Anyway, I had some extra potatoes laying around and don't often crave them, but I was craving something cheesy and I love broccoli, so I cooked the potato and halved it a few times on a plate. I prepared a broccoli-cheese sauce using Daiya cheddar shreds (I know it's processed, but it wasn't too much), nutritional yeast, a ton of broccoli, some minced garlic, cayenne and black pepper, and some almond-coconut milk.
It turned out to be just what I was craving. Although it does contain some processed goods, the majority of it, I would imagine, seems healthy and fairly basic. Hopefully it's a step in the right direction. I always drink plenty of clear water and have cut back on some of the snacks like potato chips and sweets.
Since becoming vegan I have probably at least doubled the amounts of raw fruits and vegetables that I eat. I eat a banana a day, usually an apple, orange, and/or pear as well. I love taking kale mixed with corn and nutritional yeast as a side to work and often enjoy salads, raw carrots, broccoli, celery, cucumbers, etc. Just this morning for breakfast I had half an avocado, a handful of mixed blueberries and blackberries, and some pine nuts.
If I can set myself up for some kind of rewards system, perhaps only indulging on mock meats and delicious Amy's Vegan Margherita Pizzas on the weekends and eat right Monday through Friday, I think that would be a great start for me. I also started Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred and am on day 4. If I keep up with the healthier eating and more exercise, hopefully I can get my cholesterol at better levels and become more toned as I desire.
