Quinoa and Kale Pattiies

Quinoa and Kale Patties

 

 

Did you know that quinoa is nature's super food? It's fast-cooking, highly nutritious and protein packed. It contains a ton of fiber, is rich in magnesium and contains iron. It also helps to prevent heart disease by reducing high blood pressure and diabetes. It's also totally fool proof and it cooks in less than 15 minutes... Wow!

Ingredients:

2 1/2cups cooked quinoa
4 cups of kale
1/2 cup of chives
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp. of sea salt
2 Tbs of olive oil
3/4 cups of bread crumbs
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup of grated  Parmesan cheese
1/2 yellow onion


Directions:

Combine quinoa, eggs Parmesan, chives and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in skillet on medium heat then cook onions and garlic approximately 3 minutes. Add kale to the skillet and cook until kale is bight green and soft.

Add kale mixture to quinoa mixture, then add bread crumbs and stir to combine. Place clean skillet on medium heat and add enough oil to coat bottom of pan.

 Form patties using about 1/2 cup of quinoa mixture and place patties in skillet being careful not to overcrowd the pan.

Fry until golden brown on each side, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove patties and serve.

I usually add a little mustard on the top of my patties just to give them a little more flavor.

Day 43

That's me at the salad bar helping myself to a generous portion of edamame beans. That was during a day that I hadn't packed anything for lunch. So on my lunch break I headed for the salad bar at a nearby grocery store.

The pics below are from one of the days that was able to I pack a healthy, satisfying and nutritious lunch.

This is one of my favorite veggie sandwiches that I really enjoy. I use hummus, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers and sprouts.

On this particular day, I added 2 Nectarines for an afternoon snack and 1 Hard boiled egg and Blackberries for an afternoon snack.

 

 

It may seem like a lot of food, but when you're only eating fruits and vegetables, it's surprising how hungry you actually get. Until next time... 

My Week So Far

My oldest daughter surprised me with these containers that she bought from Ikea. For the past couple of months, I had been talking about buying a Bento box to pack my lunches for work. Once my daughter saw the $5.00 price tag, she figured these containers would work just as well. I couldn't agree more, especially since I now have 17 new containers to store not only my lunches in, but left over from dinners as well. Not bad for $5.00, huh? Okay, I couldn't wait to get started.

 

 

I started off  by making a spring mix salad with berries and pecans. I used romaine lettuce and a package of spring mix greens. To that I added strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges and pecans. During lunch, I topped it off with raspberry vinaigrette.

 

 

I also packed garlic hummus to dip the carrot sticks in which I planned to have for a midmorning snack. Then 2 fresh figs to snack on later in the day. Originally, I was also supposed to have boiled eggs with the salad, but I forgot to boil them. I already had some vegetables leftover in the fridge, so although I didn't have enough time to take a picture, I did end up having that with my salad instead. For me, the most important thing is to not still be hungry after meals. Better planning is certainly the key.

 

 

 And that's it! Lunch and snacks were packed and ready.

 

 

Daily Food Journal

Monday
Day 18

Breakfast - Oatmeal with honey, raisins, cinnamon and walnuts
Snack - Hot cup of green tea with honey /Carrot sticks dipped in hummus
Lunch - Spring mix salad with berries and pecans / included romaine, arugula, strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges, pecans and raspberry vinaigrette / On the side, garden vegetable medley with roasted potatoes, peas, red peppers and herbs
Snack - 2 Figs
Dinner - 1 Veggie burger with cheese / Baked sweet potato with butter
 

Tuesday

Day 19

 

Breakfast - Oatmeal with honey, raisins, cinnamon and walnuts

Snack - Hot cup of green tea with honey /Carrot sticks dipped in hummus

Lunch - Spring mix salad with berries and pecans / included romaine, arugula, strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges, pecans and raspberry vinaigrette / 2 Boiled eggs

Snack - 2 Fresh figs

Dinner - Leftover veggie stir fry on a tortilla wrap / 2 Oranges

 

