Showing posts with label weight. Show all posts

Cha Cha Changes....




 So it's been a while since my last post.  A lot has happened.  Just after the first part of the year, my doctor noticed that my iron was dropping quite a bit. We followed up for about 3 months and found that due to a surgery I had some 23 years ago, I was no longer binding iron.

This was compounded by my vegan diet.  Vegan diets have non-heme (not blood) based iron. Meaning all the iron comes from plant sources.  Under normal circumstances this wouldn't be an issue. In my case however, I had a procedure that removed the majority of my small intestines.  This is the area where nutrients, like iron, are absorbed.  Non-heme iron is harder to absorb than heme (blood) based iron. So it is easier to get the iron that makes red blood cells from animal sources such as beef or chicken.  




As my iron began reducing in 1/2 every 11 days, my doctor sent me to a hematologist to review my case.  He recommended that I begin iron infusions immediately.  On my first infusion I had an allergic reaction that was terrifying. So much so that I switched to eating meat for 10 days to try to "fix" my iron myself. It was however, too late.  My red blood cells were so low that they could not bind to any iron absorbed.  The tests revealed that the iron was floating around in my blood and just passing through my system. I was getting weaker and weaker.

Finally I went back and had the infusion. With the new type of iron, my body accepted it and I'm now up to my 5th and final appointment coming up next week.  Two weeks after that, we'll get another blood test to see how my body is doing.  I know that I have some success because my pica has gone completely.  I was eating a 10lb bag of ice every 3 days.



With the infusions and Eli breaking his ankle needless to say our medical bills are now through the roof. We decided it was time to take some action. So we decided to go back into business.  We've opened up a new shop called Ethereal Grind.  We'll be looking to get back into the vending market soon as well as having our e-shop to sell our goodies.  Be sure to go over and like/share our Facebook Page.







So here we are. Kicking off another business and a new life moving away from veganism and embracing my witchy path with new witchy consultations and photos readings available.  I'll be looking to update here more frequently. I look forward to sharing my new path with you.

See Clearly into 2020 with our Giveaway for Health

I love sharing information I have with others.  I want everyone to experience the joy of changing their lives the way I have. A little over 3 years ago I realized I was quickly headed for a untimely death. I couldn't walk up stairs or even fly in a plane due to my size.  I was morbidly obese. My hubby got me on the right track through reading and moving.  We started with little changes here and there and slowly transformed our lives.  Today I sit here writing this at 50,  feeling younger than I felt in my thirties. No pills, no needles.  Just real food. I want to share that with as many people as I can.


so, having a giveaway for my page over at Real Rations. I know everyone is looking forward to kicking off 2020 with a bang, so I'm going to do a little give back.  I have two FitBit Inspires (gently used) and two books (again gently used) that I'm going to raffle off for the New Year!  The FitBits contain the watch bands for small, medium and large and in the original packaging.  The books are second hand books that I pick up at library sales and thrift stores as a way of getting information out to those who are interested in learning about the Whole Food Plant Based revolution.

I will use rafflecopter to collect the entries. The giveaway is open to the continental US only, due to shipping fees. I'll draw and post two winners on New Year's Day.  Those winners will have 24 hours to reply to my email with a shipping address.  If none reply, I will re-draw.


The first set includes a book that I love.  It was one of the first ones I read on this style of eating.  It is called Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman, M.D.  Dr. Fuhrman takes a very scientific approach to eating the Nutritarian way.

Here's a talk from 2019 - Dr. Fuhrman did on healthy eating.








Prize 1  - Used Copy - Eat To Live
Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

Prize 1 - Gently used FitBit Inspire
Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
The second prize pack includes the FitBit Inspire as well as the book called Super Immunity by Joel Fuhrman, M.D.


Here's a video he did on curing diabetes and having super immunity.







Prize 2 - Used Copy - Super Immunity
Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

Prize 2 - Gently Used FitBit Inspire
Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson


Remember, on the US can enter, sorry, that's just due to the cost of shipping and I will need a reply from my winners within 24 hours or I'll move on to a new name.


Good Luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


https://happynewyear2020.com/wallpapers

Unexpected Updates to the Blog

Hi Everyone!  I just wanted to reach out to let you know there have been some (obvious) unexpected updates to the blog.  My plan was to switch over to reviewing strictly e-books just after my birthday in February.  I was going to make a switch over, rename the blog and start focusing more on my writing and less on reviews.  My goal was to bring you into the world I'm living in now.

