We DID IT!

It has been 21 days.. and the cleanse is officially over! YEAH! I stayed up until midnight and a couple of loaves of freshly baked bread came out of the oven at about 11:45 pm. And then I waited to partake! YUM! Freshly baked bread has never tasted so good. Although... it has NEVER filled me like it did last night. I had 1 1/2 pieces and didn't know if I could fall asleep feeling so completely full. I am happy that the cleanse is over...although now I need to decide the lessons I have learned from this experience and how it is going to help me in the future.

The Coast is Clear...

Yes we made it through the final weekend. Hopefully the majority of the temptations are in the past. I have never before realized how anything fun in life has a total and complete link to food, lots of it and lots of unhealthy versions of it! Yes my eyes are open to that very obvious fact. So with the last weekend (yes being that most fun- meaning food related activities- in life happens on weekend) the MAJOR temptations should be in the past. Except for the fact that we brought home a nice sized tupperware full of treats from Brandon's brothers farewell party and yes they are sitting on our kitchen counter at the moment.

Three days and counting.......

The Cleanse Continues

After a couple of rough days last week, sis and I almost called it quits on Thursday night. It seemed like a good time to throw in the towel... because we could then go crazy over the weekend. But we prevailed and have made it through the last weekend of the cleanse. Wh-hoo. Only 3 more days left. I seriously CAN NOT believe we have almost done it.

Here's what I ate today:
cantaloupe and grapes
TJ's fiber tortilla chips with green salsa
barley, rice, nut pilaf (uh, YUCK)
grilled squash, red onion, green pepper shishkabobs
more green salsa and chips
oat granola with rice milk

The ideas are definitely gone and I am existing on what is in my house that I can make into something edible. I have a bunch of soy yogurt, granola, rice cakes etc. that I will eat during the next couple of days, and then FREEDOM.

Sun Dried Tomato Artichoke Tofu

Sun Dried Tomato Artichoke Tofu

Ingredients:
Sliced tofu
2 T. olive oil
1 pkg dry French onion soup mix
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
1 jar (6oz) marinated artichoke hearts, undrained

Preheat oven to 350.
Place slices of tofu in large baking dish.
Combine remaining ingredients and pour over tofu.
Bake for 30 minutes.

Touch and go...

It had been touch and go for a while this weekend. So many temptations.... I didn't know if I was going to make...but I did. I am glad that I made it. Sunday was difficult as I made dinner for Mom, Dad, Ben, Danielle and family. I made Sun Dried Tomato Artichoke Chicken (with a slice of tofu for Brandon Mom & I), rice (for me), pasta & sauce for everyone else, garlic green beans, homemade wheat bread (difficult to resist), cantaloupe (delicious!), cookies and brownies.

I went to Trader Joe's on Monday to stock up on few new additions. For dinner on Monday we had Christie's tostadas. They were very good. But Monday night I went to bed feeling hungry with nothing to satisfy my sweet craving.

Today has been easier. Not as many temptations around. I had oatmeal with blueberries for breakfast. For lunch I tried some TJ vegetable tofu sushi but decided I am not a fan.

Dear Sister

You should know that if I was doing this cleanse alone, it would have ended about 11 days ago. Every time it occurs to me that I want to eat something on the CAN'T list, I think of you....and how you are suffering and abstaining as well. And then I walk away from the temptation. I honestly can't believe I'm still in this. But I'm so glad I am.

Disappointment

I bought what I thought were vegan wheat free blueberry waffles. As they popped out of the toaster this morning they smelled TOO good. I checked the ingredients list.... and then handed my precious waffles to my children for their consumption. Oatmeal again? Oh well.