Update: & Currently Digging: February 9th, 2014

Hey guys, how was your week? I had a great time with my grandparents- my parents just got back from their trip last night & we gave my dad his BD present. Today I'm planning to make a vanilla  cake & french toast for breakfast, his favorite:)  Other than that, we're just catching up on sleep after a busy, fun week.

But, anyway , we had a good time at my Grandma's. We got to just relax, watch movies, and take walks with the dog. I spent most of my time in the living- room watching" Gunsmoke" every morning and making edits on the 2nd edition of my book:) At night-time, we'd pick a movie everybody liked- so on Monday we watched" Jumper' a pretty neat movie about a guy who can transport himself from one place to another, like from Paris to Egypt! It had Hayden Christenen in it, who played Anakin in Star Wars, so we all thought it was pretty cool to see him in another movie. On Tuesday, we watched" The Big Year'' with Jack Black, Owen Wilson, and Steve Martin- it's a pretty funny movie that we've seen before where three guys are competing in this bird contest- to see who can take the most pictures of different species of birds on this bird expedition. Then, on Wednesday, the last night we were there we watched" Soul Surfer", which we haven't seen in quite some time, so it was fun to watch it again. It was just a good time to just relax, sleep in in the mornings, and enjoy doing nothing:) 
I was usually up pretty early though in the mornings, but I slept good- got a room all to myself, so I felt more rested than I do at home. The boys were up at 6am the first morning- lol! But I usually didn't emerge from my hide- out until 8am. I would wake up around 7:30am or later and do my pilates 10 minute workouts- they were such a good way to wake up and get my blood flowing. Then I'd ask Grandma to turn her computer on and I'd spent an hour watching  a Zac Poonen message on youtube, write a report on it, and then stay in my bathrobe for the next 2 hours( one time until 11am!) and play around on the computer, while the boys watched cartoons and Tom read the newspaper. Then, we'd all have breakfast- Grandma made us my favorite cornmeal pancakes on Wednesday morning- they were delish! After that, we were usually all on the couch for our daily routine of watching " Gunsmoke" , which started at like 10am and ran till 2pm. Then it was "Bonanza" with Michael Landon( who played Charles in Little House On The Prairie". Again, we thought it was neat to see one of our favorite actors in another movie- Karen Grassle( who played" Ma" or Caroline in Little House) was also in an episode of Gunsmoke as a saloon girl.
We had planned to go to the library sometime, but the snow was pretty bad and the weather was super cold while we were there. I usually took the dog for a walk once a day( when I got cabin fever) but they were usually just short walks, where I came back freezing and resolved to stay indoors for the rest of the day:)
Thursday, February 6th, Meme ( our other Grandma) came to pick us up ( her and Papa were going to be watching us for the last 3 days) Originally, we were going to stay at their house, but we decided it would be easiest if they stayed at our house( because our puppy gets sick on long car- rides & they live 1 hour away) We came home, unpacked our clothes, and then got Wendys for dinner- a real treat for me- I haven't had a Jr. bacon cheeseburger in almost a year! Then we watched Duck Dynasty, which I fell asleep halfway through- I was so tired. So I hit the sack early that night and got a good night's sleep( I'd been awake again at 6am the night before). On Friday, we cleaned up the house a little bit for Mom and Dad coming home- me and Meme had a nice afternoon just talking and hanging out while the boys playing Cowboys and did stuff on the computer. I finished up some homework Dad had given me before he left- practiced piano and tidied up my room a little bit. Papa left for work and then when he came home, we watched " Die Hard With A Vengeance" which was a pretty cool movie- really intense! 
On Saturday, we had a lot of fun. I made Giada's Buckwheat Pancakes for breakfast and took them to Meme in bed. Then Papa left for work, we cleaned up the house, and I made home-made pizza for lunch( cheese-stuffed:) ) and then we watched" Marley & Me' before heading to the airport to pick up Mom and Dad.

It's been a really awesome week- but now I feel like I'm ready to slip back into the routine of schoolwork, exercising, ballet etc.:)
I thought it would be fun to do another" Currently Digging" post,  to end this, since I haven't done one in a long time. 
 So here's what I'm currently into:
Books: Kisses From Katie
              

I read this one about 2 years ago & loved it. Well, recently I decided to delve into again= since I've been missing reading= I haven't done any in so long, just for leisure, because I've been doing a lot of reading for school. 

It's such an awesome, life- changing story- she is such an inspiration! Definitely encourage girls to read it in your spare time

Movies: Slumdog Millionaire

As much as I love India and the people there, and as much as I love good romance- this movie was just the perfect thing to watch the first time I saw it. 

It's been about a year, if not longer, since I saw some of it( I'd never actually watched the whole thing before)

It's such a beautiful story and a great film!

Eating: Mostly Quesadillas- lol:) 

I've always loved Mexican food, nachos and cheese, tacos, ahhh- it's all so good. But most of the time, when I order a quesadilla, it's on a white tortilla with lots of butter- and not very healthy. So, as I said on my food blog, I've found ways to make them healthy, so I can enjoy my favorite dinner guilt- free. And they're still yummy- I use whole wheat tortilla that are more filling and 1/2 cup of cheesE( 1/4 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup swiss) I know that seems like a lot, but it's what it takes to satisfy me so I'm not hungry afterwards and eating 1/2 bag of tortilla chips or pretzels- lol. 

 

Most of the time, I pair them off with some cooked spinach( not pictured here) and fruit( grapes usually) I prefer the nice big tortillas, that are healthy and filling. Most of the time I just use one( but if I'm really hungry  like after I exercise I'll use two to fill me up). In the beginning, when I first went vegetarian, I dipped them in a bit of light sour cream, but now I prefer ricotta over sour cream.