Confessions of a Modern Witch is now To Live Whole

When I escaped into the book review scene it was mostly out of sincere frustration and pain. My body was hurting all the time and I was angry most of the time.  My bipolar was out of control and I was feeling pretty helpless. I couldn't focus on writing a single sentence let alone and entire blog post with any coherency.
Photo Credit Renee Sosanna Olson
The Rio Grande

My days were filled with frustration and anger. It has been a rocky three years.  I ended up taking a much needed break and heading out to Las Cruces NM for a while to soak up the sun and try to recharge my broken spirit.

We ended up staying there for a year while we waited for the county's decision on buying our property after Hurricane Matthew.  I took some classes and found one that was called Holistic Wellness.  That was the catalyst for me getting my head back in the game.  I finished three other classes including crystal healing certification, mindful meditation and yoga certification. I have to say that it has changed my life.
Photo Credit - Elijah Trent Olson

Eli and I managed to switch over completely to a WFPBNO lifestyle and in the process reversed all of our medical issues including my type two diabetes.  We dropped weight significantly.  I have lost 135 pounds as of today.  He's lost over 125.  Together we're taking some time to get back to ourselves. We're back in NC now but we're not letting the poor weather get us down. We have started meditation sessions twice a day and are cooking our meals together.  Always looking for a great recipe to share in our group over on Facebook.  Our page there shares many of the medical opinions that got us where we are today. We would love to have you join us.

As part of our meditation, Eli and I read an hour every morning when we wake about Buddhism. We have begun to see a real change in our lives. Just yesterday I was thrilled and surprised to find see my resting heart rate has dropped down to 49 from 79 a year ago.  Such an amazing change.  So as a part of this I wanted to reduce my carbon footprint and switch over to e-books and stop buying things from China.  I wanted to live simply and share that experience on a new blog.  So I purchased a domain (To Live Whole) and began the process of getting it set up.

Well, let me tell you, Google is super easy about adding your domain to your blogger account.  I literally clicked a single button and boom all my settings were updated and here I was with a new URL for my blog a mere 3 months ahead of schedule!!  Instead of fussing with getting it switched back over I just took it as a sign that I was ready to go and changed my social media accounts as well as my media contacts over to the new blog and here we are!

I hope that my change in the visual appearance of the page w/o make you jump ship.  I'll be sharing the same types of books with a few more related to health, wellness and Buddhism as well as the old magical favorites.  I'll be adding more frequent and personal posts related to what we're doing in the kitchen, what new advances we're seeing in science and maybe a post or two about the Dali Lamma.

I look forward to inviting some discussion on the page and welcome questions and comments. I hope that you'll hang around for the direction. I feel as though it will be something quite special.

Thank you so much for your readership and your attention and I hope I'll be able to share more soon.

Renee


Change The World by One Meal a Day - A Review

Today I'm reviewing Changing the World by One Meal a Day by Suzy Amis Cameron.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - OMD



Author Links - Link
Amazon Book Link
Amazon Author Link
Good Reads Book Link
Good Reads Author Link
My Good Reads Profile
My Facebook Page


Generally I like to start out with a disclaimer. I am an contemporary witch.  I look for the connection between magic and science without the need to search for a creator. I receive no compensation for these reviews and all my links are standard Amazon links and not affiliate links. I am a practicing photo reader and have spent the last 16 years honing my craft.  I offer personal readings by request and have a strong online history that boasts over 412,000 views.


As usual, I'm going to start my review with my opinion on the physical book. I received a hard cover dust jacketed book as a gift for contributing to the OMD Blog project.  You can find my interview here.  The forward of the book is written by Dr. Dean Ornish, MD.  A well renowned advocate for living a healthy lifestyle.  While not completely plant based I respect Dr. Ornish for his work related to helping create a holistic approach to lifestyle management. I have read many of his books and recommend them often.  My particular way of living is more in line with Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn. I am a firm believer that oil is at the root of the majority of the diseases of affluence that impact our society today. This book boasts a nice since index and notes section.  It even includes a list of packaged foods that are acceptable to those living a vegan lifestyle.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - OMD


The premise of this book and the mission statement of OMD is to save the planet by switching one meal a day to a plant based meal. The book lists vegan options for reaching this goal.  To me, I believe in a whole food plant based approach to eating.  While it does fit the "vegan" moniker, it isn't your traditional vegan menu.  There are so many foods that are vegan but are not good for you.  Oreo cookies are vegan but are completely unhealthy. The book is a great resource for information on how much of our resources are used each day by continuing to eat meat and meat products. The author explains that having only one plant based meal a day for a year will save 675,250 gallons of water.  To put that in perspective, it is the same amount of water to fill an Olympic size pool.

