January Healthy Eating

[Selkie]

Saturday - 

Breakfast - Watercress with mixed greens and microgreens. Breakfast bowl with papa de rola beans, oats, apricots, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, apple, pear, pomegranate, lemon zest, mulberries, goji berries, goldenberries, black walnuts, flax, chia, hemp, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, soy milk.

Lunch - Mixed lettuces. Whole grain pita with falafel, cucumber, scallions, tomatoes, edamame.

Dinner - A bowl of Italian Greens & Beans soup and some raw and sprouted buckwheat and flax seed crackers from Tracy’s Real Foods.

[Jean in Newcastle]

 

Saturday

133 🌈 

breakfast- keto blueberry cinnamon nut granola, coconut yogurt, bone broth 

lunch -  scrambled eggs with onions, mushrooms and mixed greens, 1/2 flaxseed muffin, chocolate squares

snack- mixed fruit cup with peach, pineapple and pears 

dinner- was at a party where I couldn’t eat most things- had a small bowl of gf df corn chowder, had some cucumbers, cherry tomatoes 

At home I had eggs, gf toast with peanut butter and apple butter 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Sunday 

did not eat the rainbow 🌈 had a fibromyalgia/adrenal collapse  

breakfast- keto blueberry cinnamon nut granola, coconut yogurt, bone broth 

lunch -  scrambled eggs with onions, mushrooms and mixed greens, 1/2 flaxseed muffin, chocolate squares

snack- flaxseed brownie bite 

dinner- -  scrambled eggs with onions, mushrooms and mixed greens, 1/2 flaxseed muffin, chocolate squares

[Selkie]

Sunday - 

I cooked up a storm today. The fridge and freezer are filled with food for the week - all kinds of prepped fruits, veggies, greens, cooked beans, etc. I also made a double or triple batch of everything for tonight’s dinner, so we should be set for another couple nights. (Anyone else like to listen to nutrition nerd podcasts while you cook? Two of my favorites are the Physicians’ Committee for Responsible Medicine Exam Room and Chef AJ Live.)

Breakfast - Watercress with mixed greens and microgreens. Breakfast bowl with soybeans, oats, pomegranate, apricots, fig, sour cherries, apple, Asian pear, dragon fruit, blueberries, passion fruit, lemon and lime zest, mulberries, goji berries, goldenberries, walnuts, almonds, flax, chia, hemp, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, soy milk.

Lunch - Kale. Veggie sandwich with whole grain pita, edamame, cucumbers, tomato, scallions, carrot, mushrooms, cashew mayo, mustard, sriracha. Two mandarins.

Dinner - I made Monkey and Me’s Vegan Spicy “Chicken” Patty, which is their ultra healthy WFPB take on Wendy’s spicy chicken sandwich.  I have no clue how much these actually taste like Wendy’s sandwiches, but they are good. Ingredients are chickpeas, brown rice, oats, flaxseed, coconut aminos, tahini, veggie broth, nutritional yeast, panko, lots of spices. Also had Buffalo Brussels Sprouts (from the Esselstyn’s cookbook) and baby purple potatoes roasted with nutritional yeast and spices.

[Harriet Vane]

Breakfast--granola with soy milk

Dh and I picked up french fries while running around after church. The irony is that just yesterday I was resolving to carry a packed snack bag when I leave the house to be on the safe side, and then didn't even think of it in the rush this morning.

Lunch--leftover spring roll wraps (pork, cabbage, carrot, green onion). Homemade and so yummy.

Dinner--The last of the glorious lemon-chicken soup. Later a pear and some mixed nuts.

[Faith-manor]

Sunday - we slept in. Boiled eggs and usual morning coffee.

Lunch - Baked potatoes, roasted green beans and carrots, roasted chicken breast, salads, and an orange.

Supper - we still felt full so we had a few tortilla chips with bean dip and nothing else.

[Selkie]

Monday - 

Breakfast - Watercress with mixed greens and microgreens. Breakfast bowl with papa de rola beans, oats, kiwi, dragon fruit, pomegranate, apple, Asian pear, passion fruit, fig, sour cherries, apricot, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, lemon zest, mulberries, goji berries, goldenberries, black walnuts, flax, chia, hemp, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, soy milk.

Lunch - Mixed greens. Whole grain pita with roasted eggplant, beets, mushrooms, cucumber, tomato, scallions, edamame, cashew mayo, mustard. Two mandarins.

Dinner - Same as last night - spicy chickpea/brown rice/oat burger with buffalo Brussels sprouts, and roasted purple potatoes.

[Faith-manor]

Toast and orange juice

Soup and salad

Scrambled eggs with vegetables and polenta

[Eos]

My 2 day road trip brought coffee, a lot of espresso, delicious dal, rice, a samosa, kofta, an almond croissant, and some terrible hummus and crackers.  Arrived home to eat a delicious rainbow salad with lime juice then bed.

[Eos]

This is very interesting to me - an article in today's Washington Post about timing of meals.  This science makes all kind of intuitive sense to me.  I've copied and pasted here to avoid the paywall but OMG I apologize for the insane formatting!

Most people know that what and how much you eat plays a major role in your health. But scientists are finding that when you eat can make a difference as well.

