Sides — Page 56

What I Ate Wednesday and What I am Loving

Hey there, today is What I Ate Wednesday! These posts are fun to do, it forces me to jot down what I’m eating, and maybe to make better decisions 🙂 you should try journaling your food intake for a few days, you may learn something or recognize areas that can be improved!

Of course I had my usual large glass of warm water with the fresh juice from half a lemon. I bought a new milk blend from Whole Foods of almond milk, cashew milk and hazelnut milk to try in my coffee — it was pretty good! Also I added a couple teaspoons of coconut sugar. And then the yummiest green tropical smoothie ever!! You have to try it! It consisted of a ton of spinach, 2-3 cups fresh pineapple, 2 bananas, 3 tbsp. hemp hearts, 2 tbsp. coconut oil, Almond Breeze Almond Coconut Milk (SO friggin’ delicious) and ice. YUM. The perfect smoothie for anyone new to green smoothies/juices.

I was hungry an hour or two after the green smoothie, so I had an orange with a Pure Organic Cherry Cashew Bar.

I love having huge salads for lunch, you can pack in a bunch of veggies and it’s filling, if you add in the right foods. This salad was spring mix lettuce & spinach, with quinoa (under all the veggies), celery, purple cabbage, red pepper, red onion, hemp hearts and sunflower seeds. And a simple homemade vinaigrette dressing, I need to post a salad/dressing recipe soon.

I had a handful of pistachios as a little snack later on! Dinner was two falafels (yummy recipe coming soon), hummus, pita crackers and a greek veggie salad with cucumber, tomato, red pepper and black olives. And a glass of red wine.

I am warning you, what I ate next is highly addicting and I kinda wish I didn’t buy them! Definitely not the healthiest dessert but sometimes, you gotta live a little. I had to stop myself from eating all of them. They are a cookie/graham cracker mix with a brown sugary topping from Trader Joe’s. With a little almond milk on the side. OMG. Seriously, don’t buy them.

Have you heard of the Tone It Up girls?! I have been meaning to share their workout videos for a while. They had a show on Bravo a few months back. ANOTHER reason I am a Cali girl wannabe 😉 ugh I have to move to Cali already! They are so fun and I love their Bikini Series workouts. They are already in week 4 of their Bikini Series challenge, but it’s never too late to start. I do 2-3 videos for an awesome workout 🙂 and most of their videos are on the beach! I am loving their “Bikini Body Routine 2” video at the moment. Let me know if you try their workouts, or if you already are loving them!!

Plant Based Vegan Grocery Guide – What’s in my Glowing Fridge?

I thought it would be fun to share a grocery haul/whats normally in my refrigerator and kitchen post. Many of the unnecessary ailments in our society today can be cured through plant based nutrition. Ailments such as: acne, body weight, digestive issues, sleep issues, fatigue, diabetes, energy levels, hair loss/hair quality, moods, etc. If you are suffering from any of these ailments, or know someone, this post may be beneficial to help change your quality of life! Check out ‘My Vegan Story‘ for more on my overnight journey to this energizing lifestyle.

This is a lengthy post to help you get started on a plant-based vegan lifestyle. Keep in mind these are just ideas! You have to find what works for you.

I do most of my shopping at Jewel/Mariano’s for produce (or a fresh market if possible) then Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s for more of the vegan specialty and superfood items. You will want these specialty items at some point, trust me 🙂 If you don’t have these stores or a natural health food store in your area, check out my store on Amazon. Let me know if you have questions too.

Be prepared to spend lots of time in the produce section! My favorite place of all! Your cart will be filled with beautiful + colorful fruits and veggies. The large amount of fruits and vegetables I started buying was kinda funny at first… but now I love it. Also, it’s important to buy organic if you can. I know it’s more expensive but to me, it is SO worth the few extra dollars. I don’t want to skimp out on the quality of fruits/veggies, or else, what’s the point?

