Chia seeds. Sound at all familiar? How about chia pets? Jogging your memory yet? Our family has just discovered the "skinny seed" as it's commonly known, and found it to really work. Ideally, you eat it, then it expands to 9 times it's size in your tummy, making you feel full or quite a while. Well, we tried it and here's the result.
First, I sprinkled it into our pancake batter (about 1/4 cup for a double batch of batter) and it promptly made my fairly runny whole wheat pancake batter a much thicker consistency. We all consumed a lot few pancakes too.
Next we sprinkled it into our oatmeal. No, it didn't make us feel fuller longer.
At this point we're thinking "it's a nice nutrient rich seed, but maybe it doesn't work when you're already on a vegan diet." Not so...
I kept experimenting. I added a couple tablespoons to water and let it gel up overnight, then added it to our oatmeal and smoothies. Again, it didn't make us feel any fuller BUT...It appeared that everyone was getting a good intestinal scrub.
Just as I started to give up I also went on an Oreo binge. I couldn't get enough! It was a really bad craving. The result? Well, prior to all this my pregnancy net weight gain was teetering at 13 pounds. This morning my gain has dropped to 8, with 9 plus weeks to go! I think I'll keep the seeds around!
I daresay it actually does make you skinny; it just might take a few days to get there.
Oh, and where do you get it? Well, if you're in Arizona, try Food Wise!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Fabulous Food Shopping for my Arizona vegan counterparts
I discovered a must-see store for all vegans and vegetarians that live or can easily travel to Chandler.
Food Wise is a fabulous store to get all the grains, organic freeze-dried food, and spices you could need. I'm desperately trying to wean my family off sugar and the sheer number of flavored agave nectar on the shelf was so exciting! I was like a kid in a candy store! They even have TVP chunks flavored in beef, taco, chicken, pepperoni, to name a few. They'll even give you samples of what you're thinking of buying so you know it tastes good before you buy it. If you're "green conscious" you'll love that they sell their products in containers that, when you're done with, you bring it in and simply refill, saving $3. It was obvious I am not the first vegan to shop there and hopefully not the last! Try it!
Food Wise is a fabulous store to get all the grains, organic freeze-dried food, and spices you could need. I'm desperately trying to wean my family off sugar and the sheer number of flavored agave nectar on the shelf was so exciting! I was like a kid in a candy store! They even have TVP chunks flavored in beef, taco, chicken, pepperoni, to name a few. They'll even give you samples of what you're thinking of buying so you know it tastes good before you buy it. If you're "green conscious" you'll love that they sell their products in containers that, when you're done with, you bring it in and simply refill, saving $3. It was obvious I am not the first vegan to shop there and hopefully not the last! Try it!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Another step in a unique direction
I'm more than midway through my pregnancy and I decided to can my OB. She came highly recommended and for the most part I was glad to use her. However, after I told her I was switching to a midwife whom she does co-care with, she flat out said, you don't keep coming to me, I won't be available if you have to be transferred to the hospital mid-labor. Well thanks Mrs. OB, with that attitude, and waiting a whole hour to see you for my 15 minute appointment which has become 5 minutes because I'm so late in picking my kids up, you're done.
*This is one thing I've learned, it's very hard to keep strong emotions in check during pregnancy. The tears, the frustrations, hurt feelings, annoying door-to-door solicitors, and it seems like the doctor really should know better.*
Therefore, it is official, I have a midwife, I'm doing a homebirth, and after reading Ina May's Guide to Childbirth I couldn't be happier with my decision.
What brings a person to this conclusion? Do you tell people? One advice I was given is no, don't tell people, they expect that something will go horrifically wrong to confirm all their expectations. For the most part, it appears that the reason women switch is an unpleasant experience with their doctors or the routine of things. I personally have had pretty good experiences with birth, my doctors, and the hospitals. The best experiences were my first two, when I gave birth at the Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, NH. If I lived in the East, I would travel there for this one. As it stands though, I had two nagging thoughts. First, only 10% of birth really need to be attended by a specialist, namly an OB. The other 90% can be done with midwives and in the comfort of your own home if you want. Second, the why not now? wouldn't go away. Sure the closest hospital is 25 minutes away, but I'm switching to a provider that can use the Gaskin maneuver if need be, instead of ordering an emergency C-section.
The clinchers have been wanting a waterbirth and the pampering. My hospital has allowed 1 waterbirth. It would cost me a lot of grief and petitioning to both my OB and the hospital, then an additional $200+ to rent a tub (another reason I really miss the CMC, they had jetted tubs in every room!). The pampering aspect is actually in favor of the hospital. Where else can I take 24 to 48 hours of room service and friends and family happily providing child care for me while I rest and relax? Well, that's where we hit a snag, the room service and rest. Can the hospital really provide yummy vegan food? or simply oatmeal and smoothies? Thanks, but my husband can provide that for me. As for resting, I'm the person who has to sleep in a new bed and place for 2-3 nights before I can actually get a good nights sleep, not to mention nurses coming in every few hours to do stats on me and the baby. I still have good neighbors and family willing to watch the kids so a little white noise and blackout curtains will help me at least rest well right after birth.