I did find a new recipe recently, for a sweet potato one, it looks divine= can't wait to try it. 

http://naturallyella.com/2013/11/10/spiced-sweet-potato-quesadilla/

Drinking: chocolate almond milk 

this stuff is just so good- it's 10 times better than regular chocolate milk- less calories, less fat, and it has 45% of my daily calcium intake in 1 cup- versus 20% in regular chocolate milk- how's that for a dairy free drink?!

Listening to: Carrie Underwood 

So, as you all know, I absolutely love Carrie Underwood! I mean I love her voice, personality, style, hair, everything! 

She's beautiful, talented, & truly amazing. But it all started, back when I was a hard-core vegetarian, and saw her on Sunday Night Football. From then on, my favorite part of the whole week was getting" Blown Away" by her performance on the Sunday Night Football song- lol and she always looked so cute & in shape on the stage in that little pair of jean shorts. Shortly before that, I'd discovered she was vegetarian too,( and vegan) loved animals,eating healthy, and working out- four things we had in common! I always got excited, back then, when I found out one of my favorite celebrities was a vegetarian/vegan, so I thought this was so cool! 

But I'd never actually heard any of Carrie's Music before- I know it sounds like a silly reason I had for liking her, since she is best known for her country songs and American Idol experience." Jesus Take The Wheel" was  the only one I'd seen when I was younger, but I'd never really given much thought to the lovely girl behind it:) 

So I checked out some of her music- I bought Jesus Take The Wheel, and a couple songs from her newest album, "Good Girl'' and " See You Again" ( released May 2012). I really loved the beat and words of " Good Girl", when I saw the music video and heard her sing it a couple times; so that's why I decided to buy that one." See You Again" is a great, whole-some song with a melody I really like too- I love it!

She gave an incredible performance of it in this video( from last year)- I absolutely loved this!

Update: January 31st, 2014

Hey everyone! How has your week been? Mine's been pretty good- it flew by like crazy( no surprise- lol!) The first month of the new year was pretty awesome- I just have to say. I mean, I just LOVe this time of the year- it feels so fresh and amazing; there's so many wonderful things waiting to be explored!! I love it. I'm still getting used to writing 2014 when i write the date on stuff though- lol! 

Anyway, on to some awesome highlights of my January- just little random things, you know but still things that made it cool :) 

First Week of January- January 1st- January 8th. 
The first week was pretty great- really just a time for me to relax and get back into my routine of school, exercising, eating right again- lol. Because, you see, I'd just gotten back from my Aunt and Uncle's the weekend before New Year's Eve- I spent it at their home in Virginia with my grand-parents who had driven me up for my adorable little cousin's baptism. It was a great time- I had a blast! but I really blew my diet & ate a lot of bad stuff- I'm just going to come out and say it, okay?!! And that's okay sometimes- I mean it was still the aftermath of  holidays- a time of indulgence :) One day I had a root beer & two ginger-snap crackers, another day I decided to have apple pie with vanilla ice cream- once I even went as far as eating 20 crackers and some fried sausage!!! I was a bad girl lol- but It was such a treat for me( I'm not ashamed to say that I don't regret it in the slightest!) I stayed true to my basic principles on eating( I tried to still eat a lot of salad& fruit) and that's really what's important during times like the holidays I think. 
But, at any rate, I had a great time, even though I was exhausted from christmas and thanksgiving:) 
The last night I was there we all watched " The Lone Ranger" together( The New version) with Arnie Hammer and Johnny Depp. It was like I was reliving my experience seeing it at the movie theater- it's so awesome, but it wasn't as funny as the first time I watched it. But I do love Johnny Depp's sense of humor- he's just hysterical!  On the Monday I left, we had a few problems with my grandpa's car, so we had to wait a little later than we wanted to to leave. My uncle and I had fun relaxing on the couch together and watching" Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" which was very intriguing, while my aunt and grandpa were getting the car fixed. My aunt and uncle sent us home with a ton of food- a whole plastic bag just jammed with cookies, sandwiches for the road, fruit, leftover slices of a quiche my aunt had made that I liked, and drinks- they were so nice. My uncle had made me a vegetarian sandwich on a croissant with mustard, swiss & cheddar cheeses- it was one of the best sandwiches I've ever eaten! 
On the way home, I did some schoolwork, but I was really glad I had gotten most of it done the day before- because I was so tired- I mainly spent the drive home sleeping and listening to music instead of watching movies like I did on the way down. We stopped at a rest- stop once and I got treated to one of my favorite foods, a  " Auntie Anne's " pretzel. I was reminded of how much I love them- they're so buttery and soft and heavenly!
When I returned Monday, December 30th, 2013, to be exact, I had a little less than a day to plan my new year's eve meal ( well no, that wouldn't be true, I planned it about 2 months in advance). What I meant was I had to hurry up and make sure I had all the ingredients for the treats I wanted for one of my favorite times of year. The final day of a truly awesome year( 2013!) was epic( i mean it really was) if you call listening to Adele while I made lemon ricotta cookies epic- lol! But I had a lot of fun- I swung back a bit into the routine of school, made my " Sausage" stuffed mushrooms, finished unpacking, and then made my cookies. They were so flippin good( unfortunately though I was the only one who enjoyed them, other than my mom). when you mix butter, ricotta cheese, sugar, and vanilla together- you get this divine food that's too amazing for my tastebuds. And trust me, it's impossible to not stick your finger in the bowl more than once for this awesome taste!( at least for me anyway) They're really easy too. You just add the wet ingredients first( mentioned above) and then some flour, sugar, salt etc. Bake them and then if you want you make a lemon frosting( but they're sweet without it too) click on this link for the recipe, on my food blog. http://bakingandcookingthenaturalway.blogspot.com/
All my planning really was worth it though, I have to admit, when I at last got to sit down at the table and indulge in my favorite pierogies with sour cream( baked and drizzled in olive oil- I'm getting hungry just thinking of them), 1 sausage appetizer with spinach, and 3 mini lemon cookies( yes I said 3!- but they were pretty small to be honest- hehe-  my little excuses you know:) ) 
The sausage appetizers were pretty good- but they definitely took some time, however. I got them off the food network( a Rachel ray recipe) They're not complicated, just more steps than I'm used to in my lazy kitchen. Basically you just cook some mushrooms, after chopping and washing them, fill them with spinach, tomatoes, pepper, sausage, cheese, and chopped pieces( or dice) of whole wheat bread( buttered & toasted first), and stick them in the oven. The result is yummy- but satisfying and light! 
click here for the recipe on my food blog: 
http://bakingandcookingthenaturalway.blogspot.com/


Second Weekend= January 10th- January 12th
This weekend was just super unique in that it rained pretty much the whole time. It felt really strange like it was spring and we lived in the Florida Keys! I remember taking the dog out one night and remembering it feeling cool outside like Florida! For some reason the wet, chilly weather really reminded me of Florida!
Friday I made veggie calzones & avocado chocolate mousse( both which turned out so nice- I was just so happy:) ) I had a really fun time making dinner for my family- especially knowing it was healthy and easy at the same time! They really loved the calzones- I was really content with the final results. I cut mine in half & saved half for breakfast the next morning( I know I'm weird!)- but I was actually glad I did this. Usaully when I make something as delicious as a calzone, I'm tempted to eat the whole thing all in one sitting. and i would have if i wanted to- but I felt it was better to save half of it, so I got to indulge twice- I got some at dinner & some at breakfast:)) it worked for me! 

I was even more surprised with how much my family loved the mousse I made. ( No one but my mom and I ever found it it had avocados in it- our secret hehe). I mean- it really was divine( What Giada recipe isn't?!). Soft, creamy, and so addictive. It's a lot like chocolate pudding, if you like that. 
So we had a great dinner & then my mom said we could all sleep in the basement( which was a lot of fun!) 
I stayed up a little later with my dad & we watched our favorite show: The Daily Show With John Stewart, a adult comedy show that we both enjoy. He was doing an interview with one of my favorite actresses,  Scarlett Johannson, on her newest movie, " Her". It was really a great interview & funny too. She looked very pretty, in a long black dress & cute little ponytail:) 

Next was Saturday, Jan 11th. 
The epic, life- changing day the Patriots played the Colts in a sky-rocketing playoff game that made our day- they won!
mom treated me to Arbys, somewhere I haven't eaten at at so long. We brought home my favorite curly fries & I had an awesome turkey & cheese melt on this amazing bread( ahh..... I think i'm going to start drooling thinking about it, not an attractive sight for me lol )

Sunday- Jan 12th. was a fun day as well- we had Giada's baked fruit & ricotta for breakfast & my favorite orange creamsicle shake( I mean it's a classic in our house- my mom and I just love it- I must have made it like ten times!) 
If you haven't tried it- you have too- that's all there is to it! It's so creamy & refreshing- + it's healthy too! I remember drinking for the first time way back in what seems the" Stone ages" or May of 2013. I had just started to be a vegetarian and was reading all these health articles when I discovered it. I happened to have some oranges and milk in the house- so I gave it a shot & have been hooked ever since! 

    Recipe: 3 tbsp. organic cane sugar or stevia
                  1/2 cup low fat milk ( or almond milk)
                  2 tsp. vanilla extract
                 1 1/2 cups ice
               Blend 1 orange( split into little pieces and peeled first of course) in a blender until well combined. Add all the other ingredients and blend, blend, blend some more. It really makes a difference if you let the blender run for a while- it makes a creamier shake!
Giada's baked fruit:) 

To end this weekend, I asked Dad to record the "Golden Globes Awards". Usually I don't care much for all the awards shows that take place this time of year( January- April) but I'd found out that a few stars I like( Leonardo Dicapprio & Jennifer Lawrence) would be at the show( hosting, presenting) and so I thought it would be fun to watch. It was very entertaining, hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who were really funny together! There was so many famous people there- Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Matt Damon, Emma Stone, & Emma Thompson( a actress I like from " Sense & Sensibility). She presented one of the awards and was all funny- she walked out on the stage in her bare feet! Jennifer Lawrence won an award & Leonardo Dicapprio also won a golden globe for one of his most recent films. I missed about 15 minutes of the show- but I got to watch the parts I really cared about( the good stuff) so it all worked out:) 

January 17th- January 19th. This one was a biggie also- mainly because there was 2 big play-off games going on. 1st: the Patriots Vs. the Broncos in the afternoon and then at 6:30am the 49ers vs. the Seahawks. I have officially become a Patriots fan so I was really excited for the game- as was my dad and brothers. Unfortunately, the Broncos beat the Pats, but it was still an intense, fun game. We had a few friends over and ordered Gionino's pizza for dinner. I got this really delish pizza ( a five cheese vegetarian one) with ricotta, mozzarella, feta, and parmesan all in one slice! It was so good! i had like three slices, but they were just small ones so I got to indulge guilt free:) 
then it was time for the 49ers and Seahawks game. Honestly, I don't know very much about either team- but I decided to root for the Seahawks, since my dad was and I also like Russell Wilson, the quarter-back. It was such an exciting game, which they won, to everyone's delight. 


