Raw Food Passion

An Inspiring Interview: Michele, creator of Super Raw Life Magazine

2012-01-16T12:20:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! I am so sorry that I have been gone for such a long time! However, today I am back to share an inspiring interview I did with Michele, the creator of Super Raw Life magazine. If you are looking for some inspiration for 2012, to get into shape or start eating healthier, you have come to the right place! Michele lost 72 pounds eating a raw food diet and she is here to share her story with you.

I met Michele through social networking. One day she posted a picture of some raw tacos on facebook and tagged me, letting me know it was my recipe. I wrote an article for her magazine and I asked her if she would also do an interview for my blog. If you would like to find out more about Michele you can go to her website to contact her or subscribe for her magazine!

1. How did you first hear about the raw food diet?
I first began my raw transformation back in 2009. I participated in a 21 Day Holistic Healing Cleanse with my mom, Beverly Dunford, from Strength from Within . What started out as a break turned into a total inner and outer body transformation. “Raw” was not the intention. “Raw Vegan” was unknown to both my mom and me. One aspect of The Strength from Within 21 Day Cleanse is to eat all fresh fruits and vegetables. Years of bad habits left it hard for me to appreciate and enjoy the taste of fresh fruits and vegetables repetitively. By day 11 my body was yearning for more; for more of the tastes and more of the textures I was so used to finding comfort in. It was at this point Google became my friend. I wanted to take some of the healthy ingredients to emulate the foods I normally enjoyed. One search, using the term “raw food and recipes,” brought up thousands of links to information on the living food lifestyle. This led to a new manageable twist on eating fresh fruits and veggies. Chance, fate, just being at the end of my wits, led me to the raw food diet!

2. How has eating raw food changed you (physically, mentally, and spiritually)?
I lost 72 pounds my first 75 days eating 100% raw, and to date I have maintained being over 100 pounds lighter than my heaviest by enjoying the raw food lifestyle. Raw food changed so much more than just my physical body. Really, my transformation was and continues to be so much deeper than just skin deep. What you take into your body, changes your dynamics. I feel better and I think clearer when eating raw. I am a more patient mother, and I don’t even know how to put this into words, but my energy and vibration levels are higher than ever. Raw food is so empowering to me. Unbeknownst to me, I was an emotional eater for years. Once I truly evaluated my lifestyle choices and really dug deep within myself, I was able to let go and free myself in the process. Raw food changed the direction my life was going. It truly saved my life!

3. What is your favorite raw dessert? What is your favorite entrée?
Ice cream has to be my favorite raw dessert. I swear I ate ice cream two to three times a day when I first went raw. It was an emotional comfort. I did not realize how often I craved sweets and satisfied my emotions by opening the fridge or going to the candy isle at the grocery store. I would make it for breakfast, for snacks, sometimes even for dinner or when I was having a hard time sleeping. It is so quick and versatile, depending upon what you are craving. My freezer is always full of a wide variety of frozen fruits. I buy bananas by the case just for this reason! And of course my seven-year-old could eat a dozen a day all by himself! I really like making my Raw Peanut Butter Cup Shake recipe. You combine 2-3 frozen bananas, 2-3 tablespoons raw almond butter or about ½ cup fresh almonds, and 2-3 tablespoons raw chocolate spread. (This varies depending on the chocolate recipes I have made and what I have left over. If I do not have any chocolate sauces put together, I use cacao nibs.) Blend it all together, and then sprinkle more chocolate or cacao nibs on top! It is a visual and texture thing for me. I always asked for extra Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup in my shakes at the drive-thru! I can mix this up in about a minute and get a quick chocolate fix!

My favorite entrée is a different story. Not one meal in particular comes to mind. It really depends on my mood and what I am craving. I peruse through my cookbook collection or on Google to satisfy the meal I am craving with a “raw vegan recipe”! I saw a post on Facebook for your pizza one night, and that is how I ran across your awesome blog! I really like your taco recipe. It is so quick to put together and definitely satisfies the taste buds!

4. What percentage of raw food do you find works best for you? (Some people eat 50%, 75%, 100%, etc).
Honestly, I am an all or nothing girl. I hate to admit it, but it is true. Being an emotional eater, it is like giving an addict one drink. I do best when eating 100% raw. It is the most empowering. What I have noticed over the years is all it takes is one taste. One salad smothered in normal ranch dressing and I am back to my old habits, temporarily. I continually strive to overcome this. And every so often, I tend to go a couple weeks eating many non-raw items. It reiterates my desire to be raw and want to feel good. In those moments, I lose control. With the mindset that I already ate one thing that was not raw, why not enjoy dinner as well, and tomorrow I will start raw again. Well, tomorrow would not come, and it just spiraled from there and would leave me feeling drained and sick. The biggest things I realized when eating my old normal way, was that I wanted to keep eating even though I was full. My body would crave the nutrients and enzymes that were lacking in the cooked and processed foods. I would eat something, and my body would only get a small percentage of the benefits it would get when raw, so it would signal to me to keep eating. Not because I was still hungry, but because it wanted and needed certain nutrients.

5. How was the idea to create a raw food magazine first conceived?

Going raw changed my life. It made me look at things differently, it made me step out of my comfort zone and take a chance. It helped me be in tune with my intuition and change what I was doing. A month and a half after doing my 21 Day Cleanse and starting on my 100 Day Raw Challenge, I decided to act on intuition and start taking classes at a photography school. As part of the curriculum, I needed to take a graphic design class. For our final, we had to design a cover and three-page spread for a magazine. To top it off, each student got to pick their topic of choice. I was very passionate about raw foods and decided to choose raw food as the topic for my “mock” magazine. I got an “A” on my final, and I was very inspired by the idea of doing a magazine and being able to provide a platform to share with and inspire others. It was my way of showing my appreciation to the universe for my own personal transformation, and I wanted to share that knowledge with everyone I could. So, I just did it! I got a team together, coordinated with many inspiring individuals worldwide, and we put together the premiere issue of Super Raw Life. I encourage you to act on inspiration. When you have an idea, don’t let fear hold you back. Especially if it is something that you are passionate about! Going into our second year, Super Raw Life Magazine is getting ready to launch its fifth issue and we have subscribers in over 100 countries!

6. When you first began eating a raw food diet, how did your friends and family respond, and how did you deal with any negative feedback?
Well, many thought I was crazy. First, I called off a wedding a few weeks before it was to occur, and then I decided to eat all raw! But then they saw the pounds start to melt away, naturally, radiantly. I was beaming! There are so many myths about the way things are suppose to be and the guidelines for a normal life and eating style. When you take the time and chance to do something differently, others will respond—both positively and negatively. The response that stands out in my mind the most referred not to my actions against myself, but my actions affecting my children, as if I would be neglecting them by not giving them milk, eggs, and cheese. With the knowledge I have now, any future children I am blessed with, I will raise them on a living foods lifestyle. My 100 days were for me. I never pushed it on my kids. I offered, and I shared, but I did not require it. The boys associated what Mom was doing with being bad. Raw is bad. At first I was sick, I was detoxing, and I was going through food withdrawals. They thought that whatever mom was eating must be bad. This gave them a dislike right up front for raw foods. If Mom is eating it, we don’t want it. Over the years, things have changed. My seven-year-old loves raw food. He chooses raw over normal more often than not. His body knows what it wants and needs. He had the hardest time with raw cereals at first, but then he grew to love them. A few months into only eating raw cereal, I found a box of Raisin Oat Bran in the back of the cupboard. Knowing this was his favorite, as a surprise I poured him a bowl. When he came out to the table he energetically sat down, then he looked into his bowl, and his facial expression changed. He took his spoon and sloshed it around through the cereal, and then he looked up and said, “I didn’t want this kind!” My jaw internally dropped, as I asked him what kind he wanted. He said, “The kind we normally have!” So, I dumped the Raisin Oat Bran down the drain and gave him a bowl of raw homemade granola! He finished off the bowl and asked for a raw smoothie after! Live your life by example. The energy is contagious!

