Vegan Snacking: 10 Snacks That Will Make You Forget Potato Chips

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Sarah S.

I run a lot (like, a whole lot), so I’M ALWAYS HUNGRY. That said, when I first transitioned to a plant-based diet, I struggled with staying full between meals. I had no problem creating delicious vegan breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, but I would often forget about the snacks that fall between. Not having vegan snacks readily available made it so much easier to resort back to my old ways: i.e. binge eating pretzels with Nutella. For those who are considering switching to a plant-based diet (or who just need to switch up their vegan snacking routine!), here are my suggestions for super easy, super filling, and super delicious snacks.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Crisp Balls

Kale Chips

Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Bites

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars

Cinnamon Kettle Corn

Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

Chubby Hubby Protein Bars

High Protein Banana Peanut Butter Snack

Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Miracle Cookies

Chocolate Covered Banana Almond Bites

What are your favorite vegan snacks?

Cheers!

Sarah

p.s These snacks are so easy and delicious that they are an easy way to start incorporating healthy vegan food to your diet if you haven’t already!

Adventures in Plant-Based Nutrition

The FAQs of a New Vegan

Celebrating Earth Day: Car Free Fridays

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Sarah S.

Photo courtesy of madaboutbike.com

Last Friday I left work at the usual time, climbed into my car, and then waited through heavy Pittsburgh traffic for the next half hour. A half hour commute sounds pretty decent, right? But not when my apartment is only 2 miles from the office. On a good day, it takes me five minutes to get to work. Friday traffic is particularly awful, and couple that with beautiful spring weather and a desire to get home, open the windows, and let in some fresh air, and sitting in a car moving 4 miles an hour is that much worse.

So, I thought about it. I run about a 10 minute mile. That would mean I could run home in about 20 minutes. Not bad! And what about biking? It would surely take me less than 20 minutes. Either way, a car seemed like the least practical option for my Friday commute.

Since it also happens to be the month of Earth Day, and to be totally honest with you, I don’t really ever do enough for the the holiday, I’m going to commit to biking or running to and from work every Friday in April. In total, I will save nearly one week’s worth of gas, gain more than an hour of my time, and spare the Ozone a tiny bit of unneeded exhaust.

How are you celebrating Earth Day?

Cheers!

One Day, Soon

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Sarah S.

Dublin, Ireland

One day, soon
I won’t be the one who waits on you.
So damn soon
I won’t be the one who waits on you.

-Tegan and Sara in “How Come You Don’t Want Me”

Pain is Inevitable; Suffering is Optional: Staying Motivated Through Injury

Posted on March 31, 2014 by Sarah S.

How to Stay Motivated, Despite Injury #running #motivation #inspiration miaprimcasa.com

Imagine this: You’ve spent the last couple months studying for a tough exam. You enter the classroom, fully prepared, pencil in hand, water bottle at the corner of your desk, a fresh piece of college ruled paper in front of you. The professor gives the okay, and you’re off! You set your pencil to the page, when suddenly, CRACK, the lead breaks. Now imagine you don’t have access to a pencil sharpener, and this the only writing utensil you are allowed to use. Imagine also that you are a type-A student, who believes that the outcome of this exam is everything. It’s life or death.

If you can imagine that, you can understand a bit how an athlete feels when she’s injured weeks before her big race. Of course, injury is party of the game, part of the journey, and something many if not all amateur and professional athletes face in one way or another.

A couple months ago, I had to stop running due to a leg injury. I was smack in the middle of marathon training. And although this won’t be my first full marathon, the race is undoubtably important to me. My confidence was shattered. But then, I did what I do best, I made a plan. I’m no running expert, but I know the frustration of injury and the joy and pride of tackling your goals not just in spite of the pain but maybe also because of it. So below is my plan to keeping your motivation and confidence up through a tough training patch. I hope it inspires at least one athlete to keep her head up

How to Stay Motivated, Despite Injury #running #motivation #inspiration miaprimcasa.com

First of all, choose to view this “break” actively instead of passively. In other words, don’t think of your recovery time as a waste of time. Use it. Make the absolute most of it.

