The 30 Day Carnivore Challenge

Day Thirty: The Final Post

2009-11-25T07:46:00.000-08:00

It's official... the 30 Day Carnivore Challenge has ended. It has been an amazing experience for Shell and I to go through together. He has learned so much in last few weeks, tried new foods, made some new friends, fell in love with this vegan restaurant, learned to like broccoli, and has become more aware of his food and where it comes from. As I write this last post, he is on his way to get his blood work done. Last night we had talked about everything he was going to eat today including a McDonald's sausage mcmuffin on his way home from the blood lab. Then on his way out this morning, he said "I'm not sure I want to stop at McDonald's anymore..." Interesting.

So what now? Shell went into this challenge because I asked him to and he came out of it with a completely different mindset. I know that Shell will never give up meat & dairy for the rest of his life... I knew that going into the challenge. But he has said multiple times that he is ready to cut back substantially and only eat it on occasion. He has realized that his health is not something that he can take for granted anymore and as the saying goes, we'd rather "pay our grocer than our doctor." Click HERE for his Results.

Breakfast: Vegan McMuffin

Lunch: Thai Food!

Tofu & Vegetable Stir Fry w/ Steamed White Rice

Dinner: Chipotle Veggie Bowl w/ Guac

Dessert: Vegan Glazed Doughnut Holes & Vanilla "Ice Cream"

Day Twenty Nine: Losing MORE Weight!!

2009-11-24T10:01:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how much weight Shell has lost during this challenge! The big reveal will be at the end of day 30 so be sure to stay tuned. The best part of this weight loss for Shell has been that he has never felt hungry or deprived. All of the stomach irritation he had during the first couple weeks is completely gone and he feels fresher, lighter, and has much more energy overall. Tomorrow we are celebrating a turkey-friendly pre-Thanksgiving dinner with our friends and family and everyone is so excited to see Shell and congratulate him on his journey.

Breakfast: Jamba Berry Topper w/ NO yogurt

Lunch: Wood Ranch BBQ Chop Salad w/ Portabella Mushroom & no ranch

*not pictured*

Dinner: Veg Lasagna & Steamed Broccoli

Day Twenty Eight: Another 30 Days??

2009-11-23T14:30:00.000-08:00

Saturday night, Shell and I were on our way to see A Christmas Carol in 3D and we were talking about what day he was going to get his blood taken next week. Well, instead of the answer I was expecting, "as soon as I wake up on Wednesday morning," Shell turned to me and said the unexpected. "Maybe I should do this vegan thing until the end of year..." What?! You want to continue to not eat meat until the end of the year? What about Thanksgiving? We started when we did just so you could have turkey on Thanksgiving. A few moments of silence passed... "Ehh, I don't really care if I have turkey or not," he says. "I would rather go until the end of the year and (here's where the catch was) then get my blood test. Yes, you heard the man. He almost backed out of getting his blood work taken on Wednesday because he thinks he can show better results after one more month. Well, of course I'm sure that's correct. But the whole point is to see what type of results you can get after ONLY 30 days! After a bit of back and forth, he agreed to get his blood drawn this week but now he took back the extra 30 days. Go figure...

Breakfast: Oatmeal Apple Crisp

Lunch: Veggie Pizza w/ Daiya "Cheeze"

Don't you wish you had daiya cheeze... mmmm... I do!!

Dinner: A Special Treat!!

Lentil Pancakes, Steamed Rice, Potatoes, Veggies, Beans & Tomato Soup

Day Twenty Seven: 3 Day Countdown

2009-11-22T09:38:00.000-08:00

Breakfast: Cheezy Bakin Hash, Van's Flax Waffles

Lunch: Penne w/ Spinach & Creamy Tomato Sauce

Dinner: Mary's Secret Garden

Open Faced BBQ Sandwich & Berry Smoothie

Day Twenty Six: Who Needs Meat?

2009-11-21T10:35:00.000-08:00

Seriously... who needs meat when you can eat french toast and bbq burgers? If you had a tasty substitute for every guilty pleasure you loved, wouldn't you switch for your health and for the health of your family? Not only is all the food ~~tasty~~ ~~good~~ mouth-watering, you wont get the food-hangovers associated with all the salt, fat and animal protein. Just ask Shell!