7. What are your hobbies outside of the raw food world?
My seven-year-old loves to play wheelchair tag after getting done with his homework each day, and I have to admit that I really enjoy doing this as well. It is a fun family activity. I love to hike, explore hot springs, hula hoop, sing in the shower, garden, and doodle. (I am an avid doodler of ideas. I graphed out gardens as a young child, and I graph them out now as well!) I learned to drive a tractor recently, so I’ve been helping out friends and neighbors with digging projects. I love to travel. I love to learn new things. I am a dreamer, and I love to laugh. I also forgot how much I loved volleyball, until I played on the Mom team at the school the other day. What a blast! And the rolls as you dive for the ball… just like riding a bike. It all comes back to you!

Vegan Sugar Cookies and Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T23:55:00.001-05:00

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas this year. I had a very nice Christmas. I was lucky to spend it with my wonderful family and my amazing boyfriend. We drove through a beautiful light show last night at a local college, opened some presents this morning, ate lunch with family, and played some board games this afternoon. I was very excited to get a four tray Excalibur dehydrator. I am ready to continue experimenting with bread and cracker recipes.

A good friend of mine suggested that we sew our own Christmas stockings this year. The above stocking is the result of my hand sewn stocking. I must say I was proud of it. The sugar cookies above were delicious. I have never made home made vegan sugar cookies before so I found a recipe online (check it out here) and they turned out great. I did hear Santa was planning to go on a diet so I left him some of these cookies with almond milk to wash them down. He didn't leave a crumb so I think he liked them.

On the menu for last nights dinner was black bean burgers (recipe here), home made baked fries (recipe), and broccoli casserole (a new creation). The broccoli casserole was delicious but I did not get a chance to snap a picture of it. I will share the broccoli casserole recipe with everyone tonight. Then, I have to hit the sack. This girl is tired! Did you try any new holiday recipes?

Broccoli Casserole:

3 heads of broccoli
one cup of basmati rice
1 cup of almond milk
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 onion diced
1 cup cashews
1/2 cup of water
1 lemon

Directions: In a pot lightly steam the broccoli until cooked. Cook the basmati rice (we use a rice cooker to make it). In a food processor blend the cashews until creamy with 1/2 cup of water. Set the oven to 350 degrees. Once the rice and broccoli are done cooking, put them into a casserole dish and add the creamy cashews, almond milk, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, diced onions and lemon. Mix this up and bake it in the over for 30 minutes. Enjoy the creamy casserole dish with friends and family! Enjoy!

Mint Chocolate Parfait and My Top Five Christmas Wish List

2011-12-16T18:27:00.000-05:00

Once again, avocados come to the rescue providing a delicious and healthy mid day snack. I whipped up a parfait this afternoon when I needed a quick pick me up. The recipe is quick and simple and just requires the use of an everyday blender. While you chew on that, I decided to share my top ten list of Christmas gifts for 2012. Hopefully, Santa is reading this because I have been a very good girl this year. Don't worry, Santa, I promise to leave some cookies for you this year that are so good, you won't even know that they are vegan and fairly good for you.

My Top Ten Christmas Wish List:

1. Excalibur Dehydrator - For the past couple of years I have been using a nesco dehydrator to make delicious granola, crackers, cookies, etc. However, this summer my dehydrator finally gave out on me and I had to get rid of it. I did like the nesco because it was very affordable (around $30 for a used one), and it dried food evenly. One of the reasons I didn't like it was because it had a big hole in the middle and each time I used it I had to cut a donut shape from parchment paper for each tray. This year I am hoping Santa brings me a 4 tray Excalibur dehydrator with Teflon sheets. I know a number of people who have had their Excalibur for years now and recommend it highly. I wanted the 4 tray version because I just want something small that will fit well in the kitchen. It would also be nice to start making raw treats again!

2. Pacifica Perfume - I first discovered this brand of body products at whole foods. Pacifica products are made without: Animal testing, animal bi-products, phthalates, parabens, sulfates, propylene glycol, benzene, GMOs, mineral oil, peanut oil and triclosan. All Pacifica products are cruelty-free and vegan. My personal favorite scent is the Brazilian Mango Grapefruit. I really like the perfume bottle and it smells wonderful!

3. Kiss My Face - I love their lip glosses and lip tints. Right now they have a Holiday sale offering 25 % off of their products with the code Holiday25 at checkout. Their body products will make great stocking stuffers.
4. Vegan Cook Books - My top three vegan books that I would like are: Color Me Vegan, Baby Cakes, and the Flying Apron. I have checked all of these books out at the library and fell in love with them. Baby Cakes and the Flying Apron are great vegan baking books that use a lot of healthy ingredients in the recipes.
5. Organic Clothing - I like to wear organic clothing. It feels better on my skin and is supports a healthy environment. I really like this store on etsy that sells organic lingerie.

Chocolate Mint Pudding:
3 avocados
1 bunch of mint
1 cup of honey
1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup of chocolate powder

Directions: In a blender add 1/4 cup of water, bunch of mint, 1 avocado, 1/2 cup of honey, and blend until creamy and smooth. Take it out and put it into a bowl. Next, in the blender add 1/4 cup of water, 1/4 cup of chocolate powder, 1 avocado, 1/2 cup of honey, and blend until creamy and smooth. Make fun layers with the two flavors. Dig in and enjoy! What is on your wish list this Christmas?

My Fall / Winter Garden and The Biggest Challenges I have as a Vegan!

2011-12-02T12:28:00.001-05:00

We started growing these lettuces from seed back in mid September. We planted them in the ground late October and they are really looking great now! They are two different types of lettuces: organic mixed lettuce, and organic boston lettuce. The top picture is a close up of the organic mixed greens. I have not harvested them yet, only snacked on a few leaves here and there. I actually need to research the best way to harvest these lettuce leaves. If you know the best way to harvest lettuce I would appreciate any insight you car share with me! I think some of them are ready to be used in a delicious salad! We have also planted pansies around the mail box and various places in the yard. Pansies are a wonderful flower to plant this time of year as they stay bright and colorful through the cold winter months.

I have been vegan for such a long time now that it is easy for me to forget exactly how long. I know it has been about four years now that I have been an exclusive vegan. For a year before that I experimented with it. I absolutely love the way that I eat. I love the way that I feel eating this way as well. I love all of the recipes I have learned and the large variety of food that I can eat! However, I would say that I have two big challenges as a vegan that continually present themselves. The first one is the limited selection of vegan food in my everyday life (unless I prepare it myself). The second one is the social aspect of being a vegan, as food often goes hand in hand with socializing.

Going to a restaurant can be a challenge. I know that this would be different if I lived closer to Atlanta and went there more often, or if I lived in a large city like New York or San Francisco where there is a much larger selection of vegan and raw food restaurants. When selecting a restaurant to go to I typically will check out the restaurants website online and see if they have a menu. I check out the salad section to see what I can get from there and then will also see what else might be available for me to eat on the menu. I am hesitant to get a lot more than a salad with oil and vinegar because I don't know if the cooks are using butter and or milk in their cooking. My top picks for restaurants would be: Chinese or Thai food as I can normally get steamed veggies and rice, Sushi (I love vegetable sushi!), and Mexican (sometimes I can get a salad with guacamole, veggies and salsa on top. Overall, I just wish more restaurants were aware of people on a vegan diet and just had more options available than a salad (which normally is not organic) or steamed veggies.

I have always enjoyed socializing. I love spending time with friends and getting to know new people, it brings a lot of joy to my life! As I mentioned earlier, socializing often revolves around food. In this way being a vegan can be challenging. All of my close friends know that I am a vegan and are very supportive of my diet. I normally will only tell people I am a vegan if I am going to be eating with that person at a restaurant, or at their home. I am hesitant to tell people that I don't know as well that I am a vegan because I don't like having to explain or defend myself. I just recently had a few events that were challenging to me because of my diet.

