W2 D1

Hello Everyone!!!

Sorry I kind of flaked yesterday...I was sooo tired that I just kinda had super and went to bed. My new job is really great, although I am sure it will get more challenging as I progress... as my responsibilities will increase...

My meals lately have been kinda lacking so to speak...No to say its not good, just not very creative.

Yesterday...I was late for my first day..*Sigh So really all I had for B-fast was the 1/2 protein bar and chocolate Almond milk.

Lunch was 2 Bean Burgers, raw veggies and some olives :) **Note I did not eat all my veggies and I had a chocolate soy bev. :)

Supper was: Yup More Bean burger on a flat bun, with a side of green beans and 4 perogies...YUM! Potato and onion! and I also had a couple of olives :)

I rocked Core Synergetics, Although I am still feeling pain in my left side, just above my hip bone...I just modified the exercises that caused the pain and continued on :)

Today, I kinda dragged a bit...But I At least rocked Cardio X...and only time the pain showed was during the Banana/superman part :)

Breakfast was a couple of blueberry muffins that I whipped up from a recipe form my Sister in law! YAY

Lunch was a sammy starting with a flat bun...then 3 thin slices of tofurky, sprouts, mashed avocado and hummus. On the side I had some raw veggies and 1/2 a pomello and a few table spoons of pomegranate seeds...**Note that I didn't finish all my veggies + fruit and I also had a Chocolate Soy Milk

Supper tonight was some crumbled Bean Burger (as these ones did not stick together too well...I think I needed to mash the beans better, so next time I will use the food processor) topped with Hot peppers and mustard, I also had 1/2 sweet potato and the rest of my lunch :) OOO I also had some pickles...I loves the sweet mix!!! but they Never put in enough cauliflower/onion! One day I will make my own!

W2 D1

Well...I didnt forget about you, I just wanted to spend the evening with M since its been almost a year since we were apart for the day! WOW

So I will so I will post todays pics tomorrow!

Thanks for understanding!

W1 D7

Well...I made it my first week!

Today was X Stretch, which was nice and relaxing...I also ran just over 5 K doing my best time yet! YAY

Recovery/protein are is still the same.

Breakfast was left over tofu, mushrooms green beans and raw veggies.

Supper was Pizza...Unfortunately I had company over and I forgot to take a pic :( but it consisted of a flat bun a small amount of pizza sauce, tofurky, mushrooms, black olives, tomato and pineapple. I also had some raw veggies from the tray pictured :)

Looking forward to tomorrow Core Syn! YAY!

Peace Out

W1 D6

Well...Rolled out of bed at 11:45am...I know I haven't slept in that much in a long time!! but obviously I needed the sleep! Once out of bed and moving I started Kenpo X WOW I am loving it! I am not sure about you, but I love it when I sweat buckets! and this video sure gets the sweat on!

After I had the usual Chocolate Almond silk recovery/1/2 Cliff builder bar

Well...I am trying to think about what I had for breakfast...and I think I was thrown off a bit from getting up so late as I don't think I had B-fast...No wonder I was so hungry at the Mall!!!

And therefore while I was at the mall I did stop and get some avocado rolls...I must say...WOW these were awesome! When I would order these from TE they would mostly be rice with a wee bit of avocado...BUT these ones were packed full of avocado and the rice was not too much! Which made these an awesome snack!

When I came home M was already started on my supper YAY what a great guy! I had green beans, Potatoes, cucumber, and sauteed tofu and mushrooms...YUM Very tasty! LOL I just noticed that I was so hungry that I ate the cucumber before I took the pic...

I worked on Next weeks Meal plan, which I have decided not to post it as it makes me feel obligated to follow it to a T...when I know things come up and sometimes I just don't feel like cooking what is on the schedule, so I will just continue to post pics and descriptions :)

Looking forward to tomorrows X Stretch and cleaning up the house! As I have company coming :) I am also going to make up some more of those Bean Burgers...but this time I am doubling the recipe (so I can make the burgers bigger :)) and using canned mixed beans instead of black beans! YAY for variety!

OOO I also got a recipe for Vegan Blueberry muffins from my sister in law, so I am thinking I will try them out as they would be great to bring to work for a snack!

Peace out

W1 D5

WOW what a day....As you can see it is late! and considering the lack of sleep I got last night I am surprised I am functional!

Anywhoo...I was up this morning and rearing to go...and if I say so myself I rocked Legs and Back today! I sure brought it! I think today I sweated more than any other day yet! On the downside I did not rock Ab ripper...I was good up until the Crossed leg/Wide Leg Sit-Up about half way through I started to get a stabbing pain just above my left hip bone, I pushed through to the fifer scissors, but the pain was still there, so I closed up shop and called it a day...My philosophy is that I would rather rest and avoid injury then push too hard and get injured! I am looking to forward Kenpo X...I will keep you posted on the discomfort!

Recovery Drink/protein Bar: Still rocking the Silk and Cliff bars :)

Breakfast was quick oats, topped with walnuts/ cranberries/ 1/2 banana/ pumpkin seeds/ flax seeds. There is also an orange in the pic, but once I was done my oatmeal I had to get ready for the big interview!

Lunch was super late, and I was Very hungry!! I had left over couscous, and 2 bean burger patties topped with banana peppers and avocado...Also had some raw veggies (mm is that my Orange I didn't get to this morning...)