-Stay active. I understand that the thought of using an elliptical probably falls somewhere on the spectrum of watching grass grow and being stuck in the middle seat while flying coach. But staying active despite your injury is important. If you’re like me, as soon as you take exercise out of my routine, I become sluggish, start to eat poorly, and become less productive (due to a positive correlation between time on my couch and hours watching Netflix). Instead of thinking that your workouts are a poor second option to running, try to do something you’ve always been meaning to but maybe didn’t have a chance to before. For instance, I started going to yoga with friends. I’d been telling myself I wanted to do more yoga, and now I finally had the chance! It’s harder to feel depressed about not doing something, when you’re doing something else you love.

-Read for inspiration. My suggestions: Born to Run, Eat & Run, Thrive, and Triathlete Magazine.

-Do more of what you love, and less of what you don’t. And I don’t mean just in terms of exercise. Remove stress where you can. I, for example, sometimes get a bit obsessive over cleaning my apartment. I suppose it’s because the end result is so satisfying and the process so straight-forward. Unlike, say, just about everything else in life. But I absolutely do not need to deep clean my apartment every day. Instead of spending that time doing something that, despite it’s clear result, feels like an obligation and an added stress, I try to do something I enjoy that isn’t necessarily required of me. Like sewing. Or even spending a few extra minutes petting my cat. When I do this, it always surprises me how much control I actually have over my stress.

-Find your balance. Physically and mentally, I mean. Were there things in your life that you were missing out on during your training? Did you skip meditation in the morning so you could get a run in before work? Did you pass up invitations to go out to the bar with friends because you wanted to be fresh for the next morning’s twelve miler? Was (and is?) your mind so cluttered with anxiety about training and the race that you forget friend’s birthdays or catch yourself worrying during Monday business meetings? Relax, and take this time to catch up, and maybe even start to schedule a new routine around the stuff you’ve been neglecting.

-Focus on nutrition. Now is finally your chance to start paying better attention to what you’re eating! If you’re aren’t burning 1500+ calories on long runs every weekend, you don’t have the same excuse to stuff your face with any and every carb that you can get your hands on. Focus on quality foods. Explore new ways to gain energy or focus. When I was recovering, I used the opportunity to switch to a plant-based diet. When I was in the heat of my training, I was concerned that a plant-based diet would not provide the energy and protein I needed. But having time to experiment with recipes and new foods during my recovery ensured that I had a solid nutrition plan settled for when I was able to pick up the training again.

-Remember your dreams and goals. Remember what you’re recovering for. Remember why you’re putting in the effort and time to get better and do better. And remember that injury and recovery is part of the game, just as much as crossing that finishline is.

Any other advise you would give a struggling or injured athlete? Or even a person who just needs some motivation to get started?

Cheers!

Sarah

p.s. This post is dedicated you, Michelle. I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!

Running Hard, Getting Healthy, and Going (Almost) Vegan

My First Marathon Highlights

Adventures in Plant-Based Nutrition

Adventures in Pittsburgh: Big Dog Coffee and the Kindest of Strangers

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Sarah S.

When I lived in Europe, it was not uncommon to share a table with strangers. That’s how I met an Australian woman who’s daughter had just ended a engagement with an Italian man. And the kindest pair of old Sicilian men who insisted my sister and I partake in their homemade Easter meal. And those Canadian students traveling around the world. Maybe it was because many of us were foreigners and travelers. Traveling makes one so adventurous. You’re willing to strike up a conversation with anyone who can point you in the right direction or offer up their recommendation for the perfect restaurant. But how often do we keep that adventurous spirit when we get home?

Not often. Which is why I swore to explore a new place in Pittsburgh every weekend; hence this “Adventures in Pittsburgh” series. My adventurous spirit comes out in a myriad of ways, from asking the bar tender to pour me his favorite draft, to venturing to a local brewery alone and meeting a group of young Midwesterners willing to share a counter and their choice beers, to what happened today at Big Dog Coffee: offering a couple to share a table with me because all other seats were taken. It seemed like the right thing to do. An Australian in an Italian cafe would do it. A couple of Canadian girls would do it at Dublin hostel breakfast table. So of course I would too.

What touched me was how unexpected the couple felt the gesture was. How pleasantly unexpected. And intriguing. And adventuresome! Pretty soon we were chatting about our jobs, our education, how we found ourselves settling in Pittsburgh. And as soon as the topic turned to sports (are you surprised?), we had the whole coffee shop chatting.