1. I was invited to a Holiday party at my college campus where I teach part time. The party is a sit down lunch that is catered with a set menu in place. After looking at the menu and realizing there wasn't one thing on there that I could eat I decided to decline my invitation to the party. Looking back I guess I could have contacted the person in charge about this to see if there was something they could offer me but I didn't want to be a burden and again have to explain myself to people who I don't know very well.
2. I was invited to a Holiday Lunch by one of my yoga students that was going to be held at her church. Again, there was a set menu and there was nothing I could eat on the menu. The way I handled this was telling her that I was a vegan and that I loved the invitation but that I would not be able to eat anything offered. She was understanding and asked if she could take me out to eat at a restaurant instead.
3. One of my yoga classes wanted us all to go out to eat to celebrate for the Holidays. I have not told this class I am a vegan and we went to a sports bar for lunch. I scoured the menu trying to find something I could eat. I did find a salad that was topped with cheese and eggs. I asked the waitress to leave off the eggs and cheese. However, when I got my meal there was cheese on top. I felt uncomfortable mentioning this to the waitress because I didn't want to seem difficult. Therefore, I had to try and pick off all the cheese without looking to obvious and find bits of the salad that I could eat. Looking back I probably should have just been upfront about my diet in the first place and suggested a restaurant that might have been more likely to have options available for me.

In conclusion, I hope that this post did not end up sounding too whiny. That was not my intention for the post. I just wanted to share some everyday struggles that I still have, even after being a vegan for quite some time. I think overall, I just wish that there was more selection for prepared vegan food in grocery stores and restaurants as well as more awareness about what a vegan diet is. Can you relate to my struggles and what do you find challenging as a vegan?

Thanksgiving Dessert Review: Vegan Pumpkin and Apple Pie

2011-11-27T11:20:00.001-05:00

I meant to write this post sooner but am just now finding the time to sit down and put the pen to paper or in this case keyboard to laptop. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with delicious food, friends, and family. In my last post I wrote about some of my staple thanksgiving dishes I have used for the past couple of years. I also talked about how I celebrate this holiday as a vegan. I shared what I was working on preparing for thanksgiving in my test kitchen, the lentil loaf and the garlic roasted mashed potatoes. Well, I made these and the garlic roasted mashed potatoes were a big success! At least there weren't any leftovers for the next day. The lentil loaf was a big success for me as it was my replacement for the turkey. For the most part I was the only one who ate the lentil loaf. In total the Thanksgiving menu consisted of the following vegan items:

Lentil Loaf (recipe here)
Garlic Roasted Mashed potatoes (recipe here)
Sweet Potatoes (recipe here)
Cranberry Sauce (from trader joe's)
Mixed Salad (greens from the farm, carrots, and tomatoes)
Fruit Salad (pomegranates, oranges, bananas)
Apple Pie
Pumpkin Pie (recipe here) I used the rustic crust from the options here.

This year I put a lot of thought into what dessert I was going to make. I opted to cook a vegan pie crust opposed to the typical almond and date crust I have used in the past. I found a blog called oh she glows to get my recipe for the pumpkin pie, the crust for the apple pie as well as the sweet potato recipe. I really enjoy this blog. I like the great food photography as well as the delicious looking recipes. This was my first attempt ever at making a pie crust so I was a little bit nervous. Overall the recipe I used for the pumpkin pie turned out wonderful! The pie crust was more dense opposed to light and flaky but it was still delicious. I think if I make this crust again I will use an actual rolling pin to get the crust really thin. I just used a glass jar to roll it out which I think was a mistake. One thing I did differently was instead of using pumpkin puree from a can I opted to cook my own small pumpkins and create my own pumpkin puree. The apple pie lattice top was fun to make, although the apple pie crust came out very dense and was hard to cut through unfortunately. It tasted great, especially with a scoop of almond ice cream on top but next time I will use a rolling pin to get the crust very thin. Enjoy my recipe for the apple pie below. How was your thanksgiving? Did you try any new recipes that turned out well?

Vegan Apple Pie:
Crust: I used the rustic pie crust found here.
Pie Filling:
8 apples of your choice
1/2 cup of honey
2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp lemon juice
Directions: Pour the pie filling into the crust and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Take it out of the oven and allow it to cool in the fridge before serving.

Thanksgiving Test Kitchen: Lentil Loaf and Garlic Roasted Mashed Potatoes

2011-11-17T17:03:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving is definitely one of my favorite holidays. I enjoy all of the food as well as getting together with family. Something that people often ask me is, "Isn't it difficult to be a vegan during Thanksgiving?". I can see why people would ask that considering the focus of the meal is turkey and most traditional sides are not vegan friendly. I have now celebrated four years as a vegan during Thanksgiving, by now it has become much easier than when I first started.

Looking back to my first year as a vegan, I have memories of filling my plate with large amounts of salad and over salted nuts. These seemed to be the only items available that I could eat. That year, I tried to focus on the enjoyment of being with family. I also got smarter and started bringing my own dishes to Thanksgiving
dinners. You can check out my Thanksgiving recipe posts over the years: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Part 1, and 2010 Part 2.

My biggest suggestion for vegans during this festive time of the year is to bring your own dishes and show other people how delicious eating vegan and or raw food can be. This way you will have plenty of food to eat and to share with friends and family. This year I am figuring out what dishes I will make for Thanksgiving. I am considering this lentil loaf and garlic roasted mashed potatoes. I gave them a test run yesterday and was pleased with the result. Some other items I would like to make are apple pie, pumpkin pie, and a large mixed salad with a vinaigrette dressing. What are you planning on making for Thanksgiving? Do you have any recipes that you would recommend?

Lentil Loaf Recipe:
Ingredients:
2 cups of lentils
1 cup of grounded flax seeds
1/2 onion chopped
2 carrots diced
1 bell pepper diced
1 tbsp of cumin powder
1 tbsp of coriander powder
1 tbsp of dried parsley
organic ketchup

Directions:
1. Cook your lentils. Bring two cups of lentils to a boil in a pan with 4 cups of water. After reaching a boil, reduce the temperature and allow the lentils to simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Drain the lentils and pour into a bowl.
2. Combine the cooked lentils with grounded flax seeds, chopped onion, diced carrots, bell pepper, and spices. Once this is well combined, fill the mixture into a baking pan and drizzle organic ketchup on top.
3. Bake your lentil loaf in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Allow it to cool and then serve. This recipe will yield 6 - 8 servings.

Garlic Roasted Mashed Potatoes:
Ingredients:
4 Japaneses sweet potatoes
8 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of almond milk
sea salt to taste
2 tbsp of organic virgin olive oil
1 tbsp of dried parsley

Directions:
1. Chop up each sweet potato into 6 smaller pieces. Place the sweet potato into a large boiling pot of water. Allow the potatoes to boil for 20 minutes or until you can easily poke a fork through the middle of them.
2. With the over set to 350 degrees, place the garlic cloves with some drizzled olive oil into the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
3. Pour the almond milk and roasted garlic into a blender and mix until thoroughly combined.
4. Put the cooked potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Use a fork to mash the potatoes until all of the chunks are removed. Pour into your garlic almond milk sauce and mix well.
5. Add the sea salt, olive oil and dried parsley and mix well. Serve warm with the lentil loaf. This recipe will yield 6 - 8 servings.

Transitioning to a Vegan Diet: Would you Like Fries With That?

2011-11-08T14:20:00.000-05:00

One of the questions that people often ask me when I tell them I am a vegan is, "Did you go cold turkey, giving everything up overnight?". Although, there are many people who have done this, I am not one of them. My journey towards a plant based lifestyle was something that happened gradually and it took about a year for me to fully transition to this way of eating. I first began by reading about this lifestyle and the health benefits of eating this way. After I was mentally convinced I wanted to eat a vegan / high raw food diet, I had to try and convince my body. This was a whole new ballgame. My body was used to eating processed foods, refined sugar, meat, and dairy were the centerpiece of every meal.

I started with cutting out the refined and processed foods and replacing them with fruits and vegetables. I replaced my meat and dairy with organic versions, eating less because of the high price of organics. I started experimenting with new vegan recipes, juicing, and making smoothies. During this year it was very easy for me to fall back into my old way of eating. I was tempted very easily and I gave into cravings quite often. I often got frustrated with myself, but now I realize that I was forcing my body to make a very big change and it is best to be patient with our bodies during this time.

