Coffee=1 Willpower=0

On Monday I casually mentioned that I was quitting coffee.
Here are some of the comments that I received:

"Again with the coffee quitting?! Why do you do this to yourself? Don't you like coffee?"

"You will quit coffee when you are pregnant. Until then, enjoy your only vice while it lasts!"

"bollocks"

"For God's sake - enough with the coffee!!! ENOUGH I say!!! Just accept that it is magical and embrace it!"

I made it the whole week.
Then Charli came over this morning to workout.
Very early.
And I saw that John had left us a full pot of fresh coffee.
But I had tea.
Even though Charli had coffee.


The wheels didn't come off the truck until I saw Jennie's Facebook comment about how she and her husband have started taking morning walks with their twins to their neighborhood coffee shop.


Suddenly I was plagued with fantasies of long strolls, leisurely mornings and steaming, hot coffee goodness.
I couldn't stop thinking about coffee!

This post by Averie didn't help.

Resolve.  Broken. 

(sigh)

You won this round coffee.
But I will be back.
I. will. be. back.

Until then, I'm making Marla's Coffee Frappe-a-Shake!
How delicious does this look?!?

I love how she drinks it straight from the blender cup.  A woman after my own heart.
Have a great weekend, Veggies!

-♥ J :)

P.S. Don't forget to set the DVR…Jaime Oliver's Food Revolution is on tonight ABC 9/8c.

My Top 5 Favorite Snacks

Marysa emailed me earlier in the week asking for some snack ideas.  I am not a big fan of snacking.  In a perfect world we would all eat three meals a day in a civilized setting at a slow pace with good company and great wine.  In a perfect world…or you know…France.  But, alas, the world is not perfect and I am not French and I often have to eat in my car.  Such is life.  Here are my Go-To snacks when real life eclipses my French day dream:

1. Lara Bars or Pure Bars

I don't like "food" bars.  Most of them are just glorified candy bars full of dairy, sugar and chemicals.  These two are the exception.  They are raw, vegan, gluten-free and made of actual food.  I literally have one of these in my bag at all times.

2. Trader Joe's Nut Packs
That's not their real name.  That's just what John and I call them.  They are the pre-portioned packs of Trader Joe's Trail Mix.  These, also, are always in my bag.  Always.


3. Raw Cucumber and Carrot Sticks
Unglamorous. Utilitarian.  The dieter's cliche.  But I still contend this is the best thing that you can have as a snack.  For 3 reasons:
1. They are portable.  
2. They automatically up your veggie quotient for the day.
3. They are a litmus test as to whether you are really hungry or just looking to have a party in your mouth.  I always say if you are not hungry enough to eat a carrot then you are probably not really hungry.  Fun the veggies up by eating them with salsa, hummus or Faux-a-mole (avocado mushed up with garlic powder and lemon pepper).


4. Trader Joe's Organic Popcorn (2 cups)
This is my late night snack.  Try it sprinkled with Parma Vegan Parmesan or Braggs Liquid Aminos if you are in the mood for something savory.  Sprinkle it with cinnamon and Nu Naturals Stevia if you're craving sweet.


5. Romaine Lettuce Wraps
These work great as a lunch, too.  Take a large romaine leaf and layer it with your ingredients.  Fold in half like a taco and enjoy!  Here are some ingredient ideas:

-romaine with almond butter and honey (sounds weird, but is SO good!)
-romaine with hummus, tomato and cucumber
-romaine with mustard, tomato and avocado

Now we all know that I am vegan and greatly encourage all things vegan, but since I know that many of you readers are not vegan…
Here's a little tip: 
Romaine Lettuce Wraps are a great answer to the food combining question "What do I do with deli meat if I can't have sandwiches?"  Two of those wraps (hint: not the almond butter one…) would work great with say…turkey.  
But you did not hear that from me.  
Because I'm a vegan.
And I think turkeys are friends...not snacks.

-♥ J :)

Calling all Virgins!!!

Veggie Grill virgins, that is.  
(What were you thinking???)

It's Veggie Grill Virgin Day at the new LA Farmers Market location (next to The Grove).  Bring in a friend who has yet to experience the vegan wonder that is Veggie Grill and your very lucky friend gets their meal for free! 

I met Julia and our VG Virgin Gary there for lunch today.  Julia and I both had the "All Hail Kale" salad (my favorite!!!) and Gary had the "VG Cheeseburger."  Not only did he say that the burger was "delicious!", but afterwards he remarked how full and satisfied he felt…not how he feels after eating a "real burger." Gary is a man who loves meat and the truth, so if he gives it the (green)thumbs up, you know it is good!