Organic is more nutritious containing more vitamins and minerals than non-organically grown veggies/fruits. Organic is free of pesticides, chemicals and is non-GMO. Have you noticed that organic fruits/veggies never look the same?! That is a good thing! Our fruits/veggies should never look identical with added waxes to make it look shiny and pretty, it’s just not natural. I listed the “Dirty Dozen” below for you as well for a guide to buying organic. The “Dirty Dozen” is a list of produce to always buy organic because they are the most highly sprayed with pesticides and chemicals. There are actually 14 because they recently added two items. Check out the “Clean Fifteen” list too.

“DIRTY DOZEN” – Apples, Strawberries, Grapes, Celery, Peaches, Spinach, Bell Peppers, Nectarines, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Sugar Snap Peas, Potatoes, Hot Peppers, Kale/Collard Greens

I like to plan out for a weeks worth of food, so I don’t end up going to the store everyday and buying more things I don’t need! Usually I go shopping on Saturday or Sunday if I can. Since fruits and veggies don’t have the longest shelf life, I might end up going to the store again in the middle of the week to pick up additional fresh produce but it just depends. You will probably have to adjust your list to your liking and because I am buying for two mouths to feed — my love has a huge appetite! Sometimes we end up with leftover fruits/veggies, sometimes we run out, this is just a list for you to go off of, get ideas and experiment with.

Listen to your body and buy the rainbow!

I will start with the produce from a local grocery store or fresh market. I am listing the items I normally have on hand, I don’t always buy these weekly; just as needed. When first starting out as a vegan, you may have to spend more but that is just to start out, I have found my grocery bill has actually gone down (if I don’t over indulge in the pricey super foods!)

PRODUCE + other items from any local grocery store:

8-10 bananas ( I like extra so I can freeze them for smoothie bowls or “nice cream”
4 oranges or grapefruit
3 mangoes (if in season)
1 package blueberries
1 package raspberries/strawberries
5 apples
6 lemons (for my morning water, green juices and salad dressings)
3 limes (for juices and dressings)
1 pineapple or 1 watermelon for the week (if in season)
3-4 tomatoes or 1 pack cherry tomatoes
1 large knob of fresh ginger (for juices and sauces)

2 English cucumbers (they’re seedless)
2-4 bell peppers
2 avocados
1 head celery
1 large package of mixed greens/spinach
1 small head of purple cabbage
1 large package or 2 bunches of kale
1 bag of brussels sprouts or 1 asparagus bunch (LOVE to roast them in the oven)
2-3 heads of broccoli
1 bag of carrot sticks (for juices and salads)
1 bag of baby carrots (for snacking!)
2 red onions
2-4 potatoes/sweet potatoes
1 pack of mushrooms
Garlic (for dressings, saut?ing, roasting with veggies)
1 bunch of Parsley, Basil, Cilantro or Mint

2 cartons of unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or soy, coconut, cashew, hemp, rice, hazelnut; any plant milk of your choice)
2 Soy/almond/coconut yogurts
tortilla chips/rice crackers
salsa (Make sure it’s free of added ingredients/chemicals)
2 cans of organic Chickpeas, Black Beans, or Kidney Beans (or buy in them dry in bulk and prepare at home)

CONDIMENTS/SPICES:

Spicy dijon mustard
Gluten-free Organic Tamari or Soy Sauce
Vinegars for salad dressings (Balsamic, Red Wine and Apple Cider)
Ground Saigon Cinnamon (for coffee, smoothies, oatmeal, even chili)
Chili powder
Ground Cumin
Cayenne Pepper
Dried Oregano/Basil/Parsley
Turmeric, Curry Powder, Garam Masala
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

It may seem like a lot but it will be used if you plan it right! It’s important to be stocked up so you have options, otherwise you will be left hungry with nothing in the house, and probably become lazy and run to the nearest McDonalds or something. It happens.

I always keep my kitchen stocked with plenty of beautiful fruits/veggies. When it’s in front of your face, you will be more likely to choose it as a snack rather than running to pick up candy or a chocolate bar, or whatever it may be. There are plenty of other snack ideas other than chips and salsa, like these lemon coconut energy balls. There’s rice cakes, popcorn, veggie chips, hummus and carrots, apple and peanut butter, Larabars, Kind bars, Pure Bars and fresh fruit is always the perfect snack!

