Newwww Blog!!

I decided that this blog was intended for foooooood shtuff. I want to keep it that way- really mostly for giggles...

anywho

my new blog issss:

lynzisays.com!

GOGOGO!! follow that one if you want the more... personal-y stuff!

A Mug of Tea and Some Advice

This morning is a chilly one in lovely South Dakota. I've lived here for several months now but there is still something so novel about life here. It's so charmingly quirky and beautiful. Because it's a particularly shivery (almost!) spring morning, I decided a cup of pomegranate green tea would be an appropriate start. I don't know what it is about tea that makes me feel a bit... thoughtful. But I'm feeling like hammering out a little bit of a blog so here goes.

A good portion of the time I'm thinking about, therefore talking about, weight loss. And throughout my journey, several things have occurred to me. The latest epiphany of sorts is applicable to absolutely everyone regardless of what you've experienced in life.

You must appreciate yourself.

There are so many struggles the world presents to us in our lives that the last place our worries should focus is on our disrespect, even hatred, for ourselves. I know for me, self respect has been something I have completely lacked from the start and it's something I have to force myself to do on a daily basis. It's much harder than it sounds. When you've spent so much time despising yourself, it gets tricky trying to convince your mind to see things in a different way. When so much energy is spend on wishing you were someone else, somewhere else, it's difficult to begin to truly see what amazing gifts you have been given. Here is my advice both to myself and to you, whoever you may be.

Let it go.

Stop talking to yourself the way you'd talk to an enemy. (Though, to be honest, the things I've said to myself I'd never say to someone else, the words are that cruel.) You are the one person that has no choice but to step up to the plate for yourself. It makes almost zero sense to allow yourself to continue a rampant hatred of the person you are because you have no choice. There is no negotiating with nature. You can change the outside, sure, but it takes a lot of work to change the way you feel about yourself. The quirks we all have are ours to hold on to. The things we seem to deplore so much about ourselves are virtually the only things we will ever have that absolutely no one else can take from us. Whether you see yourself as too sensitive or not sensitive enough, too weak, too headstrong, if you think you have a weird laugh or a strange taste in music or films or any of the things we all see in ourselves as negative, know that these are the things that make you you. These are the little things that make people fall in love with you, the things that make our world so unique and beautiful. Do yourself a favor and appreciate that you are alive. Appreciate that you are unique, that you aren't just a carbon copy of flesh and bone produced on a factory line. There are so many people in your world that appreciate it too. At the end of the day, as hippy dippy as it may sound, you really just have to

Love yourself.

The chilly Saturday morning record:

"It Ain't Me Babe" --Bob Dylan (on repeat)

I Love You Like a Fat Kid Loves Cake. [[Cupcakes]]

In this case, I'm the fat kid... or the "not-really-as-fat-anymore-and-quickly-becoming-not-fat-at-all" kid. But regardless of labels, I love cake. And I love you!! So what if you might be a creepy dude with a killer 'stache. I still love you. But mostly, I love cake. Cupcakes. Cakes you bake in cups. I've never made vegan cupcakes before so I quickly googled a recipe and went at it. I added too much vanilla to both the cake batter and the frosting, so it's a little on the overwhelming side but they're really still pretty good. And whole wheat. And vegan! It's a win situation any way you look at it, really. I believe the recipe was from "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World" but a good cupcake recipe is easy to find if you use that trusty google machine! Another option is to vegan-ify an omni style recipe by using replacements for the non-vegan items. Voila! Cupcakes!

Work it out!

Today was my first Saturday Challenge work-out: 26 miles as fast as you can. I came up with it to see what it was like to 1. set and accomplish a fitness goal and 2. see what it's like to finish a marathon length work out. I only have my stationary bike right now, but that's good enough for me! It gets my heart pumping and my legs working.

My stats were: 26.03 miles, 87:45 minutes, and 485 calories burned

Talk about working it out!

I can't figure out how to get the proof picture uploaded from my cellular device so you'll just have to take my word that I did it.

Baking playlist:

The entire Dookie album- Green Day

Long Time No Blog!

I am notorious for starting things and abandoning them, YouTube channels, blogs, myspace (who didn't with that last one, really?) etc. But my blog has always been on my mind... "I should blog this! ...nah... too lazy to get my camera, no one cares..." But then I remember that I shouldn't really care whether or not anyone else gives a damn about what I have to say, but that this blog was intended as a very public form of a diary and it has always been about what I need to say to myself. I'm reminded of this as I read through my last few posts. I'm reminded of the summer, of a boy and my first experience with heartbreak (which I pretended didn't bother me... but it really, really did.), my adventures with the vegan thing (a thing which I have not yet abandoned hope on) and how much growth I've really experienced over the last several months of being in South Dakota. People closest to me have noticed the shift, not only physically (can I get an AMEN?!) but in my personality as well. I guess I just seem more grown up? I think my priorities have just shifted.

A year ago I was a very unhappy 320 pound person. I ate my feelings and I ate down the feelings I had given myself from eating in the first place, a dangerous cycle of negativity that showed itself all over my body. I recognize that for some, losing a significant amount of weight really might not be that big of a deal. But on the other hand, I wonder how many people can balloon to over 300 pounds and not have some sort of emotional issue lurking around somewhere. That is a lot of weight to have allowed yourself to carry. At this point, I've lost 80 pounds. And while my inner pessimistic jerk is saying "uuuhh... you're still a fat ass. You have a long way to go, buddy... don't get excited." My shiny optimistic self is saying, and forgive my french, "FUCK YES!" For a few months there I hit a bit of a plateau and was getting a bit frustrated. That's when a little light switched on and said "duh, self! Exercise!" So I listened. I joined weight watchers--mostly because I want to be on a commercial... My success story is going to be so kick ass I'll become famous and filthy rich! Nah, I kid... kind of. In all reality, I needed a push in the right direction and Jennifer Hudson convinced me with her new "erms and legs." Using weight watchers I dropped 13 pounds in the first month. Not astonishing results but I'll take them. Most importantly though, I began exercising and not allowing myself to make excuses and holding myself accountable. I've put that stationary bike I got for Christmas (Thanks mom and dad!) to good use for sure. If you really want the nitty gritty of my workout routine I'll probably do a more in depth post later but basically, I stay on that bitch for an hour (averaging about 18 miles) and I try to challenge myself in some way or another. This weekend... I'm planning on "biking" the length of a marathon, 26-point-something miles. Meh. What's another 8 miles?!

Cultivating a healthy relationship with food has been tough to do on my own, but I've made a lot of progress. The hardest part of all of this is learning to cultivate a healthy relationship with myself, to allow my shiny optimistic self to rule my thoughts and be proud of what I've accomplished. I'm not where I want to be yet but I'm pretty much halfway there. So at this point I know for a fact that I can do whatever I want to do with my body, I can be how ever I want to be. And though my final goal is a ways down the road, I have a huge milestone a mere 20 pounds away, and another 20 pounds down from that. Rest assured, when both of these are met... there will be jumping and shouting... and probably shimmying. I am absolutely proud of myself and I think I have every right to be. I've put up with the horrid emotions a person goes through when changing their life, I've worked hard, I've made a difference and saved myself from a lifetime of really intense health problems. See?! No one needs a knight-in-shining armor! You can be your own hero! (Okay... maybe that's a bit much, but whatever.)

Black Bean Burger Wraps and "Chikin" Salad

I meant to write this blog about a week ago now, but I just kept putting it off!

Food makes me very happy, it's pretty simple. When I ditched the crap and decided to go full fledged vegan, about six weeks ago, I was honestly prepared to not have many options. But I've found the opposite is true. My diet has never been so diverse, colorful, and delicious! With all the egg recalls and problems with e. coli hanging out in so much meat lately, I'd highly recommend giving the whole vegan thing a try. May I also mention that eating vegan cookie dough is absolutely acceptable and safe? Just thought I'd throw that in there.

One of my favorite ways to start my morning is with hot cereal. It's really easy to make, very filling, full of fiber, and just a good start for the day. I prefer to use the Bob's Red Mill 7 grain hot cereal. And if I can get away with throwing fruit into any meal, I'll do it.

The black bean burgers from the Veganomicon cookbook were so good I was actually relieved to be the only person wanting to eat them. More deliciousness for me! I sliced one of the leftover burgers into strips and rolled it up in a whole wheat spinach tortilla with tomato, avocado, lettuce, onion, and some salsa. Aren't leftovers awesome?

(answer: Yes. Yes they are.)

Last, but definitely not least, the "Chikin" salad. One of my favorite things to eat in my pre-vegetarian days was chicken salad sandwiches. And on this particular day I had a very random craving for chicken salad... So I made some! Vegan style! Chopped up apple, grapes, onion, celery, and faux chikin all mixed together with some veganaise! I love simplicity. I put a couple spoonfuls of my little mixture on a piece of toast with some lettuce and tomato. Yum!

I really like to keep everything in my life simple, and that includes the things I eat. I like to be able to throw something delicious, and healthy, together quickly without any extra hassle. I do actually love spending time in my kitchen. I love baking and cooking. I just really, really hate cleaning up afterwards.

Quote of Today

‎"Unfortunate events, though potentially a source of anger and despair, have equal potential to be a source of growth." --Dalai Lama

Roasted Rosemary Veggies and Black Bean Burgers

For lunch today nothing sounded better than roasted veggies. It's probably evident by my other posts but I really enjoy simplicity when it comes to meals. Especially when it's in the middle of a really hot day, I just don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen.

Oil up the bottom of a cookie sheet/cake pan/anything oven-worthy with a thin coat of olive oil. Slice up some of your favorite veggies, sprinkle some herbs and spices on top, and put it in the oven for about 20-30 minutes or so. Easy -n- delicious!

I sprinkled some rosemary and thyme over potatoes, mushrooms, grape tomatoes, green pepper, and onion. Perfect!

I was feeling a little bit more ambitious for dinner tonight so I grabbed Veganomicon and decided to make the black bean burgers. I didn't have any vegan hamburger buns, so I made some of those too! I'll admit, I'm always a bit nervous when I put time and energy into making something I've never tried before... what if I hate it?! So far on my journey into the world of veganism I haven't made anything I've hated, in fact I've loved almost everything! These babies were no exceptions! SO good! If you don't have Veganomicon, I'd be willing to bet the recipe is somewhere online. It's definitely worth trying... even if you're not vegan.

I think I should add a list of the songs that make my time in the kitchen even more fun. I always have something playing while I'm in the kitchen. Silence freaks me out a little bit! ;)

"Oh, Goddamnit" -Hot Hot Heat

"Supermarket" -Iggy Pop feat. Green Day

"What a Wonderful World"- Joey Ramone

"Circle the Drain" -Katy Perry

Quote of Today

‎"The art of living lies less in eliminating our troubles than in growing with them." --Bernard M. Baruch

Quote of Today

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” --Mahatma Gandhi

Family Reunion!

Yesterday my family had their annual "reunion" and I absolutely knew there would be very little, if anything, for this new vegan to eat.... So I had to make some treats and introduce my lovely omni family members to the wonder that is... food... that tastes like food... Now there's a shocker! I made a couple different kinds of cookies and a pasta salad. I have a ton of leftovers so that pasta salad will make an appearance in almost every meal I have.

And this pasta goodness is really easy to make and delicious!

I used tri color bow-tie noodles to add a little something extra, threw in some chopped up broccoli, cauliflower, green pepper, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and black olives, and tossed everything with a light coating of garlic Italian dressing. Light and perfect for summer.

I decided cookies would be another really easy thing to make and that pretty much everyone enjoys a good cookie. So I looked up a few recipes online for chocolate chip, sugar, and peanut butter cookies! Easy as pie... or cookies... The peanut butter cookies turned out horribly and were promptly disposed of. But the other two were fantastic! Everyone loved them, especially the little kids that needed refueling after their marathon of tag and hide-and-seek.

I had a fantastic day making these and an even better time eating them. As weird as my family may be... they're all pretty fun to be around. Usually. :-P

Fooooood...

All I've wanted to eat for the last couple of days is peanut butter, bananas, and bean burritos. Don't ask... I don't know...

Right now the thought of anything else makes me a little bit queasy.

So I give you toast. Elvis style.

Probably the easiest, most delicious, and surprisingly filling meal ever. All you need is toasted bread, a nice slathering of peanut butter, and a sliced up banana. Heaven.

Did I mention bean burritos? Oh yeah. I did. Along with my Elvis toast I've been wanting bean burritos like mad. So... of course... I eat them! it works :)

They usually end up more like tacos from all of the veggies I stuff inside but it still tastes the same!

Another really easy to make meal. Beans. Tortilla. And whatever else you feel like smashing in there. Perfection.

Of course I know that I need some greens tossed in there somewhere so I whipped up this quick little salad. In interest of saving money I buy big containers of already washed and mixed salad. It gives me the option of having all of the greens I could buy at the grocery store with only a small fraction of the price. Maybe it's not ideal but it's much better than not having any at all, right? This salad was also easy. Not quite as good as my previous meals but on a normal basis I probably would have really enjoyed it.

A large handful of the mixed greens, dried cherries, raw sunflower seeds, and a small drizzling of my favorite (vegan!) salad dressing. Easy as pie. Or... salad....

