Sophia's Middle Eastern and Tofu Lunch!!

~MIDDLE EASTERN AND TOFU LUNCH~

Tabbouli and my Teriyaki Tofu w/ mushrooms and onions.

Some of you are probably wondering what is Tabbouli and what is in it. Well Tabbouli is a Traditional Middle Eastern Salad that you can find at any health food store (trader joes, whole foods) or middle eastern restaurant.

• Ingredients- Whole Wheat Bulger ( i feel like it should be Bulgar, but my package says Bulg'e'r), Tomatoes, Parsley, Lemon Juice, Onion, Canola/Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Granulated Garlic, Dried Mint, Black Pepper.
• its all natural ingredients, healthy and Delicious!!

My Teriyaki Tofu

• sauteed mushrooms in a pan of light olive oil
• sauteed my tofu in liquid aminos and seasoning salts.
• In a separate mixing bowl I sauteed my sliced onions in a Teriyaki sauce.
  
  

Sophia's Light Breakfast

!!!WAKE UP!!!

Breakfast is my all time favorite meal, but now that I've decided to go Vegan, I think lunch will probably become my favorite because I'll be able to experiment more. (yet there are still so many exciting foods to have for breakfast.)

For Breakfast I had some Soy Pita Bread with Roasted Red Pepper and Hummus Dip, and a Strawberry Smoothie!!

Sophia went VEGAN Grocery Shopping!!!

First, just let me say sorry my pictures are so blurry. I need to get batteries for my camera and until then I'll be using my phone.

!!!VEGAN!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!! so far my body just feels clear, and uncluttered. So why is it I've failed when I've tried to go vegan before?? Because I didn't do the proper shopping needed to make such a drastic lifestyle change.

Tabbouli (middle eastern salad), Olive Tapenade, Raw Almonds, and the Red Pepper Hummus accidently got cut out of the picture.
High Fiber Cereal, Mushrooms, Ezekiel Bread (original, flourless and low glycemic), Strawberry Smoothies.

Soy Pita, Soy Cheddar Cheese, Tofu, Chicken-less Stuffed Cutlets (stuffed with black beans and corn in a smoky tomato sauce.)

All of my foods are high in protein, which is something im really going to need at the moment. Im so excited. I feel so good about this change and am deteremined to stick with it.

Sophia's Snack/Lunch?

You know when you wake up late and it kind of messes with your eating schedule? Well that's what happened to me. I got up at a time that was too late for breakfast yet a little to early for lunch. So after eating a late (pb&j) breakfast I wasn't that hungry for lunch.
Grande Decaf Soy Latte and Mixed Nuts and Fruit, both from Starbucks

PINEAPPLE!!! and 1/2 of an apple not pictured.

Stacy's Egg Salad

THE INCREDIBLE EDIBLE EGG. I decided to have a protein packed lunch with a small piece of the whole-wheat pizza I made last night with Micheal. I love Egg Salad! I mean, I love salad with eggs. Any egg combination for me right now, is just delicious.

1/2 c of Spinach
1/2 c of Salad Mix
A couple of Banana Chips
A couple of Cinnamon Sugar Almonds
A dash of Sunflower Seeds
Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil
A small dollop of Hummus

10 Egg Facts:

1. Eggs are great for the eyes. According to one study, an egg a day may prevent macular degeneraton due to the carotenoid content, specifically lutein and zeaxanthin. Both nutrients are more readily available to our bodies from eggs than from other sources.

2. In another study, researchers found that people who eat eggs every day lower their risk of developing cataracts, also because of the lutein and zeaxanthin in eggs.

3. One egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein and all 9 essential amino acids.

4. According to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health, there is no significant link between egg consumption and heart disease. In fact, according to one study, regular consumption of eggs may help prevent blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks.

5. They are a good source of choline. One egg yolk has about 300 micrograms of choline. Choline is an important nutrient that helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system.

6. They contain the right kind of fat. One egg contains just 5 grams of fat and only 1.5 grams of that is saturated fat.

7. New research shows that, contrary to previous belief, moderate consumption of eggs does not have a negative impact on cholesterol. In fact, recent studies have shown that regular consumption of two eggs per day does not affect a person's lipid profile and may, in fact, improve it. Research suggests that it is saturated fat that raises cholesterol rather than dietary cholesterol.

8. Eggs are one of the only foods that contain naturally occurring vitamin D.

9. Eggs may prevent breast cancer. In one study, women who consumed at least 6 eggs per week lowered their risk of breast cancer by 44%.

10. Eggs promote healthy hair and nails because of their high sulphur content and wide array of vitamins and minerals. Many people find their hair growing faster after adding eggs to their diet, especially if they were previously deficient in foods containing sulphur or B12.

From www.healthdiaries.com

Stacy's Lovely Day

LOVELY DAY. I woke up late in the morning not really itching for breakfast but a healthy smoothie. My friend Dominique brought over some delicious trail mix and I added cranberries to it. We both needed fiber so I decided to make us a fiber packed smoothie and a nice trail mix snack to go with it. I was so full after this that I did not have lunch until about 5pm.

Fit Fiber Full Smoothie

1/2 of a Gala Apple
1 small Banana
1 tbsp of Honey
4 large frozen Strawberries
1 c of Fiber Soy Milk
1/4 c of Metamucil Orange Fiber
3 large cubes of Ice


Sweet Caribbean Trail Mix

Banana Chips
Cranberries
Raw Cashews
Sunflower Seeds
Almonds
Raw Pistachios

Stacy's Last Meals in New Orleans

RED BEANS AND RICE.
These are some pictures of my rice and bean meals the night before I was leaving New Orleans.

Stacy's Love of Salad

AFTERNOON VEGGIE DELIGHT.

I am beginning to realize that salads are the best way to get fiber, protein, and a good fat in one meal. You can do this by adding a wide range of ingredients. For me I usually have plenty of spinach in my salads and then also color them with lots of beans, a protein, cranberries, feta, and sunflower seeds. My friend Lisa taught me how to make this delicious salad dressing. The base is mustard which made me a little worried because the taste of mustard makes me run in the opposite direction. But this recipe is quite good and tasty.

Lisa's March Mustard Dressing
3 tablespoons of mustard
a pinch of salt
5 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of pepper

Try it! It's delightful!

Stacy's Love of Cereal

EAT BREAKFAST.

I have been trying to increase my fiber intake in a delicious way. I have done this by getting certain fun fiber cereals and finding new recipes online. With these breakfasts I used two fiber cereals: Fiber One (caramel delight) 35% of fiber and Trader Joe's High Fiber O's, 9g of fiber in 1 cup. I love crunch and sweetness in the morning. But at least twice a week I have a protein based breakfast. Yum.

Sophia's VEGAN Dinner and Dessert

YAY!!! I figured out how to upload the photos from my phone!!
Ok, Here's the Whole Foods VEGAN MEAL I had, (as stated in the previous post I'm switching to Vegan!!!)

I'm a little bit upset with myself for not writing down everything i ate, next time i promise i will, but I'll try to remember the best i can.

This is a main shot of everything, Tofu, Teriyaki Sweet Potatoes, Kale, Mushrooms, Cauliflower

The Teriyaki Sweet Potatoes and Tofu

again the kale

DESSERT!!! VEGAN CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE

what type of ingredients did they use? here are some, just to name a few.

• granola, maple syrup, vegetable margarine
• vegan cream cheese, silken tofu, organic turbinado sugar, lemon juice
• vegan chocolate chips, organic soy milk vegetable margarine...

Overall, i absolutely love the Vegan diet. It's challenging b/c yes, its pricey and takes more preparation but the health benefits of eating close to a natural diet are great, and the clarity of mind and a closer connection with nature and life.