So it came down to my husband, "What do you think dear?" He's all for it. He has no idea what has happened to his wife, who told him when we were dating "I will never do a homebirth and homeschooling is out of the question" just so he knew where I stood before deciding to pop the question. Yet, here I am, open to homeschooling, eating a vegan diet, and super excited to make this birth a family event at home instead of appearing to be a medical potential emergency in the hospital.
Times change!
*This is one thing I've learned, it's very hard to keep strong emotions in check during pregnancy. The tears, the frustrations, hurt feelings, annoying door-to-door solicitors, and it seems like the doctor really should know better.*
Therefore, it is official, I have a midwife, I'm doing a homebirth, and after reading Ina May's Guide to Childbirth I couldn't be happier with my decision.
What brings a person to this conclusion? Do you tell people? One advice I was given is no, don't tell people, they expect that something will go horrifically wrong to confirm all their expectations. For the most part, it appears that the reason women switch is an unpleasant experience with their doctors or the routine of things. I personally have had pretty good experiences with birth, my doctors, and the hospitals. The best experiences were my first two, when I gave birth at the Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, NH. If I lived in the East, I would travel there for this one. As it stands though, I had two nagging thoughts. First, only 10% of birth really need to be attended by a specialist, namly an OB. The other 90% can be done with midwives and in the comfort of your own home if you want. Second, the why not now? wouldn't go away. Sure the closest hospital is 25 minutes away, but I'm switching to a provider that can use the Gaskin maneuver if need be, instead of ordering an emergency C-section.
The clinchers have been wanting a waterbirth and the pampering. My hospital has allowed 1 waterbirth. It would cost me a lot of grief and petitioning to both my OB and the hospital, then an additional $200+ to rent a tub (another reason I really miss the CMC, they had jetted tubs in every room!). The pampering aspect is actually in favor of the hospital. Where else can I take 24 to 48 hours of room service and friends and family happily providing child care for me while I rest and relax? Well, that's where we hit a snag, the room service and rest. Can the hospital really provide yummy vegan food? or simply oatmeal and smoothies? Thanks, but my husband can provide that for me. As for resting, I'm the person who has to sleep in a new bed and place for 2-3 nights before I can actually get a good nights sleep, not to mention nurses coming in every few hours to do stats on me and the baby. I still have good neighbors and family willing to watch the kids so a little white noise and blackout curtains will help me at least rest well right after birth.
So it came down to my husband, "What do you think dear?" He's all for it. He has no idea what has happened to his wife, who told him when we were dating "I will never do a homebirth and homeschooling is out of the question" just so he knew where I stood before deciding to pop the question. Yet, here I am, open to homeschooling, eating a vegan diet, and super excited to make this birth a family event at home instead of appearing to be a medical potential emergency in the hospital.
Times change!
Friday, January 22, 2010
"Do you ever wish to have some of the foods you used to eat?"
My husband posed this question to me a little bit ago. I thought about it. Because pregnancy makes my memory incredibly short, I only reflected on the last week or so of instances. "Not really," was my response. Sometimes I'm at a function, like church choir practice, and someone announces a treat they brought. In this case, white chocolate fudge. My first thought is "yum! Too bad I can't have any." But to truely feel better, and show the baker some interest in her food, I'll ask how she made it. Five minutes later I have the perfect counter argument for myself. "So you put a ton of butter and sugar, in different forms, into a pot, boil, then pour it into a pan. Do you know how much cholesterol you are consuming? Talk about a sugar rush!" Now I'm cured.
In regards to my children, I still let them have a taste. They have a right to it. I'm learning to be a "Love and Logic" parent. LL parentss know that children need to make decisions for themselves, younger the better, when the cost to do so is low. They also know that when kids are out of their home and control kids have an even greater opportunity to choose consequences for their actions. Therefore, probably to the disapproval of vegan parents world-wide, I let my kids choose what they want to consume when they aren't at home with my approved options available. My daughter loved the fudge and asked for more (definitely a girl at heart). My son totally rejected it after one lick. Not even the baker was offended saying with a laugh "well, don't force that one if he doesn't want it! That's a good thing!" Whew!
In regards to my children, I still let them have a taste. They have a right to it. I'm learning to be a "Love and Logic" parent. LL parentss know that children need to make decisions for themselves, younger the better, when the cost to do so is low. They also know that when kids are out of their home and control kids have an even greater opportunity to choose consequences for their actions. Therefore, probably to the disapproval of vegan parents world-wide, I let my kids choose what they want to consume when they aren't at home with my approved options available. My daughter loved the fudge and asked for more (definitely a girl at heart). My son totally rejected it after one lick. Not even the baker was offended saying with a laugh "well, don't force that one if he doesn't want it! That's a good thing!" Whew!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Heartburn? acid reflux?
