Acidic vs Alkaline foods in your Body

Hi Friends!

I know it has been a little while since I've posted, but I have been super busy with some really important stuff.

Anyway- yesterday I watched this awesome documentary called "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead." about this guy Joe who is fed up with his Fat and Sick lifestyle, and decides that he will go on a Juice Fast for 60 days to better his life.

It was an inspirational documentary and got me thinking about juicing. I've wanted my own juicer for awhile now, so I'm buying one on Amazon. ( I have a boatload of giftcards for Amazon anyway, so I figured now's the time!)

I also started researching why these juice fasts actually work. Part of the reason is that, as American's, our food intake is Highly Acidic. This plays into factors of:

1) Needing over the counter and perscription Acid Reflux, Acid Control meditcation.

2) Draws nutrients out of our essential nutrients such as Calcium, to regulate our system.

and 3) Assists in slow metabolisms, low energy, and weight gain.

This Video: is super informative, and if you don't understand how acidity plays a role in your body, it really breaks it down like you're a kindergartener ;)

Enjoy!

Where do you get your PROTEIN??!!

I just finished another delishous lunch, completely free of animal products/bi products, but packed with nutrients and PROTEINNNNNN! (insert mean muscle face here)

Simple enough, we cooked up some brown rice and quinoa in veggiestock/water and threw in some spices, salt and peppah'

Then we sauteed some tempeh in a 'honey mustard' sauce. I usually use Agave, but we got had some honey left over from the pre-vegan stage, so I figured, why waste it?

we threw in some frozen veggies: mixed peppers, corn and carrots, with an onions we pre chopped and threw in the freezer as well.

after they sauteed all together, we mixed some of the rice/quinoa in a bowl with the veggies and tempeh on top

Ta-Da! Delicious, nutritious, easy, and cheap dinner.

How much protein is exactly in this meal? (figure in about a 1/2 cup rice/quinoa, 1/2 cup tempeh and 1/3 cup mixed veggies)

1/2 cup Tempeh: 15g protein

1/4 cup brown rice: 4g protein

1/4 cup quinoa: 5g protein

1/4 cup corn: 3g

that equals: 27 grams of protein in ONE MEAL!

Not to mention its completely balanced, you have your good-carbs, and your veggies too!

Cholestoral? ....Zilch!

Fat? .... <6grams!

sugar? ... <6 grams! ( and you dont have to add the agave/honey in at all if you dont want!

Peace out cubscouts! get'cha veg on!

Jazzy Vegetarian Radio Show

Good morning Veg-heads! I follow a lot of Veg-style blogs and facebooks and this one came up! I thought it was super cool because I've never heard of a Vegetarian Radio Show. I havent gotten too deep into it yet, but from what I can tell, you can learn some new recipes and veggie tips from her, so check it out!! http://www.jazzyvegetarian.com/links.html

Healthy Transformation

*** WARNING: Long post :) ***

The other day, I was asked to write something about my own transformation, from being a chubby, junk food addicted, highschooler/college student to a well informed, active and healthy young adult. I'm not going to lie- I used to drink Pepsi and eat snack packs like it was my job. My regular breakfast consisted of a large Chocolate Chip and sugar encrusted Muffin from Dunkin Donuts, along with a Large, Iced Caramal Latte, Extra Sweet, with whipped cream on top. This lasted throughout most of College as well, because even though I became a Vegetarian in the fall of my Sophomore year, I still had little restricting me from large quantities of sugar, dairy, cheese and fast food. I was the typical College student- Loved Pizza, chinese food, Ramen Noodles, Pop Tarts, Sugary Cereals and survived off LOTS Of coffee and sugary energy drinks. Every year I gained more weight, but I also gained more knowledge from my frustration. I would research healthy recipes and vegetarianism and collect recipe books... but I would make excuses that I just didnt have enough time to exercise.

Throughout college I took 5 to 6 classes each semester and worked 2 to 3 jobs at the same time. I was an active sorority sister and philanthropist--- I was extremely busy. I didn't stay up all night partying, and honestly didn't drink that much, but the combination of my food choices, and excuses for not exercising were catching up to me, and before I knew it, I was graduating college at 155 pounds. I went from my highschool weight of 120 to gaining an extra 35 pounds in 5 years.

I decided enough was enough. I had all the tools to live a healthy and happy lifestyle, and I wasn't going to make any excuses anymore.

I started reading, researching, and watching youtube videos on health, diet, and exercise. I collaborated ideas with friends, asking about diets that worked and exercises they knew were effective...and then in January of this past year, I took the plunge- I became Vegan. I knew about all the fats and sugars and extra calories that were in my favorite milk, cheese and egg dishes, and I had enough information to know how to supplement and replace those items with dishes that were healthier and just as delicious. I cut out all animal products and animal bi-products from my diet. That was step one. I dropped 5 pounds in a month!

Step two was really getting serious about exercise. I never enjoyed exercise and always made excuses why I couldnt do it: The gym was expensive. It was too far away to drive. I don't have enough time to do a "full" workout. I'm too tired. I'll do it tonight. I'll do it tomorrow. I walked to class, so that counts. I didn't eat -that- bad today.

I had to tell myself... SHUT UPPPP!!!! I was straight up lying to myself and I knew it. My complexion sucked, i was fat, unhappy and unhealthy.

After college, I was fortunate to be working full time at a job that had a small gym downstairs with a few treadmills, an eliptical, a bike, some weight lifting machines, yoga balls, and resistance bands. I decided I would set my alarm to 6am, go to work in my gym clothes, work out and change there to be upstairs and at work by 8am. I joined a work Healthy Team Challenge for a 3 month period, and when that was about to end, I joined a Biggest Loser Competition at work as well. I went to the gym for an hour every morning, at first, speed walking on the treadmill, then jogging, learning how to do intervals, and long uphill speedwalking. I changed it up a little every day, and then started incorporating weight lifting. I looked up simple exercises I could do with resistance bands for my arms, back, chest, and legs- and incorporated those exercises into my routine.

I knew that in order to keep myself excited about exercising, I would have to have consistancy, but I would also need to switch things up enough to keep it fun! I joined some Zumba and Pilates classes at the local YMCA and started doing that a couple times a week.

I thought of things I always wanted to do that were healthy for me: Learn how to hoola hoop and learn Yoga. I got myself a cheap hoola hoop to pracitce at home and joined Yoga at Love&Healing, in Trumbull. It was enlightening, and in the first class I could already tell that my posture was inproving and that the stretches and exercises were toning my muscles. Plus it was SUPER relaxing!

Nobody likes to run. If you do, you're lying or you're a freak, sorry! haha... no, but seriously, nobody says "Man, I just can't wait to run today! I love that feeling that my heart is about to give up and I'm so hot and sweaty that I just want to die!" Noone. says. that. But, it's just a great way to get in shape! If you love the outdoors, go to your favorite hiking trails and incorporate that. If you live by the beach, run along it! If you have a school by your house, run the track! It's free, and its great for you. If you have a bike, do that too! Like to rollerskate/rollerblade? Get on it! Skateboard? Sure! There is so much you can be doing to better yourself for little to no money at all. Just be active. Once I learned that, and got into the routine, it became natural. I wasnt making excuses anymore- I was just waking up and going.

and you know what? I had enough hours in the day. And my energy was improving! I wasn't falling asleep at my desk anymore, becasue my body was up and moving. The key is to find things you enjoy, get into a routine (we are extreme creature of habit) and stick with it! If you tell yourself you're not going to be able to do it, you wont, and if you tell yourself you can, you WILL! Don't stress. You're blessed :) Think about all that you have, how lucky you are, and how much your health and yourself matter!

Smooooothies! Getcha detox on!

Lately, I have been SUPER into smoothies. They are a great, quick, easy, and cheap way to start out the day, get in that extra boost of energy, and get your daily dose of fruits and veggies! The coolest part about smoothies, is you can tailor them to do what you want done for your body, mind and soul. This article explains the benefits of smoothies and difference recipes to combat your worst enemies. Think of it as a magic potion... eye of newt... hair of a wareworf, you know- that sort of thing. ENJOY!

Meatless Mondays

It's 2012 people and it's time we get our acts together and change the world, before the Mayan's wipe us out! Ever wonder how you can change the world? Better your Health? Lose some weight? Actually make a difference? Well, here's a baby step for you, if you're interested: Meatless Mondays. That's right, for one day a week, ( Yep, just one!) you can eliminate meat from your diet, and start making a difference! This video explains a lot more as to how it can make a difference, who it affects, how it can be done, and why to do it! It's easy. It's not like we're cavemen, hunting down antelope and trying to decipher between poisonous berries- let's be honest, there is at least a "Quickie Mart" a few blocks away that has some veggie or noodle options that are meat-free, but lets be even more honest- the Stop and Shop, Trader Joes, or Whole Foods provides a CORNACOPIA of options that are healthy, delicious and affordable :) Remember, I am talking whole-foods here, friends. When you start getting packaged, preserved, quick-and-easy meals, your prices go up due to convienience. Start buying your fruits and veggies, chopping them up and getting some recipes together! Stir fry? Veggie/bean burritos? Fajitas? Veggie fried rice or Lomein? Some veggie indian cuisine? Rice and beans? pasta and veggies? Veggie pizza? Can I make it easier?! Let's do this! One day a week can make a HUGE difference! Let me know how your first Meatless Monday goes! What are you eating? How do you feel about it?

Are Animals Emotional??

I saw this video and it was highly interesting to me. It talks a lot about the emotional aspects of animals and how humans relate. at. It also talks about animal capabilities vs. Humans. Really Interesting stuff!

Skinny Bitch ---Book Review

I know I'm a little late to the party, but I finally picked up my own copy of Skinny Bitch and gave it a read. First of all, I couldn't put it down. It was sassy and honest and just what I had needed to refuel my motivation as a vegan who wants to be as healthy and look as good as possible. I really love how the authors go through each and every Vice we have ( Coffee, Cigarettes, Alcohol, Dairy, Meats etc.) and breaks down why they are bad for you, what they are doing to your body, and why you should kick them out of your life! Some of the stuff is very scientific and it really breaks down to how these things directly affect your life, body, and the way you feel. They also do a great job of talking about how the food industry really works. The politics behind it, and all the cruel behind-the-scenes action we all try to ignore in order to live in Pleasantville and continue to eat our porkchops. She actually presents quotes from Factory Farm workers who have seen it all first hand. Lastly, they are able to present great healthy tips for your new Vegan lifestyle. Shopping lists and meal plans, and extra motivation to get healthy and SEXY! It's not hard when they break it down for you like that. Basically, we all grow up in this world of denial. we dont want to look our food in the face. we dont know our limits. and we need someone to slap us in the face and bring us back to reality. That's what Skinny Bitch does, and I highly recommend it as a good intro read to the Vegan lifestyle.

Veggie Protein!

When I first became Vegetarian, almost 5 years ago, I started by weaning out red meats, then white meats, and finally fish/seafood. I did it little by little because its good to let your body adjust and also not to just eliminate proteins without replacing them. There are SO many options for vegetable based proteins, which are so much healthier because they contain far less fat, zero cholesterol and less calories. Here are a few options that I use as protein in my meals: Tofu: Tofu is just a mashed up bean (edamame). (just like mashed potatos, but instead of a potato, it’s a bean!) You can buy it in firm form, or silken form. The firm form is in a block that you can easy cube, or cut into strips. It ‘s great for stir fry recipes. You can grill it, marinade it, and spice it up- just like chicken. If you freeze it overnight and thaw it out, it makes it even more firm and chewy too! It contains about 10 grams of protein, zero fat and zero cholesterol. Tempeh: Tempeh is fermented grains. It’s very nutty and has a great texture to it. You can bake it, grill it, marinade it, sauté it- really anything you want. There are ways to give it that smoky bacon like flavor so you can replace that in your favorite breakfast meals, or even on a BLT like sandwich! About 16 grams protein! TVP: Textured Vegetable Protein is a dried grain in small pellets. When you pour hot water and mix it, it soaks up the water and becomes much like a ground meat ( more like ground chicken than ground beef). I love using this as taco meat- all you have to do is add the seasoning like you would normally do and it has the exact same flavor, 13 grams of protein, but NO fat or cholesterol! Seitan: Seitan is made from Wheat Gluten, a flour mixture. It is kneaded into a dough ( like pizza dough) and boiled until it becomes firm. It can then be soaked in a vegetable broth and baked or you can use it just like chicken in any other way. It has a wonderful chewy texture and can take on any flavor. This one is my favorite  Oh, and lets not forget about Beans! Black beans, Kidney Beans, Lentils, Pinto, Green Beans, White beans, Navy beans, Lima Beans, Chick Peas, Mung beans... Quinoa, Cous-Cous, Nuts, Seeds, Oatmeal, and Peanut butter are all great Protein options :) There are also tons of Vegetarian and Vegan manufacturers that make Veggie Burgers, Veggie Hot Dogs, Veggie Corn Dogs, Veggie Chicken Patties, Grilled Chicken, Chicken Nuggets, Turkey burgers, Italian sausages, breakfast sausage links or patties, veggie bacon, veggie turkey, veggie beef chucks (great for beef stew)….really, just about anything! And they are all Low to No Fat and No Cholesterol! Some of my favorite brands are: Gardein Quorn Morningstar Farms Boca Amy’s SmartLite Tofurkey **If you're going Vegan, double check your ingredients, because some Morningstar and Quorn products contain milk or egg products.

Master Cleanse

*some of this can be alittle TMI, but for those of you trying to learn what the cleanse is really like, I’m trying to be as honest as possible here. Sorry.

I am officially on Day 2 of my journey with The Master Cleanse. I began easing in over the weekend with soups and fruit/veggie smoothies and yesterday began drinking my "Lemonade" mixture all day long. I weighed in on Friday, April 20th and was 155 pounds.

Yesterday I felt like I was Starving all morning, but once 2 o'clock hit, things evened out. I got home around 5:30 as usual and didn't know what to do with myself. At that time, I usually started planning out and making what I was going to eat for dinner, but instead, I filled up another water bottle with water, lemon juice, grade A maple syrup and a few dashes of cayenne pepper, and drank away.

When that was finished I still didn't know what to do so I cleaned: did laundry, washed dishes, organized the bookshelves. Then I turned on the TV and watched a little Undercover Boss—that show always chokes me up at the end!

Around 7:30 I decided I was going to try the Salt Water Flush ( SWF) which is basically mixing 2 Teaspoons of seasalt in warm water and chugging it. I’m not going to lie, it was super hard to get down. I gagged a few times. It tastes really gross. Then I walked around a little bit, breathing slowly and finally sat down to finish the episode. I knew, from reading about the Cleanse that it would take about 30 minutes to an hour. Within 15 minutes I felt my stomach grumbling and moving around. Something was happening. But I didn’t end up going into the bathroom until about 8:30 and probably stayed there for a good 30 minutes. So… needless to say, I’m glad I didn’t do this in the morning. I don’t have all that time!