Slowly, as I found new vegan and raw food recipes that I enjoyed it was easier and easier for me to be completely vegan and high raw. It became effortless almost and now, almost five years later, it is something I do without even thinking. I think one of the most important thing to do is find recipes that you really like so you don't feel deprived during this process.

I don't know about you but I have always loved french fries. I have always viewed them as a fun, special treat. This may stem from my childhood: going to McDonald's was a treat and I always loved getting the special kids toy and eating fries. Anyways, I still eat fries, just a healthier version now. I use organic potatoes, sea salt, extra virgin olive oil, and then I bake them in the oven. I use an organic ketchup from trader joe's that uses cane sugar as a sweetener. I don't have them all of the time and still consider them a special indulgence but I love them! How quickly did you transition to a vegan diet?

Baked Fries:

One pound of organic red potatoes
Pinch sea salt
1 tbsp virgin olive oil
1 tbsp dried parsley

Directions: Cut up your fries and mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, sea salt and parsley until evenly combined. Spread them onto a baking sheet and cook at 350 degrees for 35 - 45 minutes. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Butternut Squash Soup

2011-10-31T18:18:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween! I am answering the door to trick or treaters tonight and so far it is 7 pm and we haven't had one kid yet. The good side of that is that I am able to write my post and the down side is that I would like to see some cute kids dressed up for Halloween. For Halloween we bought the traditional Halloween candy. I did look at some different options from whole foods but they were quite expensive. The candy is not vegan or healthy but it was fun picking out the candy we would give away for Halloween. Some of my favorites growing up were snickers and peanut butter cups.
For dinner tonight I made a delicious pumpkin butternut squash soup. Pumpkins are everywhere and I got a small pumpkin intended for pumpkin pies for my soup that only cost me 69 cents. The soup is warm and delicious and I am extremely happy with the end result. Is that the door bell ringing, nope false alarm. Where are the trick or treaters anyway? What are you doing Halloween night? Did you find something vegan to give away to kids or go with the traditional candy?
Pumpkin Butternut Squash Soup:
1 pumpkin (the kind I bought said it was a pumpkin pie pumpkin, a little bigger than a large softball).
1 butternut squash
1 onion chopped
2 cups of red lentils
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
Dash of dried parsley
1 tbsp of cinnamon powder
Directions: Cook the lentils first bringing them to a on the stove and then lower the temperature to low to let it simmer. Cut the pumpkin and butternut squash in half and place on an oiled pan. Set the oven to 350 degrees and place the pumpkin and butternut squash face down on the pan to cook. Cook for 45 minutes to an hour checking to see when the pumpkin is soft and the butternut squash is soft. Once done, scrape out the pumpkin and butternut squash and add that plus all other ingredients to the soup pot of lentils. Cook on low for 20 minutes. Use a vitamixer or blender and put the soup into it to puree the soup. Then pour back into the pan to simmer for 10 minutes. Finally, it is ready to serve and enjoy!

Fruity Kale Salad: Raw Food Fall Recipes

2011-10-27T14:29:00.001-05:00

I try to eat a big kale salad almost every day. Kale is a dark leafy green that is packed with nutrition, high in calcium, potassium, and Vitamin C. One cup of Kale has 90 mg of Calcium, 299 mg Potassium, and 80 mg of vitamin C. In fact, I am attempting to grow my own kale. I planted it from seed into little containers this past weekend and once it gets big enough I will plant it outside. Kale is a wonderful winter crop (so I have heard). It is hardy and can thrive even during snowy winters. I normally make my kale salads with olive oil, honey, salt, apple cider vinegar, and some sea salt. Today I was wanting something a little bit lighter so I made my salad with fruit and left out the oils and fats from the salad. The result was a delicious lunch that hit the spot.

I have to say that my inspiration to make this salad came from my awareness of the 80 10 10 diet. On this diet raw foodies eat mostly fruit and greens and the idea is that only 10 percent of their diet comes from fats (avocados, etc). I have known about this way of eating and have played around with it on occasion. Although I do not prescribe to the 80 10 10 diet I try not to overdo the fats on the vegan / raw food diet that has become my lifestyle way of eating. It is easy to eat lots of almond butter, avocados, coconut meat (I love to make desserts from all of these). I do think they are healthy but I also try not to overdo it too much. I am glad to have a new way of eating salads that taste delicious and use less fat than the typical oil and avocado that I put on my salads. What is your favorite way to eat kale?

Fruity Kale Salad:
Ingredients:
6 kale leaves
2 bananas
1 orange
1 apple
1/4 cup of sunflower seeds

Directions: Cut up your kale, bananas, and apple and put it into your salad bowl. Juice one orange and pour it on top as a dressing. Garnish your salad with sunflower seeds. Enjoy and try and get a piece of fruit in each bite.

Raw Food Collard Wraps: Eating Seasonally and Locally

2011-10-18T13:12:00.002-05:00

I am so happy that Fall is approaching. I love the cool breezes, the crisp air, and the beautiful leaves changing colors. This summer I began eating locally and seasonally. The summer is an easy time to start doing that as I had my choice of fresh local farmers markets and all kinds of fresh local fruits to choose from (strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, Georgia peaches, cucumbers, tomatoes and the list continues). With the Fall season there is less fruit that is in season although we have great north Georgia apples to choose from! Most of my snacking fruit has consisted of apples, bananas (which are definitely not local), and grapefruit grown in Florida. I have started buying my vegetables from a local farmer who lives five miles away from my house. He has a small farm and sells a seven pound container filled with the veggies of my choice for $15. He says that he is completely organic although he hasn't gone through the expensive certification process. However, he will take you through a tour of his garden and tell you how he grows his food organically. I filled up my box yesterday morning with: collard greens, romaine lettuce, bok choy, kale, butternut squash, and tomatoes. I have been making these collard wraps for my lunches and I dip these babies in some Braggs Liquid Aminos (healthy version of soy sauce) and they taste great and fill me up. I normally eat twice as many as are in the picture above. He will be selling produce through the winter months as well which I am very happy about!
In other news, the other pictures from this post are from my weekend trip to Charleston. I stayed on a beautiful private island outside of Charleston in a condo overlooking the beach. It was so relaxing and beautiful. We saw all kinds of animals while we were there including deer, dolphins, literally thousands of butterflies, and there were signs for alligators but we did not see any. The morning we were leaving we saw a fishing boat very close to the shore as well as a large group of 10 sailboats. We went into the city of Charleston and it was quaint and beautiful. I liked that the city was big but not too big. We tried going to a vegan restaurant but they did not have any parking nearby. Instead we opted for a whole foods which I was pleased with. Overall, it was an amazing weekend and I look forward to going back to visit!
Collard Wraps:
3 collards
1 celery stem
1 carrot
1 avocado
Directions: Take the stems off of your collard wraps so that one collard creates two pieces. Cut the celery and carrots into match size pieces. Cut the avocado into slices. Put an equal amount into each wrap and roll them up. Enjoy!

Eco Make it Yourself Shampoo and Conditioner

2011-10-12T13:36:00.000-05:00

This is a wonderful video that talks about the concept of "no poo", which means washing your hair without using shampoo. It was created by a raw foodie who makes excellent, informative videos on various topics related to raw food and natural health. I have been intrigued by the concept of "no poo" for quite some time as I am always looking for healthy, simple, and effective beauty tips and secrets. I personally have always struggled with oily hair and find that I have to wash my hair every day or else the oily build up is too much. I tried the recipe given in this video for washing my hair and it worked GREAT! Actually, more than great, my hair feels healthier than it has felt in a VERY long time. It is much less oily now and I haven't had to use shampoo for a week now, I have just used the simple recipe found in this video. I am extremely happy for a couple of reasons. 1. This will save me money in the long run, which I am always a fan of. 2. I have found a wonderful hair care routine that works wonders for my hair and is something I have been searching for a very long time now. 3. My hair looks and feels healthier than it has in years!
Shampoo Recipe:
4 cups of water
1 tablespoon of baking soda
Directions: Mix the two together until the baking soda is thoroughly dissolved into the water. Rinse your hair with water first and then wash your hair like normal with this mixture. When done rinse it out of your hair.
Conditioner Recipe:
The juice from 2 squeezed lemons (remove the seeds and pulp from mixture)
4 cups of water
Directions: Slowly pour some of the mixture into your hair and massage into hair and scalp like conditioner. Make sure you rinse all of this out.
If you try this recipe let me know how it works for you! I had great results but I know that each person is so different. Wishing you luck!

Simple Salad Dressing: Apple Cider Vinegarette

2011-10-06T13:15:00.001-05:00

A good salad dressing can make all of the difference between an enjoyable meal and a not so enjoyable meal. I personally love vinegarette dressings. They are light and simple and add just enough flavor to create a delicious and satisfying meal. Lately I have been eating a lot of salads. I have been chaning things up a bit though by adding fruit to my salads, which is something I haven't really done in the paste. This week I can't seem to get enough bananas in my salads. This was my lunch today and I was quite full after I finished.
My brother is the one who got me hooked on using apple cider vinegar. We went grocery shopping together and he got some and stuck it into my cart. He is twenty one years old and health conscious, which I think I may have had something to do with. He is not a vegan or vegetarian but he does buy organic meat, buys local vegetables from a farmer and composts his leftovers. I must say I am proud of my little brother. At his age I was not aware of what I was eating. So, thanks to him I have this delicious tasting salad dressing. If you try the recipe let me know what you think! What is your favorite salad dressing to use?

Apple Cider Vinegarette Dressing:
2 tablespoons of olive oil (virgin, organic)
1 tablesppon of apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of honey

Directions: Whisk the ingredients into a bowl and then pour onto your salad. Enjoy!

Girl Talk and Chocolate

2011-09-30T17:10:00.000-05:00

Girl talk and chocolate have to go together after all. Don't they? I mean can you really have one without the other? First of all I have to say that this smoothie is amazing. It is a delicious mixture of chocolate, bananas, almond butter, and honey. I made it for myself the other night and was very happy with the outcome. It almost reminded me of the frosty's I used to buy at Wendy's but with almond butter. So, go ahead make yourself one, then come back and we can chat...back already? Okay then, after changing my diet over five years ago, I started to become aware of not only what I ate but what I put on my skin, what cleaning products I bought, the clothes I wore, etc. I realized that I vote for companies with my money and when I have the choice I prefer to choose companies and people who are environmentally friendly and aware and use products that are healthy for my body and the environment. There was one point when I wanted to only buy organic clothing and I seriously thought about donating all of my clothing to goodwill. Organic cotton is grown without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. In addition, federal regulations prohibit the use of genetically engineered seed for organic farming. All cotton sold as organic in the United States must meet strict federal regulations covering how the cotton is grown.Hmmm...I did clean out my closet but then once I noticed the prices of organic clothes I decided to hold off on donating all of my clothes to goodwill.
I have found a place that I love to shop for organic clothing. The store is called threads for thought. I found out about them while shopping at whole foods and have bought a couple of t shirts and long sleeve shirts from them. Their prices are very reasonable. Personally, I do not always buy clothing that is organic, in fact most of the time I don't but I am trying to make more responsible choices one step at a time.
In conclusion, if you find yourself becoming more aware of the products you are buying don't get overwhelmed. It is easy to feel like you want to change everything all at once. Work on making gradual changes and shop around because organic products don't always have to be more expensive. You should also be proud of yourself because what you spend your money on makes a big difference and it important to support companies that you believe in.

Whip Cream on Top makes Any Dessert Divine!

2011-09-22T12:31:00.000-05:00

My chocolate pie recipe has to be my favorite go to quick dessert. I have made it numerous times and you can find a recipe for it here. It is very quick, easy and delicious. Essentially you just need avocados, honey, and chocolate powder mixed in a blender with a little water. You can add different things to it but ultimately that is it. I have brought it to potluck dinners and family occasions. The most important thing in the recipe is to make sure the avocados are blended enough so you don't have any surprise green chunks in your chocolate. I brought this dessert to Thanksgiving with my family last year. My poor cousin was excited about the chocolate pie but when he found a green chunk he quickly decided he was full.
So, on Monday, I made this chocolate pie for myself for the umpteen time and have been enjoying it as my dessert for the week. It works great for breakfast, mid day snack, dinner, or the traditional dessert! I wanted to add something a little bit different to it this week, so I decided to make a whip cream topping for it. I have made this topping a few other times and I really like it! You can also try the whip cream on top of mixed berries, peaches, or apples for a lighter dessert or if you don't like chocolate.
Okay, an explanation for the picture below is that I am enjoying my new knitting hobby. This is scarf number three that I just completed. It is a thin scarf and I added the fringe at the ends to give it a delicate touch. I love how practical knitting is and I love that I can make warm things to wear. I get so cold during the winter months and now I can hand tailor my clothes to meet my need for extra warmth. Right now I only know how to knit scarves but in the future I would like to make hats, gloves, socks, and slippers. I may have to start working on a knitting blog for the future, we will see. Anyhow, back to raw foods, you can find the recipe for my whip cream below! Enjoy!

Whip Cream:
1 cup of young thai coconut meat *
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup of water
1 tablespoon of coconut oil (this can be omitted from the recipe if you wish).
Directions: Put all of the ingredients into the blender and mix until smooth and creamy! Enjoy!

It is important to get a young thai coconut. If you have an asian supermarket they will probably have them there. If you live in the Atlanta area I go to the Dekalb Farmers market off of Ponce De Leon. You can watch a you tube video on how to open a young thai coconut. At the Dekalb Farmers Market in Atlanta, the staff will open the coconuts for you, scoop out the meat, and sell it to you for a very reasonable price. This is what I do!

Raspberry Cheezecake: Raw and Vegan

2011-09-16T17:08:00.000-05:00

Cheesecake was on my top ten list of favorite desserts before I became vegan or raw for that matter. My mom used to make cheesecake from scratch and I had free range to cut my slice of cheesecake. Let's say I was very generous with myself. When my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer (Almost twenty years ago now) she continued to make cheesecake but modified it to a low fat version. I believe it was a jello low fat no bake cheesecake.
When I first started transitioning to a raw food diet I had zero awareness of raw desserts. I lived off of mostly fruits, vegetables and seeds. I was at a fresh juice store in the Atlanta area called Arden's Garden when I had my first raw dessert. They had a selection of raw cheezecake, apple crisp, and spiced nuts. I tried the cheezecake and I loved it. It became an occasional treat for myself. Of course I was paying four dollars for a tiny square of raw cheezecake and I decided to read the ingredients to see if I could make it myself. I also looked up raw cheesecake online to see what kind of recipes were out there. This is when I found all of the great blogs out there devoted to raw food and it began my experimenting in the kitchen and eventually my own blog.
Since my first cheezecake recipe I have tweaked the recipe and now I have a sure fire winner dessert that impresses everyone no matter what their diet. What is your go to raw or vegan dessert recipe that you make when you want to impress friends and family? Enjoy!

Recipe:

Crust Ingredients: 2 cups of dried shredded coconut flakes (sugar free), 1 cup of pitted dates, 1/2 cup of water. In a vitamixer blend the dates with the water until you get date paste. Stir this into the coconut flakes until evenly combined. Press the crust into a pie pan.

Filling: 2 1/2 cups of cashews, juice of 3 lemons, 1/2 cup of young thai coconut meat, 1/2 cup of coconut oil, 1/2 cup of honey, 1/4 cup of water. Combine all of these ingredients into the vitamixer until you get a creamy, smooth consistency. Pour this into the pie pan saving 1/8 cup of the raspberry mixture. Mix the leftover mixture with the raspberries in the vitamixer until creamy. Pour some of the mixture on top of the cheezecake and use a knife to make a swirling motion to get the swirls. Put the cheezecake into the fridge to chill overnight. Enjoy!

The Traveling Vegan : Road Trip to Washington D.C.