I've been asking myself if I'll get heartburn or acid reflux this pregnancy. I guess if I am still asking, that's already a good sign. In fact, I was totally 100% vegan over the holidays and 100% nausea-free as a result. Then I came home, got totally disinterested in cooking, and in a moment of weakness took the kids to Costco and got pizza. Later that night I could feel the heartburn/acid building. My first thought was the same as all the other pregnancies, "oh, It must be the sauce that causes it." Then I stopped to think, "duh, I've had tons of marinara sauce with spaghetti and haven't had one issue." Could it be the pepperoni and cheese? What meat does pepperoni come from anyway? How is it seasoned? Bet I could season tofu in the same manner...
My husband decided to do the 21-day vegan kickstart challenge nutritionmd.org is sponsoring. I have heard Dr. McDougall's name a lot and looked up his comments. Interesting. Plant-based diets soothe the stomach lining. GERD and ulcers are a result of animal products in the system in an unhealthy manner over a long period of time.
Pregnancy does all sorts of fun stuff to a body. I might get heartburn, but I'll bet if I do, it won't be nearly as bothersome as before.
My husband decided to do the 21-day vegan kickstart challenge nutritionmd.org is sponsoring. I have heard Dr. McDougall's name a lot and looked up his comments. Interesting. Plant-based diets soothe the stomach lining. GERD and ulcers are a result of animal products in the system in an unhealthy manner over a long period of time.
Pregnancy does all sorts of fun stuff to a body. I might get heartburn, but I'll bet if I do, it won't be nearly as bothersome as before.
Friday, January 1, 2010
What no one has mentioned about raising a vegan child
I'm the kind of mom that doesn't freak out when my kids eat cheese at Grandma's house, or ice cream at Grandpa's house, or eat the meat that is served at big family dinners, or even help Grandpa consume all the Christmas treats he brings home from the office. All of that is considered, to me and my little family, "sometimes" food. I can't do it anymore.
First my 18-month-old had about a 4 day episode. It started with throwing-up everywhere, the moved to diaharrea. Several days later my 4-year-old started the same episode. Nothing else accompanied it; no fevers, no chills, just no appetite. My husband and I decided that it must be the animal products they've consumed; much larger quantities than normal for an extended period of time. The baby has been vegan since the day I started table food and must have a much lower tolerance.
Lesson learned: I must still act in my children's behalf and put a cap on quantities they can eat, or at least remind them how sick they will get and let them choose for themselves. I hope this helps any other moms out there like me.
First my 18-month-old had about a 4 day episode. It started with throwing-up everywhere, the moved to diaharrea. Several days later my 4-year-old started the same episode. Nothing else accompanied it; no fevers, no chills, just no appetite. My husband and I decided that it must be the animal products they've consumed; much larger quantities than normal for an extended period of time. The baby has been vegan since the day I started table food and must have a much lower tolerance.
Lesson learned: I must still act in my children's behalf and put a cap on quantities they can eat, or at least remind them how sick they will get and let them choose for themselves. I hope this helps any other moms out there like me.
Eating out in the Greater Salt Lake area
Here's a note to all those interested in vegan options in the greater Salt Lake area. I only tried a few, and since some of these are nation-wide chains, my experience can help a greater audience.
First: The favs
Vertical Diner. IGNORE the restaurant guide highlighted on vegcooking.com (endorsed by PETA). It listed four restaurants, 2 went out of business at least a year ago. That leaves Sage's Cafe and The Vertical Diner. Both are owned by the same family, so I choose to sample the slightly less expensive one, the diner. It was good. They catered to the needs of a family member with gluten intolerance just beautifully. I loved taking a break from sending servers to the kitchen on ingredient verification and just knowing that whatever I ordered was going to be 100% guaranteed vegan. My kids inhaled their version of chicken strips, and we all loved the ranch dressing for the "chicken" and carrots sticks. They even gladly accepted my request for the order "to-go" which, upon receiving my paper plate wrapped very well in plastic-wrap, I guessed they don't get very often. My all time favorite vegan restaurant is still The Green Restaurant in Tempe, AZ; this one takes a close second.
Papa Murphy's. When a family gathering called for pizza, I put in a request for a veggie, cheese-less one. Papa Murphy's filled the request wonderfully. They don't actually have an option on the menu, but get the regular crust, marinara sauce, and veggies and it's great. I verified the ingredients on the crust, not the sauce. However, any tiny amount of animal product makes my morning sickness come back and the absence of this problem confirmed the sauce is a-ok.
