Vegan Triathlete Nutrition

2008-02-13T19:55:00.000-08:00

Quick VEGAN Meals for Busy Triathletes!?!

The most recent Trifuel newsletter had an interesting article in it entitled "Quick Meals for Busy Triathletes." I looked at the list and thought about how each one could be "veganized." So I thought I could do two lists: one that veganized what the author had suggested and one that had quick meals that I use myself. Take note that I have not tried out the first set of "recipes."

Veganized Quick Meals:
1. Mediterranean Surprise. Use some whole wheat noodles or use orza style pasta or even rice. I pretty much grab whatever type of pasta is in the pantry for this one. Prepare the pasta. When it is finished, stir in a small handful of nutritional yeast, a tablespoon of olive oil, a handful of raisins, a handful of almonds, and parsley/salt/pepper to taste. As a tasty bonus, you can throw some capers and garlic in. You can make a bunch of this and eat it all week, and if after a workout, you can take your shower while the pasta cooks.

2. Tofu/Avocado Grilled Sandwich. Quick, fire up a pan drizzled with olive oil. Put the bread on the pan and put the tofu on the bread. While all that grills to a nice toasty texture, slice one avocado and have it ready to slap on the sandwich and pack away or eat immediately. I also include sliced tomatoes and alfalfa sprouts on this one.

3. Soup. I call it soup. My wife calls it heated up vegetables with water on top. Whatever. Put a handful of broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and spinach into a pot. For protein, also included cubed tofu (easy to find at grocery store produce section). Pour 1/2 cup water over the vegetables and tofu, and then heat for 8-10 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, a bit of vegetable stock if you desire, then eat with a spoon out of the pot.

4. Dinner Burrito. Just because everyone else calls it a breakfast burrito. Scramble tofu (ie. crumble it with some nutritional yeast and mustard powder) with 2 tablespoons soy yogurt, 1 handfull spinach and 1 chopped tomato. Salt and pepper to taste, and then shovel onto a whole wheat tortilla. Sprinkle with vegancheddar cheese (or leave out the cheese all together) and consume.

5. Zucchini Pancakes. In a blender or food processor, blend 1 chopped zucchini, a handful of sliced red onion, a handful of whole wheat pancake mix, 1 Tbsp. ground flax, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1 handful vegan parmesan cheese. Pour this mixture onto a grill and make pancakes with it (duh, pour it in a pan and grill 4-5 minutes/side). Season with ketchup. Organic ketchup.

6. Tapas. Lovely little appetizers all put together make a complete meal. I slice 1 tomato and drizzle with olive oil, sea salt, and parsley. I slice one pear or apple and eat with peanut butter. I cover one handful of walnuts with maple syrup and cinnamon. I eat. Side note: Veggie samosas can also be used with these tapas dishes.

7. Big Chef Salad. Mix onto a bowl or plate two handfuls mixed greens, 2 sliced vegetables of choice, 1 handful raisins, 1 handful walnuts, and a small drizzling of olive oil and vinaigrette. Slice tofu and throw it on top, then salt and pepper to taste. If you need more carbs, crumble whole grain crackers for croutons.

8. Mexican Delight. It's like the Mediterranean Surprise, but a delight is somewhat different than a suprise. Use quick 10 minute brown rice. Just as it is finishing stir in black beans, salt, pepper, and any other creative items from the fridge such as olives or leftover salsa. If I'm not showering while the rice is cooking, I throw 1 block of tofu into a pan, and sprinkle with curry or turmeric (which I guess makes it an Indian Delight) and add that as well. Yum.

9. Power Oatmeal. My favorite, bar none. To one bowl of raw oats, I add 1 tablespoon almond butter, 1 tablespoon soy yogurt, 1 sliced banana, 1 Tbsp. ground flax and 1 sprinkling of cinnamon. Also 1 tablespoon Vega protein powder if it's handy. Pour boiling water on top and microwave on high for 60 seconds. Warning: very calorically dense and should be consumed 2 hours prior to or immediatley after a workout.

10. Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. My signature dessert. Use a small half bowl of plain, soy yogurt. Add 1 tablespoon peanut butter and 1 tablespoon dark chocolate pieces or cocoa mix. Close your eyes and imagine you just took it out of that little orange wrapper.

