Can a happy herbivore and a cheerful carnivore, live together in harmony?

Attitude is key! A positive attitude is the breeding ground for success and miracles.
Making a major lifestyle change, can be as hard as you make it. If you go into it, thinking: "This is going to be impossibly hard! I don't think I can do it..." It will be hard! If the only thing you can see, are the obstacles and all the reasons why it can't possibly work for you, failure has been set in motion before you've even begun! On the other hand, maintaining a positive attitude, expecting good results and success...seeing this lifestyle change as a new adventure, learning and growing...keeps you joyful and strong! You will even find yourself having fun with it!
When I chose to dump my toxic American diet, and replace it with health-promoting plants, I did it with a positive and expectant attitude. I did it, enthusiastically!
My number one obstacle and difficulty? Making this major  change while my refrigerator, freezer and pantry remained stuffed with: eggs, cheese, milk/butter, lunchmeat, chicken, sausage, hamburger patties, olive oil, processed foods, etc!!! You see, I couldn't make a "clean sweep" in my kitchen, and discard all those food items because of my beloved husband...and his carnivorous ways. (hahaaa) He loves meat - grilled, fried, roasted..with gravy, etc.
I had to go into this, with all that cheese in the fridge...staring me in the face and calling my name!..and not touch it!? This drove me nuts, the first few weeks! I buried it (in the crisper, under the lunchmeat). Out of sight, out of mind, right? It's voice got fainter and fainter, while I reached for the hummus, instead. When he threw burgers, chicken or sausage on the grill, we shared a few beers and I had tortillas filled with rice, spinach, black beans and salsa. Before long, he was asking for a taste..and, he liked it! A few days ago, we shared a lovely meal of whole-grain spaghetti, with tomato sauce and a salad...no meat.
I believe there are two keys to living harmoniously, with two separate eating lifestyles : tolerance and respect. We each respect the other's right to choose, we are each free to make our own choices. We do not feel the need to pick, nag or force our personal choice, on the other. I am blessed to have a loving husband who supports and respects my decision to make changes, in any area of my life.
Live, and let live. Kindness, respect and tolerance, promote peace and harmony.
So -
the answer to that question?
Can a happy herbivore and a cheerful carnivore live together in harmony?
A resounding, YES!

One month milestone

Another milestone four years ago. Moving to a different country, meeting new friends, climbing an extinct volcano.

It's official - I've stayed on a diet for a month. I've never committed to dieting for that long ever. In fact, back in university, I went on the cabbage soup diet for a record total of two days. I was always the type of person who would have no problem going to the gym but tell me to give up my food? Mon dieu! Never!

Well the good news is this diet is not a starvation diet or a counting calories/portions diet. No it's just a eat-as-much-healthy-food-as-you-can-stomach diet. There are restrictions, yes. No oil, salt, sugar, meat or diary but I choose to see it for the possibilities rather than the restrictions. I can eat whatever fresh, juicy, flavourful fruits and veg that I can get my hands on! The possibilities are endless and it's so exciting to try new concoctions. Much better than pasta with pesto and veg, spaghetti carbonara or mac and cheese. And better yet, I feel full and not bloated.

I have read from other plant-based followers that they felt more energetic, lost weight and that they wouldn't go back to the diet that they had before. However, I was skeptical. Would they really not want to eat a big slice of pizza or some ice cream? I can now push those skeptic thoughts away.

I'm also seeing results. Within the first two weeks I had lost 10 pounds! I noticed that but no one else had at this point. Now with a month into the diet, my friends and colleagues have all noticed. My arms, waist and legs are all more defined. I'm not sure how much more I've lost. I weighed myself at the gym over the weekend but I'm not sure I believe it. So until I find a much better scale I won't be posting inaccurate readings.

Now that I've been doing this diet on top of exercising, I'm starting to see definition. Before, I would go to the gym 3-5 times a week. I noticed small differences within a month but muscle definition was still hiding under layers of fat as kept feeding the fat with pizzas and curries. Now I'm feeding my body rather than my fat. Now I'm seeing the results of going to the gym and following a healthy diet. I was even doing yoga on Monday and was shocked when I noticed my bicep muscle - I almost fell out of warrior pose.

I feel re-energised. I should be even more tired as it's getting darker outside and work has been excellerating as I prepare for three large events this weekend. Instead, I'm energetic. I go to the gym, meet with friends, go to yoga, attend sewing and jewellery making classes, blog, make travel plans and still want to do more! I plan on continuing this diet indefinitely. Sure it's hard sometimes to choose an herbal tea over a chai latte and a cinnamon bun but it feels better. Whenever I do go off my diet for a wee cheeky cocktail or dinner with friends, I find I'm less likely to enjoy it than I used to. The flavours aren't as great as I once imagined and I look forward to going back to my plant-based diet during my next meal. That said I never regret a nice cocktail or glass of wine with friends. It's always worth it ;)

Next week will be a struggle to continue the diet (especially when I'm in Paris for a couple of days) but I plan on making the best choices as possible as well as indulging in some macaroons and pain au chocolats. When in Paris... Will post some healthy(ish) Parisian treats in the upcoming weeks. Wishing everyone a happy and healthy rest of the week. À bientôt x h

Midweek lunch:
Two chopped heads of romaine lettuce
Fresh green beans
Dijon mustard drizzled on top for flavour

Midweek yummy breakfast
chopped banana, cashew butter wrapped in a lettuce leaf. One banana makes two servings.

