Less Meat more veggies and 43

I have read and watched and listened to many peoples ideas about healthy eating. One main thing I have come away with is that Americans typically eat way to much meat. Over the past few weeks I have been experiementing with less meat more veggies for our families supper.

 The dish starts out by sauteing a half an onion, green bell pepper, two stick celery all chopped very fine and cooked in olive oil. I then add diced zucchini, yellow squash (one each), sometimes half a can of pimentos,  and if I am going to go more Mexican rice style I add black beans (rinsed),half a can of green chillies, and a bit of frozen sweet corn.  Sometimes I add mushrooms, eggplant  and a egg or two if I am making it "chinese fried rice style"


Here is what a Chinese Fried Rice style looked like before adding the rice:

 Sometimes this dish I do vegan. Sometimes I add one or two eggs... and sometimes I add two small chicken breast. I season with pepper and a bit of Lawrys garlic (the one with the green lid) and if its mexican style rice I add some mexican seasonings to that and leave out the pepper :)

Also.. Here are some tricks to help reduce meat in your families diet.
#1.. cook rice meals like this... I feed the whole family this meal and use only 2 chicken breast.
#2... I also make speghettie with a new veggie sauce I have found... When ground turkey got recalled.. I bought chicken breast and cut it into small cubes and cooked with seasoned with the lawrys garlic.... I leave the meat and sauce seperate so i can have no meat and the family can share the chicken... It works great! and they all love it. I also saute mushrooms and onions to put on top of the sauce and it seems the mushrooms give it a meaty texture. Below is what it all looks like.... the noodles in the big pot are quinoa.... (gluten free which kids and I eat).. the middle pot is spinach, whole wheat and quinoa (mixed together for hubby)

This is the mexican fried rice before the rice is added and no meat. 

two cups cooked rice in steamer

I didnt have black beans in the kitchen that night so we went without :)

I also use organic brown rice. It tastes wonderful and is much more filling than regular. The hardest part of preparation is to make sure you cook the rice ahead of time :)

Here's a UPDATE I did a few days ago:

 We are home from vacation and oh my I feel it.

Fat. Lazy. and sluggish.

I had a great birthday on the 24th. Hubby took me out to eat and shopping... and he got me some cute dresses.

My birthday week I did GREAT eating 90% raw vegan and I felt amazing.

It's been all down hill from there.

On our vacation we ate out every meal and i went THREE DAYS without a smoothie!
It was painful. ha.
What is funny is our whole family enjoyed eating out the first time or two but after that we were all like... where's the smoothie! ha. My how things have changed.

So I sit here.... a year older, feeling fat and out of shape. I am back to drinking hot tea and even
though ... I have learned many things this year. Again the most important thing is that Starting Over is the key to success. I am NOT perfect and  never will be. I decided to write some goals for the next few months to help jump start my 43rd year....
here they are:


1. Make eating healthy a major priority. I am trying hard to figure out what that means for me. I know I feel wonderful at 90% raw but think I need to re-think how I will get there gradually instead of what I have been doing. I will focus on vegan eating, lots of raw veggies and of course my smoothies.
2. Focus on the LOVE of running. Not how fast, or slow but the joy of getting outside an being alone.
3. Make hydration a priority too! I haven't been drinking enough water.... as a result my blood pressure is low and I loose energy. Its simple ... so simple... I just have to make myself do it.
4. Get back in the habit of  posting here. 

Timed goals:
By this time next month I want to write that I havent missed a run.
By Nov 2nd i want to be able to do 50 pushups without stopping.
For Christmas I want to be able to do 100 pushups without stopping.
By Thanksgiving I want to be in my size 4s and they be loose again (durn baby belly)
By Sept 24th 2012 I want to look younger than I do today :) 

I LOVED my new brooks long sleeve half zip with THUMBHOLES! watchout winter.. I am ready!

The good news is... yesterday morning I went for a run... and while it was a hard run and the first one since last Wednesday.... I felt sooooo much better afterward! .... Life is good... .I am 43 and as of today not feeling fat or sluggish anymore! I just needed a few days of healthy eating and a run under my belt! :) YEAH!!!!

Flash back Wednesday photo: