Okay. So I went a little bit overboard with the zucchini buying this week. I have 1 large and 6 tiny (they’re adorable!) zucchini. I made some zucchini pasta last night to go with my RAWsome green smoothie (recipe follows). It was DELISH. I am going to use the rest of the zesty marinara to top some avocado crostini for breakfast. YUMMY!

Moving on. So. Zucchini surplus. What is it with me and an overabundance of vegetables this week? Not that I’m complaining. I love veggies. And fruit. It’s an equal partnership to keep my body happy. So. Too much zucchini (since I don’t like having pasta every night, and I’ve already made some wraps…). I’m going to make some crunchy zucchini chips.

Yes, you read that correctly. ZUCCHINI CHIPS. Spicy ones. If they turn out, I’ll share the recipe. I just have to wait for the kale chips to crisp before I spice up my zucchini and start dehydrating it.

Now for that recipe that I promised…

Green Sunshine Smoothie

2 ripe bananas (make sure they have brown spots)
1 kiwi
3 tangelos
3 kale leaves, stems removed

Place all ingredients in your blender, with the wettest (tangelos, everyone. NOT bananas. Don’t be like me.) ingredients on the bottom, kale on the very top. Blend away. ENJOY!

Happy Tuesday, my lovelies! Is anyone out there? I love that I feel like I’m just sending all of my nonsensical musing into the universe. Anyone?

If you are reading this…how’s your day going? I feel like we should be buddies. You know, motivate each other, keep each other accountable?? You think so too? That’s great.

Because…

↓ Today, I feel like this. ↓

photo credit

Which is good. Because previously, meaning as previously as last week,

↓ I felt like this. ↓

↑ And that sucks. ↑

Especially when you’re chasing around a VERY energetic toddler. SO. I’m making some changes (if you read my previous post, you’ll see what I mean). I could have gradually eased myself into this brand new way of living, but I was so very tired (yeah, I get the irony.) of being tired.

So here I am, all juiced on, well, JUICE. It’s awesome. I had a huge green smoothie after my Metamorphosis workout (review coming soon, I promise!), and I feel like I’m on top of the world. I also ate 90% raw yesterday. That probably helped.

The only problem with all that energy? I’m stuck at home today, and it’s not safe to jump on my rebounder while Smalls is awake.

My solution? HE CAN TAKE A NAP! And then I can clean like crazy, workout again, and use all of this fantastic energy! Talk about great motivation for sticking with RAW!

Happy Monday, y’all!

Has the year been good to you so far? No? Me either. It’s been a bit rough. And I realized this morning that I really need to make some MAJOR changes. I know that it’s been awhile since I’ve updated here, and for that, I’m sorry. In my puny defense, I did create a mommy blog…but I’ve realized over the past months that I am so much more than a mommy. And I’m bummed. I missed it here. So I’m back.

Skulking back, renewed, reenergized, and seriously ready for change. Let’s get one thing straight, shall we? I HATE resolutions. They suck. BIG TIME.

I hate the feeling guilty, the dwindling motivation, the guilt. So I decided this year to just make some positive life changes. I need to get FIT. (sad, since that’s what this blog is all about, right?!)

How am I getting fit? For starters, I’m taking more ‘me’ time. Sure, I love being a mommy to the most awesome son a girl could ask for, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not a better mommy when I have some time to myself.

Skip this next sentence if you want to avoid a seriously embarrassing mommy-moment. ↓

He’s great, isn’t he?!

Time to myself. I am a much happier, more balanced, centered…okay, okay. I’m less of a bitch. There, I said it. I totally suck when I don’t get some time just for me. BUT, when I do, I am amazeballs. Seriously.

In order to actually get that time, I’ve been getting up at the asscrack of dawn to workout. What workout? I’ve been working on some barre-fusion centering on Tracy Anderson’s Metamorphosis. I’m really enjoying the length and OMIGODBURNINGPAIN that comes with the muscular structure workouts. I also am loving doing the dance cardio on my rebounder.

BOING!

↑ that’s the sound of my rebounder. It’s FUN. LOTS of fun. Seriously. You should try it.

AND…I’m transitioning to a raw diet. I am SO excited. Last week, I ate entirely raw for two days, and I felt…well, amazeballs. I felt clear, uncluttered…AWESOME. More on that to come.