Supper was late (due to lunch being late) Had a Portabella mushroom, and a sweet potato topped with some vegan becel with a side of cucumber :)

And I also finally ate that Orange...It was good, but lots of seeds!

OOOO and lets not forget that I did in fact get the job!!! YAY ME! So I will be reevaluating my menu as I will need to choose good portable foods for lunches and snacks..Also find some quick breakfasts!

Peace out

W1 D4

Hello Everyone!

Not too much happening today, At least I was aiming to sleep in a bit, but ending up getting up early anyway. So I pumped out the 90 mins of Yoga X!!! I love this yoga although there are around 4 or 5 moves that I cant do well...but I give it my all and know that I will get better! My fav is yoga belly....I actually like these exercises better than Ab Ripper! I Feel the Burn! YAY

I know it may be repetitious, but I find that easier the better, so I had the same recovery/ 1/2 protein bar directly after my workout.

Breakfast was also the same...Although I used my little magic bullet blender instead of the big one...Happy to inform that the little one does a great job and will be using it from now on :)

I did not follow the meal plan for lunch today, which I am ok with as it is only a guideline. I have leftovers from last night so more mushroom stroganoff :) YUM! today I topped it with fresh tomato and a wee bit of avocado.

Supper was pretty great too! AND I finally ate at a good supper time! (5:30) I prepared couscous and topped it with sauteed mushrooms and onions, Along with some raw veggies: Carrots, tomatoes and the white stuff is Kohlrabi...YUM! I also had the rest of the tofurkey, these easy little roll ups just have some mustard in them.

I see the kohlrabi is a bit washed out...I will try to remember to take the pics in the kitchen where the lighting is better :)

Since I had dinner early I also had a snack around 8, trail mix which was made up of some almonds, goji berries, raisins, pumpkin seeds and craisons YUM!

I am pretty tired and am looking to go to bed early tonight, as I am up early tomorrow for Legs and back! Then off to my interview...If you can spare flow some positive energy my way around 11am :) The job looks very promising!!

Peace out!

Mushroom Stroganoff

MUSHROOM STROGANOFF

1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 pkg. of Tempeh
8 ounces Cremini or other wild mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 Cups Steamed Broccoli
2 Cups Spinach
½ cup milk substitute
Thyme to taste
16 ounces cooked whole wheat fettuccini noodles

Cook the onion in a nonstick skillet on high heat for 3 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and garlic, and then cook until the mushrooms begin to release their juices. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms. Stir continuously with a whisk or wooden spoon until the flour is evenly dissolved.
Add the vinegar and milk substitute, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens. Add Tempeh Broccoli and spinach. Add the thyme to taste. Serve warm over cooked noodles.

Got this one from http://engine2diet.com/recipes/

W1 D3

WOW What a busy day! Woke up early and pumped out the Shoulders and Arms! Which went very well! I feel I did awesome! Than came Ab Ripper....I did all the work out and all the reps...but instead of the 15 minutes its suppose to take....I actually took more like 45! LOL and MAN it was hard! I have a feeling that I may have trouble getting out of bed tomorrow! But I am feeling awesome! YAY

Recovery/Protein bar still same...1 C of the Silk Almond dark chocolate milk...I must say This stuff is absolutely delicious! the thought of getting some after Ab Ripper got me through the video! LOL (no pic)

Breakfast was yup a Green Monster again (which is what I call my shakes) a little different...everything same except: back to 1/2 C berries and I through in 1/2 apple...Tasted pretty good! although still earthy...I suspect its the hemp protein as this is the first time using it, its not bad so I will keep using it as its great source of protein! (no pic)

Lunch was a bit on the late side as I had an interview, so I had 2 bean burgers topped with hot peppers and avocado, some pickles and tomato slices...along with red pepper soup...YUM!

As it is Wednesday, went for a Run! I was actually tired and didn't really feel like going...But I did and as usual I enjoyed! I love this group! AND did better than yesterday! YAY I am trying to push myself a bit to up my pace and just burn more calories...Still working on the tire!!

I made a new recipe tonight...Mushroom Stroganoff. At first I was a bit sceptical as well its a bit different...LOL but WOW it turned out great! I will post the recipe, Although note that instead of the 2 Cups of broccoli I just used up some frozen veggies, I also subbed the WW pasta for WW rice noodles...I also couldn't find any temph...went to 4 different stores!! I will eventually try the Choices mall, and I am sure I will be astounded! So instead I bought some tofurky slices, so for tonight I put some mustard on it and rolled it up..in the end it was tasty! and so was the stroganoff...

Again as I am eating late, I am skipping snack...

Looking forward to Yoga X tomorrow! I loves Yoga X!

Peace out

W1D2

Today was super busy! We picked up our new little car....SOOOOOO much better on fuel than the F250!!!

Woke up at 8...Ok well I woke at 8ish but didn't roll out of bed until quarter to 9, Still stiff and sore from Mondays Core! Today was Cardio X...and I thought it would be gruelling since I was still sore, but actually it was nice, once I was moving I didn't even feel my soreness! YAY!

Today's Meals are close to the plan, After Cardio X I had my recovery drink of the Silk Chocolate Almond Milk and the other half of yesterdays protein bar...No Pic as I though it would be redundant.