2011-09-09T16:32:00.002-05:00

I love traveling to new places and going on new adventures! One challenging thing about traveling as a vegan / raw foodie is finding food that fits into your lifestyle/ diet. Last September I wrote about my experience traveling to Maui and you can read about it here. In this post I give tips about having food to eat on long airplane rides, road trips, and doing your research before you go to a new place so you know your options before you get there. This past weekend I went on a road trip with my boyfriend and his family to Washington D.C. We had a wonderful time touring D.C., visiting family, and we sustained the 12 hour car ride getting there and coming back home. His family was supportive of my diet and always were concerned that we went to a restaurant that served food I could eat. I was thankful for that.
We began the trip to Washington D.C. on Friday morning and I was prepared. I had a small cooler packed to feed a small army, complete with celery sticks, mock chicken salad, banana cookies, chocolate pudding, and tabbouleh. I had my emergency stash of almonds packed away in my purse. Our first stop was at Subway for lunch time. If I absolutely had to eat something at Subway I would but their salads don't sound very appealing to me. I brought in my mock chicken salad and tabbouleh salad to eat for lunch. For snacks in the car I munched on my celery, banana cookies, and chocolate pudding, yum! We got into Washington D.C. late that night and we went out to eat at a restaurant with some of my boyfriend's family living in Virginia. I ordered a dinner salad, hold the cheese and croutons please! I would have preferred an organic salad of course but since the option was not give to me I had to pick the best of what was offered.
We stayed at a nice Holiday Inn hotel that offered complementary breakfast in the mornings. I was skeptical about what food would be offered from experiences of other places offering mostly bagels with cream cheese and cereal. However, I am happy to say I was pleasantly surprised to find I did have quite a bit of food to choose from. They offered a large buffet with plenty of food that I could eat, including bananas, oranges, apples, plain oatmeal, honey, and tea. Every morning I filled up with a large bowl of oatmeal topped with honey and bananas. I had hot tea and orange juice to drink. Normally I don't eat oatmeal or grains much for that matter. I also typically eat fruit that is organic and / or from local farmers. However, in this instance I had to compromise and pick the best I could from what was offered to me. I really enjoyed eating the oatmeal and looked at it as a treat each morning, something special and out of the norm. With the honey on top it tasted more like a dessert!
On Saturday we did sightseeing in Washington D.C. We went to the Lincoln Memorial, saw the Washington Monument, took pictures in front of the White House (there it is at the top of the post!), and toured some Smithsonian museums. We were on a time budget to see as much of D.C. in one day as possible. Although there were a number of vegan and raw food restaurants I wanted to try I had to go with the flow. If I was there on my own or with my boyfriend I would have made a point to try some new vegan restaurants. Here again it is a compromise that has to be made when traveling with a group. You don't always get to have your top pick of where to eat. However, as a criticism to myself, if I had been a bit more prepared we might have been able to go to a vegan restaurant. I knew the names of some places I would like to try but I did not take the extra step to get the address and have a good idea of their locations so we could easily find them. The weather was beautiful on Saturday and we had a nice time touring the beautiful city. For dinner that night my boyfriend's sister (who lives there) and her boyfriend made dinner for all of us! They made potatoes, asparagus and fish for dinner with an ambrosia salad for dessert. I enjoyed the potatoes with olive oil and sea salt on top and the asparagus was delicious and a treat since I never tend to make it myself. The ambrosia salad was a dessert that was especially made vegan so that I could partake in it as well. It was a delicious fruit salad filled with pineapple, grapes, strawberries, bananas, and coconut flakes. This mixture was in orange juice and I was so happy with this wonderful dessert! It was so refreshing after a long day of touring and walking the city.
On Sunday we had lunch with my sweetie's great uncle and his wife. They took us to a Mexican buffet. I was hoping a Mexican buffet would surely have avocados and guacamole but they didn't! They did have a large mixed salad, a large variety of fresh cut fruit (including pineapple, cantaloupe, honey dew, strawberries, and papaya. I filled up mostly on these items. Sunday night for dinner we grilled out on his sisters boyfriend's sailboat. They grilled corn and tofu for me to eat. The tofu had a nice seasoning on top of it. Again I had to make another compromise as I do not normally eat tofu and don't eat corn unless I am sure it is not genetically modified. However, I did eat and enjoy both of the items.
On Monday I had my last breakfast at the buffet offered by the hotel but I made sure to have two large bowls of oatmeal. I was not sure what my food choices would look like for the long drive home and so I wanted to make sure I was extra full. We ended up stopping at Wendy's on the way home and I ordered two baked potatoes. I seasoned them with chives and salt. Overall, it was a wonderful weekend, everyone was gracious and supportive of the way that I eat and I was thankful for that. Although I had to make some compromises to my diet I did not have to compromise the fundamentals of my vegan diet. I enjoyed the new variety of the asparagus, oatmeal, and the ambrosia salad which I totally want to make!
Since returning it has taken a while for me to get back into the swing of things with unpacking and getting over that long car ride! Please share your experiences traveling as a vegan. What are the challenges you have experienced and how have you dealt with them?

Key Lime Tarts and a Short Post

2011-08-30T12:43:00.001-05:00

These key lime tarts are a nice end of summer dessert! They are light, sweet, creamy and delicious! I hope you enjoy the recipe and have a wonderful labor day weekend! I am going to be driving to Washington D.C. this weekend and am looking forward to it! I hope to try out a vegan restaurant in Washington D.C so if you know of a good one let me know! Meanwhile, enjoy!

Key Lime Tart Recipe:

Crust Ingredients: 1 cup of ground flax seeds, 1 cup of dried shredded coconut, 1/4 cup of honey, 1/8 cup of water.

Directions for Crust: Mix the ingredients together until sticky and clumps together. Press into the bottom of miniature pie pans or into one large pie pan.

Key Lime Filling: 1/2 pound of young thai coconut meat, 1/2 avocado, 2 limes, 1/4 cup of honey. Blend all of the ingredients together in a vitamixer and when well combined pour into the pie pans. Garnish with limes and put in the fridge for several hours to set. Enjoy!

Simple Snack and My First Knitting Project Completed!

2011-08-26T17:40:00.000-05:00

It is Friday night and just the beginning of a much welcomed weekend! I don't have a lot going on this weekend. Tomorrow we plan on starting some seedlings for a fall garden. I am hoping to grow kale, parsley, lettuce greens, and maybe some potatoes. A slow weekend will be nice considering last weekend we were out of town (renting a mountain cabin, although that was very relaxing and fun!) and next weekend we will be driving up to Washington, DC to visit family. Quite a long drive. However, I have driven through Virginia before and it is such a pretty drive. I love the scenery of the mountains. Hopefully by next weekend I will be working on my next knitting project, which will keep me occupied for some of the twelve hour car ride. I am also hoping we will be able to go to D.C. next weekend considering the expected weather this weekend.
Well, I finished my first knitting project this week. This was a beginner pattern for a twirly scarf. I am very pleased with the scarf and can't wait until I get to use it in the Fall. I checked out some knitting books at the library today. I found a few that I really like and are filled with projects that I would like to try next. At the bottom of this post I have the two knitting books that I like the most from the library. I love the patterns in both of these books. On the list of what I would like to knit: warm winter socks, warm/pretty winter scarf, winter hat, gloves, and if I get really good at this knitting stuff maybe sweaters, blankets, and the sky is the limit. I have a yoga student that donated a full container of knitting needles and 26 bundles of yarn to me. They no longer had a use for them and when I shared I started knitting they offered to bring these goodies to me! Wow, so awesome! I am very thankful for their generosity!
So, as I mentioned yesterday I have been eating pretty simple meals lately. I had these apple and celery slices dipped in honey sea salted almond butter for a snack today. Of course it was delicious. Although I love making complex recipes I also love simple recipes when my body needs a break from the gourmet. I am trying to add more green back into my diet and cut back a little bit on the fats. For the past two days I have had green smoothies (peaches, bananas, kale, water, and honey). I feel best when I have lots of greens and want to try and make a commitment to have one green smoothie a day! It helps to keep me looking and feeling my best and I sure can tell a difference from having those smoothies. I just feel a bit more "together" or on top of things.
What are your plans for the weekend?

