Rainy Weekend Cookery

I like to cook when it's raining. Well, honestly, I like to cook anyway. It's a good thing for us that I DO enjoy it. It keeps our menus varied and interesting.

I remember when I was very young (pre-teen) at First Baptist Church in Union City, Mrs. Posey used to make a kind of tamale casserole - it had a really soft cornbread (almost mushy) topping. She called it Johnny something. I don't remember that but for some reason, I have been thinking of it lately. I did some Google searches for tamale casserole and came up with this. It's not exactly what I was thinking of - but man was it good! I used some Boca crumbles (all legal for us) instead of the Gimme Lean (also legal I believe) and used a can of Rotel tomatoes instead of plain canned tomatoes. Next time I probably won't even use a meat sub. It really didn't need it. We got 2 BIG meals out of this. Would have been more if we had had a nice salad or another side dish with it but it was good all by itself. I wouldn't hesitate to make this for Care Group just like this. It would probably be good for all you non-vegans with some cheese on top and some dollops of sour cream.

I usually make bread at least a couple of times each week. I've been a little remiss this week and John reminded me that we are out and there is no toast. :( There is a loaf of whole wheat bread baking right now and it smells awesome! UPDATE: Bread is done. mmmmmmmm.

While that was cooking, I took a recipe that my Mom got from my Aunt and veganized it. (Is that a word?) Anyway, the applesauce raisin muffins were absolutely delicious! I used half raisins and half chocolate chips. Yummy. The recipe links to the Family Recipes at nanapudding.com.

Earlier today, I did a little shopping. For the first time in I'm not sure how many years, I shopped in the Petites Department at Kohls and Dillards. They had some nice sales and I was able to pick up a few things that I can wear now and through the spring as well as some things that don't quite fit yet. Hey, when nice dress pants are on sale for $9, you gotta do that! I will hopefully need them within the next month. 42.5 pounds gone as of today.

6 month update

Six months ago today, we began a new journey into healthy eating that has been a real adventure. I have now officially lost 40 pounds - actually just lack .2 losing 41 pounds as of today - and John has lost 24. He's within 3-4 pounds of his ideal weight according to the doctor. I lack MUCH more than that but am heading in the right direction. Our cholesterol numbers are greatly improved. (His 137, mine 164)

My tight size 22 jeans are gone and replaced by much more comfortable 14's and 16's. It's getting harder to get dressed to go anywhere because most of my clothes just hang on me and don't look very nice. My winter coat and my bathrobe will wrap around me 1.5 times each.

It is very significant that I have not been sick this winter. Usually I fight asthmatic bronchitis all winter long but not this year. Aside from a very light case of the flu that I caught back last September when I was traveling, I have not been sick at all. I find that on the few occasions that my allergies have flared up, I can take 1/2 of a Zyrtec and that takes care of it - and I only have had to take it just a couple of times.

John has discovered that he likes to bake - and he is eating foods that he has either never liked (mushrooms and spinach) or that hurt his stomach (onions, peppers, garlic). Cabbage is still a no-go. :) We cook at home mostly but we can manage if we need to eat out. We have not cheated. I have refined my cooking skills to avoid meat, dairy and added oils. Our food is very delicious and our friends agree (some agree reluctantly).

It's been an interesting ride. We have not even discussed NOT continuing. People assume that it's difficult and requires great commitment. We don't even MISS the other stuff anymore and we feel so much better, any perceived trade-offs are worth it.

I'll try to post some pictures soon.

Country Lunch . . . and Dinner too

I love fresh green beans. It's obviously part of my Mitchell heritage. I'm sure Mamaw would roll over in her grave though if she knew I was cooking them without a big old hunk of pork in the pot. Kroger had some good looking fresh green beans this weekend so I bought a big bag and some new potatoes. I cooked them together in my iron pot with some veggie broth and onion, and then put some corn on the cob on top and finished it up. Steamed some carrots in the microwave in one of those handy dandy steaming ziploc bags and made a skillet of cornbread. Also had a few green onions with it. Yum. We had a big pot that served us for lunch and supper both. Sure was delicious.

Whodathunkit?

Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think that scrambled tofu would become a regular part of our meal rotations! Oh, I thought occasionally I might make it - but this has become one of our favorite meals. Today after church, I took frozen diced potatoes, a frozen mix of red, green, and yellow peppers with onions, and some fresh mushrooms and cooked in a non-stick skillet until they were tender. Then I added the tofu mixture (firm tofu diced, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and tumeric) along with a double handful of fresh chopped spinach. I scrambled it all together until the spinach wilted and then served with toast made from our homemade whole wheat bread and some sugar-free jam.

This was a beautiful, colorful dish and delicious and nutritious. Amazing.

Tonight is Care Group night and I am making a veggie lasagna (zucchini and spinach) using silken tofu with egg replacer, Italian seasoning, parsley, and garlic instead of cheese. There's a loaf of french bread in the bread machine to go with it. Should be delicious. It sure smells good.

Nothing to Hide

What a HUGE step! I no longer have to hide onions, spinach, and mushrooms in our meals anymore! This sure makes it easier for me to cook. I love all of these things but John wouldn't eat them. Maybe a few onions here and there but they gave him heartburn - NO MORE! Since we've been eating a vegan diet, the heartburn is gone so the onions have re-appeared. He just simply would not eat spinach or mushrooms but now he's eating them.

Today I put onions, mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach in a pot with just a little veggie broth - enough to saute the veggies. Then I added a prepared spaghetti squash, some garlic, and just a little fat-free pasta sauce. We had it with a nice hunk of hot crusty bread right out of the bread machine and it was a wonderful lunch. Yummy!