tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7659767437239438982024-03-05T02:17:31.438-05:00Treehugging RedheadHealthy living, one baby step at a time.That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-85059665139290361312012-06-28T14:52:00.003-04:002012-07-02T15:40:11.751-04:00Better 2 years late than never!
So...yeah. I haven't posted in almost two years. But, let me tell you, some stuff has happened, and I had to redirect my energies elsewhere.
The last time we were together, I was getting all healthy and being all vegan and feeling pretty awesome. So, of course, my body said, "Hey, this is the PERFECT time to have a baby!" And I got knocked up. Historically, getting knocked up has That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-42779766231491078672010-09-07T14:53:00.000-04:002010-09-07T14:53:20.432-04:00Tons of food reviews and some soapboxingHello everyone! I had yesterday off work and it was so nice to spend some extra time with my guys.
I picked up a few new things to try and made some new recipes this weekend. On Friday I roasted some carrots and made crispy kale--kale brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper, and then baked in the oven for about...well, I think it was ten minutes. I gave my That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-73133582445314809102010-09-03T16:20:00.000-04:002010-09-03T16:20:44.204-04:00Vegan CakeWell, the big 3 - 0 is coming up next week and I am searching for a vegan cake. For the past several years, since I stopped eating dairy, I've made my own cake, but I would really like to not have to this year. (Plus, I'm tired of my only vegan cake recipe...I need to get Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and try out some new recipes.)
I've been searching and so far I have That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-54998454517017276582010-08-30T16:08:00.000-04:002010-08-30T16:08:14.028-04:00My sweet husbandAs many of you know by now, my husband is not big on the vegan food. (Or, as he calls it, "weird food.") However, we had a date night on Friday and he surprised me by taking me to a new vegetarian restaurant called Treehugger's Cafe. (I know, they totally stole my name.) He proudly informed me that he "prepared" by eating a big lunch, just in case they didn't have anythingThat Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-87110541973305326852010-08-27T15:18:00.000-04:002010-08-27T15:18:36.334-04:00Back on the CrackOh, dear. I have fallen off the wagon big-time. I did such a great job during my 30-day challenge, felt great, lost some weight....but once those 30 days were up I fell right back into my old habits. I have been totally overboard on the sugar. I've been really stressed out with work and starting school and have been hitting the sugar like crazy.
It's actually so bad that That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-10333557885053466092010-08-25T13:17:00.000-04:002010-08-25T13:17:00.478-04:00Eucalyptus Oil: Not For SissiesMy previous experiences with essential oils have been to study them whilst at the health food store, sniff several, ponder if I should purchase any, and then eventually put them back and go on my merry way. I have a list of several that I know I would use, but let me tell you, the sticker shock on the lavender oil is pretty severe.
However, I've been dealing with this sinus-y That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-63889518109212087682010-08-23T15:34:00.000-04:002010-08-23T15:34:03.866-04:00Product review timeSeveral weeks ago I posted about ordering new personal care products from Aubrey Organics, and I wanted to hold off on reviewing them until I could see what they did for my skin over time. Well, let me tell you, I can say without a doubt that they are awesome.
A little background...most treehugging redheads are fair with sensitive skin, and I am no exception. I have a mild case of That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-74933179114954275562010-08-19T13:32:00.000-04:002010-08-19T13:32:26.240-04:00Tofurkey: Thy name is NEMESIS!Last week I blogged about how much I love Tofurkey...yeah, not so much anymore. It seems that while I love Tofurkey, Tummy down there does not and has been punishing me quite soundly. Tummy doesn't seem to like a lot of things and lets me know about it, quite rudely, I might add. Among Tofurkey, Tummy hates: orange juice, peanuts (well, really any nut that isn't an almond), That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-35516237031782810562010-08-16T13:03:00.000-04:002010-08-16T13:03:24.365-04:00Pancakes!I am not a breakfast-food person. My normal breakfast through the week is raw almonds and raisins eaten at my desk (or, if traffic is really bad, in the car), and sometimes oatmeal in the winter (also eaten at my desk out of a cup). On the weekends I'll have some toast or fruit. A lot of traditional breakfast food is heavy on the dairy and eggs, and would always&That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-2841264007618377172010-08-12T15:34:00.000-04:002010-08-12T15:34:34.947-04:00Tofurkey: The Other White MeatTo be honest, I have been afraid of trying Tofurkey. I used to eat the Yves faux-lunchmeat when I was a vegetarian, many moons ago, but it wasn't very good so I had to hide the taste with Miracle Whip and lettuce. However, sandwiches are really easy for me to make and keep me from visiting Marvin behind the grill in my cafeteria at work, so I gave in and grabbed some of the oven That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-16587285193385051122010-08-09T16:22:00.000-04:002010-08-09T16:22:21.211-04:00The 10th thing I've learned...Last week I talked about the things I learned from doing my no-sugar challenge, and some of them were no-brainers. However, the one thing that the challenge made me realize was that:
10. I really want to become a vegan.
After reading delicious vegan blogs and lurking on The Kind Life forums and doing more reading and doing a lot of thinking, I know that living a vegan lifestyle is a goal That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-66381177679438357282010-08-04T11:28:00.030-04:002010-08-04T11:54:42.893-04:00Day 30: What I've learnedToday is the 30th and final day of my no sugar challenge. I am proud to say that I only cheated once...and I learned a lot about myself, my eating habits, and what I want to do for the future.
Here's a list of the things I've learned:
1. Most processed food has (processed, cane) sugar in it. Even if it's vegan, even if it's labeled as "healthy"--it probably has sugar in it. This That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-953595091844965962010-08-03T16:57:00.000-04:002010-08-03T16:57:17.709-04:00Day 29: Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater...Yes, it is true. I cheated. Not with soy ice cream, or vegan buckeye bliss bars...but with lemonade. Yes, lemonade.
Let me explain myself. Over the weekend we went to Cedar Point, and it was hot. And sunny. And as a redhead, I don't do hot and sunny very well. And while the restaurant we were at had a halfway decent salad bar (ugh, iceberg lettuce), I That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-92219483384821155292010-07-30T13:04:00.000-04:002010-07-30T13:04:53.343-04:00Day 25: AmazonNo, not the Amazon, amazon.com. I hopped on amazon.com to see how much their maple sugar is since I can't find it around here (verdict: waaay expensivo) and I happened to look down at the bottom of the page, the section that says, "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought." I started cracking up, because the items were things like umeboshi plums, kukicha tea, shoyu sauce, and, of That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-80141281549358041812010-07-29T12:38:00.000-04:002010-07-29T12:38:27.334-04:00Day 24: Smoothies!I am a big ice cream fan. When I had to give up dairy, the first thing I did was find good soy ice cream. However, all frozen desserts seem to have sugar in them, so I've been feeling very deprived. I love the "mouth feel" of ice cream, or soy frozen desserts--cold, rich, creamy, perfect for hot weather. Summer used to equal evening trips to Dairy Queen.
Last week I That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-14348075642314909102010-07-28T16:28:00.000-04:002010-07-28T16:28:49.980-04:00Day 23: Home stretchI only have a week left of my sugar-free challenge! When I started this, I thought I'd be dying for soy ice cream or something else super sweet. I saw that soy ice cream buried in the back of my freezer last night, and I wasn't even tempted. I thought I'd be desperately counting the days until the end...but I'm not!
