Fooducate App!

I haven't tried this myself but thought it would be a good resource to share!

Scan the bar codes of everything you consider buying and eating!

• Find out what is GMO or is Non-GMO in seconds!
• Find out if something is vegan, vegetarian and organic - instantly!
• Filter out wheat, gluten, food colorings and food allergens!
• Get a quick calorie count and fat content (the good and bad fats)!

Just go to the "play store" on your smart phone under applications and search for Fooducate. 

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/039993_fooducate_GMO_smart_phone.html#ixzz2QxaVntEr

Quick Meals

This weekend my son and I adopted a dog!  She is 2 years old and a perfect fit for our family.  This morning we took her on a short walk and she does well on the leash.  I would have liked to walk further but my son was getting tired.  

After our walk we went to the grocery store.  Grocery shopping is my MOST hated chore.  I'm known for running out of grocery items then ordering carryout for a week because I'm putting off a trip to the store.  Today, however, I found two new recipes that I'm excited to try.  This made going a little easier.  Plus, we picked up a couple of dog toys and grabbed my son some items for his first T-ball practice tonight!  

I wanted to mention that I bought a few frozen meals and items for quick preparation.  Obviously, my goal is to eat as healthy as possible.  But, let's face it, we all live in the real world and we don't always have the time needed to prepare a meal.  And, if you're anything like me, I can get pretty lazy and that makes choosing the wrong thing easier.  

I chose a few frozen meals by Amy's (look for the "non-dairy" label to be sure it's vegan), a couple of Amy's burritos (non-dairy), and one Kashi frozen meal (look for the "vegan" label).  It's important to watch the sodium content on these types of foods but they're great when you're in a pinch.  Add some fresh veggies and an orange to your meal and it's even better!  

I also bought a few bags of already seasoned frozen vegetables.  Of course, fresh is better but  the ease of frozen veggies is great on busy days.  We live in a fast food culture and, although taking 20 minutes to chop, prepare, and cook something isn't much time at all, it feels like forever for busy people.  On days where that isn't an option, it's good to have some of these vegan items on hand for quick preparation.  Just remember to check your labels as some are healthier than others.  Avoid packages with a lot of added salt or with any added sweetener (frozen fruits).  Also, frozen fruits and vegetables can assist in making healthy smoothies without the worry of your produce going bad too quickly.  

The Weekend

I originally started this blog in the fall.  I only got through a few posts before I gave up.  Life happened and I started to go for what was easy as opposed to what I believe is right for me and my body.  

I want to remind everyone that this is a transition for me.  Some people are able to make a change instantly and never look back.  Others need to move in the right direction.  Whatever type of person you are is okay.  When you make a "mistake" on  your plan, don't throw in the towel.  I've always been an all or nothing person.  This has meant that when I went off course, even once, then the goal went out the window completely.  Even if you can start by making one vegan meal a day, you're going to enjoy the benefits.  

One thing that I KNOW helps me find success but I struggle with A LOT is planning.  When we plan, it's much easier to stick to the plan than when we have to make decisions on the fly.  I know this works for me but I often fail to do it.  That's someone I'm working on changing.  

This weekend I failed to plan and I allowed myself to get too hungry (against the wise advice from my vegan friend, Stephanie).  Being vegan is not always the easy choice.  I ended up choosing non-vegan options in a few different settings.  I'm going to have to be sure I have vegan snacks on me at all times in order to prevent this.  It can't get any easier than packing some nuts and an apple or orange.  

I noticed how these decisions affected my body pretty quickly.  I felt lethargic almost instantly and had stomach aches.  All I wanted to do was sleep.  My allergies are always bad during a weather change and they're worse than they would be if I were eating better nutrients.  

If you're feeling lethargic, like me, and plan to rest tonight, check out the film Forks Over Knives which is available for live streaming on Netflix.  

Ear Infections and Dairy

A lot of my Facebook friends have small children.  I've noticed that most of these small children suffer from recurrent ear infections.  This means these kids are getting tons of antibiotics at a young age to battle the infections and many end up needing tubes in their ears to prevent further infections.

As I mentioned in my post "About Me", my son suffered from recurrent ear infections after I stopped breast feeding and started giving him cow's milk.  It seemed like every few weeks he would get a fever and end up having an ear infection.  He stopped responding to the usual antibiotics and started needing something stronger.  My mom (an RN) suggested eliminating cow's milk from his diet as a trial to see if it was contributing to his ear infections, allergies and asthma issues.  I didn't eliminate dairy completely but he stopped drinking cow's milk daily.

Most pediatricians recommend that children begin drinking Vitamin D cow's milk around 1 year of age.  It's considered a "superfood" and a staple in young children's diet.  I researched information on the link between dairy and ear infections/asthma/allergies and was surprised that no pediatrician had suggested I try eliminating or reducing his milk/dairy intake.  It seemed like the number of people who found success by making this simple change in their child's diet should be reason enough to make it a well known "treatment" for kids who struggle with these health concerns.

My son has not suffered from a single ear infection since removing cow's milk from his diet (he still consumes it in other foods but stopped drinking it).  He still struggles a bit with allergies during certain times of year but I am confident if we continue eliminating dairy, he will experience these symptoms less and less.

I find it troublesome that this isn't information that is regularly shared in the medical field.  It's crazy to me that  almost every small child I know of suffers from these issues in some way.  It has to be linked to something common in their diet.  I urge every parent who's battling these issues to give it a 3 month trial.  Eliminate cow's milk from your child's diet for 3 months and see if you notice a change.  An easy internet search will give you tons of information on the subject so you can research it for yourself.  You've got nothing to lose except a lot of visits to the pediatricians office!

Black Bean & Quinoa Soup

I just finished eating lunch and it was delicious.  

On Saturday, I was browsing Facebook and saw a post by the Post Punk Kitchen about a Black Bean & Quinoa Soup recipe.  The picture looked delicious so I decided to make it.  I changed up the recipe a bit to suit my own taste and utilize what was already in my cupboards.  

You can check out the recipe here.  It's easy, pretty quick, and SO GOOD!  I used two 15 ounce cans of black beans instead of 1 24 oz can.  I skipped the red pepper flakes because I'm a huge wimp.  I also used 1 can of diced tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes because that's what I had on hand.   

The additional canned goods will add sodium, so be careful if you're watching your sodium intake.  I skipped the olive oil and pinch of salt when sauteing the onion because I used a non-stick pan.  I only used 2 cups of vegetable broth because I like my "soup" to be heartier like a stew.  I could have used 3 but I think 4 would have made things too soupy for my taste.  

This will be a new staple in my menu planning.  It's so good that I've eaten it for most meals over the last few days.  

Day 1

Hey, everyone!

I'm halfway through day 1!  I started drinking A LOT of Pepsi over the last few months.  I've become so addicted to the sugar and caffeine that I started drinking a Pepsi upon waking up.  I felt like I NEEDED it, which I'm ashamed to admit.  Certain studies indicate that sugar is more addictive than cocaine!  Breaking my addiction to sugar and caffeine may be a bigger challenge than eliminating animal products.  

I also have a habit of staying up too late.  As a single mom, I love having some time at night to myself.  Once my son is asleep, I'm able to enjoy the quiet, watch some television, or work on homework.  I really value this time but only a couple of hours would suffice.  Even when I try to get to sleep earlier in the night, I have a very difficult time falling asleep.  I believe my caffeine consumption is contributing to this change in my sleep patterns.  

Because I'm not a morning person, I decided to make our breakfast for today last night.  I have been considering my weak areas which may have made me fail at health goals in the past.  Ideally, I would wake up early and the smell of a delicious breakfast would waft through the house as I prepare it.  This hasn't been realistic for me in the past and it's silly to think it will be now.  While I was  up watching television last night, I whipped up some apple cinnamon oatmeal.  

It only takes about 20 minutes to make homemade oatmeal, but the insanity of my morning zombie mode makes getting in the car and driving to a drive through window seem easier.  It's crazy, I know!  

I used one:

1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced

1 cup of old fashioned oats

2 cups of water

cinnamon

Simply boil the water, add the apple chunks and boil for 5-10 minutes, until soft.  Add the oats and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.  Mix in cinnamon to taste and store in the fridge until morning.  Serves 2. 

This recipe used to satisfy my taste-buds but, because of my sugar addiction, it was too bland.  The next morning, I reheated the oatmeal on the stove with some vanilla almond milk and a tablespoon of maple syrup.  I am trying to avoid adding sweeteners (like maple syrup) but decided I can wean myself off of sweetness over time.  

For me, planning ahead and preparing things at convenient times is the key to success.  Play to your strengths!

About Me

About Me

Hi, I’m Molly.  I am a 27 year old mother from Michigan.  Molly MacVegan will focus on my journey to becoming a vegan.  There is a crisis surrounding our food industry in the United States.  Many documentaries explain the dangers of the American diet and the cruelty to animals within the food industry. 

When my son was a year old he transitioned from breast milk to cow’s milk.  For the next year and a half he experienced frequent ear infections, colds, and allergies.  My mother suggested I consider removing milk from his diet.  Milk was the only thing he consumed every day so I thought I would give it a try.  After removing milk from his diet 3 years ago, he has not suffered from an ear infection since.

Over the last seven years, I have struggled with managing my weight and health.  Food has become an addiction in my life.  I have tried many methods to improve my health and reach my weight loss goals…Weight Watchers, counting calories, exercising excessively.  Although I may have had temporary success, I always ended up putting the weight back on. 

In the last year, I have been noticing significant problems with my health.  I am sick.  I am poisoning my body with food.  I am experiencing pain in my knees and become winded upon walking up a flight of stairs. I experience extreme fatigue and lack of energy.  I have frequent headaches and sinus infections.  I have started to experience acid reflux issues and have even been woken up in the night because of this.  I am snoring and snoring LOUDLY, which may be impacting my sleep cycles. 

The bottom line is, I am the mother of an active 5 year old boy who needs his mom to be healthy.  I became vegetarian last year but that meant I increased my consumption of dairy products significantly.  After discussion with others and research, I am a firm believer in the health benefits and healing components of a plant based diet. 

My blog will document my journey to becoming a vegan.  I will share recipes, ideas, struggles, and successes as I change my life.  I will also explore the importance of the anti-cruelty movement and protection of all animals.

Please read the following article which gives a little information about someone who already made this transition and turned their health around:

Making the switch to Vegan