Forks Over Knives: Day 24

I have been kind of slacking with updating everyday but I will say we are doing really well on our Forks Over Knives journey. We have tried faux chicken, meatless meat and made some really great recipes such as: vegan sloppy joes, no pork stew, roasted garbanzo beans a couple of different ways, vegan chicken pot pie and hamburger macaroni casserole. Next week we are going to try some seitan and see how we like that. I have been reading lots of different books regarding plant based eating and received my Forks Over Knives cookbook this week. It is so great looking up recipes and planning meals for the week! I am learning so much and we are feeling great!

Here is my eating diary from today:
Breakfast: 2 waffles with almond butter
Lunch: 'Meatless' hamburger macaroni casserole
Snack: Kind Bar
Dinner: Chickpea curry 
http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/crockpot-chickpea-curry.php
Snack: 1/2 cup Soy ice cream

“Some people think the “plant-based, whole foods diet” is extreme.  Half a million people a year will have their chests opened up and a vein taken from their leg and sewn onto their coronary artery.  Some people would call that extreme.”

Forks Over Knives: Day 16

I know it has been more than 16 days that have passed since I have started on my Forks over Knives adventure but please allow me to explain. Gramps (Jesse's grandpa) passed away on July 24th. For those of you who may not know, Jesse and I have lived with him for the past 2 1/2 years, keeping him company and helping to take care of him. So things have been a little on the rough side for the past few weeks. We had so much food in the house graciously brought by neighbors, family and friends, we did the best we could with what we had. We honestly did not eat the Forks Over Knives way during the past few weeks but I can say WE ARE OFFICIALLY BACK ON TRACK and it feels GREAT!!
Day 16
Breakfast: Black Bean and Rice Soup, Watermelon (I wasn't in the breakfast food kind of mood today)


Lunch: Engine 2 Black Beans and Rice
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup water or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon Bragg Liquid Aminos1 teaspoon red chili powder
2 to 3 tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, drained
1 cup corn, fresh, frozen, or canned
2 red, yellow, or green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 bunch cilantro, rinsed and chopped
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
3 cups cooked brown rice
salsa or tamari, to taste
Instructions:
1. Heat the beans with water, Bragg’s, and chili powder.
2. Chop vegetables and place in individual bowls.
3. To serve, place several big spoonfuls of brown rice onto large plates and ladle beans on top.
4. Add generous handfuls of chopped vegetables on top of the beans.
5. Add salsa or tamari to taste.



Dinner: No Pork Stew
Courtesy: http://books.google.com/books?id=3wf56L5jiN0C&pg=PT21&lpg=PT21&dq=no+pork+stew+recipe+by+skinny+bitches&source=bl&ots=3pW761HYYF&sig=QwxNNJO0RZ30WO96NYkBy2pYctg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=xyAjUJmfN4qE8ATcroHACg&ved=0CFgQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=no%20pork%20stew%20recipe%20by%20skinny%20bitches&f=false

I am strong enough to make it through!

Forks Over Knives: Days 11 through 15

This past weekend Jesse and I took a random trip to Jacksonville Beach to visit with my family and enjoy some time in the sunshine. Although, I did my best to eat right I did splurge and have some meat and shrimp. As soon as I got home today, I was right back to Forks Over Knives eating. This spontaneous trip did open my eyes to how I can be more proactive and organized with food and snacks before I head out of town! So, I'm not going to beat myself up about it. I am just taking it as a lesson definitely learned and I'm going to keep on keeping on!


Day 11
Breakfast: Black bean veggie burrito and a peach
Dinner: Vegan eggplant parmesan and quinoa spaghetti
Snacks: Popcorn


Day 12
Breakfast: Ezekiel 4:9 Whole grain with almond cereal with almond milk
Dinner: Wendy's Side salad and baked potato with broccoli
Snacks: Kind Cranberry Almond Bar and a Tazo Chai Latte Tea with soy milk


Day 13
Breakfast: Waffle, banana and oatmeal
Lunch: Vegan hotdog with grapes
Dinner: Low Country Boil (shrimp, potatoes, sausage, and corn)


Day 14
Breakfast: Chicken and waffles
Dinner: Mahi Fish Tacos


Day 15
Lunch: Fried Chicken with red beans and rice
Dinner: Veggie burger, broccoli and a side salad


Life isn't always perfect, things don't always go right. Yes, its hard to be healthy and yes, I will be knocked down a few times. But I am stronger than you think and I CAN do this!!

