Sophia Goes to Trader Joe's

VEGAN GROCERIES

As stated in a previous post I was completely out of groceries, so fortunately I had time to make a TRADER JOE'S run today!!!

I wanted to try some new cereal, and all my old favorites have some sort of milk product in them.

• Organic Heritage Heirloom Whole Grain (a multi grain cereal) 3/4 serving is 110 calories, 6g dietary fiber and 4g protein. (this cereal does use organic honey)
• Vanilla Soy Milk
• Indian Fare Punjab Eggplant

• Roasted Vegetable Pizza- this pizza is delicious. Its covered in sweet onions which gives it such a wonderful taste and its dairy free, no cheese at all!!
• Veggie Smart Dogs- 1 link is 45 calories, 8g protein
• Vegan Morning Star- 1 burger is 100calories, 12g protein, 4g fiber.
  

• Firm Tofu
• Sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms
• Ezekiel Bread
  

• Green Beans
• Strawberries
• Bananas
• Sun Dried Tomato & Basil Hummus
• Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
• Tabbouli
  
  
  

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• NOT PICTURED- ALMONDS
  

Sophia's Scrambled Tofu Breakfast

SCRAMBLED TOFU w/ Mushrooms & Onions

If I don't go grocery shopping today I wont have any food to eat. So that's what I'll be doing this evening. Thankfully I bought a safety pack of tofu yesterday from a health food store until I can make it to Trader Joe's (I like TJ's tofu more, they have better prices)


To Make Scrambled Tofu:

• Drain Tofu (make sure it's dry)
• on a paper towel Season the Tofu will all but the Teriyaki sauce
• In a skillet cook onions and mushrooms
• Once the Mushrooms and Onions have started cooking, crumble tofu into skillet.
• Drizzle just a small amount of Teriyaki sauce (about a teaspoon) over tofu.
• Scramble like you would eggs and enjoy!!
  

Scrambled Tofu with one slice of Bread (nothing on the bread)

SEASONINGS: Liquid Aminos, Seasoning Salt, Seafood Grill and Broil, Black Pepper & Low Sodium Teriyaki Sauce.

Sophia's Totally Vegan Raw Trio Lunch

Raw Kale Salad

Carrot Salad & Spicy Sunflower Seed Pate

I am completely out of Vegan foods so I had to buy a pre-made vegan lunch today but I knew exactly what I wanted. I went to Heritage Health Foods and purchased the "Totally Vegan" Raw Trio.

I actually spoke with the (cook, or husband to the cook:he had one of those titles) about a few weeks back at school when they did a "healthy foods demonstration".

I was able to sample this meal and found out the guy who was hosting the demonstration works at this amazing restaurant in Chicago called "Vegetarian Soul"( its all vegan soul food!!) and his wife cooks all their raw/vegan meals. He praised his Vegan lifestyle, sharing how its made him loose weight and its an extremely healthy diet.

This meal is absolutely delicious, natural and healthy.

TOTALLY VEGAN - Raw Trio (includes)

• Raw Kale Salad- raw kale greens, cilantro garlic, sesame seed oil, onion, red peppers, nutritional yeast.
• Carrot Salad- raw organic carrots, soy butter, cucumber relish, celery, green and red peppers.
• Spicy Sunflower Seed Pate- raw organic sunflower seed, red and green peppers, jalapeno peppers, garlic, spike seasoning.
• about 6 tortilla chips

Here's The Website- http://www.totally-vegan.com/

Sophia's Shunshine Filled Salad

PANERA BREAD CLASSIC SALAD w/ my Tofu

It is an absolutely beautiful day here in Chicago (the suburbs) so I wanted something fresh and light to eat, especially since I had a healthy breakfast and a nice jog this morning.

I went to Panera Bread and got their Classic Salad - 150 calories (and it's a pretty decent size)

• Mixed field greens & romaine lettuce topped with
• Vine-Ripened Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Red Onions
• Reduced Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Protein 3g, Fiber 4g

Then I made my own tofu and added it to the salad. I had a Sierra Mist and always get an apple instead of the bread as my side order.

I'm headed out to a surprise party for a friend, but on the way I'm making a stop at Starbucks to pick up some soy foods a co-worker brought for me. I'm excited to see what they are, and I'll definitely take pictures and post them!! Have a good rest of the day!