“What’s this?” said Ish. “It’s a parsnip,” I replied. “A what?” “A parsnip. Kinda like a carrot, only sweeter. They’re good.” Ish put the parsnip back and looked at me like I’d just stated that the sky was green (it wasn’t in case you’re wondering). I love parsnips. If you haven’t tried them, they’re great slow roasted with some carrots and sweet potatoes. Parsnips are also a great substitute for crab (if you have the inclination or miss crab salad) in the vegan world. I will admit that I’ve been missing my pre-vegan crab salad loving ways. It’s not the crab that I miss, though-it’s the creaminess and the contrast of textures. So I set out to replicate the flavors that I loved so much. I don’t have any kelp powder (just haven’t been able to find any locally and am absolutely against paying more in shipping than the actual jar is worth!), so what I came up with didn’t have that ‘fishy’ taste-but it was cool, creamy, and just what I was missing. I caught Ish stealing bites out of the fridge before it had chilled (I like to let it sit for awhile to let the flavors meld). Here’s the recipe:

‘Crab’ Salad

• 2  c  shredded peeled parsnip
• 1/4  c  finely chopped celery
• 1/4  c Veganaise
• 2  tblsp minced fresh onion
• 1-2  tblsp  soy or almond milk (coconut isn’t the best for this) for thinning
• a pinch of  kosher salt
• a pinch of  freshly ground black pepper

Mix everything well and let it chill for at least 1 hour. You can mix this recipe up by adding cayenne or hot sauce-it’s very open to interpretation. If you sub scallions for the onion and add some slivered almonds it’s really yummy, too!

Probably a little more than I should…. I eat them at least two or three times a week. Give me sweet potato fries, sweet potato drop biscuits (I have eaten SO many of those today! Thank heavens for my extra workout with Tater!), or just a baked sweet potato! And with so many health benefits, I don’t feel terribly guilty.  I enjoyed my food today, but I think that I enjoyed my workout even more. Tater had a bit of a rough day today, so a video was not going to happen. Instead, Ish, Tater and I went on a family walk (about 3 miles) around our neighborhood and then when I got home, Tater and I got down to business. At almost 5 months old, Tater weighs in at just under 20 pounds (that’s A TON of extra weight!), and makes for a fun workout buddy. Tater and did squats by the Christmas tree, lunges around my living room and kitchen, chest presses, bicep curls, dead lifts, calf raises, and plies. I have to say that I was burnt out after all of that, but it felt good to know that I can still workout even if Tater wants to be held. I think the best part was his giggle fits (he thinks that mommy working out and bouncing him around is HILARIOUS!), which ended up with me having a giggle fit, too. I will definitely be doing this workout again! I even got in some belly dancing (he loves the swaying motion). All in all, today was a great day.

At least for Ish. I am so super-duper proud of him! He seems to be enjoying eating vegan, although he did mention that he “can’t wait” for an egg and ham breakfast sandwich after January 6. I’m hoping that the next three weeks will change his mind. I am happy to report that I seem to be slimming down, even if the scale isn’t moving. I’ve been super busy both preparing meals and working out (when I’m not doing my full-time job of being mommy to Tater). Tonight I made stir fry because it was easy…is that cheating? I had planned on making sweet potato biscuits to go with the ah-mazing veggie pot pie stoup that I made last night (I love soups and stews the next day because the flavors seem to really intensify), but time got away from me. Tater is realizing he has a voice-which is so much fun, but also means that he tells me ALL about it 24/7. Have I mentioned that I love being a mom? Okay, enough about my adorable kiddo. I sat down to share the progress of the ‘vegan experiment’ thus far. So…Ish is down 8 pounds (and we’re only 6 days in!), and I’ve lost inches, but not more than 1 pound. I’m actually okay with that. I’ve been doing my barre workouts, and they’re still kicking my behind. Hopefully by the end of my 30 days I can consider myself ‘advanced’!

I forgot what a great workout the P57 Classic is! Apparently, so did my legs! I think that is why I’ve stuck to the express workout for the last few months. Don’t get me wrong-I feel fantastic!! I just wish that my jell-o legs would solidify again. For those of you fellow P-57 fans out there, did you hear that they just released their second set of workouts?! They’re hot off the presses, and will give you a ‘leg up’ on the first set. From everything that I’ve read, the workouts build on the current set, allowing you to advance and tackle a new set of challenges (more thigh dancing, anyone?). I’m super excited about these workouts, but they’re going to have to wait until I master my current set. I’ll be honest…I’m hoping to get them in my stocking!

One of the things that I worked on today was meal-planning for next week. I think that I’m going to make e. & stell’s creamy cashew pasta, tempeh ruebens (although I may make those tomorrow…I’ve been craving them), scrambled tofu, veggie pot pie stew (AND some sweet potato biscuits), mushroom and sundried tomato risotto, and possibly blackened tofu…. Although everything is up for debate until I go to the grocery store. As for what we ate today…we had cereal (again), sammies (again), salads, pumpkin shakes, an apple with peanut butter, and TVP burritos with black beans, bell peppers, onions, squash, and Daiya. Yum-o! I would definitely call day 2 a success!!

I am proud to report that day 1 of Ish’s veg journey has been a success!! I’m working on dinner right now, and can’t decide between marinated seitan with cold udon noodles and peanut sauce or marinated seitan with cold udon noodles and teriyaki sauce…quite the problem! I know that I’ll be serving dinner up with grated carrots, thinly sliced bell pepper and broccoli…it’s just deciding which sauce. Right now I’m leaning toward teriyaki because I’ve already had a few spoonfuls of Peanut Butter & Co.’s White Chocolate Wonderful today (I was craving sweet, and the pumpkin shake I made just wasn’t quite what I was looking for-thank heavens for PB & Co!). I also have yet to do my workout, so that’s next on my list. I’m thinking that I’ll have about 30 minutes, so I’ll probably do either an Essentrics DVD or one of my WinsorSlim workouts (I LOVE the gadget that they use). Either way, I will get in a workout before sitting down to watch Top Chef tonight (and yes, I know that the meals they cook are not vegan, but I get some good ideas for flavor combinations…and for that matter, why hasn’t someone come out with a vegan cooking show for cable tv?!). Alright…enough chit chat. I have some seitan to marinate!

I’m going to list what we’ve eaten today for those of you who are interested (and so that I can keep a record):

Ish: homemade granola with almond milk, curried mango-tempeh salad in a pita, ‘refried’ black bean & Daiya burrito, and teriyaki seitan with veggies and udon noodles.

Brea: Kashi Go LEAN Crunch! with chocolate almond milk, ‘tuna’ sammie on homemade wheat bread with a green salad, white chocolate pb, celery & pb, and teriyaki seitan with veggies and udon noodles.

I love sammiches (who doesn’t?!). They’re delicious, nutritious…AND very versatile. I also love when I’ve got a fridge full of good sammie stuff! I know that I did my weekly prep a few days ago, but I discovered a few mangoes that I ended up not eating (shocking, I know!) and decided to make one of my favs: Curried Mango Tempeh Salad. YUM. I added 3 mangoes (yup, I love mango!) instead of one, and it ended up being AWESOME. I can’t wait for lunch tomorrow! The recipe says that the longer everything marinates, the better it gets…and it’s TRUE! That’s why whenever I make it, I let it marinate for  at least 24 hours…the anticipation is KILLING me, though! I also love this recipe because it’s become a favorite in our house-and with our friends. I’ve brought it to a few functions (yup…everyone saw me coming and knew that I had my tempeh-mango mix with me!) over the summer. Needless to say, I never have leftovers (maybe I should start doubling the recipe….).

Since I’m on the topic…I actually have plans to make quite a few sammies this week: “tuna” salad with chopped banana peppers, tempeh ruebens, baked tofu, grilled veggies…I was so excited that I even made two loaves of whole wheat bread (and yes, the brioche is gone already…but I did give a loaf to my neighbor)! Now I’m off to halve the pitas so that I can get my sammie on just a little faster tomorrow!

I started preparing for our month of full-blown veganism (remember that I am vegan, but Ish is not). I have to start by saying that I am SO excited!! I went to the grocery store and loaded up on all of the good stuff: plenty of veggies, fruits, legumes, and some nummy soy products. When I got home, I got started prepping. I wanted to make sure that there were plenty of hubby-friendly snacks on hand (he doesn’t like to do much prep), so I chopped some veggies, cleaned some cherry tomatoes (YUM!), and made power balls and granola. I LOVE granola. My house smells heavenly, and now I can’t stop snacking! While the granola was baking, I also made a wonderful sushi salad. It was so yummy, I ate until my tummy hurt (in a good way). I stumbled on the recipe in my new cookbook Appetite for Reduction and was definitely not disappointed. Ish even thought it was particularly yummy-in fact, the salad tasted just like my favorite veggie rolls! I will definitely have to make it again. I wanted to be sure to share my recipes for the power balls and granola, as they have been snack staples for me (just not normally in the same week), and are great for curbing those holiday cravings for less than healthy snacks.

The granola is simple (I just eye the quantities): combine 2 1/2 cups rolled oats, 1/4 c almonds, 1/4 c walnuts, 1/4 c cashews and 1/4-1/3 c seeds (sunflower or pumpkin work well) with 1/4 c canola oil and 1/3 c real maple syrup in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add in a dash (about 1/8 tsp) of salt, and some cinnamon (taste it so you don’t get too much). Then, dump your mix onto a baking sheet and spread it out. Pop everything into a 350 degree oven. Set your timer for 5 minutes-the take the granola out and stir it…repeat another few times, until it turns yummy and golden. Be careful not to let it burn! I didn’t watch carefully the first time I tried to make it, and ended up with sadly charred bits. Normally, it takes a total of about 20 minutes to cook. Once it’s done, let it cool, then you can add in any dried fruits that you may want…I like cranberries and cherries. Enjoy!

And now for the powerballs…take 6-8 medjool dates, pit them and soak them in HOT water for about 10 minutes. While that is working, toast 1 1/2 cups walnuts (doesn’t matter if they’re chopped or not) either in the oven or on the stovetop. Drain the dates really well. While that’s happening, put your walnuts into a food processor and let them go until they’re near dust. Then add in your dates, and 1 tsp pure vanilla extract. Blend until the whole thing looks like cookie dough. Now, form the dough into little bite-sized balls or press it into an 8×8 pan lined with waxed paper (if you choose to go this route, chill it down, pull it out of the pan, and then cut into bars). Chill tightly covered and enjoy! You can also vary the flavor by adding 2 tbsp of either cocoa powder, key lime juice, coconut, almond extract, etc. Get creative!