I enjoyed the section of the book that included the lists of plant based sources for common vitamins and minerals. Page 113 for example, gives a pretty good list of Omega-3S sources.  A common source of Omega 3 is attributed to consuming fish.  The list contains 23 options for plant based sources of Omega 3 fatty acid.  Personally, I try to include chia seeds, sesame seeds and walnuts in my diet daily.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - OMD


Chapter five kicks off your journey to OMD living. The author provides a list of tips and tricks for making your experience a success.  The table of grab and go options are a life saver for those just starting on this journey. The idea here is you're only switching one meal a day. As you begin to see how much better you feel, you'll want to change more and slowly remove meat and animal products completely from your diet.  I started out my journey by ordering HungryRoot food delivery service.  This is a vegan home meal delivery kit that provides a great way to slowly wean yourself off of highly processed animal fat and chemical laden foods. The same holds true for the new craze of the Beyond Meat and the Impossible Burger which are making their way around fast food establishments across the united states.  While not on my menu, this is a great way to begin the path to removing animals from your diet.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - OMD


Chapter seven is where the fun begins. The author takes us on a culinary journey to delight the vegan taste buds of every newly transitioning foodie.  From Jasper's Red Shake to Food Forest Organics Coco-Mint Slice you'll find a tasty plant based recipe to fit any taste level.  You'll learn how to use tofu and coconut cream to make a delicious meal that will convert even the most strict meat eater. There are recipes for chili sauce, pesto and even spring rolls! Eating a plant based meal doesn't have to be bland and boring. After all, most of the meat prepared today has herbs and spices added to it to make it flavorful.  Herbs and spices are plants!  This book includes a 14 day All-In Meal plan and shopping list to get you ready for the big move to a healthier plant based life style.


Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - OMD

Over all this is a great book and I applaud the author for providing, to me, one of the most important parts of the book.  The Great Eater Meter on page 293 offers the reader a chance to see the impact of animal based foods on our environment. One stick of butter for example, takes 173 gallons of water to produce.  One cup of milk takes 43 gallons of water. When you begin to look at the impact of the individual choices we make everyday on our planet, you really can see how you can be the change you want to see in this world.

If you're on the fence about this, I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book and taking the time to really learn about a plant based lifestyle.  You can look up several documentaries on the subject such as Devour the Earth, Eating You Alive, Forks Over Knives and The Game Changers just to name a few.




What I Wish You Said....

At some point in everyone's life there comes a moment when you look back at a relationship, a job, an event where your friends around you offered suggestions, encouragement or support.  After that moment has passed retrospection usually follows.  As an analytical person, I spend a great deal of time looking back over tasks, jobs, positions and the like trying to determine the best course of action.  Did I follow the rules?  Did I meet my goal?  Was the outcome, the best outcome?

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson


One of my recent blog posts was a book review about a great book that helped me really sit back and look at what brought me bliss. This retrospection is all about understanding what brings you happiness and contentment.  Today I have a great job, a wonderful family and am working on getting my health to the best it can be for a 50 year old.  I may not ever be a kick-boxer, but I know that I will be able to take care of myself in my golden years, instead of relying on someone else to bathe me.

Over the last few years I have read everything I can get my hands on related to health and wellness. I have poured my soul into understanding the best course of action to fully take charge of my health, my well being and my surroundings.  I took a year to live in an RV in the desert just to come to terms with what is really important for me.



What I needed to do was read that my weight, while maybe normal for someone on a SAD eating plan, it wasn't normal for my body. In those articles I learned that all the oil I was putting in my body, all the sugar was killing me. And I needed to change that.