The flush itself, once it happened was not as bad as I thought. I thought it might hurt or be extremely uncomfortable, but it “went smoothly.” And was not painful or irritating at all. Once that was done, I brewed a cup of “Smooth Move Tea” (It is Chocolate flavored!) and steeped it for 10 minutes and got in bed to read, drink my tea, and fell asleep calmly.

I slept well except for the fact that I was paranoid I might wake up in the middle of the night and need to run to the bathroom. But I didn’t! All was well.

This morning I’m not too hungry. Definitely an improvement from yesterday! I had a very small BM this morning, but nothing frightening. Someone tried to scare me yesterday and said to “wear a diaper,” which did not make me feel very confident, but now I know this is not the case.

I feel like, once I get through today and tomorrow I’ll be more than good to go for the ten days. Who knows? Maybe I’ll push it even further!

Super Smoothie!!!

The last few days I have been slurping up Super Smoothies and they are super revitalizing and delicious ( did I mention, good for you too?!)

Yesterday I combined:
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup kale
1 cup strawberries
1 whole mango
1 whole banana
2 cups pure orange juice

and blended it up! Instant goodness!

Today I have a little more simplicity and a lot more kale:

4 cups kale
2 cups strawberries
1 large banana
2 cups pure orange juice

Did you know that 1 cup of kale has only 33 calories, but has 1g fiber, 2g protein and 206% vitamin A, 134% vitamin c, 9% of calcium and 6% iron!

1 large banana contains 120 calories, 31 carbohydrates, 4g Fiber and 1g Protein as well as 2% of your Vitamin A, 20% of Vitamin C, 1% calcium and 2% iron

1 cup strawberries contains 1g protein, 2% calcium, 149% vitamin c and 3% Iron

Pure orange juice contains 2g protein, 10% vitamin A, 3% calcium, 207% vitamin c and 3% iron

Mangos contain 3g fiber, 1g protein, 25% vitamin A, 76% vitamin c, 2% calcium, 1% iron

Spinach contains 1g protein, 1g fiber, 56% vitamin A, 14% vitamin c, 5% iron and 3% calcium!

G-Zen

This past Wednesday, my friends and I checked out this Fabulous Vegan restaurant called G-Zen in Branford CT. It's a cute little place that is completely vegan, organic and eco-friendly.

I ordered the Portabella Tofu Napoleon and let me tell you: The Tofu was marinated and cooked to the perfect firmness and taste. The portobello was thick and juicy and the asparigus was crisp and fresh. My favorite part of the meal, however, was the red-mashed potatoes with the Merlot sauce. MMmmm Mmmmm MMmmmm!

I also had a refreshing glass of fresh Zen-gria, which included a mix of red wine with fresh blueberry and pomigranet juices topped with a fresh slice of lime, lemon, and orange on top with skewered grapes!

For dessert, even though I was full to the brim, I had to take home a piece of Chocolate, Hazelnut cake to share with my boy. The mouse-like frosting was sweet and decidant- the cake, extremely moist and rich. And on top of it all, it came with a side of fresh raspberry coolie, which held just the right combination of sweetness and tartness to pair with the rich, chocolately goodness!

All in all, I'd give the experience and the food 5 stars! We had the sweetest waitress, the atmosphere was simple and soothing, and the menu had many creative and palate pleasing choices. ( I also snuck one of my friend's sweet potatoe fries and it was crisp, crunchy, and sweet-potatoey :) My favorite!)

The only thing to be weary of is their prices, but remember friends- Fresh, Organic, and House-made food takes extra cost and extra work, so go in with that in mind. I would certainly go back to this place and Highly recommend you give it a try- whether you're veg or not!!!

Hummus Pizza!

Going Vegan meant one thing for my habit of eating too much pizza: It had to stop.

At least that's what I thought when I was getting into it. Little did I know there were tricks to the trade that provided endless ideas for glorious pizzas to come.

Yesterday I experimented with some hummus and a few ingredients I had scattered around my refridgerator, and ended up with a suprisingly delicious concoction!

Hummus Pizza!

*Buy a 2 pack of the Whole Wheat pizza crusts from your favorite grocery store. ( Or if you're really great, make youre own dough!)
*Buy a small container of Hummus ( I prefer Garlic and Sabras)
*Chop up some Green Olives, Sundried Tomatos, and Roasted Red Peppers.
*Spread the hummus all over the crust
*Add olives, tomatos and peppers with whatever residing oil there is from those ingredients.
*Sprinkle pizza with a dash of Nutritional Yeast
*Add Salt and Pepper and Red Pepper flakes to taste
*Bake at 350' for 20 minutes.
"YUMMMMMOOOOOOO

its gonna be good.

I also used my left over grilled onions and peppers from my burrito bowl yesterday, and with the other crust, spread some simple tomato sauce, sprinkled with basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and spread the grilled veggies on! Baked that up and ate it up! How easy, and no leftovers wasted!!!

Healthy Challenge: Day 1

Good morning and happy Almost-March!

The spring is approaching and it is time to set some new goals. I have decided to join the Corporate Cup events at my job and be a part of some sporty activities. One inparticular is going to be especially challenging. It is called the Healthy Challenge.

The rules of the game are that you earn a certain amount of points for completeing and doing certian healthy things, and lose points if you do unhealthy activities.

It begins today and ends May 21st. So thats a solid 3 months. Today I will take a pre-test of my health, begin a food diary, an exercise diary and refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol.

I will attend healthy meal classes and healthy choice classes for extra points as well.

I'll keep you all updated!

Giving up Mary Kay

I was a dedicated Mary Kay consultant and consumer for almost 2 years, when I found out this weekend that they were decieving me all along.

I remember, almost 2 years ago, in May- going to my first Mary Kay party- trying all of the skincare and loving it. There was a question and answer period, and I asked: "Are your products tested on animals?"
The consultant confidently answered, "No. Mary Kay has a firm stance against Animal Testing. Mary Kay was an animal lover and she wouldn't stand for it."

Shortly after, I became a consultant, began selling and using the products, and loving it. At every party I had, I shared the wonderful news that my clients were buying 100% cruelty free products, and I had a lot of friends who truly appreciated that.

Then came this weekend. PETA posted an article stating that Mary Kay, Avon and Estee Lauder were secretly doing animal testing. I went to Mary Kay to research this and make sure PETA had not made a mistake: after all, this is the company that time and time again, confidently boasted that we would never test on animals.

Soon after signing in to my Mary Kay Consultant account, I found a letter from Mary Kay President: Darrell Overcash. This is what it read:

UPDATE: A Message from Darrell Overcash
Published 02.17.12

Some of you may have seen or heard that PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), the animal activist organization, has changed the status of Mary Kay and other cosmetics companies on its website, moving us from its list of “Companies That Do Not Test on Animals” to its list of “Companies That Do Test on Animals.”

Let’s set the record strait: Mary Kay is committed to the elimination of animal testing. Mary Kay’s policy has always been consistent- nothing has changed. Our commitment to the elimination of animal testing has never wavered. We do not conduct animal testing on our products or ingredients- nor do we ask others to do so on our behalf – except when absolutely required by law.