WHOLE FOODS (check out their bulk section too)

Coconut sugar – I use it for baking and desserts
Shredded, unsweetened coconut for a smoothie bowl topping (I like the Let’s Do Organic Brand)
1 packs of Ezekial sprouted tortilla wraps, for tempeh or veggie sandwich wraps (in freezer section)
Larabars, Squarebars, Pure Organic Bars or any vegan granola bar
Granola – or try my Chewy Rawnola Recipe
Brown rice or Brown rice pasta (friendly for gluten-free tummies)
Quinoa, any color (sometimes I buy it at Costco in bulk)
Nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, in bulk, sometimes at Costco too)
Vegan cheeses (I tend to stay away from vegan cheese (its so processed!) but it’s an option for cheese lovers – Daiya is a great brand)
Maca powder (superfood powder for smoothies, oatmeal, overnight oats)
Gogi Berries (for a snack or topping in oatmeal, smoothie bowls and granola)
Chia Seeds (to make chia pudding, chia jam or add in smoothies)
Hemp Hearts (topping for salad or smoothies)

TRADER JOE’S

1 container organic Tofu, extra-firm, – Check out my Sesame Veggie Tofu Stir Fry
2 tempeh packages – Tempeh is a mix of cultured soybeans, brown rice, millet and barley. Its similar to chicken meaning its a “blank slate” for any sauce or marinade (pictures from my tempeh recipe here)
1 package pre-steamed lentils (my favorite!!)
1 pack of fancy medjool dates (to snack on and for some dessert/nice cream recipes)
Shelled Edamame (in freezer section)
Rolled Oats (they’re gluten free) – for overnight oats, rawnola and desserts
Hummus – I love their Mediterranean kind, to snack on with carrots, cucumber, celery or pita crackers
Almond Butter – raw, unsalted kind

I mentioned earlier I would discuss how my boyfriend (Marty) stays vegan. It was a slower process for him but he truly wanted to try it out and see what it could do for his body. By no means is he perfect with it – he still orders pizza on occasion. If we are eating out he may order something with meat but he stays away from all dairy. Since I do all of the cooking at home, that’s when he eats plant based. I’m not one to push this lifestyle on people, he just wanted to try it after watching the documentaries with me and becoming more aware of where his food is coming from. I consider Marty in “athlete” type shape because he works out 7 days a week religiously, so he needs to eat a lot more than me to maintain his weight. Usually, I will make him a green juice and/or a smoothie everyday for breakfast along with overnight oats or leftovers from the night before. He will supplement his workouts with a raw protein powder shake/smoothie. He loves my The Ultimate Vegan Mac and Cheese, Healthy Pumpkin Chili, Sesame Kale Glow Bowl and especially my Vegan Spring Rolls. He will snack on hummus with tortilla chips, carrots + cucumbers or chips with salsa. He loves ALL fruit, especially oranges, pears and watermelon. If fruit is already cut up in the fridge, he will eat it but he won’t think to cut it up himself.. boys haha.

We also always have raw nuts, chips and salsa, popcorn or fresh veggies to snack on. It’s all about planning ahead, having the options in your house and making your favorite foods, but vegan style! There are so many recipes to try; being in the kitchen and making dinner together can be fun too. Marty absolutely loves this lifestyle now. He feels better than ever and has a newfound understanding of what a healthy whole foods lifestyle actually is. He recovers quicker from workouts and craves all the fresh foods… well most of the time ha. Balance.

I hope this post has inspired you to incorporate more fruits/veggies and plant based recipes into your diet. Keep in mind, these are just suggestions. I would love to know what you keep in your kitchen!

My rescued puppies, Chuy and Taz

Living plant based has been so rewarding, not only for my health, mindset and spirituality, but my overall happiness and outlook on life. The food is fresh, colorful, full of life and will keep you lean and young 🙂 what’s not to love?

For more help, insight and tips, check out my:

Vegan Starter Guide
5-Day Body Balance Cleanse

Cinnamon Banana Walnut Bars with Peanut Butter Frosting

Friday is here! Ya know what else is here?! A new ooey, gooey scrumptious vegan breakfast/dessert recipe you will LOVE. These tasty banana bars are a combination between banana bread and breakfast muffins. If you feel up for some easy baking this weekend, these are definitely a must try! So I was in the kitchen yesterday and had a few mishaps. Baking vegan style is still sort of new to me… I tried making pancakes first and they tasted delicious, but I still need to experiment and find the perfect pancake recipe. So I moved on to a new breakfast item, muffin bars!