Simplicity and check out my article in Super Raw Life

2011-08-25T11:07:00.000-05:00

It is always fun to make new recipes and I enjoy posting new recipes on my blog. However, this week I have been eating simply. I have been drinking lots of green smoothies and snacking on these pears. I picked these pears from my dad's pear tree. There are some great benefits to picking these pears myself 1. They were free. 2. I know without a doubt they are organic. 3. I know they are not genetically modified. I like picking my own food and knowing the source of my food. This summer I have been blueberry picking, apple picking at an orchard, and pear picking. Have you gone to a blueberry farm or apple orchard before?
In other news I am excited to let you know that I wrote an article for the latest issue of Super Raw Life for the August 2011 issue. In the article I share my own journey to raw foods, a yoga routine, and raw recipes. If you want to read the article then just go to www.superrawlife.com and sign up to get your own copy of the magazine. There are some great articles in there with lots of great recipes as well. Check it out and let me know what you think. Have a great day!

Baked Flax Crackers and Pinto Bean Salad: Adequate Protein on the Vegan Diet

2011-08-18T12:44:00.001-05:00

Delicious and nutritious, flax crackers are a healthy alternative to processed chips or junk food. I like to keep them on hand to use for dipping into home made salsas or fresh guacamole. Flax crackers are high in protein as well. One cup of flax seeds have 31 grams of protein. I had to find an alternative way to make my flax crackers since my old dehydrator has broken and I am waiting to buy a new one. I decided to bake them in the oven and they came out fine!

Black eyed peas are also high in protein. One cup of black eyed peas has 13 grams of protein. I have included part of an article that is posted on the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine website. By clicking here you can go to the full article. This article talks about out protein needs and gives a chart of vegetables, beans, etc that are high in protein. For now I will share my recipe for baked flax crackers.

Baked Flax Crackers:

Ingredients: 2 cups of flax seeds, 2 cups of water

Directions: Grind the flax seeds into a powder. You can use a vitamixer or a food processor. Add the ground flax seeds to a bowl and mix in the water. The flax seeds should soak up the water. Mix together until you get a dough like consistency. Spread the flax mixture onto a baking pan with parchment paper on top. Use a knife to score the crackers into desired shapes. Set the oven at 400 degrees and bake the crackers for 20 minutes. Allow them to cool and then break apart. Enjoy!

How Can I Get Enough Protein? The Protein Myth

The Building Blocks of Life

Protein is an important nutrient required for the building, maintenance, and repair of tissues in the body. Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, can be synthesized by the body or ingested from food. There are 20 different amino acids in the food we eat, but our body can only make 11 of them. The 9 essential amino acids, which cannot be produced by the body, must be obtained from the diet. A variety of grains, legumes, and vegetables can also provide all of the essential amino acids our bodies require. It was once thought that various plant foods had to be eaten together to get their full protein value, otherwise known as protein combining or protein complementing. We now know that intentional combining is not necessary to obtain all of the essential amino acids.¹ As long as the diet contains a variety of grains, legumes, and vegetables, protein needs are easily met.

Protein Requirements

With the traditional Western diet, the average American consumes about double the protein her or his body needs. Additionally, the main sources of protein consumed tend to be animal products, which are also high in fat and saturated fat. Most individuals are surprised to learn that protein needs are actually much less than what they have been consuming. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein for the average, sedentary adult is only 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.²
To find out your average individual need, simply perform the following calculation:

Body weight (in pounds) X 0.36 = recommended protein intake (in grams)

However, even this value has a large margin of safety, and the body’s true need is even lower for most people. Protein needs are increased for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. In addition, needs are also higher for very active persons. As these groups require additional calories, increased protein needs can easily be met through larger intake of food consumed daily. Extra serving of legumes, tofu, meat substitutes, or other high protein sources can help meet needs that go beyond the current RDA.

The Problems with High-Protein Diets

High-protein diets for weight loss, disease prevention, and enhanced athletic performance have been greatly publicized over recent years. However, these diets are supported by little scientific research. Studies show that the healthiest diet is one that is high in carbohydrate, low in fat, and moderate in protein. Increased intake of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are recommended for weight control and preventing diseases such as cancer³ and heart disease.⁴ High-carbohydrate, low-fat, moderate-protein diets are also recommended for optimal athletic performance.⁵ Contrary to the information on fad diets currently promoted by some popular books, a diet that is high in protein can actually contribute to disease and other health problems.

Healthy Protein Sources (in grams)
Black beans, boiled (1 cup)	15.2
Broccoli (1 cup)	4.6
Bulgur, cooked (1 cup)	5.6
Chickpeas, boiled (1 cup)	14.5
Lentils, boiled (1 cup)	17.9
Peanut butter (2 tbsp)	8.0
Quinoa, cooked (1 cup)	11.0
Seitan* (4 oz)	24.0
Spinach, boiled (1 cup)	5.4
Tempeh (1/2 cup)	15.7
Tofu, firm (1/2 cup)	19.9
Whole wheat bread (1 slice)	2.7

References
1. Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets. J Amer Diet Assoc. 2003;103(6):748-765.
2. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids (Macronutrients) (2002); Food and Nutrition Board (FNB), Institute of Medicine (IOM) (http://www.nap.edu/books/0309085373/html/)
3. World Cancer Research Fund. Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective. American Institute for Cancer Research. Washington, D.C.: 1997.
4. Ornish D, Brown SE, Scherwitz LW. Can lifestyle changes reverse coronary heart disease? Lancet. 1990;336:129-133.
5. Position of the American Dietetic Association: nutrition and athletic performance. J Amer Diet Assoc. 2000;100:1543-1556.

Chocolate Chip Banana Peanut Butter Cookies! Plus a New Eco Purse from Etsy.com!

2011-08-17T10:59:00.000-05:00

As a child my mother and I spent a lot of time in the kitchen making chocolate chip cookies! My mother loved to bake and we always baked everything from scratch. While she wasn't looking I always swiped cookie dough from the bowl! I had a friend spend the night this weekend and we decided to make these cookies. This recipe is a twist on my banana oatmeal raisin cookies. I got the idea for these cookies in the first place from a book called Color Me Vegan. I love this book because the author uses a lot of whole healthy ingredients and the sections are divided by color. It is a colorful book with lots of pictures (which I love!). I have been snacking on these during the week and trying to eat only a few at a time.
In other news, I have fallen in love with the website etsy.com. I have a purse right now that I bought a year ago and it is starting to fall apart. I usually go shopping for purses at Marshalls, TJ Max, or Ross. However, I decided that I wanted to buy an eco-friendly purse this time around. I have heard of etsy so I decided to go on their website to see what they offer. I fell in love with this shop on etsy. She makes so many beautiful purses for very reasonable prices! The picture of the red purse above is the one that I bought. It was on sale for $25 plus shipping for $35. Isn't it just adorable? I had a hard time deciding which purse to buy and had to stop myself from buying more than one! I should be getting it in the mail in a week and I can't wait! Do you shop on etsy? If so, what kind of purchases have you made and have you been happy with those purchases?
Finally, tomorrow you can look forward to a post about protein. Where do vegans get their protein? I will be sharing a recipe for baked flax crackers and pinto bean salad. Both of which are very high in protein. I am still without a dehydrator. If you read my last post, my nesco dehydrator broke and I still have not bought a new dehydrator and am debating if I will. You may see more cooked recipes on my blog as well as raw recipes that don't require a dehydrator. Have a great day and enjoy my recipe!
Chocolate Chip Banana Peanut Butter Cookies:

Ingredients:

3 large bananas

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/4 cup of organic peanut butter
3 cups of dried coconut flakes

1 tsp cinnamon

sea salt to taste

1 cup of dates (remove the pits!)

1 organic vegan chocolate bar (broken into chunks to add to cookies)

Directions:

Mix the bananas and dates in a vitamixer until smooth and the lumps are removed. In a big bowl add all other ingredients and stir until evenly combined. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop dollops of the dough, each about 1 teaspoon in size on the baking sheets. Press down a bit to flatten them. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom.