Regulations on cosmetics constantly change, but Mary Kay has never wavered from our commitment to use alternative testing methods. There was only one country where we operate, among more than 35 around the world, that by law under certain circumstances require cosmetics to be tested on animals: China. Please know that none of the products you have purchased here in the United States have been tested on animals.

Rest assured that our commitment to the elimination of animal testing has never wavered. We have been working to continue to work very closely with the Chinese government to demonstrate that alternative testing methods ensure safe and effective products. For more than two decades, Mary Kay has been a global leader in helping to develop alternative testing methods for product safety.

If you receive questions from your customers, you can assure them that despite whatever they may hear from PETA, at Mary Kay, nothing has changed: we remain firm in our commitment to eliminate the practice of animal testing.

Thank you for your support of this great Company.

Darrell Overcash.


-----
Now that you have read the letter as well, I'm sure you can understand that what I got out of this letter was this: "We don't animal test, except for in China ( but that doesnt count because it the law!" right?

I posted this on Facebook and was met with many remarks from my consultant friends that read things like:
"Well, why dont you call Mary Kay and see exactly what KIND of animal testing they do. It might not be dangerious to the animals."

This set a flame in my mind: Well what the heck does it matter what kind of testing they are doing? They are performing Animal Testing. They are confining animals to cages in laboratories and performing tests! These animals are not free to live their lives. They are most likely scared, and in pain, and not FREE.

Maybe I'm being overly eccentric here, but since when did an animal's Life become less important than a Human life?

So I quit.

I am no longer selling Mary Kay, and am getting rid of the rest of my inventory at 25% off, weaning off the rest of my supply of home use products ( because I also don't belive in wasting what you have), and shopping for a new line of cruelty free, skin care products.

Suggestions?

Vegan Wedding Ideas

I saw this site and thought it was wonderful for any friends who are looking for ideas for Vegan Weddings :)

Check it out!

Superbowl Sunday

Yesterday was the Superbowl- Giants vs. Pats, and the Giants won! Personally I am a Broncos and Jets follower, but was glad the Giants won.

I hung out with Tony's family and we had a huge spread of delicious treats to munch on. I ate some delicious vegan chili, salsa, chips and such, but about halfway through the evening I decided I would snack on some stuffed broccoli bread with cheese and have a piece of cake ( which contained eggs). It was the first time I had consumed any animal bi-products in over a month.

It tasted good and I felt fine for the night, but as soon as I got home my stomach started to hurt. And today it feels disgusting. I feel like something really heavy is just sitting and sloshing around in there, and I am nauscious and gross-feeling. I wish I haddnt eaten any cheese. I dont think the eggs in the cake would have bothered me that much, but I'm pretty sure the cheese is sitting strong.

Advice to any new vegan, dont test yourself if you havent eaten dairy in over a month. Yuck! I think I've learned my lesson.

Harsh Realities

Many of my meat eating friends ask me not to explain why I don't eat meat or animal products. They have a hard time hearing the reality of what really goes on behind the scenes at factory farms, and the abuse these animals endure.

I don't blame them. It is not easy to watch a video of cows being hung upside down and having their throats slit- watching them twist and moan in pain as every drop of their blood drains from their body onto the slauterhouse floor. It is not fun to watch Circus workers continually stab and shock elephants to make them do rediculously unnatural tricks in order for people to be entertained. It is not beautiful to see people abusing their own dogs and cats- kicking them, starving them, and leaving them chained out in the rain and snow.

But its reality.

And if you don't like it- do something about it.

You may feel like you are only one person, but the truth is, if you feel uneasy, upset, disgusted, or angry about the way animals are treated, there are things you can do that will save lives. Thousands of lives. And your knowledge will spread and posiviely affect others into being more open minded and looking the truth in the face, no matter how much their fear it- and the world will be better because of it.

I don't mean to sound harsh. I was once one of those people who ate chicken wings and said that I could never live without cheese. I was one of those people who, if shown a factory farm video, would turn away and say "I can't watch that, it will ruin my dinner." Is this you?

If it is you, just think about it in a logical perspective. You are not ignorant. You know the truth. Maybe not all of it, but you know at least a glimpse of where your meat/dairy comes from. And there is so much more to learn.

Personally, I want to only ingest things that will positively affect my body and mind. I know that no suffering has taken place when I eat my pasta and marinara, or fresh fruit and veggies. I know that my bean dip doesnt breathe, and love, and have a family.

The point is. If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. If you don't like to see animals suffering, which is what happens for the meat you eat, then don't eat meat! It's a simple equation. That is all, my friends.

30th day!!

It seems I have reached the 30th day of my 30 day challenge, and as a matter of fact, it is also my Birthday!! I had an amazing weekend full of fun and lovely vegan food!

Have I cheated at all this month???

...
.....
.....

nope. not a drop.

I'm super proud of myself, and best of all, I'm going to continue. I have never felt better in my life. I've lost 8 pounds without working out at all, my skin is clear and bright, my stomach/digestive system is wonderful- no tummy aches anymore! And its not hard... so why should I stop?

I have learned a lot this month and continue to learn more every day about how to be more conscious of what to put in your body and how it effects you and your health. I've also learned so much about how to better the world and be cruelty free. Things you never think about, like how feather hair-extentions can be a violent act, never crossed my mind before just a few weeks ago, and now I am being more open to the world around me.

Thank you for following me in my journey. I plan on continueing the blog to let you know how things go along the way. More fun recipes and treats to come! :)

Dr. Oz Show

I'm not a huge fan of the Dr. Oz Show or The Doctors, but people are trying to get healthy, get fit, look hot and feel good! So check this out! Even Dr. Oz agrees that Veganism will save your life!

Check out this video.
to learn more!

Importance of Water in Any Lifestyle Diet

Did you know that yoru bones consist of 22% water and your muscles consist of a whopping 75% water, and blood consists of an enormous 83% water?

Water is the most beneficial thing you are putting into your body every day. It not only detoxifies your system, allowing you to feel more energized, and help you lose excess fats, but it also helps regulate your body temperature, protects your organs, assists with your metabolism and much more.

This site highlights the benefits of drinking water and the harmful effects that dehydration can take on your body.

This site goes into a lot more detail and I love it :)

How do you feel when you are dehydrated? How many glasses do you drink a day?

2 more pounds down!

Perhaps its all the head-bobbing I do in my cube all day, but its seems that I've dropped another 2 pounds! I was 147.8 last night and (Shhhh!) still havent been going to the gym. Oh my, I do need to get on that.

I'm telling you right now its from eliminating the cheese. a cup of diced chedder cheese (that i might eat with some crackers and salsa) has about 44 grams of fat!

Who knew?

Even reduced fat Sour Cream ( that I used to stick in Tacos, enchiladas, dips and even my guac sometimes, has almost 30 grams itself!

So yeah, with that on top of not eating any candy bars or cakes found around (which contain milk chocolate and eggs) is really helping me drop the pounds! Once I get back into my gym routine I should be well on my way to my goal of dropping 20 pounds by March 20th ( before my trip to Ultra Music Festival)

Enough about me- what do you think about Fat Vegans or Junk Food Vegans? Do you think they exist? Do you know any?

Vegan Dinner and Movie Night

Yesterday I went to Hamden to visit a friend of mine for a dinner and movie night. She is a vegetarian, so when she found out I was vegan, she was up for the challenge to make a delicious dinner for us. She told me she was making her famous Christmas Casserole. I didn't know what to expect. Would there be ginger snaps involved? I was excited to see.

