUFFIN BREAD

Add a cup of fresh blueberries. If you don't mind more fat, you can top with streusel: 1/2 cup walnuts, tablespoon of butter, tablespoon of maple syrup, 1-2 tablespoons of flour.

APPLE BREAD

Add a chopped up apple (leave the peel on for nutrients), and spice to taste with cinnamon.

CITRUS BREAD

Use orange or lemon extract, add some orange or lemon zest, and substitute fresh orange juice for the milk.

You can really do whatever you want with it; it's pretty easy to make adjustments. Play around with flavors you like. And don't stress --- if the batter's too runny, add a little more flour. If it's too thick, add a little more milk. If it needs to bake a little longer in your oven, so be it. It's best served hot, but it makes great toast slices, and for parties I love to cut it up into bite-sized pieces and pile several types on my cake stand. And I highly recommend using the dates instead of a syrup or real sugar --- they are very sweet, and high on the Glycemic Index, but they're unprocessed and also add a LOT of moisture and richness. If you're watching your insulin levels, you might want to go with the apple/agave syrup combination instead, as that will be a lot less sugar and lower GI.

Experimenting with cooking can be a lot of fun and help you discover foods you like! Try taking a favorite recipe and seeing whether you can come up with a tasty, healthier alternative. You might be surprised at how easy, and entertaining, it is.

 

 

VIRTUOUS SOUP

I wrote a food plan today and stuck with it until dinner time. The afternoon turned cold, I was tired, and nothing in the fridge appealed ... you know how that goes.  I really wanted a piece of toast, of all things! But I don't regularly keep bread in the house, and resisted the urge to make cornbread or biscuits. Instead, I made Virtuous Soup. And it was really yummy.

What is Virtuous Soup, you ask? Well, it's a little something I whipped up on the spot from stuff in the fridge. And it goes something like this:

Sautee a chopped onion and some leafy greens (kale, chard, spinach) in a tiny bit of butter and olive oil. The addition of a smidgeon of butter to your oil adds a lot of richness to the flavor.  In my soup, I used only the chopped up ribs from the greens.*

Salt to taste. Add some chopped mushrooms (I used oyster) and about of cup of a whole grain of your choice (I used some brown rice left over from a visit to a Chinese restaurant). Add a package of Italian sausage style seitan, or some ground turkey, or some such. I'm a big big fan of Upton's Naturals.

Add about a cup of mushroom, beef, or veggie broth. My all-time favorite is Pacific Natural Foods Organic Mushroom Broth. Let that cook down, then add the rest of the broth and let it also boil down a little until you have a thicker soup.

*Earlier in the week, I made kale chips, and saved the tough ribs. I also had some rainbow chard, so I went ahead and stripped the ribs from that, too, chopped them all up, and put them in Ziploc in the fridge. The ribs are good to eat but you have to cook them longer than the leaves.

That's it. Start to finish it took 30 minutes, and it was AMAZING and satisfying and warming on a cold night.

But I still wanted something sweet. So I took a page from my amazing and beautiful friend Anya Matanovic's book and made truffles.This is my colleague who travels with her Vitamix (for which I still long and lust) and showed all of us in the Figaro cast how to make all sorts of yummies with it. But I still rely on the cheap but sturdy little Black and Decker food processor I've had since grad school; it doesn't get things as smooth as the Vitamix, but it works just fine.

CINDY'S VERSION OF ANYA'S HEALTHY RAW TRUFFLES

Grind about a cup of raw cashews (or almonds, or walnuts, or pecans) in your food processor until it turns into butter. Add about 1/4 tsp salt.

Add 1/2 cup dried unsweetened shredded coconut and a cup of pitted dates; continue to blend. Add 1 tsp vanilla extract and three tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (my gold standard is Scharffen Berger).

And then just roll the sticky mixture up into little balls. They're pretty rich so don't make them too big. They are the YUM. Yes, they have a lot of sugar because of the dates and fat because of the nuts, but at least it's a very natural form. Anya was always bringing these to rehearsal; only one reason she is such a popular girl.

In other news, I got in a good little walk this morning, while the dogs chased squirrels, but I did not go back to the group fitness class and I didn't do any other exercise. Well, tomorrow is another day.

SETTING GOALS AND INTENTIONS

It's That Time of Year, when so many people are making that big push (many for the umpteenth time) to get the weight off once and for all. Such a source of despair and also fascination. Our relationships to food and dieting (still don't like that word) are so very complex, both emotionally and physically.

