Quorn

I don't mean to tease anyone, but look at these pictures!!!










...and none of it is meat. I just got put on to this thing called Quorn (pronounced corn). Apparently it actually tastes just like chicken and has been around since 1985.

Check it out...
http://www.quorn.us

WHAT!!! Are you serious!?!?

Ok, food just officially stopped being fun.

Remember a while back when I was putting milk on blast saying I'm trying to cut it out of my diet?!?!? Well now I need to add a couple more UNFORTUNATE additions to the list of things containing dairy.

For those who know me, ya know that I am a man about two things: My MILO & My cereal. Those are two food products that I could have any time of the day or night...well not anymore.

According to the labels, now that I find myself reading those things more these days, there's a ton of dairy in MILO. And if I woulda stopped and given it some thought it should actually make sense for a chocolate drink to contain milk...but the thought never crossed my mind until now. I must've been in heavenly chocolate stained bliss for too long. For those who don't know...this is MILO. (and you should be ashamed of yourself for not knowing :o)




So just as I started to pick myself up off the floor in the pantry I stumbled across another one of my beloved 'go-to' snacks. Honey Bunches of Oats: by far the best cereal on the shelf hands down. This one is actually funny because the ingredients not only spell out the contents, it has CONTAINS DAIRY in bold print. hahaha...torture!




So as I bid farewell to my beloved Milo for the next 30+ days (maybe more) it's clear to me now that this challenge is more about self discipline & sacrifice than diet.

So I ask again...what else are you giving up for the cause? We all have that one thing that we need to ease off of...what does March look like for you?!?

My 2 Pennies

 

Good evening ladies and gents…first off, I'd like to say it's great being on this quest with all of you. Knowing that I'm not alone in this mission definitely makes it a bit easier to manage. The last 30 Day Plan totally changed my eating. Since then I haven't kept any meat in the house. Have I eaten meat? Sure….but it's for the most part been saved as a delicacy for when I eat out. I love meat too much to become full vegetarian and I believe that if you love it, you should enjoy it…in moderation. So as far as everyday eating, much of the time I'm meatless except for those moments where I get lazy and just grab something or when I feel like 8going out and savoring some chicken or a steak or what have you. And it's time likes these "breaks" from meat that make me realize just how dependent on meat I was at one time. Most days I don't even miss it.

But onto the real topic of this post…

Want something that's as tasty as butter or margarine but more healthy and nutritious?

Want something that spreads like mayonnaise but is totally plant based and not nearly as fattening?

Need something to spice up those bland steamed veggies or that salad?

Well, people, I introduce to some of you, HUMMUS!!!

I was introduced to hummus about 6 or 7 years ago, and I haven't looked back since. I love to put it in my vegetables and sometimes even in my beans, on salads, on sandwiches, pretty much anything.

It's great with your meal but also can be a great snack. Some hummus, with a dab of olive oil with some pita bread hits the spot just right and fills your tummy, not to mention it's chock full of good fats.

The main ingredients in hummus are chickpeas and tahini aka sesame paste. While I buy my hummus, because I'm lazy, you can easily make your own and pretty much flavor it how you want.

It can be a bit of an acquired taste, but I'm quite sure most of you won't mind it. So if you haven't tried it, give it a shot.

It's about time

Awwright, I'm finally getting my bearings. Although, i'm approaching this challenge a little differently than the last. This time rather than trying to rid my life of all meat, sugar, salt, ect..., I'm looking for a balance. I think the reason many of us pigged out on meat and have barely cooked tofu since last 30 day challenge is that we looked at it as a hinderance rather than a possible life change. This time, I'm minimizing meat tremendously for the 60 day period but I'm also looking to find a comfortable balance with sugar, salt, etc. that I can keep up for the long term. For those of us planning to have kids at some point (or those who already have them), these exercises in restraint are very timely. As we know, kids tend to eat what their parents eat. So if kids health (and that whole staying alive thing) are important to us, we need to find that balance now rather trying to figure it out at the last minute.

With that in mind, I tried something new....sweet and sour tofu. Basically, you make it the same way you would fried chicken.

Cut extra firm tofu into chunks
season the chunks to taste
dip in flour or shake in sandwich bag of flour
fry in deep frying pan with vegatable oil until chunks have a nice brown to them
remove and drain oil
pour sweet and sour sauce over tofu and add sesame seeds.