January 24th- January 26th 
I'm going to say that this final weekend of the month had to have been the best one. I mean what else could you get but an awesome weekend when you combine The outsiders, dinner with my grandparents, a blizzard, and pizza together? lol. I'd been planning to go to this play, " The Outsiders"( based on a children's book by S.E. Hilton) for some time, ever since I auditioned for it in August 2013. I thought it would be exciting to see it on stage & so I asked my grand-parents if they would like to join my mom and I for it on a Saturday night. We went to Mike's Place for dinner before the play and I had a really good salad and an appetizer( my favorite pierogies with sauteed onions!) and we enjoyed some good conversations. It was snowing like crazy outside though- my mom and I drove one of my dad's newest cars right now, which we all call the" tank" because it really is like an army tank! It's big and high up too- it's a little rough climbing in the front seat without falling! Anyhow- we finished dinner and then headed to the play, which I was so happy hadn't been canceled due to the weather. More people braved the storm than we expected- it was a full house! 
On Sunday, the 26th the boys had their last basketball game of the year, which were so happy they won! I came home and had a nice, relaxing afternoon. Mom had found this funny SNL video with actor, Jonah Hill, who was hosting, with a surprise appearance from Leonardo Dicapprio( his co- star in the 2013 film, ' The wolf of wall street', which earned him an Oscar nomination for this year) where they  re-in acted my favorite" flying scene' from Leo's "Titanic( 1997). It was pretty funny! 

Here's the video

Then I made my cheese-stuffed pizza-  did I mention I had a blast making it?! It was so easy and turned out so well- even though the cheese leaked out of the top a little bit. We had a fun Sunday night- I set out tray- tables, served the boys and my parents the pizza, and then we watched one of my favorite movies, that I rented from the library," Slumdog Millionaire." It's been so long since I watched the whole thing- I was just reminded how much I love it! It's such a good story- line and the romance is so sweet too!

So now that January is over, it's time to move on to February- I'm so excited for what it has to bring as well! First and foremost, of course, the super-bowl is this weekend! I'm super excited- I can hardly wait! I've been planning a special meal with hearty entrees, tasty snacks, and decadent, light dessert. My mom bought me this frozen vegan mac and cheese that is supposed to be healthier than the store-bought, processed junk you find at most walmarts. It looks divine!

 So that we'll be my main course and then I'm making mini Auntie Anne's pretzels for my family. A real treat! 

Recipe( copied from Yammie's Noshery)

• 2 cups milk (I used 2%) or low fat
• 1 1/2 Tbsp active dry yeast (2 packets)
• 2 or 3 Tbsp packed light-brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. butter, at room temperature( or you could use 2 tbsp. olive oil; either works)
• 41/2all-purpose flour, plus an up to an additional 1/2 cup as needed
• 2 tsp fine salt
• 1/3 cup baking soda
• 3 cups warm water
• coarse salt, to taste
• 4 Tbsp butter( 1/2 stick) melted

Warm up the milk in the microwave or on the stove for just about one and a half minutes. It should be about 110º. If it's too hot it will kill the yeast. You should be able to comfortably keep your finger in it. Stir in the yeast and let it sit for about 3 minutes. Add the butter and sugar. Add the flour about 1 cup at a time and the add the fine salt. Kneed for about 10 minutes with a stand mixer, or by hand. Put it in a greased bowl and cover with greased cling wrap. Let rise for 1 hour in a moist, warm place until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 450º. Punch down dough and divide into 12 lumps (I like to divide it in half, then divide each half into three, and then divide each remaining one in half again). Roll them all out as thin as you can. Combine the warm water and baking soda in a wide bowl. Form the dough into pretzel shapes, then dip in the baking soda water. Place on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake for about 7-11 minutes or until browned.
Read more at http://www.yammiesnoshery.com/2012/04/auntie-annes-pretzels-copycat-recipe.html#vZEGWkoDepfyxv9A.99

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To drink, there's Vegan Chocolate Almond milk- my favorite indulgence when I'm craving chocolate. It's healthier than regular chocolate milk, with 45% my daily calcium intake in an 8 oz. glass and only 100 calories! Plus- it's more natural   & totally addictive
  

And for dessert, there's low fat pumpkin ice cream! I was just so excited when I found some at the store- I didn't think they would have it in January!! 

This way I get to enjoy some of my favorite foods- with a slightly healthier twist- the super bowl is what I like to call" A day of indulgence" though, so I'm not going to try to eat super healthy- lol, but still light

and yummy. 

It's perfect, easy food to munch on while yelling at the Tv( depending on who's winning lol- hopefully the Seahawks!) Its going to be an awesome day- a lot of fun!

After the big day,my parents are going on a special vacation- and we get to spend a week with our grandparents just being lazy & having fun- an early spring break & breather from school:) We're all looking forward to it.
What are your Super-bowl plans? Who are you rootin' for in the big game? I would love to hear from you! 
Have a great weekend everyone & have fun!

Eating Healthy & Working Out- What I've Learned On This Journey- December 26th,2013

As I look back over the past year- 2013, I'm amazed at lots of things- how much has changed, how much is changing, and just how fast time has flown. Of all the wonderful things that have taken place this year, my journey to healthier living has made a drastic difference in my life.
For so long, I had to force myself to eat healthy and work out. It wasn't something I enjoyed at all- I'd starve myself on salads and fruit for a week- resisting all unhealthy food until I couldn't take it any more. Then I'd splurge on a burger and fries at Swensons- and hate all healthy food from then on.

Wow- how things have changed! My vegetarian/ or only eating lean meat occasionally( until Spring 2014) lifestyle
has given me a love for fruits and vegetables that's amazing- I literally can't live without them.  Not only do I feel better & look better since pursuing a healthy lifestyle, but I'm forever hooked on healthy food!
Eating lots of salad, apples, and bananas used to be such a drag for me- like something on my to-do-list that wore me out.
Now I hate not having these things around- because I feel terrible with out them- lol!

Overeating: I've always loved food- since I was a little girl. But when I look back on the past 2 years, I think I loved it too much.  I had a problem- a big one with overeating, based on the fact that something tastes good. My day was filled with heavy meals- breakfast( 2 or 3 slices of bread, pancakes & sausage, or other large meals) lunch- meat, pasta, or bread, more than i should eat)  dinner- the same thing( sometimes salad). If not for changing my lifestyle, that would not have turned out well at all! Not to mention over-snacking on pretzels, chips, and unhealthy buttery crackers in- between meals. I ate like a king & felt like total crap!      
And when it was the holidays- watch out! I snacked and snacked and snacked on appetizers- and then ate a large meal- with red, fatty meats the center of my palet and hardly any vegetables!
I wanted to change to try eating healthy but truth be told, didn't no how. 
In October 2012, my dad started taking me to the gym to work out- I walked on the track for an hour, did elictipical for 20 minutes( burned 220 calories), and  did crutches every morning. By 11am, I was back to filling up on worthless protzels and eating two slices of turkey for lunch:0. Bascially, the fact that we worked out for 3 months meant nothing when I wasn't eating that healthy:)
In April 2013, I decided to put all excuses aside and get my body in shape!
I started eating a large salad every day for lunch- with some fontina cheese and light salad dressing. Along with this, I'd have a whole wheat, low calorie, pita. It was a filling lunch & soon became a habit I did without even thinking about it. In addition to this, I started working out to my mom's high step intermediate exercise dvd with Cathe Fredrich. By the end of April, I had decided that a good step to eating healthy might be to stop eating meat. I became a pescetarian and imlimented shrimp once a week- as a filling substitute. I'm sure everyone thought I was crazy- I remember going to a movie, eating yogurt and almonds on the way there, and being the only one not eating- when we stopped to pick up a bite to eat at Dairy Queen:)- I remember being grossed out by the food too (I still am!) 
By May, I was reading vegetarian articles, making new recipes, and loving my new life-style. 
Alas, despite the pros of this, there were some cons too- 1: I had no idea what the heck I was doing! 
Like many vegetarians, I became so hungry- avoiding meat at all costs, I plunged ahead and ate white bread, pasta, filling up on these things and crackers, protzels, and chips. I would eat and eat and eat until I finally felt full. My diet consisted of pierogies, shrimp, and salad at night. ( Not balanced at all!) I had no idea how unhealthy eating so many carbs( and simple, unhealthy ones) was!  It wasn't until November this year that I realized my mistake after reading" 5 Mistakes Vegetarians Make & How You Can Avoid Them" by a renown doctor. Let's just say I wish I had read this article in the beginning! It would have helped me so much! But oh well I learned a good lesson & am now on the pathway to a healthier diet.  I still love some pasta ( pierogies once a month & macaroni and cheese occasionally), but i feel better when I don't go for alfredo pasta and some of my used- to be favorite foods. Pasta just makes me feel terrible & it's so addicting and bad for you. I still like to splurge a little bit sometimes & have pierogies, because there much more filling( there's potatoes & cheese inside) and don't make me feel bad afterwards. There just more nutritious and nutrient- rich than some carby pasta with some sauce thrown on it.     Now I enjoy some classic vegetarian foods instead of pasta- beans, almonds, and veggie burgers make up but 2/3 of my diet. I have these mushroom veggie burgers that I absolutely love- I like to have them on a whole wheat bun with mustard. And I got this super- easy, low fat & high protein soup from Jolinda Hackett that I'm hooked on. She's awesome by the way! She's been a vegetarian for 20 years and vegan for 8 years- and her recipes are always healthy and yummy. Anyway, this soup is amazing! It literally takes only like 10-15 minutes to make and makes a lot. It's perfect for taking on the road! I packed like 6 cups of it for our vacation to Branson last month. 




Main Things I've learned:
Fat & Carb Phobia: for months I've been paranoyed about how much fat and how many carbs I was eating- until I finally learned the real truths that freed me.
1: Fat is not as important as we've been led to believe. Now I'm not saying you should blow your diet and have a ton of it- but it's not super important! As long as you implement fruits & veggies and stay physically fit, it shouldn't be a big deal.
2: Instead of going low carb( which I find impossible, because I don't eat meat), go smart carb.
Eat healthy complex carbohydrates( whole grain bread, whole wheat things, air-popped whole grain popcorn)

If not for finding out these two things, I might have lost my mind, after reading countless articles and getting to a point where: I didn't even enjoy eating any more; because I had a irrational fear of gaining weight because of my food choices.  

The center of healthy eating & living I believe is this; eat plenty of fruits and vegetables- (5- 9 servings a day), eat lots of whole grain stuff, & work out as much as you can.
I've finally come to see that, occasionally, it's okay to splurge a little bit and enjoy some unhealthy food. And when I say that, again,  I don't mean completely blow your diet- I just mean you should let yourself enjoy a milkshake or a cookie every once and a while. I feel like God made us to enjoy good food- and didn't mean for us to never eat our favorite foods( especially when eating out)
A couple of mine: pumpkin pie, cheesy quesidillas , and pumpkin cheesecakes
my theory is to make these foods( when I make them), as healthy as possible. To use low-fat cream cheese, less sugar, and other healthier stuff- that way I can enjoy them as guilt- free as possible.

The " I'm still not full phobia"
I've finally come to a conclusion with this awful thing. For years I've used the excuse " I'm still not full" as a reason to eat more than I should. But I think I'm finally realizing that I don't have to be full( thanks to Carrie Underwood) I could eat and eat and eat and still be hungry- true, but does that mean I should? No.  As long as I eat enough to satisfy my hunger but not make me feel heavy, I'm good.

and as Carrie Underwood puts it(she keeps a food journal), " You know that feeling when you get full? Well, I don't get full. And I can eat a lot. Mike( her husband) and I recently went to Italy- I must have put on 8 pounds. But in real life, I want to make sure I'm not eating just to eat."


 Exercising
Exercising has gone from something I whole-heartedly hated to something I whole-heartedly LOVE!

And I mean I love, love, love it. It makes me feel good= it makes me happy, healthy, and fit.
My favorite workout video- my mom's high step ( cardio, resistant tubing, and 5 pound weights) is awesome! The instructor Cathe Fridrich it just amazing! She keeps you concentrating on what you're doing, encouraging you the whole time, and even makes you laugh. I just have a blast every time.

For christmas this year, my mom got me a new 54- minute workout( It's divided in 5 10-minute workouts). It's mainly a pilate workout. I tried it out this morning & loved it!
I did the Waist Slimmer, which made my stomach look and feel flatter like it's never felt- it was intense stuff!
and when talking exercising, I realize it's not always going to happen- ( when I'm traveling or just don't find time in my day). I just have to make it a priority enough to where it really counts as my physical exercise for the week.

Animals; When it comes to animals, let me just say first of all that I love them! Sweet little puppies, soft kitties, gentle baby bears, pigs( weird I know!)  and placid cows- there so adorable!
And being a vegetarian has really opened up a window to loving them even more than I had in the past- trust me it's impossible to go vegetarian without developing a love for them!
When I went vegan for 2 weeks during our vacation to Missouri, it also made me love animals a lot!
It was also really hard though- it was like a combination of horrible & wonderful at the same time. It took everything in me to resist that cheesy pizza tempting me from the cupboard, the smell of fresh-baked cinnamon rolls, and the idea of a restaurant milk-shake. If I ever went vegan for life, I think I'd definitely find dairy the hardest thing to give up. I've always loved yogurt and gooey cheese oozing off pizza and quesidillas- ahh it would be quite hard! Sometimes I joke that I wish there was no such thing as dairy- because then I would find it really easy to go vegan .  I mean I don't like meat at all aanymore- it's impossible to get my appetite worked up for it and eggs grose me out( well most types of them). So with those things out of the way, the only problem would be dairy( which, unfortunately I don't want to give up!) At  any rate, being vegan was really good for me for many reasons- 1: It made me appreciate vegans more 2. give me a unique love for animals and 3: taught me self-control and stubborness when resisting something( animal products). I remember , laughingly now, remembering the days when I though vegans were crazy humans who ate nothing but vegetables all day and never enjoyed any good foods. How wrong that was! Vegans are awesome- and being one can be awesome too- if you go about it the right way and don't annoy people by being too strict or too much of an activist about animal= rights/ and in fact there are lots of awesome substitutes for cheese/eggs/chicken/burgers. etc that vegans can enjoy. True they may not be as good
as the real thing but they can come close enough. But, back to the point of this paragraph: unfortunately my short experience as a 90% vegan had led me to acquire some false truths about animals and their role in the world. After 7 months of being a vegetarian, I began to notice soon enough just how many of the foods we consume come from animals. I mean, come on, think about it. You go to a drive- thru or cafe and what are the first things that pop up- steak, burgers, chicken, grilled cheese- the menu is teeming with animal- by products. That's when I seriously contemplated going vegan for a while- even though it will never be something I'll want to do permanently like those awesome people who seem made to tackle it head on and stick with it( Carrie Underwood, Natalie Portman, need I say more? There amazing!) I was just growing tired of eating all these foods- and i wondered- ''What happened to eating natural, more healthy, foods that come from the ground? Beans, quinoa, fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts? But what I didn't realize was the natural design of God's plan that involved using animals for food. It's completely natural, if you chose to, to sink your teeth into a burger, or a grilled chicken breast- or indulge in a omelet or two. But at the same time he designed to enjoy a variety of things- plant foods. If you  still want to eat some meat, yet still get the benefits of a vegetarian diet, you should try a plant- based diet, that is not based on animal products- but on fruits and vegetables, the true staple of our diet.
On this conclusion I came to, I decided I still love animals- but am not going to be all wacky and annoying about them. Though I'd prefer to not eat meat, I feel it completely natural to enjoy animal products sparingly when I feel that I want some cheese or yogurt. But I think its' true that too many animal products are bad for you- which is why it's healthiest and more beneficial for your palet to eat lots of plant products- and cut down on making meat the center of every meal. 
I'm not saying being vegetarian/vegan is right for everyone. I've found  it to be awesome= it makes me feel better- have more energy and I never want to eat much meat again after my experience with it.
But for some of you, you may find the opposite as a result of trying it out. 
whatever way you find best works for pursuing a healthy lifestyle is the one you stick with. But the benefits of a plant= based diet are truly amazing- a great place to start. Go read an article about the health benefits of a vegetarian diet and you'll find out just how great it can be.


Healthy eating in it's essence is summed up in this thing I real about food once:
"Food is how we nourish our bodies & communicate with each other." ~Ashley Adams~
That struck me as so compelling- even though the last part I know is a little strange. For so long, I've though of food as just this habbit I don't even think about- eating was something I'd never put much depthful thinking into. But now it's just so fascinating to remember that what I'm feeding my body every day is nourishing it with proteins, irons, and vitamins to help it function correctly. Don't I want to nourish it with the best ingredients/ best foods possible? so I can take care of the body God has given me and be healthy,happy, and love the interesting, complex world he created:)

New Update: December 6th, 2013

Hey guys- sorry i know it's been ages since I posted.Wanted to post a short update real quick though. So, yeah I'm really in shock that 2013 is almost over! are you kidding me? It seems like just yesterday it was January 1st! I now know what my dad always talks about, " A year goes by super fast when you're an adult." Well, I'm in no way an adult yet, but I know what it's like for time to fly now- as I'm getting older. I just can't believe it's Christmas time already! Our tree has been up for a few days now- we bought a pre- lit fake one this year- not as awesome as a real one( true) but truth be told, it's a lot less of a pain:0 :). We did the traditional decorating on Wednesday and decorated our house for Christmas on Sunday. I need to get with the show and start thinking Christmas gifts and vegetarian Christmas meal plans- lol. I guess Christmas came really fast this year- because of how late Thanksgiving was.
which by the way- I had an awesome Thanksgiving. We got to have both of my parents'parents over and had a delicious spread- turkey, stuffing, corn, zuccini, homemade rolls that I made, & pumpkin pie. I was so excited for my first vegetarian thanksgiving. I made pumpkin soup for the first time- it was amazing! Creamy and nourishing- it satisfied me but didn't give a' too full" feeling.
I recently decided that for just this month I wanted to go back to eating meat. It wasn't an easy decision- considering  over 7 months since I last  had some. I say not easy, because for one thing I didn't want to break my strict diet, but for another- I really have been craving a Swenson's cheeseburger and some of my mom's Mediterranean chicken- lol. The other night when I had some home-made pizza with turkey pepperoni and sausage- I seriously considered permantely going back to being a carnivore- because of how good it tasted:). But afterwards I got the dreaded" heavy" feeling I hate- to sum my vegetarian life style during the next 7 months I would use these 3 words, " I feel better." I Feel soo much better when I don't eat meat- in the long run I feel better with eating light meals, or filling up on light foods like vegetables, complex carbs, and cheese. Which is why  I'm planning to go back to a vegetarian life-style and stick with it in 2014. I don't think after this month- that I will ever want to go back to eating meat again- unless of course I'm stranded on an island and there's nothing to eat but burgers- lol!

not much else going on right now- just preparing for Christmas and starting off the boys's basketball season. They are now playing at a big, cool gym - the only con is their games are on Sunday- which is kinda a bum- but their first game was pretty cool and intense:)
hope you guys  have a great weekend! 

andy griffith show (playlist)

One amazing God.

Every day I am more amazed by God and how awesome and loving he is. But in a specific way I was reminded of the greatness and power he has when I am at my worst. I'm sure more mature Christians may have had this happen more than the 1 time it's happened to me- but this was a 1st for me. It was one of those days I felt so discouraged and mad at myself and jealous of people etc etc.( Bad emotions) I felt like I was completely failing God. Well, we were having a party and it just so happened I was having a" bad mood" day. The last thing I felt like doing was acting all smiley and friendly and talking everyone's ears off. Bascially, I'd sulked away the past day and a half and wanted to proceed doing so. It felt fake and dishonest to act happy when my whole being was screaming out anger and tears. As teenagers, we all know the deep- down insecurities we face. I kept thinking I looked really mad or too serious- so I tried to keep smiling when ever someone's eyes met my gaze. I tried to be a gracious host, but I felt still felt selfish, as if my heart wasn't in it.  Eventually, the party was over and everyone went home.  the next day my dad revealed to me a crazy secret while we were having a conversation about our  current "church" situtation. He said that a lot of our non- Christian guests complimented him on his family and me, washing dishes and being so sweet. A bullet could have shot through my chest in that moment. It must be my personality, but being complimented is not something I appreciate- because I feel puffed up and proud when it happens, which I know is wicked. Even if it was easy to be humble, I still don't think I enjoy it that much. I was glad though when my dad said that we could reach these people by our graciousness and happiness, only possible through Jesus's strength. I can't think of too many better things in life then for Jesus to work through  me,  weak and selfish, but his strength is made perfect in my weakness. What an amazing, interesting God we serve!

Update: Currently Digging June 5th, 2013

Can you guys believe school is over? I'm still in shock and I have no clue why. My 8th grade went by like crazy fast and I learned so much in all my subjects. My mom congratulated on me on improving in math, according to my testing results this year, which I'm really happy about!( Math is a not my thing!) We learned so many interesting things, including a bit of geometry and pre- algebra!!!! And next year will be my freshman year of high school!! June is a crazy month for our family; there is so much going on. 

1: My Aunt and Uncle's Baby Shower, set for June 15th.

2: Baseball games, going to Arrows game this Saturday, 

3: Mine & my brother's Bds( 3 days apart)!

4. plans for sleepovers, spending  the night with Grandparents, ice cream outings and A&W outings and so forth.

5. Father's Day

All of this said, you can tell it's pretty jam- packed busy, amen?!

For my birthday this year, I have some cool food ideas. 

For my actual bd, I'm making corn- meal pancakes with Aunt Jemima syrup( my favorite!)