I commented this morning on a article about kicking wellness to the curb on a page called "Fat Fe..... Wi...."  Name blurred to protect the innocent.  I was met with the reply of, your comment is off topic and will be deleted shortly.  I removed my comment and un-liked the page.  You see, sometimes people, especially fat people who are unhealthy (and I can speak to this because I was one), don't like to be told they are accountable for their own actions.  This article was speaking to how people fall into stereotypes and go into one fad diet after another to try to "fix" what isn't broken. Because you know, if you just love fat people (who are unhealthy) they'll be fine.  To that I say bullshit.



Fat (who are unhealthy) people don't need to be told their beautiful. We need to be told we're in danger. And I say that with a loud fucking yell because I heard from all my friends how beautiful I was at 300 pounds.  I heard them tell me what I was loved and I was find just the way I was.  But you know what?  I wasn't fine. I was close to death. I couldn't breathe when I walked up a slight incline. I couldn't sleep well because the fat around my throat was choking me while I slept. What I need was someone to come to me and say:

Photo Credit Elijah Olson
Pic 1  July 2016 - Pic 2 July 2019
128 lbs lost

  1. Hey, Renee, you should really get rid of all the processed food in your cabinets.  
  2. Hey Renee, you should toss out that milk because, you know you're not a fucking baby cow and you shouldn't drink it.
  3. Hey Renee, you can't breathe because the fat around your neck is getting so think that its choking you to death while you sleep.
  4. Hey Renee, your knee and hip arthritis is so bad because your knees weren't intended to carry around three hundred fucking pounds.
  5. Hey Renee, stop eating pizza or you're going to die, way early and way painfully.


I completely understand being a support system for those who are unhealthy.  You see my weight, my size was directly related to my health. Today I'm a much healthier person and a side effect of my new eating habits are having lost 128 lbs. My blood work is amazing now.  I no longer have issues with sleep, my knees, my hip or my fibro. I have completely reversed my type 2 diabetes and have seem to have no continued issues with my congestive heart failure.


Photo Credit - Screen Cap UNC Health

Photo Credit - Screen Cap UNC Health
Just so I'm clear, I'm not saying we need to be ugly to people who are overweight. I'm not saying you need to call names or shun anyone.  What I am saying is look out for your tribe. If you see someone struggling, lend a hand.  A real hand.  Don't tell someone a dress looks great on them when it doesn't.  A real friend will tell you that you have a booger showing. A real friend will tell you that you need to address certain things.  Be someone who helps straighten a crown when NO ONE is watching.

I'm also not saying that everyone over a certain size is unhealthy.  We are all different. We all have different body make ups and there is no perfect size.  Your body will tell you what is right for you when you give it the nutrients it needs.  I figured this out the hard way.

I am putting this offer out there.  Anyone at all who is interested in learning about WFPB lifestyle and healing your body holistically feel free to reach out to me via this blog or on my support page at Real Rations.  I share science based resources to learning to live and heal your body using food. I share recipes in my group Real Rations Recipes as well as welcome stories and before and afters here.  Everything I share there is free.  My goal is to help those out there who were like me.  Those who were morbidly obese and utterly hopeless.  Those who felt as though they wanted to die.

I'm not trying to change your mind on plant based eating. That's not my business and frankly, I don't have the energy for that fight.  I'm here for those who want to change.  Who want to try something new. Those who need to try something new.  For those, this message is for you.  I see you.  I hear you. You are important. You are worth it.  <3








Empathetic Eating - Is WFPB Right for Empaths

For the majority of my life I have had a connection with the energy of both humans and animals alike. I have been able to "feel" the pain of those around me and even been able to sense what is going to happen before it happens.  As a child as I would eat meat I would feel pain in my body and soul.  I couldn't touch raw meat and had to wear gloves to work with it in the kitchen.  When I would cut a piece of meat my brain would flash images of me cutting my own hands and fingers while the blade sliced through the meat.



I always thought there was something wrong with me.  As I matured in witchcraft I watched those around me who practiced.  I watched their magic and their lives. I took note of what their skin looked like, what their hands looked like and what their aura looked like.  I slowly began to think that perhaps there was much more happening here that meets the eye.

For the majority of my life I have been obese. Recently I changed over to a Whole Food Plant Based Lifestyle (WFPB). You can read about my journey here.  As I switched over to a plant based diet I found that my senses were changing. I am now able to focus on things I could not before.

