Since I’ve been “flirting” with this idea for quite some time now, I’m just going to do it.  I’m going vegetarian for a month.  I don’t think will be difficult at all.  We already don’t eat meat for dinner, so I’ll just have to plan for lunches at school.

Some things I will be trying and featuring in the coming weeks:

• Vegan Balsamic Vinegar Chocolate Cookies
• TVP
• red lentils
• Vegan Mac & Cheese
• lots of garbanzo bean goodies
• lots of whole grain yummies
• and anything else I come across

If you have any great vegan or vegetarian suggestions or great recipes, I would love to try them!

I am very happy with this development of mine, and I feel like it will be just as good as when I decided to give up cokes.  Here’s to healthy living!

I want to read Michael Pollan's "Food Rules" because I really agree with this philosophy. It's not bad to eat french fries--just make them yourself.

Alicia has a book out, too.  I really want to read The Kind Diet after reading some of her blog.  She has some amazing recipes in there.  I also liked the fact that she “leaned into” this whole vegetarian/vegan thing to begin with.  Now she’s fully vegan (with the few exceptions of some cheese after her wine-drinking).  I vehemently respect this decision that several of my friends have made (my other blog was about this respect and love for natural and actual FOOD, just more poetic and eloquently written).  I have been “leaning” this way for a long time…I guess ever since I read The Jungle in high school. And you probably already know I hate dealing with raw meat.

Alicia Silverstone's book, "The Kind Diet," has some great recipes in it. And she really loves food just as much as I do.

So what does my breakfast have to do with all of this?  It is a snow day, and I don’t want to get out.  We are, however, running low on milk (organic, of course).  I’ve been big into warm oatmeal in the mornings lately.  I happily remembered that I had some boxed soy milk and rice milk in the pantry, so there was no need to get out in this mess.  I made my oatmeal with the soymilk and added some wheat germ.  It cooked up nicely–creamy and slightly nutty from the soymilk.  And I thought, “look at me being all healthy and vegan!”

Then I remembered the wildflower honey I bought at our local produce store.  They get their stuff from the farmer’s market and local farms in the area, they’re right near the gym now, and their produce is way cheaper (and prettier) than the grocery store.  They get their honey from a local dude, and it is GOOD.  I had tried the clover before, and the wildflower has a nice dark amber color.  Local honey is good for folks with allergies because the bees use local pollen.  I topped it with some organic granola (Cascadian Farms is real good, y’all) and took a big bite…and then remembered that honey comes from BEES.  Yes, I have the agave nectar which is vegan-approved, but ya know, it was kinda too late at that point.

So I will continue to lean.

I also want to read "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan.

#1: I started laughing out loud during one of my classes today for no reason. My students were quite perplexed, as was I, because it was a serious laughing fit. Tears filled my eyes. THAT kind of laughing. And I didn’t even have my extra-special Portland Brew icy coffee beverage yet. I was in one of those mid-afternoon foggy states of being, we were trying to go over their homework, and the kids were extra chatty. It just came out of nowhere. I think I am going crazy. But I swear something was funny. I just don’t know what.

#2: I was thinking of buying the Hungry Girl 2oo Under 200: 200 recipes under 200 calories book.

I'm thinking of buying the Hungry Girl 200 Under 200 book. Any thoughts?

Has anyone read this? Somehow I wandered onto the Hungry Girl site this week, and I have been consumed with reading all their recent food finds and food news. I’m usually not into “fat-free” or “reduced fat” foods just because there are some pretty unnatural things that go in there. (Of course, I like the taste of Diet Coke better than regular, too, so yeah). Some of their recipes actually sound great. And I came across some things I already intend to try. One is the Gorton’s grilled fish (I love frozen stuff) and the FRS Health Energy supplement. They had a really good offer on a “free” trial. It’s not actually free. But I do get a free gift. Plus they have Lance Armstong on their site. And I love him. (I have a communication degree, so I know all about advertising ploys, but dang it, I want to try this stuff and I DO love Lance!)

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I will be trying the fish tonight and I will post a review for your viewing pleasures. Yes, I am aware that they probably got the fish from Taiwan or somewhere that has oodles of mercury and other crap in their water. I just don’t care anymore. I try very hard to be health conscious in many other ways. And I freaking like fish.

When the FRS arrives in the mail, I will be posting a review of it as well. I am kind of excited about it. A little natural afternoon pep-me-up that Hungry Girl approves and loves that does not require me to leave school on a Starbuck’s run is always a good thing. Plus, it’s supposed to optimize my exercising.

Oh! I also learned that healthy fiber evens out carbohydrates. That’s where “net carbs” come from. Neat!

#3: I bought a stability ball for $9 at Wal-Mart. At least I think that’s what they’re called. The Abs class at the gym is too early for me to reasonably get there after work (and the instructor doesn’t do the exercises with us). My dog, Lucy, freaked out when I used the included air foot pump to inflate the thing. It was kind of funny that she was doing this weird thing with her mouth…almost like chattering. Anyone ever heard of this? After blowing it up and bouncing around the living room, I tried some of the exercises with it. It’s way more fun than crunches, and I definitely feel it more in my whole abs region. I give it a thumbs up! The booklet that comes with it shows tons more exercises, and I can do them whilst watching American Idol. Sweet!