Kate prepared a simple, nutritious and tasty meal in just about 20 minutes total.

She cooked up some Quinoa (Keen-wah) which is like a more nutty and grainy cous-cous or rice, with some Sesame oil. Put it in a cassarole dish and then layered Fresh Baby Spinach and canned and drained Diced Tomatoes ( hence the Red and Green for xmas!) some some crushed Ritz Crackers on top! Then she popped it in the open until the spinach began to wilt and the dish was hot, and served it up!

I thought this dish was perfect for on-the-go people, or college students, or anyone who doesn't have time or the want to cook super tricky dishes. I bet the whole thing probably cost around $4 ( and she definitely had left overs!)

We enjoyed our Christmas Casserole over the movie Meet Bill ( which I loved)

Check it out and make yourself some Christmas in January!

Thanks Kate!

Healing Benefits of Herbs and Spices

My mom suggested I read this article about the Healing Benefits of Herbs and Spices and I found it quite interesting!

I use a ton of herbs and spices when I cook, simply because I love the way they taste, but I really had no idea of the additional benefits they had in store!

Check out this article to learn more!

Relaxing and Refreshing Weekend

This weekend was full of delicious foods that refreshed my body into a new state of happiness and restfulness.

On Saturday, we spent the evening with my parents, cooked dinner and watched the Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which was a really interesting movie and also makes the animal-activist in me reinforce my beliefs. We don't want a bunch of crazy Apes realizing how terrible us Humans are, do we? It could be a very scary situation if you ask me...

Anyway- back to the food!

Whenever I come over, my parents always ask me to make my famous Guacamole. (Now, I don't know why exactly people go nuts over my guac, but the trick is to add a little more garlic and cilantro than you think you should!)
So here's the recipe:

Guacamole:

4 Avacados
4 medium Cloves of garlic
1 handful of Cilantro
2 plum tomatos
1/2 lime
salt and pepper to taste.

Cut the avacados in half and use a knife to "chop" the seed so it gets wedged in there. Pop out the seed and use a spoon to scoop out the fruit into a large bowl. Do this for all four Avacados. Use a garlic press to press the 4 Garlic cloves into the bowl. Cut the Cilantro with scissors into the bowl. Squeeze the lime on top. Mash this mixture with a Potato Masher. Chop the tomatos into small chunks and toss into the bowl. Mix with spoon. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Then eat with your favorite tortilla chips!

*WARNING: My favorite tortilla chips used to be the Tostidos with a Hint of Lime... NOT VEGAN. They add sour cream into the chips.

For dinner I made two recipes from Sarah Kramers cook book (that I have been using for a few years now) called La Dolce Vegan!

For the main entree I made a Coconut Curried Vegetable and Rice dish, and for the side, a light and refreshing Bean and Corn Salad. We also decided to make some Roasted Sweet Potatoe Chips as a side.

It was absolutely Delicious!! And a success! My parents really enjoyed the meal, despite their terror of a vegan lifestyle.

Recipes to follow!

Breakfast of Champions! French Toast and Scramble!

This morning I made a delectable Vegan Breakfast! My all time favorite Weekend Breakfast is French Toast, and although I was never huge into eggs- Tony is, so I decided to make a Tofu-Scramble as well.

Here's what you'll need:

French Toast:

1/2 loaf of bread ( I used wheat, but would recommend Italian Bread, or something a little stale for better hold)
4 Tbsp Vegan Butter (Try Earth Balance)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp raw sugar (or Agave)
1/4 cup of tofu (any kind will work, but silken or soft is best)
1/2 banana
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg


I used a magic bullet for this, but you can use a blender food processor or whatever you have. Put Tofu, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Banana, Sugar, and Vanilla in Blender and blend until smooth. Pour this mixture into a shallow bowl. Dip bread evenly on each side. Melt butter in Medium Heat Pan. Place bread evenly on pan and cook until lightly browned. Flip bread and cook over side.

*If you are making the Tofu Scramble after this and you dont want your French Toast to get cold, turn on your over to Warm with a cooking sheet inside, and put the french toast on the cooking sheet to keep it warm.

Tofu Scramble:

1 block Firm Tofu
1 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 Tsp fresh, minced garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup fresh chopped baby spinach

In pan, heat olive oil and add in onions, peppers and garlic and stir until onions are translucent and browned. Squeeze most of the water out of the tofu with your hands. (It doesn't have to be completely dry- you want it to taste fluffy) Crumble the Tofu into a bowl and add to the veggie mixture. Add in your spices and mix. Add in chopped spinach and Nutritional Yeast and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy your breakfast, you Champion!

Last weeks Dinner and Game Night

I was just thinking, I completely forgot to share a wonderful experience I had last Sunday. On New Years Eve, I spent the night with some close friends at a small get together. We all shared snacks, toasted our champagne and watched the ball drop- excited for the new year to come.

That same night, I had shared with my friends my Challenge for the New Year. They thought I was crazy, as they knew I was a big fan of Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip and Fresh Mozzerella and Tomato Sandwiches; however, I told them that I had been researching and that I was prepared and confident that I could master this challenge. They asked a lot of questions regarding the differences between vegetarians and vegans, and what I could and could not eat and why I was doing this. They were respectfully curious and eager to learn, but still, they were very unfamiliar and uncomfortable with the idea of nixing all animal products and bi products all together.

At the end of the night, as we were leaving, we all decided that we would get together the next Sunday as well and have a dinner night. My friends all insisted that we have a Vegan Dinner and Game Night, so that was the plan.

The whole week I was graced with text messages with questions about my lifestyle and what I could and could not digest. Some questions as simple as "You can eat rice, right?" I was excited to see what everyone was going to make and almost expected that someone slip up and add some parmesan cheese, or butter or something. I know how hard it is to try to be an almost-perfect vegan, and sometimes you can still purchase something that has an animal bi-product, so with just a week to prepare and learn, I went into the dinner night, expecting to consume at least a smidge of animal bi-product from the cuisine.

To my excitement and surprise, my friends were more than prepared. They even kept the recipes they had used and the containers of food they used so I could check the ingredients. My friends made a delicious Vegetable Lasagna with tofu-ricotta (let me tell you, it tasted JUST like ricotta), some grilled asparagus with roasted garlic, A bountiful green salad, and a fluffy Mushroom Risotto. All Completely Vegan! Tony and I contributed our favorite recipe for Eggplant Balls, which taste like a combination of a meatball and eggplant parm all in a little ball of joy. For dessert we had a refreshing and colorful Fruit Salad!

I felt so completely honored and touched by how my friends went out of their way to learn about my lifestyle and contribute into it. It was one of the most solid, tangible forms of friendship I had ever experienced and I am grateful to have such a supporting group of friends. We ended the night with an intense round of Apples to Apples- which has become our new found favorite game, and ended our night with leftovers to take home.

I hope that if any of you are thinking about moving towards a more vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, that you are met with love and support the same way I have.

Peace.

BANANA "ICE CREAM" !!!

MMMmmmmmmm...

Okay, let me first off be honest and say this isnt a new Vegan thing for me. I've been doing this for awhile. You could say I'm a pro.

Here's what you need:

3 Peeled and frozen bananas
*It also helps if they were cut into pieces before freezing
1/4 cup Almond Milk
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp raw sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Wanna get real fancy? Add in some Dark Chocolate and chopped walnuts!

