*Trigger warning* Eating for Health and Wellness

[Guest_1055]

I have been struggling eating and eating healthy foods over the last couple of weeks. I really do not want to go back further to how I use to eat, that is eating junk food, takeaways, copious amounts of chocolate, processed junk and comfort eating.

Finding it challenging to stay motivated to actually prepare what I know helps me feel better mentally, emotionally and physically. Plus I have been feeling overwhelmed with other stuff happening in my life, which somehow makes it more challenging. The old unhealthy comfort eating thing is coming back. And I think I am getting concerned and scared about that. I so much do not want to go back to how I use to be. I was so sick. Plus I now have some physical things not right in my body , so I need to be more careful and mindful of what I eat. ( Pre cancer cells , high blood pressure )

I was eating really well since Febuary of this year, it’s just the last couple of weeks I haven’t.

So I would like to use this thread to help me be accountable to Beyond Blue people. So like a diary where I can post and report what I eat. And also any healthy eating tips, motivating strategies to help eat better or anything related to healthy eating for our bodies including our mental health.

[Birdy77]

Whoops.

Pepstar = pepitas

Thank you (not) autocorrect.

[Guest_1055]

Hello Birdy, oh gosh your salad does sound yummy. I like adding pumpkin seeds to salads as well. Gives it a bit of a slight crunch. Yum-o!

How long have you been eating vegan food? Do you notice any changes for the better within yourself, like clearer thoughts and a calmness?

And yes I was inspired by your post. It is nice to find someone on Beyond Blue that eats pretty much the same way. And also I feel like I want to munch on your salad. It sounds so colourful and crispy. I am imagining quite a lot of pretty purple happening.

😀

[Guest_1055]

The rest of day I ate 1 small bag of twisties, some more sultanas, 1/2 toasted wholemeal Lebanese bread with tomato, spinach and cashew cheese.

And hubby brought in a loaf of that cinnamon raisin bread from Bakers Delight, thinly sliced. I ate 4 slices of that.

So twisties a major flop and raisin bread full of refined sugars and white flour another flop for me.

I have hope tomorrow will be better. No junk

[Birdy77]

Hello Shelley anne,

Here is a recipe I hope you might like.

Overnight I have had some tofu marinating ready for awesomeness. So: last night in a casserole dish I mixed some sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce and liquid coconut aminos (maybe 1/4 cup each or a bit less?). Then I blitzed 2 onions and I block of tofu in the food processor (to like a "minced" consistency) and mixed that through the sauce. Popped the casserole lid on, and into the fridge.

This morning I am going to put that in the wok (or pan), add crushed peanuts and maybe some corn kernels and cook it until it feels right (maybe 10 minutes).

Then I'm going to put spoonfuls of that mix on rice paper, top each with some julienned carrot and cucumber (or zucchini) and some mint & roll them up into fresh rice paper rolls (spring rolls). Yummy dipped in sweet chilli sauce or on it's own.

I hope you have a yummy and healthy day 😊

🌻birdy

P.S. I've been vegan for only a few years - best decision I ever made. I feel clean and free in my spirit knowing no animals were exploited for my food (I'm vegan for the animals) , but my body does definitely thank me too. Happy Saturday to you Shelley anne 😊

[Birdy77]

It's ok Shelley anne, today is a new day. Forgive yourself for a few blips yesterday. Start afresh today. And it's ok if there are blips again today, be gentle with yourself, you're doing well.

That tofu thing I mentioned above is also really yummy spooned onto a lettuce leaf or silverbeet leaf and wrapped into a little parcel and gobbled down. Or cooked with chopped carrot and stirred through rice-noodles to make vegan pad-thai.

Wishing you a healthy and happy day 😊

🌻birdy

[Guest_1055]

Thanks Birdy for your response. I will write again when I am able. Feel quite physically sick. Ate junk food yesterday. It does this to me.

[Guest_1055]

The tofu marinated and cooked that way sounds yum. I have eaten tofu a couple times. Once in a frittata. But I was not keen on it. The thing is that was at beginning when my taste buds were not changed. So yeah I might try it again , because my tastes have changed dramically. I will you know if I make it. It does sound pretty good and fun to eat. Thanks for the inspiration

[Guest_1055]

Most of today I have just been feeling sickish.

Might be detoxing from the junk.

However I made a chocolate milk shake to help with choc cravings. It was made on chilled soy milk, cacao, coconut sugar, vanilla, baby spinach and avocado plus crushed ice.

Also just been snacking on fresh fruit. Cherries, plums, apricots and lots of water.

no junk or processed foods today.

[Birdy77]

Dear Shelley anne,

I hope you are feeling a bit better today, your choc smoothie sounded yummy and healthy, it must have felt good going to bed last night knowing you hadn't eaten junk.

I know what you mean about taste buds changing. I had also never been a fan of tofu until I learned how to prepare it well. Pressing the excess water out, marinating it or flavouring it well makes such a difference. I make ricotta from it, baked cheeses, tofu scramble, quiches/frittatas. Baked tofu (well marinated) is awesome to slice and put on top of salads and in sandwiches.

With the snacking on junk food, when I find myself getting into habits like that, even if I don't feel like it at the time, I will make a batch of hummous or beetroot dip (or both) and cut up lots of carrot sticks, cucumber lengths, maybe make a flatbread and cut it into wedges and just have all that prepared in boxes in the fridge and whenever I feel the urge to snack, dig in to those, I know I'm filling a hole and it's with healthy fresh food, not junk. In fact you've inspired me and I'm going to do that this morning, because I've been reaching for the corn chips a bit too often recently. Thanks Shelley anne!

🌻birdy

[Guest_1055]

Oh wow you do a lot of different things with the tofu there Birdy. The way you have worded all that makes me want to go out and buy some. Then experiment myself. I do have a recipe for a tofu scramble it looks a bit like scrambled eggs. So what brand of tofu do you use for that first dish you mentioned ? And also the Chili sauce.

Yes that is a good idea to have food in the fridge to snack on when we need to. The thing with me is sometimes I can get a bit sad, if I do not deal with that then it somehow develops into this giant snowball and I find myself overwhelmed with emotion. Then all logic seems to vanish . This last binge... this is what happened. Fell into extremely destructive food habits. But if I have some backup healthy foods already made then I can just dip into those. ( do not need to think much, because it is already there).

The hummus and veg idea of yours does sound good. That may cover the cravings for salty and crunch things.( think twisties or maybe the corn chips) I am going to make some chocolate bliss balls as soon as I am able. These keep well in the freezer. I need to keep a stash ready. I have not made any for a while.

You have awaken this adventurous spirit within me again in regards to the tofu. As I do like to experiment with different things in life , healthy food being one of them.

Have a good day Birdy.

Shell