Disclaimer: your spouse and children may not share any affinity for these meals

Crystal's Top 5 Quick Vegan Triathlete Meals
1. Pasta with Tofu.
This is very similar to the Mediterranean Surprise, but a little different. I take half a block of tofu and either fry it in olive oil or just cut it up (depending on how hungry I am because this takes the longest amount of time). I start boiling the pasta. I cut up some onions and garlic for nose-gasms with the tofu once the tofu has browned on two sides. Once the pasta is almost done, I add in some tomato sauce with the tofu and onions&garlic. I simmer until the pasta is done. Strain pasta. Put sauce in pot with pasta. Eat out of pot. Veggie ground round can be used in place of the tofu.

2. Post-workout veggie dogs
Sometimes when I'm done a workout, there is nothing that I want more than some easy, accessible, salty protein. This is where the veggie dog comes in. I know some people find this disgusting, but when I'm all sweaty and hungry and there just isn't anything quick enough, I will sit down and eat one or two veggie dogs raw. Quick, easy, no muss, no fuss!

3. Post-workout smoothie infusion
I drink this in the morning especially. The ingredients to my "special" smoothie:
1 banana (preferrably a bit on the edge of being too ripe)
a few frozen mangos
a few frozen strawberries
(I buy my frozen fruit in bulk)
2 scoops of Vega protein powder
1 c. Soy or Rice milk (there are pros and cons to both of these beverages)
2 Tbsp. ground flax seed
Blend. Drink. Huge amount of protein from the supplement and the soy milk, good omega-3's from the flax (among so many other great things about flax), much-needed-for-triathletes potassium from the banana, and the great nutrition from the other fruits. Plus, it's tasty! The Vega can throw off the taste a bit, but you can hardly tell with the yummy mango and banana (I try to buy organic of both of these politically contemptuos fruits).

4. Pre-made meals
I found the easiest way for me to be vegan and eat quickly (and not get extremely sick of veggie dogs) is to prepare meals ahead of time. This can either be frozen in the freezer or just prepared on an "off" training day. Veggie Chili packed with lots of beans and eaten with a slice of break is a great example. The chili can easily be frozen and thawed to be eaten for lunch at work/school or after an evening workout. I also use lentil curry for this purpose.

5. Quinoa
Quinoa is one of my favorite foods of all time. It is packed with COMPLETE protein and many vitamins and minerals... it is a SUPERFOOD! What I have been known to do before is cook up some quinoa (takes around 15-20 minutes), add some Braggs, and salsa and eat it right there! However, a nice quinoa salad with raisins, almonds, tomato, with a lemon-based dressing is also nice.

These meals all contain foods that I consider staples at my house during training season. The off season is a time of leisurely cooking, but during training time, it is a special treat. Please comment if you have any quick favorites of your own!

Disclaimer: your spouse and children may not share any affinity for these meals

2008-01-28T17:18:00.000-08:00

Obviously I lost steam on my food journal. One meal was more than enough. Sometimes I have trouble when I get too detail-oriented; it becomes a massive project and then I don't want to do it anymore. The long and the short of it is that I'm struggling a bit right now because all I want is carbs - lovely, heavy carbohydrates. I am like this every winter... perhaps all people who live in cold areas are. I am in serious hibernation mode. However, hopefully I will get out of it and back onto the cooking and eating healthy train... right after I have another peanut butter and banana sandwich...

2008-01-21T07:06:00.000-08:00

Food journaling seems like it would be good for me to do right now as I finally get back into training. I am eating quite a bit of beans these days, which is lots of fun. I'm trying to cut down on my wheat-based foods and soy products, while increasing my beans and rice combinations. So far it is going pretty well. So maybe I'll start the food journal right now.