In a blender, food processor or your Magic Bullet put in banana pieces, almond milk and vanilla extract.
Pulse and blend until smooth.
*If you want it to be more creamy and smooth you can add a smidge more almond milk.
Scoop mixture into bowls and top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar.

***If you want it to be more like a gelato consistancy, put the blended mixture into a tuperware and freeze for 3 hours. Then scoop out and eat. This will make it a bit firmer, but still creamy.

Ta-DA! Deliciousness...

Fur is Never Cool to Wear

Watch this to learn about fur.



and this video to learn a little bit about where the "fashionable" fur comes from.




Spread the word. Wear Faux-Fur.

Yesterdays Lunch and Dinner

Yesterday I had some good old fashioned childhood favorites for lunch and dinner.

For lunch, I packed myself a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich on Whole Wheat bread with some grapes, a banana, and some pistacios.

For dinner I made the rest of my Gardein Chicken with lemon juice, mashed a potatoe with some almond milk, parsley, salt, pepper and fresh garlic, and cooked up some frozen peas and corn. Simple and definitely comfort food!

Today I brought a can of Tomato soup with some of my left overs from last nights dinner. Easy and cheap!

----

Body Changes:

I've noticed that since I've started my Vegan diet I have been feeling much better, stomach-wise. You know when you have that bloated,nausious feeling after eating and you just don't feel like moving for awhile? I used to get that All The Time... but I havent gotten that feeling once since I've began this diet.

It makes me think that maybe dairy and eggs just werent agreeing with my body, but that I wasnt listening very carefully to what my body was trying to tell me. I know now that I was so obsessed with dairy and eggs in almost everything I ate, that I didnt even think twice that those products could be the reason why I was feeling so lathargic, bloated, nauscious or feeling pain in my stomach.

All in all, feeling great. The challenge of going out to eat will always be there, but I feel like the more experience I have, the better I can prepare to overcome that obsticle as well!

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/11/dining/a-vegetarians-struggle-for-sustenance-in-the-midwest.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all

http://almostveganchef.com/2012/01/11/a-response-to-and-refutation-of-the-ny-times/

Dinner Parties

Last night I went to a fantastic dinner party for a good friend of mine who just turned 23. (Happy Birthday Suz!) The house was an old beautiful house in East Rock, right by Peabody Museum, and it was soon filled with a lively bunch of eclectic music lovers, comics, and pedestrians, as well as a great spread of food.

Suz knew going into this that I was on a new Vegan journey, and told this to her parents, who were preparing the feast. However, there was a LOT of temptation going on, on my part.

When I first walked in, I grabbed a glass of white wine and stood by a table that held platters of crispy, flaky, and gooey Spanikopita. Mmmmmm. Can I tell you I used to LOVE Spanikopita? (Not to mention the word itself.) It. Smelt. Delicious. But I helped host them out and soon enough, they were gobbled up.

There was also a hearty couple of cheese chunks with crackers on a large platter, with a small tray of olives that sat daintily next to it. Beside that was a small bowl of nuts. I grazed delicately on the olives and nuts, and sipped healthily on my wine to avoid the cheese.

Finally the dinner bell rang- An annoucement from Suz:
"How many Vegans and Vegetarians do we have here?"
(About 7 hands raise) *Woot! we're growing!
"Okay, we are going to have the vegans and Vegetarians get food first, because there are only a few dishes they can eat"
Cue groans from the meat-eaters.

My herbivore friends and I lined up and were excited to find a delicious Scottish Turnip Stew with a side of Tofu and Veggie Fried Rice! (There was also Mashed Potatoes and Biscuits for the Vegetarians)
* I think I was the only Vegan there, but I stocked up on a good bowl of soup and sank into the rich flavors, later to thank Suz's dad for the masterpiece.

The hardest temptation of all was the cake. It looked as though it was a rich, chocolate cake- definitely made with eggs. I shyly turned around and ignored the various "mmmmm"'s and "wow"'s and decided the cake was dry and disgusting.

The party was a blast- I was able to catch up with friends, and left feeling excited that I had overcome yet another obsticle. I am definitely stronger because of it.

Wonderful Things I've Stumbled Upon Today!

First of all, check this out! I watched a few videos about this home farm, right within a city, and they are simply amazing. My future goal is to be able to live like them- provide my own food for myself and live with little detrimental effects to the Earth.

Secondly,

This video is hilarious! Just goes to show you that people don't really think about where what they put in their mouth is coming from!

NEWS FLASH! Protein found in Veggies and Fruits!

Protein isnt found just in meat? You mean, I can get my protein from foods other than steaks, and chicken wings and veal?

YEP!

Check this out! It tells you about 7 Veggies that are high in protein. ( Not to mention, almost zilch on fat and no cholesterol!)

Oh yeah, fruits too!

But don't forget about your nuts and beans, my friends. You know what they say about beans!

Lost 5 pounds!

Well, well, well, mi-oh-my! I am happy to annouce that in ten days I have lost 5 pounds...(without even touching the gym! whatttt?) I start going back to the gym tomorrow, but strangely enough, even though I havent been going to the gym, and spent the last weekend at Foxwoods, of all places, I stepped on the scale this morning to reveal 150.00 pounds flat. Bettah than nothin, right? (I think about it as half way to ten!)

Nutrition Facts of the Day!

Bananas are wonderful and healthy raw fruit to enjoy. They fill you up because they have a good dose of fiber. But thats not all! Check out the benefits here!

Grapes are also one of my favorite daily snacks. Want to anti-age? Not a super power I would mind having... It is super high in Manganese and Vitamin K. "Areas of benefit in grape research include the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, immune system, inflammatory system, blood sugar regulating system, and nervous system. Another area of special benefit is cancer prevention, with risk of breast, prostate, and colon cancer emerging as the most likely areas of grape anti-cancer benefits." Read more here about the benefits!

Weekly Grocery Shopping

This week, (because we planned really well on Jan 1st, and bought a lot of pantry stuff) we only spent $28.00 on groceries!

We mainly just needed a few fresh ingredients and such:
Oranges, avocados, bananas, potatoes, kale, raw almonds, stop and shop soy milk, silk almond milk, pizza dough, onions, natures promise vegetable stock, and 2 cans coconut milk.

I forgot to mention that I made an awesome Vegan Pizza the other day!
I rolled out the dough with some wheat flour, we put Marinara on half and Daiya Cheese with some Olive oil on the other half. Sliced some small vine tomatoes on the pizza, sprinkled on some Basil, salt and pepper, and tossed on a few pieces of "pepperoni" we had left from the other pie. Baked it at 350 and munched it up!

Prettayyy good!

Aaloo Mattar Dinner (Potato and Peas, silly!)

This was an easy dish I made last night with a few simple ingredients and spices! The recipe is from Sarah Kramer's third Cook Book "La Dolce Vegan!" And I've been using this book for about over 2 years now, even though I've just entered this Vegan journey. Her recipes are easy, fun and quick, but of course, best of all- delicious!

I'm doing this from memory, so bare with me :)

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice

1 large onion

1 large potato

1 large or 2 medium tomatos

1/2 cup frozen Peas

1/4 cup fresh Cilantro

1/4 cup veggie broth
1 tsp Masala

1 tsp Ginger

1/2 tsp Paprika

1 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

Cook the rice accordingly. In a pan, saute onions in oil until translucent. Add in Masala, Ginger and Paprika, continueing to stir to prevent burning. Add in Veggie Broth, cubed potatoes, and minced tomatos, mix and cover with lid for 8-10 minutes until potatoes soften. Add frozen peas and Cilantro. sprinkle salt to taste. Cover again until rice is ready. Plate rice with Veggie mixture on top. TA-DAH! What an Indian Delight! :)

*The rice I cooked took about 45 minutes, but here's a tip. If you cook extra rice for the week, you can have it for future recipes and save a lot of time! The veggie mixture only took 15 minutes including the chopping!! And this meal only cost about $5.00 with 4 good servings, so Tony and I have it for lunch today as well!

Dining at Foxwoods

This past weekend I attended a training session for a local camp I volunteer at called Camp Rising Sun. Foxwoods is one of our wonderful sponsors for the camp, and they graciously allow us to stay there for two nights and do our trainings in their meeting rooms. There, we plan for the camp week in entirety, review First Aid and CPR training, and talk about fun activities we can run for the kids. It was a wonderful experience, as usual, however, the challenging part was to keep true to my 30 Day Vegan Challenge. I took my book with me and thought about options I could put in my tummy with junk and fast food completely surrounding me, and prices at all time highs.

For dinner, friday night, a group of friends and I decided to eat dinner at California Pizza Kitchen. They seemed to have a good amount of veggie choices, when glancing at their menu, so we gave it a whirl.

They actually have a Vegetarian and Vegan menu that outlines what is okay and what to look out for. I was really worried about ordering a pasta dish and the pasta having egg in it, but according to the Vegan menu, all noodles except the multigrain penne are Egg-Free! SO I went with the Baby Broccoli, sundried tomatoe Fuselli (I asked for this without any cheese, because it originally comes with parm). And it was delicious!!

We also were able to get the White Corn Guacamole and Chips, which was an interesting take on guacamole, considering there was far more corn than avacado- but it was still a great snack! All in all, it was a great dinner.

All in all, my pasta dish cost $10.00 and my Guac and chips were $3, so not bad at all!

---

Breakfast was a difficult task, because not only did I want to keep it Vegan, but I additionally wanted to keep it Healthy! Dunkin donuts' surrounded me in the casino. You have to first understand that before this journey, I was an addict to the Large Iced Caramel Latte with Skim Milk at D&D, and my usual breakfast would be an Egg and Cheese on a Crescent Roll. Not too healthy, and certainly not vegan.

I decided to take a short walk to the Panera Bread on the other side of the casino. (It felt more like 3 miles in heals) But once I got there, I was kindly rewarded with choices of Fruit Cup and Steel Cut Oatmeal! They have a Nutrition Calculator on their website that allows you to pick what you would eat and you can view all ingredients and the nutritional information. The only thing I worried about was the Cinnamon-sugar that was sprinkled on top of the oatmeal, but it seemed pretty gritty, so I'm pretty sure it was raw. It doesnt specify on the site. However, the pecans and strawberries in the oatmeal totally made it worth the $4.00 I payed. The Fruit Cups were another great option, because the fruit was very fresh and tasty!
---
For lunch Saturday Foxwoods provided our group with a buffet of food. I was initially very upset to find that the large salad at the beginning of the line had Feta mixed into it! But i figured there had to be at least a steamed veggie or something I could eat. I grabbed a breadroll and slowly moved down the line, walking past Eggplant Parm, Philly Cheese Steak, Chicken, and A veggie stew that smelt like it was in beef broth. I still had an empty plate and felt very discouraged. My friends pleaded me to take the Eggplant Parm, but I was committed to this, and if I was going to eat bread for now,and grab something later, I was willing to do that.
Finally, I reached the end of the table, where a staff member was ladeling soup into bowls. I was very skeptical.
"Excuse me, but what kind of soup is that?"
"Minestrone"
"Is it cooked in vegetable broth"
"Yes"
I carefully examined the bowl of soup in front of me. All veggies and a little pasta. I didnt know if the pasta contained egg but at this point, it was pretty much my only option, and it certanily wasnt egg-noodles, so I figured I was good to go! I had him load up my bowl and sat down, very pleased!

----
For dinner we went to the main Buffet at Foxwoods where there was an array of food. I build a beautiful salad with peppers, tomatos, cucumbers, mixed greens and wasabi peas! There was a delightful Kale and Potato soup, and I also had some vegetable fried rice (w/o egg), a cabbage roll, and some pasta with marinara. ( I know, not the healthiest choices after the salad and soup, but it was pretty good!)

Then I was back to Panera in the morning!

All in all, I did very well with my weekend at Foxwoods. I avoided the icecream, and coffee drinks I constantly crave, and said no to cheesy pizza yet again. I feel reenergized, and ready to conquer the world!

How do Factory Farms affect Humans workers???

Vegans, Vegetarians and Animal lovers a like always share how terribly factory farming is for our animal friends, but did you ever wonder how factory farming may be affecting the Humans that work in them?

The majority of humans who work in factory farms have minimal education and need the job to support their families. They become trapped in the job, and desensitized to the idea of killing animals, but many suffer from high anxiety and mental disorders due to the stress and moral dilemmas of the job itself.

Check out this article to learn more about this.

Do you think you could ever work for a factory farm? Why?

This website also offers some general information on Factory Farms and links to ways you can learn more and make a difference.

Vendor Lunches

Many of us work in cube-worlds where vendors and managers bring in snacks, lunches, and coffees for us all to enjoy. It's wonderful, really, until you think about all the calories.
But we rationalize it. It's only every ONCE in a while, and its FREE!

I had to get that out of my system, especially when I chose this 30 Day Vegan Challenge.

Yesterday a vendor came in with deli sandwiches. Only 1 of the sandwiches was vegan... and when i finally got on ( on the second round) I realized that there was some sort of unknown dressing on the inside bottom of the wrap, so decided to put it down.

Yesterday night, we also had dinner planned with some close friends of ours. We went to Willington Pizza, up by the UCONN campus. I've heard great things about their deep dish, red potatoe, white pizza.

And when my small, marinara and garlic pie rolled out, I was less than pleased, compared to looking at the large, cheesy, potatoey pie that stood above mine.

Dining out can be difficult, I'm not going to lie here. BUT, I gotta say, I felt really accomplished when i left that pizza restaurant still Vegan strong! I felt a sense of self control that I've never had before. And if felt good!

Keepin strong.

Red Lentil Bake with Dill Potatoes and Steamed Broccoli

Tony made me a Scrumptious dinner last night, that he calls a Red Lentil Back.

(We thought we'd have a competition for who plated better. His is the white plate. You can tell me which one you like best! ha!)

Here are his directions:

In a pot, bring 1.5 cups red lentils, 2 cups vegetable broth, 1 diced onion, bay leaf to boil.

Reduce heat to low and let simmer till all liquid is absorbed.

Stir frequently.

Remove bay leaf and stir in 1 cup vegan cheese until well mixed. ( We used a Daiya Pepperjack Shredded Cheese) ZIPPY!

Place into 9" pie plate greased with olive oil.

Bake for 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until top is golden brown and bubbly.

Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Open can of sliced potatos.

Saute in pan with olive oil and lots of Dill, some salt, pepper and spices! ( We used fresh dried dill saved from the summer! yum!)

Steam some broccoli and stick it all on your plate.

CHOW DOWN! :) Its delicious, nutricious, and soooo nice.

Vegan Bodybuilding

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-L-LKrfpevg

Ever think that vegans cant get enough protein and are weak and sickly? Check out this video to see a Vegan woman who could probably beat you up! :)

Almond flavored Hot Cocoa!

