Just another short post tonight. I haven't had a lot of time the last couple days to write anything really extensive that includes pictures. I'll try to do better this weekend.
The last two days I have had AMAZING workouts. I decided that I wanted to go to the gym and work out at least five days a week. (My gym is only open six days a week). And I needed to start doing some serious cardio. Usually I just do strength/toning exercises or every once in a blue moon, I'll do yoga. But I've been realizing lately that cardio is so important and if I'm going to be in shape, I have to make it a priority. I can't get out of breath every time I climb a flight of stairs.
So, yesterday, I worked on the elliptical for 25 minutes. (I would have done thirty, but it took forever to figure out the buttons.) I like the elliptical better than the treadmill, because I've never really been a runner, but I like the gliding effect of the elliptical. I also have some knee issues, so it's much easier on my knees.
Then, today, I did all of my weight exercises, but I did two sets. I used to do two sets and then I was six for a few weeks around the holidays. Since I've been back working out, I've been slacking and only doing one set or even just part of a set. I realized that if I'm actually going to make an impact and get in shape and tone up the way that I want to, I need to push myself to do better. So what if I it's hard? I just gotta do it!! I do a combination of machines and free weights. Here's the break-down:
- Leg Extension Machine (Quadriceps--front of thigh)
- Seated Leg Curl Machine (Hamstrings--back of thigh)
- Leg Press Machine (Quads/Hams/Glutes--butt)
- Abdominal Machine (Abs--stomach)
- Hip Abduction/Adduction Machine (Don't know the exact names of the muscles, but it works your outer and inner thigh)
- Bicep Curls w/ Free Weights (Biceps--top part of upper arm)
- Hammer Curls w/ FW (Biceps)
- Side Bends w/ FW (Obliques--side of torso)
- Forward Bends w/ FW (Back muscles--basically, love handles)
- Dumbbell Row (Triceps--bottom part of upper arm)
- Shoulder Press (Deltoids/Trapezius--shoulders)
Not a perfect workout, but I'll work on those for awhile before I start some more difficult stuff. I know that I definitely need to add in more ab work, since that's one of my biggest problem areas, but I'll get there. One step at a time.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Soda is Addicting.
Someone posted this article on Facebook today and I must admit, it helped me think twice about drinking soda.
I've given up a lot of vices recently: meat, cheese, eggs, COFFEE. But one I haven't been able to totally let go of is soda. I definitely drink it much less and I never buy it in bulk and keep it in my fridge. It's usually just one when I'm at work or with a meal at Qdoba.
But I should really stop drinking soda. It is quite icky. Especially with all the HFCS used. And don't listen to those dumb corn commercials. Meaningless propaganda meant to brainwash Americans who refuse to do the proper research. High-fructose corn syrup really is bad for you. And it's even worse for the environment. The corn companies use GMOs and toxic chemicals and are basically giving you sweet-tasting chemicals instead of real live plant substances in your food. HFCS is sick (and totally makes me feel sick.)
Hope you have fun reading the article. Interesting, to be sure.
I've given up a lot of vices recently: meat, cheese, eggs, COFFEE. But one I haven't been able to totally let go of is soda. I definitely drink it much less and I never buy it in bulk and keep it in my fridge. It's usually just one when I'm at work or with a meal at Qdoba.
But I should really stop drinking soda. It is quite icky. Especially with all the HFCS used. And don't listen to those dumb corn commercials. Meaningless propaganda meant to brainwash Americans who refuse to do the proper research. High-fructose corn syrup really is bad for you. And it's even worse for the environment. The corn companies use GMOs and toxic chemicals and are basically giving you sweet-tasting chemicals instead of real live plant substances in your food. HFCS is sick (and totally makes me feel sick.)
Hope you have fun reading the article. Interesting, to be sure.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
SUPER BOWL of Chili
Lots of yummy vegan deliciousness today. I overslept this morning, so my first meal was lunch at Panera with the family. I had a Greek salad.
Mom had a cup of black bean soup and a Mediterranean veggie sandwich.
Dad had an Italian combo sandwich and Stephen had mac+cheese and Sierra turkey sandwich. I didn't get pics of theirs, 'cause they dug in pretty quickly.
Then, we decided to get together for the Super Bowl. Really, it's just an excuse to hang out and have lots of delicious food, otherwise known as pretty much every Sunday. I decided to make veggie chili for Mom and I. (I also brought over some white bean chipotle hummus, cranberry nut bread and chocolate chip cookies--all homemade!)
Vegan Chili
**All of these ingredient measurements are approximations. Adjust to your taste.
1-2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil or other high-heat oil (i.e., NOT olive oil)
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2-3 cans of beans (I used two cans cannellini beans and one can of black beans.)
1/2-3/4 c. chopped peppers
1 small zucchini
24 oz. diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1-2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2-1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
Chop onion, then peppers. (I used seven sweet mini peppers.)
Sautee until onions are translucent and peppers are tender. Then chop zucchini and add to pot.
I love all these colors.
Drain and rinse beans with cold water.
Add them to the pot and stir.
Next, add the spices and diced tomatoes.
These are local tomatoes that my mom gets from her biweekly Green BEAN delivery.
Finally, add the can of tomato sauce. [Mom didn't have any tomato sauce, so I had to use water to thin it out. Not terrible, but I could definitely taste the difference.]
My SUPER BOWL of vegan chili. I added vegan sour cream and several shakes of Frank's RedHot for some extra heat. [I love for my chili to burn my lips.]
Chili is one of my favorite foods, especially during really cold winter days. How spicy do you like *your* chili?
Mom had a cup of black bean soup and a Mediterranean veggie sandwich.
Dad had an Italian combo sandwich and Stephen had mac+cheese and Sierra turkey sandwich. I didn't get pics of theirs, 'cause they dug in pretty quickly.
Then, we decided to get together for the Super Bowl. Really, it's just an excuse to hang out and have lots of delicious food, otherwise known as pretty much every Sunday. I decided to make veggie chili for Mom and I. (I also brought over some white bean chipotle hummus, cranberry nut bread and chocolate chip cookies--all homemade!)
Vegan Chili
**All of these ingredient measurements are approximations. Adjust to your taste.
1-2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil or other high-heat oil (i.e., NOT olive oil)
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2-3 cans of beans (I used two cans cannellini beans and one can of black beans.)
1/2-3/4 c. chopped peppers
1 small zucchini
24 oz. diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1-2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2-1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
Chop onion, then peppers. (I used seven sweet mini peppers.)
Sautee until onions are translucent and peppers are tender. Then chop zucchini and add to pot.
I love all these colors.
Drain and rinse beans with cold water.
Add them to the pot and stir.
Next, add the spices and diced tomatoes.
These are local tomatoes that my mom gets from her biweekly Green BEAN delivery.
Finally, add the can of tomato sauce. [Mom didn't have any tomato sauce, so I had to use water to thin it out. Not terrible, but I could definitely taste the difference.]
My SUPER BOWL of vegan chili. I added vegan sour cream and several shakes of Frank's RedHot for some extra heat. [I love for my chili to burn my lips.]
Chili is one of my favorite foods, especially during really cold winter days. How spicy do you like *your* chili?
Saturday, February 5, 2011
The Perfect Smoothie
The last couple of smoothies I've made have been utterly fabulous. Super thick, super yummy and 100% vegan.
Emilee's Perfect Smoothie
1 frozen banana
2 c. frozen fruit of your choice (this one was strawberry/pineapple)
1/2 c. orange juice or frozen orange juice concentrate
1 c. almond milk
Blend for a few minutes in the blender until smooth.
Tips
*Cut up bananas into four pieces and place on a baking sheet in the freezer. Freeze for a few hours, then transfer to a freezer bag. That way, you'll always have frozen bananas at the ready. (They really make a difference.) Just drop four pieces into the blender.
*Experiment with different flavors of fruit. You can use all one kind or two or three different kinds. Try strawberry/blueberry, pineapple/orange or a triple berry combination.
*Frozen orange juice concentrate works best, but if you don't have it on hand, regular orange juice will work as well. It will make it a little more liquid. If you want it just as thick, use only 1/2 c. of milk.
*I used to always use coconut milk in my smoothies, but almond milk just seems to taste better. Plus, it gives the smoothie a bit more protein.
*You may need to scrape the sides with a rubber spatula, depending on how hardcore your blender is. It gets pretty thick, so you may need to stir it a little bit too.
*This is enough for two servings or one really big serving, which is how I usually do it.
Emilee's Perfect Smoothie
1 frozen banana
2 c. frozen fruit of your choice (this one was strawberry/pineapple)
1/2 c. orange juice or frozen orange juice concentrate
1 c. almond milk
Blend for a few minutes in the blender until smooth.
Tips
*Cut up bananas into four pieces and place on a baking sheet in the freezer. Freeze for a few hours, then transfer to a freezer bag. That way, you'll always have frozen bananas at the ready. (They really make a difference.) Just drop four pieces into the blender.
*Experiment with different flavors of fruit. You can use all one kind or two or three different kinds. Try strawberry/blueberry, pineapple/orange or a triple berry combination.
*Frozen orange juice concentrate works best, but if you don't have it on hand, regular orange juice will work as well. It will make it a little more liquid. If you want it just as thick, use only 1/2 c. of milk.
*I used to always use coconut milk in my smoothies, but almond milk just seems to taste better. Plus, it gives the smoothie a bit more protein.