Wednesday

Day 20

 

Breakfast - Oatmeal with blueberries, walnuts, honey and cinnamon

Snack - Strawberries / Hot cup of green tea with honey

Lunch - Tuna salad on whole wheat with romaine lettuce and tomatoes / pretzels

Snack - 2 fresh Figs

Dinner - Vegetable spring rolls, vegetable egg rolls /

vegetables on the side included carrots, snap peas, black beans and edamame in butter sauce  

Thursday

Day 21

 

Breakfast - Oatmeal with blueberries, walnuts, honey and cinnamon

Snack - 2 Hard boiled eggs

Lunch - Tuna salad on whole wheat with romaine lettuce and tomatoes / side of watermelon

Snack - 2 Fresh figs

Dinner - 1 Veggie burger on whole wheat bun with romaine lettuce, tomatoes and mozzarella.

Garden salad with mixed greens, romaine, spinach leaves, carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, peas and broccoli  

 

  

Friday

Day 22

 

Breakfast - Oatmeal with honey, raisins, walnuts and cinnamon

Snack - Hot cup of green tea with honey / 2 Fresh figs

Lunch - Tuna salad on whole wheat with romaine lettuce and tomatoes / Pretzels

Dinner - Baked haddock, western fries and chocolate cake. This was the first time that I went off my new eating pattern in 22 days so I don't feel guilty at all. I read once that it's okay to give in to a craving once in a while, that's why they call it 'treats.' Treats were never intended to eat on a daily basis, but to enjoy occasionally.   

A Heart Healthy Walk

This morning, I got up early and drove to a nearby park, It was before 7:00 and I was ready to walk. It's been at least a month since I laced up my sneakers and followed my favorite walking path and I can't tell you how much I missed it. I couldn't exercise when I was first released from the hospital because I was ordered to rest. Now that I'm feeling better, it's important that I start to get back into a regular exercise routine. I know that it's going to take more than just eating healthy to reverse these illnesses and I want to begin working out on a regular basis.

My schedule is a little crazy right now so I'll need to get creative. Oh and as far as my work out, well let's just say... I have to work my way to getting back to where I was before everything happened. And that's perfectly okay because I'm up for the challenge. Besides, next month is the walkathon and I really need to be prepared.

I took the above picture while I was walking. It was really cloudy and I was hoping that it wouldn't start to rain during the walk. Thankfully, it didn't actually start raining until a little later that morning. Thank you Lord!

Daily /Food Journal
 

Day 17

SONday

 
Breakfast - Oatmeal with honey, raisins, cinnamon and walnuts,
and a Hot cup of green tea with honey
Lunch - 1 Veggie burger with cheese / Vegetarian baked beans
Snack - 1 Blueberry muffin
Dinner - Stir fry veggie wraps with broccoli, carrots, spinach, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms /
and a side of watermelon

Fruits - 1
Veggies - 4 
Grains - Yes, Oatmeal
Beans - Yes
Daily Exercise - Walked around the park for over 1 mile - 40 minutes.
Notes - I'm just glad that I got out there and moved. Woohoo!!!

Update

I didn't have the chance to do a full post today, but I will journal what I ate today.  

 

Saturday - Day 16

Breakfast - Scrambled eggs with green peppers / 1  Slice of buttered toast
Hot cup of green tea with honey
Lunch - Green drink with Kale, pineapples, carrots and apples /
1 Slice of Arugula and tomato pizza

Snack- Pecans and fresh strawberries
Dinner - Baked sweet potato, vegetarian baked beans and fresh pineapple slices.

Are Fig Leaves Really A Natural Cure For Diabetes?

I've been doing a lot of research regarding my health and today, I'd like to share an article from Barbi Trejo. Barbi is a natural hygiene foodist and loves the medicine of the earth. After being diagnosed with MS and early onset dementia last year, she cured herself using herbs and juicing from the earth. She now spends her time helping others.

