Hi...

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the welcomes....I'm glad to be a part of this group and

will try to post as often as possible...my goals are to do my daily

plan as well as possible and stick to my way of eating program as

best I can...with the economy like it is I will be planning my big

organic garden soon as I do every year but I want to start my plants

earlier this year with better planning...dry and preserve as much as

possible also. I want to do my own sprouts, concentrate on better

nutritional sources such as quinoa in my recipes...in regards to the

discussion about protein I don't worry too much about that as I use

beans and legumes in so many of my recipes and they are so high in

protein as well as making Seitan...I try to get at least 60 grams of

protein a day whether with my fruit protein shakes or with the beans

recipes I like to make. I love to make beanburgers which can be so

varied with herbs and whatever you like in them...I never get tired

of beans and all of the different things you can do with them...this

weekend I made an Ornish recipe: Zucchini/cheese quesadillas...as I

had lots of baggies of frozen grated zucchini from last summer's

garden they came in handy...I made some salsa with some chiles I had

in the freezer, green onion, bellpepper, and cilantro, some fat free

flour tortillas...and fat free cheese and they turned out awesome, I

included some canned black bean refried beans and baked the

quesadillas at a high heat in the oven...I have an Ornish cook book

that is just great...I use canned black refried beans that are fat

free but will always use dried beans from scratch when I cook them in

soups, etc.

Anna, it must be difficult to deal with a medical problem such as

hemochromatosis...I'm a licensed practical nurse but I'm not familiar

with your condition...I commend you for the challenge you face and

that you are trying to eat and live as healthily as possible...I deal

with so many patients who don't try in the least to help themselves

or improve their nutritional status and take no responsibility for

their own health care so the fact that you are taking steps to be

healthy is so impressive to me. I deal with my osteoarthritis and a

nagging hip pain and my high cholesterol and BP issues but that is

enough for me...I know it can be a lot worse for so many people and

we need to be pro-active with our health care...

I try to incorporate some anti-stress and relaxation techniques into

my lifestyle, burn lots of incense and candles and do my yoga...one

of my goals is to get up every day and do just a 20 or 30 minute

exercise session whether it be yoga or the treadmill or bike...and

live in the moment and appreciate every day...don't always do it

right but I try. I don't have to go to work until 10 a.m. and work a

later shift so I like my schedule and it works for me and gives me

that time in the mornings...as you have I've looked at my family

aging history and wondered 'what can I do better?' to possibly make

my life healthier.

Best wishes to all of you and I love the hookup to

the 'fatfreevegan.com' web site...can't wait to try the Texas Red

Rice and Bean recipe and the white lima bean soup I found on that

site!!!

Hugs,

Meg