Burritos, Belts and Blogging

It’s been over 105 degrees most days in North Carolina and unless you have a pool you should not be outdoors in this heat!  Due to all this heat, come Saturday night we had a huge Thunder-Lightning storm! It was great to be honest, it was needed and well over due. Sunday was another Rain/Thunder-Lightning storm. Which was good by me as we had a lot of “indoor chores” to do?

One of my major goals more than a chore is our Vegan Blog. It’s one of my favorite things to do daily! Trevor is a fantastic cook and he cooks Friday through Sunday and I cook Monday-Thursday. Trevor was in the mood for a brunch burrito!! He makes the best homemade food period but I literally love his made from scratch brunch or breakfast burrito!! He diced peppers, onions, tomatoes and black eyed peas with lovely spices/herbs. Added salsa and wrapped it in a flour tortilla and presto magico!! So good, we both had 2!  So filling!!

While Trevor was cooking, I was updating this blog. Trevor said " It's been nice to see my weight loss through my belt!! He said "I've gone down two holes in my belt!!" That’s huge in my opinion.  He loves seeing the weight loss, feeling the weight loss, feeling the energy gain and receiving tons of compliments at work!! I'm beyond excited and happy for him too.  As they say proof is in the pudding and “Going Vegan” has been one of the best decisions we’ve ever made as a couple and family!!

What do you do on a raining Sunday? Do you pull out ingredients and start preparing for the week? Put together any great Vegan dishes just on a whim? What’s your favorite dish, snack or full meal?

Shopping at Whole Foods Super Market

Our town is constantly rehabbing their retail stores/restaurants. North Carolina is always working on their old and bringing the state up to date with the new.

This has brought us a new “Whole Foods Supermarket” into the area. I must admit I have never gone into Whole Foods before. I was told by several friends that Whole Foods cater to Vegans. I informed Trevor the new Whole Food just opened and we should check it out. We all loved it including the kids.  Whole Foods is a beautifully decorated store, which is nicely laid out. It’s funky and earth friendly. The store is built to be energy efficient and I love that Whole Foods also has recycling center!  Whole Foods supports the earth by reducing, reusing and recycling!! Our kind of store!

We were on the hunt to see what type of Vegan products they have. There was quite a lot actually. We wanted Brown Rice Syrup, seaweed, rice cakes and other things to make up some meals during the week. We found what we were looking for and then some! We also decided to try their vegan pizza that is made fresh every day. The vegan pizza was spinach mushroom and I really enjoyed it; Trevor not so much on the cheese that seemed creamy as he put it. Skylar liked it as well and Britain and Luke wouldn’t try.

Trevor and I thought we’d get the kids ingredients to make our own “vegan pizza”.  We got home and immediately made the pizza, with Happy Tummy Pizza Crust that contains no wheat, yeast, dairy, egg or soy ingredients. Pizza sauce and we topped it with Daiya mozzarella style shreds. I over did it a little with the mozzarella style shreds.  Needless to say the kids took one look at it and didn’t wish to touch it! It also didn’t smell to inviting either.  I guess we should chalk it up to “practice makes perfect”. So I’ll do better next time.

Any new “super markets” you’ve found that cater to Vegan’s? Anything new that you tried? Any funny stories or yucky ones?

Luke Cool Lunch!!

Luke’s 2^nd grade class was having a camping party in class and going to make smores! I volunteered to help with the camping party. Luke’s teacher played her sound machine for the “woods, cricket effect”, made a fire in the center of the room with a fake fire machine and had the kids create paper logs. They also got to watch/listen to cool books on the computer that come to life as they are read to you.

Before the smores were ready, all the kids who brought their lunch in from home had to dig in while the kids who were buying lunch had to go to the cafeteria to collect their lunches. It was a half a day at school so all the kids were required to eat in the class room.

As the kids started to collect and sit down to open their lunch boxes; they would walk past Luke’s desk. Two very cute little girls; Lauren and Sarah, came right up to Luke’s desk and commented on his lunch. Lauren said “wow, cool Luke you have Rice Cakes! They are my favorite.” Sarah said “popcorn too, you are so lucky!” Luke said “Yes, my Mom makes our popcorn homemade. Cool the girls said!

Luke then turned to me and said “Mommy, I didn’t want to eat the rice cakes as they look yucky, but now I want to try them.” It was the first time Trevor and I bought the kids rice cakes to make their lunch more healthier/vegan.  Luke then bite into a rice cake which was only flavored with sea salt. I didn’t expect what I heard next. Luke said “wow, Mommy this tastes like Cotton Candy! Then he swallowed and then said “but now it tastes like nothing!” I said “do you still like them though?” He said yes, and kept eating.

What a huge breakthrough with our pickiest eater!  “Going Vegan” here we come! ;)

How long did it take you to introduce new vegan foods and have your kids really like them? What reactions did you receive from their “first bite”? 

SHOULDN’T HAVE DONE THAT!

Cheese it’s all around you!! It’s on burgers, lasagna, fries, tacos, nachos, sprinkled on spaghetti, it’s flavoring corn chips, popcorn, pizza and it’s crust!! You name it cheese is everywhere and I think it’s addictive to be honest. I remember giving birth to Luke our last baby #3 and enjoying being home with him. I was set to lose the extra weight I had left from delivery; which was about 6 pounds or so. I remember (7 yrs ago now) eating food that would be acceptable for my weight watchers points and feeling great. I also remember there was always an endless supply of shredded cheddar cheese in the fridge for my husband Trevor. No matter what time of the day it was; I would get something out of the fridge and I would look over to our cheese drawer and I felt as if I had tractor beam. Just like he UFO/Sci-Fi movies where the poor human would get beamed up; happening to me but drawing me to the cheese and wanting a handful and then another. I would grab a small handful, and think nothing of it. I would do this over and over again. So when I would weigh myself every Friday morning, naked on the scale I would get very frustrated that I maybe lost a pound but had worked out 5 days in the week, drank a ton of water and watched what I ate! Or was I?

I never ever would write the points down for eating several handfuls of cheese throughout the day! So the reason I am telling you this story is fast forward 7 yrs and now we are “Going Vegan” all of us.  The kids have been begging me to take them to our favorite pizza joint, called Bella Italia.  I have been saying no but tonight was different. The kid’s schools were running a fundraiser there and it’s hard to say no to helping out your child’s school. So I made a last minute decision to go there and have whatever vegan dish they had or what I could make up with the sides etc.

Well looking at all the pizza’s being eaten.  I was getting that “cheese craving”! I kept saying in my head NO, I need to stick to my new beliefs and new vegan diet! Well Skylar was watching me and she said, Mom if we are having our last Bella Italia pizza; so should you. That was it! I am like she’s right, it’s only been a month and I’ve been so good, not having any diary, eggs or milk! I deserve to have a proper good bye to my most beloved pizza! So I ate about 3 slices and OMG was that the best pizza ever!! The sauce, crust and OMG the cheese!! So delicious!! But can I also tell you that within about 20 mins or so of eating this gorgeous pizza, my stomach began to churn, I started to feel nauseous and then a hell of a headache started!  I guess the best way to describe it was “food poisoning!”  I mean think about it; I have detoxed my body for almost a month now, I have watched everything I’ve been eating to the wire and making sure it’s dairy, egg and milk free. And for one moment I give in and eat not one but 3 slices full of that gorgeous melted cheese!!

So not worth it, I am typing this with a sensation of a bad hangover! I feel absolutely terrible! I just want to go to bed and sleep it off!  Well I guess this is one “proper goodbye” for an old favorite food, I’ll never forget!!

Have any of you experienced anything similar to my “pizza poisoning?” Any slip ups with your favorite food, what were your symptoms and how did you make yourself feel better? Or did you just deal and sleep it off?

Seaweed Anyone?

In the office today, bright and early and rearing to go! I thought I’d make some new friends with “seaweed”.

It’s hysterical; I got so many crazy reactions to my offering this amazing delicious snack! Dried Seaweed Snack from Trader Joe’s is so incredibly delicious and so very good for you! Each small slice reminds me of California roll!!

I just cannot get enough of it and I eat the entire packet in one sitting or try and be disciplined and make it throughout the day. Keeps my energy up and it really does fill me belly!! I guess offering it at 8:45 am in the morning to non-vegan eaters is probably not a good idea. But I was so excited to share like a little kid bringing in an Apple for the teacher on the first day of school!!

I just went to several ladies and offered and got “the face, and Oh, no thank you!” Or “I’ll catch you later on that if I get hungry etc.” Well I tried.  It doesn’t hurt to share and have other’s experience new things. That’s how I am now Vegan, trying a new, exciting and much healthier lifestyle out that suits me just fine!  The good thing is at home, the kids love the seaweed, accept for Luke. Still my Mr. Picky eater!

 I tried to add  trail mix into his lunch today for school tomorrow and he kept sticking out his tongue and making those noises as kids do and pushing his hand at me to go away. I wish he’d be more open to trying. I think the rational side in children does not come into “brain play” for quite some time. I do hope one day he is more open.

What offerings have you tried to share with your friends, neighbors, co-workers etc. What reactions have you received good or bad? Any funny stories!!

End of Season Swim Pool Party!

The kids have worked their cute little tanned butts of this past 2 months on swim team!  It was really great during the awards ceremony to hear your kids names be called for their “trophies” and to hear that they all deserved MIP medal this season as well! All of our kids received Most Improved Player. Should read MIS for Most Improved Swimmer but there you go. My eyes began to water and my heart filled up with pride! I am so incredibly proud of our kids. Unfortunately Trevor had to miss it as he’s working his butt off for us in Houston, Texas!

The rest of the End of Season Swim Pool Party consisted of eating and a raffle. Now I was looking forward to not cooking and not having to think of my vegan meal plan through this night. I have had my husband gone for almost 2 weeks now and to not have to cook after a long day learning my “Broker in training ways”, getting kids off the bus, home work, and then rushing out to drive and get Sky from her school as this week they have introduced sports (volleyball try outs)! I can tell you I was more than pumped not to have to cook tonight!

Well my excitement was short lived as I got a look at the salad that I was going to eat. It had dressing all over it, shredded cheddar cheese, olives (yuck), pepperoni, and maybe one or two tomatoes! Not what I call a salad at all and certainly not a vegan one at that. Oh, did I mention there was blue cheese too mixed in (double yuck)!!

After I sifted through the nasty salad, I then just gave up as I literally felt my stomach do a double take. It’s been over a month now without cheese, or diary or eggs for that matter and anything remotely with those ingredients my stomach is not a happy girl! I also had the funniest reaction from someone who offered me a free ice-cream sandwich dessert. I said no thank you and she said “seriously no calories it’s so tiny, go ahead and enjoy it!.” I said “no thank you, not worried too much about calories, can’t have it, I’m Vegan”. And the lady actually jumped back from me. I think the word “vegan” is like an invisible slap across the face! I said “hey, don’t worry, it’s not like I’m a Nazi for Pete sakes!” The lady laughed and said actually my neighbors are “vegans” and they bring over the most gorgeous recipes! I then laughed!!  What irony!!

What have you experienced in a social setting?  What’s your day to day adventure being a vegan and telling people that you are? Any crazy reactions?

Being Vegan at the Work Place!

Great way to start a day, hubby got up at 4 am to fly out by 6 am to Houston Texas this week and once again for 2 weeks straight it’s all on me. Not that big of deal as I’ve been in this routine since I gave up work 11 ½ yrs ago to raise my amazing/drive you crazy kids; but today was different. I started my new career as a Broker/Realtor today! I signed up with Prudential!! I got up early, worked out, got kids up (not so easy) and got showered and ready! So excited to get dressed in business attire, did my hair and felt really good to be just Kerri today. Not Stay At Home Mommy today. I can go to the office make new friends, learn a new trade and with persistent, positivity and determination I will land several leads to actual listings, buyers, renters, or investors! 

So far it’s been a great transition. The only problem is being organized to be “vegan” Kerri as well. I found it interesting when once again asked politely if I’d like doughnuts or anything that I cannot or just choose not to eat any further. I say no thank you and I receive response like “oh on a diet?” and I say no, just a Vegan. I then get response like “well I am not going off my meat!; I would never give up my meat!” or “why did you do that”. I truly feel Vegans are like another class in our society. We are shunned upon or made to feel like freaks for being not the norm and all it boils down to is consumption of  a selected food choice.  I try not to explain myself as to me that's justifying. But if someone is truly interested I will say a few things but that typically leads to the person inquiring getting offended by them feeling like they have to stand up for their beliefs. It’s truly funny; you are more than welcome to eat what you choose as well as I do! I am not going to judge you as it’s not my place but if you are my dear friend or family I might be more persistent to have you “try” it another way as I only love you and wish for you to keep you healthy, happy and around as long as possible!

Like I said this is all new to me and I just love my new “going Vegan, life change” and I wouldn’t go back for anything! 

What if any; have you experienced in the work place? What do you come back with any questions? Any suggestions or do you just not tell anyone?