The Tale of the Vegetarian who Lost 47 Pounds.

[kollerbear]

Disclaimer: I haven't lost 47 pounds YET. But stick with me. I will. Hopefully, in a year's time, the title will describe the contents of this thread.

New to DIS
I'm new to DIS last week, but it didn't take me long to get totally inspired. It's not *cool* to be a WDW geek in NYC, my line of work, or among my friends, but I've come to realize that is what I am, planning and celebrating trips is what makes me happy, and I need to embrace it!

From 183 to 136... but I love food so much!!!
There's something else I need to embrace, too, and that is losing weight. I've been told I like food too much. Well, that's not gonna change! And it's good to love food! It's one of my main interests. I love all kinds of food. I'm vegetarian because of ethical reasons, so I'm also one of those whistful vegetarians who talks about all those delicious meals they used to love. I try to make my weekly recipes at home as diverse as they can be. I actually make relatively healthy food--it's just so delicious that I eat way too much of it!

It's taken me a long time to feel like I'm "ready" to lose weight, and I feel like I'm there now. I tried last August, and I actually trained for a 1/2 marathon, from square one, in 2 months! I was really proud, but I had no free time. I was aiming for the WDW marathon, but I realized that running was just making me unhappy. I was really running to lose weight, and although working out is good, the goal should be around the weight, not the running.

So what's really pushed me over the edge now? Knowing that my best friend is getting married next June, followed by two other close friends in the fall. I've always thought of the creeping weight gain as temporary--and then I realized that wedding photos, even if they're someone else's wedding photos--are not temporary. I suddenly realized, hey, wait, my life is happening *NOW*, not some distant point in the future. Seems obvious, but do any of you guys know what I mean? It was a wake-up call.

The most magical deal in the World!!
The last time I went to WDW was last August. It was my boyfriend's first time going, and although he liked it more than he thought he would, he isn't sold on it the way that I have been since the age of 7. That's what happens when you deprive your children of the Disney experience--they turn into total skeptics who are afraid of a little commercialism!!

So this year we're going biking in Quebec, instead, which will be fun! And as long as I don't let the Canadian pastries and cheeses take over, it will help keep me on the right path towards losing weight.

But today I made a deal with the boy. I bargained--if I lose the weight, can we go to Disney? He said yes! He knows how happy Disney makes me, and he knows how I want to be as healthy and beautiful as I can be for the happy days we have ahead of us. I am so lucky to have him.

Logistically, I've figured that if we wait that long to go on our trip, we might as well wait for the complete new Fantasyland, and the best time of the year. So I'm thinking early September 2013. One year to lose the weight before my friend's wedding, and one year to maintain it. Plus, we're going to have to save up. We met doing Americorps. Americorps wiped out all my savings and suckered me hook-line-and-sinker into a low paying industry in one of the most expensive cities in the country. And we adopted two wonderful little cats--one came with allergies that have led to some really expensive vet bills.

So we're going to wait, and we're going to do it right. Signature restaurants every night, Animal Kingdom safari, time for Universal Studios, too... I can't wait.

Until then, I'm going to try and get involved with the Big Give and get excited about other, profoundly deserving families going to the happiest place on Earth, and maybe learn to sew in the process?

So happy to meet you all!
It would make me so, so happy to meet some friends here, who I could share ups and downs with. Getting healthy really isn't easy--mentally or physically--and I think it would just be so powerful to share that with others.

Please leave thoughts, comments, questions, greetings!!!

 

[redlight]

I like your thinking ahead!

Your goals sound like my weight loss journey. I went from 177 to 135. It took me almost two years, and I've gained a bit of it back, but I'm still slimmer than I was at the start.

Good luck!

 

[kollerbear]

I went from 177 to 135. It took me almost two years, and I've gained a bit of it back, but I'm still slimmer than I was at the start.

Thanks so much for saying hello! I'm so inspired by your dedication and your success! It really makes me feel like it's going to be possible.

 

[kollerbear]

So I spent some time buckling down and focusing on my trip to Montreal/Quebec with my boyfriend. Then, we got back, and whoops! my mind went right back to the DIS. ::Sigh!!::

People are READING this thing???

I figured that no one was reading this, which is totally fine, but then I searched under "vegetarian" and found that this is one of the things that comes up on the front page, and I saw there were so many views! So I figured I have to follow up and be diligent! Any vegetarians out there want to talk weight-loss/recipes???

