Tuesday, 12/31/13 - Happy New Year's Eve!

Breakfast: Mixed fruit

Lunch: Picked at and tasted the food I was making for New Year's Eve dinner!

Amazingly Delicious Dinner:

Refried Black Beans
Spicy Cilantro Lime Rice
Taco Filling
Baked Tortilla Chips
Guacamole
Jalapeno Corn Salsa
Cheeze Sauce
Vegan Sour Cream
Fresh salsa
Romaine
Tomatoes

Champagne

Monday, 12/30/13

Sometimes the simplest food is the best.  I had some leftover spaghetti from dinner last night, and some leftover cheeze sauce.  So, for lunch, I cut up the spaghetti, stirred in the cheeze sauce, heated them up, and topped them with fresh salsa.  So good!  

For dinner, I had my favorite chickpea salad, using up leftover chickpeas.  I love that salad!  I spiced up the greens with some fresh salsa from the store.  It's pathetically pale but tasted great!


Breakfast: Cacao Wake-up Shake

Lunch: Tinkyada brown rice spaghetti, with Cheeze Sauce, and fresh salsa

Dinner: Chickpea Salad on spring mix with carrots and fresh salsa

Sunday, 12/29/13

Breakfast: Nick's Yummy Instant Pot Oatmeal with black cherries; watermelon, honeydew, pineapple, and cantaloupe

Lunch: Simple Potato Soup

Dinner: Vegetable Lo Mein, watermelon, grapes

Wednesday, 12/25/13 through Saturday, 12/28/13

 I was out of town for a few days and didn't take pictures of my food while I was away, so I'm just putting everything together as one post.

Highlights of the trip were that I felt well enough physically to go, and well enough emotionally to really enjoy it!  My attitude is so much different than it used to be, and I'm so much more accepting and tolerant.  I can't believe the petty stuff I used to get upset over!

I also ate well and wasn't tempted by all of the SAD food surrounding me.  I didn't feel sick from too much rich food, and I'm not worried that I packed on the pounds over the holidays.

I distinctly remember reading someone's FB post at the end of last year, saying what an amazing year 2012 was and how she could hardly wait for 2013.  I still remember feeling so astounded that anyone could actually be so enthusiastic.  I know that sounds cynical, but I honestly was so down, sick, and in pain that I wasn't looking forward to anything except for surviving another day.  Today, I can say that I really am looking forward to 2014!


Wednesday, 12/25/13

Breakfast: Oatmeal with blueberries

Lunch:  Vegan Swedish "Meatballs"; Mashed Potatoes, Vegan Chocolate Truffles

Dinner: Buffalo Potato Wedges, Ranch Dressing, celery,



Thursday, 12/26/13

Lunch:  Baked Potato Wedges, salad, Ranch Dressing 

Dinner:  Mac & Cheeze, wine



Friday, 12/27/13

Lunch: Mac & Cheeze, salad, ranch dressing 

Dinner: Baked Potato Wedges, cheeze sauce, salad, ranch dressing



Saturday, 12/28/13

Breakfast: Baked Potato Wedges,cheeze sauce

Lunch: Salad, balsamic vinegar, salsa, apples, baked tortilla chips, vegan spinach dip, hummus, wine

Dinner: Vegan Swedish "Meatballs", Mashed Potatoes, grapes, pineapple, & honeydew melon, wine

Tuesday, 12/24/13

Had a great Christmas Eve!  No pictures, since I can only take so many pictures of my oatmeal, and lunch and dinner were eaten out.  Very thankful to have a sane holiday...surrounded by cakes and cookies and rich foods, and not tempted by any of them!


Breakfast: Nick's Yummy Instant Pot Oatmeal with blueberries

Lunch:  Mac and Cheeze, Mashed Potatoes, Roasted cauliflower, carrots, onions, and parsnips with balsamic vinegar

Dinner:  Mac and Cheeze, hummus, carrots, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Fruit Salad

Monday, 12/23/13

 I'm still feeling a little under the weather today.  I made a warming potato soup for lunch. Someone gave us two nice heads of Napa Cabbage, so Nick made a stir-fry for my dinner.  It was delicious!


Breakfast: Cacao Wake-up Shake

Lunch: Simple Potato Soup,   Baked French Fries, Ranch Dressing

Dinner: Nick's Napa Cabbage Stir-fry (napa cabbage, spinach, carrots, celery, ginger, garlic, tamari), ginger tea

Sunday, 12/22/13

I'm was feeling kind of run down again today, with a slight sore throat and heavy chest.  I'm not getting enough sleep and there's been a few extra doses of stress around here.  I love the Christmas season in so many ways, and I certainly love the reason for the season.  Still, it's overstimulating for the kids; they're on sugar overload with Santa throwing candy at them from the firetruck, and Christmas parties at school.  I've opted out of many Christmassy things to do, but it's still too much for them, which affects all of us.  I'll be glad when it's over with and I can calm down and get back into a routine.

