Hey, Where'd Everyone Go??? :)

March 10, 2007

Things suddenly slowed down here (yeah, I know, it happens! LOL) but I wonder

what you

are all planning for the rest of the weekend. Is this a time for leisurely meals

(and the

cooking thereof maybe) at home, or do you go out and live it up a little? What

are you

trying (er, in the _food_ line, that is LOL) that you are finding particularly

good?

We're having a quiet weekend - but I'm trying to get caught up on a couple of

things:

1. Eat up (a slimming portion at a time) all leftovers, and

2. Create more food that will produce more leftovers!

Soup? Yes, have made a couple of batches of that,. and yesterday a nice Eggplant

&

Mushroom Lasagna which will do once more. (These kinds of things are so

forgiving - you

just stick em in the oven and re-heat or microwave - unlike stir-fries which

don't keep as

well without getting soggy imho. Ymmd.

A couple of these are on my blog - http://beanvegan.blogspot.com

And also, if you search hard enough, you'll find I've long ago posted to the

group here (I'm

pretty sure) under one of my IDs or other

I'm on a bit of a plateau on the weight loss, but persevering. My daily intake

continues as

before, although we're talking of changing our breakfasts just for the fun of it

- we do that

now and then. We'll see.

Tea's ready (a Twinings lemon and ginger herbal which I love).

Love, Pat

March 10, 2007

I'm making ratatouille. We'll have it over cous cous one day and

polenta the next. I was inspired by the ratatouille polenta pie

recipe.

I'm enjoying reading everyone's posts and getting menu ideas.

www.fitday.com has made it easy to track calories and nutrition - I

haven't splurged for the $20 download with all the bells and

whistles, but I'm considering it. I've already lost 5 lbs!

Thanks to everyone for their menu ideas!

Becky

, " Pat " <drpatsant

wrote:

>

> Things suddenly slowed down here (yeah, I know, it happens! LOL)

but I wonder what you

> are all planning for the rest of the weekend. Is this a time for

leisurely meals (and the

> cooking thereof maybe) at home, or do you go out and live it up a

little? What are you

> trying (er, in the _food_ line, that is LOL) that you are finding

particularly good?

>

> We're having a quiet weekend - but I'm trying to get caught up on

a couple of things:

> 1. Eat up (a slimming portion at a time) all leftovers, and

> 2. Create more food that will produce more leftovers!

>

> Soup? Yes, have made a couple of batches of that,. and yesterday a

nice Eggplant &

> Mushroom Lasagna which will do once more. (These kinds of things

are so forgiving - you

> just stick em in the oven and re-heat or microwave - unlike stir-

fries which don't keep as

> well without getting soggy imho. Ymmd.

>

> A couple of these are on my blog - http://beanvegan.blogspot.com

>

> And also, if you search hard enough, you'll find I've long ago

posted to the group here (I'm

> pretty sure) under one of my IDs or other

>

> I'm on a bit of a plateau on the weight loss, but persevering. My

daily intake continues as

> before, although we're talking of changing our breakfasts just for

the fun of it - we do that

> now and then. We'll see.

>

> Tea's ready (a Twinings lemon and ginger herbal which I love).

>

> Love, Pat

>

March 10, 2007

We had to go out of town this weekend to go visit hubby's mom, who is

in hospital. We are in a small town, where the restaurants are

limited and there is only one grocery store. And we do not have a

fridge or cooker in the room. So low-free vegetarian choices are

extremely scarce. I am limiting portion sizes on higher-cal foods,

and eating lots of raw veggies where possible. Brought some dried

fruit, raw nuts,and granola bars with me, but will need to stop at

the grocery store in a little while to re-stock a bit.

At least the weather is nice and there is a pool, so we are getting exercise.

Pam

On 3/10/07, Pat <drpatsant wrote:

> Things suddenly slowed down here (yeah, I know, it happens! LOL) but I wonder

what you

> are all planning for the rest of the weekend. Is this a time for leisurely

meals (and the

> cooking thereof maybe) at home, or do you go out and live it up a little? What

are you

> trying (er, in the _food_ line, that is LOL) that you are finding particularly

good?

>

> We're having a quiet weekend - but I'm trying to get caught up on a couple of

things:

> 1. Eat up (a slimming portion at a time) all leftovers, and

> 2. Create more food that will produce more leftovers!

>

> Soup? Yes, have made a couple of batches of that,. and yesterday a nice

Eggplant &

> Mushroom Lasagna which will do once more. (These kinds of things are so

forgiving - you

> just stick em in the oven and re-heat or microwave - unlike stir-fries which

don't keep as

> well without getting soggy imho. Ymmd.

>

> A couple of these are on my blog - http://beanvegan.blogspot.com

>

> And also, if you search hard enough, you'll find I've long ago posted to the

group here (I'm

> pretty sure) under one of my IDs or other

>

> I'm on a bit of a plateau on the weight loss, but persevering. My daily intake

continues as

> before, although we're talking of changing our breakfasts just for the fun of

it - we do that

> now and then. We'll see.

>

> Tea's ready (a Twinings lemon and ginger herbal which I love).

>

> Love, Pat

>

March 10, 2007

Hi Pat ~

Let's see... what's on our meal plan for the weekend..

Lunch today will be veggie sandwiches shortly.

Tonight will be roasted baby gold beets & onions and a salad.

Tomorrow I think I'm gonna make tofu enchiladas with home made sauce.

Other recipes for the week (after we get our produce Monday eve) include an

Irish Potato soup and a brown rice/chard casserole. Oh yea, and steamed

asparagus with a light cheese sauce and a salad one night.

Cindi

Pat <drpatsant wrote:

Things suddenly slowed down here (yeah, I know, it happens! LOL) but I

wonder what you

are all planning for the rest of the weekend. Is this a time for leisurely meals

(and the

cooking thereof maybe) at home, or do you go out and live it up a little? What

are you

trying (er, in the _food_ line, that is LOL) that you are finding particularly

good?

We're having a quiet weekend - but I'm trying to get caught up on a couple of

things:

1. Eat up (a slimming portion at a time) all leftovers, and

2. Create more food that will produce more leftovers!

Soup? Yes, have made a couple of batches of that,. and yesterday a nice Eggplant

&

Mushroom Lasagna which will do once more. (These kinds of things are so

forgiving - you

just stick em in the oven and re-heat or microwave - unlike stir-fries which

don't keep as

well without getting soggy imho. Ymmd.

A couple of these are on my blog - http://beanvegan.blogspot.com

And also, if you search hard enough, you'll find I've long ago posted to the

group here (I'm

pretty sure) under one of my IDs or other

I'm on a bit of a plateau on the weight loss, but persevering. My daily intake

continues as

before, although we're talking of changing our breakfasts just for the fun of it

- we do that

now and then. We'll see.

Tea's ready (a Twinings lemon and ginger herbal which I love).

Love, Pat

.

March 10, 2007

We bought the FitDay download a couple days ago and are happy with it so far!

Mmmm, ratatouille... :-)

Cindi

rebeccaolowe <rebeccaolowe wrote:

I'm making ratatouille. We'll have it over cous cous one day and

polenta the next. I was inspired by the ratatouille polenta pie

recipe.

I'm enjoying reading everyone's posts and getting menu ideas.

www.fitday.com has made it easy to track calories and nutrition - I

haven't splurged for the $20 download with all the bells and

whistles, but I'm considering it. I've already lost 5 lbs!

Thanks to everyone for their menu ideas!

Becky

.

March 10, 2007

Vegan pizzas (completely from scratch, and homemade seitan are on my agenda!

Debra

_____

on behalf of Pat

Sat 3/10/2007 1:23 PM

Hey, Where'd Everyone Go???

Things suddenly slowed down here (yeah, I know, it happens! LOL) but I wonder

what you

are all planning for the rest of the weekend. Is this a time for leisurely meals

(and the

cooking thereof maybe) at home, or do you go out and live it up a little? What

are you

trying (er, in the _food_ line, that is LOL) that you are finding particularly

good?

We're having a quiet weekend - but I'm trying to get caught up on a couple of

things:

1. Eat up (a slimming portion at a time) all leftovers, and

2. Create more food that will produce more leftovers!

Soup? Yes, have made a couple of batches of that,. and yesterday a nice Eggplant

&

Mushroom Lasagna which will do once more. (These kinds of things are so

forgiving - you

just stick em in the oven and re-heat or microwave - unlike stir-fries which

don't keep as

well without getting soggy imho. Ymmd.

A couple of these are on my blog - http://beanvegan.-blogspot.-com

And also, if you search hard enough, you'll find I've long ago posted to the

group here (I'm

pretty sure) under one of my IDs or other

I'm on a bit of a plateau on the weight loss, but persevering. My daily intake

continues as

before, although we're talking of changing our breakfasts just for the fun of it

- we do that

now and then. We'll see.