At first, it was really tough, and I wasn't really losing any weight. So I decided to buckle down and sign up for eDiets. I can't say that I LOVE eDiets, but sticking to their food menus REALLY has worked for me. It's just basic calorie control, but it's nice to have someone plan out meals for you, and tell you what equals about 450 calories. Most of the recipes are decent, although in fairness there isn't a ton of great vegetarian food. But it suits the purpose. My boyfriend is eating it right alongside me, although in much larger portion sizes! So today was a great day, when I finally weighed in and-- yep! TEN POUNDS GONE!!! That was 5% of my body! Just like, GONE. Yeah, I'm really proud.

Our 2013 Trip

In case any of you don't feel like catching up, the basic gist is, when I lose my 47 pounds, DBF and I go to Disney in 2013. DBF is a total Disney skeptic. I am not trying to CONVERT him, but I am trying to plan around this and make sure we have a luxurious, relaxing vacation that I know he'll enjoy. Last time we went with my family, and even though we were at POR while they were at SSR, our family's crazy REALLY didn't help him fall in love with WDW. But it was "much better than [he] thought it would be." Progress!

So part of the deal that I have with my boyfriend is that every 10 pounds I lose, we have to have a one hour conversation about our 2013 trip to WDW. To make full use of this hour, I have planned a questionnaire for him:

1) What were your ten favorite things from last time?
2) What were your five biggest disappointments from last time? (Can't include family-related subjects.)
3) If I gave you the ability to make TEN EXECUTIVE DICTATES about our planning for this trip, what do you think they would be?
4) If I gave you the ability to ABSOLUTELY VETO five things from my finished plans, what do you think they would be?
5) What are you hoping for in a hotel?
6) What are you hoping for in our food plans?
7) Is there anything I can do to make you more excited?
8) Is there anything else you want me to know?

I'm very excited for this conversation, can you tell?


Look Ma, I'm Sewing!

I also left off saying I was going to learn how to sew so that eventually I would be able to participate in Big Gives. WOW. Sewing is HARD and time consuming. I am a perfectionist, and I never knew it could physically take someone so long to iron, square up, measure and cut a rectangle of fabric. (Hours.)

But I'm learning. I've sewed a pillowcase, a tote bag, a scrunchy belt, and napkins with mitered corners. I'm going to sew patchwork skirts and princess dresses for my kid cousins next (starting this weekend), and if they turn out well, I'll feel comfortable volunteering for stuff.

Sewing is incredibly rewarding. If anyone out there is learning how to sew from scratch and you want to talk, I would love to be in touch so we can figure things out together and share our accomplishments! It would feel kind of weird to burst into DisBoutiquers and say-- OH EM GEE GUESS WHAT I MADE A PILLOWCASE!!! Yaaayyyyy. Hahahha. But hey. I DID make a pillowcase and it felt EXACTLY that exciting. (I admit that adding a cute kitty in front of the finished product may be pandering.)

And while we're on the subject of kitties, just for good measure:

Say hi if you're reading!

 

[gudrench3]

Hi there, I'm SO excited on so many levels to "meet" you. We have so many things in common:
I'm a vegetarian with an occassional bite of chicken when I need some added protein.
I need to lose some serious pounds
I love WDW and everything about it.
I've currently decided to run the Princess 1/2 Marathon in 2013!!!
My boyfriend has been to WDW once and was okay with it...but wants to go other places instead for vacation
I also have kitty cats too!
Gosh, is that all? I kept reading your first posting thinking wow, this sounds just like me!

So, welcome to the WISH boards...good luck on your weight loss journey. I have one too (in my signature). I'm currently at a plateau...so I really need to focus on the food side of things again I think. I'm hoping we can learn a lot from each other!

 

[kollerbear]

Hi there, I'm SO excited on so many levels to "meet" you. We have so many things in common:
I'm a vegetarian with an occassional bite of chicken when I need some added protein.
I need to lose some serious pounds
I love WDW and everything about it.
I've currently decided to run the Princess 1/2 Marathon in 2013!!!
My boyfriend has been to WDW once and was okay with it...but wants to go other places instead for vacation
I also have kitty cats too!
Gosh, is that all? I kept reading your first posting thinking wow, this sounds just like me!

