And again, I Step on the Scale After a Week of Delivery Meals, some Raw Food meals, and some cheating snacks...

Better news this time: 3 lbs down and back firmly in the 260's in last two weigh-ins this week. It was really a shock to have seen that higher number last week.

So, the ShapeLovers meals, combined with some raw food meals--and I won't deny it, some extra snacks, some not diet-friendly (Godiva chocolate, Holey Donuts)--helped. The Shapelovers meals have been generally very tasty, a few coming close to "mom's old cooking" flavors (ie, Cuban food). The salisbury steak, though, was hideous beyond words. I threw both mine and my hubby's serving away. Horrible. But the chicken fricasse and the tortellini in a creamy sage were great, as was the very low calorie Aloha Coconut dessert (like a coconut flan with some pineapple bits, sugar free and  yumsy). It's nice not cooking and having some low-cal, low-fat, low-salt meals handy (soup, entree, side, dessert). If you sign up for it, just totally skip the turkey meatballs and salisbury steak. gross....

Raw foods from Veggiemunn: The corn chowder was really, really good. I may even like it better than my previous "raw corn soup" fave from them, the corn and leek. The pear and watercress was too fibrous for my taste, but the flavor itself was quite nice. The unstir fry had good flavor, but I got crazy gas from all that raw cabbage. :P  The zucchini pasta alfredo was okay. Something about the zucchini has been less than stellar the last two weeks (ie, texture wise, not tastewise. I like it really firm to sub for pasta).

I'm considering another order from Glaser Organics--I love their nut butters, spinach pesto, hummus, and fresh coconut water. Their raw pies are yum, too, but I'm not ordering any, preferring to rely on fresh fruit.

I did order a lot of citrus from Cushman's, so I can have a nice orange or ruby red grapefruit with breakfast. The tangerines locally have been lovely and are amazing juiced.

I have had pizza cravings, but haven't ordered any. I think I'm gonna get me some whole grain pita and just make one at home with part-skim mozza and marinara and some mushrooms.

I really don't feel like cooking or food shopping (hence the healthier delivery options), but I need to get back making some meals. I can only really successfully lose when I plan and control my own meals and snacks according to my own eating desires (not some pre-made menu's).

Hope everyone out there is happy and getting healthier and finding ways to meet health goals. I'm still fumbling, but at least the scale is moving properly downwards, making up still for eating booboos that had me regaining...

Schizo Eating: KFC Tender Grilled is Nummy and VEGGIEMUNN Corn and Leek Chowder is amazing!

I had lunch for breakfast (went to bed at 7 am and slept until 11:30 am). I woke up with a KFC craving. So, I got dressed and went and bought the white meat tender grilled chicken. I had cole slaw, mashies, and three green bean sides with that. Yeah, 3 green bean sides. I have to admit, I like their grilled chicken better than the fried. I remember when they previously had--years ago--tender roast (which was the one my hubby used to get). That didn't last. Once they stopped carrying the roast chicken, hubby didn't want it, so we avoided KFC. For years, we didn't go to KFC but, maybe, once in a blue moon when I got the urge for some fried chicken and biscuits.

We still don't eat there often. Just got this weird craving. So, there ya go. I'll probably bloat.

To make up for a fast food breakfast, I had a raw lunch. An organic apple with organic peanut butter, an apple-raisin cookie, strawberries. The cookies are sort of a square-shaped, moist melange of sunflower seeds, dates, raisins, bananas, vanilla, agave, walnuts, cinnamon, and, natch, apples. I ordered them fresh-made, delivered Monday by VEGGIEMUNN, a raw food purveyor in South Florida. If you're gonna have cookies, these are wholesome--and whole. And really tasty. Sort of like an apple-banana bread, really, but flatter and chewier. :D

I gotta give kudos to VEGGIEMUNN for killer yummy raw corn and leek chowder. This is one of my fave soups they make (along with the pear watercress and the asparagus). The raw barley and mushroom is okay, and I got several this week for the barley fill-er-up and fiber properties and the earthy mushroom allure, but now I wish I had gotten a half dozen of the corn and leek. Amazing. Beautiful green color, lovely daikon sprouts on top, creamy, delicious. Here are the ingredients: sprouted sunflower seeds, corn, leek, avocado, agave, coriander, parsley, kelp.