Breakfast:

Vegan French Toast w/ Strawberry Compote

Lunch: Corn, Tomato & Arugula Pockets ("pocket" not shown)

Dinner: BBQ "Bakin Cheeze" Burgers

Day Twenty Five: Pillowy-Gnocchi Heaven!

2009-11-20T10:40:00.000-08:00

I'm skipping the day's events and moving straight to Shell's new favorite [pasta] dinner. We got home sorta late and I was totally rushed to get something on the table. After checking out the pantry and the fridge, I grabbing ingredients that I thought would just go well together. Gnocchi, pomadora sauce, tomato paste, cashews, garlic, hot pepper flakes, fresh cherry tomatoes, zucchini, fresh basil... that's good! The sauce couldn't have been more perfect! Between the creaminess from the cashews, the kick from the hot pepper flakes, the pop-in-your-mouth from the cooked cherry tomatoes and, of course, the pillowy gnocchi... we ~~devoured~~ savored every bite!

Breakfast: "Cheezy" hash with bell peppers, onions, tomatoes & "cheeze"

Mid-Morning Snack: 30DCC Approved Energy Bar

Lunch: Chewy's Famous Chicken Salad sans chicken & cheese

*not pictured*

Dinner: Yes... the most amazing pasta

Creamy Tomato Gnocchi Heaven

Dessert: Leftover Almond-Butter Cup

Day Twenty Four: Still No Cravings

2009-11-19T11:59:00.000-08:00

You'd think that as approach the end of Shell's 30 Day Challenge he would start to get anxious for a big, juicy, cheeseburger! Well, to my surprise, not only does he still not have any cravings, he has also lost his after-dinner-sweet-tooth. Last night, I experimented with my own peanut-butter cups. When I presented one to him for dessert, he said that he totally forgot about having dessert since he wasn't even craving anything sweet! Interesting...

Breakfast: Melted Banana Oatmeal

Thanks to a trick I learned from Chocolate-Covered Katie,

melt some banana in the microwave and then mix it with your oats.

Using a hand mixer makes it that much creamier!!

Lunch: Tofurkey & Avocado Sandwich

Mid-Afternoon Snack: Qdoba Veggie Bowl

(I call this a second lunch)

Dinner: Melty Corn & Tempeh Stuffed Pitas

Dessert: Homemade Peanut-Butter Cups... YUMMY!

Day Twenty Three: Not Hungry?

2009-11-18T10:52:00.000-08:00

Since I can't reveal any of Shell's weight loss yet, I will tell you an embarrassing story. I haven't worked out in a few months, and I finally decided it was time to get back on track and start running again. My neighbor is running with me on Tues and Thurs mornings at 7:15 and we are starting with a fairly easy 2 mile jog. Well, yesterday, I left the house without my usual cup of juice, thinking I would be fine. NOT! We are literally on the home stretch of the route, and not only did I have to stop, but I totally dry-heaved by the bushes on the side of the street. Nice.

Breakfast: 30DCC Approved Instant Oatmeal & Naked Juice Green Machine

Mid-Afternoon Snack: Leftover Creamy Tomato Pasta w/ Zucchini & Chickpeas

Really late lunch:

Tacone "SPA WRAP" with no cheese on a whole wheat tortilla

Fresh Grilled Zucchini, Yellow Squash & Red Bell Peppers,
Shredded Carrots, Fresh Spinach with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Neither of us were really hungry for dinner, so we decided to skip it! Lesson #1- if you're not hungry, then don't force yourself to eat. Your body will let you know when it needs nutrition. Eating when you're not hungry doesn't do any favors. In fact, that is why our country suffers from over-nutrition, ie (a nicer way of saying our country is fat!)

Day Twenty Two:

2009-11-17T10:43:00.000-08:00

Well I have nothing interesting to talk about today... and I don't have time. So enjoy the food pics and we'll see you tomorrow!

Breakfast: Jamba Juice (take 2)

*Berry Topper, no yogurt & topped with organic granola and sliced bananas

Lunch: Tofurkey Sandwich and Farmers Market Cantaloupe

Mid-Afternoon Snack #1: 30DCC Approved Tortilla Soup

Mid-Afternoon Snack #2: 30DCC Approved Peanut Butter & Jelly Larabar

Dinner: Creamy Tomato Pasta with Zucchini & Chickpeas

*pic from Vegan Yum Yum, recipe modified

Dessert: Oatmeal Raisin Cookie w/ Vanilla Coconut Ice Cream

Day Twenty One: Comfort Foods

2009-11-16T10:02:00.000-08:00

Today was all about comfort foods! Not only that, but we attempted to mimic Shell's favorite foods that he would normally eat and turn them into a veg-friendly alternative. Enjoy!

Breakfast: Green Machine, Breakfast Sandwich

Shell's Favorite: McDonald's McMuffin

Lunch: Cheezy Greens Quesadilla

Shell's favorite: Baja Fresh Steak Quesadilla

*courtesy of THIS dietitian

Dinner: 'Madeline Bistro' Bigger Maque

Shell's favorite: In N Out Double Double

Day Twenty: I Like Broccoli

2009-11-15T09:35:00.000-08:00

It's the end of day 20, which marks the ten day countdown. My Mom hosted a vegan potluck last night in order to provide people interested in going veg, the opportunity to speak with a plant-based dietitian. Our friend, Julieanna Hever, RD has been helping people reach nutritional excellence for over twelve years. She presented a very informative lecture on the benefits of not just avoiding animal products, but by specifically consuming a plant-based diet. During her presentation, the guests had opportunities to ask questions and I was so proud of Shell for actively participating in her lecture. The majority of the people who attended had little to no experience in eating a plant-based diet. So when one of the guests asked how much broccoli one should eat in order to consume as much protein as a 4 ounce piece of steak, Shell answered: "It's only about 2 cups." In fact, when Shell started the challenge he "hated broccoli." "But after only a couple weeks, I actually like Broccoli," Shell exclaimed.

Breakfast: Blueberry Pancakes, Green Machine Smoothie

Lunch: Chipotle Veggie Bowl

Dinner: A variety of vegan pot luck creations!!

Sorry, I am a bad blogger and don't have any pictures. The good news is, Julieanna had the whole evening professionally filmed, so we will get some good footage soon!!

Dessert: The BEST Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Cookies EVER

*made by yours truly :-)

Day Ninteen: A Vegan's Paradise

2009-11-14T09:43:00.000-08:00

I was having a conversation with my parents yesterday about how much weight Shell has lost since he started the challenge. Then it occurred to me. I forgot to tell you that Shell made it a point to not workout AT ALL during his 30 day challenge. He wants to see the direct relationship between diet on his weight and blood lipids. And no, I am not going to reveal how much weight he has lost until after the 30 days. So just know that yes, he has lost weight, and he has not had any cravings for meat or felt hungry.

Breakfast: The Usual Maple Oats w/ 1/2 whole grain English muffin & PB

Lunch:

I must make a confession. Yesterday morning I was a little annoyed and didn't bring any snacks or lunch to work for Shell. By the time he was past the point of being hungry and realized I didn't have any food for him, he did what any self-respecting carnivore would do to get back at his veg girlfriend... he went to Jack 'n the Box. Lunch was a veggie rice bowl with no chicken and french fries. Stop laughing, Jack! STOP!!! hehe...

Dinner: A Vegan's Paradise

Shell and I went to dinner with my parents for my step-father's birthday. I believe I have mentioned before that both my Mom and my Step-Dad have been "plant-strong" for going on 85 days now... but who's counting? Stay tuned on my blog for their plant story in the upcoming weeks. Anyway, they chose a small, vegan cuisine called "Mary's Secret Garden" in Ventura, which I have been wanting to try for months now. It is a very small (seats about 30 people, small), kind-of hold-in-the-wall looking place tucked away by the beach. Not only was the service outstanding, but the food was probably one of the best meals I have ever had in my entire LIFE! OUTSTANDING. Not only that, but Shell gave it a 10 out of 10 for taste and can't wait to go back. Here's what he had:

Mary's Famous Cheezeburger

And here's Mary's Secret Garden:

Day Eighteen: Pizza Sans Cheese

2009-11-12T21:55:00.000-08:00

I believe today was a pretty good food day. Nothing too eventful took place... the usual bickering on the way to the office, putting a million hats on once we got there, rushing home so I can get dinner ready at a decent hour and then head to bed just to do it all over again tomorrow. I need tomorrow to be Friday...