Photo Credit - Elijah Olson


I completed my Holistic Wellness Coach Certification and completed an International Yogi Certification.  I'm currently working on a Mediation Coach Certification.  All things that were always just outside my ability to focus on in order to complete.  I am amazed at the way the fog has lifted off my brain and now I no longer require a stack of sticky notes to remind me of things.  I no longer write down every single thing in order to remember it.  My mind is now here in the present with my body and working to achieve my goals as I lay them out as opposed to the broken, struggled life I was experiencing before.

I quickly began researching what empathetic people tend to eat and I found some pretty interesting information around it.  I'm sure there are just as many on the other side, so please understand I am not knocking the abilities of those who do not follow a WFPB lifestyle. I am simply showing what I and others like me have found by switching.   I'll be adding a few links at the end for you to review.

As my body began to change, my mind began to clear. The further away I was from the clutter of TV news and media the better I felt.  The more I removed animal products from my diet the happier I felt. I know longer had the hurt of the cows crying for their calves or the images of the slaughterhouses in my mind.  They drifted away like a bad dream.  My mind raced back to a class I took years ago that referenced the fact that all things are related. The table came from the earth, because it came from a tree, just as I came from the earth.  All things are related.

I made a mad dash to my science literature to find out what early man ate. If we think about this logically, do we really believe that early man ate a pound of bacon every morning? Anyone who has ever hunted understands that if they get one large deer they make that one animal last for their family for the season. They never loaded their plates with  more than they could use.  They all joined together and ate as one.  Looking at life today we can see how much we have changed. We can see just how far we have removed ourselves from the natural world.

I think the word Vegan has become a dirty word. I think that people associate PETA (who I detest) with veganism.  They also don't understand how much the meat and dairy industry pay in lobby money to our government to endorse their products. We forget that if we look at our bodies and the bodies of those animals that we eat today, we can see harm we're doing.  I'm not huge on showing images of baby cows being pulled from their mothers or the screams these mother cows make in the days and weeks that follow calling out for their missing young.  I can't share those.  All I can do is use my words to try to show the emotion that is involved in that milk.

If I walk across a cemetery, I can feel the energy there. If I walk into a room, or shake someone's hand, I can feel the energy they present. Why is it that big of a leap to feel the energy of the suffering of that mother in each glass of cow's milk? People think, Oh, milk and butter, they don't hurt anyone.  You just milk the cow, the cow lives. Yeah, that cow lives.  But the baby she had to feed that milk to is taken away from her immediately.  Males are tossed into small boxes to become veal and females are put back into the factory to continue to produce milk.  If a person wants milk we should be drinking human milk.  Cow's milk is made to nourish baby cows. They need more fat and calories because they're bigger. There is really no reason for a weaned person to consume milk. We are convinced that we need this through all the money coming in from the dairy industry.

As part of my Yogi certification, part of my assignments were to study the differing types of Yoga.  The first yama of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra is Ahimsa.  The word ahimsa literally means not to injure or show cruelty to any creature or any person in any way whatsoever. Ahimsa is, however, more than just lack of violence as adapted in yoga. Ahimsa can be practiced as vegetarianism or veganism. In my case, while not feeling completely comfortable with the the baggage that appears to follow the word Vegan, I opt for the WFPB label instead.  To me, this cross connection with my Yogi certification, the Holistic Wellness Coach Certification led me directly to this place I am today.

I know that not everyone is going to agree here.  I mean we have been convinced by the powers that be, that Milk, Does a Body Good, after all.  We have be asked, Where are you getting your protein? There are burger joints on every corner, certainly our government wouldn't allow money to influence their opinions on what is and is not healthy.

All I can say is I sit here before you, weighing less than I have ever weighed while eating normally. I have removed all medications from my diet.  I have little to no manias associated with my BiPolar 2 diagnosis. I can walk and breathe at the same time. I can feel my energy increasing both physically and spiritually. For me, this works. Elijah has stopped all his medications as well, he's lost 100 pounds just as I have.  We're spending more time on yoga and mediation. We're cooking our meals together and not rushing around trying to check things off a list.  So while naysayers may contend that "we must eat meat" "we are meat eaters" I say, just try it.  Take a month and remove the meat and see what happens?  I mean if you're right, nothing will happen.

I think something will happen though. I think you will find that you are indeed what you eat. And if you eat fear, you are fear.  If you eat terror or sorrow, you will be those. I encourage you to go through the list of info below.  Look up the Doctors I follow and judge for yourself.