Studies show that for optimal health, it’s best to consume most of your calories earlier in the day rather than later — for example by eating a large breakfast, a modest lunch, and a small dinner.

This pattern of eating aligns with our circadian rhythms, the innate 24-hour clock that governs many aspects of our health, from our daily hormonal fluctuations and body temperatures to our sleep-wake cycles.

Because of the way our internal clocks operate, our bodies are primed to digest and metabolize food early in the day. As the day progresses, our metabolisms become less efficient. Studies show that a meal consumed at 9 a.m. can have vastly different metabolic effects than the same meal consumed at 9 p.m.

 

The study of meal timing

This emerging field of research, known as chrono-nutrition, represents a paradigm shift in how nutrition researchers think about food and health. Instead of focusing solely on nutrients and calories, scientists are increasingly looking at meal timing and discovering that it can have striking effects on your weight, appetite, chronic disease risk and your body’s ability to burn and store fat.

“This is something that until recently no one in nutrition had looked at — it’s always been what are you eating, and what’s the energy content of your food or the carbohydrates, protein and fat,” said Marta Garaulet, a professor of physiology and nutrition at the University of Murcia in Spain who studies meal timing and its effects on obesity and metabolism.

In today’s busy world, it’s common for people to skip breakfast and binge at night after a long day at work. Researchers say that whenever possible it would be better to do the opposite — or at least to space your dinner a few hours from your bedtime.

 

 

Garaulet has found in her research that even in her native Spain, which is famous for its late-eating culture, people who typically eat a large midday lunch and a light dinner develop fewer metabolic problems than people who consume a lot of nighttime calories.

“In Spain our main meal is in the middle of the day, from 2 to 3 p.m.,” she said. “We eat 35 to 40 percent of our calories in the middle of the day. And even though we eat dinner late, we don’t eat very much.”

A big breakfast and a light dinner

When you eat your meals is just one of many dietary factors that can influence your metabolic health. And for some people, like night-shift workers, it’s impossible not to consume meals late at night.

But for those whose schedules permit, research suggests that having your biggest meal of the day in the morning or afternoon rather than at night could be beneficial.

 

 

In a new study published in Obesity Reviews, scientists looked at data from nine rigorous clinical trials involving 485 adults. They found that people who were assigned to follow diets where they consumed most of their calories earlier in the day lost more weight than people who did the reverse. They also had greater improvements in their blood sugar, cholesterol levels and insulin sensitivity, a marker of diabetes risk.

In another study published in Cell Metabolism in October, scientists recruited a group of adults and examined what happened when they followed an early eating schedule for six days. The schedule included breakfast at 8 a.m., lunch at noon, and dinner at 4 p.m.

 

On a separate occasion, they had the same participants follow a late-eating schedule, with each meal pushed back four hours over a six-day period. The study was small but tightly controlled, involving 16 people who were closely monitored, provided all their meals, and kept on a strict sleep and wake schedule in a laboratory setting.

The researchers found that despite eating the same foods and maintaining the same levels of physical activity, the participants were significantly hungrier when they followed the late-eating schedule.

 

A look at their hormone levels showed why: Eating later caused their levels of ghrelin, a hormone that increases appetite, to spike, while simultaneously suppressing their levels of leptin, a hormone that causes satiety.

 

The study found that eating later caused the participants to burn less fat and fewer calories, and pushed their fat cells to store more fat.

“To our surprise we found that these mechanisms were all three consistently changed in the direction that would promote weight gain,” said Frank Scheer, the senior author of the study and the director of the Medical Chronobiology Program in the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Other studies have had similar findings. In one randomized trial at Johns Hopkins, scientists found that healthy young adults burned less fat and had a 20 percent increase in their blood sugar levels when they ate dinner at 10 p.m. compared with when they ate the same dinner on another occasion at 6 p.m.

 

“It’s clear that the timing of your meals does matter — not just what you eat, but when you eat it,” said Jonathan Jun, an associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins and an author of the study. “Eating late makes you less glucose tolerant and also makes your body burn less fat than if you had the same food earlier in the day.”

How to follow an early-eating schedule

Scientists who study meal-timing say the following strategies could help you optimize your health.

• Don’t skip breakfast. Garaulet and her colleagues found that skipping your morning meal increases your risk of obesity. Mornings are when our bodies are primed to metabolize food. If you’re not usually hungry in the morning, have something light, then eat a large lunch. “Try to eat the majority of your calories during the morning or afternoon but not at night,” Garaulet said.
• Morning carbs are better than late-day carbs. If you’re going to eat sweets or simple carbs like bread, pasta and pastries, it’s better to do so in the morning or early afternoon, when we are most insulin-sensitive, rather than at night, Garaulet said.
• Try to eat dinner early in the evening. Start by moving your dinner at least one hour earlier than usual. Ideally you should aim to eat dinner at least two to three hours before going to bed.
• Make dinner the smallest meal of the day. Even if you can’t eat an early dinner, you should try to make breakfast and lunch your biggest meals of the day and dinner your smallest. If you’re used to eating a small lunch and a big dinner, then switch the order. You can make your dinner a meal that’s heavy on vegetables to lighten it up. “Just try to shift more of your calories to breakfast and lunch,” said Courtney Peterson, an associate professor in the department of nutrition sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
• Try meal-timing at least five days a week. Sometimes it’s not practical to eat a small or early dinner, and that’s okay. In studies, Peterson found that people who ate a light dinner five days a week instead of seven still gained benefits like better blood sugar control and less daily fatigue. “Don’t think of this as all or nothing,” said Peterson. “Maybe on some days you can’t do it because you’re going out to eat with your family. But then on other days you can do it and that’s great. It’s important that you do what’s practical for you.”