Simple recipes with only a few ingredients are amazing but I prefer a little extra flavor and spice in my recipes, so I tried something new and they turned out to be just what I was looking for. In the process I thought, why not add some frosting? Peanut butter mixed with maple syrup? I mean.. to die for. Even if you don’t feel like baking these banana bars of goodness, make the peanut butter frosting and eat it with a spoon. Maybe? I did yesterday and I don’t feel bad about it at all!

Sidenote: The whole time I was baking, the dogs were under my feet constantly, tripping me and driving me crazy ha. They’ll do ANYTHING for a little crumb to fall or for me to maybe give them a taste. They decided to put on a show and run around the house chasing each other and then came back to give me the puppy eyes, so I gave in. Don’t tell anyone! Have you ever given your dog a little peanut butter? Its hilarious.

Did you know, for an egg replacement, you can use mashed ripe bananas?!

1/2 mashed ripe banana is equal to 1 egg

I love baking with oat flour, it doesn’t make me feel weighed down like whole wheat flour or regular flour. Feel free to swap in any flour of your choice though.

Hope you have a fun weekend planned! I’m going up to my family’s lake house in Wisconsin. It’s that time of year again to put in the pier, boats and fun toys! Well, I don’t really help with much of that, maybe the pier sometimes, but mainly I am going to see my brother and have some quality family time. It’s nice to get away for a weekend, away from all the things we need to get done. I plan to go on a lake run and take the pups for lots of walks, maybe make some of my new vegan recipes for the fam too. These muffin bars would be perfect for Sunday morning breakfast 🙂 I will be sure to take pictures! Have a relaxing weekend!

Cinnamon Banana Walnut Bars with Peanut Butter Frosting

Prep Time: 15
Total Time: 30
Yield: 12 1x

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Description

Vegan Muffin Bars

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups oat flour (see notes)
1/4 cup coconut sugar (or raw, cane or brown)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt ( I used pink himalayan)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 1/4 cup almond milk (or any dairy-free milk of choice)
1/2 cup walnuts, crushed into small pieces
1/4 cup raw, natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup
a few tablespoons water, to desired consistency

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine oat flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix well.
Add in banana and almond milk, mix well. Fold in walnuts.
Cover a 9″x 9″ baking pan with parchment paper and pour mixture over paper. Smooth it out evenly.
Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until edges are slightly golden brown.
While that’s baking, make the peanut butter frosting. In a small mixing bowl, add peanut butter and maple syrup. Mix until combined, yes its sticky!
Add in a couple tablespoons of water until it reaches a frosting-like consistency.
I added about 2-3 tablespoons, if you want it more drippy, add more water.
Let the bars cool for about 20 minutes. I cut the bars first and then spread the frosting over.
Enjoy!

Notes

To make oat flour, simply blend or food process 2 cups oats.

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What I Ate Wednesday!

I am so excited to share something a little different today… my very FIRST “What I Ate Wednesday”! Sharing every single item I ate in one day is new for me, but I know some people are curious about what vegans eat so here you go! I plan to do this every Wednesday, hopefully. It’s actually what I ate yesterday (Tuesday).

I definitely switch up my foods daily, meaning I try to eat most of the colors of the rainbow and not the same fruits/veggies day after day. And I would get tired of eating the same things every day! But, I always start out my morning with a large glass of warm water with freshly squeezed juice from half of a lemon. Before anything else. Sometimes I put in a couple dashes of cayenne pepper – if I am feeling spicy. It’s important to drink a large glass of water before anything else to help cleanse the colon. Fresh lemon juice is an added bonus with many cleansing antiseptic benefits. Then, I love to have a cup of coffee! I will be honest, there is ONE thing I kinda miss from my old lifestyle. Coffee Mate French Vanilla or Hazelnut creamer.. yes I know.. with all those NASTY chemicals and fake dairy ingredients… I know what you are thinking. How could I put that in my coffee, let alone in my body?! Lets just say they know how to get people addicted to coffee creamer. More like addicted to sugar. I know my mom misses her creamer too as she recently switched it out for almond milk and stevia. Anyone else have this feeling?!! I will never go back, and that creamer would probably make me sick now, but I am up for your tips/tricks. I am thinking of making my own coffee creamer instead of buying an overpriced vegan creamer. For now, I add unsweetened vanilla almond milk, cinnamon and some coconut sugar, stevia or honey. Honestly it’s not the same, but I am drinking less coffee because of it, which is good in my book.

