Day 21

THOUGHTS- Epic Fail. So I was all in my best mind to refuse any chocolates on easter but my mother went to such an effort to find chocolates for me that I just couldn't say no. Normally easter consists of some chocolate bunnies which are really just a bar with a bunny engraved on it but this year she found little bunny heads indiviually wrapped. And for the first time in ages I was able to take part in the easter egg hunt and actually have something that I was collecting as well as my brothers and one of their girlfriends. I thought to myself I will just have one or two but four bunny heads later my youngest brother pipes in who is clearly reading my facebook updates and he is like "Aren't you doing that diet thing? Won't the people reading it be mad if you're lying to them?" So here I am not lying to you. I failed. I let myself down. But tomorrow is a new day and I am not going to beat myself up over it. I haven't yet visited my new vegan frienda and I'm sure she would love a chocolate bunny or two. Otherwise the tempatation everytime I open the fridge is just going to be far too much. I am trying not to look at it as a fail but merely a mistake that I need to overcome. I know what my weakness is and I know that I need to be prepared with alternatives. Lets see what tomorrow brings.

CHALLENGES- Easter and chocolate.

TRIUMPHS- Making my own dinner to take to mums instead of relying on her to feed me.

WHAT I ATE-

BREAKFAST-Beetroot, carrot, celery, ginger, lemon, lettuce and parsley juice.

Banana, strawberry, silken tofu, flaxmeal and soy milk smoothie.

SNACK- Mixed nuts- almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, brazil nuts and macadamias.

LUNCH- Salad- Cos lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber, shallot, snow peas, barley, pine nuts and olives.

Dressing- Olive oil and balsamic dressing.

SNACK- Carrot, cucumber, celery sticks, snow peas, cherry tomatoes and home made hommus.

DINNER- Vegetable kebabs- Eggplant, onion, mushrooms, tofu and cherry tomatoes.

Marinade- Organic tamari, organic olive oil, organic rice malt syrup, garlic, ginger, lime juice and rind.

1 roast potato

DESSERT- 4 chocolate bunny heads dairy free.

Day 20

THOUGHTS- So it's Easter saturday and I know that tomorrow is going to be a challenge for me. A holiday that celebrates with chocolate. Even though I'm a vegan we still have plenty of chocolatey treats to enjoy and I know it's going to be a struggle. I went and saw a friends family today and gave them all their goodies. Even though I'm not a fan of supporting the dairy industry it was so precious to see the look on the kids faces. The most precious was when I gave the one year old a little ballerina bunny she was so adorable and played with it for a while until she got a hold of the box that her brothers eggs had come in. He made me a little paper cut out egg that he had coloured in and written on for me and I think that was the best gift I received all easter. It's not about how much money you spend on holdidays like these but it's about the thought that you put into things. I had a great day and then went to hang out with another couple of friends. They kept offering me beers which I had to keep refusing kindly. Normally I would have jumped at the chance of free beer but once I explained about the earth diet they seemed to understand. I know when I explain it to my family they will not understand but they still don't understand about veganism so I'll just continue to be who I am and do what I do and not worry about what anyone else has to say about it. And that's my moral for today. I also wanted to use the pretty picture I found when I was searching motivation. :) I could have also used the pic in a blog about the different colour additives in our food but I wanted to express the joy of children. :)

CHALLENGES- Not going home at all today.

TRIUMPHS- Preparing plenty of food ahead of time and was made a lovely healthy dinner by a friend.

WHAT I ATE-

BREAKFAST- Multi puffs, Amaranth, 2 strawberries and rice milk with teaspoon coconut oil.

Beetroot, carrot, celery, parsley, lettuce and ginger juice.

SNACK- Mixed nuts cooked in Tamari and olive oil.

Lady Finger Banana

LUNCH- Asparagus salad- Spinach, 1 roma tomato, asparagus, olives, chopped hazelnuts.

dressing- Olive oil and balsamic vinegar

SNACK- Carrot, cucumber, capsicum sticks snow peas and cherry tomatoes.

Home made Hommus- Chickpeas, garlic, tahini, soymilk, chilli powder.

Fresh apple juice

Lady finger banana

DINNER- Veg Kebabs- Zuchinni, mushrooms, onbion, red and green capsicum and soy sauce on a bed of brown rice.

EXCERCISE- Spin class and a 20 minute walk

Day 19

THOUGHTS- BARLEY
Doing some reading at work I saw that they recommended swappin rice for Barley and I remembered that we sold Barley at my other job so made it my mission to get some on pay day.

I have done some research to see what is so good about Barley and this is what I found.