Monday
5am:
* 1/2c. PC Organic 7 Reasons Multigrain cereal (1)
* 1 banana
* 1/2c. Safeway Organics plain soy milk (2)
Swim
8am:
* Smoothie with 1 banana, 1 scoop Vega (3), 1c. soy milk (2), 1 Tbsp. peanut butter, 1 tsp sesame seeds
* 2 pieces of toast with 2 Tbsp peanut butter, 2 tsp raspberry jam

1. PC Organic 7 Reasons Multigrain cereal
Calories: 120
Fat: 1g (0.2g Saturated) (2%)
Sodium: 60mg (3%)
Carbohydrates: 24g (8%) - Fibre: 3g (12%)
- Sugars: 2g
Protein: 4g
Calcium: 2%
Iron: 10%

2. Safeway Organics plain soy milk (1c.)
Calories: 100
Fat: 4g (6%)
- Saturated: 1g (5%)
- Polyunsaturated: 2g
~ Omega-6: 1.6g
~ Omega-3: 0.4g
- Monounsaturated: 1g
Sodium: 130mg (5%)
Potassium: 380mg (11%)
Carbohydrates: 9g (3%) - Fibre: 1g (4%)
- Sugars: 6g
Protein: 7g
Vitamin A: 10%
Vitamin C: 4%
Calcium: 30%
Iron: 6%
Vitamin D: 45%
Thiamine: 8%
Riboflavin: 25%
Niacin: 8%
Vitamin B6: 6%
Folate: 6%
Vitamin B12: 50%
Pantothenate: 15%
Phosphorus: 25%
Magnesium: 10%
Zinc: 10%

3. Vegan Smoothie Infusion (2 scoops)
Calories: 120 (40 calories from fat)
Fat: 4.5g (7%)
- Saturated: 0.2g (1%)
- Polyunsaturated: 3g
~ Omega-6: 0.5g
~ Omega-3: 2.5g
Sodium: 170mg (7%)
Potassium: 170mg (5%)
Carbohydrates: 10g (3%) - Fibre: 6g (24%)
- Sugars: 1g
Protein: 14g
Vitamin A: 10%
Vitamin C: 0%
Calcium: 4%
Iron: 30%
Vitamin E: 4%
Magnesium: 25%

2007-12-26T22:41:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make... maybe even many confessions. This has been the worst holiday for me as a vegan or even as a health-conscious person. After 3 days of eating crappy food that I have tried to ensure (somewhat unsuccessfully) was vegan, I feel pretty much like crap. Yucky yucky yucky. The big one was that I ate an egg the other day, willingly, because I loved them before I went vegan. However, I paid for it later with a severely upset tummy and an even more upset mind. Yesterday I ate a traditional food that my mom made for my grandma and I wanted to try it. It had milk in it and my mouth felt weird afterwards with the back of my throat feeling like wheat paste. I have been thinking about doing a fast starting the day after tomorrow for 4 days (ie. until I go back to work). I am going to drink smoothies tomorrow and just eat raw veggies. Even a few days of that would feel pretty good. I guess we'll see. I definitely need to get out of this food funk. YUCK!

Today I read the funniest cartoon strip called "Totally Not Vegan." So I added their RSS feed to this blog. So freaking funny! The latest one is hilarious:

2007-11-09T07:09:00.001-08:00

Lately I have become a cooking fool! I have accumulated more cookbooks and am trying out new recipes all the time. It is partially because I am the main cook in our household now and I am also the main grocery buyer. This makes me quite happy in a way. Here is what our meals look like this week:

Sunday:
- tofu scramble with tofu, veggies, and toast (brunch)
- samosas (snack)
- Green Goddess (from reFresh): broccoli, bok choy, kale, swiss chard, soba noodles, tamari sauce, tahini sauce, ginger

Weekdays:
Morning:
- smoothie with pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, 1 banana, frozen fruit, soy milk, hemp oil, and hemp seeds
- oatmeal with apples, sunflower seeds, soy milk, ground flax seeds, soy milk, organic maple syrup

Lunch:
- leftovers from the night before

Suppers:
- African sweet potato and peanut stew with kidney beans and rice
- Lentil curry with coconut milk and peas and rice
- Pasta with tofu and garlic toast
- Tortilla chips with hummus and salsa (as a snack)

2007-09-26T19:54:00.000-07:00

Woah! I just read about a woman who makes VEGAN OMLETTES!!!! I must try this recipe soon!!!!

