The Snow's gone

By the way, I forgot to mention it. All that snow we had on Monday is gone! It was warm and melty yesterday, and it rained some. The it's warm again today. No Snow!
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So I spent all that time moving snow on Monday for nothing.
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I'm glad it's getting nice though. Tomorrow I have to go up to the company office--about 2 hours up the road. I hate driving on bad roads so I'm glad we've got the melting going on.
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Ciao for now (again)

Last night's dinner and ramblings about my weight

There is a picture of last night's dinner--doesn't look to appetizing, but it was good. Fried eggplant and mushroom gravy over mashed potatoes. Here's what I did:
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Eggplant:
slice an eggplant into rounds (I left the skin on). Dip each slice in a cornstarch-soy milk slurry and then dredge in flour. Fry in a little olive oil--a few minutes on each side.
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Mashed potatoes:
Come on, you can figure that one out.
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Mushroom Gravy:
saute sliced mushrooms in a little bit of vegan margarine until they are as done as you'd like them (do this in a sauce pan so you don't have to change pans). Add 3 cups (about) of vegetable broth and bring back to a boil. Mix 3 tablespoons (about) of cornstarch and 1 cup of water in a shaker jar. Slowly stir the cornstarch/water mixture into the boiling mushroom/broth mixture and stir until it comes back to a boil and then thickens.
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Assembly:
Put the potatoes on a plate, put a couple of slices of eggplant on the potatoes, put gravy over the whole mess.
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For breakfast today, I had crock pot oatmeal and put some date-almond-soy milk on it. For lunch I'll have a Almond butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat and a piece of baked sweet potato (the only fresh veggie I have left in the house). For a snack, I'll probably do a pumpkin and strawberry smoothie since I have both of those in the freezer. And for dinner, I got out some sweet potato mash (frozen leftovers from Thanksgiving) and some green beans (frozen leftovers from summer) and then I'll warm up the leftover gravy (from last night) and the leftover bean loaf (from Monday). How's that for a leftover meal?
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Weight
I know I shouldn't obsess over this but I do. I have lost 130 pounds and i don't want to blow it. I've lost the weight twice before in my life and both times it came back. But also, both times, I lost the weight for a specific purpose so of course when that purpose was fulfilled, I quit being vigilant and went back to my old habits. Of course the weight came back. The first time, I lost the weight for high school--I got out of high school and gained. The second time, I lost the weight because we were having trouble getting pregnant--I got pregnant and gained.
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This time I lost the weight for more permanent reasons--my health, my life, my children. I have to be vigilant! Admittedly, it's a lot easier to maintain when I eat vegan (although I have found I can make some pretty naughty vegan treats) and put an emphasis on "healthy".
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As of last Wednesday (12-31-08) I had gained 6.5 pounds over the holiday season. As of this morning, I am only up 2 pounds from the top of my range. (I know I didn't lose 4.5 pounds in one week--I didn't eat that sparingly and I didn't exercise that much--so I'm guessing I was retaining water, too.) Only 2 more pounds to get back to my range.
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By the way, I decided on my "range" because I know how wildly my weight fluctuates from day to day--a range is easier to watch than a set number. I think I'd really obsess over a set number because I would be off from it more often than I'd be on. My range is actually a little below my goal weight, but I've found it pretty easy to maintain (thus far, anyway) within that range. My BMI is withing "normal" but a little bit above "optimal". I feel good when I'm in that range and like I said, it's pretty easy to maintain there, so that's where I want to stay.
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We watched "biggest loser" last night. I am so glad I'm not there anymore. I don't want to ever go back there again.
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Well, I really need to get back to work now,
Ciao for now

My Dad Fell Moving Snow

I mentioned yesterday that it had been snowing all day. Well, I wasn't the only one having to move snow (I moved snow so I could take kids to school and again before I could pick them up). My dad went out to move the snow at his place and fell on some ice. He landed on his backside and put his left hand down so hit it hard too. He fell the same way about a week ago. His wrist is probably broken, but he won't go get it checked out. (A retired doctor is the worst patient.)
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So anyway, he fell yesterday morning, so I told Mom that after we dropped the kids off at piano lessons, hubby and I would come clean up their snow.
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The kids were wanting to go to the Y to play after piano so we had dinner at 4:15. Were at piano at 5:00. Cleaned snow from my folk's place from 5:15 - 6. Got home from piano at 6:30, and were at the Y at 7:00. The kids played in the kid's room--I love that they exercise in the guise of playing games. Hubby and I did the circuit room, the I did the abs machine and the stationary bike while he did the treadmill. So the whole family got about 50 minutes worth of exercise in. Yeah, us!
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I was making my bean loaf last night and opened a can of navy beans and there was a big piece of meat on top of the beans--yuck. The last time we were buying beans, hubby asked if we could do navy beans (I like garbanzos, kidneys, and black). I told him sure so he threw a couple of cans in the cart. He picked them out and I didn't look at the label--it said "flavored with slab bacon"--GROSS. So I put the beans in a container and told them they were his lunch today; he didn't take them with him so I guess he'll have to eat them tomorrow.
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So anyway, I used my new Christmas present for the first time last night--my food processor. I didn't like the way it chopped the veggies, but that's probably because I'm old fashioned. It would probably be good if I had 25 zucchinis to do or something. I did like the way it mixed everything together for the bean loaf, though. And the next time I get around to making date balls, I'll really put it through it's paces.
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We are out of basically everything (including money--that's why we're out of everything else) so I need to figure out what I can do for dinner with one eggplant and some mushrooms. I was thinking about either an eggplant "stoganoff" or fried eggplant with mushroom gravy. Probably either way, it will be with rice or over bread because I don't have any pasta.
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I'll probably do the fried eggplant with mushroom gravy and do it over bread. Hubby likes the "hot -insert your meat here- sandwiches" that are served at diners, so he would probably like that.
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Well, I had better go and get back to work. It's 36 degrees out today and there has been a little rain. A lot of the snow that fell yesterday has melted leaving a slushy mess again. Such is life.
Ciao for now.

A cold Monday morning

It's 19 degrees and snowing outside right now! Above is a picture out my front door. Today is also the kids first day back after the Christmas holidays. A few schools nearby were closed due to weather (they are in more rural areas than ours); I think I might have had to scream if our schools were closed. I love my babies, but two weeks with them home is enough.

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I'm wondering what I'm going to do this summer when school is out. Last summer they figured out how to entertain themselves so I could work--I guess they will figure it out again. They were probably annoying this break because of the excitement of the holidays.

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Son asked this morning if we could go to the Y after piano lessons tonight. I love that they want to go exercise! I told him we could.

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I had leftover chowder for breakfast again (weird, huh?) There is still a tiny bit left so I'll have a small bowl and a sandwich for lunch. I think I'll do a bean-loaf and broccoli for dinner. (Unless something else takes my fancy by then.)

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Right now, "Fetch Monster" (Little Girl) is trying to get me to play with her and I need to get back to work. I'd better get to the working part--the fetch part doesn't pay too well.

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Ciao for now.

Tofu Scramble and ramblings

My dinner was really good. As a 'good ole boy', hubby wanted to have fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and gravy--yuck! So I contributed steamed carrots and cauliflower and made myself a Tofu Scramble. I have seen them all over the blogs and seen recipes that all look easy, so I just put it together, seasoned it how I liked and served it over spinach. Here is my recipe:
Curry Tofu Scramble
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1/3 of a package of extra firm silken tofu-mashed
1/2 of a sweet potato spiral sliced
curry powder
ginger
turmeric
salt
pepper
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I mushed up the tofu, spiral sliced the sweet potato, added the curry, ginger, and turmeric. I then sauteed in a little bit of coconut oil and added a bit of salt and pepper.
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Serve over spinach leaves.
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I thought it was really good. I think I will definitely do this again. I had leftover chowder for both breakfast and lunch. I got thinking about the chowder (the recipe is on yesterday's post)--the recipe originally came from a lady at my mom's church when I was a kid. Then, it was made with butter, cream and clams and had no corn, garlic, or cabbage.
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When I got married, I started making it occasionally with milk (instead of cream), sometimes bacon or no meat (instead of clams), and margarine (instead of butter). Then I got a recipe for col cannon--basically a potato and cabbage soup--and liked it so well that I started adding the cabbage. I started adding corn when hubby raved over some corn chowder he had.
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Now I've veganized it and it's the best ever. Hubby even likes it!
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Speaking of hubby, I sometimes get a little frustrated about my family. I read VeganDad's blog and his family likes the way they eat. Mine hates my food for the most part. The problem, in large part, is that hubby is a old farm boy and thinks of meals of as "meat and potatoes"--fried is better. That is the way I ate for the first 23 years of our marriage and that is what made me 276 pounds of fat, unhealthy misery.
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Now that I've changed and feel so much better, I'd really like to get the family to change. The problem is that kids look to whichever parent is to their liking at the moment. Hubby used to smoke and then he had a bloody nose that wouldn't stop--he ended up having to have surgery and he really thought he was going to die. The doc gave him a lecture about how it probably wouldn't have happened if he wasn't a smoker. That scared him out of smoking.
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I'd rather it not have to be a heart attack that scares him into getting healthy. To often people don't get a second chance to get healthy after one of those. He's overweight, pretty lazy, and resists changes to his diet. He's teaching daughter to be just like him.
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On a better note, after spending all that time at the Y exercising yesterday, the kids wanted to go back again today. The Y is closed on Sunday so instead they did over an hour on Wii fit and Wii sport. So they did get moving. That's really good.
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Well, I'm off.
Ciao for now.