Lesson 1: Prepare for the busy days

yummy veg at a farmer's market in Aix en Provence

It's funny...we prepare: our finances, our work week, social calendar, family engagements...the list goes on. But one of the things most people (me included) do not prepare is what we plan to eat for the week. Most people are busy so popping to the shop to pick up a pizza or even takeaway is sometimes too easy. However, why don't we spend time preparing what we will eat? Certainly this is just as important as preparing yourself for financial security? We should be preparing ourselves for a healthy future!

In the past few weeks following a plant-based diet, I have learned that preparation is key! I have been quite busy the last few weeks and I've been getting back home around 7-10 pm during the week. Part of this is because I'm making headway on my 4 goals before 2013 (next blog post coming up later this week). And while this is giving me a huge sense of happiness and accomplishment, it isn't that great for a plant-based diet. By the time I've been dragging myself into my flat, I'm usually ravenous - wanting a quick meal, which is do-able on this diet if you have the appropriate ingredients and a resourceful mind. However, you see...I also haven't had time to buy my weekly shopping. I've been popping into my local Sainsburys for odds and ends all week. When I haven't eaten since lunch and I'm shopping for dinner at 7-10 pm, it's so very easy to pick up that pizza that I can pop in the oven. It's harder to resist the temptation when your stomach is growling like a bear after hibernation (bears do that right?).

It's easy to forget that in these instances, it takes as much time for a pizza to cook as it does to prepare a black bean avocado salad (recipe below) and strawberries with chocolate almond dip. The first requires no prep to make but provides little health benefits. The later might take 15 minutes of prep but is a healthier option full of essential minerals and vitamins and is just as tasty (the salad is a great fix if you're craving a burrito!)

If I chose the first choice, I would feel bloated but slightly peckish. Insert me stuffing my face full of chocolate digestives...With the plant-based option, I would feel sated. No bloating and no need or want to binge on biscuits! 

Lesson 1: Thou shall not forgo weekly shopping.

Lesson 2: Thou shall prepare a large meal on Sunday to freeze leftovers for convenient weekday meals. 

I might even borrow a trick out of my mom's book and write out a tentative weekly meal plan...we'll see. Regardless, freezing a rainy day dish is perfect for those days you're either too busy or too tired to put much effort into your meal. By following this, you can make sure you eat without compromising your health.

Here's one of my go-to rainy day dishes:

Black Bean Avocado Salad (tweaked from the Black Bean Lettuce Bundles in Eat to Live pg 354)

• 2 cups cooked or canned no-salt-added or low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 large, ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and mashed
• 1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 green onions chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh coriander (cilatro)
• 1/3 cup mild no-salt-added or low-sodium salsa
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (lemon juice also works in a pinch!)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (sometimes I throw two cloves in for a stronger taste)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1-2 heads of romaine lettuce chopped

In a medium sized mixing bowl, mash the avocado and beans together with a fork. Mix all other ingredients. Spread mixture on top of the salad. Depending on the size of your salad you may have leftover for another salad!

Strawberries with Almond Chocolate Dip (dip recipe from pg 370 Eat to Live)

• 2/3 c raw almond butter (only almonds in this)
• 1 c unsweetened soy or almond milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp natural cocoa powder
• 2/3 c dates pitted

Blend everything in a blender until smooth and creamy, adding more milk if necessary. Pour over strawberries or other fruit of your choice and enjoy!

What's your rainy day dish? Would love suggestions! x h

A new season....

Turning over a new leaf....Turn! Turn! Turn! Sometimes there's just something inside you that tells you it's time to turn...that this is a new season. Time to make a change. If you are sensing that, take a moment to listen to it, take that step and make a change!

A Little Background......

I was raised in small town USA. The Midwest, the "Cornbelt" of the States; acres of wheat, soybeans, oats, corn and grazing cows are familiar sights here. The Amish community are our neighbors. We frequent the same banks and stores. Oftentimes, we spot an Amish horse & buggy hitched to a fence at Dairy Queen while the family enjoys an ice cream treat. It is here, in this community, that I learned how and what to eat.
Basically, it was "anything goes". My family served up all the traditional meals of the standard American diet: beef, ham, sausage & bacon, poultry, lunchmeat, cheese, butter, milk, eggs, processed foods and snacks. Vegetables (if served, at all) were always flavored with butter & salt. Potatoes were mashed, butter & salt were added, then gravy was poured over all. Fresh fruit was seldom eaten and showed up mainly canned in sweetened juice, or in baked goods.