It has recently been suggested to me, twice in one day by completely unrelated parties, that I look into the Blood Type Diet. One of my agents uses it and swears it has done wonders for her. Seeing as how both my agents are pretty hot ladies, I'm willing to overlook my initial reaction of that sounds kinda crazy and take a more in-depth look; but even as I plan to camp out at Barnes & Noble later in the afternoon and read up on it, a little voice inside me keeps insisting, I really do not want to try yet another diet.

The best diet --- which term I mean in the classical sense, as in the way one eats as opposed to some heavily restricted plan you try out short term to get weight off --- is the one that works for you. Yes, that's rather glib and oversimplified, but what I mean is, we each have to find a way to eat that is healthful and sustainable for us. Paleo works great for a lot of people; I have friends who do it and think it's amazing, and they lose weight and stay fit on it. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I know plenty of vegans who are tremendous athletes (many who don't adhere to the philosophical/politcial side of veganism prefer to refer to their diet as "plant strong"). I think that, over time and with a lot of reading and experimentation, I've figured out what works best for me.  The issue isn't knowing what to eat; it's sticking with it longterm. For me, it's much more of a psychological and how-I'm-wired issue than one of education, willpower, or proper nutrition for my "type", whether that be body, personality, dosha, or blood.

So, I found this article from Active.com very inspiring; and what I like best about it is the focus on setting active, positively stated fitness goals and looking at weight loss as a result of working towards those goals. Goals, writes Katie Jeffrey-Lun, are actions. I like that a lot. She also encourages you to come up with a whole plan, not unlike a business plan, starting by focusing on what you really want to achieve. It's very much like setting an intention for your yoga practice; just giving yourself a mantra-like word or two that bring you back to mindfulness about what you are working to achieve.

I want to achieve the best health and greatest fitness level of my life, and I want to run a marathon. My intention, or key words, or mantra, or whatever you want to call it, are: Best Fitness of My Life. BFML.

My short-term goals are:

I will write and follow a food plan every day.

I will start at least 4 mornings a week with a walk and shoot for more intensive cardio/lifting sessions a minimum of 4 times a week.

I will concentrate on cooking simply most of the time, and eating mostly fresh veggies and fruit, with some lean protein. Bread, potatoes, rice,  cereal, and other simple carbs will be reserved for infrequent indulgences. However, nothing is off limits --- I can eat whatever I want, as long as I plan for it.

That's enough, for now. There are a lot of mini-steps involved in each of those goals, but to me the most important part of the plan is the intention, because it's a very simple tool that you can use to repeatedly bring yourself back to mindfulness. And bringing yourself to mindfulness in a self-loving, non-critical, simple way is, I think, the number one key to beating those pesky moments of weakness, aka decision fatigue.

I was too sore from my circuit workout to go back this morning. Instead, as soon as I post this, I'm going to practice yoga, and I have a date to take a long walk with a friend later this afternoon. And I can't wait to try out this kale chip recipe from Othalie Graham, who says her kids fight over it:

CRISPY KALE

2 bunches kale
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 large cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Method

Preheat oven to 375°F. Rinse kale and pat dry thoroughly. Remove and discard thick ribs and roughly chop leaves. Pat leaves dry again. Toss with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet. Kale does not need to be in a single layer, as it will shrink in volume as it cooks. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every five minutes or so, until leaves are tender, crisp on edges and slightly browned. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.
Nutrition

Per serving: 100 calories (80 from fat), 9g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 3g protein, 5g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 0g sugar), 0mg cholesterol, 160mg sodium

You know I can't ever follow a recipe as written, so I'm going to use my smoked hickory salt, which I think will be amazing.

And now, it's OMMMM time. Namaste, y'all.

SPINACH MUSHROOM LASAGNA, VEGAN SCONES, AND COMPLAINING

So, I have a doctor's appointment for tomorrow afternoon --- but not with the doctor I've been seeing since at least 2000, and probably before. Because I haven't been in since 2009, I've been reclassified as a new patient, and the nurse would absolutely not schedule me for anything other than a "new patient appointment", which was not available until two weeks AFTER I depart for Florida. She was utterly bewildered by my suggestion of taking into consideration the fact that, despite my admittedly long hiatus, I had in fact been a patient/customer  for at least nine years prior --- three times as long as I hadn't come in ---  and alas, because I travel for my job, I can't wait a month and a half to be seen, even if that was a good idea.

