When You’re Lazy

I love to cook and pretty much do it everyday but here’s some other stuff I’ve been eating recently.

This was carry out but I did this the last time we went out to eat as well. I order a house green salad and I add a protein, this was shrimp, the last time I got grilled chicken. You could add salmon, just ask them what they have. I added avocado and got balsamic and asked for a few lemon wedges. Just because its not on the menu doesn’t mean you can’t order it. This house green salad came with carrots, sunflower seeds, raisons, hardboiled egg, tomato, cucumber and a house salad is also cheaper than one with fattening dressings and everything else!

I’ve also had Qdoba a few times and have gotten a burrito bowl with brown rice, grilled chicken, pico de gallo, veggies and guacamole.

I happened to see these Healthy Choice dinners at the store and they have a line of 100% natural ones so I picked one up to try. I don’t believe I’ve ever had a Healthy Choice/Lean Cuisine type meal before so I wasn’t expecting it to be very good but I actually liked it! It came with a steamer basket inside which I thought was pretty cool. I got the pumpkin squash ravioli in a butter sage sauce. It is vegetarian, contains no preservatives, it was 260 calories, 100% natural, no artificial flavors or colors. I added a little bit of crumbled goat cheese and a few avocado slices just because I could 😉

I’ve been trying to find healthier juices to drink. I don’t eat breakfast but I usually drink 2 glasses of juice when I wake up. This one has been my favorite so far and each glass contains a full serving of fruit and a full serving of vegetables. It’s 100% juice, no added sugar, and no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. I tried the Light version of this brand and I didn’t like it very much. I also tried the Bolthouse Farms Green Goddess smoothie juice and I didn’t hate it but I wouldn’t buy it again, if you don’t drink it fast it begins to separate and it looks like swamp water. It’s also expensive.

Monkey picked up this Skinny Pop popcorn as a snack and it was surprisingly good (and addicting). He got the black pepper one but there are many other kinds. It’s 39 calories per cup, no artificial anything, cholesterol free, gluten free, non gmo verified, and the ingredient list is: All natural popcorn, sunflower oil, salt and black pepper.

What are your favorite healthy convenience foods?

Questions? Thoughts?

❤ Shel

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Post Master Cleanse Day 2

Today was alright, I still had a bad headache since coming off the cleanse, its been two days now. Its almost like I felt better in general while actually on the cleanse. I had read that the cleanse was good for tooth problems prior to starting it and I have had pain due to my wisdom teeth coming in. During the entire cleanse my mouth did not hurt me one single time and today it did. I still have not eaten any meat, my appetite is not big at all in general. I had the vegetable soup I made yesterday and also some brown rice and freshly squeezed oj and for dinner I just had some raw broccoli, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes dipped in hummus and blue cheese/pecan dip. Hope I feel better tomorrow and more back to normal.

Some things to consider before doing the Master Cleanse:

• Cost: Although you aren’t spending money on food it can be pricey. I spent over $100 for the 10 days but getting the best organic ingredients is crucial.
• Doing it properly, I recommend reading “The Complete Master Cleanse” by Tom Woloshyn
• You wont die 😉

Questions?

❤ Shel

Post Master Cleanse Day 1 & Body Measurements

I’m not sure if eating soup, sushi, and vino last night was such a good idea. I had a headache from the time I woke up til I went to bed My stomach hurt as well. I did not miss the laxative tea or lemonade drinks one bit! I drank freshly squeezed orange juice all day and then I made a broth veggie soup. I was planning on eating either the soup one more time or veggies and brown rice but I was so full before even finishing one bowl of soup. Without thinking I also started to eat one of the brownies I made, I have no idea why, I don’t even really like sweets. My body must just be confused. I’m going to try to do the same diet tomorrow as well. I think I’ll stick to vegetarian for a few days until I feel normal again.

Part of soup prep (I also added carrots and celery)

Body Measurements:

Chest Before: 34 3/4in     Chest After: 33.5in

Hips Before: 34.5in     Hips After: 34in

Thigh Before: 21.5in     Thigh After: 19.5in

Waist Before: 30in     Waist After: 28.5in

No, I haven’t worked out yet.

Questions?

❤ Shel

Pre Master Cleanse Vegetarian Day 5 Last Day! Body Measurements & Food

Last day vegetarian before I start the Master Cleanse tomorrow! I bought a bag of organic lemons and a pill form herbal parasite cleanser today. Tonight I am supposed to weigh myself and take body measurements. I actually don’t own a scale and don’t really feel like buying one for this but I will take measurements. I also get the pleasure tonight of drinking my first laxative tea before bed (sexy).

I ate things today that are normal meals I eat all the time. These are nothing fancy, I make this salad all the time and I always have these ingredients on hand.

Trusty Salad

• Dark greens (I like baby spinach, arugula, or mixed greens)
• Hard boiled egg
• Goat cheese
• Garbanzo beans
• Mushrooms
• Dressing (I just drizzle evoo and lemon juice, s&p)

This is one of my most favorite solitary dinners! I eat this ALL the time. It is just a frozen individual quiche (I don’t feel apologetic about that) from Trader Joes (my favorite place) and I ALWAYS eat it with a side of greens dressed with evoo & lemon juice, s&p. I don’t always add goat cheese but I did today. Also something to not be apologetic about, I use bottled lemon juice. I don’t always have fresh lemons and this way I can always make these things anytime, I like an Italian kind but any will do.

So I’m not sure if I took these measurements right and I was not in the buff but I’ll take them the same way when I stop the cleanse so it’s fine haha.