I will be having the mushroom/barley raw soup and the raw plantain pie for dinner. (In case you're curious, the plantain pie's ingredients are ripe plantains, nut cheese & tomatoes, Macadamia Nuts, Cashews, Bragg'S, Lemon Juice, Italian seasoning, basil, garlic. The mushroom barley soup has sprouted barley, shiitake mushroom, white mellow miso, fresh herbs, cold pressed olive oil.)

As you can see, I'm not a totally consistent eater. Certainly, I"m not a raw foodie. But I like having regular vegetarian meals and I enjoy the occasional raw meal. I am a particular fan of some vegan raw soups and desserts. Miami is hot most of the time and cool fruity or veggie-ey soups are very delightful when one is prone to perspire when going outdoors.

Dr. McDougall Right Foods--Are they Right For Your Diet?

Because I'm restarting my eating plan, I've spent a mini-fortune in food--both at the supermarket and ordering stuff online for the cupboard/pantry. I tend to shop from Amazon and Netrition.

This past week, I've ordered lower sodium Amy's soups, Just Tomatoes brand dried items (cherries, strawberries, mixed veggies, apples) that I add to oatmeal and soups and just snack on, and pecans from amazon.com. From Netrition, I ordered my fave higher fiber/lower carb pasta--DREAMFIELDS linguine, lasagna noodles, penne, and elbow-- as well as lower carb/higher fiber tortillas and pita breads, GG crispbread, and unsweetened Almond Breeze in vanilla and chocolate.

Today, I placed an order with Glaser Organic Farms (a local operation, way south of me in Miami-Dade country). This is organic stuff, lots of raw stuff, too, including raw hummus, their own extra virgin olive oil, peanut and almond butters, lima beans/split peas/lima beans for soups, fresh coconut water, light agave nectar, and spinach-basil pesto.

One of the lines of foods that I try to keep in my "dieter's pantry" is Dr. McDougall's Right Foods. I order them from Amazon.com in bulk. I'm gonna post some about it after seeing this blog entry today over at Slim Shopping. Jennifer got a nice batch of soups from Dr. McD.

Man, wish they'd send me free food. :) Especially the maple oatmeal (which I haven't tried) and some of the other soups.

Anyway....These are vegan foods, mostly soups and cereal items. I've tried the following:

Peach Raspberry Oatmeal with Barley
Instant Apple Cinnamon oatmeal
Spring Onion soup
Miso Ramen soup
Split Pea soup (both the regular and lower sodium)
Tomato Basil with Pasta soup.
Pad Thai Noodle

(I have some Chicken Pilaf in the pantry, but haven't tried that one yet.)

The lowdown: These tend to be nicely conservative in calories and have a healthful array of ingredients. You usually just add water and steep. Convenient, low-cal, healthful. Yep, that's why it's in my pantry for when I'm on plan.

Tastewise: The split pea in a cup is the best instant of this type of soup that I've had. I've ordered the case twice. The Apple Cinnamon instant oatmeal is better than the Quaker and McCann's versions of the same flavor. Way, waaaay better. Tastes fresh and apple-y. The Spring Onion soup is quite pleasant, with Thai-rice style noodles that are fun to slurp. The Miso Ramen has a nice miso broth but the noodles suck. I guess ramen does better when it's got fat. I ignore the noddles, use the packet for broth, and add tofu and scallions and mushrooms. (And yes, there are instant miso soups out there, but I have a severe seafood allergy and can't risk the bonito flakes, etc. So this vegan miso is safe for me to consume, even if I ditch the noodles.) The Tomato BAsil with pasta is fine, but it needs a lot of steeping/cooking and maybe additional microwaving. If you follow the instructions, it has a really hard/crunchy texture. Gotta cook it way longer, unlike the other soups.

The one big, huge fail (other than the ramen noodles in the Miso Ramen) was the Pad Thai Noodle soup. Didn't taste one darn thing like Pad Thai (one of my favest of foods). Bland. Lots of rice noodles, though, so for some, it's probably okay.

