Vegetarian Menu for the Week

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When I mention to new acquaintances that I'm a vegetarian I usually hear, "Oh, that's nice," followed by a pause and then, "So what do you eat?" Others (you know who you are) accuse me of torturing and starving my poor meat-loving husband. In an attempt to defend myself, I offer below our meals for this coming week, as a sample of what vegetarian living (YUM-O!) looks like. 

SATURDAY: Enchiladas Verdes, homemade Mexican Rice

SUNDAY: Spicy (soy) Sausage, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, and Cumin-Cayenne Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

MONDAY: Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna and Salad

TUESDAY: Hearty Grain Soup with Beans & Greens, crusty French Bread

WEDNESDAY: Leftovers

THURSDAY: Sloppy Lentils over Rice or on Toasted Rolls

FRIDAY: Butternut Squash and Walnut Bow-Tie Pasta, Salad 

And, just to show I have a heart, today I made Blair a big-batch of turkey-chili (his choice - I would have used beef) and spicy Mexican cornbread topped with cheese for him to take for lunch the first part of the week.

I was in my kitchen today for almost 4 hours and I am DONE. But c'mon... admit it. The food sounds tasty. And 80% of it is vegan. (The enchiladas and red pepper lasagna are bringing me down. Both call for types of cheese for which I have yet to find a vegan substitute.)

If you're interested in some easy and good vegetarian recipes (and hey guess what - you don't actually have to be a vegetarian to make them!) check out the Engine2 Diet book. Everything I've made in there so far has been tasty. Vegetariantimes.com is also a great resource.

Bon appetit!

January 1 and Done

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The coveted MMJOD (Madmayo January One & Done) trophy. Join us next year and this could be yours!!!Our local running group, the MadMayo Runners, hosted a January 1st One & Done New Year's Day walk/run. We posted fliers around town but weren't sure what to expect. I was floored--and thrilled--to discover 18 people and 4 dogs gathered at the starting line. (I have to say, the dogs seemed a tad more psyched about the run then the people.) A smaller group came back to our home after the mega-event for coffee and snacks. Great way to kick off the year! Visit the MadMayo site for a full recap and photos of the run. 

My 2009 Recap is as follows: 

  • Miles Run = 1242.3
  • Miles Biked = 570.1
  • Yoga classes attended = 90
  • Weight Training Sessions = 66

Pounds lost - probably 0. But memories gained? Priceless... 

New Year's Resolutions for 2010

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Long time readers of this blog know that I LUV ME some New Year resolutions. Really, anything in list-format gets me excited and New Year resolutions are the mother of all lists. So without further adieu, here are my resolutions/goals/hopes/dreams for 2010:

REDUCE TV VIEWING. This is a carryover resolution from last year. It worked beautifully until about October, when we slid off the wagon. But we're back on and more strict than ever. We'll record So You Think You Can Dance, Glee, and Modern Family and watch back with no commercials. We're cutting out Biggest Loser (maybe- I waver on this) and Big-Bang Theory. Otherwise, no TV except to watch the occasional movie or football game (Blair) and absolutely no channel flipping. 

SOUP. Yes, you read that right. Soup. Soup is my goal for the new year. I have a Vita-Mix which is the world's coolest blender/food processor all in one and I want to start using it more. Specifically, I want to make healthy, homemade soups to eat before each meal, ideally filling myself up so I eat smaller portions at lunch and dinner. It's also a great way to get in my servings of vegetables, which I'm bad about eating. So, 2010- year of Soup. 

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Busted

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About a week ago, I had an hour to kill before meeting a new client. I hadn't had lunch and my stomach was growling as I slipped into a Starbucks. I was already drooling at the thought of treating myself to a "low-fat" blueberry muffin or--just maybe--one of their doughnuts that contain enough calories to feed a small village in India for a week. YUM.

As I'm rocking back and forth on my heels, peering into the goodie counter, I look up and across the room--directly into the eyes of my trainer who is watching me with a big-ass grin on his face. 

I walked over to where he was sitting. "Can you believe people actually eat the stuff they have in there?" I asked motioning to the display case and shaking my head in dismay. "Really, it's sad." 

"Uh-huh," he said. 

SO busted. I sighed and went back to the counter and ordered a grande decaf which, I have to say, was nowhere near as satisfying as a muffin or doughnut. Ben wouldn't have said anything if I had ordered the biggest muffin there, but it would have been hard to eat it, knowing I would be working out with him in a couple of hours. 

Busted and ego-bruising, but I didn't have to sweat off the extra 900 calories. Probably a fair trade.