Stacy's Protein Breakfast

NO KASHI? SAY IT AIN'T SO... I was craving cereal more than anything else this morning but I knew I needed some spinach and protein...So I decided to have eggs and spinach. It was delicious! I paired it with one slice of Ezekiel bread with honey and a tbsp of trail mix. This meal had lots of protein, from the eggs, the feta I added, the bread even has some protein, and the trail mix. The main reason why protein is so important is because it keeps you full longer. And if you're full, you're less inclined to eat more and want to eat more.

Stacy's Protein Breakfast

2 Eggs scrambled with 1 tbsp of fat-free feta cheese
Black pepper
1 c of Spinach

1 Slice of Ezekiel bread with honey
1 Tiny cup of Silk Soy Fiber Plus Milk
1 Tbsp of Trail mix: Sunflower Seeds and Raw Almonds


LIFE CHALLENGE...My life challenge so far has been going really well. The first thing I realized within two days is without refined sugar and loaded salt I feel more awake and alive. Even my friend Dominique admitted to me that I seemed like a new person. (This week I realized I'm happier, I have more patience...but my cravings are out of control. But I keep reminding myself: CRAVINGS GO WHERE THEY AREN'T FED)

I realize that my body responds to sugars in a negative way. My mood becomes depressed and I feel sluggish and lazy. And when I feel that way, I'm less inclined to care about what I eat and I NEVER want to workout when I feel this way...NEVER. At times, it is a vicious cycle. To be honest...I've had a couple treats here and there...I had two tiny date cookies that Dominique made (That were wonderful) and yesterday night I had some Kettle Corn Popcorn. But treating myself at times is important and vital.

Yesterday... brownies were shoved in my face and I declined. But they were at the table where we were all talking so I stared hard at them and watched everyone else eat them. At first I thought, "I don't need these. That's okay. I'm fine." But then I thought, "I have to have one of these. If I don't have a brownie right now I'll die." And then...as the night wore on I realized, "I don't even like brownies that much. I'm fine. I just don't need them and it's okay." My nutritionist told me to treat myself when the dessert is my favorite. That way it will make the dessert more special and me less inclined to reach for every sweet treat opportunity I'm given. So I thought of her at that moment when I declined those delicious looking brownies. And look! I'm still alive.

Sophia's Sunny Day Breakfast

Ohh the comfort of a healthy breakfast!! Knowing you've started the day off right and you gain such an excitement to keep eating healthy throughout the rest of the day!!

I haven't had oatmeal in a while and just started back yesterday. It's such a great breakfast with so many health benefits.

Healthy Benefits of a bowl of oatmeal (plain, original, not the instant one with flavors)

• Lower Cholesterol Levels
• Fiber from Whole Grains and Fruit Protective against Breast Cancer
• Unique Oat Antioxidants Reduce Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
• Prevent Heart Failure with a Whole Grains Breakfast
• Significant Cardiovascular Benefits for Postmenopausal Women
• Enhance Immune Response to Infection
• Stabilize Blood Sugar
• Oats and Other Whole Grains Substantially Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk
• Antioxidant Benefits (a very good source of selenium- which is helpful in decreasing asthma symptoms and in the prevention of heart disease. In addition, selenium is involved in DNA repair and is associated with a reduced risk for cancer, especially colon cancer. )

all information from http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=54#healthbenefits

I ended up not eating the banana because the oatmeal filled me up so quickly. So I'll have it later for a snack maybe.

In my oatmeal 1/2 cup =150 calories

-1 pack brown sugar (50 calories)

-1 pack raw almonds, walnuts, pecans (100 calories, 2g protein, 1 g fiber)

-A little bit of West Soy's Unsweetened Almond Soymilk (9g Protein, 4g Fiber, and only 90 cals per 1cup serving, but i only had about a tablespoon serving of soymilk)

Stacy's Saucy Pizza

SAUCY, SAUCY....
My friend Margaux came over for Pizza and we both had a few pieces...a few large pieces. It was delicious. This was definitely Margaux's creation, she liked it saucier and crunchier than what I'm use to...but it was a nice change! We paired it with Sangria and reruns of Project Runway.

1. Trader Joe's Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough, thaw dough in warm water, spread out on lightly oiled pan, put in oven on 400 degrees for 6 minutes.