 

Fig Leaves Provide a Natural Health Remedy for Diabetes

Fig leaves are best known for treating diabetes, but there are many other uses for the fig leaves. There are many homemade remedies from treating diabetes to treating bronchitis, genital warts, liver cirrhosis, high blood pressure, skin problems and ulcers. Fig leaves are not used as much as they should be. Most of the remedies for the fig leaves use the sap or the milk of the sacred tree. Fig tinctures or poultices should be used immediately and fresh batches made daily.

The big news with the use of fig leaves is that they have anti-diabetic properties. The diabetic needs less insulin when on a treatment of using the fig leaf extract. The diabetic should take the extract with breakfast, first thing in the morning. An additional remedy is to boil the leaves of the fig in some freshly filtered waster and drink this as a tea.

Figs and Health:According to the USDA, figs are one of the highest sources of fiber and calcium. Figs have antioxidants and a laxative effect on the body. Figs contain fiber, magnesium, copper, manganese, calcium and vitamins A,B,C and K. Besides these vitamins, the figs also contain folic acid, sodium and zinc.

Benefits of the figs:

- Figs are rich in potassium and fiber, helping to stabilize the blood pressure of the body. The figs contain anti-diabetic and anti-tumor properties. They have calcium, potassium, and soluble fiber, which aids in the reduction of cholesterol.

- Figs promote good sleeping habits and protect the person against insomnia. They increase your energy, promote stronger bones, and are helpful in treating constipation, due to their laxative effect. If the leaves are mashed, they can be used as a skin cleanser for acne and pimples.

- Figs lessen the acids in the stomach and therefore are great for pregnant women. Figs also increase sexual desire and promote overall longevity and good health.

There are many varieties of figs and here are a few available in the market:The Calimyrna Fig has a nut like flavor and a golden skin. The Mission fig is dark purple and eventually will turn black when sun dried. The Kadota fig is the American type fig, which is nearly seedless and most often dried and canned. The Brown Turkey fig is seen most of the time in the fresh markets. This fig is copper colored in color with small streaks of purple and a white flesh.

Home Remedies using fig leaves:

- Bronchitis - Place two to three fig leaves in a half liter of water with some piloncillo and bring to boil. Let the water boil for 15 minutes and then remove the leaves and drink the tea.

- Cardiovascular and Cancer patients: Try drinking some freshly made fig leaf tea. Also, eat some fresh figs daily.

- Genital warts - Take one of the fig leaves and apply the milk or sap from the leaf to the affected areas.

- Hemorrhoid - Place two or three of the leaves in one liter of water and bring to boil. Boil for at least 15 minutes. Remove from the fire and let the pot cool. Remove the leaves from the tea and use as a sitz bath or apply to the affected areas.

- Liver cirrhosis - Take 4 leaves, wash them thoroughly and pound them with any type of sugar candy. Fill a medium glass with water and drink this twice a day.

- Lower blood pressure - Place 3 fig leaves in half liter of water. Boil for 15 minutes and drink daily.

- Ringworm - Cut open a leaf and take the milk or sap. Rub on the ringworm. This procedure works immediately.

- Scalp fungal infections, warts and boils - Follow the above directions.

- Shingles: Place three to four fig leaves in 2 cups of water. Boil for a few minutes, let cool and remove the leaves. Take a wash cloth and dip in the water and apply to the affected area.

- Ulcers - Every day chew two fig leaves and swallow the whole leaf. People with advanced ulcers should do this in the morning on an empty stomach.

Daily Food Journal

Day 15 / Friday, The Start of Week 3


Breakfast - Oatmeal with honey, raisins, cinnamon and walnuts
Snack - Strawberries / Hot cup of green tea with honey

I tried something different for lunch today.

Lunch - Rice bowl - included tofu, brown rice and broccoli
Snack - Cheese nips - Okay, the rice bowl didn't exactly fill me up. (Better planning is needed.)
Dinner - My dinner was very similar to the lunch that I had... only better. I tried stir fry for the first time and I really liked it. I used rice, spinach, broccoli, carrots, cherry tomatoes, garlic and mushrooms.

