Six week digest

...digest--get it?  heehee

First of all, if you don't follow me on Twitter yet (@TryingVeggie) take a sec and do that. This way, you won't be left hanging again. But I'll happily report to non-Twitterers that I did not break at the OC Foodie Fest--phew. I've been Trying Veggie for six weeks and counting.

There's still a bit of fretting about what's for dinner and I find I run out to grab ingredients more often then I used to--but it all does feel a bit more comfortable. A few of our favs have been fajitas, veggie lasagna, slow cooker pinto beans, homemade meat(less)balls... and I've yet to make the same exact thing twice.

Overall, my husband and I (and I think my little one) are all very glad we're sticking out this challenge. We feel healthier for it, seem to have more energy than we used to and have even dropped a few pounds. It's also led me to be as healthy as I can be in other ways. I've learned about GMO corn and soy and realize the importance of non-GMO produce. Also, a few weeks ago I found out...

"If a non-organic product contains a soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate, or texturized vegetable protein, you can be pretty sure it was made using soy beans that were made with hexane (...a decidedly un-green petroleum byproduct of gasoline refining)"

And here I was, Trying Veggie to be healthier! So this means a lot less reliance on sources I've written about before: Gardein, Trader Joe's meat-less varieties, Morningstar patties... anything that's not organic. Read more from CBS here.

Luckily, I learned that hemp seed is a very good source of protein and I'm using that to make sure we get enough of what our bodies need. They sell the hulled seeds in health food stores or online. They're soft and nutty and sneak well into everything (cereal, oatmeal, smoothies, meat(less)balls, veggie burgers, pizza... you get the idea). Read more about this great protein here and here.

Lastly, and I still can't believe this one, but I stopped drinking coffee. I was such a coffee fiend that I still find this shocking to write. It's only been about a week, but I find I enjoy the sustained energy level vs. the up and down peaks and valleys I felt when drinking my daily lattes. Plus, I'm drinking healthy green tea and water instead of sipping one large latte all day long.

All these little things are adding up and encouraging me further. In addition, I've met vegetarians, vegans and raw foodists who inspire me and push me to wonder... what's next!?

Fajitas, a dish after my own heart

Well a few more days have passed than I planned on, but I'm just as excited to share how I made the great fajitas I mentioned in the It's not all good post. For a change, and to try out some veggie protein options from Trader Joe's, I based this one off of their beef-less strips. (By the way, it's a private label product, and I have to wonder if these strips are indeed Gardein.)

Great side ideas for this dish are pinto beans, black beans, rice, chips with guacamole and/or salsa. We had guacamole and slow cooker pinto beans.  It was lots of yummy food that was easy to prepare--and totally helped encourage Trying Veggie for my entire family (we were soured by a few too many lack-luster meals).


Anyway, it was a glorious meal, though I have just one regret. I should have marinated the strips before I cooked them. Next time. Here's what I did:

Fajitas
Ingredients:

• ~1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 red peppers, sliced into strips
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• ~1/2 teaspoon cumin
• dash of red pepper flakes
• dash of ground coriander (if you have it)
• salt and pepper
• 1 package Trader Joe's Beef-Less Strips  
• splash of water
  
• cilantro and fresh lime (for serving)
• tortillas (flour or corn)
  

Preparation:
Warm about 2/3 of the oil over medium-high heat and cut the beef-less strips into thinner slices, about the size of the onion and pepper. 

Once the pan is hot, add the pepper and onion. When the onion is turning translucent, add the garlic, cumin, pepper flakes, coriander, salt and pepper. Mix well and let cook a few minutes, until the onion is starting to lightly brown.

Push veggies to the edges of the pan, add the remaining oil to the middle, and saute the beef-less strips--turning when they start to brown. Once both sides have color, mix the strips and veggies together.

When the veggies are done to your liking, add a splash of water to the pan to deglaze it (I used liquid from the beans I was cooking). Mix it all well to evenly coat all ingredients with the seasonings from the pan. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.

Serve in warm tortillas with cilantro and a squeeze of lime. 

(TIP--Warm flour tortillas in the microwave by placing between wet paper towels for ~30-60 seconds, depending on how many you are heating. Warm corn tortillas dry--they are more delicate and will hold up better without adding moisture.)

Enjoy!

Protein

When I first started thinking about trying veggie, my first concern was how to get enough protein. In case you have the same thought, here's what I've learned.

Adults need 8 grams of protein per 2.2 lbs of body weight.
A child 4-6 yrs old needs 1.5 grams of protein per 2.2 lbs of body weight.
See chart here for specific figures for kids.

Surprisingly, I think it will be pretty easy for us to get our needed protein.  Just for example, here's some foods common in our diet and their respective protein counts:

• 8 oz. milk, 10g
• 8 oz. yogurt, 9g
• 10 almonds, ~3g
• 1/2 cup chick peas (garbanzo beans), 7g
• 1/4 cup dry quinoa (and couscous), 7g

Roughly, a cup of dairy is about 10 grams and a portion (1/4 cup dry) grain, nuts, or beans is approximately 7 grams.  The Gardein products I've used so far have 18 grams of protein per serving.  So overall, I think it won't be too hard to meet our requirements. This is especially true for my little one who guzzles milk. Just a little more than two glasses a day and she'd be set without any protein from food.

Plus, I can already say that I feel better after trying veggie for the past three days.  I actually have more energy and overall feel like my body is happy with the whole grains and vegetables I am treating it to.