*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.

[Guest_1055]

The food I have eaten today was 1 bowl of fresh cherries. And some scrambled tofu and vegetables.

Birdy ( if you happen to be reading and don’t feel pressured to reply or anything. All good) Thanks again for inspiring me with the tofu. To make yours I would need to make some sweet Chili sauce from scratch or find one that has no refined sugar in it. Anyway this scramble was so yummy the one I made. So I am pretty sure I would love your dish. My one had firm tofu which I grated then added ground cumin, ground coriander and tamari to it. Then stir fried it with a little water along with red onion, mushroom, grated carrot, broccoli and peas. Then towards the end added shredded spinach and a few cherry tomatoes. Oh my gosh, super yummy. Cannot take credit for the recipe though.

And no junk food today yah. Day 6 without junk

[Ggrand]

Hello Shelly and Birdy,

Ive been reading along and want to say that I am no cook, and not a vegan, or vegetarian, I’m sorry...but I really hope that’s it’s still okay to pop in from time to time...I will give some of your recipes a try when I get back home...but some of the things you have mentioned I haven’t really heard of..or if I have I have forgotten....

Kind and caring thoughts..

Grandy👼..

[Birdy77]

Dear Shell,

I'm so pleased you enjoyed the tofu, your scramble sounds absolutely delicious.

I'm not sure how this fits in with your whole-food diet, but Nutritional Yeast (aka savoury yeast flakes) are an awesome addition to plant-based recipes that adds a boost of different vitamin b including b12 and adds a cheesy flavour to dishes.

With the chilli sauce you could make your own with chilli flakes and maple syrup, ginger, garlic ... and coconut aminos or soy sauce?

Hi Grandy,

If you are inspired by any of these recipes to cook something without putting animals in the recipe, then I will be so happy!

I hope you find some inspiration from Shelley's cooking or from mine or anyone else who posts.

The more recipes used without harming animals, the better and more gentle this world will be.

🌻birdy

[Guest_1055]

Ooh Thankyou for the chilli sauce idea Birdy. I can definitely do that.

As to the nutritional yeast, yeah I use that. I have a large glass jar of it along side other jars of ingredients. These jars are all lined up on a shelf in a open pantry. Love just staring up at the jars all lined up.

Hope you are okay Birdy. I did read some in a thread of yours, to get to know you a bit more.

You would properly like looking at these cute little piglets asleep amongst the grass and mud. The grass and mud was under a large shady tree near the train station. There is a small rural farm. Anyway I drop someone off at the station sometimes. And noticed them there. So so cute.

[Guest_1055]

Awe Karen you are welcome anytime. Pop in whenever you want. And you don’t have to eat only vegan or vegetarian.

Healthy eating means different things to different people. I just happen to choose to eat whole food plants because I am healing my body and it was suggested to me that this way would benefit me the most.

It was also suggested to me personally to keep some kind of food diary and place myself accountable to others.

I also come from a history of binge and junk food comfort eating. And addictions to sugar big time. So I guess this thread is for those people who may be struggling with that also. And any other food or eating related issues.

So yeah pop in whenever you would like Karen.

[Guest_1055]

PS.. Grandy I guess it is a place to share recipe ideas as well.

Birdy I did respond to your post, hopefully it will post through soon.

Also I hate a desire to eat chocolate. It was on the way home from dropping someone off at the station. I realised this desire was from old habits that I used to do. Whenever I dropped this person off I would buy McDonald’s, take away or chocolate and scoff it down. Tonight though as my car got closer to the service station which happens to sell so much stuff. I talk to myself in the car and said “ what is the benefit I will get if I buy and eat the chocolate”. So I thought it will taste like heaven itself, very yummy. Yummy for 10 minutes or so. Then thought about the benefits I would receive if I chose not to buy and chomp on it. I would save money, I will not feel sick, I won’t put on weight. It’s healing my body better without it. Maybe there is more. Anyway this strategy worked. I did not buy or eat any.

[Birdy77]

Dear Shell,

You are right, I would love those little piglets. I would want to go sit under that big tree with them and play with them, let my doggies frolic around with them. Thank you for sharing that image.

I also have copious numbers of glass jars full of things, sunflower seeds, pepitas, almonds, quinoa, cashews, hemp flour / seeds, nooch (nutritional yeast) ... I love the look of them, so wholesome!

I hope you can make a yummy sweet chilli sauce, and try that recipe for spring rolls / pad thai / san choi bow that I gave you.

Thank you for reading some of my thread. I actually talk a lot more on other people's threads, Thank my own. But thank you.

I picked some roquette from the vege patch, put it in the food processor with some nooch, garlic, toasted pine nuts, olive oil, pinch of salt - will mix this pesto with some cooked pasta, potatoes and fresh green beans for lunch. Yum.

Wishing you a healthy, inspiring day.

🌻birdy

[Guest_1055]

How you going there Birdy? No I have not made the Chili dip or the tofu either. I am sorry. I am eating mostly raw foods at the moment.

And yeah glass jars look awesome hey?

[Birdy77]

Dear Shell,

It's ok, when you feel it, you will try the recipe and: It Will Be Awesome.

But don't guilt yourself about not doing it yet.

There is no hurry!

Enjoy your beautiful raw foods - how nourishing and gorgeous.

I have ripening goodness in the veggie patch right now, like eggplants,zucchini, tomatoes, roquette ... so I made a very easy and very delish grilled veggie stack. I grilled slices of mushroom, zucchini, eggplant, and then stavked them on a bed of roquette (or rocket, whatevs), with crumbled vegan fetta (and drizzled with a dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pinch of sugar and Italian herbs). Hemp Seeds sprinkled over the top.

So. Good. My partner said she thought she was at a vegan restaurant. And would have paid 30 bucks for it. I said she still could pay me that.

Tonight I made a scrummy Thai Green Curry full of plants, on a bed of rice.

How are you going Shell?

🌻birdy

[Guest_1055]

Are you actually a chef then Birdy? The meal you made with the grilled veggies sounds colourful. And growing your own veggies, that’s great. I would like to do that. Currently I have some herbs growing. Sage, thyme, chives and a wild looking oregano. The oregano needs a prune I think.

I have been making a few fresh juices and smoothies at the moment. I finally bought a vitamix, after waiting many years for one.

And I have yet to try hemp seeds, but I have heard they are pretty good. And I would like to have a go at hemp milk. Well actually I would like to make a few different milks. 

Yes I was eating raw foods mainly after a fast.  I went on a 4 day water fast at the beginning of the year. Have you done one of these at all. So yeah just easing back to eating some more cooked now.

My lunch was very simple today. It was cos lettuce, grated carrot, grape tomatoes, tiny bit of grated purple cabbage, quinoa and a dollop of cashew sour cream. To drink ( which I had just after going to the gym and before lunch ) was beetroot, frozen strawberries and chilled hibiscus tea smoothie 

And yes that meal you made is properly what you would pay in a resturant. It sounds a bit like a ratatouille do you think? Eggplant is a newish veggie for me. I have only eating it a cou