I appreciate that doctors are ridiculously busy and put-upon. I read several medical blogs, just for fun, and am completely sympathetic to what they go through dealing with the general public. I am willing to pay extra for an "initial" visit and redo all the paperwork. But I do think it's unreasonable for my history as a client to be completely dismissed because I haven't been there in a while. Long story short, although I like Dr. Stephens a great deal, I have to make a change. So I called my sister-in-law's osteopath and received an appointment for tomorrow afternoon.

And now to the good stuff - recipes!

Today is a baking day --- the very last of the holiday baking. The last time my husband visited his parents in  France, I made the mistake of  sending sent along some vegan scones I'd just made, and now my in-laws are placing orders. Actually, I'm quite tickled that they enjoy my baking enough to make requests, so they're getting vegan banana bread (also lowfat and low sugar), the savory apricot tarragon cookies that were the hit of this year's holiday baking, and more of my vegan cranberry orange walnut scones. The cookies have butter and therefore are not a lowfat treat, but I make both the bread and the scones using bananas instead of any added fat; I use ground flaxseed mixed with water in lieu of eggs; whole wheat pastry flour; and usually some lower GI form of sugar such as agave syrup --- and then, not much of it. The fat comes from the flaxseed and walnuts, but these are healthy fats, with Omega-3's. And the results are yummy.

Speaking of recipes, for our last family get-together I made vegetarian lasagna. Now, I mainly made this for my husband and me; you rarely see a green vegetable at our family gatherings and if you do, it's probably not organic and may or may not be presented in an appetizing  or healthful form. Everybody POUNCED on this dish and loved it. Here's what I did:

CINDY'S SPINACH MUSHROOM LASAGNA

Homemade lasagna noodles or 1 package storebought*
16 ounces nonfat organic ricotta cheese OR 8 oz ricotta nad 8 oz cottage cheese
Fresh herbs (sage, thyme, oregano, whatever you have on hand ... or just use pizza seasoning)
1/2 pound wild mushrooms, cleaned, chopped, sauteed in a little olive oil
1 small onion OR a couple of shallots, chopped and sauteed
1-2 cloves garlic, minced and sauteed with the onion
Package of fresh spinach
1 32 ounce can Muir  Glen Organic Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes
1 cup red wine
1 scant cup shredded Parmigano

Sautee your onion (or shallot) and garlic. You can add the mushrooms and sautee them with the onion, or do them separately and add later. Add the can of tomatoes and simmer until some of the juice starts to evaporate; add the cup of red wine and continue to simmer on low, stirring every once in a while until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Meanwhile, mix the ricotta and/or cottage cheese with diced fresh herbs.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Spread a little of the sauce at the bottom of a rectangular Pyrex dish. Lay down the first layer of noodles so that they cover the pan. Spread some of the ricotta mixture, the add a couple handfuls of spinach and, if you haven't added them to the sauce, the sauteed mushrooms. Repeat until you're out of ingredients or space, but end with a layer of sauce completely covering the noodles. Sprinkle Parmigiano on top. Bake for 30 minutes and then ENJOY.

*I highly recommend making your own pasta. It's really not hard and it tastes SO much better than any storebought. Get a package of semolina flour  (I like Bob's Red Mill) and just follow the directions on the back. But if you don't have time, just buy a package of whole wheat or regular lasagna noodles and cook as directed --- or get the no-bake, they taste just as good and you eliminate one step.

*I'm a HUGE fan of Muir Glen Fire-Roasted Tomatoes. They add a lot of flavor and when prepared this way, taste much like sun-dried tomatoes.

Also, by popular demand (of my FaceBook friends) here is the recipe for my scones --- I'm pretty sure I've posted it or something like it before, but it's probably time for a repeat. Keep in mind that all my recipes are pretty approximate. I don't usually measure. I throw stuff in 'til it looks and tastes  right. Works for me.

CINDY'S VEGAN ORANGE CRANBERRY WALNUT SCONES

1-2 ripe bananas
1/4 to 1/2 cup agave, maple, or brown rice syrup (depends on how sweet you want it)
3 tbsp ground flaxseed soaked in 3 tbsp water
1 tsbp orange extract (or, zest of one orange)
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Couple of handfuls each of walnuts and dried cranberries
1/4 - 1/2 cup almond or soy milk

Cream the bananas in a mixer and add the syrup, flaxseed, and orange extract until combined. Add flour, salt, and baking powder and mix just until it sticks together. Add walnuts and cranberries. Add just enough almond milk to make it all stick together --- you might not even have to add any, depending on how much syrup you use.

