Monthly Archives: May 2011

I had no real plan for dinner tonight.  After getting back from walking the dog I was ready to eat.  What to have?  I had a can of black beans and a few vegan hot dogs.  I remember seeing a recipe for saucy beans and franks it was perfect fit for dinner. 

I decided to toss it all over a sweet potato.  Quick, easy and filling who could ask for more.

Saucy Beans and Franks (Table For Two by Joanne Stepaniak)

16 ounce can beans, rinsed  and drained

1/3 cup ketchup

2 low-fat vegetarian frankfurters sliced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

a few drop of liquid smoke (optional)

Combine everything together in a sauce pan and bring to a boil turn to simmer and cook until heated through.

How easy is that?  It was really tasty and it serves two people which I love.  I will have the left overs for lunch tomorrow. 

I ran again doing a 1:2 intervals in the heat.  I use to work out in the morning and I loved it and now that I have to leave for work so early I have to work out when I get home.  It has been a harder transition than I thought.  I had to force myself to get out and do the run today.  I did well and I continue to improve my time so I am making some progress. 

This weekend I saw Abby had a recipe for Vegan donuts and they were calling my name. 

I only own a mini donut pan so I made mini donuts!  I made a few changes of my own and decided to leave out the oil and use apple sauce instead.  Gosh these were SO delicious!  These may or may not have been eaten just a few days!  Thank Abby for sharing the wonderful recipe.  I will definitely making these again and maybe I can come up with a chocolate version with chocolate frosting!  My mouth is drooling just thinking about it.   

Yesterday I was reminded that some times the small things can mean the most.  After the passing of my father in law last week it got me thinking about all the little things that I neglect to do.  I tend to have every excuse in the book for not doing these small things but decided that I could choose to do it differently. 

I have made several attempts in the past to run and of course immediately got frustrated because I somehow thought that I could run a certain distance in a particular amount of time right out of the starting line.  The other day I was walking the dog and I got this urge to start running, I have no idea where it came from but it felt good.  At that moment I decided that I would attempt to run again.  As a Mother’s Day gift I bought this:

I first viewed this on Marisa’s blog.  This has been a true blessing for me.  I am doing a 1:2 interval for now.  All you do is program the time intervals so for me I set 1  minute of running and 2 minutes of walking.  You set how  many intervals you want to do and press start.  It beeps after one minute and beeps again after two.  I have been run/walking about 4 miles three days a week  I think this type of running is exactly what I needed.  The thought of going out and running no stop some how has not appealed to me but the run/walk intervals almost makes it a game for me.  I see how fast or some time just surviving the run interval but it definitely isn’t boring.  If you have ever thought of running this might just be the things for you.  I have to admit it was difficult for me to have to start at the bottom and working my way up.  But you have to start somewhere.  My small goal for now is to be able to run a minute quite easily and once I achieve that I will add more time.  I am excited about the possibility of running in a race soon. 

Another small things  was to called Paul’s Aunt.  She lives about an hour away from us and we have not seen them in a very, very long time.  When she was not able to attend Paul’s dad service there was something inside of me that said you need to go see her.  I asked Paul if he was willing to pay her a visit and he said yes.  It took me awhile to pick up the phone and call her.  I had every excuse in the book not to do so:  she doesn’t want to see us, her husband is to ill it would not be a good idea for us to visit with them, etc. etc.  But I picked up the phone and just did it.  It was one of the best things I ever did and the feeling I got from it I can not describe.  She was delight and was looking forward to our visit.  After I got my run in and ate lunch I showered and we headed out.  We drove in an awful rain storm but it was SO worth it in the end.   

This small thing brought the greatest joy to these people.  It truly moved me today.  It made me realize that there doesn’t have to be this grand act to give great joy to someone else.  After a very nice visit we gave them hugs and promised that we would come back again soon.  This is one promise I intend to keep..

If I can leave you with one thought I would say don’t forget all the small things that you can do for some one else.  They not only bless the person you give them to  but also they bless you as well.  I know for me I felt great joy the rest of the day from this small act.

It never became more real to me than the past few days how important these two people are to me.  We laid to rest my father in law on Wednesday.  I was so happy that both of my kids were able to be with their dad in this very difficult time.

With both kids working and in school these times are more and more precious.  Things will come in and out of our lives but the most important thing of all is family. 

We left on Tuesday and were back home on Thursday it was a world wind trip and we were all exhausted.  My son continued on his journey back to Missouri on Thursday and I brought my daughter back home after work on Friday.  Now we begin to try to get back to normal if there is such a thing.  There will every be a void in our lives but his memories will be cherished by us forever. 

Part of returning to normal is a nice home cooked meal.  It was very difficult for me to eat while away it become more real to me during these times  how much education is still in need when it comes to eating healthy.  I was able to eat veggies and a pasta a salad at the dinner after the funeral but that was about it.  This meal was very much a warm home-coming.  I haven’t had a chance to blog about this much but this has become a new favorite of mine.  Bean Ball and brown rice pasta.  Pure Heaven!  Who said eating a vegan diet is boring?