Breakfast I stuck to plan and had my shake, I added the extra 1/2 C of berries and the taste was a lot better! But still a bit off...I think tomorrow I will add a half apple and see how it works, again I am not taking pics of meals that are duplicates...just gets redundant to look at the same cup of green drink LOL

Lunch was Left overs..I was really hungry as we spent a lot more time at the dealership than I expected, so along with my bean burger (that was topped with hot peppers and avocado) I had 3 slices of tomato and 1/2 rice, and some red pepper soup

Supper is a quick stir fry, fried up some tofu (3oz) in EVOO and added some frozen veggies and spinach, and finished up the rest of my rice...I know lots of rice today, But I also ran 5.5 K so I feel that I could use the extra oomf :)

No snack today either as I am eating supper so late...

Well as Day 2 comes to an end, I am feeling fantastic, and Although I thought that the run today might be too much, again I didn't feel any soreness...Although I do now that I am not moving as much...

Peace out!

W1 D1

Well, I was up this morning at 8am rearing to go...well maybe not rearing...but I was up and ready! Hard getting back in to the routine...but I might as well start as I will be working soon!!

Core Synergistic's...One of my favs...Although lots of push ups...which are tough for me as I have little to no upper body strength...But I know that I will build up to the 10-12 reps that are showed. Opposed to my 2 -5 LOL

Today's meals were awesome:

After Workout I had 1 Cup of Chocolate Almond Silk with half a Cliff Builder Bar

Breakfast: Green Monster; 1 C Silk Light, 1/2 Banana, 1/2 C frozen berries, 4 Tbs hemp protein powder, 1 Tbs Chia seeds, 1 Tbs Flax seeds, 1/4 C Aloe, Big handful of spinach (Tomorrow I will add 1 C of berries..tasted a bit too green LOL)

Lunch: Mushroom Omelet: Used the recipe from the P90X booklet...replaced eggs with 3 oz Tofu (extra firm) and used regular onion and tomato as it was what I had on hand, topped with basil and parsley...Also an apple and a Cup of Silk

Dinner: Roasted Red Pepper soup, used the recipe from the booklet, but omitted the wine, only used 3 red peppers and used 4 cups of veggie broth.

Also made Black Bean burgers..YUM! got the recipe from About.com and will post it in a separate post, Also I had just a 1/2 C wild rice....when I put a whole cup on my plate I was like WOW that's a lot of rice...so I pared it down to a 1/2...And also had some green Beans

Snack: So the battery in my scale died so I just guessed, Had some dried apricots and Almonds :)

Please let me know if you have any questions...and to save me from writing that every time...your questions are always welcome!

peace out

Spicy Vegan Black Bean Burgers

Spicy Bean Burgers
Ingredients:
· 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained
· 1/2 onion, diced
· 1 tsp hot sauce
· Generous squirt of Dijon Mustard
· 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
· 1 cup bread crumbs (crumbled 1 slice of bread)
· oil for frying (optional)
Preparation:
Mash the beans in a large bowl and add remaining ingredients, mixing until well combined.
Press firmly to form into patties and lightly fry in oil. Or, fire up the grill and barbecue your black bean veggie burgers over a medium heat.

Adapted From a recipe on About.com

I was actually a bit worried that the Dijon would be over powering, but it was actually very tasty, I make 6 patties, and froze 4 of them, so I will let you know how they survive freezing :)

Phase 1 Week 1 Meal Plan

RD=Recovery Drink PB=Protein Bar
Monday
Breakfast: Smoothie (silk, ½ C berries, ½ Banana, hemp protein, spinach + flax and chia seeds)
Lunch: Mushroom Omelet, 1 Apple, 1 C. Soy Milk
Supper: 2 C Puree of Red Pepper Soup, 2 Tbsp Protein Powder, 1 C Wild Rice, ½ C Asparagus, 1 Black Bean Pattie
Snack: 1 oz Dried Fruit
RD/PB 1 C Chocolate Silk + Protein Bar

Tuesday
Breakfast: Smoothie (silk, ½ C berries, ½ Banana, hemp protein, spinach + flax and chia seeds)
Lunch: 2 C Puree Pepper soup, 2 Tbs. Protein powder, Black Bean Pattie, Roma Tomato, hot peppers/condiments, avocado
Supper: 6oz Tofu, sautéed. 2 Cups frozen stir fry veggies, 1 C wild rice, 1 C spinach
Snack: 1 oz Dried Fruit
RD/PB 1 C Chocolate Silk + Protein Bar

Wednesday
Breakfast: Smoothie (silk, ½ C berries, ½ Banana, hemp protein, spinach + flax and chia seeds)
Lunch: 2 Cups Puree Pepper soup, 2 Tbs. Protein powder, Black Bean Pattie, Roma Tomato, hot peppers/condiments, avocado
Supper: Mushroom Stroganoff with Tempeh
Snack: 1 oz Dried Fruit
RD/PB 1 C Chocolate Silk + Protein Bar


Thursday
Breakfast: Smoothie (silk, ½ C berries, ½ Banana, hemp protein, spinach + flax and chia seeds)
Lunch: Sandwich: WW Flat bread bun topped with hummus, red pepper, avocado, sprouts, cucumber, tomato and lettuce + an Apple and 1 C flavored milk sub
Supper: Mushroom, onion and chick pea couscous with salad
Snack: 1 oz Dried Fruit
RD/PB 1 C Chocolate Silk + Protein Bar

Friday
Breakfast: Smoothie (silk, ½ C berries, ½ Banana, hemp protein, spinach + flax and chia seeds)
Lunch: Mushroom, onion and chick pea couscous with salad (leftovers)
Supper: Pizza: WW Pita topped with sauce and veggies + 1 C. Milk
Snack: popcorn
RD/PB 1 C Chocolate Silk + Protein Bar

Saturday
Breakfast: Smoothie (silk, ½ C berries, ½ Banana, hemp protein, spinach + flax and chia seeds)
Lunch: Mushroom spinach Panini + raw veggies
Supper: Black beans with salsa on Toast with a salad
Snack: 1 oz Dried Fruit
RD/PB 1 C Chocolate Silk + Protein Bar


Sunday
Breakfast: Smoothie (silk, ½ C berries, ½ Banana, hemp protein, spinach + flax and chia seeds)
Lunch: Black Bean Pattie on a bun + raw veggies
Supper: Maple Baked Beans + Sweet Potatoes + Carrots
Snack: 1 oz Dried Fruit
RD/PB 1 C Chocolate Silk + Protein Bar

Before Pics

Well here are my before pics....I am about the same as last year, well actually I weigh the same but I know that I have lost a lot of muscle mass. I am very disappointed that I stopped exercising, but I was going through a turbulent time in my life...possibly the most emotional year ever.

But Here I am getting back on my horse! Note that along with the P90X I will continue running, and looking to start training for the March Vancouver Half :)

I am hopping to finally get rid of that tire I have been carrying!! YAY for Ab Ripper X!

mmm Not sure why I have a funny look on my face...but M took the pics and the first one was of just my chest...*Sigh...Hes such a boy! LOL

Wow Tomorrow is coming up fast

Well Tomorrow I am starting P90X Vegan Style...I am loosely following the nutritional program, but as I came to realize the calculations just are not going to work as My proteins are high in carbs...But I will be limiting carbs like bread.



This weeks Exercise schedule is as follows:

Monday = Core Synergistics
Tuesday = Cardio X
Wednesday = Shoulders and Arms, Ab Ripper
Thursday = Yoga X
Friday = Legs and Back, Ab Ripper
Saturday = Kenpo X
Sunday X Stretch

Spend the whole day cleaning up and preping the living room for tomorrows launch! Also with M's help I am now able to show my P90X through my laptop on my TV YAY for big screen!

On a side note I am picking up my very first car tomorrow! EEEEEEK exciting!!!

Blog Focus

Well...What can I say I sure do fall short an keeping up with my blogging!!!

But I yet again have new focus and think this time it will stick! at least for the next 90 days or so! I am currently researching and planning my meals for the next 90 days in preparation of starting and completing the P90X lean program.

I have been having a real difficult problem finding others who are vegan, did or are doing the program AND posted their meal plans...I found lots of people who did the program, but they all brushed over what they ate and when. Its very frustrating for those who don't really have the time to sit and research or have the funds to join the website and have someone else make the plan for you.

So I will post mine :) I am rereading the nutritional booklet, and will make out a meal plan following the suggested nutritional plan as closely as possible (I know I will be over in my carbs as most vegan proteins are also carbs) but I will give it my best effort and let you know how it works out!

I am planning to start Nov 8 so I have about 2 weeks to figure things out then its start time and Oh am I ready to Bring IT!!!

I have yet to measure myself, but I have decided to start as a Level I even though my calculations say I am level II, I just think it is too much for me and with not following the plan exactly I will be bringing additional calories in. I really think this will work...and hey if it doesn't I have the power to change it :)

I am hoping to get the fit test done on the Saturday or Sunday before, so I will be completely prepared!

Along with my meal plan I will also take pics :) Although I do wish that blogger had a better add picture function...

For the most part this segment of my Blog is for the people who like me have been having a terrible time looking for a vegan meal plan for P90X...So I am back to researching and will be here for Nov 8 :)

October is Here!

Well....Its been about a month of living in the trailer full time...The census is pretty much the same, We love BC and hopefully will work towards becoming residents :) Its so beautiful and although it sounds weird, it feels like home! That being said, I really do not like the trailer...There are multiple reasons that I wont get into...but for the most part I do not feel like this is home and I feel depressed like its sucking the life out of me...Its too small...I feel like there is not enough room for me to live. So again that being said, I am not sure how long we will be staying here, we didn't sign a contract, so we are just on a monthly basis. So its pretty much up to M...Once he is ready to go, we are going to am apartment :)

I have yet again been lacking in picture taking...Its weird I get all psyched up to take the pics and stuff...then I end up forgetting then I kind of think to myself maybe the reason I forget is that I am just not a blogger and maybe I should stop...But then I got a comment from an old friend that she is reading...**Here's to Jo** and it gives me new drive! Taking pics of my food also gets me more creative about what I eat and more thoughtful about what I am eating...not like today where I pretty much had PB sandwich for B L and S....Boo to poor choices!

I did P90X yoga the other day...WOW not very much room in here for that but I made it work!...I am going to make this at least a twice a week event! I felt awesome afterward! I am also continuing the weekly group run which I really love. The group is small so far, but we are getting some new people every week!

I have sent my resume out to a few different places, I am hoping for a call either later this week or early next week...I have been researching the school options as well and was happy to see that there is a community college that offers a bookkeeping course. Once I am settled at my job I will definitely signing up! In Edmonton the only credentials I could get that I could find were my accounting designation which I was never interested in...I love bookkeeping and want to pursue that! I hope to take some tax prep classes too if I can find some that are offered...then I can explore opening my own business! YAY!

M has been researching a bunch of positive self motivation audios so we have been listening to the audios which are fun and very motivating! So we will see where that takes us! :)

Well Here are a few pics that I took on our trip! The ferry ride was awesome!

Here is Sept 24's super....Yup I resurrected Pizza Friday! YAY! This was awesome! I had some canned artichoke hearts and roasted peppers along with a bunch of other veggies! I also tried some vegan gourmet cheese...Not too impressed...I think I will not purchase that kind again, but will still try others!

Here is the salad I had after the yoga session...It was awesome! I love throwing a bunch of veggies on a bowl topping it off with some nuts and seeds and chowing down! YUMMERS!

Here a pigeon was having some dinner...if you look close, you will see that he was eating a star fish...Don't ask how he got the first 3 arms in...but man he had a hard time fitting in the last 2 LOL

This is what I saw on my way home on the ferry...It was beautiful. I love taking the ferry! the fresh air was awesome! On our last day on the island we walked on a trail around Nanaimo it was great and also saw some people crabbing...It looked fun! I have not yet decided if I will still fish or not. I will just take it one day at a time!

First Meetup

Last night was my first meetup with a beginner running group, I found this group using meetup.com it was super fun and WOW the hills on this trail were killer! I felt so awesome after the run I am looking forward to next week as it looks like they meet every wednesday which I hope to be able to continue to do when I get a job!

It makes me sad a bit for not continuing my efforts after the half in '09 but I know that I can achieve that level again and will work towards maybe the Vancouver half in '11 :)

Something else also struck me on my way home from running, and I have been pondering it since. It bothers me how my anxiety in the vehicle controls me. I know that I schedule my life around it and it inhibits my personal growth. I know M likes that I depend on him but I depend on him for other things too and it would be nice to get this behind me!

I have looked on line for some insight and have come across EFT (Emotional Freedom Therapy) I am going to look into this further as it looks like it could be promising! It would be nice to be able to jump in the truck and drive myself to the running group or to the mall or be able to look for work outside the bus routes! I will keep you posted on my research :)

Other than that It has been pretty quiet...I think tomorrow we are going to go to a movie :)

Sept 22/23 Eats

Ok So Wednesday for breakfast I Oatmeal, one of my favorite breakfasts! YUM! The mango was super juicy and YUM!

Lunch was pretty good, took my left over fajita fillings and added some lettuce and called it lunch, We had company therefore I was distracted and didn't take a pic...Boo I am still trying to make it habit!

Supper was simple but delicious! Baked potato, Maple baked beans along with peas and onions...Very YUM!

Today I tried a couple of new things, The banana french toast was surprisingly very good! I will definitely be having this again!

Lunch was same as Tuesday so no pic...but just as YUM! although my soup was a bit bland, so next time I will be spicing it a bit more

Super was good and fast to whip up! Fried up some mushrooms and onions and mixed it with couscous also added some peas and had raw veggies on the side.

Tonight I also had a snack, I don't have it every night but I do like having the option which is why I add them to my menu. Tonight I heated some canned pears added cinnamon and pecans and walnuts.

White Rock

WOW Yesterday was Awesome! M took me for a drive down to White Rock where there is a pier and of course the Ocean! It was so beautiful...and my pic does not do it justice! I can definitely see that we will be taking a lot of day trips there! It took a bit to find parking for our beast of a truck LOL but we did and although we only spent 2 hours walking the pier and dock, it seemed like we were there the whole day. The dock was very romantic and you can almost feel that many people have been proposed to on that dock! especially in the evening as it looked like it was rigged to be lit up!

While there we saw some people fishing and crabbing! I have never seen anyone crabbing before! We also noticed that there were lots of purple star fish in the reefs be the dock, I have never seen a purple star fish before!

On our way back we walk closer to the shops along the pier, There were lots of great restaurants that I am sure M will be enjoying some fresh clam chowder soon enough! But we avoided the temptation and stuck to the menu plan :) I was such a great day!! I cant wait to go back!

Sept 21 Eats

Yesterday was a busy day! but got all my meals in! and was able to avoid temptation!

Breakfast was another Green Monster, Same as yesterday so no pic, only difference was I put in 1/2 nectarine along with yesterdays ingredients.

Lunch was Tomato soup, which I make a fine Tomato soup if I say so myself! LOL It was delicious! I also had a few pieces of crispy flat bread topped with hummus, Super Lunch, I will definitely have this again!

Supper was also very YUM! AND M even shared ad didn't add meat! It kinda turned out to be a burrito/fajita mix with refried beans, tuffuti sour cream, avocado, onion/mushroom/green, red, yellow pepper mix topped with the red pepper mix from Monday all on a WW pita...It was sooo good! I had 2! with carrot and kohlrabi sticks.

For snack I have some Walnuts (in the shell! having them this way reminds me of Christmas!) and some dried fruit.

Sept 20

Well Today was pretty uneventful...Slept in, thought that I might have ruined my chances at starting my weekly menu idea, but I still got it all done, but know that once I start working there will be some changes and I will return to Sunday "prep" day!