The way I've been wanting to only eat certain foods lately is so not typical for me. But seriously everything else (the smell, the thought, the taste) makes me gag a little bit. So I was completely bummed out that I didn't enjoy my favorite meal of all time. Another easy one, but it's so good you'd think it was bad.

Zucchini, yellow squash, (and my new favorite) Kale, steamed a little bit and browned in a bit of teriyaki sauce.

That's pretty much been it for the last few days. Like I said, it's mostly peanut butter, bananas, and bean burritos...

I haven't posted my food pics in a couple of days! I've taken them but I just haven't gotten around to putting them up... whoops!

Instead of actually being too productive (which I'm allergic to apparently) I'm going to leave the photos for tomorrow. There's something much more important on my mind.

I'm thinking about the word "vegan". Now, I'm not the biggest fan of labels; I find that they put so many restrictions on your life that are impossible to live up to. I can't think of any other way to talk about the way I live my life and the way I eat other than saying "I'm vegan." But am I? Is a month dairy/egg free long enough to call yourself a vegan? Are there time restraints? And if someone who calls themselves a vegan decides to eat a piece of non-vegan cake does that mean they have to start all over? Do they lose the right to call themselves vegan?

What confuses me are the politics. Why is it that we have to make everything a competition? Whether it's against ourselves or against each other it seems that we, for the most part, want to be the better, stronger person at the end. That's evolutionary for sure, y'know... the whole "survival of the fittest" thing...

What if I decided to proudly proclaim that "I'm vegan!"? But a month down the road my knees buckle and I grab a piece of pizza. Does that make me a hypocrite or just human?

I think what I'm trying to get at, trying to make myself remember, is that perfection isn't a possibility. It doesn't exist. We all make decisions that could be considered mistakes, that's just life. But one bite of cake, or pizza, or pie shouldn't completely erase the days, months, weeks, or years of being "vegan". You eat it. You deal with it. You move on. That doesn't mean that you're out of a club or that you are never allowed to call yourself "vegan". It means that you are a human being with vices and weaknesses. I've noticed a certain veil that arises whenever I mention that I'm vegan, or trying to be, to anyone that isn't. Because we don't eat the same things doesn't mean I'm going to slap you over the head or punch you in the face. It means we disagree. It opens up a space for conversation, for education. But it is absolutely understandable to me why someone would occasionally want to throw their hands up and say "I give up!"

We can only do so much. We can all only play perfect for so long.

Quote of Today

‎"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." --Mahatma Gandhi

Quote of Today

"You must look into other people as well as at them."

--Lord Chesterfield

Quote of Today

Two quotes today ;)

"I demolish my bridges behind me...then there is no choice but to move forward." --Firdtjof Nansen

"Nothing can bring you peace but yourself."

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Quote of Today

"If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true were really true, there would be little hope of advance."
--Orville Wright

Kale!!

I'm not going to lie... I was terrified of Kale. I picked some up at the recommendation of my awesome internet friend, Keri, over at www.ieattrees.com

I stared at it for a minute and put it in the fridge trying to think of what in the world I could do with it. I turned to my very best friend, google, and found a couple of doable options. I threw a handful into my daily smoothie and found that the taste didn't linger much at all, unlike spinach and the other greens I've tried. Then I decided that I'd be really brave and saute some! I browned onion in a couple tablespoons of olive oil and let that simmer for awhile with rosemary, thyme, and caraway seed. I tossed the Kale in for about 7 minutes until it was nice and tender and put it over some mashed cauliflower, drizzled a tiny bit of olive oil on top, salt and peppered and chowed down. It was SO good! Kale just might become one of my favorite greens of all time! :)

Dinner tonight was just left over spaghetti from last night. It's even better the second time around!

Thought of the Day.

If something is bothering you, stop bitching and moaning and do something about it!

Quote of Today

Fear less, hope more, eat less, chew more, whine less, breathe more, talk less, say more, hate less, love more, and good things will be yours.
Swedish Proverb

"Green" Spaghetti

If you've ever been in college you know that having a huge budget for groceries is just not happening. So as I've been dabbling in the idea of eating a vegan diet I've found that my meals just don't get too complex and frozen vegetables have quickly become my new best friends. Tonight for dinner I had a craving for spaghetti... so, naturally, I ran to the kitchen and whipped some up! I used some whole wheat spinach noodles and steamed some (frozen!) broccoli and edamame, slapped on some random, store-bought, spaghetti sauce and voila! "Green" spaghetti. I took a few slices of my newly made bread, spread some "butter" and powdered garlic and threw it in the oven for some garlic toast. Amazing. It was so simple and it only really took about 10 minutes! (minus the time it took to boil the water.)