Rant

I had a rant that I posted on our couple's blog on my protein intake. Check it out!

All that Says "Vegetable" is NOT Healthy

This Sunday at church, the G.A.'s (Girls in Action) had a bake sale to raise money for missions. So, we all brought baked goods: sweets, casseroles, other baked delights. I brought Mexican cornbread. (Of course, I made another one for us... David would have never let me give one away otherwise).

However, by the time I got down to the fellowship hall.....most of the goodies were long gone. There was seemingly a casserole with my NAME ON IT!!
It was labeled "Vegetable Casserole".... which is probably why it was still there.
I thought, "Yeah, great!!" I put my money down......then, I asked the elusive question: "What's in it?!"

That said, the baker told me:
-A can of Veg-All (mix veggies)
-2 cups of shredded cheese
-Several cups of mayonaise
-A box of Ritz crackers

It occurred to me, that I was bringing home an artery clogger labeled "Vegetable Casserole." I shouldn't be surprised...it's the South.

The 4 Food Groups are: Lard, Oil, Butter, and Mayo.....

Side Note: My husband loved this dish & asked if I could make more veggie stuff like that...b/c it was so good. I apologized in advance of the lack of this new dish on our menu.

But it's free

A funny thing happened over Memorial Day weekend (I know...I've neglected this blog).

We were with a group of friends eating out at an unmentioned popular steakhouse. I ordered a bloomin' onion & a wedge salad. The waiter brought me a wedge salad & a slab of roast. I told him I didn't order the roast....He said, "Well, don't worry about it...I won't charge you for the steak!" I looked at him & said, "But I don't want it at all...I'm a vegetarian." He apologized & immediately took it back.
My friends thought I was crazy...b/c one of them would have gladly taken the bullet for me & gobbled it down.

However, honesty is always the best policy. The manager came out with my correct order, apologized again, and said the bill was on her that night. So, I enjoyed my lovely meal...with smiles all around.

Advice for the Pregnant Veggie

So, I get a lot of unsolicited advice from people all the time about being/handling pregnancy and children....now, that I'm expecting.... especially on issues of my being a veggie.

One lady asked, "How are you going to get enough protein for the baby without eating meat?" I told her the same way I get it now.....through food!! LOL

Even my husband has been telling me that he was going to mince some meat up & put it in the baby's bottle when it gets here. I told him that he could change those diapers!!LOL

Finally one more humorous note:
One guy at church said, "You need to eat meat...or your baby will be born naked!"

What to Eat at a Fish Fry

Sadly, it was a small affair without many trimmings. So, Sunday night..I ate a lonely plate of french fries... and a roll. It was "carb-arific." Thankfully, the fries were at least baked in the oven. For that I can be grateful. I was sad that not even coleslaw was in sight.Has anyone heard of having a salad with a meal?

Note to self: Always bring salad trimmings to cook-outs!!

I did however chow down on a few bites of real food, when I got home. Applause for my husband that microwaved some leftovers for me... as I was winding down for the evening.

Sloppy Joes

I made a vegetarian sloppy joe last week.....that was incredible. I'll post the pic of the box, when i get a chance!

Meatless Fajitas

I must admit, I get the strangest looks...when I order some things without meat.
Last week, I ordered fajitas without meat.....after explaining it to the waitress... she came back b/c the cook was confused. I had to explain again: yes, I want just the onion & peppers... with all the fixings.

Temptations.....
A few days ago, David brought home some fried chicken. Thus far, fried chicken has been the only temptation. Good thing it's a greasy, totally bad-for-you food.....otherwise, I would have given in a LONG time ago!!

Scary Seminar Food

Sorry, I’ve been quiet for a while……. Life gets busy.
I’ve officially been a vegetarian for over 6 months now…..and quite frankly, it’s easy as pie.
I know just about what to order at what restaurants/where to buy my veggie meal stuffs/and how to cook for both me and my carnivorous husband. I’ve only found myself craving meat on 2 occasions. Thankfully, the thought of my stomach’s reaction to “giving in” kept me on track. I would be as sick as a dog if I attempted a meaty concoction.

I recently went to a seminar and was asked in the application if I had any special dietary needs. I submitted that I was a vegetarian. I was pleased that they did indeed have a special meal for me……..however, the selection seemed “challenged” at best.

One meal included a pimento & cheese sandwich (I think they freaked on this one & ran to the gas station & grabbed the only thing they could find)
Another a salad with what seemed to be the leftover sandwich trimmings… yet tossed on steamed broccoli & cauliflower….(yeah, that one confused me too)..
The last meal….I guess was too forgettable for me to even recall….

Thankfully, I was prepared with a few granola bars stuffed in my bag to save the day.

While some places/people have caught on to this new wave, it seems there is still a big learning curve for a vast majority.

5k

Well, we did it…… we finished our Valentines 5k.
It was a perfect day for a fun run. There was a nice breeze, a slight chill in the air, and the sun was shining brightly. As a plus, everyone was given sweatshirts to commemorate the event. David ran in his…….and then, we both wore them around town. There is an unwritten rule that says: “you can only wear race paraphernalia while running/on race days”…We looked like the huge dorks that we are….wearing matching sweatshirts around Memphis all day.

Thankfully, we were able to hit up some of our favorite places. Of course, Whole Foods is a must. I load up on foods that aren’t available in our one horse town. The best part was spending some quality time with our friend, Anna. She’s an accountant……so, leaving town right now is not an option. Since we were there, she took Saturday afternoon off & goofed around with us. It was fabulous. We had already had a special dinner together last Thursday…..so, we passed on the crazy crowded restaurants.

Never underestimate what exercise, good food, and great friends can do for the soul.

Superbowl Cookout

We went over to some friends for some Superbowl entertainment Sunday night. We had a blast just laughing & munching on some food. Sadly, the guys had some issues with the grill & my veggie burger paid the burnt price.

I think next time... the girls are doing the cooking!!

Running/Blogging Hiatus

Well, I was doing good with my running.......until the crud hit me at Christmas. I took nearly a month off of running. It's easy to forget how the asthma makes you so vulnerable to lung infections. It's been well over a year since I've even had to use my inhaler. Well, for the last two weeks, I have started back. It was not fun, but I'm glad I pushed through it. I ran 35 minutes last night. I need to bump it up to 45 by next week. David & I are doing a 5k for Valentines. I missed my first 5k goal for January (for above reasons). So, I'm kicking my butt in gear to get ready for it.

My running partner, Debi, has taken a running break because of some knee problems. Faithfully though, she pushed through it & ran with me last Monday. That helped start the week off on a good note. So, the self-motivation is the hardest part. It's easy when you're keeping yourself accountable to someone else. David has continued to run with me on the weekends. It's nice to get outside & breathe in the frosty air. While running is still not "fun," I do enjoy the social aspects of it. I enjoy being silly & venting with a girlfriend.....or just spending time with my goofy husband.