So, welcome to the WISH boards...good luck on your weight loss journey. I have one too (in my signature). I'm currently at a plateau...so I really need to focus on the food side of things again I think. I'm hoping we can learn a lot from each other!

Oh wow, where do I even begin, this IS exciting! Hahah

1) I'm always so happy to meet a fellow vegetarian, esp. one who's flexible. I always believe that it's overall meat reduction that is important to me and the environment and animals, not that you can say that you haven't eaten a bite of meat in _____ years.

2) Oh Walt Disney World skeptics. I love DBF SO MUCH. I think as long as we keep it to a once every three years kind of trip he'll be fine. And well, that's how often I went as a kid, so we can make the trips nice and long and save up and get excited.

3) I'm so excited for you starting up for a Princess 1/2 marathon!!! What a great reason to bring the DBF to Disney, right? (Hahaha I think that's why I wanted to run the marathon!!!) Running a 1/2 marathon was one of the proudest moments of my life, and I'm thinking of starting running again when I can manage my emotions around it a little better and I know it will make me happy. I'm going to go and catch up on your WISH Journal and see how it's going.

4) I'll go see if I can find more about your kitties on your Journal. I LOVE ours. My goodness. We just took in a new little girl, Sasha, on a "foster" basis, but unfortunately it's looking kind of permanent since we did it unofficially (this guy a friend knew was just going to bring her to Animal Care and Control during kitten season--a 5 year old!!! ) and it looks like no one's very interested. Unfortunately our girl cat, Ella, HATES her. We have to keep them mostly separate still, after 2 months... so our one bedroom apartment is a bit of a war zone (with Ella hissing at Sasha under the door). But yeah. We definitely have 33% too much kitty, but we love them and don't remember life without them. I just hope it gets better over time!!! At least this is one thing my DBF and I ABSOLUTELY see eye to eye on. Some would say that is more important than love of WDW?

I'll see you over at your WISH Journal

 

[kathie859]

OP...good luck! Be sure to include how you "vegetize" your eating? I am flirting with going vegetarian (-at the very least cutting back on meat consumption) and am wondering what to eat that's good. Like you, I love good food and am a great cook.

Look forward to reading more about your journey.

 

[kollerbear]

Vegetarian Diet Recipe Recommendation of the Week

My boyfriend and I really love to cook, so I figured I'd share some of our favorite vegetarian recipes out there and share a little bit about how I'm adjusting them for my diet to make an approximately 450 calorie meal.

Seitan Meatballs with Spaghetti from Vegetarian Times.

Overview: This is not a super fast meal (esp. if you handmake the seitan, see below for instructions if you can't find it pre-made in a store!), but it is insanely delicious. Easily the best vegetarian meatballs I've ever had.

Advice: Just make sure you oil your pan well to prevent them from sticking! Or, use aluminum foil/parchment paper for easier cleanup. Oh, and we just use an egg instead of the egg replacement for the sake of simplicity, and you can use almonds, walnuts, or cashews instead of the pecans, which are so expensive.

How to Make it "Diet": Of course, in true eDiets fashion I had to record every scintilla of what went in the recipe so I could track my calories. To make it into a 430 calorie meal, I ate a serving of meatballs (1/6 of the recipe), reduced the pasta I ate to 1.5 oz. dry, used 1/2 cup leftover pasta sauce that was half frozen spinach/half marinara cooked with garlic instead of the olive oil heavy sauce that they use in the recipe (however, if you're not counting calories, we've made it before and it is DELICIOUS). I highly recommend!!!

Nutrition Stats after above adjustments: Calories, 430; Fat, 13g; Saturated Fat, 1.5g; Carbs: 56g; Fiber: 7g; Protein: 30g

 

[kollerbear]

OP...good luck! Be sure to include how you "vegetize" your eating? I am flirting with going vegetarian (-at the very least cutting back on meat consumption) and am wondering what to eat that's good. Like you, I love good food and am a great cook.

Great! Thanks for reading! I just posted a link to the recipe that my DBF and I ate tonight. I'll do this pretty often, especially as I start weaning myself off of the blander (although easier to make) stuff that is on the eDiets vegetarian recipe database. I find adjusting amounts in regular recipes for my diet to be a little daunting, but I'm ready to start eating some of my favorites again!

If you're not afraid about learning how to make seitan, I absolutely recommend it as the best way to feel happier about eating vegetarian food. It is a very simple process-- we make it whenever we make a batch of vegetable stock. Over the course of the week, we store up all of the veggie parts that we don't use in a bag in the freezer. Every one or two weeks or so, my boyfriend makes a big batch of stock and a batch of seitan. Also, the stock you get this way is SO MUCH BETTER than store-bought, which has this cloying, sodium-y taste to me now. Of course, the reason that we started making it from scratch was because it was much cheaper, used the parts of the vegetables we usually just threw out, and because it allowed us to use stock in more things to add more flavor (like when cooking rice or couscous). This is especially helpful in vegetarian cooking, where you don't have a lot of opportunity to develop flavors.


How to Make Seitan

1) You just need a box of wheat gluten, which is harder to find, but available for a good price ($3.50ish?) at a Whole Foods type store. I'd say to start with a half a box batch--mix it with water, adding a little bit at a time, and it will form a dough. Be kind of generous with the amount of water you add--our seitan was getting a little chewy (although meatballs are a great use for a chewy batch of seitan since you grind it up) and we realized it was because we weren't adding enough water in this step.

2) Knead it for about 5 mins, and then you chop it into whatever size or shape pieces you want. Then simmer it in the stock for about an hour. The pieces absorb a lot of stock. You can do this ahead of time and store in the fridge, or use right away. When you're ready to cook with them, you can pan-sear in a little oil at a high temperature to add a little crispness to it, but this isn't necessary for every recipe.

3) Then you've got a batch of seitan! It's very high in protein and it goes a long way. If you have any leftover, store it in a little bit of the stock so that it's covered. (Similar to the way you'd store tofu, although you don't need to change the liquid.)

Let me know if you have any questions, or if you try it out!! Making seitan absolutely changed our cooking-- our favorite recipes use it and even meat eaters really seem to enjoy it.

 

[kollerbear]

I wanted to respond to a question over at the Challenge Board about vegetarian recipes, but in my typical wordy-fashion I have some bits of advice, so I decided to post the recipe recommendations over here!

Hi!
So - I thought I'd go vegie (or vegie-ish?) while I'm in the hotel. I work 12 - 14 hours a day, so I'm looking for quick and easy. Right now I'm eating salad - spring mix with kidney and/or garbanzo beans - and really enjoy it, but not twice a day 3 days a week! I love pasta and it is my normal meatless go-to meal, but I'm trying to cut down on white flour and I HATE whole-wheat pasta. I usually take some vegies to lunch - carrots, cukes, peas in the pod - what the heck are those things called?? I'm looking for something easy to pack for lunch (usually not refrigerated at work) and easy and super quick to eat when I get home at 9pm. I guess I could pack lunch and dinner for work, but then I feel like a packhorse going into work!

Curried Butternut Squash Risotto with Cashews: This is a great microwave risotto--if you prep the soup/liquid mixture at home and bring a small Tupperware of pre-chopped onions and baggie of crushed cashews, this goes together very easily. It's very filling with a side salad and reheats great. You can freeze leftover coconut milk, btw.

Quinoa and Spinach Soup: If you're willing to cook a pot of soup, this goes together very quickly with good nutrition and no chopping! You can also add some peas to give it extra veggies. It needs some extra spices to give it some oomph--I add zaatar/oregano, red pepper flakes, and white wine vinegar. This is also really nice the next day, too.

Quick-braised Broccoli with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese: I love this recipe because it's very versatile. I eat it with pearl barley, but you can also eat it with brown rice or couscous. Now, pearl barley isn't the quickest cooking of whole grains, so maybe make a big batch at home and bring with you? I also recommend getting regular sundried tomatoes and soaking them in hot water for 5 minutes to soften--cuts out the calories from the oil. Also, this dish is delicious with vegetarian chorizo that you can get from Trader Joe's, or any kind of ground up Boca meat with spices instead of the goat cheese. I've even substituted peanuts when I didn't have pine nuts, and it turned out just fine. All in all, this is a nice way to eat broccoli, and it's surprisingly substantial and yummy.

Wild Rice with Glazed Carrot and Tomato Ragout: This is a nice recipe because baby carrots and grape tomatoes don't really require chopping or prep, so it comes together really quickly with some microwaveable Uncle Ben's or Minute Rice. The fennel is a really nice touch. If you've never cooked tofu before, bear in mind it will soak up the sauce much more nicely if you press out the water ahead of time. Since you're in a rush, just slice it up and press it out with some paper towels.