Breakfast: Potato Tofu Scramble

Lunch: D'Amores Salad & Veggie Pizza (No Cheese - Extra Sauce)

Mid-Afternoon Snack: Vanilla Granola Parfait

Dinner: BBQ Skewers, Rice, Broccoli, Corn

Day Seventeen: What's Wrong With My Butt?

2009-11-11T22:14:00.000-08:00

We haven't talked about it in a while, but the whole "farting" issue hasn't subsided... and its really starting to bother the dogs (hehe). Although Shell's stomach doesn't hurt anymore, his digestive system has taken a toll on him. According to a few people I've spoken with (including this RD), it could be one of three things:

1. Sensitivity to Soy (we discussed that in this post)

2. Increase in fiber with too little liquids (which could be the case... he is bad with the H20)
3. Sensitivity to Wheat... this is a new one. I am on the fence with this one because we have always eaten a lot of wheat products and Shell has never experienced stomach irritations. I still have to do some research on this, and we might just get him tested to rule it out all together. Can you develop this sensitivity at any time? Or is something you're born with?

Breakfast: 2 Cereals & Vanilla Soy Milk

(Mixing sweeter cereals with high fiber cereals is a great way to increase your fiber intake)

Lunch: Eggless "Egg" Sandwich

Mid-Afternoon Snack: Pita, Carrots & Spinach Hummus

Dinner:

You wont believe it, but Shell was supposed to have dinner tonight with a multi-billionaire who just happens to be a vegetarian and has a personal chef who prepares the most amazing meals you've ever had!! But as luck has it, the meeting was pushed back and he had to eat dinner prior to leaving. Well, I had already made my own dinner plans and didn't have time to make him anything. So guess what he had to eat... again?

Yup... more Lentil Bolognese.

Day Sixteen: A Cheesecake & A Cookie

2009-11-11T10:23:00.000-08:00

Shell spent the entire day in Irivne (at our other office), and therefore, was going to have to self-police himself. He did have breakfast at home and I did pack him some snacks, but lunch and dinner were going to be "out with the guys." Not only did he "forget" to eat his snacks, but he didn't eat his second meal until 4:00pm... at the Cheesecake Factory. Take a look at what he ordered:

Breakfast: Whole Grain Waffles

NO SNACKS - NO LUNCH - BOOOO!

4:00pm Rondevu @ Cheesecake Factory: Shell orders...

Grilled Eggplant Sandwich with NO cheese!!

Well I don't have a picture of his sandwich, but here is a beautiful pic of eggplant

Dinner #2: Leftover Lentil Bolognese... again :-)

Yes, he was still hungry when he got home. I guess the eggplant didn't cut it!!

Since this challenge started, I have been on a mission to make the most decadent, chewy & moist vegan cookies (any kind). They have always been 70% of the way there... until last night. OMG!! I finally did it! The BEST Oatmeal Raisin Cookies I have ever tasted in my life. In fact, Shell loved them so much, not only did he have to brace himself to eat more than one, but he immediately called his sister to brag about it. I had to bring half the batch to the office this morning to prevent both of us from devouring them at home. Stay tuned Monday for the recipe:

Day Fifteen: Part Two

2009-11-09T22:09:00.000-08:00

We're finally reached the halfway point of the 30 Day Carnivore Challenge and Shell told me today that he hasn't had any cravings for meat! Yaaaay! Although it is only a minor celebration considering day 31 will be spent at McDonalds for breakfast, In-N-Out for lunch and Mexican Food for dinner. But I will take my miracles as they come :).

Shell also learned a new foodie term today: Flexitarian. He was looking around at the Meatless Monday site and came across Dawn Jackson Blatner, registered dietitian and author of the Flexitarian Diet. This just might exactly what Shell has been looking for. This way of eating focuses primarily on whole grains, fruits and veggies, but allows for the occasional steak or chicken tacos. So Flexitarian it is... semi-vegetarian... a compromise? Maybe...

Breakfast: Oatmeal, Toast w/ PB, Orange Juice

Lunch: Grilled Veggie Fajitas w/ Corn Tortillas

Dinner: Baked Veggie Pasta

Dessert: Vanilla Bean Soy Dream

Day Fifteen: Part ONE

2009-11-09T10:27:00.000-08:00

It's Meatless Monday!! What better way to start the week of right than with one of Shell's favorite pasta dishes: Lentil Bolognese. This dish is a staple in our house and is the ultimate comfort food. I've replaced the meat with lentils, added lots of fresh veggies, used whole wheat pasta and added two secret ingredients. Watch the video to find out what they are!!