2007-07-26T13:58:00.000-07:00

Raw veganism has been an idea that has stumped me for a while. Maybe it's the fact that I love my cooked carbs and figure that it's enough. However, in the past month I have had a couple of very intense conversations with people about the raw vegan diet. With my anxiety acting up more than ever, I find myself drawn to the simplicity of the raw food/vegan lifestyle. I keep hearing about how great it feels and I can't help but want to try it.

However, warnings keep sounding in my head about how I would be able to get the 90g of protein per day required for my training. I would have to eat a LOT of nuts and hemp seeds to make that happen. I have been thinking, though, that incorporating raw foods into my diet slowly might work for now as I make my way to Ironman. So I took the liberty at contacting my local bookstore and getting the books ordered. They won't be here for a couple of weeks, but it's better on my conscience than ordering it from Amazon.

Raw Food, Real World: 100 Recipes to Get the Glow was recommended to me by my former roommate, Heather, who is trying to be mostly raw and absolutely loves it. I believe her since I've heard this numerous times from numerous people. I've also been part of a Raw Vegan Community on LiveJournal for almost 2 years now.

The Complete Book of Raw Food is the other book I ordered. I'm excited about having a good base for learning about preparation and that sort of thing.

I also found a great blog called Raw Food, Right Now. These people are very inspiring and committed to the raw food lifestyle.

I like trying things out to see how it works. I'm not sure how it will work as an athlete, but I guess I'll find out!

2007-07-16T11:01:00.000-07:00

Ok. So I know that ice cream doesn't really fall into the category of what a vegan triathlete should eat, but sometimes it's nice to have a treat or reward of some kind. My attention was brought to this homemade vegan ice cream blog by the vegan pictures community on Livejournal. Somebody posted a picture of some mint chocolate chip soy ice cream and it made me so jealous... mint chocolate chip was my favorite type of ice cream when I wasn't vegan, but I haven't eaten it since I turned vegan (and probably for a while before that). So here is a recipe for it! Now I really really really want an ice cream maker! I'm sure I could find one at a garage sale or I could ask around for my friends. From what I've heard, ice cream makers are one of those items that you buy, use once, and give away/sell. So maybe I could get one without paying large amounts of money for it. If I do make it, I'll be sure to report back!

2007-07-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

Breakfast of Champions!

Crystal and Luke's oatmeal:
1 c. oats (cooked in 2 cups water)
add 1 cut up apple and some almonds near the end of cooking
sprinkle 1-2 Tbsp. of hemp seeds
sprinkle 1-2 Tbsp. of ground flax
add some soy milk

so tasty, so healthy, so filling, and so great!

2007-07-04T13:59:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, I realized that I hadn't followed up on ensuring that I would be able to eat at the Carbo-loading supper for the Half Iron(wo)man I was doing on the July long-weekend. So I emailed the race director and he gave me the number for the caterers. I called them and left a message saying that I was vegan and needed to be accommodated (I think I also mentioned something about the supper being worth $25, which is what my partner was paying). The race director then called me to tell me that they would accommodate me, but it seemed begrudging. It didn't seem like he REALLY wanted to accommodate me and told me that I was the only person that had requested such a meal. I told him that I knew of at least one other vegan that was coming and that just because no one had talked to him about it, didn't mean that vegans weren't coming but that they weren't eating the food! I suggested that he make an option on the online sign-up for a veg*n meal or meat. He didn't seem very receptive to this, but I think that I will follow-up on this because I have seen it done at other races and can't see why it would be a problem.

At one of the suppers, the chef (I got to meet him personally and he called me "the vegan") told me that they don't advertise the veg*n option. I still don't know why they don't. He prepared a stuffed pepper, which was pretty good. I know that I could have done it better, but it was pretty good. Better than nothing! They only prepared 6 veg*n meals for over 700 participants! I don't know the stats on veg*n triathletes, but it seemed pretty disproportional considering that triathletes are generally health-conscious people.

At the end of the Half IM, I said to the race director after he gave me my finishers medal that vegans can finish too. He laughed, gave me a big hug, and said, "Of course they can!" It was a nice ending to the saga of the food at the Great White North Triathlon.

2007-06-26T14:54:00.000-07:00

Race nutrition has always been something that I struggle with. Sports drinks, gels, and protein bars are expensive, taste kind of awful, and are hard on the stomach. However, I've slowly found ways to shave down cost and stomach both the taste and the high calories!

First of all, I eat mostly Clif bars in bulk. I either get my local health food store to order me a whole box of them or I buy them at sketchy Costco. The bulk ones from Costco come in assorted flavours, but I have become quite tired of the Peanut Butter, Chocolate Almond, and Maple Oatmeal flavours. Mint Chocolate Chip is my favorite, so I get those from my health food store. They are literally the only "protein" bar that I can stomach, even though its qualities are questionable with a 20:1 calorie to protein ratio. I would try Luna bars, but they aren't as accessible in my city.

Sports drinks are tricky because one can buy cases of them at Costco and other places. However, I go with the powdered Gatorade. I don't like all the sugar while I'm exerting myself, so I water it down a bit. Personally, I like the blue kind (I don't know what flavour that is!).

I started using Gu gels last year when I was racing. Actually, I think I used them first during my half Ironman in 2005 - remember to never do anything new during a race! Last year was the first year that I used them regularly and I remember feeling surprised at how well they worked. I think I used different gels than the Gu gels, but discovered that some of them had caffeine in them and didn't want to have any part in that. I have heard that once you start intaking caffeine, you shouldn't stop during a race. Not only that, but I don't drink coffee and I'm very careful about my intake. Also, caffeine is a diuretic, which seems like a bad idea during a big race. This year, I found that Gu had some promo packs with 3 boxes of assorted gels at a discounted price. I bought the 3 boxes and have been quite pleased with the Chocolate and Vanilla flavours. The Strawberry-Banana might grow on me, but I'm not super impressed right now.

I've been reading Going Long by Joe Friel and Gordon Byrn (better known as Gordo by many people) and I absolutely love it. It is so inspirational and has been filling in gaps of information that I didn't get from my coach. I have also been reading "Nutrition for Endurance Athletes" and it is great! Well, it is very dense and kind of dry - there are no pictures and very few stories, but lots of information. The information that it has in invaluable and I've felt so much better since reading it. Both of these books tell me that I'm not getting enough carbohydrates. In fact, I'm probably not getting enough calories either. With the amount of training I'm doing and the nutritional requirements that I have, I need to eat constantly to the point of being extremely full, which is obviously uncomfortable for actually training! In Going Long, they told me that it is common to get sick after a hard week or even a hard workout because the body is compromised. Apparently this happens to novice triathletes who aren't used to the nutrition and recovery needed after such strain on the body.

So I'm learning a lot, which is great. And here I thought that I was an expert at being a vegan triathlete after only 5 years!

2007-05-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

There has been lots of talk at my place about vegan barbecues and the "politics" around being so exclusionary, but we're going ahead with it anyway. This is a recipe that was suggested to me from goveg.com:

Flaming ‘Buffalo Wings’

These extra spicy “wings” will be a hit at potlucks and football parties or on poker night.

• In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the margarine, hot sauces, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook, stirring often, until the margarine is melted. Lower the heat and keep warm while preparing the “wings.”
• Combine the flour, paprika, cayenne, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. • In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, heat enough oil to fry the “wings.”
• Tear the Chickette or seitan into “wing”-size pieces. Dredge in the flour mixture. Fry until browned, flipping halfway through. Drain on paper towels.
• Toss with the prepared sauce. Serve with celery and carrots sticks and vegan ranch dressing.

Makes 4 servings

Note: If you have leftovers, serve them wrapped in a tortilla with vegan ranch dressing, chopped celery, shredded carrots, and lettuce for a quick lunch.

Flaming Buffalo Wings recipe

2007-03-20T15:43:00.000-07:00

Another recipe to try:

Sweet Potato and Kale soup

4 oz. fresh kale - cut out and discard thick veins, coarsely chop leaves.
1 Lg. onion, chopped
3 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (oregano, basil, thyme)
2 tsp. olive oil
3 14 1/2 oz cans of veg broth (or 1 1/2 quarts)
2 15 oz cans of white kidney or cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced (the printed recipe called for 12 cloves, and I think that's a misprint. That's too much garlic for this amount of soup--and I like garlic.)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

In a dutch oven, saute onion and italian seasoning in oil until onion is tender.
Add broth, beans, sweet potatoes, and kale. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, salt, and pepper. Simmer 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.