Daily Exercise -  My youngest bought me a new mop since I let her borrow the old one. You know, other than washing dishes, I haven't done any housework since I left the hospital two weeks ago. Well, that kind gesture inspired me to push myself off of the couch and clean the kitchen and bathroom. I kept taking breaks and cleaned in spurts, but I finally got it done.

Notes - Yup, you guessed it. I just added figs to my grocery list.

The Week So Far

Daily Food Journal

Day 11 - Monday
Breakfast - Oatmeal with honey, raisins, cinnamon and walnuts
Snack - Hot cup of green tea with honey / 1/2 a bag of pretzels from the vending machine
Lunch - Garden salad from the salad bar at the grocery store with mixed greens, spinach, carrots,
cherry tomatoes, edamame and mozarella  

Snack - The other 1/2 of the pretzels
Dinner - Veggie pizza on a tortilla wrap with spinach, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and mozzarella cheese / Side of watermelon

Day 12 Tuesday
Breakfast - Oatmeal with honey, raisins, cinnamon and walnuts
Snack - 1 Nectarine / Hot cup of green tea with honey
Lunch - Garden salad (salad bar at the grocery store)

Snack - 1 Nectarine
Dinner - Green drink with beets, collard greens, pineapple, apples, carrots and a little honey./
And 1 plain Garden veggie burger (no bun, cheese or condiments)
Snack - 1 Plum

Day 13 Wednesday
Breakfast - Oatmeal with honey, cinnamon, raisins and walnuts
Snack - 1 Plum
Dinner - Green drink with Beets, kale, carrots, apples and pineapple /
1 Plain Veggie burger, (No cheese, bun or condiments)

Day 14 Thursday
Breakfast - Oatmeal with honey, raisins, cinnamon and walnuts
Snack -1 Boiled egg / Hot cup of green tea with honey
Lunch - Barley and Azuki beans (frozen vegetables that included edamame, sweet potatoes, yellow carrots and cranberries) and also 1 plain Veggie burger (No bun, cheese or condiments)
Snack - 1 Boiled egg
Dinner - Green drink with Beets, kale, carrots, apples and pineapples / 2 Oranges on the side

Notes - Well, this is the end of my first  two weeks as a pescatarian. Shockingly, I don't even miss eating meat, although I know I'm really just getting started. However, one problem that I'm having is sometimes, when I'm searching the really small organic section at the grocery store for snacks, the fruit just doesn't look good. It brings me down a little because I just don't know what else to pack for work. I don't want to keep hitting the vending machine to get pretzels, which has already happened 4 times during this 2 week period. Granted, pretzels aren't as bad as the M&M's that I used to go for before this healthy lifestyle change, but eating them still isn't doing me any favors. Anyway, I headed to Pinterest for help and I've put together a few great ideas. I'm happy to say that next week the lunches and snacks that I pack for work will look a whole lot different. With better planning I won't have to worry making unhealthy choices and... no pretzels.

Day 10

It's getting late so I'll just post a quick update of the day. My father's 83rd birthday was last week. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to celebrate with him then because I was just coming home from the hospital. He really loves my lasagna so I baked a pan just for him. At first, I wasn't even going to eat any, but I decided to make half of the lasagna meatless. I wasn't sure how it would taste, but it was actually good. I just wish I had remembered to take a picture.



Day 10
SONday



Breakfast - Oatmeal with honey, cinnamon, raisins and walnuts
Lunch - Cabbage salad with red cabbage, romaine lettuce, carrots, apples and dried cranberries
with Raspberry vinaigrette
Snack - Yogurt with granola
Dinner - Meatless Lasagna
Snack - 1 peach and a few walnuts
Water Intake - 20 Oz bottle plus 1 glass
Fruits - 2
Veggies- 3
Grains - Yes, Oatmeal
Beans - Not today

A Motivational Story To Keep You Going

I found out about a walkathon that's being held in my neck of the woods next month. It's sponsored by the American Heart Association. The walk includes a quarter mile or 3 mile fitness walk through the park. I've never participated in a walkathon before so I'm hoping that I can actually make it through the entire 3 miles. I haven't exercised since I left the hospital last week so I only have one month to prepare my body for this challenge.