 

The biology of meal timing

Scientists have uncovered several mechanisms that explain why an early-eating schedule is better for your health. Our bodies are better able secrete insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar levels, in the morning.

 

We also tend to be more insulin-sensitive early in the day, meaning our muscles are better able to absorb and utilize glucose from our bloodstreams. But as the day progresses, we become less and less insulin-sensitive. By nighttime, the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin become sluggish and less responsive to blood sugar elevations.

 

Another important factor is hormone-sensitive lipase, an enzyme that releases fat from our fat cells. This enzyme is typically most active at night so it can provide our bodies with energy to keep our organs functioning as we sleep.

But Garaulet has found that eating late at night suppresses this enzyme — essentially preventing your body from burning fat. “We see a big difference between people that have dinner for example four hours before going to bed,” she said, “and those that have dinner around one hour before going to bed.”

[Harriet Vane]

Monday

Breakfast--oatmeal with frozen mixed berries and pecans and a sprinkle of cinnamon, tea (NS)

Lunch--buffalo street tacos (buffalo roast, onions, jalapenos), beans, rice, corn tortillas

Snack--dark chocolate, handful of mixed nuts

Dinner--gf gnocchi with veg (spinach, onion, garlic, artichokes, mushrooms, lemon)

[Just Kate]

Jumping in! My goals are to - 1. Keep my blood sugar under control. I’m 47 and so far it’s fine, but my mom is battling many health problems due to the fact that her diabetes was ignored for several years (grrr to her previous doctor for this!). My dad also has diabetes and my brother does as well (although he has worked and worked, and we think he may have reversed it!

2. Help my 15 year old dd. She inherited her dad’s body type and it is very easy for het to put on weight. She likes to eat junk food and to go to Starbucks with her friends, so it’s a struggle! If anyone has suggestions for helping with this age (items to pack in a lunchbox, etc) I’m all ears.

3. Lose weight. I’d really like to lose about 15 lbs. but this is really secondary to becoming healthier. 
 

Yesterday (Monday) -

B - coffee with 1/2 and 1/2, yogurt with a cut up apple

L - giant salad with chicken breast, nuts, sprinkling of blue cheese and balsamic vinegar (no oil)

Snack - on the run, so I grabbed some pepperoni and a few cheese cubes

D - chicken Parmesan (made with an almond meal coating), zucchini noodles, and a tiny bit of dream fields pasta (not ideal) 

[Selkie]

@Eos, thanks for sharing the article! This is why I never eat after 6pm. There are so many benefits in addition to weight loss - people who don't eat at night tend to have better blood sugar regulation, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, lower inflammation. There was a study of breast cancer patients that showed that those who did not eat at night had lower recurrence rates. For anyone who would like to read more, Dr. Greger has a chapter on this topic in his book How Not to Diet, and Dr. Fuhrman discusses it in some of his books, too.

[Toocrazy!!]

@Eos thanks for sharing. In the last couple months I have made a concerted effort to eat a larger breakfast, earlier in the morning and not eat after sunset. I’m not sure how late I’ll eat when the days are longer, we’ll see.  It makes intuitive sense to me, although I haven’t seen the sleep benefits I was hoping for. Still working on that part! I do notice I am less hungry and feel more stable and energetic through the day though. 

@selkie- 
thanks for the book recommendation and all your shared knowledge on these threads. I have followed up on several of your recommendations and have found them all very helpful to me! 

[Selkie]

11 hours ago, Just Kate said:

Jumping in! My goals are to - 1. Keep my blood sugar under control. I’m 47 and so far it’s fine, but my mom is battling many health problems due to the fact that her diabetes was ignored for several years (grrr to her previous doctor for this!). My dad also has diabetes and my brother does as well (although he has worked and worked, and we think he may have reversed it!

2. Help my 15 year old dd. She inherited her dad’s body type and it is very easy for het to put on weight. She likes to eat junk food and to go to Starbucks with her friends, so it’s a struggle! If anyone has suggestions for helping with this age (items to pack in a lunchbox, etc) I’m all ears.

3. Lose weight. I’d really like to lose about 15 lbs. but this is really secondary to becoming healthier. 
 

Yesterday (Monday) -

B - coffee with 1/2 and 1/2, yogurt with a cut up apple

L - giant salad with chicken breast, nuts, sprinkling of blue cheese and balsamic vinegar (no oil)

Snack - on the run, so I grabbed some pepperoni and a few cheese cubes

D - chicken Parmesan (made with an almond meal coating), zucchini noodles, and a tiny bit of dream fields pasta (not ideal) 

Welcome! It is tough with teens...I feel sorry for kids these days because our culture surrounds them with so much garbage “food” that is highly addictive. It’s like they’re basically set up to be unhealthy, unless they are willing to swim against the current (which isn’t always easy to do as a kid). When mine were teens, dh and I gave them a lot of room to make their own choices, while also modeling healthy eating as much as possible. It seems to have rubbed off on them, because they are all in their 20s now and regularly eat things like broccoli and tofu and spinach (which are the same things they complained about having to eat when they lived at home 🙂).