*You may need to scrape the sides with a rubber spatula, depending on how hardcore your blender is. It gets pretty thick, so you may need to stir it a little bit too.
*This is enough for two servings or one really big serving, which is how I usually do it.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Soup+Salad, Mexican-Style
Sorry about no post yesterday. I had been stuck inside for over 48 straight hours and I absolutely had to get out of the house. Of course, when I finally did, things got a little stressful, like I rented a DVD and then it got stuck in my laptop. It's due back to the video store tonight, so hopefully I can get it out. Also, I realized it's probably time for me to get a new computer, as mine is five years old and starting to fall apart. (Of course, it still has lasted me twice as long as my PC did...) The only problem is, I have no money to buy a new computer. So, in case you weren't aware: I'm broke.
But I did have an awesome thing happen yesterday before all the stress: My brother bought me lunch at Qdoba!!
We love Mexican food in our family, and though we often prefer Chipotle for their fresher ingredients and commitment to social responsibility, the closest one is about 20 miles away, whereas this Qdoba is about a half mile from where my brother and I live. [We could probably walk there when the weather gets nice.]
I got the wonderful tortilla soup [one option that Chipotle doesn't have, so I usually take advantage when we come to Qdoba]. It is super spicy and I love getting it with the tortilla strips to give it some crunch. I omitted the sour cream and cheese, of course, but this has plenty of flavor and I wouldn't want to mask it with those anyway... [Even if I did eat dairy!]
I also had this amazing "naked" taco salad. [That means it doesn't have a taco shell bowl, which is fine since those are deep-fried anyway...] I just got the romaine lettuce [so glad they don't use iceberg], black beans, pico de gallo and salsa roja, which is wonderfully spicy.
It was a perfect lunch, especially since my awesome brother paid for it! :) Both of us were stuck inside all week, so it was good to get out and be around people again. And to not have to cook!! [That reminds me--My kitchen is a mess!]
I love Qdoba!
But I did have an awesome thing happen yesterday before all the stress: My brother bought me lunch at Qdoba!!
We love Mexican food in our family, and though we often prefer Chipotle for their fresher ingredients and commitment to social responsibility, the closest one is about 20 miles away, whereas this Qdoba is about a half mile from where my brother and I live. [We could probably walk there when the weather gets nice.]
I got the wonderful tortilla soup [one option that Chipotle doesn't have, so I usually take advantage when we come to Qdoba]. It is super spicy and I love getting it with the tortilla strips to give it some crunch. I omitted the sour cream and cheese, of course, but this has plenty of flavor and I wouldn't want to mask it with those anyway... [Even if I did eat dairy!]
I also had this amazing "naked" taco salad. [That means it doesn't have a taco shell bowl, which is fine since those are deep-fried anyway...] I just got the romaine lettuce [so glad they don't use iceberg], black beans, pico de gallo and salsa roja, which is wonderfully spicy.
It was a perfect lunch, especially since my awesome brother paid for it! :) Both of us were stuck inside all week, so it was good to get out and be around people again. And to not have to cook!! [That reminds me--My kitchen is a mess!]
I love Qdoba!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Preserve It.
I pack my lunch at least three out of five days during the work week. There used to be a time when I would pretty much always pack my food in one of these:
Sure, it seems pretty "normal" but when you start reading all the stuff out there about BPA plastic and about how we rely so heavily on plastic that can't even be recycled, it starts to get you thinking. Then, when you look at huge corporations like Glad and Rubbermaid who make these containers and see that they aren't the best businesses to spend your money on, you might decide you need a change.
And that's what I did.
I started purchasing these:
Preserve containers!!
I love these things! Preserve makes products from recycled #5 plastics (which cannot currently be recycled at most recycling centers in Indiana), as well as Brita filters and makes really awesome containers like mine. [To learn more about how to recycle your #5 plastics, click here.] Every month or so, I pick up a new container and I want to eventually get to the point where I only use glass containers or Preserve.
I also totally love the green color, but they also have products in other colors. They make bowls, plates, colanders, cutting boards, cutlery, cups, razors and toothbrushes!
I use the toothbrush as well (green, of course!). [I would have included a picture of it, but I actually left it at work, so I'm using my temporary back-up now!] I get the type that comes in the mail-back package so that when you finish using the toothbrush, you just stick it back in the container it came in, seal it up and put it in the mailbox. Preserve will recycle it over and over again!
As a single, broke vegan I don't have a lot of money to go green in my entire household or buy a Smart car or anything like that. But doing small things like this gives me confidence that even a little change makes a big difference.
Sure, it seems pretty "normal" but when you start reading all the stuff out there about BPA plastic and about how we rely so heavily on plastic that can't even be recycled, it starts to get you thinking. Then, when you look at huge corporations like Glad and Rubbermaid who make these containers and see that they aren't the best businesses to spend your money on, you might decide you need a change.
And that's what I did.
I started purchasing these:
Preserve containers!!
I love these things! Preserve makes products from recycled #5 plastics (which cannot currently be recycled at most recycling centers in Indiana), as well as Brita filters and makes really awesome containers like mine. [To learn more about how to recycle your #5 plastics, click here.] Every month or so, I pick up a new container and I want to eventually get to the point where I only use glass containers or Preserve.
I also totally love the green color, but they also have products in other colors. They make bowls, plates, colanders, cutting boards, cutlery, cups, razors and toothbrushes!
I use the toothbrush as well (green, of course!). [I would have included a picture of it, but I actually left it at work, so I'm using my temporary back-up now!] I get the type that comes in the mail-back package so that when you finish using the toothbrush, you just stick it back in the container it came in, seal it up and put it in the mailbox. Preserve will recycle it over and over again!
As a single, broke vegan I don't have a lot of money to go green in my entire household or buy a Smart car or anything like that. But doing small things like this gives me confidence that even a little change makes a big difference.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Living Alone
Today seems like the perfect day to discuss this topic, as most of Indiana (and the Midwest, for that matter) are shut inside their homes due to Icemageddon 2011.
I am single. I love being single. Sure, it has its depressing moments. Like when I need a date for a party or something and there is no one there to help me out. But I'm only 24. No rush, no fuss.
One of my favorite parts of being single: living alone. Now, I have lots of single friends. Some live alone, some don't. Of those that don't, they're split pretty evenly between living with their parents or living with a roommate. Living with parents (or a roommate, for that matter) is definitely a way to save on rent. But when I lived with my parents, I still paid them rent (albeit, very, very cheap rent) and there was only one bathroom. I also lived in my mom's craft room (this is post-college) and had less than half the room for all of my personal belongings. Not good.
A little over a year ago, I moved out to the apartment I'm living in now. And I love it. It's a very small apartment (I don't know the square footage, but it's not much), but all of the space is MINE! Yay!! I know that one day, I'll probably have to share my space with others, but for now, I'm enjoying making it my own.
I can leave my clothes on the floor:
I can fully take advantage of my OCD and organize my DVDs alphabetically and not have to yell at someone when they put it back wrong:
I can spend $25 on a funky, vintage couch from Goodwill and not have it match anything in my home and still love it. (In fact, nothing in my apartment matches anything else...)
I can go a couple days without doing dishes and no one will complain (except my mom if she comes over...)
I can dump my coats, sweaters, papers, etc on the futon in the living room once I get home and not have to worry about cleaning it up until I have guests.
Essentially, I get to be a major slob. But I also have my moments where I want everything to be clean, so living in a tiny apartment with no one else in my way means I get to clean the whole thing in about two hours. Score!
Some people would consider it a little scary to live alone, but it totally suits me. I love my neighborhood. (Now if only I lived within walking distance of a Whole Foods!)
And my favorite part of living alone?? I don't have to fight anyone for the bathroom first thing in the morning! Yay!!
I am single. I love being single. Sure, it has its depressing moments. Like when I need a date for a party or something and there is no one there to help me out. But I'm only 24. No rush, no fuss.
One of my favorite parts of being single: living alone. Now, I have lots of single friends. Some live alone, some don't. Of those that don't, they're split pretty evenly between living with their parents or living with a roommate. Living with parents (or a roommate, for that matter) is definitely a way to save on rent. But when I lived with my parents, I still paid them rent (albeit, very, very cheap rent) and there was only one bathroom. I also lived in my mom's craft room (this is post-college) and had less than half the room for all of my personal belongings. Not good.
A little over a year ago, I moved out to the apartment I'm living in now. And I love it. It's a very small apartment (I don't know the square footage, but it's not much), but all of the space is MINE! Yay!! I know that one day, I'll probably have to share my space with others, but for now, I'm enjoying making it my own.
I can leave my clothes on the floor:
I can fully take advantage of my OCD and organize my DVDs alphabetically and not have to yell at someone when they put it back wrong:
I can spend $25 on a funky, vintage couch from Goodwill and not have it match anything in my home and still love it. (In fact, nothing in my apartment matches anything else...)
I can go a couple days without doing dishes and no one will complain (except my mom if she comes over...)
I can dump my coats, sweaters, papers, etc on the futon in the living room once I get home and not have to worry about cleaning it up until I have guests.
Essentially, I get to be a major slob. But I also have my moments where I want everything to be clean, so living in a tiny apartment with no one else in my way means I get to clean the whole thing in about two hours. Score!
Some people would consider it a little scary to live alone, but it totally suits me. I love my neighborhood. (Now if only I lived within walking distance of a Whole Foods!)
And my favorite part of living alone?? I don't have to fight anyone for the bathroom first thing in the morning! Yay!!
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