While I continue this journey just like anything else I do, I'll continue to research and share my progress. I know for me this is the right way to move forward.  In harmony with the natural world and the spiritual world. I know that my choice to remove these products from my life have had a huge impact on my abilities.

Resources:

Doctors:

Joel Fuhrman M.D
John A. McDougall M.D.
Neal D. Barnard M.D.
Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr. M.D.
Michael Greger M.D
Michael Klaper M.D.
Dean Ornish M.D.
Joel Kahn M.D.
Anthony Lim M.D., J.D.


Articles
Should the Empath Become a Vegetarian
Compassionate Eating for Highly Sensitive People
Intuitive Medicine for Empaths
Laura Bruno - What to Eat if You're an Empath


Books

https://nutritionstudies.org/plant-based-books/
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/wfpb
https://www.wholefoodsplantbasedhealth.com.au/resources/books/

Caldwell Esselstyn
Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease

Rip Esselstyn
The Engine 2 Diet
My Beef with Meat

Colin Campbell
The China Study

Doug Lisle
The Pleasure Trap

Neal Barnard MD
Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes
Breaking the Food Seduction
21 Day Weight-loss Kick start

John McDougall MD
The Starch Solution
Dr. McDougall’s Digestive Tune-Up
The McDougall Quick & Easy Cookbook
Dr. McDougall’s Total Health Solution for the 21st Century
The McDougall Program: Twelve Days to Dynamic Health
The McDougall Program for Maximum Weight Loss
The New McDougall Cookbook

DVDs

Caldwell Esselstyn
Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease

Rip Esselstyn
Forks Over Knives Presents The Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue with Rip Esselstyn

John McDougall MD
Dr. McDougall’s Total Health Solution for the 21st Century DVD

The Jeff Novick Series
Lighten Up
Calorie Density
Should I Eat That
From Oil To Nuts
Nuts & Health
Fast Food Vol 1 The Basics
Fast Food Vol 2 Burgers & Fries
Fast Food Vol 3 Shopping School

Neal Barnard MD
Tackling Diabetes DVD
Kick Start Your Health DVD

Douglas Lisle
The Continuum of Evil
Losing weight without losing your mind
The Pleasure Trap

Michael Klaper
Digestion Made Easy

More Movies/Documentaries

Forks Over Knives
Processed People
Immersions and Programs

Dr Esselstyn - 5-hour intensive counseling seminar at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute
Farms To Forks Immersions
The McDougall Program

MORE BOOKS

John Abramson MD
Overdosed America

Gilbert H. Welch MD
Should I be tested for Cancer?
Overdiagnosed: Making People Sick in the Pursuit of Health
Know Your Chances: Understanding Health Statistics

Nortin Hadler MD
Worried Sick: A Prescription for Health in an Overtreated America

Lists of Documentaries
https://nutriciously.com/best-vegan-documentaries/
https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/10-best-food-and-health-documentaries/


YouTube:

Why do empaths over eat?



Let's Talk Nutrition






Your Vegan Brain on Empathy



Vandana Shiva on the Problem with Genetically-Modified Seeds



10 Plant Based Documentaries You should Watch



Hungryroot - Unboxing and Update

Happy Thursday!  This is an update on my work with Hungryroot.  Eli and I have been using the service for about two full months now.  We are continuing losing weight and it is really something. We have coined a new phrase that we use when we're asked, "What's for dinner?"   We say - REAL RATIONS!


Over the years we have both struggled with our weight as many of you are aware.  We have tested out several meal delivery services while trying to get ourselves out of the emotional and physical addiction to our food.  

When we added Hungryroot we also cut all added sugar out of our diet.  The results have been astounding.  And Hungryroot got us there.  Below is our progress over the years at fully understanding veganism and nutritarianism. Now we only eat foods that give us nutrients.  Any "junk" food, packaged foods or fast foods are off the table.



Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Elijah's Weight Transformation



Photo Credit - Elijah Olson
Renee's Weight Transformation
The cost of the package I order is 69.00 per delivery. I can see for a larger family or someone on a fixed income, that this could be out of your price range.  I have included in this next video how to split up the food and place the orders in a specific way to make them last longer while still enjoying the benefits of fast, vegan delivery.  