Roll out or drop onto a greased baking sheet and bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Went for about a mile walk with my husband before dinner, and we talked about how we'd like to both get back to starting the day with a walk. I'm going to do that while I'm in Florida, and I hope he will do it here, and maybe when I'm back we can get back in the habit of doing it together. I got WAY too tired on this walk, and I don't know how else to describe it --- it's a different kind of tired than when I've worked out a lot or just had a busy day. I had to rest for a while when we got home before we got up and made dinner. I'm fine now, though. I am both apprehensive of, and looking forward to, tomorrow's doctor's visit.

RESPONSES AND RECIPES

Hi friends. Thank you for all the messages of encouragement and support. This blog was started to help me with accountability, but I also wanted it to provide inspiration and encouragement for others, and it really helps me to know it has achieved that goal. More importantly, I appreciate  and am reassured of its value, knowing that it continues to be a source of inspiration to some of you. One of the things I have struggled with for some time is how much of my current battle to share; but ultimately, I decided that it's important to show the hard times as well as the good ones. All we see from the weight loss industry are the success stories, and you never see how those people who lost a miraculous amount of weight in a short time are doing two, three, five years later. Maintenance, as it turns out, is a lot harder than the losing phase!

To clarify, although it's true the thought of ending the blog has entered my mind, I have no intention of doing so any time soon. Clearly there's still some work to be done. Plus, I am way too much of a Pollyanna to let it end on less than a successful and happy note.  Thank you to everyone who commented and asked me not to stop writing it, or kindly offered understanding but said you like to read it. We'll keep on slogging for some time to come!

I'd like to address a few of the comments in more depth.

RebeccaNYC, thanks for your comments. I've gained too much weight back, to the point where I am not comfortable and don't feel good about my body. Fitness is my main goal now, but I would like to lose about thirty pounds and call it a day. I think that's realistic and reasonable, and something I could maintain without making myself crazy.

 Beach Bum, thanks as always for your compassionate and well-considered thoughts. I agree with you about framing workouts and food plans as a choice --- that is what enabled me to lose the weight in the first place.  It somehow made it possible for me to take ownership of the process. But now, some of those tools that were SO incredibly helpful have lost their sheen, through familiarity. They just don't have the same power they once did. I still try to use them and am always on the lookout for a way to freshen them up or or a new technique. One thing is clear though --- shame and guilt, while they may come unbidden, don't work. I try not to dwell on them.

HS, dear friend ... the blog does serve me. I was worried it wasn't serving others. That seems not to be the case, so ... yaaaay!

And now, just so this won't be all whiney and navel-gazey ... A RECIPE! I made an amazing vegetarian shepherd's pie that made my darling husband very, very happy tonight. The original recipe is here but you know me, can't leave well enough alone. I did my own version. Do yourself a favor and skip the celery root; you don't need it. Just make your favorite version of mashed potatoes. I used MUCH less butter than the recipe called for, an unsweetened almond milk instead of cream.  Also, my version used a regular old onion (pearl onions were too pricey though they sure would have been cute). I sauteed all the veggies in a little bit of olive oil and a tiny bit of butter (makes them taste richer) and then I just dumped the wine in (didn't use a full bottle either; didn't have one. It was fine). Let that simmer a little, then added No-Chicken Chicken Broth and let that simmer --- I never took the veggies out as the recipe said. Why bother? They'll just pick up more flavor this way. I put in the beurre manie, let it thicken up a little, dumped in the parsley, and voila! A beautiful, tasty stew that would have been amazing all by itself. Also, FYI, I used Upton's Naturals Chorizo Style Seitain, so I skipped the browning step and just crumbled it in with the veggies. Don't skip the fresh herbs; they really make it! And I sprinkled a little finely grated Gruyere over the top of the potatoes before broiling.

Seriously. My man was licking his bowl. It's delicious, it's a great comfort food for a cold night, and it will stick to your ribs. Give it a try!