I haven’t packed a lunchbox in many years, but hopefully there are others who will have some good suggestions for you.

[Selkie]

Tuesday - 

Breakfast - Watercress with mixed greens and microgreens. Breakfast bowl with moro beans, oats, pomegranate, kiwi, dragon fruit, fig, apricot, sour cherries, apple, pear, blueberries, passion fruit, peaches, strawberries, mulberries, goji berries, goldenberries, walnuts, hazelnuts, flax, chia, hemp, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, soy milk.

Lunch - Kale. Whole grain pita with falafel, tomato, roasted eggplant, beets, mushrooms, scallions. Two mandarins.

Dinner - Sushi (nori, tofu, avocado, cucumber, carrot, scallions, shredded cabbage, panko, sesame seeds).

[Jean in Newcastle]

Monday

🌈 

breakfast- keto blueberry cinnamon nut granola, coconut yogurt, bone broth 

lunch -  scrambled eggs with onions, mushrooms and mixed greens, 1/2 flaxseed muffin, chocolate squares

snack- flaxseed brownie bite, mixed fruit cup with peach, pineapple and pears 

dinner-  chicken, brussels sprouts, mushrooms, red and yellow bell peppers; cranberries and chocolate 

 

[Faith-manor]

No breakfast.

The usual coffee savagery.

Lunch - taco salad, big bowl of shredded greens, entire can of drained black beans, bunch of red pepper, a little bit of jalapeno, salsa, and a little ranch dressing .

Dinner - baked potatoes, roast Brussels sprouts, stuffed mushrooms

[Eos]

Today I was happy with everything I ate.

B: kale, mushroom, onion, egg

L: rainbow salad with some turkey and lime juice

S: pan roast of cauliflower, chicken thigh, onions, clementine slices, capers  Roasted clementine slices (including the skin) and capers is delish.

I did have a tiny handful of wasabi peas and walnuts for snack and it didn't lead me into a binge of snacking.

2 cups of coffee, 2 espressos, 2 turmeric teas.  I have been looking for a very flavorful non-caffeine option and find that a cup of tea made from about 1/4 teaspoon each of turmeric and cardamom, boiling water, and milk is hitting the spot.

[Just Kate]

Tuesday

B - yogurt with keto granola, coffee with 1/2 and 1/2

L - large salad with chicken, apple, acv and mct oil dressing

D - leftovers of chicken Parmesan, zucchini noodles, and a tiny bit of dreamfields pasta

before bed (right now!) - bowl of plain popcorn

 

[Harriet Vane]

1 hour ago, Faith-manor said:

 

The usual coffee savagery.

 

🤣

[Harriet Vane]

Tuesday

Breakfast--low-sugar granola with soy milk and a banana before class. After class I grabbed an apple to get me through the rest of the morning.

Lunch--leftover gf gnocchi with veg (spinach, onion, garlic, artichokes, mushrooms, lemon), big mug of decaf tea (S)

Snack--handful of mixed nuts with dark chocolate

Dinner--gf sausage-egg biscuit sandwich, also an orange

[Faith-manor]

Today, Wednesday, was a good eating day.

A little oatmeal. Not a lot. I don't like the stuff. But it is supposed to be good for me so I occasionally partake.

Coffee Bean slaughter.

Lunch - Lentil and carrot soup with Greek yogurt and salads. So yummy.

Dinner - already done so we met out goal of eating early and being done for the day. Roast chicken thigh, saffron rice, steamed green beans, roast Brussels sprouts.

 

[Selkie]

Wednesday - 

Breakfast - Watercress with mixed greens and microgreens. Breakfast bowl with papa de rola beans, oats, dragon fruit, pomegranate, blueberries, apple, Asian pear, kiwi, passion fruit, peaches, strawberries, fig, apricot, sour cherries, mulberries, goji berries, goldenberries, walnuts, almonds, flax, chia, hemp, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, soy milk.

Lunch - Kale. Veggie burger patty (chickpeas, oats, brown rice, veggies) with mustard and bbq sauce. A lemon poppyseed WellBean bar.

Dinner - Leftover tofu/veggie sushi and a few steamed dumplings (spinach, cabbage, mushrooms, tofu).

[Eos]

B: cauliflower pan roast leftovers

L: can't remember.  Oh dear.

Snack while hiking: gf chocolate chip cookie, wasabi peas, walnuts

S: bean and turkey enchiladas, greens with lime juice.

2 coffees, 1 espresso, 1 turmeric tea, lots of icy water from the stream on the hike

[Just Kate]

Wednesday

B - yogurt with keto granola (side note, I was previously only drinking coffee for breakfast, but I find that I feel so much better in the day now that I’ve started adding yogurt)

L - giant salad with nuts, blue cheese, chicken, and vinaigrette

S - strawberries with a peanut butter and chocolate spread (made with stevia)

D - chicken and rice soup

 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Wednesday 

🌈 

breakfast- keto blueberry cinnamon nut granola, coconut yogurt, bone broth 

lunch -  scrambled eggs with onions, mushrooms and mixed greens, 1/2 flaxseed muffin, chocolate squares

dinner-  salad ( mixed greens, tomato, chicken thigh, poppyseed dressing, goat cheese); chocolate squares 

so I have been experimenting with my blood sugars  Eating nothing after dinner was causing me to wake up in the middle of the night with high sugars due to presumably dipping too low. Cutting out my nighttime diabetes med seemed to help.  Eating something also helps but "what?".   Last two nights I have had eggs again in the evening and this morning my sugar was the lowest its been in years  with no midnight spikes and dips!  I slept well too. 

It's low enough that I now need to decide if I should take my morning diabetes med. 

(I had a big disagreement with my doctor yesterday about all of this. He wants me to stop trying to regulate my sugars so much because they are "pretty good for a diabetic". I didn't verbally argue but I don't agree with him.)

[Selkie]

Sharing my excitement - I enrolled in the Plant Based Nutrition Certificate program through Cornell University. I’ve been thinking about it for a few years and decided to go for it. The program consists of three classes (Nutrition and Society, Nutrition and Chronic Disease, and Plant Based in Practice), and is led by the legendary T. Colin Campbell (author of The China Study). Other giants of the nutrition and lifestyle medicine fields are contributors, like Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai, and Dr. Dean Ornish. I’m really looking forward to it!

Thursday - 

Breakfast - Watercress with mixed greens and microgreens. Breakfast bowl with soybeans, oats, pomegranate, blueberries, passion fruit, kiwi, apple, Asian pear, dragon fruit, fig, apricots, sour cherries, lemon zest, mulberries, goji berries, goldenberries, walnuts, flax, chia, hemp, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, soy milk.

Lunch - Mixed greens. Leftover veggie/tofu sushi and steamed dumplings.

Dinner - Artichoke and garlic pizza with Brussels sprouts.

[Jean in Newcastle]

 

Thursday 

🌈 

breakfast- keto blueberry cinnamon nut granola, coconut yogurt, bone broth 

lunch -  scrambled eggs with onions, mushrooms and mixed greens, 1/2 flaxseed muffin, chocolate squares

dinner-  ground beef stir fry (bok choy, carrots, onions, garlic, broccoli, red, green and yellow bell peppers, mushrooms, cabbage, yellow summer squash); mixed fruit cup with peach, pear and pineapple 

Two eggs before bed  

•  

[Eos]

B: leftover enchiladas

L: can't remember.  This seems to be a theme! 

Snack: avocado and wasabi peas

S: Greek salad, salmon, scallops, roasted carrots, sweet potato, potato, and turnips plus a slice of gf spice cake that dd's gf brought over.

2 coffees, 1 espresso, 1 turmeric tea, delicious water on my walk

[Faith-manor]

Thursday:

Toast and the usual coffee assault

Leftover chicken, saffron rice, green beans, and brussels from the night before, tang all

Leftover lentil, carrot soup, hummus and veggies

 

[Eos]

10 hours ago, Selkie said:

Sharing my excitement - I enrolled in the Plant Based Nutrition Certificate program through Cornell University. I’ve been thinking about it for a few years and decided to go for it.

Very cool - will you do classes/consulting or is it more for your own learning?

[Selkie]

7 hours ago, Eos said:

Very cool - will you do classes/consulting or is it more for your own learning?

For my own learning now, but I may put it to use in the future. I just recently sold the businesses I owned for 30 years, and am enjoying retirement too much to think about working again anytime soon, but maybe somewhere down the road. I know quite a few people who work as healthcare providers, chefs, and teachers/coaches who have benefited from the certification, so I think it will be good to have in my pocket.

[Faith-manor]

Friday:

Breakfast - All out assault on mount coffee - some leftover soup

Lunch - french toast and grapefruit

Dinner - yum, yum ,yum, Mark sparked up the grill even though it is only 25° out, and grilled brussels, green beans, red and green pepper, bean sprouts, broccoli, and mushrooms with sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and two eggs. I made brown rice, and after we filled our bowls, we topped off with teriyaki sauce. 

[Harriet Vane]

22 hours ago, Selkie said:

Sharing my excitement - I enrolled in the Plant Based Nutrition Certificate program through Cornell University. I’ve been thinking about it for a few years and decided to go for it. The program consists of three classes (Nutrition and Society, Nutrition and Chronic Disease, and Plant Based in Practice), and is led by the legendary T. Colin Campbell (author of The China Study). Other giants of the nutrition and lifestyle medicine fields are contributors, like Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai, and Dr. Dean Ornish. I’m really looking forward to it!

 

So fascinating! What an exciting adventure!

[Harriet Vane]

I've completely lost track this week. My pinched nerve of this past fall also sparked a worsening of my chronic TMJ issues, and I started TMJ treatment on Wednesday. It's so much more than I thought it would be. So I've been adjusting to wearing a mouth guard most of the time (2-6 weeks) and softer food than I realized would be the protocol. It's a little overwhelming. I've eaten mostly okay, but on Day 1 I treated myself to goodies from the gluten-free bakery. Kind of a last hurrah before embracing the regime. Silly and not the healthiest choice. Have done alright other than that.