Here is a list of my most recent order.  We discovered that we really liked the Lemongrass Tofu so we purchased that along with two Chickpea Medleys and one Roasted Corn Edamame to go with them.  We Then picked up some bags of organic shredded broccoli slaw and/or super-green mix from the supermarket to create out own dishes.  This allowed us to make this box meant for 5 meals for two week last us for 12 meals for two.  We essentially doubled the yield by adding $6 worth of veg from the supermarket.


Screen Capture - Hungryroot






I cannot tell you how much this box service has helped me.  I recommend starting out with their largest box and get a variety of dishes to try.  Then, on the follow week or two switch to the smaller size and then pick and choose what you like.  Use the meal planner they supply to learn about the foods.  I discovered Kholrabi for the first time with Hungryroot. Now I seek it out in the stores.  I found that Alberton's in Las Cruces and Whole Foods in El Paso both carry it.   This is something that you can toss into a salad to eat raw or lightly saute to use as the noodle component to a pasta dish.

If you think you'd like to try Hungryroot, I have a link below that you can use for a discount to the service. If you do try it, be sure to comment here and tell me how its working for you. I would love to see your before and after photos or just an update on how you're feeling after adding a bit more veg to your diet. - Hungryroot Link







Look for our upcoming book and website on learning to eat real!

HungryRoot - A Review

Today I'm reviewing the home food delivery service Hungryroot.  Hungryroot is a company that delivers vegan meals that can be prepared in 10 minutes or less and are gluten free, organic (when possible) and of course vegan.

After moving to New Mexico, I can say that I fell off the wagon.  I started eating meat again including beef and of course soon after the animal products came back as well.  About a month ago Elijah and committed to get back in shape as we're both turning 50 and want to get our butts in shape!  We checked our meals and figured that not only were we eating tons of fat but we were up to 30 grams of sugar a day. It was completely out of control.
Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson


So far I really like the Kholrabi dishes. They are my favorite. There is a bit of inconsistency in the sauces sometimes. Sometimes they are a bit spicier than others. Sometimes a little more onion than others. I wish we could correct that.  I really enjoyed the tofu they have.  There are two types. Spicy and Lemongrass. Both are excellent with any stir fry. We have started ordering just the tofu and using that in our own super blend mixes from the grocery store. Over this is a great service. Elijah and I have both already lost 10 pounds each.  Not to mention we're learning new ways to create our own dishes in ways we would have never tried.



Here's a video of us actually making one of the dishes.




Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson


We tried both sizes of boxes. The first one was way too much food for us. We ended up throwing out 1/2 of the sauces.  They give you a huge amount of food and you'll easily have left overs.  We moved back to the smaller box and then eventually cut down to just the main parts we wanted and are now picking up the super-blend mix and the riced cauliflower from the store.

So here's my first boxing of our first order from Hungryroot.  If you think you might like to try it out, use my code.  You'll get a discount and so will I.

https://www.hungryroot.com/r/JDUZ0G





Another unboxing of Hungryroot





I'll check in over the next few weeks to review how the weight is going.  Hopefully we'll have dropped another 10lbs at next check in.









A Witch's View - Purple Carrot Review - Herbed Barley Bowl

Our last recipe with Purple Carrot is the Herbed Barely Bowl.

So let's get started.  The greens that came with this were pretty badly wilted so I just used some mixed green salad from the grocery store.

Here's the whole group.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Here's my wilty salad.
Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
 I had to pick up some parsley from the store as well.  As you can see it was a bit damaged in transit.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
 Next we cleaned and cooked up the mushrooms.
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 All the while, our barely just cooked and cooked.  It took about twice as long as the card said to become soft.
Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
 We thinly sliced our peppers and cooked them in some sugar water to create a pickling effect.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
 Finally we plated.  It was just ok for me.  Hubby really liked it, I wasn't feeling the mushrooms.  They were pretty slimy from the butter and just reminded me of an oyster.  Gross.  :P

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
So pretty much we had no luck with Purple Carrot.  I did try everything that we got from them though. We are still getting our GreenChef meals regularly and I love them. I still take photos and share my meals from them on Instagram and on Facebook.  If you think you'd like to try them here's a link.