 

I'm also going to bake some sweet nuts with pumpkin- pie spice, ( inspired by Giada again:))

Then on the 15th, we are celebrating both of our birthdays( my brother's & I) at my Grandma's. For that, I'm cooking pumpkin pie and Giada's mushroom crostini appetizers with Italian bread.

But, enough updating. 

Here's what I'm currently watching, eating, drinking, reading and listening to

MOVIES: The Phantom Menace( Star Wars: Episode 1)

Recently, my brothers and I watched this for a campout last weekend. It was super fun. One of my favorite ones, it is thrilling, scary, and funny at the same time with excellent acting and a well- written script. My favorite actress, Natalie Portman, stars as Padme Amidala along with Ewan Macgregor as Obi Wan. I won't give all the story away, but it marks the beginning of the Star Wars saga. Anakin Skywalker, a young 10 year old slave and inventer on a planet called Tattiwan  is found by a Jedi knight, Qui Gon Jinn and his apprentice, Obi Wan Kenobi. He is thought to be the one to bring  balance back to the " Force". Expert Star Wars fans could explain this better than me; though I love the movies I'm not good at giving accurate, specific descriptions of parts of the movies I don't completely comprehend yet:) Bascially it's the way of life with the good side of the Force( opposite of the wicked," Dark Side"), and is used to fight, control emotions( fear, anger, hate)& thoughts centre of the dark side. Many on the "Good side", Obi Wan, Luke Skywalker. Etc. are quoted often as saying, " May The Force Be With You."  This is not the only section of the film though, it all details a current struggle for the Jedi( new enemies, a current war on the planet Naboo) Padme( Queen Amidala's) side of the story is as a queen in hiding, disguising herself as a maidservant, while trying to secretly free her people from foreign oppressors. 

At any rate, it is an awesome film, with lessons to be learned and plenty of excellent intense battles for the boys, as well as good humor from Jar Jar Binks ( you'll have to watch it to find out about him;) 

Music: Jewel. 

 With my overly-obsessive personality, when I find something I love I take off! Henceforth with the amazingly talented, beautiful Jewel. Winner of many music awards and blessed with an angelic, calming voice, she is def. one of my favorite singers. 

When I was younger, I hated her voice and I mean hated it. In comparison to my beloved newly- found JJ Heller, this" Jewel" of my dad's was nothing! Now I can't imagine my day without her in it. Nighttime( winding down, resting), daytime( learning to sing along and hold high notes). My headaches( which occur at least once a week) weigh me down with additional stress, & lack of sleep( which I can't help with our busy schedule). Anyway, I've learned to lower the level of intensity they get to it with chai tea latte( I call them " my magical cure") and Jewel" Angel Standing By". The line" Everything's gonna be all right" hits the spot with my worries and stress about what this headache will lead to it( throwing up, not being able to eat.. etc.). Two hours after a short power nap combined with these 2 things & my headache is GONE!

my favorite song is" Who Will Save Your Soul". The lyrics are stuck in my head like crazy & I can't stop listening to it. Such an awesome, well- composed song. Of course, I'm not allowed to listen to the more" Grown- up" songs by her till I'm older, but I'm in love with anything she sings that I can listen to:) 

Books: Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss

I read this book a couple years back and really enjoyed it. I can definitely relate to many of the spiritual struggles of Katy Mortimer, the 16 year girl in the book. It follows her from that age on through her married life and so forth. Truly a interesting, learned read, it will challenge the intimacy in your walk with God to a wonderful extent. As Katy, who makes many mistakes like all of us,  eventually gains trust and total acceptance of her Father's Will, you will rejoice as she triumphs over temptation and sin. 

Encourage all girls to read this book( probably most appropriate for ages 12-15)

Eating: Giada's Almond Waffles 

These delicious, flavorful waffles will make breakfast a lovely, yummy treat. They take a little more effort and longer steps than the traditional waffles, but are so worth it! Next time, I've decided to try them without the chocolate chips, because it's kind of an overwhelming sweetness with the honey & lemon combined( at least for me.) They are also healthier, made with almond flour, and of course honey is a better substitute for syrup. In my opinion, they would be good for a Sunday morning, when you have time to make a nice, prepared breakfast.

Ingredients
Vegetable oil cooking spray
Lemon Honey:
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Zest of 1 large lemon
Waffles:
2 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
2 cups unsweetened vanilla-flavored almond milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
Zest of 1 large lemon
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips, optional
Special equipment: an electric waffle maker
Directions
Preheat the waffle maker. Lightly spray the waffle grills with vegetable oil cooking spray.

For the lemon honey: Heat the honey, lemon juice and lemon zest over medium heat in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally, until warm, about 4 minutes.

For the waffles: Beat the egg whites until they are thick and hold soft peaks using a whisk or an electric hand mixer in a medium bowl, about 2 minutes.

Combine the egg yolks, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract and lemon zest in a large bowl. Beat until smooth. Add the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until smooth.

Fold the egg whites, butter and chocolate chips if using into the batter. Using the amount recommended by the waffle iron manufacturer's instructions, about 1/3 cup of batter for each waffle, pour the batter into the preheated waffle iron. Cook the waffles until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Drizzle with lemon honey and serve.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/lemon-almond-waffles-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Drinking: Chai Tea Latte's

These are absolutely delicious, hot, spiced tea with a healing power, which as previously mentioned, is" magic". They say that caffeine helps with headaches( coffee particularly). I would drink these every day if I was allowed.  My mom got me into them, when I tried one about three months back. Anytime I need to rejuvenate and relax, they are the solution.