First off, Happy New Year to all my readers! I hope this year will bring many great and exciting adventures.
Second, I will start the blog of the new year on a completely un-dog related topic. I want to talk about veggies. More specifically, I want to talk about the challenge my husband and I are undertaking. We have decided for the month of January to go vegetarian! The idea came about when I was visiting a friend of mine over the holidays. I picked up her vegetarian cookbook and realized that I liked a majority of the recipes in the book. When I mentioned this to my vegetarian friend, she asked, "Well, why don't you go vegetarian?" Why don't I indeed?! Thus the January, 2011 vegetarian challenge began.
The goal of the challenge is quite simple; see if Ryan and I can eat only veggies, milk, cheese, eggs and fish for one month. No beef! No pork! And certainly no late night chick-fil-a nuggets!
Although I wasn't certain how the challenge would turn out, I can safely say (13 days into it) that it has been really easy. And no, we aren't just eating salads and celery. We have found some amazing recipes online that are truly satisfying and tasty! As an extra bonus, Ryan and I have discovered an added benefit to going veggie. We have both lost weight! Ryan has lost 9 pounds in 13 days and I have lost 5! The only thing that has changed is the diet. We, unfortunately, have had horrible colds and were not able to workout. Once we are fully healed (hopefully next week) we will start a small workout program to include cardio and light weight resistance.
Since I've had a good experience going veggie, I thought I would share one of our new favorite recipes:
Second, I will start the blog of the new year on a completely un-dog related topic. I want to talk about veggies. More specifically, I want to talk about the challenge my husband and I are undertaking. We have decided for the month of January to go vegetarian! The idea came about when I was visiting a friend of mine over the holidays. I picked up her vegetarian cookbook and realized that I liked a majority of the recipes in the book. When I mentioned this to my vegetarian friend, she asked, "Well, why don't you go vegetarian?" Why don't I indeed?! Thus the January, 2011 vegetarian challenge began.
The goal of the challenge is quite simple; see if Ryan and I can eat only veggies, milk, cheese, eggs and fish for one month. No beef! No pork! And certainly no late night chick-fil-a nuggets!
Although I wasn't certain how the challenge would turn out, I can safely say (13 days into it) that it has been really easy. And no, we aren't just eating salads and celery. We have found some amazing recipes online that are truly satisfying and tasty! As an extra bonus, Ryan and I have discovered an added benefit to going veggie. We have both lost weight! Ryan has lost 9 pounds in 13 days and I have lost 5! The only thing that has changed is the diet. We, unfortunately, have had horrible colds and were not able to workout. Once we are fully healed (hopefully next week) we will start a small workout program to include cardio and light weight resistance.
Since I've had a good experience going veggie, I thought I would share one of our new favorite recipes:
SPINACH STUFFED SHELLS
What You Need
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
1 container (16 oz.) Cottage Cheese
1 red pepper, chopped
1 egg white
1 env. (0.7 oz.) GOOD SEASONS Italian Dressing Mix
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, divided
20 jumbo macaroni shells (for stuffing), cooked, drained and cooled
1 jar (13-1/2 oz.) spaghetti sauce
Make It
HEAT oven to 400°F.
COMBINE first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup mozzarella; spoon into shells.
SPREAD half the sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Place shells in dish; top with remaining sauce and mozzarella. Cover.
BAKE 40 min. or until heated through, uncovering after 30 min.
I hope you all enjoy this meal as much as Ryan and I did!
What You Need
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
1 container (16 oz.) Cottage Cheese
1 red pepper, chopped
1 egg white
1 env. (0.7 oz.) GOOD SEASONS Italian Dressing Mix
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, divided
20 jumbo macaroni shells (for stuffing), cooked, drained and cooled
1 jar (13-1/2 oz.) spaghetti sauce
Make It
HEAT oven to 400°F.
COMBINE first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup mozzarella; spoon into shells.
SPREAD half the sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Place shells in dish; top with remaining sauce and mozzarella. Cover.
BAKE 40 min. or until heated through, uncovering after 30 min.
I hope you all enjoy this meal as much as Ryan and I did!
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