2007-03-20T13:45:00.001-07:00

BLACKENED TOFU
Yields 4 to 6 servings

The melted butter is essential in this for the right flavor as are the powdered garlic and onions. Because of the extreme heat and volatility of the spices, it's best to cook blackened anything out-of-doors or under a good fan.

2 1-pound blocks Chinese-style firm tofu Salt
1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
½ to 1 tsp. cayenne to taste
¾ tsp. ground white pepper
¾ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. dried oregano
6-8 Tbsp. butter, melted (preferably clarified)

Cut the tofu into slabs about ½ inch thick and set them on paper towels to drain for at least 30 minutes, preferably with a weight on top. They need to be very dry. Mix 2½ tsp. salt and the spices and herbs in a bowl. Brush each piece of tofu with melted butter, then dredge with the spice mixture, patting it firmly into the tofu. This can be done ahead of time.

Preheat the over to 250° and have a platter and spatula at hand. Heat a cast-iron skillet on the stove or covered gas grill until it's white-hot, about 15 minutes. Pour a teaspoon of melted butter onto each piece of tofu, then place it, butter side down, into the hot skillet and step back. Wait 2 minutes, then turn it over and repeat on the second side. Remove to a platter and keep in the oven until all are cooked.

2007-03-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

I've recently gotten back into cooking new and exciting vegan recipes. I'm thinking that it will inspire me to resurrect this blog. On top of that, I have been reading some vegan blogs and looking at pictures of vegan cooking and am becoming more and more inspired! Seriously, how could one NOT be inspired by this:

Stuffed Bell Peppers from Celine, who I became familiar with from the Vegan Food Pics LiveJournal blog.

Her recipe for the stuffed peppers is as such:
Ingredients:
3 large bell peppers
1 package firm OR extra firm OR super firm tofu, drained
1 medium sized onion
3 garlic cloves [or less if you're not a fan. I happen to be!]
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 T tomato paste
herbs, your choice
salt, pepper, to taste
Bragg's liquid aminos OR soy sauce
1 cup breadcrumbs [I used panko style whole wheat breadcrumbs] OR cooked rice OR any other grain
1/2 cup cooked black beans, rinsed
1 T olive oil or other oil
6 slices tofutti cheese or other vegan cheese [optional]

Instructions:
* cut peppers in half, remove seeds and clean. boil water in a large pot, place clean peppers in them and boil for 5 minutes. remove peppers and let drain well. [do not put away the pot, or clean it, you will need it later!]
* preheat oven to 350F.
* in a food processor, crumble tofu, place in large bowl. in same food processor, chop onions and garlic. add to tofu in large bowl.
* pour out some of the liquid from diced tomatoes can, add to tofu mixture. add all the herbs you want [I used all purpose seasoning from mccormack's, it's salt free], some salt, some pepper, a teaspoon Bragg's liquid aminos or soy sauce if you prefer, breadcrumbs, black beans, mix well.
* place oil in reserved pot, put tofu mixture in, cook for a few minutes. remove from heat.
* place bell pepper halves in a baking pan [no need to spray it or butter it], fill them up with tofu mixture. there might be leftover stuffing, but you can freeze it and use it again at a later time, that's what I did. or you could simply get more bell peppers to feed more people that very same day.
* place a slice of tofutti cheese on each bell pepper.
* put in oven and let bake for 20-25 minutes. serve hot and enjoy!

2006-12-19T13:10:00.000-08:00

Monday:
Breakfast: 2 c. oatmeal with 1 apple, 1/4c. soy milk, 1/4 c. hemp seeds, and 1 Tbsp brown sugar
snack: 1 orange
Lunch: 1 black bean burrito (homemade with tomatoes, lettuce, vegan cheese)
1.5 c. lentil soup (with potatoes and carrots)
snack: 1 orange
1 Cliff bar
Supper: organic corn chips with tomatoes, peppers, and vegan cheese

Tuesday:
Breakfast: 2 c. oatmeal with 1 apple, 1/4c. soy milk, 1/4 c. hemp seeds, and 1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 orange
snack: 1 orange
Lunch: 1 black bean burrito (homemade with tomatoes, lettuce, vegan cheese)
2 - 2.5 c. lentil soup (with potatoes and carrots)
snack: 1 orange
1 Cliff bar

2006-12-17T18:39:00.000-08:00

I found a trick to drinking protein powder:
BANANAS!
Tonight I tried the berry-flavoured Vega protein powder (I bought the sample packages so that I could see what I liked best) with a banana, and some soy milk. It was actually pretty tastey. I would recommend throwing a banana into the mix if anyone ever tries it.