                                          (Left to right, front row: my sister, Kim, Me, my
                                            sister, Julie, my Mom. back row: my brother, Ron,
                                            my Dad)
Our family's health was generally good. We were active and spent alot of time outdoors (no video games at that time). None of us were overweight. We weren't sedentary, so we burned off the calories we ate. We looked fit and healthy, but I'd really like to know what our cholesterol levels were, even as young children!

Fast forward...now, I am a mother of three. As a mom, I am more conscious of what I am feeding my family. I breastfeed (no formula-fed babies here!).  I grow a garden, canning & freezing the harvest. I bake my own bread, but still prepare the same foods I grew up with. A little improvement, but not much.

                                           (My three little ones, left to right: Andrew,
                                             Heather, and Ethan. sorry for the glare on
                                             photo!)
Years later, I am a single parent of three teens. Working a full-time job and parenting leaves me no time in the kitchen! Our lifestyle is busy with work, school and social activities, so we eat more frozen processed foods, order pizza and hit the fast food joints. This continues throughout their college years.

                                          ( Left to right, front row: son, Andrew, daughter,
                                            Heather, Me, son, Ethan. back row: my Dad
                                            and Mom)

Present....I am now 48 yrs. old, and remarried. My children are young adults, out on their own. After 48 years of eating the standard American diet, my body finally starts to revolt and feel the effects...high blood pressure, anemia, fatigue, overweight.
I've decided to turn the tide, and exchange the SAD diet, for the one loaded with nutrients found in whole foods and plants.
My goals:
Reverse hypertension
Conquer anemia
Lose weight
Regain health/fitness
My results (after only 2 wks!):
An inner calm, sense of well-being
Bloated feeling gone
Clothes feel looser
Satisfied, not hungry all the time
Energy slowly returning

I ask you this:
If we can eat our way to the destruction of our health, why can't we eat our way to the restoration of our health?
It seems we can...do just that!
Til next time...

Finding happy

Photo: www.abeautifulmess.com

In my spare time, I've been reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. It's a great read with inspirational quotes (from the ancient Greeks to those studying positive psychology) and research on what makes people happy. Gretchen spent one year checking off her new year's resolutions to find out what makes her happy.

This book is exactly what I need right now. I've always been a very happy person - some might say that I have an overdose of serotonin. I always take it as a compliment. Since starting this diet - I feel healthy and alert. However, there's still a part of me (based on my recent breakup from a long-term relationship) that has lost a little bit of happiness and am trying to regain it. Focusing on a healthy body and mind is my goal for the rest of the year.

Gretchen wrote about how having challenges and goals in life actually increase your happiness. She said, "The challenge, therefore, is to take pleasure in the 'atmosphere of growth,' in the gradual progress made toward a goal, in the present." She quoted Friedrich Nietzsche as saying, "The end of a melody is not its goal; but nonetheless, if the melody had not reached its end it would not have reached its goal either. A parable."

It seems, without knowing it, that my Eat to Live challenge will lead me to being healthy and happy in body and mind.

While reading one of my favourite blogs A Beautiful Mess, I was reminded again by how important having goals in life are. By creating 4 simple goals to complete before 2013, I'll be enriching my life and in turn, will be able to be stronger, happier and healthier to support my friends and family.

Here are the 4 simple goals rules as assigned by A Beautiful Mess blog:

• Choose simple goals that will make your life richer and happier on a daily basis.Choose things that you might not otherwise get done, but that are not difficult to accomplish.
• Do not choose result-oriented goals. Choose activity-oriented goals. For example...instead of  "lose 10 pounds", choose something like "eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day". Choose positive actions instead of the end result.
• Choose goals that are personal that you believe will truly make your life richer just by doing them. They can be daily, weekly or one-time experiences.
• Choose a reward for each goal as it is accomplished. It can be a small or large reward - it's up to you!

My 4 simple goals before 2013...