Forks Over Knives: Days 7 through 10

It has been a busy few days and my computer battery died so I had to wait for another one to come in the mail. So here is my last few days of healthy forks over knives eating! So far I am feeling great :-)


Day 7
Breakfast: PB&J Smoothie with Soy milk
Lunch: Rice bowl with vegetables
Dinner: Chickpea Noodle Soup
Courtesy of: http://www.forksoverknives.com/chickpea-noodle-soup/
Snack: Apple Slices


Day 8
Breakfast: Burrito with tofu, black beans and veggies
                   Banana
Lunch: Black Bean Enchiladas
             Apple Slices
Dinner: Black Bean Burgers and Baked Oven Fries
Courtesy of:http://www.forksoverknives.com/sample-recipes-from-everyday-happy-herbivore/#more-3951 and
http://www.forksoverknives.com/baked-french-fries-ketchup/


Day 9
Breakfast: Banana
Lunch: Veggie Loaf with mashed potatoes, peas and corn.
Dinner: Curried Lentil Soup and braised kale and a slice of whole wheat bread
Courtesy of: http://support.pcrm.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=55861.0&dlv_id=59268
Snack: Sliced Apples


Day 10
Breakfast: Burrito with black beans and veggies
               Apple Slices
Lunch: Zucchini and Mushrooms with Marinara
           Edamame
Dinner: Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
Courtesy of: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=405648


"One should eat to live, not live to eat" -Benjamin Franklin

Forks Over Knives: Day 6

Today, was a really busy but FUN day! I have my niece Adrienne and nephew Lil Markie for the weekend. We went to the farmer's market, splash pad and had lots of fun on the lake with Lauryn and Grayson.


Breakfast: Irish Oatmeal and a banana
Lunch: Chick-fil-A Side Salad and small fry 
Dinner: Cajun Cornbread Casserole 
Courtesy of: http://www.forksoverknives.com/cajun-cornbread-casserole/
Evening snack: Popcorn 


I'm not on a diet. I am eating healthy!

Forks Over Knives: Day 5

The weekends have always been the hardest times for me when dieting or trying to change my eating habits. Last night I went out with my family to a free concert series they do at Stonecrest Shopping Center. Before meeting my family, I ate dinner at home so I wouldn't be tempted to want to eat from one of the restaurants. I usually enjoy ice cream from Marble Slab while we are enjoying the music but last night I went to Starbucks and had a Tazo Chai Latte with Soy Milk instead! I figured that would be a healthier option and would be my reward for the week! So far so good! I am feeling wonderful :-)

Breakfast: Breakfast Burrito with tofu and black beans

                   Banana

Lunch: Zucchini Marinara

            1 cup of grapes

Dinner: Mexican Stuffed Peppers and Green Beans
Courtesy of: http://happyherbivore.com/recipe/mexican-stuffed-peppers/

Snack: Tazo Chai Latte with Soy Milk 

“In order to change we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired.”  ~Author Unknown

Forks Over Knives: Day 3 and 4

The past two days have been busy! After watching Addison yesterday, Jesse's parents took us out for our birthdays to a Japanese restaurant. I did the best that I could even with eating out! 


Day 3: Wednesday
Breakfast: Tofu Scramble with Hash browns and Veggies
                   Banana
Lunch: Vegetable and Brown rice Bowl
             Cup of Papaya
Dinner: (Japanese Steakhouse) Brown rice with mixed vegetables


Today, I went and saw my primary doctor to talk about the Forks Over Knives lifestyle and also have my blood work drawn so we know what my numbers are starting out and then we will recheck everything in 3 months. My end goal is to get off of my cholesterol and diabetic medications. I also got a new blood sugar meter so I will be able to keep a close eye on my blood sugars and send them in to her every 2 weeks to be sure my sugar levels aren't too low. 


Day 4: Thursday
Breakfast: Apples ( I had to fast for my lab work and then had some errands to run, so that held me over until lunch,)
Lunch: Leftovers; 1 cup of Moroccan bean stew with sweet potatoes and kale and 1 cup of roasted eggplant, tomatoes and onions over quinoa
Afternoon snack: 1 cup of cantaloupe
Dinner: Portobello Steak, yucca with mojo and a side salad 
Courtesy of: http://happyherbivore.com/recipe/balsamic-portobellos/
http://latinfood.about.com/od/saladsdressings/r/yuca.htm ( I used veggie broth instead of oil)
Bedtime Snack: 1 cup of watermelon 


I am feeling really good and have to say I have not had to take any acid reflux medicine since I began eating this way! 


The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.”  ~ Thomas Edison

Forks Over Knives: Day Two

Today, was mine and Jesse's 3 year anniversary! He worked last night so when he got up this afternoon we prepped and cooked dinner for tonight. We both absolutely love to cook and it is one of our most favorite ways to spend time together so it was great being able to talk about how fast 3 years have passed and how we can't wait for many more years to come! 


I didn't sleep well last night because of some thunderstorms and Nala (my dog) freaking out about the weather so I slept in and didn't eat breakfast until about noon today that is why my lunch was pretty much just a snack and I didn't want to ruin my appetite for dinner!


Breakfast: 
Burrito with tofu and veggies
1 cup of Papaya


Lunch:
Banana


Dinner: Moroccan Bean Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Kale    
Courtesy of http://www.forksoverknives.com/moroccan-bean-stew-with-sweet-potatoes/


Bedtime Snack:
1 cup of green grapes


Dinner was absolutely delicious! It was so easy to make and can feed many. We will definitely be making this again!


He that takes medicine and neglects diet, wastes the time of his doctor. -- Ancient Chinese Proverb

Forks Over Knives: Day One

Today, I started a new chapter in my healthy lifestyle journey. I have been reading a book called Forks Over Knives that a friend told me about. The experts in Forks Over Knives advocate a whole-food, plant-based diet. The program is based on whole or minimally processed plants, primarily fruits, vegetables, whole grains, tubers, and legumes. It excludes or minimizes animal-based foods such as meat (including poultry and fish), dairy, and eggs, as well as refined foods like bleached flour, refined sugar, and oil. After reading about the number of people with serious health issues,such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and who are on many medications totally reversing their diseases, I decided that I have nothing to lose by trying The Forks Over Knives diet! 

Breakfast:

Steel cut oats with a teaspoon of cinnamon 

Banana

Lunch:

Whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce, asparagus and broccoli

Mango

Dinner:

Mixed green salad with cucumbers, tomatoes and Dairy free ranch dressing

Roasted eggplant, tomatoes, and onions over quinoa

Bedtime Snack:

Cantaloupe


I have to say that I was a little nervous about Jesse being hungry because I am so lucky as to have such a supportive man in my life that he has taken on this lifestyle change as well, but he actually let me know he was full a few hours after dinner and he didn't even eat all of his meal! I never once felt after eating all 3 meals today that I needed something else to eat. I was totally satisfied. I know today was just day one but I am excited to see what changes occur throughout this journey!

"Let food be thy medicine." Hippocrates

For It Is Only A T.V. Show!!!

I have been watching the PBS Masterpiece Theater Show Downton Abbey. While watching an episode the other night Earl of Grantham said, "We all have different parts to play and we must all be allowed to play them!" Not that the Bible or God has been brought up in the show much at all, except a mere 2 times that I can remember, it still made me recall the verse from 
Romans 12:4-5. "For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." I couldn't help get the words Lord Grantham spoke or the bible verse out of my mind without acknowledging how true that statement really is. We are all here in this world to do a job, have a purpose. No matter if you are a plumber, custodian, doctor, lawyer, mother, father, pilot, server, hairdresser. It simply doesn't matter! We are all important in the big scheme of this journey we call life! If only we, myself included, spent more time focusing on how we are all connected to one another and how the importance of the roles we play influence the greater good of us all. I don't know call me crazy, but we might just have a more peaceful world to live in! If we really stopped judging one another and began encouraging. I know competition can be healthy at times, but if we really stopped thinking we were better than another and realized how we could use the gifts we individually had to come together for a greater purpose. We are often so focused within that we lose sight of the greater purpose. For me, I know there is a reason I am here. I have a purpose. Honestly, around August 2009 when I was put on disability and no longer able to work my current job, which I loved, I had many days where I felt like I had no purpose at all. But after a couple of years of soul searching, lots of prayer, and many patient loved ones, I know I have a purpose. I may not be able to live out my life long dream of being a nurse, but I wear many other hats these days and God has blessed me with so many other dreams to dream. I don't know exactly all the ways God will use me as I am here on this earth, but I know one thing for sure: I am READY and WILLING to go where He may call and DO what He asks of me! I pray daily that we as a world, will not be too deaf to hear His call or too blind to see His plan. 