Day Fourteen: Sunday Football

2009-11-08T21:49:00.000-08:00

You know its football season when Shell wakes up on a Sunday morning, goes downstairs with his lap top and cell phone, turns on the television and does not move for the next eight hours. Meanwhile, I will have worked out, gone grocery shopping, done 3 loads of laundry, cleaned the house, walked the dogs, and made dinner... and he is still in the same position I left him eight hours prior.

What is it with men and football??

Breakfast: Pancakes with Maple Syrup & Italian Soysage Links (not pictured)

Lunch: The Best Club Sandwich EVER

Mid-Afternoon Snack: Leftover Broccoli Chow Mein

Dinner: Veggie Burgers, Mixed Fruit

Dessert: Oatmeal Choc Chip Cookies

Day Thirteen: A Break From the Kitchen

2009-11-07T22:24:00.000-08:00

You can be a Vegan without cooking everyday. In fact, when I woke up this morning, cooking was the last thing on my mind. So I decided that I would take a break from the kitchen and show you a few 30DCC Approved foods you can eat in a snap!

Breakfast: 30DCC Approved Oatmeal

1/2 whole wheat english muffin w/ PB, Orange Juice

Lunch: Vegan Chipotle Burrito

Mid-Afternoon Snack: 30DCC Challenge Approved:

Peanut Butter Cookie LaraBar

Dinner: @ Farfalla (Italian Restaurant)

Starter: Bean & Pasta Soup / Entree: Pasta with Mixed Veggies

Unfortunately I don't have a picture of tonight's dinner, but the important thing to learn from today's post is that you don't have to be a slave to your kitchen in order to make appropriate food choices. In fact, most restaurants will accommodate you as long as you ask. Italian food is generally very Veg-friendly, serving a wide variety of pasta dishes, polenta, minestrone soup, bruchetta, and more. OMG I am sleepy. Time for bed...

Day Twelve: ZZZZzzzz

2009-11-06T21:31:00.000-08:00

Wow! It has been a crazy week and we are completely exhausted. It is 9pm on Friday night and while everyone else is hitting the town, I am in my pj's writing day twelve's blog and Shell is to my left sound asleep. Seriously... here he is:

Well at least we had a good food day. Lets take a look at what our little Vegan ate today.

Breakfast: Chai Tea Oatmeal

Lunch: Mock Chicken Salad Sandwich, Cantaloupe (not shown)

Mid-Afternoon Snack: A favorite...

Dinner: Quinoa Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms, Polenta & Vegan Caesar Salad

Dessert: Double Choc Chunk Walnut Cookies... YUM!

Day Eleven: It's a Fat Vegan Day

2009-11-05T20:15:00.000-08:00

Today didn't go as planned. Well, I never have my days specifically planned out, but overall I stay pretty organized and get things done. I should have known that when my blender broke this morning, it would be a metaphor for the rest of my day.

Breakfast: Jamba Juice, all fruit smoothie (damn blender!!)

Strawberry Whirl- no dairy

Mid-Morning Snack: Carrots & Hummus

Lunch:

This is where the Fat Vegan comes into play. Shell was on a conference call all afternoon and by the time he was able to eat something... he was starved. We got in the car to get some nutritious food, but I wasn't going to get my way today. Scroll down to take a look at what Shell decided to eat for lunch.

I'm serious! He ordered a teriyaki bowl without chicken, a veggie eggroll (deep fried), french fries and a coke!! OMG... Shell's comment: "Hey... it's vegan!"

Dinner:

To continue the disaster of my food day, we didn't leave the office until almost 7pm. Shell had an appointment at 8pm, which left me absolutely no time to cook by the time we got home. So we turned to lentil bolognese pasta leftovers.

Day Ten: Lentil Overload!!

2009-11-04T21:29:00.000-08:00

This morning I filmed my Meatless Monday video for next week and put a new spin on Shell's favorite meatless bolognese pasta. Instead of the usual "meatless soy crumbles" I add to the pasta sauce, I used brown lentils and added two new secret ingredients that will be revealed on the video.