Friday

Breakfast--Grabbed 2 bananas on my way out to the gym. Also a cup of decaf green tea (NS)

Lunch--Weirdly ate in two spurts. After the gym I had a stirfry of potato, some tiny ham bits for flavor, onion, egg. Decaf rooibos tea (NS). Mid-afternoon I had a very small portion of rice with buffalo stew to tide me over until dinner. 

Dinner--Casserole of gf cornbread on top of a mix of ground beef, tomato, onion, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro. Ate it with half an avocado.

[Faith-manor]

7 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said:

I've completely lost track this week. My pinched nerve of this past fall also sparked a worsening of my chronic TMJ issues, and I started TMJ treatment on Wednesday. It's so much more than I thought it would be. So I've been adjusting to wearing a mouth guard most of the time (2-6 weeks) and softer food than I realized would be the protocol. It's a little overwhelming. I've eaten mostly okay, but on Day 1 I treated myself to goodies from the gluten-free bakery. Kind of a last hurrah before embracing the regime. Silly and not the healthiest choice. Have done alright other than that.

Friday

Breakfast--Grabbed 2 bananas on my way out to the gym. Also a cup of decaf green tea (NS)

Lunch--Weirdly ate in two spurts. After the gym I had a stirfry of potato, some tiny ham bits for flavor, onion, egg. Decaf rooibos tea (NS). Mid-afternoon I had a very small portion of rice with buffalo stew to tide me over until dinner. 

Dinner--Casserole of gf cornbread on top of a mix of ground beef, tomato, onion, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro. Ate it with half an avocado.

I am so sorry! I hope you feel a lot better very soon.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Friday

🌈 

breakfast- keto blueberry cinnamon nut granola, coconut yogurt, bone broth 

lunch -  scrambled eggs with onions, mushrooms and mixed greens, 1/2 flaxseed muffin, chocolate squares

dinner-  shredded pork, pickled onions, guacamole sauce; two bites of corn tortillas, two bites of Spanish rice, refried beans 

two eggs before bedtime 

[Selkie]

58 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said:

I've completely lost track this week. My pinched nerve of this past fall also sparked a worsening of my chronic TMJ issues, and I started TMJ treatment on Wednesday. It's so much more than I thought it would be. So I've been adjusting to wearing a mouth guard most of the time (2-6 weeks) and softer food than I realized would be the protocol. It's a little overwhelming. I've eaten mostly okay, but on Day 1 I treated myself to goodies from the gluten-free bakery. Kind of a last hurrah before embracing the regime. Silly and not the healthiest choice. Have done alright other than that.

Friday

Breakfast--Grabbed 2 bananas on my way out to the gym. Also a cup of decaf green tea (NS)

Lunch--Weirdly ate in two spurts. After the gym I had a stirfry of potato, some tiny ham bits for flavor, onion, egg. Decaf rooibos tea (NS). Mid-afternoon I had a very small portion of rice with buffalo stew to tide me over until dinner. 

Dinner--Casserole of gf cornbread on top of a mix of ground beef, tomato, onion, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro. Ate it with half an avocado.

Oh no, so sorry. I hope the treatment is effective and you’re done with the mouth guard soon.

[Selkie]

Friday - 

Breakfast - Watercress with mixed greens and microgreens. Breakfast bowl with mayocoba beans, oats, passion fruit, blueberries, kiwi, dragon fruit, fig, apricot, sour cherries, pomegranate, apple, pear, lemon and orange zest, mulberries, goji berries, goldenberries, walnuts, macadamias, flax, chia, hemp, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, soy milk.

Lunch - Big salad with mixed greens, falafel, roasted eggplant, beets, red onions, cucumber, tomato, white bean Italian dressing (new recipe I tried that sounded a lot better than it turned out).

Dinner - I made Monkey & Me’s Creamy Herb Potato and Kale Stew (onion, mushrooms, coconut aminos, garlic, veggie broth, potatoes, spices, cashews, soy milk, kale). Also had a piece of toasted whole grain pita.

[GoVanGogh]

On 1/9/2023 at 8:30 PM, Selkie said:

Monday - 

Breakfast - Watercress with mixed greens and microgreens. Breakfast bowl with papa de rola beans, oats, kiwi, dragon fruit, pomegranate, apple, Asian pear, passion fruit, fig, sour cherries, apricot, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, lemon zest, mulberries, goji berries, goldenberries, black walnuts, flax, chia, hemp, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, soy milk.

Lunch - Mixed greens. Whole grain pita with roasted eggplant, beets, mushrooms, cucumber, tomato, scallions, edamame, cashew mayo, mustard. Two mandarins.

Dinner - Same as last night - spicy chickpea/brown rice/oat burger with buffalo Brussels sprouts, and roasted purple potatoes.

I don’t remember if I have asked specifically about your source/s for legumes. I love the variety you eat! I cleaned out my pantry today and organized it, so have a good idea of what I have on hand and any gaps in my stock. I read “Hippie foods” last year (great book!) and sort of went on a binge buying assorted gluten free grains, such as millet and buckwheat. I recently started adding buckwheat to my salads and love it. I want to expand the variety of legumes and grains I eat. 