All in all, I've been pleased with the ones I've tried from Dr. McD. If you want to see more reviews or nutritional info, visit their site or amazon. They make way more products than I've listed/tried.

Holding in the lower '70s, new raw yummies, and organic club experience

Okay, so I'm fluctuating in the low'70s, which is better than fluctuating in the mid or high '70's as I had been all year. Today, 272, which is actually a relief, since I had steamed dumplings, Ma Po Tofu, and Egg Drop Soup yesterday for dinner, meaning oodles of salt. I think without the salty Chinese food, I might have stayed a pound or more lower. The fruit I had for a snack must have helped balance the sodium, too. I normally go up 3 lbs or more with Chinese food.

So, today, I got up very late--5:30 pm. I've been going to bed in the AM when hubby is getting ready for work, and sleeping till some time in the PM. The asthma started its summer excacerbation last month, on and off, depending on how stormy. Started getting wheezy last Thursday and had a bad weekend, but a bit better in the past two days, though not normal. So, I've been trying to eat more "whole" for the nutrients to fight the immunological and respiratory weakness.

So, today, for my first meal, I had pear juice (no sugar added), raw bell pepper soup (very refreshing, sort of like a non-tomato gazpacho), and raw vegan "angelhair marinara), which was surprisingly delicious. My new fave raw entree from VEGGIEMUNN. The raw sauce was perfect and the angelhair way of making strings out of the yellow squash was even nicer than the thicker raw pasta primavera that had been my fave of theirs previously. That one (the latter) had no tomatoey sauce, but a veggie blend and herb one.

I was disappointed they didn't have the Mango Lassi raw pie this week. Last week, I got one, and it was so amazingly good, I wanted to order a bunch this week if available. But they made a puree/pudding in the Mango Lassi style, and it just wasn't the faboo thing that the pie was. The pie had actual slices of mango in the spiced sauce (with cardamon and rose water). The texture makes a big difference, plus the pie just is more mangoey. If you're in the South Florida area and like raw foods, you might want to check out VEGGIEMUNN, and try the Mango Lassi raw pie!

Yesterday, I picked up my organic coop box (full share and an added two shares of fruit, as I love fruit, especially summer fruit). So, I'm loaded for produce to fight the summer respirator blues. I plan to have nectarines, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, grapes, watermelon, and a mango later with my next meals/snack. I have kale I can roast and fresh green beans to saute. I also have tasty sweet onions that I can put into an omelette for dinner, along with organic spinach and zucchini. I might make a smoothie out of the berries, so I can get some calcium.

It's been interesting being part of an organic food coop. It forces me to try new stuff, since you don't pick and choose. They do. I never had fresh peas, or beets, or kiwi. (I still don't like kiwi.) Most of the stuff I get is useful to me, and hubby has a very limited produce palette, so it's mostly for me. I do find I enjoy it more in summer, as the fruit is terrific. before that, you mostly got berries, pears, and apples. I also get to meet new people, which I don't normally do, being so much of a recluse.

I did fine with Pilates on Monday, despite not being 100% respiratorily. My trainer commented on the improved upper body strength, which I did notice myself, so that felt good. I'm officially into my second year at this form of exercise, and I wonder how much better my strength and flexibility will be next summer. I hope I can be at least 25 lbs lighter then, too. I don't set big goals anymore. I never make them, so forget it. Too stressful.

Now, if only hurricanes can stay away, and my bronchii can buck up, my summer may not be unpleasant. :)

Hope everyone out there is well.

The Princess's Bad Eating Pattern and Beeeyoootiful Produce Bonanza!

Good, good...all to hell.

That's my pattern of eating. I do a virtuous breakfast. I do a decent lunch. Then at dinnertime, I go nuts.

This is not a new pattern. It's old and ingrained and very, very, very hard to break.

But I gotta.

So, yesterday I was having my egg white omelette for bkfst, coffee (black, Splenda), a carrot juice. Lunch was a nice salad with fabulous herb chicken (grilled) and mixed greens with artichoke hearts in balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Then comes dinnertime. I feel like this crazed monster in the kitchen. I go and heat up some onion broth and add, not a discreet amount of cheese. No, I add a huge wad of cheese--it would choke a rhinoceros-- and croutons. Then, as if that wasn't enough to clog every artery in my body, I have a dessert hubby bought unthinkingly, cause he knows I adore Napoleons--when they are fresh. Only when fresh. This one was fresh.