I have been feeling pretty good so far this week. That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-19079397233432738192010-07-26T15:10:00.000-04:002010-07-26T15:10:12.962-04:00Day 21: Still truckin'Hello, Day 21! I was having a rough time this weekend...weekends are extra hard for my no-sugarness, probably because I don't have the structure of my workday to help me along. I told my husband that I was "sick of this no sugar thing!" to which he replied, "Well, you don't have to keep doing it." However, I'm exceptionally stubborn, as my entire family will attest to, so I That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-83413112783222479152010-07-23T15:26:00.000-04:002010-07-23T15:26:31.246-04:00Day 18: Freaky fake cheeseI tried Daiya faux cheese the other night, and let me tell you, it is JUST like real moocow cheese. It smells the same, looks the same, melts the same, and even stretches the same. I thought it would be super exciting to eat something so close to cheese, but to be honest, it freaked me out! Me, who used to eat melted-cheese-in-a-bowl....totally freaked out by fake cheese That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-91772047051825405012010-07-21T15:16:00.000-04:002010-07-21T15:16:58.030-04:00Day 16: EnnuiSigh. I have a case of ennui...I am having a hard time sitting behind a desk indoors all day. I've been missing my little guy, wanting to be home cooking and cleaning and taking care of my family. My job is so slow right now, but somehow more stressful...I love being busy and having things to do.
Aaanyway...not much new to report on the food front. Tonight I'm hoping to That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-90169542494632719172010-07-20T15:53:00.000-04:002010-07-20T15:53:40.158-04:00Day 15: Really? Halfway through?I can't believe I'm halfway through! Wow! Last night my husband informed me that my no sugar-ing is harder on him than it is on me. *rolling eyes* However, I can't complain because he has been super supportive and tells me how great I'm doing all the time.
Last night we went to the rec center and I did the elliptical for...wait for it....15 minutes. Yeah, not a That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-56746346191142929472010-07-19T15:39:00.000-04:002010-07-19T15:39:53.441-04:00Day 14: Cooking mania!Hello everyone! I couldn't even remember what day I was on so I had to count on my calendar. I am feeling great! I am especially pumped because I lost 3 pounds last week...which, estimating with my ghetto scale, means I've lost approximately 10 pounds over the past 2 weeks. I keep tripping over my pants because they're hanging so much lower now. (My husband would That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-67290225235983961512010-07-16T15:49:00.000-04:002010-07-16T15:49:07.724-04:00Day 11: TGIF!For some reason this has felt like the longest week, even though I had Tuesday off. I had a horrible migraine yesterday and things were just cranky and stressful. But today is Friday, and I get to have date night with my hubby, and tomorrow I get to sleep in and then hit up the farmers market!
I have really been craving ice cream. My husband asked me if I wanted dairy ice creamThat Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-37911985235975815652010-07-15T15:03:00.000-04:002010-07-15T15:03:30.099-04:00Day 10: 1/3 of the way through!Welcome to Day 10, everyone! I must say, I had my doubts on if I'd get this far. I'm feeling pretty good! I feel a lot more steady, and my moods feel a bit more consistent throughout the day. My skin is also looking a little better--usually during my "time of the month" my face has a freakout, but this month it was relatively tame. I'm still having problems with That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-29793804683540855412010-07-14T12:29:00.000-04:002010-07-14T12:29:40.531-04:00Day 9: Sea vegetablesWhenever I think of a sea vegetable, I imagine that crab guy, Sebastian (okay, I had to Wiki the name), from The Little Mermaid tending an underwater garden. (He's wearing a sunhat and gardening gloves over his claws, and maybe wearing a little apron.) I also think of the first (and only) time I tried to eat a sea vegetable. It was my freshman year of college and That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-765976743723943898.post-13836790520187705212010-07-12T15:41:00.000-04:002010-07-12T15:41:19.025-04:00Day 7: The best part of waking up....is burnt rice?I should not be permitted near a stove in the morning. I didn't get around to lunch-making last night because I was too busy destroying Alicia's crispy peanut butter treats recipe, so 6 a.m. found me chopping carrots and cooking rice. "Hey, I'm using a huge knife in before I'm hardly awake! Is this advisable?" I still have all my fingers intact, but I did drop a plate on That Redheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09457659708721041910noreply@blogger.com10