I did get some great news though, while scrolling through FB I noticed that a friend of mine finally created a page! I was so exceited to re connect with her as she is an awesome person and I have missed her! so YAY to that! I hope that we will keep in touch as it will be great to see her when I go back to Edmonton for the family reunion!

M hung out with a friend for most of the day so I kinda just bumbled about and cleaned up a bit. Tomorrow should be fun as M is taking me to White Rock, I have never been this far south and I think we will be able to see the Ocean! We are also going to start working on some plans to take a trip to the island in the next couple of weekends, I think it will be great fun! and I am hoping to be able to visit with my cousin and step daughter! and get in some sight seeing as well! I will keep you posted! I will also take some pics tomorrow of White Rock,

Until Then Ciao

Today's Eats

Well today was pretty laid back...Although both M and I slept in a lot! We didn't roll out of bed until 12:45!!! Too much sleep for sure! My first day at my attempt to follow my menu went well :)

Breakfast consisted of a Green Monster: 1 Banana, 4 Strawberries, 1Tbs Flax seed, 2 Tbs Hemp protein, 1/2 cup almond milk and 2 handfuls of spinach...YUM!

Lunch was pretty good too! I have a large salad of romaine lettuce, mushrooms, yellow pepper, tomato, avocado, fresh basil and a small amount of Kraft balsamic vinaigrette along with a mixture of sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, garlic and basil on 2 sour dough flat crisps, Pretty good :) Will make this again!

Supper was pretty basic. About 2/3C Black beans heated in a frying pan with some Asian 5 spice sauce, then instead of the brown rice I had about 2/3 C of left over WW pasta with 2 Tbs spicy pasta sauce and a marinated cucumber and onion salad topped with some fresh tomato, pretty good

Because I woke up so late I started eating rather late in the day...So no dessert tonight, which I am OK with as I am not hungry and will be going to bed soon. Looking forward to tomorrows eats

Sept 20 - 26 Menu

Here is this weeks Menu, I am surprised at how long it took to create, but I suppose if I want to eat healthy and have a plan I have to put in some time! Let me know if you would like any of the recipes. I used a lot from the PCRM and a few from just searching google. I will take pics as I go :) and hope it all goes well, but will update any struggles I meet...


Monday
Breakfast: Smoothie
Lunch: Crostini with roasted red peppers (on flat bread instead of baguette) with fresh salad.
Supper: Black beans, Brown rice and Cucumber and onion salad
Snack: Heated canned peaches sprinkled with walnuts

Tuesday
Breakfast: Smoothie
Lunch: Tomato spinach soup with toast spread with bean dip
Supper: Burritos with raw veggies
Snack: Popcorn

Wednesday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins, walnuts, and banana
Lunch: Mexican salad using left over burrito mix
Supper: Maple baked beans with potatoes and pea and onions.
Snack: Peanut butter and wheat thins

Thursday
Breakfast: Banana French toast with an orange
Lunch: Tomato spinach soup with flat bread and bean dip
Supper: Mushroom, onion and chick pea couscous with salad
Snack: ¼ C nuts and some dried fruit


Friday
Breakfast: Oatmeal pancakes with an Orange
Lunch: Tomato soup with left over couscous
Supper: Pizza
Snack: popcorn

Saturday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins, walnuts, and banana
Lunch: Sandwich with raw veggies
Supper: Black beans with salsa on Toast with a salad
Snack: Heated canned pears sprinkled with walnuts

Sunday
Left Over Day! Eat up anything left from previous week and prep for next week J

Settling In

Well, It looks like we are getting settled. This coming week we will get new phone numbers and start looking for work. I can really feel the need to meet some people and make some new friends!

I am still on the fence about the trailer living, so far I really like it. The space is a bit cramped but it is livable and so far only a few minimal maintenance items have showed up. I can see that there is a lot that I miss from being in the house/apartment. I suppose only time will tell...I am happy that I can talk about it to M and he understands and is pretty much on the same page :)

The kitchen kinda sucks...no counter space and the fridge is small so I have to watch the amount of food I buy and learn to just go grocery shopping more often, I think today I will spend some time making up a menu for the week so to keep me on track and help me to not buy too much and be less wasteful. I will do a separate post for the menu :)

I know that I have been absent for quite a while...I am hoping this new focus will keep me blogging as I really like sharing my adventures! So here is to a new start and fun times!

Pics :)

Here is the trail up to the Summit of Mount Whistler, first you have to take a Tram (gondola) to the Upper station, or you can hike a difficult trail but it could take you 3-4 hours! just to the station

Here I am on the Summit after a steep hike, and it was a bit of a chore to climb up the rock! I had to have M help me down LOL

Here is a pic of rock art that is all over the Summit :)And here is a Pic taken by our camp ground in Wapiti (Jasper) I have this think for taking pics of interesting tree roots... :)

Here is a pic of me in front of the Edson Wal-Mart...I look soooo small in front of our ginormous truck!

Finally Free WIFI

Well we made it past Jasper, to the little town of Blue River. We were going to stay in Valmount but it didn't look super nice there so we decided to try out the next town, and here we are!

Here are some notes from the last few days...

Day 1 Thurs. Aug 19: This was the first day we stayed in the trailer. Not bad, it was only the night as we stayed in the house during the day for the Internet and food. Sleeping was nice and comfy, although the trailer is a disaster zone! LOL

Day 2 Fri. Aug 20: I was fortunate that we got so much clean up done that I went to the city with my Mom and brother. While in the city M drove the trailer to Calmar and we parked just in front of my parents house. We were going to leave today, but decided to stay one more day in Calmar so we could enjoy Calmar Days. It was pretty fun and nice to have an extra day to spend with my family :) The sleep was still pretty good, but trailer is still a disaster!

Day 3 Sat Aug 21: Woke up early and went to the pancake breakfast...well M enjoyed the breakfast, no Vegan option...actually I was told by my Bro that I was the only Vegan currently in Calmar! LOL I just had some toast at Mom's when we got back. We worked for about an hour organizing our storage then made our way to the main street for the town garage sale. Once done browsing we went up to say good by to Dad and Jay then back to Mom's to get on the road!

After gassing up we were on our way...First stop: Medicine Lake, AB. Where we met up with M's siblings. We camped out for the night having smokies and hotdogs for supper...funny my Vegan hotdogs tasted sooo much better today then before :) Went for an awesome bike ride with M then a great walk with my SIL. Lots of fun times before we actually depart!

With it being the 3rd day in the trailer I really only have one complaint, which is the 10 inch square air vent above the bed....its awesome for fresh air, but sucks as it lets in a lot of light at around 5 am! Once we get to an RV place we will be looking for some covers for this! LOL

Day 4 & 5 Sun/Mon Aug 22/23: Woke up and cooked up a lot of food...so I could have some food for lunch on the road. So while M cooked up his eggs, I roasted some mushrooms, peppers and faux chicken kabob YUM! After breakfast we cleaned up the camp sites and said our goodbyes and departed...Made our way through the windy road back to the highway and off to Edson! Once in Edson we noticed that there was a Wal-Mart, so we made our way there and set up camp...that's right we stayed in the Wal-Mart parting lot LOL We decided to look around town to see if we could fix a few problems that we noticed...First we needed to remove the spare tire lock...Which the Awesome people at Fountain tire helped us out with no charge! If ever you are in need of Fountain Tire services please visit the Edson Store! their customer Service ROCKS! Next scary enough M noticed that our trailer brakes were not engaging. So off to a local mechanic shop as Ford was booked up solid, and again the customer service was Outstanding! Dwayne's Mechanic Shop in Edson they helped us out even though they were also very busy! As we rolled into Edson on a Sunday afternoon, and we didn't get everything fixed up until Monday afternoon we decided to stay an additional night at the Wal-mart.

Living at the Wal-Mart...Pro: Free and convenience of shopping Con: No trailer service...so no electricity/Water/Sewer so pretty boring once the sun went down..thankfully the laptop has enough battery life for a movie :) YAY

Day 6 Tuesday Aug 24: Left Edson and making our way to Jasper. Not too much for wild life so far...saw a deer and a couple of coyotes on the way to Hinton and throughout our whole trip there have been a large population of crows...Blah not my fav...

Noted to self that next time we drive through this way we are to stay at the Hinton Wal-Mart as there are more shopping options then Edson :)

Rolled into Jasper and spotted out our camp ground. Site # 16 @ Wapiti was home for 2 days...Although we knew that sharing a campground with mostly seniors we are surprised how quiet it was and how early they pack it in! LOL We do have electricity here, but no water and no WIFI...Although we are not concerned with this as the scenery is breath taking! First night we tooled around Jasper and went into the shops a bit...** Note if you are Vegan, there isn't much here, at least not that I saw! I had a great walk up the Athabasca river while M napped :) Still not much for wild life, but did get a squirrel to pose for a pic :) (Pics will be on a different post!)

I must say that for my first time in Jasper, I really like Banff better, I am not sure what it is I just love Banff!

Day 7 Wed. Aug 25: Day 2 in Jasper. I have talked M into taking the Gondola up to the top tower on Whistlers mountain. from there, there is a trail up to the summit of the mountain...WOW it was an awesome climb and being on the top of the summit the view was breath taking...Although the gondola was nerve racking it was sooo worth the $30 each to go up! After our climb we stayed for a bite as the restaurant offered vegan Chili...YAY! and it was pretty good! After coming down off the mountain we went back to home base to relax...M and I strolled down to the river and saw some rafters....M wanted to go see if we could go too, but unfortunately we were too late for today and we are leaving tomorrow :( But I know this is sooooo not our last chance to do this actually I read that Hope offers some great rapids...I will keep you posted.

Supper was awesome. We finally tempted to try our stove...I cooked up a mushroom/onion mixture then steamed some broccolini added a side salad for a super YUM meal...Sorry no Pic:( Tonight I will use the left over onion/mushroom mix and make a pasta sauce.

Day 8 Thurs. Aug 26: Today we left Jasper...Although last night was rainy, we woke up to a nice sunny day. Got cleaned up and set off to the town of Blue River. With a couple of stops (a huge rest area about an hour out of Jasper....WOW did I have to GO!!!!) funny as you drive the Yellowhead, you see some signs that state...High Mountain Road Careful: Weather can Suddenly Change! We walked into the Info Centre with the sun shining....when we were leaving it was pouring! LOL so we rested and hung out in the trailer and had lunch until it let up a bit. Back on the road, the drive was nice...still no wild life. But I am keeping my eye out! We got to Blue River and YAY for WIFI! we are just hanging out in the trailer as it is raining...We haven't decided if we are spending another night here yet as its suppose to be rainy tomorrow too...but really nice for the weekend! Well I will now attempt to post some Pics :) Enjoy! and promise to take more Food Pics!

