Week 4 March Makeover 28-Day Challenge

Week Four (March 21 - March 28)

We're at the home stretch. Now that you've locked in a new healthy lifestyle doing the Challenge, what do you do when you’re on vacation and eating out? Good news! Over the last 10 years, I’ve seen lots of changes in restaurant menus that accommodate vegan diets.

Besides avoiding fast food, here are 10 Survival Tips to make eating out work for your Healthy Lifestyle:

1. Plan ahead. Where will you be eating? Consider what meal options are available.
2. Go online and explore the menu to discover possible selections. Look for a section of healthier choices.
3. Ask for smaller portions. Restaurant portions are typically too large.
4. Split your order. Share with a friend or spouse or take half home for another meal.
5. For a lighter meal, check out the appetizers. I find many a yummy, healthy meal in the appetizer section. Warning! That's where all the fried stuff can be, so be wise.
6. Order toppings and dressings on the side. Most dressings have added sugar, so drizzle on sparingly.
7. Don't be afraid to make special requests. Keep them simple. At a 5-star restaurant I asked the waiter to have the chef lightly steam whatever veggies they had. They brought me a huge plate of lovely, assorted veggies.
8. Tell the waiter to nix the bread or just take one piece and have the rest removed from the table. Remember! Bread is like sugar, especially white bread, and it ends up around your middle in the long run.
9. If you've eaten healthy for the day (sticking to plant-based, non-processed foods) then don't fret too much over your meal out. It's not the amount of calories you consume, but the KIND of calories that matter. All calories are not equal.
10. Limit any alcohol to one drink. It's empty calories and tends to increase your appetite.

It's not the amount of calories you consume, but the KIND of calories that matter.

For vacations and other occasions, bring your own food:

• Bring homemade Trail Mix and healthy plant-based meal bars (e.g. Epic, GoMacro, Amazing Grass) on trips.
• For potlucks, bring a dish that fits your eating needs so you have at least one thing you can eat.
• Eat something before going to events so you’re not hungry. You can pick and choose appetizers and plate items that fit your diet.

Do a search for vegan restaurants in your area. You may be surprised to find a few you never knew existed. Then go out and support them.

This is the last step in the March Makeover 28-Day Challenge. If you stuck with the plan, CONGRATULATIONS! If you did this Challenge to make health changes (heal a chronic disease or lower your cholesterol or blood pressure), you might want to make an appointment with your doctor and have your "numbers" checked. The results could make your doctor a believer—Food is Medicine. 

For further reading and education, you might want to pick up Dr. Greger's book How Not To Die and his cookbook by the same name. Also, watch movies and videos on the subject on NetFlicks, Amazon Prime Video and iTunes. Watch movies like Eating You Alive, Plant Pure Nation, Chow Down and if you have not seen it, the classic Forks One Knives.

And with that, I hereby claim you are now plant-based certified. Go and spread the word.

Tell me what did you find most difficult during the challenge and what did you find was easy?

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Mexican Salad with Coriander & Macadamias

A dear friend made this salad for dinner during a stay with them in Costa Mesa, California recently. This was one of three raw salads that was our dinner. Yum! This girl leapt for joy! We planned on hiking the beach from Corona del Mar to Crystal Cove at low tide in the morning.

We traversed rocky terrain, scaled big rocks and even crawled through a hole in one spot to continue forward on our trek. Had we embarked any later, the rising tide would forbid our passage.

Absent any other people, we enjoyed our shore stroll until the last rock scramble brought us to a wide, flat beach where other explorers romped in the bright sun. We reached Crystal Cove just in time to get on the lengthy wait list for lunch at the popular Beachcomber Cafe.

I ordered the delicious Ahi Tuna Salad: sesame crusted Ahi, mixed greens, avocado, mango and radish with passion fruit vinaigrette.

Mexican Salad with Coriander & Macadamias

from Kemi's Raw Kitchen

yield 2-4 servings

category Salad

cuisine Vegan

ingredients

1 fresh corn on the cob

1 C cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 C diced red bell pepper

1 avocado, diced

1 Tbsp finely chopped red onion

1/2 C roughly chopped macadamia nuts

Large handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Juice of half a lime

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/8 habanero chili, deseeded and finely chopped

Pinch of sea salt

directions

1. Shuck and clean the corn then slice off kernals and add to large bowl. Add tomatoes, peppers, avocado, onion, nuts and coriander. Mix ingredients.

2. Whisk together olive oil. lime juice, garlic, chili and salt in a small bowl.

3. Drizzle oil mixture onto salad. Toss and serve.

We love exploring new places. When was the last time you went somewhere new? Did you find a great restaurant to top-off your day?

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Attitude: Vacation Revisited

Probably the most enjoyed vacation we've taken lately was back in 2011 when we toured the Southwest National Parks and surrounding sights with friends. I thought you might like to revisit the trip or perhaps you're seeing the post for the first time. You may discover some places you'd like to visit with your family. Come on... let's go!

Photo by Mike Eisenhard

Places To Go ~ Things We Saw
Starting with Zion National Park in Southwest Utah, the neat and upscale town of Springdale invites travelers to the entrance of this majestic, wow-factor, geologic wonder—my favorite park on the trip. A convenient shuttle runs through town and delivers you to the park entrance and visitor center. Boarding a double shuttle, we could disembark at any stop in the park.

Our first morning, we chose to hike the Watchman Trail. We made our way up a short canyon passing colorful displays of wildflowers to an overlook with a panoramic view of the valley below and the Watchman Peak standing at Zion's entrance.