Chowder and the YMCA

Our local Y has been remodeling lately and had their open house today. We went to "look around" and ended up staying for almost 2 hours! They have all new weight equipment, they got new cardio equipment, they now have a circuit room that takes a half hour for a full body work-out, and they have a kids room.
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The kids room has a dance floor-type game where the kids can play games that are like dodge-ball, squash the bug, tennis, etc. It also has WII-type boxing and bowling. It has Marshall arts-type 'hit the target' game, and a sit-up basketball game. It is so cool. the kids were in there for about an hour and still not ready to leave.
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Hubby and I did the circuit room and then he went and walked on a treadmill, while I did the grown-up's sit-up basketball thing and then rode the stationary bike. Their stationary bikes have computer screens and you choose your track and then ride on the track you choose. Or you can do a "chase the dragons"game on them. They were so cool. I almost enjoyed sweating.
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Daughter took our guitar to her trumpet lesson this morning (this was before lunch and the Y--I'm just typing out of sequence.) Her teacher spent time with her to do some basic guitar stuff. that was really nice of him.
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After the Y, we came home and I started dinner. We had Chowder--my own recipe. Here it is:
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1 head cabbage-chopped
1 onion-diced
3 stalks celery-diced
garlic to taste-chopped
6 potatoes-cubed
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp allspice
1 can corn
1/2 stick of vegan margarine
1/4-ish cup flour
2 cups soy milk
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Saute the onion, celery and garlic for a few minutes in just a little olive oil. Add the cabbage and potatoes and just enough water to cover them and then boil until tender (25 minutes or so). Add the seasonings and the corn.
In a separate pan, melt the margarine and stir in the flour to make a stiff paste. On high heat, whisk in the soy milk to make a gravy. It will get thick fast so watch it. Put the gravy in the pan with the veggies and stir it in.
The water in with the veggies mixes with the thick gravy to make a nice creamy soup. I had to add more salt, but I didn't add it to the recipe above because not everyone likes things salty.
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I don't have a picture, but it was really good. The recipe makes a lot, though. We have enough left over for another couple of meals. Daughter picked the potatoes out and dipped them in ketchup--go figure.
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Then, just a little bit ago, I made vanilla almond ice cream and added a tablespoon of dark cocoa powder--yum yum. I could have eaten the whole batch by myself.
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Well, I ought to go. It's getting on toward bedtime. Son should be home soon (they are doing a scouting fundraiser) and he'll want some of MY ice cream and then we can all crash.
Ciao for now.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! My Daughter decided to get her hair cut short on New Year's Eve. She had never had a real hair-cut up until August of 07. Her hair was all one length and went half way down her butt. Then she cut it to like the middle of her shoulder blades. Then in December of 07, she cut it to just touching her shoulders. Then in August of 08, she cut it to a chin-length bob with bangs (her first bangs). And now she decided to do short all over. It is so cute. (I keep saying "she cut it"--actually we had a stylist cut it.) The picture is her outside the mall right after she got it done.
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For new years eve, we had my folks over and had sparkling juices (grape, blueberry, and strawberry), veggies with a red pepper nut cheese for dipping an chocolate fondue with brownies, graham crackers, marshmallows, bananas, and strawberries for dipping (only the marshmallows and brownies weren't vegan--I didn't eat those). I know it's hard to imagine, but the veggies hardly got touched while the chocolate and goodies disappeared in minutes.
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I didn't have cocoa butter so I used coconut oil for the chocolate--here is what I did:
coconut oil (melted to a liquid in the microwave)
maple syrup
cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder)
Whisked them all together (adding first more syrup and then more cocoa powder until it tasted good).
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I put it in the fridge until we were ready for it and was surprised at how hard it got. It melted nicely over a candle, though (my fondue pot can use a candle for just melting or has an alcohol burner for actually cooking--I learned the hard way that the alcohol burner is not for melting chocolate.) I'm thinking I could have put soy or coconut milk in for more of a milk chocolate.
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Then the folks went home, hubby and I went to bed, and the kids stayed up to watch the new year in the central time zone. (that put them to bed at 11-ish in our time zone.)
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On new year's day, we were just lazy for a while and then took a drive to look for the deer. They winter around our area.

This is a deer that was by a pond right next to some people's house.
These were some rock people and a rock cat that someone had built up on the side of the canyon. I had never seen them before even though we had been on that road before so I think they were new. Pretty Cool!

Here's the sunset. It was pretty overcast so the sun made beautiful colors on the bottoms of the clouds.

We had a really nice drive and the kids made the most of their new cameras. I would guess that we saw a total of like 30 deer--some were nice bucks, but we couldn't get close enough to get really good pictures of them. The kids each took probably like a hundred or so. Good thing they are digital cameras so I don't have to buy that much film or pay for that much developing.
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Today's going pretty good, so far. I've gotten lots of work done, I ate the left-over veggies from Wednesday for my lunch, the kids aren't fighting too awfully much, and hubby is at work.

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Well, I had better go and get back to doing something.

Ciao for now.