Day ten was titled "lentil overload" because I brought the Snobby Joe's leftovers to work for lunch today and then we came home and had the lentil pasta. Its a good thing Shell likes them!!

Breakfast: Tofu Breakfast Burrito

(it's the only soy he ate all day!)

Lunch: Leftovers: V'Con Snobby Joes, Broccoli, Potatoes

Dinner: Lentil Bolognese Pasta

Day Nine: No More Cramps!!

2009-11-03T22:07:00.000-08:00

It turns out Dr. McDougall was right about Shell's sensitivity to soy products. Today was his third day with very limited soy and he feels one thousand times better! Yeaaaa :). To bad he's already talking about celebrating the end of his challenge with a carne asada burrito! Even though I know Shell will never give up his favorite greasy foods completely once the thirty days is over, I know that at least he will have a deeper appreciation, understanding and education for the plant-strong way of living.

Breakfast: Blueberry Muffin Oatmeal

Lunch: 30DCC Approved Foot Long Subway Veggie Sandwich
(we added homemade hummus!)

Mid-Afternoon Snack: Strawberry Granola Parfait & Baby Carrots

Dinner: Spicy Teriyaki Stirfry
This dinner was FANTASTIC (minus the "fake steak" which was gross)!!

Day Eight: Q&A with Dr. McDougall

2009-11-02T19:33:00.000-08:00

Because Shell has been feeling "less than fantastic" during his first week of our challenge, I decided to email my mentor, Dr. John McDougall MD, medical expert in plant-based nutrition and disease prevention. Here was my exact question:

Hello Dr. McDougall,

My boyfriend is on day 8 of my 30 day carnivore challenge and I was hoping you could answer a question for me. He has been having severe stomach cramping for the past week and is concerned that something is wrong with him. I keep trying to reassure him that he is just "detoxing" from not consuming animal products & possibly cramping from the increase of fiber from grains, fruits & veggies.

Because he is a super meat-eater, the first week of his transition I did substitute with a variety of soy-based products. He has had this stuff before, but maybe not as much as in the past week. Do you think the processed soy-based "meat" could have contributed to his stomach irritations? He went all day yesterday without it and still felt some pain, although it seems to have subsided today.

Thanks!!

And here was his direct response:

"It's likely the Soy - I see this GI reaction all the time. Over the past two decades there has been an explosion on the supermarket shelves of soy products that resemble our favorite meat and dairy products. I often refer to these as “fake foods.” Manufacturing processes remove the dietary fibers, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and hundreds of other helpful plant chemicals – leaving behind almost pure soy protein.

These protein concentrates are mixed with extracts of wheat protein, vegetable oils, and sometimes, starch, sugar, salt and artificial sweeteners – then the magic of modern technology turns these mixtures into products that look and taste like real cheese, hot dogs, sausages, burgers, luncheon meats, chicken, and turkey. Soy protein is used to replace dairy protein in candy bars, yogurt, ice cream, breads, pastries and cookies. You can identify the synthesized concentrated proteins on the ingredient list of your foods by these words: defatted soy flour, organic textured soy flour, textured vegetable protein, isolated soy protein, soy protein concentrates, and soy concentrates. These new “foods” in no way resemble nature’s creations and the effects on your health make that clear.

We recommend that you use traditional soy foods, like soy milk and tofu, only as a small part of your diet, at most 5% of your daily calories. “Synthetic soy foods,” like meats, cheeses, and soy bars, should rarely be consumed.

Well, it looks like I've got my work cut out for me now! Check out what Shell ate on his second day with limited soy products:

Breakfast: Oatmeal Choc Chip & Walnut Pancakes w/ Pure Maple Syrup
(no eggs, no oil, no butter)

Lunch: Pinto Bean & Avocado Salad
(sorry, no pic... forgot my camera at lunch)

Mid-Afternoon Snack: 30DCC Approved "Pure" Organic Chocolate Brownie Bar

Dinner: V'Con's "Snobby Joes," Purple, White & Red Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli
(Shell had seconds! Must have been good...)

Day Seven: A Day Without Soy

2009-11-01T22:37:00.000-08:00

Last night made me realize why men are not supposed to go through childbirth. Now ladies, we all know how helpless our "boys" are when they have a cold or don't feel well, right? Shell woke up in the middle of the night with a horrible stomach ache. Hunching over, he made his way to the bathroom and asked me multiple times to find the nearest hospital. I immediately knew he had some serious gas pains, but he didn't believe me. He thought his intestines were being shredded apart and that he needed to be seen right away. After about an hour, a couple antacids, some sparkling water, and a heating pad, he started feeling better (thanks to Dr. Kinzie!). He woke up today feeling much better but still with some off and on stomach pains.

Clearly he is still detoxing... and not drinking enough water! So I decided this morning that he is going to have an entire day without soy & processed meat substitutes. Maybe that will help? Or maybe its just the extra fiber that his body is just not used to. In any case, here was today's food:

Breakfast: Banana Bread Oats & OJ

Lunch: Hummus & Avocado Sandwich, Pumpkin Lentil Soup

Mid-Afternoon Snack: Ants on a Log, Cantaloupe

Dinner: PB&J Sandwich in the car ride home from Carlsbad (no picture)

I have something better instead! Here is the recipe to my Blueberry Brainiac Smoothie!

Day Six: Carlsbad

2009-10-31T20:04:00.000-07:00

Part of eating healthy is knowing how to adapt when traveling. Not that spending the night in San Diego is considered "traveling," but just because you aren't in the comfort of your own home doesn't automatically give you a permission slip to eat whatever you want. So what is one to do?

Breakfast was easy since I was able to prepare it as we were packing and getting ready to leave. We enjoyed some steel cut oatmeal topped with honey granola and an apple-peach smoothie.

Since we were going to be on the road for a couple hours, I made sure to pack some healthy snacks as well as lunch so we wouldn't be starving when we arrived.

Mid-Morning Snack: Ants on a Log

Lunch: Tofurkey & Spinach Sandwich

Keeping this in a small cooler kept it super fresh 2 hours after I made it!

Mid-Afternoon Snack: Soy Strawberry Granola Parfait

Packing our own food for the day made it extremely easy to eat healthy and not feel deprived! I made Shell's favorite dinner, "Bolognese" Pasta and a super yummy arugula salad with sweet tomatoes, butternut squash, toasted pine nuts and a home-made garlic vinaigrette. Everyone loved eating at home and whole dinner cost less than $30.00 for

four people. Bon Appetite!

Thank you, Kami for the beautiful table setting!!

Day Five: What is that SMELL?

2009-10-31T08:34:00.000-07:00

I was told that Shell would go through a detox phase when giving up animal products and adding more produce, but seriously, the past couple days he has been having the worst smells from you know where!!! I mean, he's clearing rooms and even the dogs are running. How long is this phase supposed to last??

Day five meals:

Breakfast: 30DCC approved cereal & soy milk,

whole grain English muffin w/ peanut butter

Lunch: 30DCC Approved Indian Food- Chana Masala, Salad, Rice

Mid-Afternoon Snack: Vanilla Soy Yogurt & Granola

Dinner: Pizza Night!

Shell's: Supreme Veggie, Veg Cheeze, Soysage

Mine: Spinach, Sundried Tomatoes, Fresh Tomatoes, Veg Cheeze

Dessert: More Cookies...

They are the same ones as yesterday and the day before that.

So here is a pic of Shell and our dogs instead!

Day Four: Getting Easier

2009-10-29T20:25:00.000-07:00

I can't believe tomorrow is Friday and we are almost through Shell's first week of NO animal consumption!! I have a new-found meaning for the term TGIF. Not only that, but he has already lost 3 pounds and has mentioned he doesn't feel as bloated as he normally does.

In fact, after he ate his lunch this afternoon, he called me from the car just to tell him how wonderful his sandwich was. How's that for great news :-)

Breakfast: Warm Apple Pie Oats

Mid-Morning Snack: 30DCC Approved Odwalla Bar

Lunch: Tofurkey Sandwich, Apple, Ants on a Log

Dinner: Tempeh Tacos, Roasted Mixed Veggies...

... and a surprise visit from Shell's sister!!

"Where did you put the cookies???"

Day Three: On the Go

2009-10-28T21:39:00.000-07:00

As I was driving to work this morning, I started thinking about the thousands of working parents who believe that their lives are too busy and time consuming to eat healthy. Now just because I don't have kids (yet), don't think for one second that I am not just like you, trying to cram in thirty hours into a twenty-four hour day!

