Week 2 - Update and what I ate this week

An interesting week to remember, not without a challenge through.

Week 2 update.

I received PETA Vegan Starter Kit magazine this week. It contains a lot of useful information for a beginner like me, plus some yummy recipes to try out.  

Another exciting event is I baked a vegan cake. I am so happy to discover an easy recipe, thanks to the vegan corner.

My body: overall very well. This week I didn't feel hunger like the first week shortly after my meals. My tummy is calmer this week too. 

Sadly Thursday evening me and my little man got cold. We are on a road to recovery now, but you will see a bit less photos of my meals this week. I usually eat very simple and light when I get unwell. Plus looking after myself and the little buba kept me busy. 

My kitchen: Not much happened, but definitely more vegetables in the fridge and fruits in the basket. I prefer almond milk to soya at the moment. 

My boys: eat as usual. My husband voiced a concern, what will I eat when we will go out. Will be interesting to find out.

What I ate this week.

Breakfast:

Oat porridge with fresh apples

Oat porridge with berries

Oat porridge with fresh raspberries

Oat porridge with raspberries and bananas

Almond milk with crunchy oats, dry and fresh fruits

Bagel with cherry jam and green tea

Lunch:

Potatoes with fenugreek leaves, toasted flat breads and red onions

Courgettes pancakes with green tea 

Red split lentils and garden vegetables soup with wholemeal crackers

Spicy tomato soup with wholemeal crackers

Red kidney beans and potatoes stew with toasted flat bread 

Dinner:

Beans, rice and fresh salad

Aubergine pasta and potatoes salad

Courgettes and green peas fried rice

Courgette vermicelli and fresh salad

Red kidney beans stew, flat bread and gherkins

Snacks:

I had fresh and dry fruits, nuts and crackers for snacks. If at home tea and toast with jam or crunchy peanut butter. But my favourite this week was cup of green tea with a cake.  

Drinks:

I bought new green tea with flower petals. It tastes delicious without any sweetener.

Next step.

I think next step is a smoothie. Do you have a recipe of a simple, full of nutrients and delicious smoothie, leave a comment below.


How was this week for you?
Green Spoonful

Soya facts

Today I tried my first soya milk and I am not sure what to make of it. The taste itself is a bit foreign and strange to me. So I thought to research: what actually soy is, what nutrients it contains, where it came from and of course - is soy good for the health or not?!

According to WWFGlobal soy beans were first cultivated in China 6000 years ago, making them one of the first domesticated food crops. Soy beans are used to feed life stock and in the food production. Most of us don't realise that soy is everywhere in the hidden form. Click on the link above to read more from the WWF Global website.

I looked on the SELFnutritionData website for the soy beans nutrients and now I see why is so popular these days. I cup of soybeans, mature cooked, boiled and without salt (172g) contain 28.6g of Proteing that is 57% of DV (Daily Value). It is rich in vitamin K, B6, Riboflavin, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Manganese and Copper. There are vitamin C, Niacin and Pantothenic Acid, Calcium, Potassium, Zinc and Selenium in soya as well.

I actually like what I see on the nutrients chart, but why there is such a controversy regarding the soya benefits to our health in general?!

According to SOYAtech soy beans are truly a nutritional superpower. Here are few soya benefits from the SOYAtech website:
1. Soya contains Isoflavones and of them - Genistein is believed to have the most potential to prevent or treat certain cancers.

2. They refer to Dr. Anderson's study which found that soy protein intake was associated with a 9.3% reduction in serum cholesterol, a 12.9% reduction in LDL cholesterol and 10.5% reduction in serum Triglycerides. For HDL, the "good" cholesterol, concentrations increased by 2.4%. According to his (Dr. Anderson) study, it is estimated that this serum cholesterol modification has the potential to reduce risk for coronary heart disease by 18-28%

3. Consumption of soy foods may help to maintain and even rebuild bone density and strength, and act as an effective treatment for osteoporosis.


After reading about benefits of soya, I came across few more sources with a complete negative view on the bean. According to Mercola.com there is a dark side of soy. According to the website soya is a risky food because:
1. 91% of soy grown in the US and it is genetically modified. I actually could't find any information on my Soya milk to GM, so how to find out that my milk isn't made from genetically modified soya. I do have a concern here.

2. Soy contains natural toxins known as anti-nutriens. It is fine, if you are eating a small amount of Soy. I did check a lot of food labels this week and I saw a reference to soy in majority of processed food.

3. Along with other negative nutrients soy, according to the source,  has toxic level of aluminium and manganese. I could't see a reference to aluminium in the nutrition chart on the SELFnutritionData, but soya does contain a high amount of manganese. Again, according to the nutrition website it is less than daily value.

According to Mercola.com only fermented soy products such as natto, tempeh and soy sauce are good for our body. Unfermented soy on other hand wreak havoc on the bodies.


What do you have to say about soya?

I will need to read a bit more on soya. A pity I am not a scientist, I would conduct my own research to find out the truth.

On a personal level, I found some information regarding soya bean worrying. The crop takes a lot of land to grow and this affect ecosystems in a bad way. I guess to eat or not to eat soya it is a personal choice, like with everything else you do. But I think it is much harder to say "no" to the soya than to say "no" to the meat.

As well I would like to check my local stores for no GMO soya products. If you know any brands with the reference, please leave a comment below.



Never thought that one ingredient research will leave me that puzzled. Will keep you up to date with my progress as I go.
Green Spoonful

Week 1 - Update and what I ate this week

An amazing first week!

Week 1 update.

My body: is in detox mode since day one. I feel better now, but I don't think that the process is over just yet. It is amazing how much useless stuff our bodies carry. I am glad that my face didn't break out in the process. Puff!