Ok, time is running out.
Grab your virgin and go!  
I'm serious. 
They close at 10pm! 
Stop reading. 
Go!

Don't live near a Veggie Grill???
Fear not, Veggies.  I wouldn't leave you kale-less and sad.
Try this scrumptious kale salad recipe.  Guy recommend it to me last year and I've been hooked ever since.  

-♥  J :)

My Life at Every BBQ...

Illustration by Gemma Correll via Cup of Jo

-♥ J :)

"To-Do" or not "To-Do"...

Good Monday, Veggies!

This morning I'm feeling quite overwhelmed by my very hearty and definitely urgent To-Do list.  The fact that I picked today to quit coffee (yes…again) is not helping matters.

So while I go tame the beast otherwise known as "responsibility", I'll leave you with this lovely video by Marie Forleo.  Marie is the force of nature behind the uber successful Rich, Happy and Hot Live franchise.  She strikes me as the type of girl who you would want to plan your bachelorette party…and help you with your taxes.  I'll take advice from anyone who can pull off that dynamic.

-♥ J :)

p.s. Writing without coffee is SO much harder.
p.p.s. This site won't help your productivity.  But the laughs are worth the time wasted.

Cut the Cheese

Oh, cheese.  Yummy cheese.
Loved by everyone.  Good for no one.  

Cheese is like that shady, noncommittal smooth talker that you know you shouldn't be dating.  It might be fun in the moment, but truth be told it's only holding you back in life and in the long run it might give you a horrible disease.

But we all know that.

Unlike yogurt, who has the hardest working PR agent in show business, cheese is not really touted as a health food.  Sure every once and a while some study will come out lauding feta as the new health this or goat cheese as the healthier that, but deep down I think we know the truth.

Cheese is just for fun.  (Fun for us.  Not so fun for the animals who sacrifice their lives for it.  But more on that in the Dairy Rant.  It's coming….)

If you give up cheese, everything about your health will get better.  Everything.  You will lose weight, dark circles under your eyes will disappear, as well as double chins and jowls.  You will have more energy, sleep better and feel less bloated.  Your digestion will improve and you will have a better sense of smell.  You're skin will begin to glow.

But the trick is you have to really give it up.  You have to go cold cheddar, my Veggies.   No cheats with this one.  It's gonna take your body a few weeks to work the sludge out of your system, so if you really want to see results you need to quit for a good chunk of time.  Three weeks usually does it.

Would you like a cheese substitute to help you break the habit?
Well, there isn't one.  Life's tough.

Ok, there are substitutes but I'm going to give it to you straight…most of them don't really taste like cheese.  Nothing tastes like cheese.  But...

Many of them are delicious in their own unique cheese-free way!  Try them with an open mind and don't compare them to cheese.  Just think of them as your new, friendly cheese-ish flavoring.  Here are two of my favorites:

Parma Vegan Parmesan is fantastic on salads and vegetables.  I also use it when I make vegan artichoke dip (recipe from Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet) and no one is the wiser. It is made almost entirely of walnuts, so you nut-allergy folk steer clear of this one.

I think Daiya Cheese the closest thing to actual cheese on the market today.  It has a great texture, melts (so it works for hot dishes) and tastes great.  It is made of peas and is casein, lactose, gluten and soy free.  My husband, who is not a fan of cheese substitutes, thinks it's the best thing since sliced...well...cheese. 


-♥ J :)

It's June 1st…Do you know where your butt is?

Kirsch working out with Heidi Klum. 

I do.  I know this because on Regis and Kelly this morning "trainer to the stars" David Kirsch had everyone do a little experiment.  The experiment was supposed to show you what parts of your body needed to be toned up.  It went as follows:

Jump up and down.  When you stop jumping, notice which parts of your body keep on "jumping" without you.

"Well, this is just ridiculous," I thought. "I am not an anorexic middle schooler or being hazed in a sorority.  Why would any self respecting person do such a thing???"  Oh, yes…I thought that the whole time I was jumping away with Mr. Kirsch and continued to think that when I stopped jumping…and my butt didn't.

So, that was new information.

Fortunately, Charli has asked me if I want to start working out with her in the mornings.  Next week the two of us are going to start this workout.  I ordered it a month ago, but have only done it a handful of times.  It's a 90 day program that comes with a big 'ole imposing chart to track your progress.  Even though I LOVE charts and lists and all things organization, the idea of doing something for 90 days in a row kinda makes me want to take a nap.  (I bought P90x and lasted a week…) I'll let you know how it goes.  My goal is to stick it out for the next 21 days.  I owe my butt at least that much…

-♥ J :)