Today, the temperature reached almost 100 degrees so there was no way I was going outside to walk in that heat. I'm thinking that early tomorrow morning might be a better bet. I guess I'll play that one by ear.

I'd like to share a weight loss story with you that I found very motivating. I love how Pamela changed her eating habits and reversed her heart disease:
Pamela lost 113 pounds and kicked the extra pounds and her meds to the curb.




Name: Pamela Jackson
Age: 45
Location: Los Angeles
Height: 5’4”
Before: 260 lbs.
After: 147 lbs.

What was the turning point that prompted you to lose weight?

One day, at the age of 41, I walked past a mirror and thought, “I do not recognize myself anymore.” My healthy and happy self was trapped inside of a body that I wanted out of.

When did you start trying to lose weight?

The first time I remember trying to lose weight was in junior high. I was able to slim down by drinking weight-loss shakes or skipping meals. However, I soon gained the weight back plus more – by my mid-twenties, I was up to 260 pounds. I would try to lose 10 pounds for an event by using fad diets (lemonade cleanse, cabbage soup, or no-carb diets), but I would always gain the weight back right after the event. In August 2011, I decided to try again and not give up this time. I realized that losing and maintaining weight is a lifestyle change, not just a temporary diet.

How did you get started?

I decided to not go on another fad diet and instead educated myself on proper nutrition. I also decided that instead of staying in the office on my lunch break, I would get up and take a nice walk. At first, I could only walk for a block or two before feeling out of breath. By April 2013, I completed a 5k walk for autism!

What was your biggest challenge?

Portion control. In the past I would eat until I was really full and didn’t pay attention to how many calories I was consuming. Learning proper portion control and keeping a list of how many calories I was eating each day played a big part in my weight loss.

 

What’s your current exercise routine?

I enjoy walking and jogging. I continue to walk on my lunch break or after work. On weekends I walk and jog. I would love to start taking Zumba classes.
 

What’s your daily diet look like?

I love a high-protein breakfast (egg whites and lean meat) and a granola bar for my morning snack. For lunch I usually have a salad or a hearty soup. Greek yogurt and fruit is my favorite afternoon snack. Lean meat and veggies with a small amount of steamed rice or a baked potato is always a nice and easy dinner. I also make over my favorite recipes into healthier ones that I can cook at home.

How has losing weight changed your life?

It changed everything – from being able to breathe better to feeling better about myself. Because of my unhealthy weight and poor eating habits, I was placed on blood-pressure and heart-rate medication. As I lost the weight, the medicine was decreased and as of today, I’m off both medicines!

Do you have any advice for those trying to lose weight?

Yes! It does not matter how many times you have failed before, you only have to be successful once. Maintaining, however, is something you have to do for a lifetime – but success and happiness are much sweeter than any cupcake!

Day 9

Saturday
Breakfast - Oatmeal with honey, raisins, cinnamon and walnuts,
Lunch - Creamy tomato soup and a Seasonal Green Salad with arugula, romaine, kale and radicchio blend, tomatoes, and diced cucumbers mixed with reduced fat balsamic vinaigrette. 

Dinner - Homemade veggie pizza on a tortilla wrap with broccoli, cherry tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms and mozzarella cheese / A side of cantaloupe

Hubby's pizza actually looked better than mine, but I was trying to avoid using too much cheese.

It's okay because it turned out great! Homemade veggie pizza is delicious. My husband even loved it so we will definitely be making this again.

Snack - A handful of sliced almonds
Water Intake - 20 oz bottle / 2 glasses
Fruits - 1
Veggies- 9
Grains - Yes, Oatmeal
Beans - Not today

Notes- My oldest daughter and I had lunch at Panera Bread today while we were out running errands. It was really delicious, by the way and I loved that they had so many vegetarian options. 