Photo by Mike Eisenhard

From Zion, we drove to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. We took a walk out to Bright Angel Point, the Southern-most point of the Kaibab Plateau, a short walk from the lodge. As soon as I came along side the railing with a 3,000+ drop, my legs went wobbly, I started sweating, my gut began to churn and I could not look out at the expansive scene. Yes, I have a fear of heights.

Fear of heights did not keep me from hiking down the Kaibab Trail into the canyon one morning. Unfortunately, we hiked behind the morning mule train to the Supai Tunnel.

Yes... we skirted a river of mule pee. Sheesh... what a ghastly, strong smell. My husband remarked that it smelled like strong cat pee, except cats pee ounces and mules pee gallons. Of course, there was also the mounds of poop to avoid.

The views were all worth the bother of a bit of animal excrement.

Next stop, Antelope Canyon adjacent to Lake Powell in north Arizona in the Navajo Nation. This was my "had to see before I die" (aka Bucket List item) spot. It's the most photographed location in the Southwest. Can you see why?

This amazing slot canyon was discovered in the 70's by a Navajo girl tending her sheep. At many points in the canyon we had to walk toe-to-heel and maneuver our bodies to fit through.

Photo by Mike Eisenhard

It's the weirdest experience. The Navajo guide led us to a crack in the earth and started walking into it until he disappeared.

Photo by Mike Eisenhard

We encountered a series of metal stairs that led us deeper into the canyon. More stairs exist along the tour, some no wider than the width of my foot.

We visited Bryce Canyon National Park next. Unlike Zion, Bryce is not really a canyon, but rather a bowl containing eroded sandstone formations of reddish to white color.

Also, unlike Zion, the road through the park is outside the geologic area of interest. Park roads provide access to viewing spots where you can see the bowl or amphitheater of formations.

Sego Lily at Kodachrome Basin

We also visited Kodachrome Basin State Park, a short drive down the most scenic highway in the US—Highway 12. We drove as far as Boulder on Hwy 12 and discovered Hell's Backbone Grill. Boulder, population 180, is said to be one of the most remote towns in the US, so finding this gem in the middle of nowhere was kismet. They prepared a dish just for me to accommodate my diet. Check out the cookbook the proprietor/chefs authored, which highlights their creations.

"Kitchen" in our cabin at North Rim Grand Canyon

Food On The Trip
Speaking of my diet, we planned carefully for this trip to ensure I would have food to eat. We bought a Koolatron 26-quart electric cooler complete with plug for the car and added a 110AC adapter for power in the hotel/cabin. The cooler is very quiet and very effective. I packed a container with a pre-made veggie salad (it lasts three days). I brought beans and feta cheese to make my daily lunch salad—yum. Added the whole veggies stored in green bags (see Keep Your Vegetables and Fruit Fresher Longer) to the cooler and away we went.

I cut more veggies when needed and expected to add some from locations on the road (a risky assumption). Turns out the veggies lasted the whole trip. Used the last carrot on the last night during the return trip home.

We brought Trader Joe's Organic Instant Oatmeal for breakfast and added a handful of the organic/raw trail mix I made for the trip. Also brought along our Proctor Silex water boiler (it's awesome), coffee press and Mighty Leaf loose tea that Bob used to make green tea every morning.

Friends on the trip with us marveled at how self-contained we were.

We had healthy food options everywhere except at Bryce. In that location the Syrett family "own" the area outside the entrance to Bryce Canyon. It consists of lodging, campgrounds, services, one restaurant with huge buffet (gag me!) and one fast-food place. Everything is institutionalized. Order a pancake and you got butter and syrup in little sealed containers. They had almost nothing for me to eat, but I got by with a potato, carrot, zucchini, onion and sun-dried tomato stir fry they prepared for me. It was tasty, but overcooked for my liking. I also took my chances with a veggie burger they had. I used a piece of whole grain bread that we bought in Bishop at Schat's Bakkery to replace the white bun it came on.

Globemallow

We enjoyed every minute of the trip. Colorful wildflowers gracing the landscape, singing birds, rich colors of rock rising to the heavens and breathtaking scenery stretching to the horizon.

With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the 

animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please. ~Jeremiah 27:5

It's really hard to come back. I especially enjoyed being unplugged. For a serious recharge, I recommend a clean break from the noise of email, phone, blogs, twitter, etc. It feels great!

When was the last time you unplugged? And for how long did you unplug? Scroll down and leave a comment below.

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Attitude: Vacation Wrap-Up

Photo by Mike Eisenhard

Back from a refreshing break in three national parks, I'm diving in slowly, but I first want to give you a peek at our awesome trip.

Places To Go ~ Things We Saw
Starting with Zion National Park in Southwest Utah, the neat and upscale town of Springdale invites travelers to the entrance of this majestic, wow-factor, geologic wonder—my favorite park on the trip. A convenient shuttle runs through town and delivers you to the park entrance and visitor center. Boarding a double shuttle, we could disembark at any stop in the park.

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Attitude: I'm On Vacation!

NPS Photo

In keeping with a healthy attitude—part of the roots of optimum wellness—we are going on vacation to rest, relax and recuperate, as in charge up our jet packs for the next round. It has been a bit overwhelming in our lives lately and we've planned this trip since late last summer when my hubby got reservations at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer. ~Leonardo DaVinci

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Eating Healthy While Traveling

When you travel and find yourself having to eat in restaurants, here are some tips on how to eat healthy.

1. Don't be afraid to ask for food not on the menu. At one fine restaurant, I asked the waiter to steam whatever vegetables they had in the kitchen and bring it out.
2. If you choose beef, the usual vegetable accompaniment is potato. Ask to substitute another healthier choice.
3. Look for healthier choices on the menu. Many restaurants are now offering lighter, healthier fare. Take advantage of it.

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