I have noticed that I have more energy to use up during a day and I am getting more aware of my body. I eat when I am hungry and stop when I am full.

I had some salt cravings too. I think this is because I ate much less processed foods this week. All my meals where or freshly cooked or reheated. Only snacks were processed, but I didn't have any biscuits or chocolates this week. I guess my body just adjusting to the changes.   

My kitchen: got many new foods to substitute some items I don't eat any more. Had a busy and fun time researching new things.

My boys: carry on and eat as usual. My husband isn't sure yet what I eat, but he was getting me some yummy things with V sign on them. I am getting a fine share of teasing too, apparently I talk more about food now. I am glad I have this place to pour my thoughts to, don't want to become a food fix person.

What I don't eat: meat, fish, seafood, eggs and dairy.

What I ate this week:

Breakfast:

Oat porridge with fruits and berries (Vegan)

Oat porridge with blueberries (Vegan)

Majority of my breakfasts were oat porridge with fruits and berries. I prefer my oat porridge with a bit of Soya milk to fill me up and a bit of salt. I don't add a sweetener to it, just berries are fine for me. 
My first few days I had it made with water only and just porridge for breakfast wasn't enough for me. I had two toasts with dairy free spread and cup of green tea on top of it. And that is time consuming for mornings before the nursery and work.

Lunch:

Spicy carrot and tomato soup with rice and toasts (Vegan)

Sandwiches made with home made hummus, Cavolo Nero greens, tomatoes and olives (Vegan)

Sandwich with hand made hummus and veggies (Vegan)

Toasts with black cherry jam (Vegan)

I didn't take photos of my work and some of repeat lunches.

Dinner:

Flat breads with spicy vegetables, hummus and red onions (Vegan)

Mung bean sprouts salad with veggies and Cavalo Nero greens (Vegan)

Potatoes in tomato sauce with rice and fresh salad (Vegan)

Pasta with beans and veggies accompanied by fresh salad (Vegan)

Red split lentils soup with veggies with Dhokla (savoury cake made of pulses flour and soy milk), rice and fresh salad.

Fried veggie rice with avocado salad seasoned with Tahini paste, olive oil and lemon juice (Vegan)

Tomato soup with sweet potato cakes and fresh salad with tamarind sauce (Vegan)

My portions size changed a lot this week. I eat much more than I used to. But I am glad that my new way of eating is varied and not boring.

Snacks:

I snacked on fruits, nuts, dry fruits and rice cakes this week. 

Dhokla and Indian chai with soya milk (Vegan)

Fruit salad (Vegan)

Toasts with crunchy peanut butter and green tea (Vegan)

Drinks:

Lot's of green tea, juices and of course water. I didn't like soya milk in my black tea, but it tasted good with the spicy tea.

You might be wondering: I am a Caucasian girl who is married to an Indian boy, so you will find a fusion of both on my plate. I am enjoying my new adventure and looking forward to my week 2.

Next step:

I love baking and would like to make Vegan biscuits or muffins next week. 

How was this week for you?

Green Spoonful

Whole foods haul

My change of diet made me go and look for some alternatives this week. I think the most exciting buys I got from the Whole foods and I though to share.

1. Organic Hemp Protein Powder (300g) for my smoothies. It is rich in protein, iron, calcium, vitamin E and has Omega 3 as well. 

2. Meridian Organic Crunchy Peanut Butter (280g). I tried this before, it is real peanut butter and I love the taste.

3. Meridian Organic Dark Tahini (270g). It is made with 100% seeds and has a bit bitter taste, but it just great for hummus and sauces.

4. St. Dalfour Black Cherry jam (284g). This jam is made from 100% fruit. I love cherry jam and this was a great treat on a toast.

5. Taylors English Breakfast Leaf Tea. Just as a treat. I love good strong tea and after few days of green tea, I needed a bit of richer taste.

6. Last, but not the least Organic Kivi fruits. They are ready to eat and yummy as they should be.

I had a good time browsing at Whole Foods and hope to have some free time to go there again soon.

Where do you buy majority of your vegetarian foods in UK?

Green Spoonful

One day it all changed

I knew that it's only the matter of "when" for me to start this journey. Its all began with my curiosity and bother regarding the toiletries I buy, the ingredients manufactures use to create them and the world behind the making the products. 

It is only natural that this flow of my thoughts rounded up around the food I eat too. Today is the first day of my journey and I am so glad to be brave enough to start it. The hardest for me was to overstep the stigma. I don't want to be judged on what I eat and I really don't want to be labelled with one word or two.

I started this blog to catalogue information I collect on my way. I hope this source will be useful not just for myself, but for you as well. At the moment it is much easier for me to talk to the strangers and share my new world. I hope within few weeks, months I will have enough confidence to share it with more people than my husband.

Before I start I would like to tell you a bit about myself. I am 32, a mother of two year old boy, relatively healthy and not overweight. I don't have any allergies either. 

The decision to become a vegetarian/vegan at the moment bases fully on aversion of "dead" animals, fish and the rest. As well, I heard that people on the plant base diet have a lot of energy to spare. I am in a great need of it. I find myself very tired and frustrated at times and often, so I hope my new eating habits will result in a high energy levels along the rest.

I haven't watched the documentaries about animal slaughter houses, but I grasped few bits and pieces on my way so far. I am confident in one thing at the moment, that I don't want to take a part in the animal suffering. I know I am only a person, but I am sure I am not alone in this world and one day there will be even more of us.

This blog isn't a propaganda either. It is your choice what you eat and I won't judge you on that. But I believe it is everyone's responsibility to make a conscious choice, based on knowledge not the ignorance.


I am so excited to start. I wish myself and you the great adventure...
Green Spoonful

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Green Spoonful