Chest: 34 3/4in  Waist: 30in Hips: 34.5in Thigh:21.5in

The laxative tea tastes like drinking wood and I burned my tongue…..

Pre Master Cleanse Vegetarian Days 3 & 4

Day 3 of going vegetarian before the Master Cleanse was a success!

Food Journal:

• Juice
• Crawfish etouffee with rice, bread
• Salad with ginger dressing
• Sushi: Scallop nigiri
• Ika teriyaki (squid dish)

I was a bit hungry before I went to bed but I didn’t eat anything else. I figured the wine I had with my sushi had to have amped up my calorie intake right? Eating sushi while going vegetarian reminded me of the one time I got it right while my best friend Pnut (see, I even call my friends names of food) was a vegetarian for 3 years until fairly recently. I had previously brought a bacon dip to her house for a game night, oops! And one time I ordered a steak carpaccio for us to share during happy hour (raw steak, double oops). I finally got it right when I brought vino and a big sushi platter over! Okay, I’m not disclosing all the info, the sushi and wine may or may not have been for a Teen Mom viewing gathering….

I’ve decided to add an herbal parasite cleanser to my master cleanse, it’s not required but recommended. Why not get weirder?

Day 4

Not too much going on, vegetarian was a success today. Today was kind of a shmorgishborg/leftover day. I thought I should start cleaning out my fridge before I stop eating food.

Food Journal

• Juice
• Leftover ettouffee and pasta
• hardboiled egg
• Raw veggies and pecan blue cheese dip
• Half of a baked potato (butter/sour cream)

One more day vegetarian! Okay, now I’m getting nervous, the no meat thing I can handle I don’t know what I’m going to do when I can’t eat any food at all……

❤ Shel

Pre Master Cleanse Vegetarian Day 2

Day 2 on going vegetarian to prep for The Master Cleanse was a success! No bacon!

Food Journal:

• Morning juice x2 (I never eat breakfast)
• Sandwich: Roasted garlic hummus, cucumber, avocado, mushrooms on whole wheat.
• Cheez its (I know, I know, my mom bought them for me when she visited town, I don’t normally buy them)
• Made a pasta with fettuccine, sautéed spinach, sautéed mushrooms, grilled shrimp, and goat cheese
• Homemade chick pea soup (from freezer)

I tend to make batches of soups and freeze them in individual portions, takes about 10 mins to defrost and heat on stove top. This is one of my favorites, there is no exact recipe I just sort of made it up. Add what you have on hand or what you like. I tend to have these ingredients on hand most of the time and I wouldn’t go out to buy just one. And it happens to be vegetarian if you don’t use chicken stock!

Chick Pea Soup

• Can chick peas (garbanzo, drained)
• Rosemary (if I don’t have fresh on hand I use dried, it’s fine)
• EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) regular olive oil is fine too
• Onion (optional, sometimes I have one on hand, sometimes I don’t)
• Vegetable stock, chicken stock, broth (I always have different flavored cubes in my pantry but use what you like)
• Potato (optional if you have one)
• Pasta (any kind, I always have a few boxes laying around)
• S&P (salt and pepper)

This is super easy. Drizzle of evoo in pot. Add chopped onion (if using), cubed potato (if using) add rosemary, cook a few minutes. Add can of chick peas , s&p, mash about half of chick peas with fork/potato masher/any mashing device to give the soup texture. Add stock/broth, pasta and cook about 15/20 mins. Optional to be fancy when serving, drizzle of evoo, grated parmesan cheese.

My goal for my recipes is to make cooking a stress free experience. I would not want someone to have to make a special trip to the store just for 1 or 2 ingredients. Take my base recipe and go with it. Don’t have chick peas? Try cannellini beans. Don’t have rosemary? Try thyme. Don’t have an onion? Try a shallot. A minced garlic clove is also good in this, add with onions. You’ll be fine 😉

There you have it, one of my original recipes. When this whole cleanse is over I would love to share more with you! I have a goal of one day writing a cook book. Right now its a notebook full of random pages and scribbles but you have to start somewhere right?!

Here’s to day 3!

❤ Shel

Pre Master Cleanse Vegetarian Day 1 Bust….

Pre Master Cleanse Vegetarian Day 1 Bust…..

Pre Master Cleanse Vegetarian Day 1 Bust….

Vegetarian  Bust Day 1

Okay so my first day going vegetarian to prep for The Master Cleanse resulted in me frying up bacon at 2am but I can explain!!!

I went vegetarian for about two weeks last year after watching the documentary “Earthlings” and didn’t have too much of a problem. I eat vegetarian a lot without even meaning to. That stint ended when I visited home (Chicago) and went to Portillos and had an Italian beef which let’s be honest, who in their right mind could resist that? Ugh, I want one now. If you don’t know what Portillos is I suggest you order online, they ship all over. (Yes, I have done this) The problem with today was that I didn’t do it properly and eat enough so it resulted in me starving at 2am and I guess only bacon could do. Back to me being a fat kid, I keep bacon stashed in individual portions in bags in my freezer so I will never run out.

Food journal:

• Two glasses of juice in the morning (I do this every morning its usually orange, apple, or cranberry)
• Half of a baked potato
• Raw cherry tomatoes
• Cucumber sticks
• Raw mushrooms
• Pecan blue cheese dip
• Cheez its (See! I didn’t eat enough so I snacked on junk)
• BACON, egg, cheddar, potato scramble and natural pita crackers

I will vow to do better these next 4 days!

❤ Shel