Last night, after our delicious meal, Tony made me some awesome hot cocoa! (yep. vegan!)

He used Silk Almond Milk
Cocoa Powder
a small block of Dark Chocolate
a few drops of vanilla
and some raw cane sugar.

It was sooo good! And the hint of almond was such a good combo!

Try it yourself!


Silk Pure Almond® Original Almondmilk

Nutrition FactsServing Size 1 cup (240mL)

Amount per Serving

Calories
60
Calories from Fat
25
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2.5g
4%
Saturated Fat 0g
0%
Trans Fat 0g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.5g
Cholesterol 0mg
0%
Sodium 150mg
6%
Potassium 60mg
2%
Total Carbohydrates 8g
3%
Dietary Fiber 1g
4%
Sugars 7g
Protein 1g
Vitamin A
10%
Vitamin C
0%
Calcium
45%
Iron
4%
Vitamin D
25%
Vitamin E
50%
Riboflavin
25%
Vitamin B12
50%
Magnesium
4%
Zinc
10%
Copper
2%
Manganese
4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:

Calories:
2,000
2,500
Total Fat
less than
65g
80g
Saturated Fat
less than
20g
25g
Cholesterol
less than
300mg
300mg
Sodium
less than
2,400mg
2,400mg
Potassium
less than
3,500mg
3,500mg
Total Carbohydrates
300g
375g
Dietary Fiber
25g
30g
Calories per gram:
Fat 9
Carbohydrate 4
Protein 4
Ingredients: All Natural Almondmilk (filtered water, almonds), All Natural Evaporated Cane Juice, Calcium Carbonate, Sea Salt, Locust Bean Gum, Sunflower Lecithin, Gellan Gum, d-alpha-Tocopherol (natural vitamin E), Zinc Gluconate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Riboflavin (B2), Vitamin B12, Vitamin D2.

****
Did I mention that between my Cocnut Yogurt and Almond Milk, I've attained my complete needs for B12 and Calcium without harming any animals?! :)
****

Chicken Semolina, Spinach-Basil Pasta and Rubbed/roasted carrots

Tonight I made this delicious meal! Here is the recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 lemon

2 tbsp 'butter'

Gardein Chicken

1 small can of sliced mushrooms

6 large carrots, peeled and cut in thirds

1 lb of Spinach speghetti

4 small tomatoes

1 tbsp of Basil

1/4 cup of white wine

A spice rub made from brown sugar and mixed spices

Cut the carrots in thirds, spray with a light cooking spray and sprinkle and mix with rub. Bake in over at 450 for 40 minutes.

Saute Chik'n in 1 tbsp oil in pan, until lightly browned.

Add white wine. squeeze 1/2 lemon onto chicken in pan.

Add 'butter'

Cook Spinach pasta for 11minutes. Drain and place back in pot. mix with 2 tbsp of oil and 3 tbsp of basil. (dry or fresh)

in a small pot, saute mushrooms with some of the sauce from the chikn. Add in the tomatoes, cut in 1/2 or 1/4s depending on how large.

place pasta on the plate with the chikn on top. drizzle the tomato, mushroom mixture ontop and place the carrots on the side.

YUM! :)

Vegan Deal of the Day

This website offers a ton of deals that are great for vegetarians, vegans, gluton-free, lactose intollerant, or people who are just looking to make healthy choices.

Check out the deal of the day! :)

Day 3. First Cube-Day

Well, Today is my first day back at work since the start of my 30 day Vegan Challenge!

I ate some quick oatmeal (5.9g protein, 12% iron, calcium 2%) with cinnamon (Calcium 2%, iron 1%) and a handful of raisons (Iron 1%, calcium 1%) for breakfast

Total:
5.9g protein,
14% iron
5% calcium

I packed a great lunch :)

I packed some of my Vegan Chili (Recipe is a few posts back)
a cup of Coconut Milk Yogurt (35% b12, 1g protein, 6%iron)

Some Mixed Bluberries (2% iron, 1g protein, 3.5g fiber)
and Strawberries (3% iron, 3g fiber, 1g protein)
Pistachios (26.4g Protein, 30% iron, 13.2g fiber)
and Almonds! (6g Protein, 6% iron, 3.6g fiber)

So thats:
35% of my b12
39% iron
34.4g Protein
23.8g Fiber

and thats not even counting my Chili that is PACKED with protein, fiber, iron and a whole lotta love. :)

Vegan Chili Breakdown:
Black beans (7g protein, 15% iron, 7g fiber, 6% calcium)
Brown rice (4.5g protein, 6%iron, 2% calcium, 3.5g fiber)
Red Pepper (Vitamin A 79%, Vitamin C 385%, Protein 1.2g, iron 3%)
Onion
Cilantro
Tomato Paste (Protein 1g, Iron 4%, Fiber 2g)

Total:
13.5g Protein
24% iron
6% calcium
385% Vitamin C
79% Vitamin A

By the end of the work day I have consumed:

53.8g Protein
77% iron
35% b12
24g Fiber
385% Vitamin C
79% Vitamin A

Vegan Pizza!

Today I made a delicious vegan pizza with just a few key ingredients.

A whole wheat pizza crust

A red bell pepper

a block of vegan mozzarella cheese

vegan pepperoni

some marinara sauce

Easy! And it tasted great :)

Breakfast and Nutrition Facts

This morning a had a great bowl of cereal breakfast!

I got a box of Yogi Cherry Almond Crunch for $1.99 (omg, so cheap for cereal!)

and a Half Gallon of Silk PureAlmond milk $3.00

with some fresh Blueberries $2.00

You can also get a coupon for Silk Milks at: http://www.silkpurealmond.com

Nutrition Facts:

Cereal

Calories 240

Fat: 6g

Cholesterol 0mg

Sodium 70mg

Total Carb: 42g

Dietrary fiber 3g

Sugars 12g

Protein 5g

Calcium 2%

Iron 6%

Ingredients: Oats

Barley
Spelt
Amaranth
Quinoa
Evaporated Cane Juice
Brown Rice Flour
Brown Rice
Whole Wheat Flour
Vegetable Oil
Almonds
Salt
Natural Flavors

Almond Milk:

Silk Pure Almond® Original Almondmilk
Nutrition Facts Serving Size 1 cup (240mL)
Amount per Serving
Calories	60
Calories from Fat	25
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2.5g	4%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.5g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 150mg	6%
Potassium 60mg	2%
Total Carbohydrates 8g	3%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Sugars 7g
Protein 1g
Vitamin A	10%
Vitamin C	0%
Calcium	45%
Iron	4%
Vitamin D	25%
Vitamin E	50%
Riboflavin	25%
Vitamin B12	50%
Magnesium	4%
Zinc	10%
Copper	2%
Manganese	4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
Calories: 2,000 2,500 Total Fat less than 65g 80g Saturated Fat less than 20g 25g Cholesterol less than 300mg 300mg Sodium less than 2,400mg 2,400mg Potassium less than 3,500mg 3,500mg Total Carbohydrates 300g 375g Dietary Fiber 25g 30g Calories per gram: Fat 9 Carbohydrate 4 Protein 4

Hey look at that!!! 50% of my B12 vitamins! woot.

And Blueberries

Click blueberries for nutrition facts.

So my Breakfast had 7g protein, 12% of my daily iron intake, and over 50% of my needed b12 intake. And thats just what mostmeat eaters worry about, so I wanted to highlight it, but there are so many more benefits!

Oh, and no pus in my milk! :)