On 1/12/2023 at 8:24 PM, Selkie said:

Sharing my excitement - I enrolled in the Plant Based Nutrition Certificate program through Cornell University. I’ve been thinking about it for a few years and decided to go for it. The program consists of three classes (Nutrition and Society, Nutrition and Chronic Disease, and Plant Based in Practice), and is led by the legendary T. Colin Campbell (author of The China Study). Other giants of the nutrition and lifestyle medicine fields are contributors, like Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai, and Dr. Dean Ornish. I’m really looking forward to it!

Thursday - 

Breakfast - Watercress with mixed greens and microgreens. Breakfast bowl with soybeans, oats, pomegranate, blueberries, passion fruit, kiwi, apple, Asian pear, dragon fruit, fig, apricots, sour cherries, lemon zest, mulberries, goji berries, goldenberries, walnuts, flax, chia, hemp, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, soy milk.

Lunch - Mixed greens. Leftover veggie/tofu sushi and steamed dumplings.

Dinner - Artichoke and garlic pizza with Brussels sprouts.

I am so excited for you! You have such a passion for Whole Foods, plant based eating and are so inspirational. 
i went through yoga teacher training two years ago, as it was a long time desire of mine. I had no intention to ever teach yoga, but wanted to do it for my own wellness. I often tell people that going through the program was life changing beyond yoga. The owner of the studio has been wfpb vegan for over five years and was so inspirational and encouraging. She didn’t require that we follow a vegan or vegetarian diet while in the program, but did encourage us to eat one vegan meal a day. A few weeks in to the training, I went cold turkey, wfpb, after a meat-filled vacation that left me feeling terrible. I am so thankful that I did, as I feel amazing now. (All things considered/Parkinson’s…) I have looked into the nutrition certification as the training looks fabulous, but haven’t been able to justify the cost at this time. In the meantime, I read every book and article I can find on the topic. 

2 hours ago, Harriet Vane said:

I've completely lost track this week. My pinched nerve of this past fall also sparked a worsening of my chronic TMJ issues, and I started TMJ treatment on Wednesday. It's so much more than I thought it would be. So I've been adjusting to wearing a mouth guard most of the time (2-6 weeks) and softer food than I realized would be the protocol. It's a little overwhelming. I've eaten mostly okay, but on Day 1 I treated myself to goodies from the gluten-free bakery. Kind of a last hurrah before embracing the regime. Silly and not the healthiest choice. Have done alright other than that.

Friday

Breakfast--Grabbed 2 bananas on my way out to the gym. Also a cup of decaf green tea (NS)

Lunch--Weirdly ate in two spurts. After the gym I had a stirfry of potato, some tiny ham bits for flavor, onion, egg. Decaf rooibos tea (NS). Mid-afternoon I had a very small portion of rice with buffalo stew to tide me over until dinner. 

Dinner--Casserole of gf cornbread on top of a mix of ground beef, tomato, onion, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro. Ate it with half an avocado.

I am so sorry about your tmj. It is awful. I hope your treatments give you relief. I had surgery for it 30+ years ago. I don’t think the surgery is recommended anymore, as I have had doctors criticize me for having the surgery. But in early 1990, it was recommended repeatedly to me. 

[Harriet Vane]

10 minutes ago, GoVanGogh said:

 

I am so sorry about your tmj. It is awful. I hope your treatments give you relief. I had surgery for it 30+ years ago. I don’t think the surgery is recommended anymore, as I have had doctors criticize me for having the surgery. But in early 1990, it was recommended repeatedly to me. 

Thank you. I worry about whether or not this will work. They didn’t mention surgery but who knows. They did say a sleep study might be next and possibly PT.

[Eos]

B: hash of leftover roasted veg and salmon with an egg

L: Greek salad leftovers and a slice of homemade rosemary bread

3 coffees, 2 turmeric teas 

S: bok choi, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, black beans with some little corn tortillas and cheese

PS: had some gelato after supper and expected to be awake all night but I was fine until the dratted er darling cats woke me at 3 am.

 

[Selkie]

16 hours ago, GoVanGogh said:

I don’t remember if I have asked specifically about your source/s for legumes. I love the variety you eat! I cleaned out my pantry today and organized it, so have a good idea of what I have on hand and any gaps in my stock. I read “Hippie foods” last year (great book!) and sort of went on a binge buying assorted gluten free grains, such as millet and buckwheat. I recently started adding buckwheat to my salads and love it. I want to expand the variety of legumes and grains I eat. 

I am so excited for you! You have such a passion for Whole Foods, plant based eating and are so inspirational. 
i went through yoga teacher training two years ago, as it was a long time desire of mine. I had no intention to ever teach yoga, but wanted to do it for my own wellness. I often tell people that going through the program was life changing beyond yoga. The owner of the studio has been wfpb vegan for over five years and was so inspirational and encouraging. She didn’t require that we follow a vegan or vegetarian diet while in the program, but did encourage us to eat one vegan meal a day. A few weeks in to the training, I went cold turkey, wfpb, after a meat-filled vacation that left me feeling terrible. I am so thankful that I did, as I feel amazing now. (All things considered/Parkinson’s…) I have looked into the nutrition certification as the training looks fabulous, but haven’t been able to justify the cost at this time. In the meantime, I read every book and article I can find on the topic. 

Thanks for your kind words! How cool about the yoga teacher training! And thank you for the Hippie Food recommendation - I just got it on my Kindle. Looks intriguing.