Tea's ready (a Twinings lemon and ginger herbal which I love).

Love, Pat

Confidentiality notice:

This e-mail message, including any attachments, may contain legally privileged

and/or confidential

information. If you are not the intended recipient(s), or the employee or agent

responsible for delivery

of this message to the intended recipient(s), you are hereby notified that any

dissemination,

distribution, or copying of this e-mail message is strictly prohibited. If you

have received this message

in error, please immediately notify the sender and delete this e-mail message

from your computer.

==============================================================================

March 12, 2007

> We had to go out of town this weekend to go visit hubby's mom, who is

> in hospital. We are in a small town . . .

Sorry to hear about your hubby's mom As for trying to fend for yourself as a

low-fat

veggie in a smallish town - OUCH! Yes, I agree, what you are doing is precisely

what

I'd do under the circumstances. Some dried fruit - fresh fruit - raw veg as much

as

possible - and I'd probably look for some really sexy wholegrain bread (and

probably

not find what I'd be looking for, I know!).

Someone, I think it was on another group, suggested that for travelling it's

good to keep

handy those individual packages of instant hot cereal, since one can always find

boiling or

at least hot water. I made a note to add it to my 'emergency' list. Anyone got

other ideas?

(Other than fatty high cal foods, I mean.)

Love, Pat

March 12, 2007

> I'm making ratatouille. We'll have it over cous cous one day and

> polenta the next. I was inspired by the ratatouille polenta pie

> recipe.

That's nice to hear! Btw, congrats on losing the five pounds!!! I'll bet

you feel really proud of yourself, as you should. Nothing like making

a good start to a whole new way of living! Keep us posted, okay?

Love, Pat

March 12, 2007

> Vegan pizzas (completely from scratch, and homemade seitan are on my agenda!

Sounds great!! Haven't made pizza in ages, for some reason. Now I feel inspired!

I like to

add a little cornmeal to the crust to make it crisp (cuz I make verrrrry

thin-crust pizzas,

for obvious reasons). About your seitan: how do you flavour it? I make a

concoction of veg

stock, nutritional yeast, tamari, garlic powder - and any herbs that strike me

to go with

the kind of meal (or meals) that I have in mind. That's for the cooking, of

course. The

gravy is made from that cooking stock plus miso plus the kitchen sink LOL I'm

always

looking for new ideas.

Love, Pat

March 12, 2007

> Tonight will be roasted baby gold beets & onions and a salad.

I've seen that lovely salad on your blog

(http://cookingwithluinda.blogspot.com/), but

didn't spot the beets/onions. Do you simply roast them, or do you have something

secreta and wonderful you do with them?

Love, Pat

March 12, 2007

You should have seen me trying to find something to buy for today's

breakfast. Nice multigrain bread? Not a chance. Besides which, I

have to find something that appeals to my husband and son [who are not

low-fat and prefer breakfast foods like donuts] as well as me.

The first thing I looked at was a nice bran muffin - 450 calories per

muffin! Ouch. What I eventually found were some nice hot cross buns

at around 120 cals each, some low-fat cheese strings, bananas, juice

for the boys [and water for me], and stocked up on a bit more dried

fruit and some cranberry and seed trail mix.

Unfortunately I only got a couple of hours of sleep last night, and I

got the munchies by afternoon. Had a few more cheesies that I would

have otherwise - but I did notice that the nutritional information on

the bag was wrong. It said the serving size was one bag (50 g), but

the bag was 230 g. Didn't eat the whole bag, of course.

Pam

On 3/11/07, Pat <drpatsant wrote:

> > We had to go out of town this weekend to go visit hubby's mom, who is

> > in hospital. We are in a small town . . .

>

> Sorry to hear about your hubby's mom As for trying to fend for yourself as

a low-fat

> veggie in a smallish town - OUCH! Yes, I agree, what you are doing is

precisely what

> I'd do under the circumstances. Some dried fruit - fresh fruit - raw veg as

much as

> possible - and I'd probably look for some really sexy wholegrain bread (and

probably

> not find what I'd be looking for, I know!).

>

> Someone, I think it was on another group, suggested that for travelling it's

good to keep

> handy those individual packages of instant hot cereal, since one can always

find boiling or

> at least hot water. I made a note to add it to my 'emergency' list. Anyone got

other ideas?