Cheesecake Factory. My visits here with family mark the 5th and 6th since I've gone vegan. Everytime I visit I quiz the server, sometimes asking the exact same questions. Everytime I learn which chef is willing to have patience with the server, because the attitude is quickly translated in the server's behavior, and which ones actually know the ingredients of the items. I also do it to force the server to educate himself on the menu and let the restaurant know people with these needs come in, please accomodates us. Here's a run-down
*Bread basket. This has sourdough and a type of brown bread. While the chef's differ on whether the sourdough is actually 100% vegan, the culture usually originates in milk. I find that the fermenting process eliminates enough product that I can eat all the bread I want and not get sick. The brown bread I get differing views on. Honestly, I can't figure out who's telling the truth, so the risk is yours.
*Salads. There are about three you can veganize. You can't even depend on the vinagrette dressing to be vegan. Ordering this will require trips to the kitchen to confirm.
*Pasta. There is one. Evelyn's pasta. Beware, this dish is dripping in olive oil. I was assured the pasta is egg-free, but again, it never hurts to confirm. When we order this we eat a small amount, take it home, boil up a pot full of pasta, and toss in Evelyn's. It spreads the oil out a lot better and feeds all of us for that second meal.
*Dessert. Uh, duh it's the cheesecake factory, right? Don't even bother, right? Not so. I've only had one server with enough knowledge of the menu to point out, but not force the sell, of the bowl of strawberries - for $6.50.
And...the disappointment
Mimi's Cafe. This used to be my all-time favorite, now it's just the biggest disappointment. They have nothing for lunch and dinner. They do serve breakfast all day, and there's a glimmer of hope there. Order the bowl of oatmeal, side of fruit. They have no milk substitute, so I ordered cranberry juice instead, and asked for the sugar on the side, in case the juice was sweet enough.
First: The favs
Vertical Diner. IGNORE the restaurant guide highlighted on vegcooking.com (endorsed by PETA). It listed four restaurants, 2 went out of business at least a year ago. That leaves Sage's Cafe and The Vertical Diner. Both are owned by the same family, so I choose to sample the slightly less expensive one, the diner. It was good. They catered to the needs of a family member with gluten intolerance just beautifully. I loved taking a break from sending servers to the kitchen on ingredient verification and just knowing that whatever I ordered was going to be 100% guaranteed vegan. My kids inhaled their version of chicken strips, and we all loved the ranch dressing for the "chicken" and carrots sticks. They even gladly accepted my request for the order "to-go" which, upon receiving my paper plate wrapped very well in plastic-wrap, I guessed they don't get very often. My all time favorite vegan restaurant is still The Green Restaurant in Tempe, AZ; this one takes a close second.
Papa Murphy's. When a family gathering called for pizza, I put in a request for a veggie, cheese-less one. Papa Murphy's filled the request wonderfully. They don't actually have an option on the menu, but get the regular crust, marinara sauce, and veggies and it's great. I verified the ingredients on the crust, not the sauce. However, any tiny amount of animal product makes my morning sickness come back and the absence of this problem confirmed the sauce is a-ok.
Cheesecake Factory. My visits here with family mark the 5th and 6th since I've gone vegan. Everytime I visit I quiz the server, sometimes asking the exact same questions. Everytime I learn which chef is willing to have patience with the server, because the attitude is quickly translated in the server's behavior, and which ones actually know the ingredients of the items. I also do it to force the server to educate himself on the menu and let the restaurant know people with these needs come in, please accomodates us. Here's a run-down
*Bread basket. This has sourdough and a type of brown bread. While the chef's differ on whether the sourdough is actually 100% vegan, the culture usually originates in milk. I find that the fermenting process eliminates enough product that I can eat all the bread I want and not get sick. The brown bread I get differing views on. Honestly, I can't figure out who's telling the truth, so the risk is yours.
*Salads. There are about three you can veganize. You can't even depend on the vinagrette dressing to be vegan. Ordering this will require trips to the kitchen to confirm.
*Pasta. There is one. Evelyn's pasta. Beware, this dish is dripping in olive oil. I was assured the pasta is egg-free, but again, it never hurts to confirm. When we order this we eat a small amount, take it home, boil up a pot full of pasta, and toss in Evelyn's. It spreads the oil out a lot better and feeds all of us for that second meal.
*Dessert. Uh, duh it's the cheesecake factory, right? Don't even bother, right? Not so. I've only had one server with enough knowledge of the menu to point out, but not force the sell, of the bowl of strawberries - for $6.50.
And...the disappointment
Mimi's Cafe. This used to be my all-time favorite, now it's just the biggest disappointment. They have nothing for lunch and dinner. They do serve breakfast all day, and there's a glimmer of hope there. Order the bowl of oatmeal, side of fruit. They have no milk substitute, so I ordered cranberry juice instead, and asked for the sugar on the side, in case the juice was sweet enough.
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