STRUGGLES, AND CHICKEN POT PIE

Night before last, I went on a walk that lasted well over two hours. I'm not sure how far we went; but I suspect it was a good 7 or 8 miles by the time it was all said and done.  Sad to say, it's the first exercise of any significance I've undertaken since getting back home, and while it felt good to do by the end I was limping; my hip and heel were both complaining a lot. Still, I'm really glad that if nothing else I got off my butt and did it. The next morning I was still a little sore, but not stiff as I'd expected to be. It just goes to show how important it is to KEEP MOVING, just a little every day.

The struggle continues. I feel like I'm in a fight for my life and right now I'm losing. But I do fight, every day. Why is it so much harder now? I'm not sure. All I know to do is take it one step at a time.I'll write more about that later --- right now I am so busy, having just gotten back from one gig, getting ready to go on another, with a bunch of fun little concerts in between. And I want to really think about what I want to say about all of it. But in the meantime, what I am trying to do is watch portions, severely limit carbs that don't come from whole sources (i.e. eat a piece of fruit instead of a piece of bread, and limit that), and get back to regular workouts. That's enough for the moment.

This evening, I am making faux chicken pot pie, modified from a recipe that appeared in Vegetarian Times Magazine. I steamed some fresh broccoli, chopped up carrots, mushrooms, and onion into bite-sized pieces, and mixed it all up with some sage, some chicken-style seitan,  and some portobello mushroom soup. Dumped it in a casserole dish, sprinkled a little Parmesean cheese (about 1/4 cup), and put a homemade whole wheat biscuit crust (made with more sage, and enough mushroom soup to wet it) on top. That's currently baking for 20 minutes in a 425F oven. I'll let you know how it turns out!

 

 

MAMMA GETS SLAPPED

In this part of the world, we have an expression about good food that goes something like this, "Oooo-weee! That'll make ya slap yer mamma!"

I'm into food that'll make ya slap yer mamma. Especially if it's healthy. As friends and colleagues head back to their teaching jobs or classes this fall, and for the first time in six years I do not, I am so grateful to have a little extra downtime before things get wild again in which to wallow about in my home, take care of my darling husband, and COOK LIKE A MADWOMAN.

It's very clear that this more-or-less unscheduled time is very important for rejuvenation on many, many levels. I've done a major decluttering of the house, I'm working hard on shoring up my health and fitness habits, I'm working on my musical projects (two brand new roles, one old one that requires freshening, an another audition season looming), and I'm doing a lot of cooking, mostly healthy. Cooking is a creative endeavor for me, which feeds both body and soul, and also is a special way of taking care of people I love.

So, I was excited to find, via Food Renegade, some fun blogs with lots of yummy recipes! Like Heather Eats Almond Butter, which among other things tells you how to make your own almond milk and coconut butter, which is TO. DIE.  Use it anyplace you'd use peanut butter.  Bonus: it's SO easy to make and so much cheaper than what you'd buy in the store. Can't wait to try these recipes.

It was a big cooking day. In the morning, I made Greek yogurt so thick it's really cheese. For lunch , I made a wonderful classic Southern dish ---- okra with onions, garlic, and tomato. Sautee some chopped onions and garlic until they're soft. Throw in some chopped okra and a couple of chopped tomatoes. Cover and let it simmer for about half an hour. That's good eatin', y'all.

For dinner, it was the Southwestern Sautee from the August issue of Eating Well Magazine. I made my own salsa to use in the cheese grits and added a lot of extra garlic, because, welll, garlic cheese grits are the yum. The salsa gives a nice extra punch. The recipe calls for frozen corn; we skipped that because we grilled chile lime corn along with some zucchini. This is an amazing, really quick and easy meal --- leave out the grilling and it will take you all of fifteen minutes to throw together --- and quite satisfying. And you can scramble some eggs and have the leftover cheese grits  --- if there are any --- for breakfast. Make little patties out of 'em and cook them like savory pancakes. For dessert we had homemade berry shortcake --- not terribly sweet, but delicious. I basically made sweet biscuits and topped them with mixed berries macerated in a little bit of sugar (if you want to get fancy, add some lemon zest) and whipped cream. There were no complaints at my table tonight.

I got my Yoga X in this afternoon --- so funny how the body's abilties change from day to day and session to session. My balance wasn't so great today and my hips were not in the mood to get open, even with all the stretching. But I did really well with the abs work. Monday is a free day of yoga in Austin, and I am looking forward to checking out a couple of classes. 

We're going to be eating leftovers for the next couple of days, but I have more slap-yer-mamma cooking up my sleeve. Just wait and see!