High Protein Edamame Pasta, Spirituality & Food

When I woke up this morning, I felt a little unusual – very calm, satisfied with lots of energy and I didn't even need my morning cup of coffee. I decided to step on the scale to see if I have lost any weight and found out “nope” not a pound but I felt weirdly light. So, I measured my stomach.

Someone recommended that I do that before I started this diet because they said the first thing you lose is visceral fat. Surprisingly, I have lost two inches around my stomach in 14 days. Weird – right?.

There have been other benefits too. Sticking to this plant based diet has really increased my awareness and discipline and I think having more will power is somehow creating more spiritual awareness. Everything has been taken up a notch including my creativity.

One thing that has been a big help is that I have stuck to my plan of mindfully eating and no longer eat looking at a computer, television screen, book etc.

When I am eating alone, I put a chair by the window and just take in nature. It encourages me to eat slower, think about what I am eating and loving that I am not eating a living thing. This feeling of being so connected gives me the boost I need to keep this diet going forward.

Today has been relatively easy. I had a breakfast of some rolled oats, flax seed, frozen cherries and added some crunchiness with some vegan granola. Total calories 287 – protein 8.3 grams
I didn't plan lunch and decided to just use my “heightened” creativity to come up with something quick, yummy with lots of protein.

High Protein Edamame Pasta
Steam a 1/2 cup of frozen shelled edemame, boil 3/4 cup whole wheat pasta, sauté a cup of cherry tomatoes halved with a clove of garlic and a handful of basil. Toss the cooked pasta, edamame, cooked cherry tomatoes and basil with a little of the pasta cooking water and voila – a fast, delicious, high protein lunch. I had a little spinach on the side because I always like to a have a leafy green. Calories 357 – 20 grams of protein – Hope you enjoy this edamame pasta as much as I did.

Now my dilemma is that I still need 22 more grams of protein to finish out my day.
I think I will do a soy milk / banana shake for a snack – add some orange slices and it will taste like a creamsicle (approx 10 grams protein) and have a simple vegetable and tofu stir-fry for dinner.