So, I told him, flat out--do not buy me desserts, sweets, candies, etc. Just don't. I know you love me and just want to please me, but I cannot resist a fresh, flaky, cream-filled Napoleon that's sitting in the fridge calling my name. I can't have that in the house. It's like the Siren Song to me. Tie me to the mast!

I did give myself a head-start on a more healthful week of meals:



Today, after meaning to for weeks, I skipped sleeping (am just about to nod off as I type here) in order to go to a farmer's on the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk in South Florida called Josh's Organic Garden.

Unbelievable.

It was a wonderland of gorgeous, fresh, fragrant, vividly colorful stuff. Anyone who likes greens would have had an instant veggiegasm. It was piles of fresh--and I mean picked YESTERDAY locally--greens and assorted garden veggies and fruits. I took four canvas shopping bags and filled them all to the brim with arugula, spinach, lettuces, peppers, strawberries, bananas, tomatoes, carrots, celery, pears, apples, tangerines, grapefruit, broccoli, cauliflower (so beautiful white ones, like an alien bridal bouquet), potatoes, onions, cucumber, zucchini, mushrooms, and assorted herbs. ALL ORGANIC. ALL FRESH.

If any of you live near enough Hollywood, Fl so that you can get to it, it's on the broadwalk, you can see the beach right there, the ocean, the air smells wonderful. You'll find it almost right behind the Ramada resort, just on the corner of Harrison and the beach promenade. You won't be sorry. The produce is lovely. The fresh juices and smoothies are superyum.

Yay, I now have a lot of good, healthful stuff in the house. FINALLY!

To add to and round out my bounty:

On the drive home, I stopped at Whole Foods to get eggs, cheese, Ezekiel bread, whole wheat nan, organic tortillas (wheat for quesadillas and corn for breakfast and dinner tacos), those raw fruit pies I like (mango and mamey), and, happily, I stocked up on my beloved Gardenburgers. I hadn't had one in months, so I'm looking forward to my Gardenburger with a slice of cheese on Ezekiel bread lunch sandwich. One of my fave homemade sandwiches. Hubby got beef stew from the deli, and I got a vegetarian dish (the Indian lentils).

So, what did I eat today?

For breakfast, I had a freshly made smoothie of fresh berries, bananas and apple at Josh's Farmer's Market. Hubby had fresh-pressed apple juice. For lunch I had whole wheat nan, a cup and a half of the lentil stew, and a cup of papaya slices. Mmmmm.

It's so nice to have fruits and veggies once again in the house.

I do need to get some organic chicken breasts and pork tenderloin for some suppers, and maybe some lean ground beef for homemade tacos (I got some locally produced guacamole made by Glaser Organics, who specialize in raw vegan foods made on a farm way south of me). I was in a hurry at Whole Foods (and so tired), that I rushed and just got a few essentials. Not meat this time.

Now, if I could just tame that night gorging monster. It really is my major time-of-day weakness for overeating.

So, how are y'all doing? Did you get to the grocery store for good food? Did you go anywhere pleasant this weekend? Are you resting enough? Any other night overeaters out there?

Happy Sunday. Let's make this a healthful week.

Oh, and remember that this week Oprah focuses on helpful stuff on her show, including weight loss (as we all know, by now, due to her regaining 40 pounds) and finances. Might be worth a look.

Eating Mostly Vegetables Does it Again

Just go see what it did for Cranky Fitness.

~~

VeggieMunn Meal #4--yummy kale and tasty lentils

This time I'm reporting on these:

o Lentil salad - mixed baby greens, sprouted lentils, onion, parsnip, bell pepper, orange, tahini, lemon, Nama shoyu, parsley, thyme
o Mediterranean Kale Salad - kale, red bell pepper, black olives, lemon, cold pressed olive oil, sea salt, black pepper

Both very good. I enjoyed them. The raw lentils had a nice chewy texture and the spicing reminded me of tabboule, which I love. The kale was very fresh and delicious, the olives were super, and the red pepper still crisp four days. I have to admit that though it was fine as dressed, I wanted a stronger flavor, so I used some of Annie's Organic Goddess dressing (a vegan, though not raw, dressing). My fave bottled dressing.

I didn't feel like soup or dessert.

Now, I'm craving more kale salad. :)

~

VEGGIEMUNN Meal #3 Review

Not much to report on the food today. I had my second serving of Pasta Primavera, as this was the entree on which I doubled up. It's the one I enjoyed so much the first day and, yes, enjoyed similarly today). I'd happily have this every week. It remained nice and fresh though it's been in the fridge since Monday.

I had another citrus salad with it (like day one). Again, nothing special.

The new thing I tried was the fruit soup. This one was composed of juice and pulp from honeydew melon, apples, bananas, nectarines, and valencia oranges.

Verdict: Refreshing and nice, a good thing to have after a tough workout, as it's hydrating, sweet, and relaxing. Basically, a runny smoothie in a bowl. :) Makes eating it slower and slurping through a straw, which I guess is not a bad thing, right? A slowing down at day's ending.

Did you have your fruits and veggies today? At least five servings, but better to have 7 and more. Did ya?

~

Review Of Second VEGGIEMUNN Meal

This combo that I had for lunch today included:

o Orange/Fennel Soup - orange, fennel, walnuts, garlic, sea salt, pepper
o Thai Green papaya salad - green papaya, carrots, fresh basil, fresh mint, fresh parsley, lemon, chili pepper, cashews, sesame oil, sesame seeds, sea salt
o Choco piña colada on a stick - pineapple, agave nectar, coconut butter, cacao powder

This was like a sandwich with great bread and disappointing main filler. By that I mean great ends and a bummer middle.

The soup was deliciously refreshing--the brightness of citrus with the savoriness of the garlic and the fennel notes blended to make a chilled soup reminiscent of the freshness of gazpacho, but with a lighter touch. Gazpacho's girlier little sister, let's say. I liked it. (And I adore gazpacho, so it makes sense that anything that reminds me of gazpacho gets a pass.)

The salad, not so successful. I really expected a burst of flavor. In the past, I'd only had green papaya salad twice. It's a strong-flavored dish that really fills your mouth with citrus and some heat and some sweet and some salty and that amazing element of green papaya. This lacked the green papaya power, because it was mostly carrot. And the dressing was too tame to fill the bill. So, what it felt like to my taste buds was a pleasant, if bland, carrot salad. I tried to brush aside the carrot shreds and pick up just dressing, papaya strips and basil--and those couple of forkfuls were more promising. But the salad is just not successful. Green Papaya salad should have green papaya. I felt like I paid $5 for carrot shreds with some underseasoned dressing. Disappointing.

I didn't finish it. And when I went to put the rest away in the fridge, I dropped the container and the contents spilled on the kitchen floor. I didn't mind too much having to toss it, frankly.

Dessert was a nice improvement on the salad. The chocolate coating is very chocolatey and pleasing to this choco-lover. Not too sweet. The pineapple was good (could have been a bit sweeter/riper. I enjoyed this. I would mention that I am not a huge pineapple-with-choco fan. I prefer berries and banana for chocolate dipping. A frozen banana with this chocolate coating and some shredded coconut---mmm. I wish I'd had that. But after the sad salad, this definitely picked up my mood. And the serving was generous--two long cuts of pineapple. It could be divided into dessert for two meals.

Hope you guys had lovely, healthful eatings today!

Now, I can't wait for my avocado sushi, pad thai, and salad with ginger dressing for supper. Hubby's picking it up. After that very light lunch, I need something substantial, and the noodles called to me. If you've never had avocado sushi--I recommend it heartily. So good, that avocado creaminess with pickled ginger, wasabi, and a dip of soy.

Review of First VEGGIEMUNN Raw Vegan Meal

Okay, got my delivery of 15 meal items plus two breads--all organic, vegan, and raw. John Munn, the partner of Mariela (the cook for VeggieMunn) came by. We chatted. Very personable guy.

I had this tonight:

o Savory Parsnip Soup - parsnip, cauliflower, lemon, extra virgin olive oil, cumin, cayenne pepper, onion, red bell pepper, pine nuts

o Pasta Primavera - zuchinni and or yellow squash, pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, dehydrated vegetable blend, Italian seasoning, garlic, parsley

o Citrusy Fruit Salad - Valencia Oranges, grapefruit, grapes, apples, shredded coconut

o Onion Loaf - onions, buckwheat, nama shoyu, EVOO, flax seeds

The soup: Lovely color, spicy from the cayenne (maybe a scosh too spicy, I'd dial it back just a tiny, wee bit), but lacking something in "roundness." I think it may need a bit more acid--grapefruit or lime or more lemon juice. It has a nice sweet tone and the red pepper in it is pleasant (as well as adding to that pink color). So, a bit more acidity, a bit less cayenne, and some more herbs/savoriness would make this excellent. As is, decent, but forgettable.

The entree: Terrific! I love the fresh taste of the raw squash strings and the vegetable-herb sauce is really tasty. My suggestions: Add more of the flavorful sauce. The "noodles" are generous, so they need more sauce for a nicer balance. Also, the sundried tomatoes were hard. I'd maybe puree them or chop them more finely so they blend with the sauce. This one I'd have again, no question. Nice.

The onion bread: MMMmmmMMMmmmmMMMmmmm. I wish I'd ordered three or four of these. MMmmmmMMMmmm. So oniony!

Fruit salad: Pleasant, but not outstanding. Might benefit from some sort of nice accent sauce. The valencia oranges, the grapes, and the shredded coconut worked. The grapefruit was a bit too tart and the apple didn't seem to blend. I think a different fruit to apple would work better--just not sure which. Strawberries, perhaps? Papaya? Mango? Banana would work, but they turn brown fast.


So, two of tonight's offerings were quite, quite tasty and I'd have again. The other two were okay, but need ramping up to make them really zing.

Can't wait til tomorrow's lunch.

If you've tried VeggieMunn in South Florida, leave a comment with a link to your review. I'd like to see which entrees and desserts and such you would rate highly (as a reference for my future orders.)

Oh, and if you wanna see some pics of her food, visit her MySpace page where the main page has a slideshow instead of a member pic (upper left) or the pics page.

Hope you all had a lovely day. Let's sleep well and have a great Tuesday!

New Week, New Day--same old crappy sleep schedule

I'm trying (unsuccessfully so far) to switch back into daytime mode. I need to see the sun! I'm up early today, but that means I slept about 4 hours. Yoiks.

For a while, I've been getting up around 6 to 7pm (unless forced to cut back on sleep to get up earlier for some reason.) Which sucks. I see little of the daytime and am missing the cooler change in weather we've had (marginally cooler, but a noticeable change in season). Lack of sunlight is very bad for dieters and those prone to depression. We lose out on vitamin D, sure, but we also lose out on the energizing effect of that direct light, and the (so I hear) slight appetite suppressing effect, too.

I really need to stop being a vampiress!

So, new day. New hope.

Breakfast was my egg white greek omelette with tomato and fresh oregano, papaya chunks with lime juice, coconut water (unsweetened), coffee, water, and some crackers.

Pilates at 4pm. Starbucks for my post-exercise "skinny" latte at 5. And around 6pm, I should get my raw vegan cuisine items. I'll let you know if/what I like on the menu.

I hope you have a great day that brings you weight loss and improved health and a lot of smiles.

~

Very Veggie Food Deliveries A-Coming!

Since I'm still not 100% in the swing, I decided to have food delivered to me for a couple weeks.