I continue to be on a mission to use up some of the food I have in the freezer and refrigerator.  Lunch was two left over tortillas topped with spaghetti sauce, left over roasted pepper, onions and mushrooms and vegan cheese.  It was good and I felt special since I got to eat two! 

Last week when I was at Walmart I saw these

I thought it was quite odd to see these at Walmart and thought I remembered reading some where (who know where) that they were quite good so I had to buy them.  Yes it was an impulse buy. 

I had tried a few just cooked in the microwave with ketchup and they were quite good.  I still had a quite a few left in the refrigerator and I knew that my mission tonight was to find some thing to cook using these. 

A sweet dear friend of mine had bought this for me:

What I love about this book is that all the recipes are for two and now that the hubby is gone most of the time its nice to make a small batch.  I was browsing threw the recipes and they had a recipe for kraut, dogs and dumplings.   I was sold.  I had just thrown some saucerkraut in the freezer so it wouldn’t go back I had the dogs and I had everything to make the dumplings.  Score! 

Unfortunately I didn’t realize that the recipe would take over a hour and half and I didn’t get home from walking the dog until 6:00.  But I had my heart set on trying it so I decided to go ahead and make it.  And hour and half later I had this:

I was slightly disappointed that there wasn’t  a mountain of dumpling but after I began eating, it was just the right amount.  It was quite taste and truly hit the spot.  The only complaint that I have that it was warm here today and I was a little hot after eating it  or maybe that is signs of menopause? Remeber I am mid-aged?    But it was So worth it!

I hope you didn’t expect to see some “milk”chocolate coated candies here.  This is a vegan site don’t  you know?  So you might ask, “What is M&M?” 

Monthly & Munchies of course.  Although I am now “mid-aged” ( cringe)  I have yet to be bless or cursed however you choose look at it with the absense of the wonderful monthly cycle.  When I was starving my body to be some thing it didn’t need to be it was none exsistent.  But since I have choosen to eat a well balance vegan diet it has returned and quite consistant and regular.  I am still amazed at times with the human body.    So along with the monthly comes the munchies at least for me they do.  Some times they arrive before the cycle but for some reason this time around it  struck with iout warning today. 

I came home from work at 12:30 to a very hungry belly.  I munched on strawberries and carrots while I prepared a delicious vegan calzone.

I have been really trying to be conscious of using up left overs.  So I noticed some left over wheat pizza dough in the freezer so  I pulled that out before I left for work this morning.  I also had cooked up a big back of roasted pepper, onion and mushrooms that need to be used up.  So a vegan calzone was born.  I rolled out the dough put some left over spaghetti sauce, roast veggies and vegan cheese.  But in a 500 degree oven for 15 minutes and lunch was served.  It was quite delicious but some how I was not at all satisfied and it came with out a warning.  The munchies began at first I did not recognize it the few handfuls of cheerios, raisin, peanuts….  I stop cold in my tracks.  I knew was going to happen and I already feeling bloated from the monthly arriving I had no desire to make it worse.  I paused and remember I had some vegan peanut butter and jelly muffins in the freezer.  I put it in the microwave for a minute and ate it down.  It seem to satisfy me and the muchies slowly move back into hiding.  I some how new that it would be returning and I had to figure out some thing to help satisfy its desires.  I had saw a wonderful cinn-ful apple carrot spice bread on Tiffany’s blog and I remember thinking I could make that since I has everything.  So I proceeded to put it together.

I pulled it out of the oven it it looked absolutely beautiful.  I decided that I should probably follow direction and let cool completely before diving in.  I laced up I shoes and headed out the door with the dog.

Bacon you ask?  But I thought you were eating Vegan?  Yes I am eating vegan and continue to enjoy every moment of it.  I have eaten this a couple times and think I finally got it right.  The key is to slice it very thin.  I have to admit I ate a whole egg plant SO Good!

I decided to put the eggplant bacon on a delicious salad tonight.  I had not gotten much veggie in today so I thought this was the perfect thing. 

Salad contained:  romaine, broccoli, shreeded carrots, red pepper, onion, tofu and eggplant bacon.  The dressing was from the appetite for reduction and it was of my favorites lately.  It is made with cashews, shallots, lemon juice, capers, dijon mustard, miso, salt and pepper.  I have used it to top my brown rice, steamed kale and tofu rice bowls.  This is truly living for me.

The little nest that was built in my hang flower baset finally came to life.  Life truly is magical no matter what it is.  My son who was home from college made the discovery.  He took a peak in a pulled back quickly and said something is alive in there.  It was quite funny to see since he is a 6’4″ football player.  We both enjoy watching the little birds while he was home.

They have gotten quite a bit bigger since the last time I took photos.  You have to know that I am totally terrified of birds so it has been difficult for me to take any more pictures.  That and the mom and dad bird do not what you getting close to the nest. 

The miracle of life.  It truly is amazing.