Week 2, Bring It On

Well, I made it through my first week without any incidents. I didn't have meat, sweets, fried foods, coffee, soda, energy drinks and the list goes on and on. So far, my new lifestyle is a win, win and other than a few major adjustments at the grocery store, I'm Loving It!

I'm super excited to reach week 2. There are a few new recipes that I'm looking forward to trying and I'm hoping that I'll discover a few new favorites along the way. Unfortunately, the cabbage salad is a new recipe that I tried last week that I didn't care for. I'd never had red cabbage before so I had no idea that it would have such a strong, bitter taste. I know for a fact I'll never make that particular recipe again because even with the apples, dried cranberries and red raspberry vinaigrette, that bitter taste kept shining through with each mouthful. I'm still not going to rule out red cabbage just yet, I'm just hoping that one of these days, I'll find a better way to prepare it that works better for me. In the meantime, there's still a lot of it left so I'll continue to munch on it for meals here and there.


Day 8
Friday

Breakfast - Oatmeal with honey, raisins, cinnamon and walnuts,
Snack - Hot cup of green tea with honey / 2 Oranges
Lunch - Cabbage salad with red cabbage, romaine lettuce, carrots, apples and dried cranberries with Raspberry vinaigrette / Pretzels from the vending machine at work
Snack - 2 more Oranges
Dinner - Tropical Smoothie Café / Cantaloupe

Water Intake - 20 Oz bottle plus 1 glass
Fruits - 2
Veggies- 3
Grains - Yes, Oatmeal
Beans - Not today

Notes - We had dinner out tonight. I was trying to choose a place that had healthier options, but it was my daughter that suggested that I try Tropical Smoothie Café. I'd had smoothies there in the past, but had never tried their food so I was curious. The thing that I really liked was that all the chicken dishes on their menu could be replaced with tofu. I ended up ordering a King Caesar wrap with tofu instead of chicken. It was good, but I also knew that it was incredibly fattening. Note to self... make it your mission to locate healthier spots in the area.

Day 6 and Day 7

I'm not sure how I forgot to publish this post from yesterday, but somehow I ended up saving it as a draft instead of sharing it with everyone. To clear up any confusion, I'll just combine day 6 along with day 7 which will follow.

Day 6
Wednesday

Breakfast - Oatmeal with honey, cinnamon, raisins and walnuts
Snack - Strawberries / Green tea with honey
Lunch - Leftover baked haddock with spinach /
Cabbage salad with red cabbage, romaine lettuce, carrots, apples and dried cranberries with Raspberry vinaigrette
Snack - Pretzels (From the vending machine at work)
Dinner - Green drink w/ collard greens, carrots, apples and pineapple /More cabbage salad

Water Intake - 20 oz. bottle of water
Fruits - 3
Veggies- 5
Grains - Yes, Oatmeal
Beans - Not today
Daily Exercise - Exercise is against doctors orders for now, having just left the hospital.

Notes - I wasn't happy about having the pretzels, but I didn't have enough time this morning to slice up the watermelon before I left for work. Tomorrow, I'll get up a little earlier.

The End of Week 1

Day 7
Thursday

Breakfast - Oatmeal with honey, cinnamon, raisins and walnuts
Snack - Strawberries / Hot cup of green tea with honey
Lunch - Leftover baked Haddock with spinach / side of watermelon
Snack - The rest of my strawberries
Dinner - Cabbage salad with red cabbage, romaine lettuce, carrots, apples and dried cranberries
with Raspberry vinaigrette / 2 Oranges on the side

Water Intake - 20 Oz bottle plus 1 glass
Fruits - 4
Veggies- 4
Grains - Yes, Oatmeal
Beans - Not today
Daily Exercise - Exercise is against doctors orders for now, having just left the hospital.

Notes - I am so pumped up having finished my first week as a pescatarian!