That said, I ate a delicious midnight snack tonight!  I know, I know...it's the worst time to eat, and I wouldn't be hungry if I went to bed at a decent hour.  But, I ate it, and I enjoyed every single bite.  :)  Nick made it for me, and I didn't take a picture, but it was pretty with the red lettuce, cabbage, and tomatoes, and the green lettuce and pickles.  Hey, Christmas colors!  That's it!  It was my Christmas treat.  It was better than eating red and green Christmas cookies, right?  :P

Oh, and my 7yo son, "E" made my salad for me.  He spun the lettuce, washed the cherry tomatoes, and arranged them around the outside of the salad, with one lone tomato in the center.  It was a sweet gesture.  Afterwards, I tried to remember if he'd washed his hands first because I know where those hands have been!  I felt kind of sick just thinking about it, and tried to push it out of my mind!  lol


Breakfast:  Mixed fruit, ginger tea

Lunch: Chili, Cheeze Sauce; brown rice (not pretty by any means, but extremely tasty!)

Chili, Cheeze Sauce, Brown Rice

Dinner: Salad by E (spring mix, cherry tomatoes), Carrot Soup, Baked Sweet Potato Fries; Ranch Dressing

Salad by E

Carrot Soup

Sweet Potato Fries

Midnight Snack: Ezekiel Toast with Ranch Dressing, field greens, red cabbage, tomatoes, dill pickles

Saturday, 12/21/13 - Winter!

Breakfast: Banana, clementines

Lunch: Spinach Quiche, clementines

Dinner: Spicy Sweet Potato Soup, Baked Sweet Potato Wedges, Salad,Ranch Dressing

Spicy Sweet Potato Soup - Soooo delicious!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries - Yum!!

Salad with fresh greens from a local organic farm

I couldn't resist taking a close-up.  Isn't it gorgeous??

Friday, 12/20/13

I woke up feeling so much better than yesterday!  I went to my daughter's holiday breakfast at her school.  Huge, huge blessing.  It's the first time I've ever been to any of her school functions!  Nick attended every other event they've had and took pictures, because I was never well enough to go.

After that, we stopped at my son's school to drop off some goodies for his holiday party, and we stayed and talked to some of the staff for quite awhile.  We ran home, ate a quick lunch, and then went Christmas shopping for the next two hours.

I was tired afterwards, but the pain wasn't unbearable.  I really believe that I'm going to get my life back!



Breakfast:  Cacao Wake-up Shake

 Lunch: Macaroni Salad, cherry tomatoes, clementine

Dinner: Spinach Quiche

Thursday, 12/19/13 - Six Months!!

Six months!


Breakfast: Nick's Yummy Instant Pot Oatmeal with strawberries and pineapple
 

Lunch: Chili; Cheeze Sauce, apple

Oops!  Forgot to take a picture!  :)



Dinner: Spicy Sweet Potato Soup; Macaroni Salad

Sweet Potato Soup

Macaroni Salad with cherry tomatoes

Wednesday, 12/18/13

Breakfast:  Cacao Wake-up Shake

Lunch:  Potato Corn Chowder

 

Dinner: Cheezy Chili Fries: Baked Chili Cheeze Fries with diced red onion, halved grape tomatoes ~ SOOOO good!!!

Tuesday, 12/17/13

Breakfast: Nick's Yummy Instant Pot Oatmeal with strawberries and blueberries

Lunch: Hummus, carrots, apple

Dinner: Potato Corn Chowder;  Cornbread Muffins

Monday, 12/16/13

Breakfast:  Nick's Yummy Instant Pot Oatmeal, served with blueberries and strawberries (I forgot to take a picture, so this is an old picture when I had it with blueberries only)

Lunch: Chipotle Chickpea Salad: Mashed cooked chickpeas with diced celery and carrots, chipotle, and mayo, served over a salad of romaine, cucumber, carrots, and cherry tomatoes.  Spicy and delicious!

Dinner: Roasted Carrot Sticks with Hummus; Swedish Meatballs & Gravy

Roasted Carrot Sticks and Hummus

Roasted Carrot Sticks

Swedish "Meatballs" and Gravy

Sunday, 12/15/13

Breakfast: PD Baked Potato Wedges, PD Chipotle Mayo

Lunch: PD Greek Salad

Dinner: Swedish "Meatballs" and Gravy over PD Not So Fat So Mashed Potatoes

Saturday, 12/14/13

I'm still craving cauliflower, so I made another gratin with a different sauce.  I thought that I'd choose a favorite between this one and yesterday's gratin, but I really liked both of them equally.  They were both great!  


Breakfast:  Zucchini Bread

Lunch: Cauliflower Gratin, Take Two

Dinner: Baked Potato Wedges with Cheeze Sauce

Friday, 12/13/13

I slept for five hours today!  I guess I needed the sleep.  Thankfully, I think that I'm on the mend.  

When I woke up, I wanted cauliflower and broccoli!  I roasted both of them and then turned the cauliflower into Cauliflower Gratin.  With the broccoli, I just roasted it plain, the same way I roasted the cauliflower - 425 degrees for 10 minutes, stir, and then roast for an additional 15 minutes.  I loved it, by itself and with mayo and chipotle.  I'm really enjoying more and more veggies, just as they are!


Breakfast: Oatmeal with Blueberries, Banana, and Apples

 

Dinner:  Roasted Broccoli with mayo and chipotle; Cauliflower Gratin, satsumas