1. Feel good in my own body by following the Eat to Live six week diet plan. My mom and I will continue to blog at least twice a week each about our experiences. I'm currently doing the Eat to Live Six Week plan. As of the weekend, I have lost 10 pounds!! I can have an unlimited amount of: raw vegetables; cooked green and non-green nutrient-rich vegetables (i.e. eggplant, mushrooms, peppers, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower); beans, legumes, bean sprouts and tofu as well as fresh fruits. I can have a limited amount of: cooked, starchy vegetables/whole grains (i.e. butternut and acorn squash, corn, white potatoes, rice, sweet potatoes, bread, cereal (no more than 1 cup a day); raw nuts and seeds (1 oz max per day); avocado (2 oz max per day); dried fruit (2 tbsp max per day) and ground flaxseeds (1 tbsp max. per day). Off limits are: dairy products, animal products, between-meal snacks, fruit juice and oils.
2. Open a savings account and start a nest egg. (I know, at nearly 27 years old, this is something that I should have done ages ago!) Money might not buy happiness but it does give you piece of mind and independence. By checking this off my to-do list, I can also rid my mind of some stress.
3. Practice sewing and attend more yoga sessions. I've gotten the sewing buzz (in part by the gorgeous DIY projects like this one at A Beautiful Mess) and after taking an initial "how to use a sewing machine" class earlier this year, I haven't managed to take any further steps in starting this interest until yesterday when I signed up at a local sewing shop to make a button cushion. I'm so excited! Part two of this goal is to take more yoga classes. Yoga is great for the body and mind, which will help me in my general quest for personal happiness. Am considering a beginner's Ashtanga course and hot yoga. Any recommendations?
4. Don't worry about the future, accept things for what they are and find happiness in myself. I'm a planner. I thrive on to-do lists, goals and hopes and dreams of the future. However, sometimes this can be detrimental. I can forget why I'm doing the lists and goals (to better myself and find inner happiness) and just get caught up in why I haven't finished item 12 on the list. Instead, I'm going to try to appreciate one day at a time - getting the most out of it whether it be going to the gym, working, speaking to family or friends or trying something new. I'm also going to learn to appreciate the downtime and appreciating the silence. This one I think will be the hardest to accomplish but I'm willing to try! In the meantime I will look at this post-it on my mirror for inspiration.

I will be blogging here about achieving goal one with references to goal four. What are your 4 simple goals for 2013? I'd love to know. Whatever they are, I hope they bring you happiness. x h

"COOKIES! Nom..nom...nom" - Cookie Monster

Let's talk about cravings. This week has been the first week I've been really really strict with the Eat to Live diet. The first couple of weeks I allowed myself a few slices of pizza with friends here, a drink or a birthday dinner there. But this week is the first week I went completely nutritarian. I don't regret it in the least. I feel healthy and not bloated or lethargic after a meal. But I'm not going to lie...I have been craving sweets the past couple of days. Before going on this diet - I always made sure I had something sweet to eat every day (yes, I know this is horrible and didn't help anything but at times I felt like I was addicted to the sugar. If I didn't have it one day I would be irritable. I guess if I lived on Sesame Street I would be the blue lunatic on a sugar high ranting about the chocolate goodness.) Dr. Furhman mentions that most people will spend the first week or two feeling the withdrawal effects of all the unhealthy foods that you normally consume. I like to think of it as a detox. My body is flushing all the sugar out of its system but in the meantime it doesn't stop me from craving some chocolate.

Temptation - although on second thought, it doesn't look as appetising as my Black Bean Brownies!

Today was no exception to my sugar cravings but this time I had temptation. I had a staff meeting at work so we had plenty of biscuits/cookies for everyone. I resisted the whole day (it wasn't worth it) but when I got home - I couldn't resist having something sweet. I decided to make Dr Furham's Black Bean Brownies. They smelled divine!!

Black Bean Brownies
1/2 c dark cocoa powder
2 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda
1 can of salt-free black beans (drain liquid)
1 T ground flaxseed
1 1/4 c unsweetened applesauce 
2 c pitted dates (chopped)
3/4 c whole wheat flour
1 c walnuts



Put the first six ingredients in the food processor. Turn it on then gradually add the 2 cups of chopped dates, a few at a time until blended. Add the flour and continue to mix until everything is well blended. Turn off the machine, remove the blade and stir in the nuts. Spread into a 13 x 9 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees F/180 degrees C for 20-25 minutes.

Note for my next batch: I did the cheap option (as I still have yet to get a food processor. Although I do have my eye on this beauty!) and only chopped the dates instead of throwing them in a food processor. I recommend not skipping this step as it allows for the dates to mix in well throughout the brownies to ensure the date's natural sugar sweetens the mixture. I'm also thinking about the possibility of throwing peanut butter (the only thing allowed in the peanut butter should be peanuts - no oil, salt, sugar etc) into the mixture. I'm a fool for peanut butter and chocolate so if I have to go cold turkey on Reese's and peanut butter M&Ms I might as well find a wee loophole!

The great thing about this dessert is that you're ensuring that you're getting much-needed daily Omega 3 (in the 1T of flaxseed and the walnuts). A balanced diet including Omega 3, an essential fatty acid, will help treat and prevent chronic diseases (p 160 Eat to Live book).

I hope these brownies help you when you have your sweet cravings. If all else fails, I recommend listening to Jimmy Cliff's "You Can Get It If You Really Want" before you reach for those Reeses, Cadburry's and all other unhealthy delights. x h