2. Trader Joe's Fat Free Pizza Sauce: Oregano, Italian Seasoning, Onion Power, Black Pepper

3. Take out dough, Spread Sauce, add Spinach, then top with cheese

3. Raw Spinach

4. Fat-Free Mozzarella Cheese

Stacy's Delicious Meals

Stacy's Mexican Dinner
My roommate Danielle and I decided to do a Mexican Dinner a couple a nights ago...as we watched Dancing with the Stars. We had spicy Tofu and a paired it with green and red peppers, Mexican rice and black beans, and Tortilla Chips with a hint of Lime. Yum.

Stacy's Tofu Salad
For lunch today I wanted something small because I had a big meal last night for dinner. I cooked Tofu with some spices and paired it with Spinach, Balsamic Vinegar, and Raw Almonds. It was very delicious. I also had a banana for a sweet treat. WONDERFUL.

Stacy's Life Challenge

This morning I was craving cereal so I decided to go to the nearby market and get some delicious Kashi. I like Fiber One products but the reason I always opt for Kashi is because their cereals are also packed with Protein, which I am realizing is just as essential (as Fiber and Fruit) in the morning. I paired my cereal with some Soy Silk Fiber Plus Milk and a Fresh Banana.


Last night I decided that I want to eat fresh and delicious foods, which I do already but I have been feeling tired often and sluggish and I know it is because of how often I eat packaged foods. I remember a while back I was watching the BBC Hit Show, You Are What You Eat and the host and founder Jillian was saying to an overweight woman that if she died it would take her body months to decompose because all she ate was packaged foods which stayed in the body for months and months. Opposed to fresh foods that only stay in the body that day...It definitely got me thinking then. And I found myself thinking of that this morning as I was deciding what to eat.

I'm tired of being tired. I want fresh foods and I want my body to be happier and healthier. Though I am already healthy I think it is important to be the healthiest you can be. And right now that is what I want to focus on. I guess I am doing a two-week challenge of no junk food because I feel I have been reaching for it a lot lately. I have been overeating and still abusing food. I haven't binged in about two weeks...which is really good for me. But whenever I eat sweet, sugary foods (or very salty foods like tortilla chips) I can't get enough of them. I just want more and more and more. It's really difficult for me to admit that I have a problem with food but I do. Actually, it's not difficult to admit. That's the easy part. The difficulty is admitting that it isn't about the food, but about me. I need to be mind healthy first before I do anything, which is also a part of my two-week challenge. (But obviously it will take longer than two-weeks. This is a life challenge.)

To be completely honest, about a week ago I went to a Overeaters Anonymus Meeting here in New York. It was after I went to Yoga to the People. I went because I felt I was having a difficult time with food and still abusing it and I wanted to talk about it among people who had the same issues. It was good for me to go. I felt very supported and was really taken care of. I have not been back but it is definitely something I am thinking about returning to. They have books and step-by-step packets to help you on your journey to a better and healthier you.

I have a fear of food. I fear that there won't be enough of it for me, I fear I'll be lost without it, I fear it will make me overweight, I fear giving up sweets and fattening snacks especially because I'm scared I can't live without it. But I can. And when I realized that I have a fear of giving up fattening foods, it made me realize that I should. I'm addicted to it. And I don't want to be addicted to anything, especially things that are unhealthy for me. So right now I am distancing myself from unhealthy, overloaded snacks. It needs to be done.

It's just like when someone is in an abusive relationship, you need to cut it off immediately and find new people and activities that take the place of it. If not, you will probably go back to that relationship because it is all you know. So, I have other activities I can do besides eat and abuse food. We all do. But if I do not watch it extremely carefully, of course I will go back to my abusive relationship because it was what I am comfortable with, it is all I know.

It is all about loving yourself and living for yourself. As my friend told me: It's about you. It isn't about other people. So, I'm putting me first and loving me first. This is my life challenge.

If you are interested in attending Overeaters Anonymous Meetings just go to the website at www.oa.org/. Click on Find a Meeting and type in your city and they will find a meeting near you. It's really great.

Sophia's Not Anti Pasta Dinner

I seriously cannot remember the last time I had pasta. Its become one of those "anti-weight loss foods" women seem to cut out. But certain carbs are not bad, they provide energy and if they aren't consumed excessively they are perfectly fine.

Well in all honesty I'm not that big of a pasta fan but I wanted something different tonight and I'm running out of food and have to go shopping.


I used Newman's Own pasta sauce (tomato), cooked some mushrooms of my own and threw them on top and then steamed some veggies.