Intake of barley is very likely to help you maintain your overall health in the long term. These whole grains are rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and amino acids essential for our health. More importantly, barley is one of the richest sources of both soluble and insoluble fiber.Insoluble fiber aids in proper excretion of waste products in the body, while soluble fiber (known as beta glucan) mixes with liquid, binds to fatty substances and allows them to leave the body. Barley is also seen to be rich in tocotrienols, which is an antioxidant which helps lessen risk for contracting heart disease and cholesterol problems.

For more information go to

http://www.nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com/barley-nutrition.html


EXCERCISE- I don't like it. I don't know anyone that does but it's something that we all have to do. Today I did more excercise than I would normally do in a week and it's because I was having fun and hanging out with friends I wasn't thinking of it as excercise I need to get into more activities with friends and I will definately start excercising more.


CHALLENGES- Trying something new.

TRIUMPHS- Being creative with foods and not looking at recipes all day. (except the avocado dressing.)

WHAT I ATE-
BREAKFAST-Beetroot, carrot, selery, ginger, spinach and parsley juice.
Pineapple, orange and strawberry pulp, with soymilk and buckwheat flour. Made into fritters cooked in olive oil and topped with rice malt syrup.

LUNCH- Salad. Chickpeas, pinto beans, barley, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, shallot, snow peas.
Dressing- Avocado, shallot, soy milk, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar. Mix together in blender til creamy.

DINNER- Pinto Bean Ratatouile- Pinto beans, garlic, ginger, eggplant, celery, shallot, red onion, red capsicum, asparagus on a bed of barley.

SNACK- Lady finger banana, popcorn in olive oil with tumeric, cumin and cardamon.

EXCERCISE- Lots of walking. Fighting against the rough surf until I was totally exhausted and then and Hour long power walk at night with Emmi.

Day 18

THOUGHTS- CHOCOLATE

When I took on this challenge I wondered what I would do without chocolate but today I discovered that I didn't have to. There is a company called Loving Earth that makes raw organic chocolates. If a product is raw that means there has been no heat to destroy the nutrients in the food so it is healthier and not only this but foods that are not of the earth need heat to be applied so foods that count on a raw food diet totally count for the earth diet.
Ideally I will try to start making my own chocolates but so early on in the diet there is still alot I am learning. The flavour that I tried today was Lacuma and Maca. What are they you ask? Well I asked myself the same thing so I searched on their website. They taste amazing by the way.

Lúcuma is a nutrient dense fruit from Peru. The tree is a long lived, evergreen, and belongs to the Sapotacea family being similar to the canistel and sapote. It smells divine and tastes like maple syrup flavoured ice-cream !Lúcuma powder is really versatile and tasty, blending easily and well with ice-creams, baby food, yogurts, pies, cakes, cookies, smoothies, chocolate bars and desserts of all kinds

Maca An energizing and revitalizing superfood of the Incas. jam packed with vitamins, minerals, enzymes and 17 amino acids - 7 of them being essential amino acids.Grown at 4000m (13000ft) above sea level in the Andrean district of Junin by the Pumpush people who have been cultivating and consuming maca as staple food for thousands of years.Contains unique alkaloids, which help stimulate the master glands that in turn may help optimize and balance the entire endocrine system.

For more information check out their website.

http://www.raw-chocolate.net/

CHALLENGES- None today I enjoyed everything.

TRIUMPHS- Creating a nice lentil bolognaise.

WHAT I ATE-
BREAKFAST- Vegan vitamins. Raspberry, silken tofu and soy milk smoothie.
2 thin slices eggplant, 1 mushroom, two thin tofu slices cooked in olive oil with tamari.

LUNCH- Soy bean pasta- (Soybeans and water). Lentil bolognaise- Red lentils, garlic, onion, capsicum, spinach, parsley, black olives, mushroom and leftover tofu mayo dressing (recipe day 17)

SNACK- 1 dried apple, handful nuts and seeds, 2 peices of raw lacuma and maca chocolate.Organic raw cacao butter, Organic raw cacao powder, Organic agave syrup (dark), Organic lúcuma powder, Organic maca powder, Himalayan crystal salt.

DINNER- Veg Kebabs on a bed of Barley
Mushrooms, tofu, red onions, capsicum, eggplant, cherry tomatoes
Marinade- Tamari, olive oil, garlic, ginger, rice malt syrup and water.

SNACK- Popcorn, olive oil, tumeric, cumin, cardamon.

EXCERCISE- None.

Day 17

THOUGHTS-

"I don't like that."

How often have I said those words. I don't like celery and I don't like broccoli. Among other things that are also good for me I have put these in the I don't like basket. But over time I have realised that as I experiment with recipes and try food different ways they are slowly coming out of the I don't like basket. There are still some foods that I can only handle in small quantities. Or I do the mum things and chop things up really tiny and hide it in stuff. There are so many wonders that the earth provides us and so many foods that I have been missing out on for a long time. About 10 years ago. The only vegetables I would eat were peas and potato. I would also have a bit of lettuce and tomato if it was on a burger and I would have snow peas and a bit of carrot if they weren't cooked. That was it. They used the be the only vegetables in my foods I like basket. Then I decided to become a vegetarian and slowly over time things have changed and there are plenty more vegetables that I like than what I don't like. The more experiment the more I find new foods. I have made myself a mission to try exotic fruits and vegetables that I used to hate and even some that I have never tried. I guess brussels sprouts will be on the menu soon. Something I have never tried and something that everyone I know hates but I'm going to do it. But today my new food is my bean of the week.

PINTO BEANS

I tried pinto beans on my salad today they are bit softer than the other beans I have had and quiet bland they are a beige looking bean with patches of brown on them like a pinto pony.

Health Benefits
Pinto beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. In addition to lowering cholesterol, pinto beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as brown rice, pinto beans provide virtually fat-free, high quality protein. But this is far from all pinto beans have to offer. Pinto beans are also an excellent source of molybdenum, a very good source of folate and manganese, and a good source of protein and vitamin B1 as well as the minerals phosphorus, iron, magnesium, potassium, and copper.

For more information go to

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=89

CHALLENGES- Eating celery.

TRIUMPHS- Eating celery.

WHAT I ATE-

BREAKFAST- Maes juice- beetroot, carrot, parsley, ginger, cucumber and spinach.

Multi puffs- hulled organic Buckwheat, organic Sorghum and organic Brown Rice. Amaranth. 2 sliced strawberries and organic soy milk.

LUNCH- Celery, carrot, cucumber, capsicum sticks, snow peas, four black olive, 3 cherry tomatoes.

Tofu Mayonaise dressing- silken tofu, lemon juice and rind, clove of garlic and flaxseed oil.

SNACK- Fresh fruit salad- pineapple, strawberries and red grapefruit.

Homemade- pineapple and orange juice.

DINNER- Salad- Cos lettuce, black olives, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, snowpeas, red onion, celery, pinto beans and parsely.

Tofu Mayo dressing.

SNACK- Mised nuts. Small amount of soybean pasta with lentil bolognaise. Recipe tomorrow.

EXCERCISE- Walking through the paddock and rehearsal

Day 16

THOUGHTS-

Finally started doing some excercise today. I usally always eat well but I have never been a big fan of too much physical activity it's always been one of those one day I'll do it things. My friends have started a netball team and I thought that would be a great idea I'd get to hang out with my friends and get fit. I had so much fun. I was terrible at the game but that didn't matter too much. I'm sure I'll get better. But I was puffing and panting and sweating by the end of the game so I know I worked hard and I feel so much better for it so I'm going to do as much physical excercise as I can.

Also today I found a produce place just around the corner from work they are open early so I can do a shop on my way to work. All the food didn't look as flash as it normally does in some of the big chain shops but I looked at it and thought this is great that the food doesn't look as good. It means they are more natural see the trouble is so much food is Genetically Modified now. There are hormones and genes in nearly everything that we eat. How do you think they have such a large stockpile of it. And why do you think the apples shine? Wax.

These are some of the risks associated with genetically modified foods

-Toxicity (using similar methods to those used for conventional foods)
-Tendency to provoke any allergic reaction
-Stability of the inserted gene and affect from expression in the human gut
-Whether there is any nutritional deficit or change in the GM food
-Any other unintended effects of the gene insertion such as anti-nutritional effects

How to avoid genetically modified foods.

The main culprits are the following. Unless they are stated to be organic

Soybeans, corn, canola, cotton, potatoes, dairy products, animal products and papaya.

It's also concerning esspecially being a vegan that there are plants that are modified with fish genes.

As one comentator put it- There are now fish genes in fruit, poultry genes in fish, animal genes in plants, growth hormones in milk, insect genes in vegetables, tree genes in grain, and in the case of pork, human genes in meat

This is very concerning. I feel almost violated as a vegan. There are no laws or guidelines on what needs to be labelled or how much you need to be informed about what you are eating. So how do you know whats even in what you're eating and where it has come from?

I beleive you need to do what you can do and not be naive about things and don't think that having the ability to deny something is really an answer. If there is something you beleive in you need to educate yourself as much as you can so that you can be the most educated in whatever it is you're trying to do.

CHALLENGES- Going straight from work to netball. Trying to find food to tie me over through the game.

TRIUMPHS- Had a nut bar. Finally doing some excercise. Did a full shop at a produce place so plenty of yummy fruit and veggies for me.

WHAT I ATE-

BREAKFAST- Corn fritters, and slice of tofu cooked in organic olive oil.