OH!!! I almost forgot this salad from Martha: Mediterranean Salad with Artichokes, Penne, and Sun-dried Tomatoes: Here is your easy entree salad... AND you get a little bit of your white pasta. But since it's such a small amount, you don't have to feel guilty. (I love my white pasta, too.) Just make sure you remember to rinse everything--the artichokes and the beans will make this taste gross if they're not rinsed. This also makes a HUGE quantity--enough for several lunches.

Hope that something in there is interesting to you--I tried to pick a wide variety of recipes. No doubt about it--it's tough cooking on the road. My kitties get all up in our trash, too, though, so I understand where you're coming from. I'm so glad you get to travel with yours, and that he tolerates it! What a comfort to have with you on the road.

 

[Zoesmama03]

I'll be watching this. Do you know if all meatless analogs have gluten? I noticed its what you make seitan with but I'm trying to limit and eventually eliminate gluten. I know even the garden burgers I enjoy every so often have wheat and gluten. Even the ones with brown rice. I suppose I'll have to make them from scratch so I can know what is in it. I've been learning to cook so much stuff from scratch already so won't be bad.

 

[kollerbear]

I'll be watching this. Do you know if all meatless analogs have gluten? I noticed its what you make seitan with but I'm trying to limit and eventually eliminate gluten. I know even the garden burgers I enjoy every so often have wheat and gluten. Even the ones with brown rice. I suppose I'll have to make them from scratch so I can know what is in it. I've been learning to cook so much stuff from scratch already so won't be bad.

Not all meatless protein sources have gluten, but unfortunately I think most of the packaged brands will (I'm not GF so I haven't really looked into specific brands). The reason that you see them in Garden Burgers and such is that they use some form/variety of seitan (because its texture is so meat-like). That's why Garden Burgers are so much different in texture than tofu you get in Chinese food. But tofu and tempeh (which is a fermented soy product) don't have gluten in them. (Check the labels, of course--some varieties may be mixed with things and have wheat.)

Another thing I'd say is that vegetarian meals often look really different than omni meals, in that they tend to be more mixed/casserole/stew-like than composed of a main protein source/meat analogue + sides. I think this is because it takes more time and technique to get your tofu to be centerpiece-worthy, but it's pretty easy to make it taste good when it's mixed with other things in a sauce. This also means that beans, lentils, quinoa, and whole grains often provide a lot of the protein in a meal.

Let me know if you'd like some gluten-free recipe recommendations... just tell me what kind of food you and your family like and how much time you have to spend making it.

Thanks so much for reading!

 

[rubato]

Hi. I'm enjoying your journal so far. I, too am a vegetarian. I am at my goal weight, but know all about the struggles of weight loss. My hubby and son both have a really hard time. They aren't vegetarians, so I get to cook meat still (yuck). I really appreciate your recipes, thank you. I am always looking for new ideas that are vegetarian.
Just make sure you're getting enough protein. I used to be a personal trainer, and really try to live by the rule of 1 gram of protein for every pound of lean body mass (not pound of weight). For me, that's 105 grams a day. Now, if you aren't trying to build muscle or train for a race or something, that can be lower. But, vegetarians tend to be low on this. I eat a lot of greek yogurt, cottage cheese and that fake meat made by Morningstar. I was once a vegan, and still have no idea how I managed to be healthy cutting out all dairy and eggs.

Anyway, I just wanted to say congratulations on the weight you've lost so far. I think you have very realistic goals, and I will enjoy reading about your journey.

 

[jaelless]

I am learning to sew as well. I totally know what you mean about the Disboutiques LOL those dresses they make are unbelievable. I would love to do that. This summer I bought me a simple sewing machine and so far have managed one pillowcase dress and two pillows so much for my lofty goals of just whipping those creations out. I still am trying. I just made my pillows this week and it totally rocked getting to see finished project. Dang they were hard though. I work up a sweat trying to do them just right. I cannot even fathom trying a real dress yet. Hopefully I will figure it out before my lil princess starts school in 3 yrs. I would love to make her cute little outfits.

Anyway good luck on the sewing. Maybe try to make cat toys. Like a simple snowman and instead of fluff, fill it with catnip for kitties for holidays. They would probably love that.

