This week when I went shopping I didn't have time to make a list - so we just bought a bunch of random stuff and then figured out what to eat each day based on what we had laying around. I do this usually when I get sick of being organized with food - and it happens often enough. While I really like meal planning, and knowing that I have everything in the house for a full week of meals, it starts to drain me mentally. We have been eating plant-based for almost 2 years now, so I have a pretty good base of things that I buy every week. I can get away with not planning, but the disorganization of that drains me too after awhile. Anyways, it is the last week of the challenge, and we're glad to have been a part of it! While I know I'm probably plant-based for life, I don't think I'll be staying gluten-free. It was an interesting challenge trying to find snacks and meals that had no gluten in them, and I love trying new things. But, I honestly don't think I have a gluten intolerance... and this whole month, I have wanted some toast. We tried not to go for much of the GF processed foods, so I didn't buy any GF bread.
There were only 2 times that I can think of where I strayed from plant-based and GF. The first was a vegan cupcake that my friend made for me (YUM!), and today, when I ordered an iced chai from our favorite coffee shop... and I completely spaced on saying SOY iced chai. I wasn't going to let it go to waste though. It's been a long time since I had that much milk - I hope I don't regret it...The "YAY!" of the week had to be about.com's Miso Gravy! I haven't used miso much, but this gravy was awesome!
The "meh" of the week, if there was any, was probably the Oh She Glows lentil-walnut taco meat. It really wasn't bad! But I really have yet to find a really awesome homemade taco seasoning... does anyone have one?
This challenge went really well and reaffirmed for me that I know plant-based eating and cooking. I have many blogs that I can turn to for recipes, and google is my friend when I'm looking for recipes to match what I have onhand.
I am not going to lose much more weight - which I am fine with, because I'm at a perfectly healthy weight.
Paul lost 18 pounds during this challenge, and much of that was due to staying on track with the challenge, and not overdoing things with snacks & alcohol.
Paul and I were also very active this month - I ran 112 miles, and Paul ran 126 miles. This was the first real month of running for Paul, coming back from a very bad damaged sciatic nerve. So, the combination of the great eating, plus the increased workouts, contributed greatly to Paul's weight loss.
Well, there it is. We didn't have any life-changing moments when it comes to food - but it was a great month filled with lots of good food, and it wasn't too difficult to be gluten-free, and plant-based!
Week 4 Food Journal (Rachel) - February 22 - March 2
Day 22
Breakfast - oatmeal - oats, walnuts, raisins, maple syrup
Snack 1 - coffee w/ soymilk
Lunch - leftovers - chili with rice
Snack 2 - banana
Dinner - tofu curry - onion, can of coconut milk, 1T curry paste, .5T tamarind, can of diced tomatoes, spices (onion, garlic, cumin, turmeric), peas, broccoli, PPK Tofu, sriracha
Dessert - rice cake w/ PB and habanero jelly
Day 23
Breakfast - oatmeal - oats, chia, raisins, banana, soymilk
Lunch - post-run smoothie - strawberries, blueberries, spinach - add protein powder
Snack at birthday party - broccoli, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, celery, corn tortilla chips
Dinner - Potato Soup - potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, spices
Dessert - PB bars with Choc frosting (basically The Vegan Chickpea's Chocolate PB Ice Cream Cake without the ice cream)
Day 24
Breakfast - Oatmeal - oats, walnuts, chia, maple syrup, blueberries, raisins, soymilk, coffee
Snack 1 - trail run fuel - Honey Stinger chews, dates stuffed with walnuts
Lunch - sweet potato tacos - Miso-Maple Sweet Potato mashed potatoes (basically The Kitchn Miso-Maple Sweet Potato Tacos, except mashed), corn tortillas, tomatoes, avocado, lettuce, cilantro, tapatio
Snack 2 - iced hot-cocoa coffee w/ soymilk (so refreshing after a 14 mile trail run!)
Dinner - leftovers - curry sauce w/ peas & broccoli, and rice cake w/ PB and apple butter
Dessert - Red Wine Blend and TJ's Hickory BBQ Potato Chips, oskri Chocolate Coconut bar
Day 25
Breakfast - Oatmeal - oats, raisins, almonds, hemp seeds, blueberries
Snack 1 - coffee w/ soymilk
Lunch - frozen mixed veg w/ steak seasoning, hummus, sweet potato - on corn tortillas
Snack 2 - banana
Dinner - Rice and Beans Bowl - rice, black beans, sauteed tofu (seasoning via The Examiner's Spicy Black Bean and Brown Rice Lettuce Wraps with Cumin Spiced Tofu Cream, with braggs and maple syrup added), bell pepper, tomato, lettuce, dressing from recipe, with naga jolokia sauce instead of jalapenos
Dessert - leftover PB bars with choc frosting, Orfila Lotus White Wine
Day 26
Breakfast - Smoothie - banana, mixed berries, almond butter - add protein powder
Snack 1 - oskri apricot almond bar, coffee with soymilk
Lunch - rice, mixed veggies, sweet potato
Snack 2 - orange, apple
Dinner - mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, sauteed mushrooms/onions, about.com's Miso Gravy
Day 27
Breakfast - Oatmeal - oats, raisins, almonds, chia, blueberries
Snack 1 - coffee w/ soymilk
Lunch - rice, mixed veggies, leftover gravy; corn tortillas with avocado
Snack 2 - banana, orange
Dinner - tacos! - corn tortillas, refried beans w/ hatch chilies, Oh She Glows Lentil-Walnut Taco Meat, Guacamole de Pablo!, lettuce, TJ's garlic chipotle salsa
Day 28
Breakfast - leftover WF Buckwheat Almond Choc Coconut Bars, blueberries, raspberries
Snack 1 - oskri Apricot Almond bar
Lunch - Leftovers - lettuce, lentil-walnut taco meat, refried beans, guacamole
Snack 2 - apple
Dinner - Salad - lettuce, carrots, celery, cucumber, onion - The Kitchn's Miso Tahini Dressing, miso tahini tofu
Dessert - Powered by Plantz Puffed Amaranth Peanut Butter Balls (chia instead of hemp)
Day 29
Breakfast - Smoothie - banana, strawberries, spinach, flaxseed - add protein powder
Snack 1 - coffee w/ soymilk
Lunch - Burrito Bowl on campus - cilantro rice, black beans, sauteed veggies, guac, corn salsa, spicy salsa, romaine lettuce
Snack 2 - oskri apricot almond bar, apple
Dinner - Salad - lettuce, onion, celery, kalamata olives, pickled cauliflower, carrots, pepperoncinis, Paula Deen's Italian Dressing, Mashed potatoes & sweet potatoes w/ Earth Balance & spices, Bordeaux
Dessert - Elana's Pantry Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies, (1/2 peanut butter / almond butter, sugar instead of agave, and applesauce instead of shortening - super good!)
Day 30
Breakfast - Smoothie - strawberries, blueberries, almonds, cashews, chia, water - add protein powder
Snack 1 - iced chai (forgot to say soy... but felt like I had to drink it...)
Lunch - broccoli, mixed veggies, salsa
Snack 2 - apple
Dinner - Two Peas & Their Pod Cauliflower Steaks (without the sauce); Mashed Potatoes (with Earth Balance and seasoning); sauteed bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, spinach; WF Mushroom Gravy to top it all off (cornstarch instead of flour)
Dessert - rice cake with chocolate sauce (based on Averie Cooks Raw Vegan Coconut Oil Chocolate - but didn't bother freezing
it)
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