Surely it’s the small things in life that make each day feel new. And surely we can all create a little adventure and camaraderie, whether we’re are exploring cathedrals in Palermo, climbing bunks in dirty Parisian hostels, or kicking back with a great cup of coffee in our own town. I’m pretty sure everyone at Big Dog had a morning they won’t forget for a long time; a small reminder that we’re all living our own adventures in the same big, awesome world.

Oh, and the coffee here is excellent. I dare you to try it. And maybe you’ll ask to share a table with strangers while you’re at it.

Cheers!
Sarah

I Want to Make Stuff

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Sarah S.

And that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I’m dedicating this weekend to only four main things: go on a 12 mile run, explore a new local brewery, go to church, and CRAFT. The crafting is going to be part spring cleaning, part sewing/painting/building, and it’s about time I got to it! There is a whole list of projects I’ve been meaning to do, and now I’m finally going to make time for them.

I’m sharing this with you all not just for your reading pleasure…but also because I hope you all hold me accountable. I better come out of this weekend with some great photos of my finished projects to share with you all!

Here’s the plan (more or less):

Pillow Covers

Painted Glass Jars/Wine Bottles

Repurpose Old Candle Jars

Hairpin Leg Coffee Table

^Now that’s quite an ambitious weekend!

Wish me luck!

Cheers,

Sarah

The Story of a Bag

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Sarah S.

I own at least eight cardigans. Six pairs of soft pants. Five pairs of Ferragamo heels. Three pairs of Levi’s. Two watches. But only one bag.

Okay, that’s not totally true. I do have a clutch for special occasions, a handmade leather side bag for traveling, and a vintage leather Longchamp that holds my art supplies hidden somewhere in my closet. But generally speaking, there is only one bag that I use on a regular basis. Previously, I was using a Longchamp that I splurged on when I visited France….because France is probably the most appropriate place to splurge on a Longchamp, right? 😉

But three years later, my faithful bag was starting to deteriorate. It had travelled on subways in cities from Paris to Chicago, was thrown into many a trunk, and stuffed to its brim, and now it was finally going to receive some well deserved rest.

I hate purse shopping. Just as much as I dislike shoe shopping, honestly. It’s not that I don’t like getting new purses or shoes; it’s that the process is very tiresome. Shoes and purses take the brunt of your life. They are thrown around, walked on, tossed into corners, and they hold some of your most valuable possessions. That said, quality is key for me when finding a bag. But so is practicality. And, of course, price.

Well, thank goodness for Kate Spade Saturday!

For under $200 I purchased a black canvas and leather satchel that will see me through many years…and look polished and stunning in the process.

Where is your favorite bag from?

Cheers!

Sarah

A Hole in the World the Shape of Me

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Sarah S.

“It makes me want to find a hole in the world the shape of me and just fill it up.”

That moment when you realize that following your dreams, not following your boyfriend –or following someone else’s dream for you or doing what “everyone else” is doing or making the easy choice– , is what’s going to make you happy.

Nice, France

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.”

-Abraham Lincoln

The FAQs of a New Vegan

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Sarah S.

I’ve been following a plant-based diet (think: vegan + limited refined sugar and processed foods) for a couple weeks now, and there are a few things I’ve learned. First of all, I feel a whole lot better already. My energy is up. I don’t rely on caffeine like I used to. Netflix marathons do not have to simultaneously accompany a candy binge after which I feel like total crap but for some reason still want to lie on my couch, drinking beer, and thinking sad guilty thoughts about my body/heath/exercise habits.

Second of all, friends and family have a lot of questions. That’s fair! They are concerned about my health and well-being. I’m not (yet?) a jaded vegan who thinks everyone is judging their nutritional habits. That said, I want to shed some light on the answers to some of those common questions. Maybe I can just start referring inquirers to this blog post. 😉

The FAQs of a New Vegan. on miaprimacasa.com

Why? As in, why would you do that?

Because I am young and by today’s standards healthy. That is to say, I don’t have a disease, I’m not overweight, and I have no broken bones. But I do have anxiety, allergies (to, like, every plant ever), trouble sleeping, adult acne, neck problems, fatigue, and a strong urge to binge eat candy the moment I get home from work and set eyes on my couch (why does candy taste best when you eat ten servings of it!? I have a feeling there is a vey logical scientific answer to that one…).