LUNCH- Chickpea and pumpkin curry. (Recipe day 16)

SNACKS- Mixed nuts

Glass Rice milk

Tropical trio bar

1/4 avocado

DINNER- Vege stir fry- 2 cloves garlic, ginger, onion, capsicum, shallot, tofu, mushroom, snow peas, carrot, organic tamari, organic olive oil, sesame seeds.

1. Chop all veggies.

2. Heat oil in pan.

3. Brown ginger garlic and onion.

4. Add other veggies to your likening of how you prefer them cooked.

5. Add tamari.

6. Put in bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

EXCERCISE- Game of Netball

Day 15

THOUGHTS-

"It's my life,

It's now or never,

I ain't gonna live forever,

I just wanna live while I'm alive."

Sang Bon Jovi. So after two weeks of bending the rules of the Earth diet where I saw fit and using the "House Diet" rule of whatever is in my house is up for consumption I got home tonight after rehearsal and cleaned out my cupboard. I divided all the non earthy foods. One into a bag for a friend who has recently gone vegan and the other into a box for my brother who is buying a house. I don't like wastage and one of the biggest things affecting our environment is the amount of things going into landfill. So all the things that no longer suit me are now going to someone else. After two weeks of putting it off I decided it was time to do something. I said to myself it's now or never. Then got the Bon Jovi song stuck in my head. I realised that there are so many things in my life that I say to myself I'll do it one day. One day I'll get around to it. Well today is that day. Obvioulsy not for everything as there is a lot of things I want to do but today is the day that I start putting the wheels in motion for all the things that I want to acheive.

POMEGRANATE

I love pomegranate juice and the fruit when it's in season. Here's a bit about the health benefits.

One of pomegranate health benefits is that it helps improve heart health and good blood circulation. This fruit contain three times the antioxidants of wine or green tea which, among other things, promote a healthy heart. Regular consumption of pomegranate juice has been shown not only to stop hardening of artery walls and build-up of plaque; it even reverse these problems. Keeping your arteries clean and soft helps reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. If you are concerned about your cholesterol, pomegranate is perfect for you, since it has been shown to lower levels of bad cholesterol and raise your good cholesterol levels. By improving circulation, pomegranate can even be used to relief impotence. Antioxidants in the pomegranate fruit and juice prevent cancer, and cam even help fight existing cancer cells in the body. While pomegranate has been shown to prevent breast and skin cancer, recent studies show that it can also help with prostate cancer in men. Regular consumption of pomegranate juice can significantly lower PSA levels in the body. These chemicals are not only an indicator of your risk level for prostate cancer and other problems; they also indicate how well a man will respond to cancer treatments including radiation and chemotherapy.Just in case that isn't enough of a reason for you to start eating more pomegranates, there are even more pomegranate health benefits. You already know it’s brimming with antioxidants. These powerful chemicals have been shown to reduce the affects of aging and prevent Alzheimer’s. Pomegranate has also been shown in studies to prevent cartilage damage and protect babies from brain damage during birth. While some of these uses have not been researched scientificially, pomegranate has traditionally been used to clear skin, reduce inflammation, and help with sore throats.

For more information see

http://www.healthymenumailer.com/articles/pomegranate-health-benefits.html

CHALLENGES- Went straight from work to rehearsal and because it was end of grocery week I didn't have any foods at home I could take with me.

TRIUMPHS- Seeking out a sushi place so I could have the earthiest take away possible.

WHAT I ATE-

BREAKFAST-Corn Fritters- Buckwheat flour, flaxseed meal, 1/2 tin of creamed corn- (corn, water, maize thickener, sugar, salt). All mixed together and then cooked in fritter shapes in canola oil.

SNACKS- 2 buckwheat biscuits- recipe Day 13

1 apple

LUNCH- Quinoa with chickpea and pumpkin curry-

Red onion, Red Capsicum, Pumpkin cubes, half tin whole tomatoes, 1/2 cup chickpeas, 1 shallot, ground corriander seeds, cumin powder, tumeric powder, ground cardamon seeds, chilli powder, soy milk, canola oil.

1. Chop vegetables. Lightly oil frypan.

2. Lightly cook onion and capsicum.

3. Add other vegetables then add seasonings.

4. Add tinned tomatoes and bring to the boil.

5. Add soy milk to thicken.

6. Cook until texture suits your liking.

SNACKS- Pomegranite, Acai and sour ginger juice.

Raw ginger bar- raw foods are so much better for you

Trio bar- Only nuts, seeds, fruit and rice malt syrup.

DINNER- Avocado sushi and vege hand roll- tofu, cucumber, avocado and radish

LATE DINNER- Soy bean pasta (Soybeans and water)- Sprinkle of tamari and cracked pepper.

EXCERCISE- Rehearsals.