Next week, for a few days, I'm going Raw Vegan with a delivery from VeggieMunn in South Florida (they deliver to Miami and Broward areas). Here's what I'll be getting (soup, entree, dessert, crackers for five meals--I doubled up on some items to make five servings)--

Organic Raw Vegan Soups:
o Corn Chowder - corn, avocado, cilantro, celery, almonds, sea salt, fresh black pepper
o Fruit Soup - (every week is a different version)
o Orange/Fennel Soup - orange, fennel, walnuts, garlic, sea salt, pepper
o Savory Parsnip Soup - parsnip, cauliflower, lemon, extra virgin olive oil, cumin, cayenne pepper, onion, red bell pepper, pine nuts


Organic Raw Vegan Entrées
o Lentil salad - mixed baby greens, sprouted lentils, onion, parsnip, bell pepper, orange, tahini, lemon, Nama shoyu, parsley, thyme
o Mediterranean Kale Salad - kale, red bell pepper, black olives, lemon, cold pressed olive oil, sea salt, black pepper
o Pasta Primavera - zuchinni and or yellow squash, pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, dehydrated vegetable blend, Italian seasoning, garlic, parsley
o Thai Green papaya salad - green papaya, carrots, fresh basil, fresh mint, fresh parsley, lemon, chili pepper, cashews, sesame oil, sesame seeds, sea salt

Organic Raw Vegan Desserts:
o Banana Cream Pie - bananas, coconut oil, agave nectar, almonds, walnuts, dates, raisins
o Choco piña colada on a stick - pineapple, agave nectar, coconut butter, cacao powder
o Citrusy Fruit Salad - Valencia Oranges, grapefruit, grapes, apples, shredded coconut
o Peach cobbler - peaches, agave nectar, cinnamon, coconut butter, walnuts, almonds, dates, Brazil nuts

Organic Raw Vegan Dehydrated Extras :
o Onion Loaf - onions, buckwheat, nama shoyu, EVOO, flax seeds
o Spicy Flax Crackers - flax seeds, flax meal, bell pepper, onion, garlic, cayenne, sea salt

I'll receive those on Monday.

On Thursday, I will receive my five day's worth of Diet-To-Go meals, vegetarian menu. They have amazing good apple pancakes and soy sausage breakfasts, and I look forward to those like mad. I do a lot of substituting in breakfast and dinners (a bit of an extra charge for each change), cause I don't like their soy-based dinners and lunches (though I love a good bit of cold tofu with asian dip or grilled tofu teriyaki, but DTG's soy is gross). I'll be getting stuffed shells, bean burrito, tomato spinach melt, curried cous cous with creamed spinach, tomato veggie pie, black bean soup with soft pretzel and mandarin pudding, and...well, go see the Week 4 menu (vegetarian).

So, it's an expensive food delivery time the next couple weeks, but it'll let me know there's something healthful, produce-laden, and diet-friendly waiting for me in the fridge or freezer.

My mouth is a-watering!

~~

Yeah, Baby! And a bit of a PSA...

Those raw lunches must be helping. Today, the scale said: 268.4

My lowest yet. I won't officially call my mini-goal of 269 met (and surpassed) unless I can stay in the 260's. I'm too familiar with ups and downs due to dehydration, hormonal changes, etc.

I better enjoy it before those salty food fluctuations sneak in. ; ) Especially since it's my birthday week coming up with dining out and feasting in the works. (My party is tomorrow, to facilitate family attendance, but it's not until next week. Still bummed I couldn't get a chocolate banana tiramisu raw cake.)

Just to clarify, btw, because of my previous couple posts: I'm not on a raw foods diet. I simply add raw foods now more consciously to my diet. I've always liked having something raw at every meal, just cause, but now I am doing it mindfully, in order to maximize eating "clean."

I still eat meat, eggs, and dairy. In fact, I am a bona fide cheese junkie. Me loves the stuff. I just eat organic cheese, eggs, and meats now. Although, I really don't like the grass-fed beef, so, I may try to find a "wellness" category beef (ie, humanely raised, no antibiotics or hormones, etc.) I do very much like the organic chicken and pork. Lovely. And I'd been buying (and paying more) for cage free, vegetarian diet, omega eggs for years. I simply now focus on ORGANIC fed ones, too.

I will say that the low-heat pasteurized, grass-fed, organic milk is very nice. It spoils faster (a week in the fridge, pretty much), but it has a very nice flavor, and, hey, happier cows. I'm a latte fiend, so I've been using this organic milk for those coffee treats.