2006-12-16T20:33:00.000-08:00

Today I tried the Vegan Complete Whole Food Meal Replacement, Chocolate flavour. I tried it just mixed with water and I have to say that it's not my favorite thing in the world to consume. But I've heard that no protein powders are very good, so I won't take my distaste for this too seriously.

The thing with this stuff is that it is made from awesome stuff like hemp protein, yellow pea protein, flax seed, and brown rice protein. All very good for you. In the ingredients list, it even lists Omega-6 and -3 in it.
Here is the Nutrition Facts:

240 Calories (80 from fat, 15 from Saturated + Trans)
Total fat: 9 g
Saturated: 1.5 g
Polyunsaturdated: 6g
Omega-6: 2.5g
Omega-3: 3.5
Monounsaturated: 2g
Sodium: 230mg (10% of RDI)
Potassium: 460mg (13%)
Total Carbohydrate: 21g (7%)
Dietary fibre: 9g (36%)
Sugars: 2g
Protein: 25g

Vitamin A 40%
Vitamin C 15%
Calcium 20%
Iron 20%
Vitamin D 25%
Vitamin E 29%
Thiamine 23%
Riboflavin 25%
Niacin 26%
Vitamin B6 22%
Folate 27%
Vitamin B12 13%

Anyway, the peculiar taste is definitely worth all the good stuff that is in it. After my feel-good bike ride, it was exactly what I needed.

2006-11-28T20:15:00.000-08:00

My nutritional to do list for this week:
~ figure out how many calories I need
~ match my calories to my meal plan
~ make a monthly meal plan starting for December

I am a scientist, so one would think that I could do this. But procrastination is a funny funny thing.

2006-10-29T17:15:00.000-08:00

This is my own concoction that I throw together every once in a while. I made it last night and had leftovers today. I absolutely LOVE making and eating it. This is what I do:
~ Start stir-frying the onions, gardlic, carrots, and green peppers until the carrots are softish. I add the curry powder, cumin, and turmeric while it's all cooking together.
~ I then put in the chickpeas and stewed tomatoes, and add some more curry powder and cumin. And then add a little salt. Let it simmer until the rice is done.... Voila! Crystal's Chickpea Curry! So easy, nutritious, and tasty!

I usually eat it with brown rice, which I start at least 15 minutes before I start stirfrying the vegetables.

In total, I made enough for 4 servings, which would be about 12 grams of protein from the stirfry and rice together. Last night I had two servings and today I ate two servings as well.

Nutritional breakdown:
Chickpeas, 1cup:

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 119

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 1g

Saturated Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg

Sodium 299mg

12%

Total Carboydrates 23g

Dietary Fiber 4g

Sugars 0g

Protein 5g

Vitamin A	0%		Vitamin C	6%
Iron	7%		Calcium	3%

Tomatoes, canned, whole, no salt added, 1 cup:

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 45

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 0g

Saturated Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg

Sodium 24mg

Total Carboydrates 10g

Dietary Fiber 2g

Sugars 7g

Protein 2g

Vitamin A	6%		Vitamin C	56%
Iron	7%		Calcium	7%

Carrots, raw, chopped, 1 cup:

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 52

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 0g

Saturated Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg

Sodium 88mg

Total Carboydrates 12g

Dietary Fiber 4g

Sugars 6g

Protein 1g

Vitamin A	308%		Vitamin C	12%
Iron	2%		Calcium	4%

Brown rice, long-grained, 1 cup:

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 216

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 2g

Saturated Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg

Sodium 10mg

Total Carboydrates 45g

14%

Dietary Fiber 4g

Sugars 1g

Protein 5g

10%

Vitamin A	0%		Vitamin C	0%
Iron	4%		Calcium	1%