My New Favorite Cookbook!

I got this on my iPad for $4.99 at Amazon, and was so excited to see SO MANY recipes that looked good and easy to make.  Some of the major downfalls that I have found with buying vegan cookbooks is A-they are vegan, but not always healthy (ie-lots of oils, meat substitutes, etc).  B-they call for crazy ingredients that I have never heard of..i'm new to this game! LOL and C-they take for-e-ver to prep/fix/cook.

This cookbook avoids all of those!  The recipes are all "low fat, whole food, plant based" ingredients, and the cover claims that the recipes can be "on the table in 30 minutes or less".  It also covers all aspects of cooking (breakfast, lunch, dinner, smoothies, dressings, salads, soups, etc)  I am so excited to meal plan for next week!  Stay tuned for recipes and pictures :)

What I'm Reading Now: Engine 2 Diet

Kyle and I are both reading this now...I am loving it!  It has a wealth of information, not just on the plant based diet, but fitness and overall health.  The first half of the book is the background information.  The rest is made up of (awesome) recipes!  If you are familiar with the documentary Forks Over Knives, you are familiar with Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and his approach to a cancer free, disease free way of living that is based on eating plants.  No meat, no dairy, little to no oil.  Rip Esselstyn is the son of the famous doctor, and shows you that real people can live a normal life and still eat "plant strong".

My sister in law, Pam, is also reading the book and embarking on this veggie filled journey with us.  Her blog, Honez Fam, has an EXCELLENT review of the book and some info to go along with it.  Feel free to check it out!  She wrote out everything I wanted to say, but didn't have time to think about! LOL

If you are vegan leaning and concerned about health, I would suggest this book.  I like how they don't claim to be "vegan" or "vegetarian".  Yes-they do avoid meat, dairy, and seafood, but don't replace it with many soy meat substitutes that are out there today.  It is a great read!  I am glad I added it to my collection.

Dinner Review: Gardein Mandarin Chicken

While following this diet (which I still can't figure out what to call...not quite vegan?  vegan leaning vegetarian?  95% Plant-Based?), one of the harder things for us has been those nights when you need a "quick fix".  Before, ordering fast food or take out would have been a simple solution.  I still have every take out place on my cell phone speed dial!

These days?  Not so much.  Take out options are severely limited.  We do occasionally eat sushi (crab/shrimp) but try to only go once a month or so for the time being.  We can get vegetarian options at the Mexican restaurant down the road (beans, rice, veggie fajitas) but it is so darn SALTY!  I do order a cheese free pizza loaded with veggies, but once again-not something I want to depend on.

We ended up switching around 2 dinners from the meal plan, and decided to try this.  It was around $4 at Whole Foods.  It is a package of thin sliced frozen "chick'n" that you saute and add a sweet Chinese sauce.  We served it over brown rice and topped it with green onions.  Also added edamame and broccoli (steamed).  It was amazing.  The kids loved it, which is always our big test.

Like I said earlier-we try to eat as "plant based" as possible, and I don't like to add a whole lot of processed foods, but there are just nights that it helps out SOOOO much to have things like this on hand.  It makes me feel better to think that it is still better than a Happy Meal from McDonalds.  

Products I Love: Pampered Chef Pineapple Slicer

This thing is the greatest!  Pineapple is my all-time favorite fruit, but it can be so darn hard to cut and slice.  This tool makes it a snap!  We probably eat 1-2 pineapples a week, and this really helps us.  Not only is it safer to cut the pineapple with, but I feel it also saves $$$ because you only cut off the inedible pieces, leaving more fruit to eat!  

Slice the top and bottom off with a knife, and use this...similar to an apple slicer, but WAY bigger LOL

 Thick, chunky slices and the inedible core

 Addison approved :)

Linkadoo to Stacie Thomas's Pampered Chef Website!