Day 9-11

Day 9: Celebration Lentil Loaf

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2808

This recipe had lots of ingredients and though it wasn't difficult to make, it took a long time and made a lot of dishes. By the time we sat down to eat at 8pm after a long, busy day and after I'd finally gotten Quinn to bed, I was exhausted and starving. I wasn't expecting this recipe to be amazing or anything, but it was really underwhelming. So bland and boring that after two bites I just couldn't eat anymore. I threw the entire loaf away but was too tired at this point to make anything else so I ended up eating half of an undercooked biscuit which I rationalized was "okay" because I had actual eaten vegan all day long unintentionally. Needless to say, I went to bed unsatisfied and hungry and when I woke up the next morning I was so starved I couldn't go for my scheduled run. Soooo, this was a major fail!

Day 10: Greek Salad with Falafel

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/classic-greek-salad-topped-with-grilled-calamari-skewers-recipe/index.html

After the disappointment on Day 9 I turned to a familiar favorite. We've been making this greek salad recipe from Tyler Florence for years and it is one of our go-to favorites. I obviously left the calamari out this time but was a bad girl and still allowed myself the feta cheese, cos what is greek salad without a little feta? All the veggies for the salad and the falafel came from our local farmers market that day so they were incredibly fresh and delicious.

Day 11: Vegetable Pie from the farmer's market

Today I get my weekly treat for dinner! A delectable veggie pie from the farmers market:) We volunteer with the student ministry at our church and have youth group on Wednesday nights so it is the perfect night not to have to cook... just pop my pie in the oven to warm up a bit and enjoy! This is especially nice considering Quinn had little interest in sleeping last night so it has been a struggle to even get my tired butt off the couch today, so not having to cook is a relief.

Motivation #5 (I think I'm on #5...):

After having a baby I was thrilled with how quickly I got back into my clothes. After being huge with child for awhile, I felt so thin after giving birth, despite the fact, that I was no where near my pre-pregnancy physique. Things improved for a couple of months and then I hit a plateau. Probably because as a breastfeeding mom I am hungry ALL the time. (side note: did you know you have to eat more calories when you are breastfeeding than when you are in your 3rd trimester of pregnancy?! I didn't...) So the challenge is, how do I eat enough healthy food to satisfy my hunger in order to feed Quinn, but still make progress on getting my body back? The vegan diet includes lots of high fiber foods and complex carbs to fill me up (hopefully) without filling me out:-P