Eggplant Bacon: BLT

2011-08-09T13:36:00.001-05:00

As a child I can remember waking up to the smell of sizzling bacon on the weekends. The weekdays were too busy with us kids going to school and our parents going to work, so we normally got stuck with cereal or a pop tart. The weekends were the fun breakfast items like pancakes, french toast, waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage. It goes without saying that I haven't had any of these breakfast items in quite a while now, around four years if we are counting. I don't miss them because I have new fun breakfast meals I have replaced them with (smoothies, granola, and fresh fruit to name a few). Although I could easily find similar replacements for some of these with all of the many recipe books out there!
The impulse to try eggplant bacon developed for a few reasons: 1. I have seen pictures of eggplant bacon on blogs and have been curious about it for a while. 2. I have an abundance of eggplant right now as I am working on eating what is in season. 3. It sounded like something fun to make. 4. I have Matthew Kenney's book Everyday Raw and he has a recipe for eggplant bacon.
This week I bought all of the ingredients I would need to make the bacon according to his recipe with some tweaking here and there. When I got to the step of putting the eggplant into the dehydrator and turning the dehydrator on I found that my dehydrator was no longer working! I have a Nesco dehydrator which I bought five years ago from a friend for $25. I have never made the step to buy an Excalibur dehydrator simply because it is more expensive and I do already have one. I have talked about buying one and thought long and hard about buying one but when it came down to it I always decided to wait. With no other options about what to do with my eggplant bacon I improvised and decided to put it in the oven. I set the temperature on 350 degrees and put it in for 20 minutes. It came out well but I am still curious to try it in the dehydrator!
If I can't find a way to fix my Nesco I will buy an Excalibur dehydrator. I am excited by the thought of this as it will open a new world of possibilities in terms of what I can make. Although it has been great for making some items and has served me well, because of the size and shape I have been very limited with what I can do. I would recommend a Nesco for those who are interested in making dried fruits, flax crackers, cookies, breads, etc and do not have the money for an Excalibur. It was around 8 years old when it gave out on me. Do you own a dehydrator and if so what brand is it?

Eggplant Bacon (with my modifications):
Ingredients: 1 large eggplant, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 tbsp sea salt
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp nama shoyu
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika

Directions: Place sliced eggplant in a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Allow the eggplant to marinate for 30 - 45 minutes. OVEN: Spread slices on a pan, set the oven at 350 degrees, and when cook the eggplant bacon for 20 minutes. It should be slightly crispy when you remove it. If you leave it in much longer it may burn.
DEHYDRATOR: Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 24 hours until crisp and cut into desired sizes.

Black Bean Burgers And Ask Me A Question

2011-08-08T15:43:00.001-05:00

How was your weekend? I had a nice weekend, busy and productive. Friday night was chill, just hanging out at home. On Saturday I had to wake up extra early to pick up a love seat donated by my uncle. It is still in great shape and looks great so I am happy to add it to our home. Now we have some thing to sit on in the basement if we choose to watch a movie down there. Saturday afternoon I had my brother and my dad over for lunch. I made black bean burgers, honey glazed acorn squash topped with onions, garlic, and carrots, and homemade Japanese sweet potato fries (sorry there is not a picture of them!). I have made these black bean burgers a few times in the past and always enjoy them. Beans are high in protein, 1 cup cooked has 15 grams of protein. I always buy my beans dried rather than in a can. This way I don't get all of the preservatives that are put in cans and I also think I get more nutrition and they taste better. My family and boyfriend ate these burgers on a bun with organic ketchup and fresh tomatoes. I ate mine without a bun but with tomatoes and a little organic ketchup on top. They would also taste great on my onion bread recipe. I just recently bought the acorn squash from a local market, it was my first time eating acorn squash and I loved it! Saturday night my friend spent the night and we had some good quality girl time. Finally, on Sunday I climbed Stone Mountain in the morning and spent the afternoon cleaning, organizing and relaxing watching movies.
So, I decided to let you guys ask me a question about my life as a vegan / raw vegan foodie. If there is anything you would like to know that may help you on your own journey just leave the question in my comment box. I will answer the first ten questions that I get in my next posting.

April's Black Bean Burgers:
Ingredients: 2 cups of black beans
6 cups of water
1 bell pepper diced
1 cup of ground flax seeds
1/2 onion diced
garlic powder
sea salt
2 tbsp olive oil

Directions: Soak your black beans in two cups of water for 4 hours. After this add two more cups of water and cook the beans. First bring the water and beans to a boil. After they have started boiling, turn down the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid and let the beans cook for one hour. You can taste test them to see if they are done. Next, drain the beans and add them to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Stir this mixture up until thoroughly combined. Form black bean patties out of the mixture and put them on a frying pan (low to medium heat) using the olive oil on the pan to keep them from sticking. Serve and enjoy!

The Winner of My E-Book

2011-08-05T11:15:00.001-05:00

Thank you so much to everyone who replied to my last post! Readers shared some great ideas for a new recipe e-book. Some of the suggestions were a dessert e-book, dehydrator e-book, a winter time raw food e-book (staying raw in the winter), and an e-book that doesn't use a dehydrator (for newbies without one)! After writing all of the names on a slip of paper and then picking the names from a hat I have a winner! Drum roll please! Elissa is the winner of my e-book! Please e-mail me at apriljune22(at)aim(dot)com and I will send you your copy! For some quick news I have added a shop onto my blog. This is an amazon store I have created. I carefully hand picked all of my favorite items that I use and find useful in the kitchen. Please check it out and let me know what you think! By the way, what are you doing this weekend? Anything fun planned or any new recipes you are trying out? Tomorrow I am planning on making my black bean burgers for my family, along with Japanese sweet potato fries, and honey roasted acorn squash. Look for my post about it on Monday!

Eggplant Pizza and Free E-Book Giveaway!

2011-08-03T18:46:00.001-05:00

Sometimes life does not always turn out the way we plan it! What was supposed to be an eggplant ravioli recipe turned into eggplant pizza! I got the ingredients for eggplant ravioli from the blog what the hell does a vegan eat. However, I had small eggplants and I didn't feel that the ravioli idea would work with the ingredients I had. So, I decided to improvise and make eggplant pizza instead. I have made a similar recipe in the past and I really like the way eggplant tastes in the dehydrator. I really liked the end result of this pizza. By the way, don't you like the title what the hell does a vegan eat? I think it is clever, I know that every time I tell people I am a vegan that the exact thought runs through their head, although they may not say it out loud.
In other news, I tried a recipe for zucchini corn cakes that I made yesterday. Those did not turn out well and I ended up throwing them away. I mostly did not like the way that they tasted. I think I prefer corn completely raw (not dehydrated) or cooked. I don't like the way it tastes in the dehydrator. Lesson learned and sorry no pictures. Sometimes my experiments in the kitchen turn out and sometimes they don't.
In other news, I am working on my first knitting project and am very excited. I am knitting a fancy twirly scarf. I am excited to see the end result! If it turns out the way I like I would love to knit a host of projects including scarves, socks, hats, etc. I know what friends and family will be getting for Christmas presents this year!
Finally, I am doing an E-Book Giveaway!! I have not done a giveaway in a while and I am excited about it! In order to qualify for the giveaway you have to leave a comment for this post and let me know what e-book you would like to see me write next! I will announce the winner on Friday afternoon at 12 in the afternoon.

Eggplant Pizza Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 eggplant

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1 cup of cashews

1/4 cup of onion

1 garlic clove

1/4 cup of water

sea salt to taste

3 tomatoes

fresh basil to garnish

Directions:

Slice the eggplant very thin. You need around 15 slices so you may have some left over. In a bowl mix the eggplant with the olive oil and sea salt. Let that sit for an hour. In the vitamixer combine the cashews, onion, water, and garlic until you get a smooth texture. To assemble the pizza evenly put the cashew cheeze on all pizzas and top with tomato slices. Put these in the dehydrator at 115 degrees for 7 - 8 hours. When they are done garnish with fresh basil on top. Enjoy!

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Chocolate Chip Banana Peanut Butter Cookies! Plus a New Eco Purse from Etsy.com!

Eggplant Bacon: BLT

Black Bean Burgers And Ask Me A Question

The Winner of My E-Book

Eggplant Pizza and Free E-Book Giveaway!