 

[Rose&Mike]

Hi Kollerbear! Just wanted to tell you, you can do it. I am a vegetarian and I lost 50 pounds in 2010 (189-137, currently maintaining at 139). My doctor told me to not worry so much about the protein, but I do take a multi vitamin. I don't eat any meat (had a couple of hot dogs, don't ask, this summer, but I'm over that now) but since going g-f in February, have stopped getting so hung up on gelatin, how cheese is made etc. I am totally off meat/chicken/fish and still try to avoid anything with meat products, but sometimes I just need to eat, and with gf sometimes the choices are limited.

Anyhow, wanted to wish you luck. Vegetarian cooking takes a little while to master, but is so interesting and yummy!

 

[kollerbear]

Hi. I'm enjoying your journal so far. I, too am a vegetarian. I am at my goal weight, but know all about the struggles of weight loss. My hubby and son both have a really hard time. They aren't vegetarians, so I get to cook meat still (yuck). I really appreciate your recipes, thank you. I am always looking for new ideas that are vegetarian.
Just make sure you're getting enough protein. I used to be a personal trainer, and really try to live by the rule of 1 gram of protein for every pound of lean body mass (not pound of weight). For me, that's 105 grams a day. Now, if you aren't trying to build muscle or train for a race or something, that can be lower. But, vegetarians tend to be low on this. I eat a lot of greek yogurt, cottage cheese and that fake meat made by Morningstar. I was once a vegan, and still have no idea how I managed to be healthy cutting out all dairy and eggs.

Anyway, I just wanted to say congratulations on the weight you've lost so far. I think you have very realistic goals, and I will enjoy reading about your journey.

Thanks so much Tandy! Yeah, I definitely don't get that much protein a day. I get more like 65-85 grams, depending on the day. I'm not doing workouts or anything in a consistent way right now, though, but I'll be sure to bear this more in mind as I continue fine-tuning my plan. I can easily hard-boil some eggs for the whites and eat a few more of those each day. I don't really know how vegans do it either--especially vegan athletes.

I am learning to sew as well. I totally know what you mean about the Disboutiques LOL those dresses they make are unbelievable. I would love to do that. This summer I bought me a simple sewing machine and so far have managed one pillowcase dress and two pillows so much for my lofty goals of just whipping those creations out. I still am trying. I just made my pillows this week and it totally rocked getting to see finished project. Dang they were hard though. I work up a sweat trying to do them just right. I cannot even fathom trying a real dress yet. Hopefully I will figure it out before my lil princess starts school in 3 yrs. I would love to make her cute little outfits.

Anyway good luck on the sewing. Maybe try to make cat toys. Like a simple snowman and instead of fluff, fill it with catnip for kitties for holidays. They would probably love that.

Yay! Thanks for reading Jenni, and congratulations on your pillowcases! Yeah, they are really surprisingly hard to get right! What's your next project?

Hi Kollerbear! Just wanted to tell you, you can do it. I am a vegetarian and I lost 50 pounds in 2010 (189-137, currently maintaining at 139). My doctor told me to not worry so much about the protein, but I do take a multi vitamin. I don't eat any meat (had a couple of hot dogs, don't ask, this summer, but I'm over that now) but since going g-f in February, have stopped getting so hung up on gelatin, how cheese is made etc. I am totally off meat/chicken/fish and still try to avoid anything with meat products, but sometimes I just need to eat, and with gf sometimes the choices are limited.

Anyhow, wanted to wish you luck. Vegetarian cooking takes a little while to master, but is so interesting and yummy!

Thanks Rose for reading! You're so inspiring to me because you've lost just about the same amount of weight as I'm hoping to, and you did it while being vegetarian! (You're also a runner, though, right? so I don't have an excuse, huh... hahaha...)

I have got to laugh, hot dogs are actually my weakness, and people can't believe that. Hot dogs were actually what turned me into a meat-eater again when I started college! I ate meat for 6 years before turning back last year. I'm still working on getting more consistent about remembering my multi-vitamin... I know I don't get enough iron on a day-to-day basis.

It's got to be tough to be vegetarian and gluten-free, but one thing I've found about eating (and cooking!) vegetarian is that it tends to make you an adventurous eater, so I bet you make some great stuff!

 

[kollerbear]

One of my mini-challenges this week at the Biggest Loser Challenge was to make a 3-course meal with a serving of vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, and 1/2 a serving of dairy or fruit. I also wanted to make it French-themed to celebrate the Beauty and the Beast theme of Healthy Habits this week! I definitely splurged on this meal calories-wise, but I did have a smaller breakfast and lunch because I knew it was a special meal, and kept my day under 1500 calories.

So without further ado, my menu was:

Samantha's French "Be Our Guest" Meal

Roasted Pears with Chevre Chaud: 226 calories, 5/5
This was amazing-- very easy, and company-worthy. I'm so happy that I have extras and will be able to make this again this week.

Tempeh Au Vin: 322 calories, 4/5
This was very nice, as well, and the first time I had spelt berries! I added a Tbsp. of butter to the spelt instead of a Tbsp. of oil to the finished Tempeh Au Vin, because they needed a little more richness. The onions and leeks got very stringy, which seemed kind of like beef strands and tasted great. I'm also not very confident cooking with tempeh, but cooking it this way was great and there was no bitterness. The wine flavor really permeated the tempeh. A nice variation of this could be to add a few pearl onions and up the mushrooms, which really cook down. The wine was a little one-note, and I would look into adding more herbs (I had already doubled the thyme and added a little rosemary) or researching more traditional techniques to add complexity to the sauce.

Hot Chocolate Fudge Cake: 260 calories, 5/5
What can I say. These were as delicious as expected, with an ooey gooey molten center. As I read in the comments, I coarsely chopped the chocolate and cooked for only 18 minutes instead of 21. It turned out perfectly, and I'm so happy I have extras in the fridge and freezer to make periodically over the next couple weeks! (Update: Did I say couple of weeks? I forgot about DBF in the house. It's only 2 days later and we've only got one left... I've been good though!)

Total calories: 808 calories
Like I said, I knew this was a splurge meal, but I kept on track for the day overall with under 1500 calories for the day.

Success!!!

 

[rubato]

Well, there must be some sort of theme here. I was a vegan for 5 years, and what broke me? 2, yes 2 foot long chili cheese dogs! Of course, I was 5 months pregnant and had to have corn dogs every day after that during my pregnancy.

 

[kollerbear]

Well, there must be some sort of theme here. I was a vegan for 5 years, and what broke me? 2, yes 2 foot long chili cheese dogs! Of course, I was 5 months pregnant and had to have corn dogs every day after that during my pregnancy.

It's not only hilarious that hot dogs seem to have this strange allure for us, it's also hilarious that you broke your veganism with such gusto... Chili... cheese... that's amazing!

 

[kollerbear]

Vegetarian Diet Recipe Recommendation of the Week

Since I gave such a time consuming recipe last week, I thought I'd lighten things up with a great weeknight meal--

Poblano, Mango, and Black Bean Quesadillas from Cooking Light.

Overview: This meal covers all your bases--it's highly delicious and ready in about 30 minutes, including the chopping of the veggies.

Advice: Make this with fresh mango--canned mango is just about impossible to find, and fresh is delicious! The mango and avocado will probably take about the same amount of time to ripen from when you get them home from the grocery store, so win/win! (FYI-- If you have a tough time peeling mangos--or butternut squashes, or jicima, or celeriac... --get yourself one of these Titan peelers. They are amazing. Don't worry about the "back and forth" motion they go on about, just enjoy cutting through even the most annoying of vegetables as if they were butter.) Also, if you can find them, do use poblano peppers rather than bell! They have a wonderful rich, smokey taste, and only the faintest amount of heat. They're a great compliment to the beans and sweetness of the mango.

How to Make it "Diet": I didn't really have to make any adjustments to this recipe, except I did use a whole wheat flour tortilla that clocked in at only about 65 calories, and that substantially lowered the calorie count of this dish to about 250 calories for one quesadilla while also adding some fiber and protein. I would recommend doing this and using the calories saved to up the protein of the meal overall by adding some "fried" eggs/egg whites with salsa as a side and/or some Greek yogurt with fruit for dessert. This is a great example of how, in vegetarian cooking, your protein source isn't always the star of the meal.

Nutrition Stats (as is): Calories, 334; Fat, 9.3g; Saturated Fat, 2.9g; Carbs 54.5g; Fiber: 7.2g; Protein: 13.2g

Enjoy!