In other words, I don’t feel healthy.

I exercise regularly (see: Pittsburgh Marathon, Here I Come!) and don’t smoke, so I figured a factor to my feelings of crappiness probably had to do a large part to what I was eating (and also to stress, but that is hurdle to discuss at another time).

So there you have it. It’s really quite simple. I’m eating plant-based because I am trying to feel, and be, the best version of myself.

Make sure you are getting enough protein!

Very good advice. But good advice for anyone. Before I became vegetarian (about six months ago), I would eat on average three turkey sandwiches a week. I didn’t really care for red meat, and I didn’t really know how to cook meat at home either. I also wasn’t consuming plant protein like nuts or beans or using protein powder.

Today, I am more careful than ever about ensuring I eat enough protein. In fact, I am sure I eat more now than I did before I was vegetarian! My energy level has gone up, and I feel like I’m getting more from workouts.

Bottom line is: just because you aren’t a vegetarian, doesn’t mean you are getting enough protein. And just because you are, doesn’t mean you’re not!

Cookie Dough Brownies from Desertswithbenefits.com. Yes, these are vegan. And yes, they are delicious.

But what about ice cream? And cheese?!

There may be nothing better than fresh Wisconsin cheese curds. But truth be told, I stopped craving cheese after I stopped eating it for about a week. All I did was avoid it. Seriously, I just didn’t buy any cheese at the grocery store, and I didn’t order dishes with cheese in it

when I went out. What kept my self-control strong was the disappearance of that fuzzy feeling I got in my head after a cheesy pizza or the bloated stomach after a grilled panini that I scarfed down at my cubicle.

And as for ice cream, I switched to coconut ice cream. Which is as good as is sounds! Yum!

Why are refined sugars so bad for you?

First of all, sugar doesn’t contain: nutrients, protein, healthy fats, or enzymes. So, from my perspective (as in, not a scientist), sugar sounds like empty calories. Which actually doesn’t sound that bad. I mean, sugar is clearly not good for you…but does that mean it’s bad for you?

The cincher for me is that sugar is addictive. I have sugar. Then I want more sugar. And more sugar. And eventually nothing else (honey, maple syrup, fruit) tastes all that great because it’s, well, not as sweet and delicious as sugar (and now I’m going to get all fancy and give you a scientific source for what seems to be an obvious observation).

Other research suggests that refined sugar can cause also weight gain and poor sleep. Bummer.

What are you going to eat when you travel abroad?

For me, eating is a huge part of exploring another culture. I tried gelato in every major Italian city I visited. I ate margherita pizza in Naples. Tasted octopus in Southern Italy. Enjoyed cheese filled sausages in Bavaria. And fish and chips in London. Eating is part of the adventure. Since I don’t travel often, I’ve decided not to follow a strict plan-based diet while, say, visiting my expatriate twin sister in Amsterdam. I’m going to try my best (she already has some great vegetarian restaurants in mind!), but let myself experience the food of that culture. I’ll just try to stick to one stroopwafel…instead of ten.

THE BEST HOMEMADE BURRITOS EVER. Recipe from thekindlife.com

Eating out is going to suck.

Actually, no, it really hasn’t. Combining appetizers with salads or soups makes for a good option when visiting a less vegan-friendly

restaurant, but if you live in a city, my bet is you can find some pretty decent vegetarian places as well. That said, I’ve come to an understanding that compromises will be made. Non-whole wheat pasta at an Italian restaurant, for example, or a bit of cream in some tomato soup.

And the truth is, eating a vegan, plant-based diet hasn’t diminished any joy I get from eating (out, in, or otherwise). In fact, I think I enjoy food a whole lot more. Imagine discovering food that tastes wonderful and that you can eat without abandon or guilt to your heart’s content (literally!).

Because nobody ever felt shitty after binge eating homemade sweet potato fries.

Thoughts? Recommendations? I know you got ’em, and I want to hear ’em!

Cheers!

Sarah

Resources:

Forks Over Knives by Gene Stone, T. Colin Campbell, and Caldwell B. Esselstyn

The Idiot’s Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition by Julieanna Hever

T.Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies