Days 10, 11,12: Still Struggling

Let's see. The reality is that I am trying to reproduce my journey a few weeks in. So I have to think to last weekend. I still had not purchased any meat and was trying to use up the cheese I had in the refrigerator. "Word on the street" is that the cheese substitutes are much more flavorful now. I am thinking that the longer we go without cheese, the easier it will be to use the substitutes.

Saturday I decided I needed to make a trip tot he store. First, I looked through a few recipe books to find some good vegan recipes. I found a Quinoa salad in the From Plate to Plate book. It looked delicious, so I purchased the ingredients. I find it hard to spend money on an ingredient that I may use once or twice, so I generally exchange for stuff I either like, will use, or have at home. I am finding that is a mistake. When I fully use the recipe, it always tastes great. My new mantra: Follow the Recipe, Elly!

The Protein-Packed Quinoa salad was fabulous. It made quite a lot, though, so we had it for days. I was busy so did not have the time to freeze it, so had to dump some of it out. Oh well, into the compost with it. What goes around comes around. We ate it the first evening with soup, I think. I had made some cauliflower soup. Was a nice dinner. I must have made this Sunday or Monday, because Wednesday I wrapped the salad, black bean, salsa, and some cheese (unnecessary, in retrospect) in a flour tortilla and took it to work for lunch. It was delicious! Especially since I generally do not like burritos or flour tortillas. Thursday I took the another burrito. This time without the cheese. Perfectly fine. I really intended to take an avocado to add to it, but forgot it both days.

I think this was all OK, because by the time I ate the salad for the 4th day in a row, I realized it really is packed with calories. I decided to eat it in a bowl without the tortilla. It was good. I seem to be adding a little weight as a result of this diet. I think it is because I am eating more because the food is so delicious. I need to get back on my exercise program. 

Monday I again had to attend a meeting in a Mexican restaurant. I ordered a vegan salad. It was very cool. Dark greens, strawberries, and walnuts, with a light vinaigrette. It was getting easier to order out.

Monday in class we talked about red light , yellow light, and green light foods. It is an interesting way to think of foods rather than counting calories.

• Green light foods include 
• legumes
• vegetables
• fresh fruits
• unrefined grains
• whole fat foods (yeah!) these are the ones that really satiate us, avocados, nuts, olives, coconut

• Yellow light foods include
• processed whole grains
• processed fruits and veges
• meat substitutes
• virgin oils
• organic low-fat dairy products
• cold water fish
• white meats

• Red light foods include
• refined grains
• refined sugar
• regular oils
• fried foods
• cheese and full-fat foods
• red meat
• processed meat

My takeaway from this list is to eat mostly green light foods during the day, some yellow light foods facilitate meal prep, and the occasional red light food to satisfy the taste buds of the beginning vegan.