I've turned into a real bean freak (something I never ever would have imagined a few years ago!). I'm always on the lookout for new kinds to try. Rancho Gordo is one of my favorite sources - they have all kinds of gorgeous heirloom beans, and they also have a Bean Club that I'm dying to join. The waitlist is something like four years. Once you're in, they send you boxes four times a year with an assortment of their beans. 

In other exciting news, the mailman brought my Meiwa and Fukushu Changshou kumquats today! They weren't supposed to ship until spring, but we've had a warm spell here and Logee's went ahead and sent them. They're in 4" pots and are about 24" tall. Now my challenge is to keep them alive. 😬 Last time I had citrus plants in the house, I had all kinds of bug problems, so I'll need to keep on top of that.

[Faith-manor]

2 minutes ago, Selkie said:

Thanks for your kind words! How cool about the yoga teacher training! And thank you for the Hippie Food recommendation - I just got it on my Kindle. Looks intriguing.

I've turned into a real bean freak (something I never ever would have imagined a few years ago!). I'm always on the lookout for new kinds to try. Rancho Gordo is one of my favorite sources - they have all kinds of gorgeous heirloom beans, and they also have a Bean Club that I'm dying to join. The waitlist is something like four years. Once you're in, they send you boxes four times a year with an assortment of their beans. 

In other exciting news, the mailman brought my Meiwa and Fukushu Changshou kumquats today! They weren't supposed to ship until spring, but we've had a warm spell here and Logee's went ahead and sent them. They're in 4" pots and are about 24" tall. Now my challenge is to keep them alive. 😬 Last time I had citrus plants in the house, I had all kinds of bug problems, so I'll need to keep on top of that.

Will you be growing your kumquats exclusively indoors or eventually introducing them to the outdoors?

We have a sunny living room in Alabama large enough to easily house dwarf fruit trees, multiples of them. Dd has been thinking about dwarf citrus and banana trees. However, we know exactly nothing about keeping them as houseplants. That hasn't stopped me though. I have a basil over there on the window sill that I didn't know a thing about when I bought it. Poor thing is eyeing me trying to decide if I will be killing it or not.

[Selkie]

4 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

Will you be growing your kumquats exclusively indoors or eventually introducing them to the outdoors?

We have a sunny living room in Alabama large enough to easily house dwarf fruit trees, multiples of them. Dd has been thinking about dwarf citrus and banana trees. However, we know exactly nothing about keeping them as houseplants. That hasn't stopped me though. I have a basil over there on the window sill that I didn't know a thing about when I bought it. Poor thing is eyeing me trying to decide if I will be killing it or not.

I’m in Zone 4, so they will have to live indoors for most of the year. I might be able to keep them on the deck during the summer months. 

A banana tree would be amazing! I saw that Logee’s has a few banana varieties, including dwarf ones that can be grown indoors.

[GoVanGogh]

Super jealous you can have citrus shipped to you! My state doesn’t allow citrus shipped in to state. Sigh. But I have heard from a few garden centers that they will hopefully have kumquat come spring. Keeping fingers crossed. 
I ordered the dwarf banana from Logee’s in late summer. It is overwintering inside and looks amazing. I will likely order one or two more next month. I also ordered some guava from Logee’s and they are all doing well inside this winter. 
Thank you so much for the bean source! 
You will enjoy Hippie Foods. It was such a fun read. It took me on several deep rabbit trails. 
 

edited to add: Just checked out Rancho Gordo.  Awesome. Will be ordering from them soon. 

Edited January 14, 2023 by GoVanGogh

[Jean in Newcastle]

Saturday 

🌈 

breakfast- keto blueberry cinnamon nut granola, coconut yogurt, bone broth 

lunch -  scrambled eggs with onions, mushrooms and mixed greens, 1/2 flaxseed muffin, chocolate squares

dinner-  shredded pork, pickled onions, guacamole sauce; Spanish rice with peas and carrots , goat cheese 

two eggs before bedtime 

[Selkie]

Saturday - 

Breakfast - Watercress with mixed greens and microgreens. Breakfast bowl with lentils, oats, pomegranate, blueberries, kiwi, passion fruit, apricot, fig, sour cherries, dragon fruit, strawberries, orange and lime zest, apple, pear, mulberries, goji berries, goldenberries, walnuts, flax, chia, hemp, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, soy milk.

Lunch - Mixed greens. The last leftover veggie burger with bbq sauce and mustard.

Dinner - Spring mix with Seedtopia Seven Seed Topper and lemon balsamic vinegar (this was a very tasty combo). A bowl of creamy herb potato and kale stew.

Dessert - I made a few cookies with mashed banana, oats, chopped black walnuts, frozen wild blueberries, and pumpkin pie spice.

[Kela]

My short term goal is to do a weight loss challenge we are doing at work, but I'm using it as an incentive to hopefully start taking care of my health longte term. I've gotten into the habit of eating terribly and I need to change that. I'm basically doing a WFPB diet. My goal is to lose 30-40 lbs. 

Breakfast: Carrot/kale/celery juice. Sliced bananas, blueberries, walnuts and ground flax topped with soy milk.

Lunch: Large salad with lots of veggies. 1 slice of Ezekiel bread with hummus, sprouts and avocado.

Dinner: Vegetarian chilli.