A Witch's View - GreenChef - A Review - Unstuffed Enmoladas

This week I'm reviewing GreenChef's Unstuffed Enmoladas.  This is by far one of the best dishes I have had with any of the delivery services.  It was really good.  I omitted the onions in mine because I just don't like them.  But this is what is how we did it.

The produce was really fresh.  I did however find that the tortillas were a bit crumbly.  A couple of them tore as I was trying to prepare them.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

The Salsa was really good.  I made the mistake of substituting the coconut oil for olive oil.  You don't want to do that.  Because coconut oil solidifies as a lower temperature my salsa seized up. I had to set it in a bowl of warm water, like you would a double boiler to make where I could stir it again. Over all it was really tasty.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
 I added my avocado to the salsa after taking hubby's portion out. He's allergic.


Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
 Next we had to cook the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side.  I found them to be a little oily. But over all while I was working on the mole sauce they dried nicely.  You then just put them in the mole to coat them and serve.
Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
This was my finished dish. It turned out to look pretty attractive. Mine doesn't have the onions on top but otherwise picture perfect.  As I said, this was my favorite dish so far.  I highly recommend checking out GreenChef.  For the price it is a great way to get restaurant quality dishes to your home, completely vegan and completely organic.  I love it.


Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

A Witch's View - Blue Apron Review - Laotian Vegetable Laab

Continuing my review of Blue Apron. Today I'm reviewing the Laotian Vegetable Laab with Soy-Glazed Mushrooms and Coconut Rice. The dish is about 720 calories and packed with tons of vitamins as well as flavor.

A few negatives though.  My shipment arrived on Friday and I cooked this dish Monday morning.  My herbs were a bit wilted. They still had flavor but I was sad to see them all limp and soggy in the container.  The coconut milk powder was really hard to reconstitute.  I was whisking until my arm was tired and there was little lumps in the milk.  I would suggest that they just give you a can of coconut milk and be done with it.

Tips for those cooking this - When I started making my carrot marinade that it was too dry.  When you add the sugar and the little bits of lime juice it looks more like a paste.  Don't panic.  Just put the carrots in there and let it do its thing.  The lime juice reacts with the sugar and makes a really nice marinade.  You just need to give it a little bit of time.

Ok, let's get on with the steps for making this dish. Everything comes in the exact measurements that you need to complete the dish.  Before you freak out about waste, Blue Apron offers a recycling program.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson



The first thing we do is our mise en place.  Washed, peeled, picked and chopped everything that needed it.

I think started with that coconut milk powder.  Yeah it's ugly.  I whisked and whisked and whisked. When I make this again, I'll just use regular coconut milk and be done with it.  After I whisked a bit more I got this in the post with the rice to cook.  A tip here, when the timer went off, I thought the rice wasn't done yet, as there was some moisture on top. I opened the stop and gave it a stir and the right was fine.  It cooks differently in coconut milk than water.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

I mixed my sugar and lime juice together and added my carrots.  As you can see it looks like, "Umm where's the marinade?"  But the sugar breaks down with the lime juice and creates great flavors.  Also I used very little of the Serrano pepper. I think next time I'll add a bit more of the seeds/ribs to bring up the heat a little bit.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Next I added some olive oil to my pan and started the mushrooms browning.  I cut mine really thin, as I hate mushrooms.  Here's another ingredient that I can't stand but I'm going to try it anyway because that's what this is all about.  Trying new things and challenging my taste buds.


Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
While the mushrooms are browning I started on the peanut butter sauce.  The soy glaze was a bit tough to get out of the little bottle but over all easy peasy.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
 Next, put the mushrooms in the glaze bowl, wipe out the pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and repeat with the broccoli.  Only this time after they're brown, you'll add some water to finishing cooking them a bit.  I actually added more water to mine to soften them a bit more.


Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
After the broccoli is finished add it to the bowl with the mushrooms and sauce and stir around to evenly coat everything.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
 And tada!  You're done.  Here's the finished dish. I was really surprised that I liked this. The mushrooms weren't too mushroomy and the carrots added a great crunch.  I will also add that I have never used a cabbage as a wrap component and this was simply amazing. Savoy cabbage is my new favorite cabbage.  Green cabbage is really strong and sometimes bitter when you have it raw, but Savoy cabbage was fantastic. I really enjoyed this offering from Blue Apron.  Much better than the salmon dish we tried last time.  This one I'll be saving to make again and again.


Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

Next time we're making Falafal!