WOW, to think all of this, just from watching a T.V. show about an aristocratic family and their servants in the reign of King George V. 


If He thinks highly enough of you and me to put His fingerprint on us, we can be assured that He has a purpose for every one of us. -Rebecca St. James 

An Attitude for Happiness

God implanted in us a desire for happiness, eternal happiness. In truth, the things of this world - money, athletic or scholarly achievement, fame, possessions - can never satisfy the hungry heart we all possess. Only God, God's goodness and love, can quench our thirst for happiness. Jesus teaches us what we have to do right now to develop the kind of attitudes that lead to happiness, even in this life. Think of the Beatitudes as Jesus taught us as attitudes for happiness. They will require us to change our lives. 


Matthew 5:3-12
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, 

   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

4 Blessed are those who mourn, 

   for they will be comforted. 

5 Blessed are the meek, 

   for they will inherit the earth. 

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 

   for they will be filled. 

7 Blessed are the merciful, 

   for they will be shown mercy. 

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, 

   for they will see God. 

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, 

   for they will be called children of God. 

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, 

   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 

12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Surgery Update

My pre-op appointment at Duke is tomorrow at 10:30. As far as I know I am scheduled to be the first surgery on Thursday morning but won't know the exact time until my pre-op appointment tomorrow. Jesse and I plan on spending the night in a hotel close to Duke tomorrow night so we don't have to travel so early Thursday morning. Thank you all for your love, prayers and support. I will keep everyone updated! 


Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy. One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time? Three years? Five years?” If not, then it’s not worth worrying about. 

Surgery Update

I will be heading to Duke on Wednesday for my pre-op anesthesia consult and having surgery for my AICD implantation on Thursday, I will know specific times on Monday once the operating room scheduler calls me with all the details. So basically I will have the best of both worlds with an AICD; a pacemaker and defibrillator in one unit. As long as everything goes according to plan I will be discharged from the hospital on Friday. I will not be able to lift for 6 weeks so I will be resting as much as I can so that my recovery will go as smoothly as possible.
An AICD is a device that monitors a person's heart rate. They are generally implanted into heart failure patients. The device is programmed to perform the following tasks: speed up or slow down your heart, depending upon the heart rate. The AICD gives your heart a shock if you start having life threatening arrhythmias or an abnormally high heart rate. Arrhythmias occur when your heart does not beat normally. Some arrhythmias can cause the heart to completely stop beating. The shock given by the AICD can make the heart start beating normally again. An AICD can also make your heart beat faster if your heart is not beating fast enough. The surgery I will be having is called Implanted Cardiac Device Lead Extraction. Years after implantation, some cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator leads (wires) may need removal or replacement by extraction. This is because implanted cardiac devices (pacemakers and or ICD's) can be subject to infection, malfunction, or fracture. Removing implanted leads is potentially risky and offered only at a small number of medical centers -- many fewer than those offering implantation of these systems. Similar to other procedures, volume matters in terms of success and freedom from complications. Duke has among the highest volume of cardiac lead extractions with laser or other technology in the Southeast.

About 95 percent of patients have their leads removed without the need for open-heart surgery. Duke has an interdisciplinary program in lead extraction using the only hybrid operating room in North Carolina offering state-of-the-art x-ray fluoroscopy in a fully equipped open heart operating theater.
I am very confident in my doctors and surgeons and know that I am in the best of hands. As with any surgery, there is always anxiousness and the fear of the unknown but I can honestly say I am ready to have the surgery and have complete faith in God and know that everything will work out for the best. Thank you for all your love, prayers and support. I really appreciate all of you! I will definitely be keeping all of you updated!

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

Surgery Update

Tomorrow is my surgery consultation with Dr. Kanter. Right now my surgery date for the pacemaker battery replacement and possible defibrillator implantation is February 15th. I will have my pacemaker checked tomorrow to be sure the battery will last until the surgery date. I will keep everyone updated once I know more. Thank you so much for all your love, prayers and support!

Learn to appreciate what you have before time makes you appreciate what you had!