I decided to make a post on a challenge I am making for myself and hope others will want to take part. My 6 month challenge is to pick something new each week that focuses on health and overall wellness that can be easily implemented into your lifestyle.  Whatever your personal goals are.  Even though everyone’s will be different we all can still support each other.  The only guidelines are that they are 1)specific 2)realistic and 3)that you keep all previous weeks goals. This way by the end of 6 months we will all have many small changes that equal maintainabel results.

So for my first weekly challenge I am going to stop drinking caffeine free soft drinks. I have already given up caffeine (yay!) but still drink these fake ingredient laden beverages. Soft drinks are a weakness of mine and I will be ready to give them up completely. What is your first goal?

So if you want to participate please leave a comment with your weekly goal and always feel free to share your progress.  Anyone who participates at least four out of the 6 months will have the choice of one of two super cool (I promise) prize giveaways..

The official start date is June 1st and will go til November 1st so lets get crackin’

1) Ask the server for suggestions or information about the menu.  Make sure you explain that you are vegan and what you do and do not eat.  For me that means any animal, dairy, eggs, and honey.

2) Make customizations to a particular dish.  Whether that means substituting beans, tofu, tempeh, lentils, etc for meat or by simply not asking for cheese or having the dish cooked with butter.  With this you can take most dishes to being vegan.  *Just as an aside I have found that asking for no butter is one of the most important.  When I was just “trying out veganism” I made sure to order my sandwich with no cheese but totally forgot to ask to have my veggies cooked without the substance.

3) Ask if the chef can prepare something not on the menu that fits your dietary preferences.  Most restaurants do not mind creating something especially for you as their goal is your satisfaction and continued patronage.

4) Call Ahead.  This sometimes allows you to gauge the restaurant and see if they have ways to make vegan dishes. 

Have a lovely weekend.

These things are sinfully good when toasted and smeared with some almond butter and are a great healthy product.

What a delicious spread: 1 cinnamon-raisin english muffin with 1 T. almond butter with fresh strawberries and coffee.

Today’s agenda

Outside Walk

Errands

Thank you notes

Organize apartment (possibly some rearranging?)

Have a lovely day!

Sarah’s Classic Granola

Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats- mixed with 1 1/4 t. cinnamon and 1/4 t. nutmeg

1 c. dried fruit pieces (I use a mix of raisins, dates, apples, apricots, and cranberries)

1/2 c. slivered or chopped almonds

1/2 pure maple syrup

1 T. molasses

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Take oats and combine them with the cinnamon and nutmeg.  Add the almonds and dried fruit.

3. Cover the mixture with maple syrup.  Stir for about 3-5 minutes to make sure syrup is distributed evenly.

4. Repeat step number three only add the molasses and not maple syrup.

5.  Lightly coat 9×13 pan with cooking spray and pour mixture onto pan

6. Bake for 10-15 minutes of until nicely golden/slightly brown (stir mixture every 5 minutes while it is cooking)

Store in container in the fridge

Freezer: ice trays and ice cubes (green bucket), frozen blackberries, strawberries mango, broccoli, edamame, rising moon ravioli (all organic) and food for life cinnamon raisin english muffins.

coffee, more coffee, and almonds

2 types peanut butter, almond butter, non dairy vegan butter, and Silk plain yogurt x2

Leftover blacn beans, pizza dough, hummus, coconut, Honest Tea single serve bottle, Silk light vanilla soymilk

broccoli, organic: spinach, kale, tomato, cucumber, strawberries, and a green pepper

mostly all organic: taco sauce, salsa, coconut water, ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, dijon mustard, soy sauce, silk creamer, jalapenos,, hot chili sauce, shortening (vegan), vegan butter, marinara sauce, pure maple syrup (x2), on the bottom: white Zinfandel wine (for a friend-not for me) and Food for life english muffins

bananas, apples

Starting with the top left photo:

shelf stable plain soymilk, agave nectar, vegan sugar, salsa, wheatberries, cinnamon, lasagna noodles, tea (x3), salt and pepper grinders, cornmeal, cornstarch, spices, firm tofu, whole wheat linguine, shells, and pastry flour, sweet potato, acorn squash, onions, dried chickpeas, and canned beans

So there you have it…my food stash.