I do notice my appetite is calmer (post period), which is the norm. Crazy hunger pre-period, nice and calm with no chocolate cravings after. I walk right by those truffles and organic choco-covered almonds without so much as a sigh. Give it two weeks and I'll be insane for 'em.

I hope y'all had a satisfying and healthful Valentine's Day. Impress on your loved ones to buy you non-food treats, when possible, on such occasions. Or, if chocolate is in the cards or stars, to buy fair-trade treats and flowers, and organic when possible. Better for communities globally and better for your body, er, locally. :)

I've long supported aid to third world communities via donations, but I figure it's time I buy more consciously, too. I shouldn't support slavery or abusive pricing just cause I want something to eat. I shouldn't support poor farming techniques that ruin the land just cause I want roses in my vases.

Just like I watch my water usage in and out of the house. (I pretty stopped watering my lawn when we got into a drought. I maybe add water once every 8 weeks if the grass is very yellow.) And just like I try to remember to switch off lights, etc. Every little bit helps overall.

It costs more to buy fair trade and organic, but it's easier on the conscience...and the world. And if your budget only allows partial "conscience" buying, then that's better than nothing. (If you eat berries, pears, an any other fruit or veggie where you consume the skin/husk/outer, focus on those. If you have kids, don't give them meats and milk with hormones. It's just really bad for growing bodies. It's not evolution that girls are getting their periods years and years sooner than their grandmas. It's hormones in food.)

PSA over. Let the lunch munching begin...healthfully!

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MANGO MADNESS: Amazing Raw Fruit Pie!!!

I had bragged in a previous post about the Glaser Organic Farms raw fruit mamey pie.

Well, yesterday I had a delivery of their fresh, raw products (shipped next day in a cooler), and the mango raw fruit pie is UNBELIEVABLE!!! I wish I had ordered a whole bunch to have one EVERY DAY~~~!!!

Mango is my fave fruit. Unfortunately, it's not good every day and the crops seem to be iffy in the past years. Also--expensive. But it was a delight to have it made up in a raw pie. Gosh.

I had wanted to order a raw cake for my birthday party (this Saturday, though my b.d. is during next week), the chocolate banana tiramisu, but it wasn't possible to have it shipped. I'd have to get it at their farmer's market event. Oh, well. Maybe some other Saturday.

I also have tried their chocolate pudding (no dairy, raw, vegan, fabulous, but pricey) and their Spinach Pesto (soooooooo yummy). I wish their farm or farmer's market was close by. I'd be dropping by weekly for stuff. They sell out fast at Whole Foods.

If you're ever in a place with Glaser Organic Farms mango fruit pie (or mamey, or pineapple), try it. Especially if, like me, you go nuts for mango.

Mmmmm.

Ever Eaten a Raw Fruit Pie? Ever Eaten Mamey Sapote?

If you answered no to one or both of the above questions, you're in for a treat.

If you can get hold of one at a Whole Foods near you, try the Glaser Organics raw fruit pies. I bought one because the colors were so fresh and beautiful--the intense deep pinkish orange of the mamey, the gold of the pineapple, the green of the kiwi. It was just a gorgeous looking pie.

And reading the ingredients was uplifting: all raw, all organic, all fruit and fruit juice and nuts. No white flour. No preservatives. No crap.

The one I bought was a Mamey Raw Fruit Pie. It has mamey, mango, pineapple, kiwi, dates, orange juice, bananas as well as almonds, pecans, walnuts and coconut (making up the really surprisingly delectable crust). Spices, too.

If eating raw tastes like this, sign me up for more raw gourmet food.

I'm gonna try their other flavors. I've already bought their spinach pesto raw sauce for pasta. (I'm so digging the Dreamfields lower-carb impact pasta. Hubby loves it, too.)

I try eating something raw at every meal and, ideally, at every snack. I figure that way I get the nutrients and enzymes undamaged. But I liked cooked food too much to be an all-raw enthusiast. (And I ain't eating raw meats of any kind ever!)

So, that's my food discovery for this week. Visit Glaser Organics site and see what other lovelies they have that you can order if your Whole Foods or organic gourmet shop doesn't carry this brand.

Try making one for yourself. Here's a beautiful array of raw food photos and recipes.

Happy healthful eating!
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