I found that I needed at least two packs of extra firm tofu to make it last more than one meal. Due to the consistency of tofu, the flour won't stick the same way it would to chicken, so that should help keep the carbs down.

enjoy,
Dre'

Eat Mor Chicken...Drink Less Milk

Ok so I'm honestly enjoying the healthier lifestyle we're on; everyone I've spoken to so far has had their own experiences and stories, which has been great.

Some of us are adding more rules to the diet. Some are doing no fish, some are doing no soda, juices or eggs, and some are even doing no candy! I for one opted for no dairy. I figured it wouldn't be that hard for me to get away from milk and its by-products especially since I've come to like to the flavor of soy milk. I only have ice-cream three times a year it seems so the hardest part would be cheese & butter. Man, that was an interesting pizza-free superbowl sunday. But so far so good....until I realized just how many things contain milk.

Did you know milk was in pancake syrup?
Did you know milk was in french fries? (the frozen kind)
Dairy protein may even be in chewing gum, sometimes under the name recaldent, look out for packages that say "whitening", these are likely to have milk.

Ok so this is gonna be a greater challenge than initially thought. These cows are getting me from all angles!!! lol

...oh and why did I choose to give up milk?
http://www.pcrm.org/health/prevmed/milk_prostate.html
http://www.cancerproject.org/survival/cancer_facts/prostate_dairy.php

So what these cows forgot to say was not only Eat Mor Chikin, but try to avoid their milk too.


So what else are you giving up for the cause?

If You're Broke, Go Veggie

In light of what's going on with the never-ending job losses across the nation, I was a member of the UC - Unemployment Club from October and finally got a job last month - To God be the Glory! I'd like to share with you a new revelation. I could've come up with so many excuses as to why I should not participate in this veggie challenge. Don't know what to buy, it's too hard; don't know how to cook those meals, that doesn't look kosher [pun intended] etc. etc. Truth be told, I've been excited about this challenge since Shake & Bake sent me that last minute email, but I digress.

The one thing I couldn't really say was 'I can't afford to go on a vegetarian plan'. The reason I was able to avoid expensive Christmas trips, extravagant Inaugural Balls, and a lavish birthday party was simply I didn't have the dinero! I could class it up and say I'm on a tight budget, but you know the deal.

If any of you have been bold enough to take a look at your monthly expenses, you can't help but wonder, I spent how much on food?!? Eating out is a budget killer, but cooking your own food is still a close cousin. Stay with me, I'm going somewhere with this.

However, if you decide to go vegetarian all you have to do is walk in your local grocery store and walk down the colorful aisles of fresh produce. I particularly like Grand Mart but there's a warning ahead. Their produce is always fresh though and it won't break the bank folks. You can get a pound of apples, a bunch of bananas, and a bag of grapes all for less than 10 bucks! You can have fruit salad for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! LOL What more can you ask for? Healthy, affordable, and no cooking required! Sounds good to me!

Warning: the people who shop at Grand Mart have no manners! Expect to bump into peeps frequently and throw dem 'bows. One other thing, barely anyone speaks English, so be careful what you ask for, there's no telling what tempeh translates to in another language.

Regardless, when all you have is a few bucks and feeling hungry, hit the produce aisle at a grocery store near you.

Mango & Avocado Salad with Black Beans & Lime Vinaigrette

I went to Wholefoods website and saved a few recipes that I will try to prepare during our 60 Day journey.

I haven't tried it yet, but I will let you know when I do!

The first is Mango & Avocado Salad with Black Beans & Lime Vinaigrette

Serves 4

Tropical flavors of mango and citrus complement black beans in this colorful salad.


Ingredients
2 firm-ripe avocados, halved, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons lime juice, divided
1 firm-ripe mango, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, more for garnish
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

Method
Gently toss avocado with a tablespoon of lime juice in a medium bowl; add mango, jalapeño and salt and toss to combine. To make the lime vinaigrette, whisk together the remaining lime juice, zest, sugar and cilantro in a small bowl. Whisk in the oil until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss the black beans with the vinaigrette. To assemble the salad, spoon the black bean mixture onto the middle of a small platter. Arrange the chopped mango and avocado around the black beans. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.


Nutrition
Per serving (about 10oz/282g-wt.): 460 calories (310 from fat), 35g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 230mg sodium, 36g total carbohydrate (11g dietary fiber, 9g sugar), 9g protein