Been too long!!

WOW Its been quite a while since I have written! I think more than a month!

Well I kind of fell out of sight for a bit, there were some stressful situations that happened and a little drama thrown in...then frankly I just kind of went through the motions for a bit...

Well now that I have woke up, I am getting back on the proverbial horse! I did not take any pics today, but I ate pretty healthy:

B= Oatmeal w fresh peaches and raspberries some walnuts and cinnamon and a splash of silk

L= AP&J I am trying to eat up my almond butter before I go so I can pick up a new jar (we have limited space so I would rather travel with a full jar!) I used the last of my black current compote and put a few over ripe raspberries on the jam and then mushed the two pcs of bread together...WOW super YUM! I also ate the last pit of the tomato/cucumber/pepper/onion/olive salad

S=my version of Vietnamese noodle soup: onion mushroom, pepper, celery, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli with some vermicelli (made from green beans and peas) noodles with veggies broth and water

Snack= peach and cherries

No exercise yet...hopefully motivated tomorrow... :) I would like to go for a nice 6 K to gear up for some mountain trails :)

Blah Day!

Well...We are getting down to crunch time! One more week prepping for Cheryl's wedding then M and I are going to spending time on getting the trailer ready for our big trip! I brought some of our maps in to start mapping out a route and create a budget so we can make our trip more of a holiday :)

Its been so rainy lately that we have not been able to go to the farm and work, I find myself very stir crazy and wish to get back to work...I know that once we are in our new location I will be looking for a job ASAP! I need to be out in the world interacting with other humans! LOL

I find when I am feeling this way I don't make the best choices for meals! So I hope the weather passes and I get back on track!

Today I had woke up pretty late, so I had a sandwich and tomato soup for Breakfast/lunch then in the late afternoon I have a few slices of pizza (leanne's veggie, no cheese) Then for dinner I had baked a butter nut squash (for the first time :)) fried up some tofu topped with Asian 5 Spice sauce and sided with some fresh red pepper and cucumber...It was very tasty!

The G-sale went ok...We were rained out Saturday, and Thursday/Friday I think we barely made over 10 bucks! BOO! But Sunday was a lot better, and we were not even open! LOL So that is the last of the G-sales...and we are having pretty good luck with selling the other big/expensive items.

Later :P

Busy Day!

Well today started off a bit on an early foot! I was up at 730...It was another hot night and I had lots of trouble falling asleep which has been happening off and on for a few months now..Boo to little sleep!

Upon waking I prepped my usual #1 favorite, Oatmeal..YUM! then started going through the kitchen for any kitchen items that could go in the garage sale.

Then off tho the farm...

M and I attacked this pump house and painted a good 2 coats of white...If the weather is nice we will do touch ups and trim tomorrow....but I think that its suppose to rain all day! BOO! I will post an updated pic of the completed project :)

Around 3 we finished up and headed home to get ready for the garage sale...lots of stuff left to sell! I sure hope the rain holds off until Monday (or until the late evening)

The garage sale as a bit of a bust...not too many people showed, but we did sell a few items...

Tomorrow existed of more of the same, so I hope I will be able to sleep tonight!

Vegan Chocolate Bunt cake

This low-fat and vegan cake recipe uses applesauce instead of eggs or oil, making it nearly fat-free and guilt-free! Though its a little bit heavier than other cakes, the generous amount of cocoa makes this vegan cake absolutely heavenly. If this doesn't sound like the recipe you're looking for, try checking out my dozens of other vegan cake recipes.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
· 2 cups flour
· 1 cup sugar
· 1 tbsp cornstarch
· 2 tsp baking soda
· 1/4 tsp salt
· 1/3 cup cocoa
· 1 1/2 cups applesauce
Preparation:
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan. Note: You can use other cake pans, but because this cake is a bit heavy, layered cake pans are not recommended.
Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Add applesauce and mix well until batter is smooth.
Bake for 50-55 minutes, until done. You can always tell that a cake is finished baking by sticking a toothpick in the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, that is, not covered in batter, then your cakes is done baking.
Frost, if desired, and enjoy!
Nutritional Information: Makes 8 fat-free cake slices. Calories per slice: 242, Calories from Fat: 7Total Fat: 0.8g, 1% RDA Cholesterol: 0mg, 0% RDASodium 390mg, 16%Total Carbohydrates: 56.9g, 19% Dietary Fiber: 2.5g, 10%Protein: 4.0gVitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 1%, Calcium 1%, Iron 11%

http://vegetarian.about.com/od/desertrecipes/r/applesaucecake.htm

This is the link to the recipe I followed, although I did alter is a bit, I added 2 cap fulls of vanilla, used 2 mashed banana's and about a 1/2 C apple sauce (instead of the whole amount of apple sauce), 1 Tbsp Cinnamon, 1/2 C soy milk, 3/4C walnuts, 1/2 C chocolate chips

So while I mixed all the dry ingredients together, when it was time to add the wet (apple sauce) that is when I added the banana/apple sauce mix, vanilla and soy milk, once everything was mixed well I added crushed walnuts and chocolate chips....for visual effect I put whole walnut halves on the bottom of my bundt cake pan.....Enjoy!