Review:: Whats for dinner? MorningStar Farms Meatless Crumbles...

Whats for dinner? 

MorningStar Farms Meatless Crumbles... 

So, last night I tried out the Morningstar farms crumbles in my pasta sauce....

How did it turn out? What do I think about them?  

Find out in my video journal::

Have you used the Morningstar Farms meatless crumbles? Please tell me how you used them and if you like them. If you have a recipe you like please share! 

If you are new to the meatless lifestyle, or if you are just looking incorporate a few meatless meals into your routine,  MorningStar Farms has a large assortment of meatless options, visit their website for more information:: https://www.morningstarfarms.com

 

My first vegan lasagna!

My first vegan lasagna! It was a hit! I knew it when our 7 year old daughter asked for seconds, then our 12 year old daughter asked for thirds!! And then my meat eating husband cleaned his plate! Yippee!

Recipe will be up soon! I need to perfect it! 

My first vegan lasagna!

 

So, a Vegan Walks Into a Steakhouse...

It’s been about 8 months since I made the transition to Vegan and I have been doing pretty good. It has been a much easier lifestyle change than I thought it would be. During this process, I have found the best way for me to maintain control is to prepare and eat my own food so, I often travel with a lunch box or snack bag. If I do eat out, I sometimes find I have to straddle the vegan/vegetarian line. I make it a point to frequent places I know are organic and vegan/vegetarian or, at the very least, I will seek out an establishment that is vegan/vegetarian friendly. Because I am a “stick to what you know” kind of girl, this means when I do eat out, I pretty much eat in the same places most of the time. This weekend was my husband’s birthday and the family was going out to dinner, whatever he wanted. He selected, a steak house.

I worried I may be facing a challenge bigger than Thanksgiving...but, not so much!!! My loving, awesome husband went straight to the restaurant website to check out the menu to make sure there were selections “I” could enjoy. Advance planning is really important, with the internet at our finger tips there are no excuses!

So, a vegan walks into a steak house and what does she select as her "steak?" A giant baked sweet potato, they even sprinkled it with cinnamon! I also had a large salad, corn, steamed broccoli and baby carrots. My meal was yummy and quite filling!

If you are thinking about making the transition to vegan, I would say you need to have an open mind and be willing to be a little bit flexible at times. Though my meal consisted of veggies, it was not totally vegan. I am sure the corn had real butter on it, but I saw no need to have a panic attack.  The point was I stepped out of my comfort zone and I was still successful at sticking to my new lifestyle. We all had a wonderful birthday dinner, my husband enjoyed his steak and I learned, you can actually be vegan and eat anywhere, even at the steakhouse!!!!! Unless, you are a vegan and an animal rights activist then... no not so much. I even enjoyed an amazing desert at a nearby frozen yogurt place, they had nondairy options!

My Sweet potato "steak" Dinner

Desert! Raspberry Pomegranate non dairy frozen "yogurt" topped with fresh pomegranate.

Are you thinking about making a transition to a plant based lifestyle, do you have any concerns about social eating?

Are you a former meat eater that transitioned to a plant based lifestyle? Was the process difficult? How did you handle social situations? 

Chat away in the comments I would love to hear from everyone!

My First Vegan Thanksgiving

I survived! I should have a tee shirt made! Even though I am completely committed to my new plant based life style, I was worried I might have a minor setback, after all I was going to be surrounded for the first time in months, by all the food I once loved and enjoyed all in one place all at the same time. Talk about sensory overload!

A Type A Vegan: Since making the transition I have limited myself to eating at home or taking my home cooked food with me, if I do eat out, I select the restaurants in advance making certain they have vegan options and since I am a creature of habit, I have spots that I frequent often. 

The Turkey’s are coming, the turkeys are coming! As some minor anxiety loomed, I did a little research, during my discussions with people that were like me, former meat eaters, now Vegan or Vegetarian, some admitted they failed the first time they were stuck in a meat - a - thon. Others said all that meat did not tempt them at all. For me it was a mixture of success and challenge. Let’s start with the positive; being only about 8 months into this process I must say I was pretty proud of myself. I was not tempted at all to taste or eat the meats that surrounded me, in fact a funny and unexpected thing happened to me, I became a little nauseous from the smell of the cooking meat and had to step out for a while. The former meat eating Christine would have been salivating!  

Now the confession: I did have a desire to "chew" something meat like (if that makes any sense) so my husband was ready, he made some baked fish and shrimp just in case I did want something else. When I first made the transition to a plant based lifestyle, I kept fish around as a part of my diet, then, when I was ready, I cut the umbilical cord. It was comforting to know it was there for me if I needed to turn to it. And, I found that I did so, I had a small serving of fish and a few shrimp on my Thanksgiving plate. The remainder of my plate consisted of wild rice and many assorted yummy veggie options. 

There's something different: Ah the post Thanksgiving bloat! I must say, I did not miss that Thanksgiving bloat that often results after the big eat and, I was still awake long after everyone else fell into the deep, deep tryptophan induced slumber. :) 

Success! I successfully avoided all the sugar loaded desserts and drinks, instead opting for my own stash of vegan baked goods and treats and sticking to water as my drink of choice. I also made sure I got my work out in and I juiced the morning and afternoon before dinner was served, so I was full and ate less. I don't drink alcohol so that was a non issue for me. Because all of the people I was surrounded by were well aware of my new lifestyle and why I adopted it, they are very supportive. In fact there was quite a bit of concern for my comfort (were there enough "Christine friendly" options no veggies cooked with meats etc.) and I appreciated that. Ultimately, I was very proud of the way I handled my first Thanksgiving as a Vegan. Bring on Christmas dinner, I am so ready! :)

How about you? Are you a new or seasoned Vegan/Vegetarian? How did you handle your very first Thanksgiving? What advice would you give me the next time I am tempted to reach for the fish as a pacifier? Leave your response in the comments; I would love to hear from you.

Read More http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2012/11/thanksgiving-for-special-diets.html#ixzz2DGkD7hjp

Cooking Thanksgiving Dinner? Don't Forget These Recipes for Guests with Special Diets

Read More http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2012/11/thanksgiving-for-special-diets.html#ixzz2DGkD7hjp

Cooking Thanksgiving Dinner? Don't Forget These Recipes for Guests with Special Diets

Read More http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2012/11/thanksgiving-for-special-diets.html#ixzz2DGkD7hjp