I woke up at 6am this morning, took my dogs outside, got ready, filmed my Meatless Monday video from 7:15-8am and had to leave right away to make it to a doctor appointment at 8:30am. By 9:15 I was at the pharmacy picking up my prescriptions, stopped back at home to make sure Shell had food for the office and made it to my desk just in time for a 10am call. It is now 5:13pm and I haven't left my desk for more than a few bathroom breaks all day long! Now that my dinner plans have been ruined (again!) caused by the need to eat someone's face off, we now head out to the big bad world to find a veg-friendly dinner.

Today's post is all about eating on the GO!

Breakfast: Blueberry Brianiac Smoothie
This was my MM video... so stay tuned on Monday for the recipe!

Mid-Morning Snack: 30DCC Approved Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Lunch: Whole Wheat Sesame Bagel - Dry
It's all we had in the office since we didn't leave ALL day!!

Dinner: Chipotle Veg Bowl
Rice, black beans, grilled peppers & onions, lettuce, tomatoes, corn salsa & guacamole

Dessert: Oatmeal Choc Chip Walnut Cookies (egg free, dairy free, oil free!)

Day Two: Toxic Hunger Withdrawal

2009-10-27T20:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome to day two! Shell was complaining of feeling a bit sick to his stomach this afternoon... he thinks it's because he is eating too much healthy food. Now before you laugh, he actually could be on to something. You see, there are two types of food additions:

1. Overeating, which causes a dopamine surge to the brain

2. Feeling withdrawal or detox symptoms associated with eating like crap.

Shell is most likely feeling symptoms of "toxic hunger" associated from withdrawal of fat, sugar and salt. Here are some of the symptoms associated with Toxic Hunger: headache, weakness, lightheaded, hunger, irritable, stomach cramping, nausea. Unfortunately for Shell, he might just have to feel worse temporarily before he starts feeling better.

Classic quote of the day: "I've never eaten this much fruit in one day in my life!" - Shell talking about eating some cantaloupe with breakfast, sliced apples with lunch and strawberries with a snack. OH DEAR!

Breakfast: Tofu Skillet Scramble, Sliced Cantaloupe

Lunch: Sweet & Spicy Hummus Pita, Sliced Carrots & Apples

Afternoon Snack: Vanilla Granola Parfait

Dinner: Chili-Stuffed Baked Potatoes w/ "cheeze" sauce, Corn & Steamed Artichokes

Dessert: 30DCC Approved "Ice Cream" Sandwich

Day One: Craming it All In

2009-10-26T20:58:00.000-07:00

Day one started out a little rocky to say the least. We had a Monday morning meeting at 7:25am, which means I had to make Shell's first meal of his first day in the dark, which doesn't make for great picture taking. I managed to make his lunch and snacks last night, so it was just a matter of taking pictures in the office under the horribly old yellow lighting. Oh, for those of you don't know... we ALSO work together, which keeps things interesting to say the least. My original dinner plans flew out the window when we remembered we had a meeting tonight at 7:00pm, so I ended up having to throw something together when we got home.

**Remember that a plant-strong diet omits all animal products, including dairy and eggs**

Well, without further adieu...

Breakfast: Blueberry Brainiac Smoothie

Mid-Morning Snack: 30DCC Approved Maple Oatmeal

Lunch: Better-than-a-Club-Sandwich, Strawberry Soy Yogurt

Afternoon Snack: Celery & Natural Chunky Peanut Butter

Dinner: Open Faced Patty Melt, Mixed Green Salad w/ Balsamic Vinaigrette

Dessert: Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Sandwich

The Challenge Begins, Monday Oct 26th!

2009-10-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the first day that my boyfriend, Shell, takes the leap into the world of no meat or dairy for the next 30 days. He will be eating a "plant-strong" diet consisting of whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts/seeds and soy-based products.

I would like to introduce you to our challenger, so please take a moment and read his bio here: "Meet the Challenger". For all of you who are concerned about where he is going to get his protein from, please click this link: "The Protein Myth."

I hope you enjoy following us throughout the next 30 days. I will be posting pictures of every meal and each Monday I will post a video tutorial & recipe of Shell's favorite dish of the week.

Thanks for the support!

Kinzie