Switching from Coffee to Green Tea

Okay, I confess, I was a little nervous about replacing my daily cup of java with a hot cup of green tea in the mornings, but I have to admit, it was a pretty painless transition. What surprised me the most is I find that I have more energy from drinking tea than I ever had with coffee... Seriously. Not to mention, the calming effect I immediately feel from taking those slow, relaxing sips is almost therapeutic. I no longer have to leave the house 15 minutes early for work anymore just to allow myself time to stop at the store to buy it. Needless to say, I avoid the hassle of standing in line and I'm also saving a ton of money since I'm no longer wasting it on such an unhealthy addiction. You may not realize it, but those daily dollars really add up. Now, I keep a box of green tea, honey and a package of disposable cups with lids in my desk drawer at work. I start making my tea before I even fire up my computer. Don't worry, I'm always early so there's more than enough time to spare.

There are also apparently a lot of benefits to drinking green tea on a regular basis. Green tea has a potent antioxidant that actually lowers your risk of breast cancer. That same anti-cancer agent slows the aging process. It's been found to protect neurons against dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Studies have shown that regular tea drinkers have lower body fat, lower cholesterol, and improved blood pressure readings than non tea-drinkers. Tea has also been shown to be a good way to control or suppress appetite, which can have a big role in healthy eating. Green tea has also been shown to have anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties, lowering the risk of infections and improving dental health, while coffee stains on teeth are sticky, and are said to attract food particles and bacteria.

So even if you don't have any intentions of making the switch, it'd be great to enjoy an occasional cup of this healthy alternative every now and then.

Day 5 
Tuesday

Breakfast - 3 Scrambled eggs
Snack - Strawberries / Hot cup of Green tea with honey
Lunch - Baked haddock with spinach / A baked sweet potato with butter

Snack - 2 Plums
Dinner - Carrot drink w/carrots, apples and pineapple /
Cabbage salad w / red cabbage, romaine lettuce, carrots, apples, dried cranberries and almonds

Water Intake - 20 oz bottle
Fruits - 5
Veggies- 5
Grains - Not today
Beans - Not today
Daily Exercise - Exercise is against doctors orders for now, having just left the hospital.

Notes - Unfortunately, I missed blogging yesterday, but all continued to go well. I tried a new recipe that turned out great. One of these days, I'll post the recipe.

Day 3

Today, I made veggie tacos for dinner. It was the first time that I tried making them myself. I got this recipe from my oldest daughter. I love that it's super simple and delicious. If you're interested in something easy to throw together for dinner, this one's a winner. I started off by using some veggie crumbles.

Then I sliced a few tomatoes and the veggie cheese and chopped a little lettuce. 

After the vegetables were sliced and diced, I sautéed the crumbles in a little bit of oil for a few minutes.

Instead of using the regular taco shells, I used tortilla taco boats. Once the veggie crumbles were ready, I scooped some of it inside of the boat.

Then, I added a layer of lettuce on top.

 

I followed that with a layer of tomatoes then a layer of cheese.

Then they are ready to bake in the oven for about 15 minutes.

I had a baked sweet potato with my taco... yum.

Day 3
SONday

Breakfast - 3 Scrambled eggs with 1/2 green pepper,
and a hot cup of green tea with honey
Lunch - Green drink with kale, carrots, pineapple and apples /
Garlic hummus sandwich on whole wheat with lettuce and tomatoes
Dinner - 1 Veggie Taco with lettuce, tomatoes and veggie cheese /
Baked sweet potato with butter
Snack - 1 Orange

Energy Level - 7
Water Intake - 4 cups
Fruits - 3
Veggies- 6

Daily Exercise - Exercise is against doctors orders for now, having just left the hospital.
Program To Keep Me Motivated- Olympics (NBC)
I really love seeing the gymnasts perform. They are in such awesome shape.

Notes - Today was a good day. I had lots of veggies and it felt so good to fill my body with healthy, organic food. Until tomorrow...