> (Other than fatty high cal foods, I mean.)

>

> Love, Pat

>

March 12, 2007

Hey Pat ~

I'm usually a couple days behind on getting the pics and info up on my blog.

We just tossed the beets, onions, and garlic cloves in some olive oil and then

salt & peppered them. Came out pretty tasty, although our oven is iffy and

overcooked/burnt some of them. Most came out good though.

Cindi

Pat <drpatsant wrote:

> Tonight will be roasted baby gold beets & onions and a salad.

I've seen that lovely salad on your blog

(http://cookingwithluinda.blogspot.com/), but

didn't spot the beets/onions. Do you simply roast them, or do you have something

secreta and wonderful you do with them?

Love, Pat

.

March 12, 2007

The seitan was a new recipe for me by a friend on a vegan forum - it's a baked

seitan rather than boiled! Mine came out quite spicy. When it's done, it comes

out looking like a salami, and it's as dense as the loaf Greeks use as Gyros in

this country. The recipe calls for a smidge of oil - I'm wondering if it's

truly necessary. I went ahead and made it with the oil this weekend, because it

was a new recipe.

I didn't have any veg. worcestershire sauce, so I subbed some Jamaican Jerk

style Tabasco steak sauce and some liquid smoke. It's got a nice bite to it!!

I've copied and pasted my friend's recipe below - there are pics as well, which

I hope come through when I hit the send button...

Seitan and the Great Becoming

I decided boiling seitan was just wrong, so after a few tries I decided to make

my own recipe for it (a composite of a few of others, actually, but tweaked to

my liking... based mostly on a recipe from another website):

The Recipe O' Greatness:

Ingredients:

1.5 cups vital wheat gluten

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 tsp salt

2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cumin

1-2 tsp pepper (I use 2 tsp)

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp allspice

3/4 cups cold water

4 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp ketchup

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

1-3 cloves garlic, crushed well

Preheat oven to 325°.

In a large mixing bowl mix dry ingredients. Mix the rest of the ingredients

(liquid ingredients) in a smaller mixing bowl. Whisk well until mixed.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix well, then knead for

several minutes.

Form into a log (6-8 " long), wrap tightly in foil, twisting ends. Bake for 90

minutes. When done baking, unwrap and leave out to cool all the way. Then wrap

it foil or plastic and refrigerate. Slice to use as desired.

Nutritional Info

The entire log has:

1134 calories

32g fat

63g carbs

158g protein

I did a photodocumentary on it... hehe... ok, not really... but I did take

pictures.

The Pictures

This is just after the wet and dry ingredients are mixed:

This is after kneading well and forming into a log:

This is all wrapped up nice and tight in the foil about to go in the oven:

Fresh out of the oven:

It can slice like pastrami!

Or you can cut it into chunks (notice the pastrami-type slice is missing...

yum...)

Debra

Confidentiality notice:

This e-mail message, including any attachments, may contain legally privileged

and/or confidential

information. If you are not the intended recipient(s), or the employee or agent

responsible for delivery

of this message to the intended recipient(s), you are hereby notified that any

dissemination,

distribution, or copying of this e-mail message is strictly prohibited. If you

have received this message

in error, please immediately notify the sender and delete this e-mail message

from your computer.

==============================================================================

March 12, 2007

> You should have seen me trying to find something to buy for today's

> breakfast. Nice multigrain bread? Not a chance. . . . What I eventually

found were some nice hot cross buns at around 120 cals each, some

low-fat cheese strings, bananas. . . and stocked up on a bit more dried

> fruit and some cranberry and seed trail mix.

Oh good for YOU!!! So many of us would have shrugged our shoulders

and decided that what fate had provided (donuts?) was what was for

breakfast! You're a role model now

> Had a few more cheesies that I would

> have otherwise -

But hey, you did really well I think! And good for you for forsaking the

'good-for-you' bran mufins in favour of the hugely lower cal and lower

fat hot-cross buns! That's where checking the labels AND being

determined to stick to the regime really pays off. ('Why do veggies have

to wear glasses . . .' LOL)

Love, Pat

March 12, 2007

> I'm usually a couple days behind on getting the pics and info up on my blog.

oh I wasn't reproaching you at all at all at all - just meaning I hadn't spotted

it in recent

posts - so really assumed it was something you had posted before and I'd missed

- I

mean I'm sure you repeat recipes, right? LOL We have our faves too. This sounds

good.

And I haven't tried roasting beets.

> We just tossed the beets, onions, and garlic cloves in some olive oil and

then salt &

peppered them.

Well that sounds simple and good - and it always looks so pretty when it's

beets, whether

you use the deep red or the golden kind (We always use red, although I like

both.)

I'll try that with just a mist of oil/Pam over them and see how I do. No beets

here right

now, though. Shopping today for several things, so I'll look for organic beets

at our

(two) regular 'pushers' of such produce. (You'd have to call em 'pushers' - they

seem

to keep the organic stuff at the back in small quantities and at inflated, of

course, prices!)

Thanks heaps.

Love, Pat

March 12, 2007

Well, the scale was forgiving this morning, so I couldn't have done

too badly. The morning swim and a walk in beautiful unseasonably warm

weather yesterday afternoon probably helped. Now I'm home and back to

regular food. Yay!

Also, I got my first two " are you losing weight? " questions this

weekend! I haven't told anyone that I am trying to lose weight, other

than hubby and son and online persons, so those questions are an

indicator of success for me. My MIL commented that I was looking slim

and had I lost weight on Saturday (haven't seen her since Christmas);

and then when I got in to work today, then my boss asked if I was

losing weight and said it looked very good. He has been away for a

week, so has the advantage of seeing me with " fresh eyes " today. So

in spite of the fact that my weight loss on the scale has slowed down

the past couple of weeks (stalled at -11 lbs, but also building lean

muscle mass), people are starting to notice the change. Whoo-hoo!

Pam

On 3/12/07, Pat <drpatsant wrote:

> > You should have seen me trying to find something to buy for today's

> > breakfast. Nice multigrain bread? Not a chance. . . . What I eventually

> found were some nice hot cross buns at around 120 cals each, some

> low-fat cheese strings, bananas. . . and stocked up on a bit more dried

> > fruit and some cranberry and seed trail mix.

>

> Oh good for YOU!!! So many of us would have shrugged our shoulders

> and decided that what fate had provided (donuts?) was what was for

> breakfast! You're a role model now

>

> > Had a few more cheesies that I would

> > have otherwise -

>

> But hey, you did really well I think! And good for you for forsaking the

> 'good-for-you' bran mufins in favour of the hugely lower cal and lower

> fat hot-cross buns! That's where checking the labels AND being

> determined to stick to the regime really pays off. ('Why do veggies have

> to wear glasses . . .' LOL)

>

> Love, Pat

>

March 12, 2007

Oh I know! I reproach myself when I get behind so I've been trying to do better

at keeping my blog up-to-date!

Of course we repeat recipes! :-) Once we find a keeper, we like to go back

to it.

This was the first time for the beets though. They were quite lovely; we

received a bunch of baby golds 2 weeks in a row in our produce delivery. To be

honest, we had never made anything with beets before and they were quite tasty

to our delight! I'm a little intimated by some of the root vegetables as I'm

not familiar with them but we told ourselves we'd utilize everything we got in

our deliveries this time around and we're glad we did.

We're getting more baby gold beets tonight I believe; along with asparagus,

potatoes, leeks, chard, kale, carrots, lettuce, parsley, pears and apples. Just

in time as I ate the last of our fruit yesterday and we've got some yummy

recipes lined up for the week! :-)

Cindi

Pat <drpatsant wrote:

> I'm usually a couple days behind on getting the pics and info up on

my blog.

oh I wasn't reproaching you at all at all at all - just meaning I hadn't spotted

it in recent

posts - so really assumed it was something you had posted before and I'd missed

- I

mean I'm sure you repeat recipes, right? LOL We have our faves too. This sounds

good.

And I haven't tried roasting beets.

> We just tossed the beets, onions, and garlic cloves in some olive oil and then

salt &

peppered them.

Well that sounds simple and good - and it always looks so pretty when it's

beets, whether

you use the deep red or the golden kind (We always use red, although I like

both.)

I'll try that with just a mist of oil/Pam over them and see how I do. No beets

here right

now, though. Shopping today for several things, so I'll look for organic beets

at our

(two) regular 'pushers' of such produce. (You'd have to call em 'pushers' - they

seem

to keep the organic stuff at the back in small quantities and at inflated, of

course, prices!)

Thanks heaps.

Love, Pat

.

March 12, 2007

Congrats on the compliments and weight loss; it can be frustrating when you hit

a stalemate with the weight loss, but then, the scale starts dropping again!

Cindi

pdw <pdworkman wrote: