Life with Chere Michelle

Inspirational Rambles by one Veggie girl trying to live happy & healthy.

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A Healthy Brew

May 23

Posted by Chere Michelle in Healthy Living, Nutrition | 1 Comment

So I held off on writing more about this Asantae Java until we had been drinking it consistently for several days. Of course the first cup was delicious but can a blog post/review be built on one cup alone? It wouldn’t be fair. I needed to have more to base my opinion on and so I waited out a few days and several pots of coffee. It’s a solid cup of coffee first off, enough so that I want to drink more of it and I don’t bother with drinking crap coffee. It’s full bodied and smooth- My Guy remarked it was “delicious” even. I thought perhaps it wouldn’t have enough flavour but I was wrong. Dead wrong. “Al in Marpole” whom I mentioned in an earlier post, also sent me some Asanta Java and he did warn me that it may start out slow, and then you will notice the difference. He’s right! You can contact him at healthycoffee@inoutbox.com.

Something else that is extremely noticeable is the fact I can have (and enjoy) a 2nd cup from the same pot. Usually we make small pots because the 2nd cup of most coffees tastes burnt, hot and stale. I’m not kidding when I say the 2nd cup tastes damn fine. It’s amazing and we’re both quite surprised over that fact.

We’re drinking it right now. Check out this cool brew- it’s worth a sip or two. My heartfelt thanks to the great Folks at The Antioxidant Cafe for sending me some beans. My Guy and I are really enjoying this stuff and so are our co-workers! We’re not sharing it all though!!

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Seitan Sunday

Apr 3

Posted by Chere Michelle in Eating Right, Healthy Living, Vegetarian | No Comments

The seitan is simmering. I have no idea what to expect. I was going to document the whole thing with pictures and provide a step-by-step guide on making it, and tips and tricks…but thought I better actually wait to see if this recipe and this method actually turns out! It’s cooking now, and I won’t lie to you, it looks like beef! I’m a little put off by that; but it’s due to the soy sauce in the recipe. I may omit it, or substitute something else for next batch because I would prefer something a little lighter in colour. Even though I’m vegetarian it’s hard to look at the dark seitan and not see “beef” whereas if I had a lighter colored piece, I would look at it and see “chicken”.

But regardless of the actual COLOUR, I need to wait and see if this is edible first. This is my 3rd attempt at making seitan- the other 2 were well over 3 years ago and I never thought I would try again. I just think with the rising grocery costs, and the often too-expensive veg specialty products we rely on, this may be the next best thing for us.

Just checked in on the seitan and I literally gasped, and called out to Moops “It looks like boiled beef!” She didn’t believe me and was adamant it couldn’t look like beef….so she came and took a look. Her words, “Eww we’re having beef for dinner??!!” I thought I was going to lose her and she might not want to try the finished product so I had to remind her how much she loves gardein’s Beefless Beef tips! Disaster averted. (Pretty sure I have never used the word “beef” so many times in one paragraph IN MY LIFE.)

Simmering gently...no boiling!

The seitan after 1.5 hours; seconds to go from being turned off and allowed to cool down in the broth (I tasted it and it’s got that dreaded RUBBERY texture! This is exactly what happened before. Grrr) I will have to be as patient as possible and wait….until it’s finally ready. I’ll admit, I’ve nibbled a few elastic-y pieces…and the taste is good at least….

So the seitan is cooling in the pot and I stole another piece…I *think* the rubbery texture is disappearing and the actual taste is great! I think that is all to do with how well you flavour the broth since that is what the seitan will ‘soak up’ as it cooks. I sauteed onion, garlic and ginger and then used a Veggie broth, adding some sage, bay leaves, oregano and black pepper to the mix. It was a dark, intensely flavourful broth; definitely not one you would want to use alone in a soup- I made it extra flavourful for the sole purpose of cooking seitan.

1.5 hours, almost done!

Well the finished product is….drum roll please….TASTY…if not a tad rubbery….but tasty! Consensus from Moops? “DELICIOUS!” I fried it up quickly in a pan to brown the seitan.

 More to come as we experiment with seitan over the next few days…and we still haven’t gotten My Guy’s verdict! Stay tuned!

Crispy, tasty goodness on a plate...

 

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What I’m Excited About #4

Apr 1

Posted by Chere Michelle in Blogging, Healthy Living | No Comments

It’s been awhile since I sat down and told you all about what’s getting me excited lately in the world of health and veggies! Ever since my email program (Outlook) decided to NOT let me click on any html links, I’m having trouble accessing all my google alerts and that my friends, is where the really exciting stuff is. The alerts are delivered to my inbox several times a day about all the things I love…but for reasons I can’t explain, I simply can’t open any email links….*sigh* I’ve tried to fix it but to no avail…So, I’ll bring you the info on some stuff I do remember and hope you like it as much as I do!

First things first- cereal. I recently read about this company, Ambrosial Granola Cereals and my first thought was ‘Wow. This is granola at it’s finest.” The ingredients are all ones I can not only pronounce, but ones I know…this is a huge plus. I don’t want a cereal with a bunch of crap in it! Cereal is meant to be savoured…and this product looks amazing. I’m still holding out for Holy Crap cereal; I seriously want to give this stuff I try but the price point at my local IGA just isn’t feasible right now. I’ll content myself with reading product reviews…

I’m about to embark, again, on making seitan. For those not familiar with this “wheat meat”, it’s basically just that, a meat-sub made from vital wheat gluten. I’ve had it in so many tasty dishes at Chinese and Thai Buddhist restaurants in Vancouver and love the versatility of it. I tried my hand at making it a couple of years ago, but it was so tough it was inedible. I’m not sure what I did wrong because I followed the recipe exactly and was so crushed at all the wasted product…I’m determined to try it again. With the rising prices of groceries and the constant high price of vegetarian items like gardein and tofu products, I feel I have to try again. I’ll keep everyone posted! If you have a tried and true recipe, I’d love to see it…(personally speaking the mock duck stuff makes my stomach turn…)

I was away last week and got the opportunity to visit with a dear old friend. We took a stroll through an old town filled with stone houses and a covered bridge catching up on time gone by. My friend is a photographer and insisted on snapping some pics of me against backdrops of antique doors…I realized when I saw these pictures how old I look! Maybe it was because I was wearing my glasses and hadn’t yet seen any pics of me in them (I’m usually in contacts)…or maybe it’s because my hair is a boring mousy-brown. Whatever the deal is, I look old. And it’s my birthday in 2 weeks. 15 days to be exact. I’m not really looking forward to it this year; I think as more years go by the idea of another birthday loses the charm it once had. I’m not ready to be approaching the year I’m approaching- I feel I’m too old now to achieve my desires and wants. The rational part of me KNOWS this is silly; women are achieving so much later in life these days but to say I’m not scared, would be a lie. I think it’s time to find the money in the ‘ol budget to colour my hair again and maybe cut off about 4 inches or so while I’m at it. Of course this is only a temporary, physical fix but sometimes that little push is all we need…

My friend and I also discussed some website and blog ideas as well. I got excited from his enthusiasm and felt the first twinges of hope again, over what I wanted this blog to truly be. So stay tuned for some really exciting changes and developments in the very near future. Really.

Right now Moops and My Guy are watching my favourite movie of all time: Imitation of Life with Lana Turner and Juanita Moore. I have loved this movie since I was 12 years old and first saw it on TV. I’m not sure why it made such a deep impression on me, but it did. I still cry every time I see it…Juanita Moore’s character “Annie” is of such a pure spirit that it makes my heart ache. Her face and eyes smile even through the roughest moments of the movie when all the odds are against her; she never loses faith. An added bonus? The adorable Sandra Dee plays 16 year old Suzie. If you haven’t seen the movie, check it out.

Home is where my heart is. When things at work get my down and I wonder why I am where I am there…I think of those who love me and realize I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

Sure this post was supposed to be about what was getting me excited but looks like I went in a slightly different direction…

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This ‘n That

Mar 12

Posted by Chere Michelle in Blogging, Healthy Living, Weight Loss | No Comments

**First things first, my heart goes out to everyone affected and suffering as a result of the quake and tsunami in Japan. I cannot fathom what anyone over there must be going through and can’t wrap my head around how one moves forward. How a nation moves forward. It makes me feel so small and helpless to be over here…sitting in my warm house with light and food. I can only send positive thoughts.**

—–

I have lots to talk about tonight. Yeah, yeah it’s Saturday night and I should be out and about right? I just love you all so much I NEED to blog and tell you all the good stuff I’ve learned this week! So sit back, hand off the mouse or key pad and listen in…

The other love of my life, Gardein, has just introduced a Meatless Burger. For real. I’ve not tried it of course as it’s so new I can’t really find it here but the Internet is all a-buzz about it and BIG things are expected! I will say however, that in My Guy and I’s opinion, for what it’s worth, we think Presidents Choice Worlds Best Meatless Burger really is the best. This new burger from Gardein has to a) knock our socks off and b) be reasonably priced. While the Presidents Choice burgers aren’t super cheap, they do come in a pack of 4 frozen patties so they last for awhile. I find Gardein sometimes priced too high, so I’m really hoping the burgers are more affordable. (Hopin’ and Prayin’)

I’m back on the quinoa train. I LOVE THIS STUFF. I have been making up a batch at night (1 cup quinoa to 1 3/4 cup water, simmer for 12 minutes, fluff, cool) and then mixing up with whatever chopped veggies, some salad dressing etc and have it as a cold ‘salad’ for lunch. The beauty of quinoa is it’s more than a grain…it’s a PROTEIN. It really is perfect food. This is the food you want in a disaster situation…this is the food that will fuel you…perfectly cooked quinoa should have a slight bite to it and you can see the separation of the kernel a bit. It has a nice subtle nutty flavour to it. I noticed while grocery shopping today, the price of bulk organic quinoa has come down significantly. Funny because it seems everything else has gone UP…

Running out of lunch ideas? Making sure My Guy and I both have nutritious and filling lunches each week day can be a chore. It’s great if we have leftovers from the night before but that doesn’t ALWAYS happen. This weekend I’ll be making up a batch of burritos to stick in the freezer for those times when we forgot to make something….grab ‘n go. This is obviously a more healthy option than buying those frozen little burrito-things at the grocery store full of preservative and salt! I buy multi grain tortillas- the big ones, and whip up a batch of rice. It’s fun to change up your rice; so maybe make Spanish rice one time and just add tomato paste and some chili’s to the rice water…I like to saute up peppers and onions, get a can of re-fried beans ready and begin to assemble. I always top with a bit of cheese and some chili or enchilada sauce; not so much that it makes it a gooey (and fattening) mess, but enough to act like the “glue” when you heat it up later! These burritos have saved me on more than one lunch…

This weeks goal? Get to the gym and/or run at least 4 days out of the 7 coming up. I’m so down on myself and this is exactly what I tell others not to do….do not beat yourself up. Problem is I feel I should know better. I am upset because I lost alot of weight years ago and have slowly put just enough back on to be uncomfortable in my own skin. Very uncomfortable. So I challenge everyone out there, to get up off the couch this week and get MOVING.

That’s all for tonight…

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Stuff I’m Excited About #3

Feb 10

Posted by Chere Michelle in Blogging, Healthy Living | No Comments

I stumbled upon this great article tonight in the Calgary Herald. It’s about the important role carbohydrates play in weight loss. I’m talking GOOD, whole grain carbs here people, not white Wonder Bread and muffins from the gas station…The article touches upon how whole grains make us feel full longer and thus not as susceptible to snacking and/or binging because we’re hungry. It stresses to make small changes like switch to whole wheat/grain bread, sub brown or wild rice for white rice…even if SOME of the time. The authors bottom line? We need quality carbohydrates, fats and protein to survive so eat up. Just do it intelligently…check out the article for more info.

bare Minerals makeup. Each day brings me a little closer to achieving what I wanted. It’s a new way to wear makeup for me and one I need to get used to…still fretting about oil control though…

I’ve always been more than a little curious about the fragrances in the Demeter Fragrance Library. With scents like, ‘Between the Sheets’, ‘Salt’, ‘Dirt’ and ‘Earl Grey Tea’ to name a few, who wouldn’t be curious?? I’ve never had a chance to smell them because I’m not sure what retailers in Vancouver actually sell them! I’m actually quite interested in several of the scents and wonder if they have one that smells of my skin after a day at the beach in the sun? That would be heavenly.

Those who know me well, know my soy milk of choice is Silk. Now Silk has COCONUT MILK!!! Oh. My. Help? Probably not available in Canada yet. It has 80 calories per 1 cup serving and is a bit higher in fat, as one would expect but I’m not thinking for guzzling all the time- just for a little treat!

I’m excited that after 4 nights of running my knee is holding up and NOT causing me pain or grief. I did learn a valuable lesson though and that’s to stretch a ton before and after…and I am even stopping mid-run to stretch it out a bit more. At the slightest feeling of tightness or pain, I stop. This is good news…what did My Guy say? Persistence pays off. Yuppers, he did.

Gardein, Gardein, Gardein. I can’t STOP singing the praises of this amazing food! There is room in my heart and kitchen for both tofu AND Gardein; I haven’t pushed tofu aside…I just have a little more variety now and I’m loving every damn tasty bit of it.

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Your Chia Pet is Good for You

Jan 13

Posted by Chere Michelle in Blogging, Eating Right, Healthy Living, Nutrition | No Comments

In love with Chia

I learn something exciting that pumps me up EVERY day from CBC radio. Today was yet another mind-blowing commute into work as I tuned into the last 5 minutes of a segment on “Chia Seeds”. Yes the same chia as those popular grass headed characters from the 80′s is now back as a SUPERFOOD. I am totally serious. I had no idea this seed was so amazing and full of good stuff our bodies need.

Let’s start with a little background on this tiny seed. It’s Latin name is Salvia Hispanica; a flowering plant in the mint family. Folklore dictates it was so prized by the Aztecs it was offered to rulers, traded for goods and valued higher than gold. Chia has the highest amount of Omega 3′s of any other plant which means it’s great for our heart, skin and hair! The seeds are about the size of poppy seeds so they can be easily ground up to add to other foods such as breads and apparently, quite tasteless (not sure if this is a necessarily good thing…). I’ve been doing a ton of reading on chia today and many articles call it “natures forgotten super food” due to the omegas, high protein and fibre content.

Seems to good to be true doesn’t it? Well it comes with a hefty price tag…I thought quinoa was expensive! I urge you to check out your local health food stores and co-ops; maybe they have chia for a reasonable price. In my neck of the woods there is a little company that’s doing it’s best to bring chia to the masses via a cereal called (I love this) Holy Crap. The site claims it’s the ‘worlds most amazing breakfast cereal’ and I admit, I’m intrigued.

I’m a self-professed cereal-aholic. I have admitted it openly that I sometimes have cereal for dinner. Two bowls sometimes. I’m not ashamed to say this. I do not however have my cupboards full of sugar-laden garbage cereals, and do try to be somewhat choosy about what I put into my bowl. This Holy Crap cereal sounds like a little bit of heaven that is seriously good for you and yes, I need to try it. The company seems a little overwhelmed with orders and are shipping out a ton of cereal so once the frenzy dies down, I’d love to try some.

Another company selling this seed is Webber Naturals under the name ChiaNutra…Also Cobs bread is apparently baking with it now but I’ve yet to see this myself or check it out in the bakery…

Don’t get me wrong there are a TON of places selling chia seeds and products but I’m only going to mention the companies I know of, or were mentioned on CBC this morning in this segment…because I trust where the info came from.

Just when you thought that little green afro seed-head from the 80′s was a silly passing fad…we realize we could have munched on our Chia Pets if we were hungry.

Cheers to chia- I look forward to trying this super food!

What will I learn tomorrow?

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No Blog Storm Here

Dec 6

Posted by Chere Michelle in Blogging, Inner Happiness | No Comments

So My Guy says, “Jeez I thought you’d be blogging up a storm by now…” Meaning, I got my laptop fixed, and he knows it’s super-comfy for me to type on. I think he expected the posts to be flying out of my head. That’s the problem sometimes with blogging; with HAVINGa blog. You are expected to put out stuff regularly and even if you’re having an off day, someone, somewhere is waiting on your words. He’s right though. I should have posted a bit more regularly than I have as of late. I *should* be doing alot of things more regularly to be honest (exercise, Christmas prep, etc).  As I’m trying to write this now, I’m staring blindly at the TV. PBS is on, advertising Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughn compilations…I’m not interested but I am strangely attracted to the screen and what’s going on…Seems to always be a distraction around if you want it, doesn’t there? Right now,  my contacts are all squishy in my left eye…it’s really bothering me, but I continue to squint at the TV, blinking furiously and cursing the damn lenses…and still stressing about ‘what to blog about.’

But really what else is there to do tonight, really? It’s after 9 pm, lunches are made for tomorrow, the dinner dishes are done, freshly baked cookies cooling (yes really, I am a Domestic Goddess at times…I did bake tonight…)…But it’s not all perfect. There is laundry piling up in the hamper, the bathroom could probably use a clean…the Boys litter box a scoop or two…but vegging the couch next to My Guy seems to the “right” spot for me now. The Sweet Spot to be.

Life is good. Indulge in a distraction or two.

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It’s Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas…

Nov 22

Posted by Chere Michelle in Healthy Living, Weight Loss | No Comments

Yes folks, it’s THAT  time of year again. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas but it brings with it all the temptations of abundant food & drink. This is a tough time for “dieters” and those of us just trying to stay healthy, one day at a time. I honestly believe with a little willpower and a good dose of positive AND realistic thinking, the Holidays can be enjoyed by all of us. First things first: Christmas DOESN’T mean you stop exercising. It’s not a ‘get out of going to the gym or walking etc’ pass. Remember, you can indulge in those Xmas treats but you HAVE TO BURN OFF THE EXCESS CALORIES YOU PUT IN. It’s simple.

Second, don’t deny yourself this season. Don’t put unrealistic expectations like, “I will not eat any chocolate this Christmas” because as devoted as you may be, this is only asking for trouble. It’s OK to indulge, just choose the occasions wisely and make it the best damn indulgence you possibly can. I was cruising the Web tonight looking for articles to quote and found this one from The Today Show. I know we’ve all probably heard these tips before, but the average person has to hear something at least 8 times before it sinks in…so why not give these tips another quick go?

Third, for all your holiday baking, why not experiment with lower fat recipes? Cooking Light is a great starter-site for this because it not only has a ton of recipes but also articles and straight talk on eating less fat and calories. I refer to this site often for my own cooking and baking…remember it’s OK to have Christmas baking, just put realistic expectations on yourself and if you can’t get to the gym, WALK IT OFF. Get moving any way you can and get your heart pumping…

I work in the health care industry and this time of year we are given endless amounts of chocolate and baking by our Clients. In fact the first tin of cookies arrived today by one of our oldest and dearest Clients….suddenly, I was face to face with CHOCOLATE and you know what? It was so damn busy at the clinic, I had time for ONE chocolate and I was OK with that. I savoured it as I walked out the door at the end of my shift and it was bloody marvelous.

I have a Cookie Exchange to participate in this year and need to come up with a suitable recipe that is equal parts YUMMY and health-smart. I’ve already poured through my cookbooks with no luck so I now turn my attention to the Internet and it’s vast array of information. If you have any recipes you swear by for tasty holiday treats, send ‘em on in!

Christmas shouldn’t be about guilt or negativity. It also shouldn’t be a time we throw our health to the wayside. All it takes is a little planning and responsibility and you CAN enjoy all the season has to offer.

I know I will!

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Counting Calories- A Sure Way to Lose the Weight…

Nov 15

Posted by Chere Michelle in Blogging, Healthy Living, Nutrition, Weight Loss | No Comments

I don’t have trouble believing this story. It’s about a little weight-loss experiment where the author ate a mostly “junk food” based diet (think Twinkies…) and lost the pounds. He did it by cutting calories- so of course this makes sense. This is a common sense answer to an age old equation: If you put in less calories than you normally eat on a day-to-day basis, then you WILL lose the weight….just the same as if you burn more calories than you put into your body you WILL lose weight. Makes total sense right? I think we all need to keep this story in perspective. It’s not about WHAT the author put into his body so much as it’s about HOW MUCH he put into his body. I think he made a really valid point and I hope consumers see this: we need to watch how much we eat. I don’t mean what we’re eating necessarily, because I do believe treating ourselves is a great way to live…but the amount of food we’re ingesting. Simply put we’re eating too many calories.

This site can give you an idea of how many calories you burn on an average day; so what your body needs to function at the level you are accustomed to. If you take the amount and eat LESS calories, along with a regular exercise regime, you WILL lose weight.

Did you know 3500 calories make up a pound? Think about the calorie dense foods/drinks you may indulge in on a daily basis, and then eliminate them. How about soda? Drink alot of that? One can of Coke  has 140 calories approximately. Are you someone who has 3 Cokes a day, 7 days a week? If you cut those out you would see a savings of almost 2800 calories a week! It’s the little things people! How about a little treat with your morning cuppa coffee at Starbucks? Personally I love the Banana Nut Bread but at almost 600 calories a (teeny) slice, I have learned to pass it up. Imagine one of those bad boys 5 days a week? Saying no to that bread is equivalent to a pound of fat. Chew on that.

It’s common sense living. Take the initiative and look at what you’re eating every day. If you’re struggling to lose weight than make a few simple changes with your diet…baby steps…

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What I’m Excited About #2

Nov 2

Posted by Chere Michelle in Eating Right, Healthy Living, Nutrition | No Comments

It’s that time again folks! Here is a mish-mash of stuff that I’m excited about this week…

San Francisco, I love you. Kudos to the powers that be in office for the most recent ban that involves one of my fave-places-to-hate, McDonalds! What have they done now you ask? City Council has decided to BAN HAPPY MEALS (and other “meals” as supplied by these chain fast food joints that offer toys with meals over a certain calorie and fat %). It’s just one little step to making healthy food more accessible to all; especially low income families that eat out at McD’s because it’s affordable…and yes, for the damn toy. I think this is a HUGE move and if other cities can get behind it and enforce the same ban on all other meal-deals for our kids, then we might be on to something…

I’m one happy camper when I stumble upon sites like this. My head was spinning at all the reusable options for lunches, leftovers and more! The name says it all: Life Without Plastic. Yeah man.

Remember back to grade school…did you carry a lunchbox? I remember the start of each school year and the huge decision that faced me…what lunchbox THIS year? This site, Lunchboxes.com, has something to satisfy every desire and every memory. Trust me. I lost myself in this site today. Over and over…

I don't love Hello Kitty, but I do have a soft spot for nerds.

I wanted to talk about Vegan Lunch Box again…I love this lady. And her little Schmoo. Looks like she hasn’t written much LATELY but her blog is a riot to look through, the pics will wow you and make you believe, maybe, just maybe your little one WILL eat their lunch after all. If you’re not familiar with Bento Boxes you really do need to check this site out, or go straight to the source, Laptop Lunches.

Oooh. Ahhh. So pretty. So organized.

Bran Buds. For real. I put them on all my OTHER cereals….yet to try them on salads. But super crunchy and nutty. Is it sad I’m excited about Bran Buds?

Yup. This really gets me going.

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