Depending on how hungry I am, I will usually make a smoothie or green juice for breakfast. It’s important to listen to your body to know what it needs that morning. If I plan to workout, I will have my water, coffee and 1 banana. Then have breakfast after my workout. On the days I am less hungry, I will get my green juice in, sometimes with a small side of fruit. When I am more hungry I will have a jam-packed fruit smoothie with added superfoods or a bowl of oatmeal with berries and nuts/almond butter. Today was a fruit smoothie with 6 frozen strawberries, 2 bananas, handful of raspberries, kiwi, maca powder and oats, topped with some buckwheat and frozen berries. I posted it on instagram yesterday and below as well! Yum! It fills me up and gives me plenty of energy to get lots work done.

I had a snack before lunch too. Roasted, lightly salted pumpkin seeds! They are slightly addicting. Forgot to take a picture of them. For lunch, it was a bigggg leafy green salad with romaine, spinach, cucumber, purple cabbage, carrots, red onion, red quinoa, hemp seeds and I have been obsessed with turmeric lately so I sprinkled a bunch of that on top (hence the orange color). I also make my own salad dressings and store them in the fridge. The dressing I used today had olive oil, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, fresh lemon juice, garlic powder, himalayan pink sea salt, pepper and dijon mustard. This salad was super crunchy and delightful. Very filling too. I had another large glass of water with it.

And a couple hours later I snacked on some juicy watermelon.

For dinner, it was the leftover Chickpea & Lentil Burgers that I posted on Monday, over some spinach, they are so tasty! I put some avocado slices on top too along with hemp seeds. I had some some red pepper and broccoli in the fridge and drizzled a little tahini sauce over them. And a dollop of hummus just because. I was too lazy to roast the veggies so this dinner was more “raw” than I was planning on but it was delicious!!

I had a few pieces of orange dark chocolate after dinner too, vegan of course 😉 well hope you enjoyed this “WIAW” post!!

Chickpea and Lentil Veggie Burgers

Hi guys, what a busy weekend! I hope you had a wonderful weekend and Mother’s Day. Marty and I went non-stop on Saturday, we had a bunch of things to get done that we kept putting off. You know, those errands that are necessary but can be put off for a while… I know I am not alone in this feeling! Our new favorite thing that we make a priority is to take our pups to the forest preserve and let them run around! We have a small backyard so they absolutely love being able to run free in the huge field, chase each other and smell all the doggy smells. Chuy and Taz are becoming best little buds and it melts my heart ♥ Marty and I also took a fun little spin in our neighbors new car! Saturday was the PERFECT day for a joy ride in a convertible. (I had a major Cali-Girl-Wanna-Be moment!)

My brother graduated from college on Saturday so my parents were away all weekend helping him pack up and celebrating his big day. I wasn’t able to see my mom but I will see her this week to make up for it. Last week, I dropped off my Key Lime Coconut Raw Vegan Cheesecake Cups to her as an early Mother’s Day gift along with some other goodies. Have you tried making them yet?! I would love to see your pictures if you make them! I went to my grandma’s house on Sunday for a late lunch and she even made a vegan dish for everyone! While my family has been very understanding of my new lifestyle, its difficult for some to wrap their mind around the fact that I get protein from sources other than meat, and I am healthier than ever before, but that’s alright. I understand it’s not the norm and I would never force this lifestyle upon anyone, but I sure can show them through this blog 😉 My family finally got to meet Taz too! He had plenty of kisses for my baby cousin McKenna. Honestly there is nothing cuter than a baby and a puppy together!!!!

The Chickpea & Lentil Veggie Burger recipe I am sharing today took me a few times to get just right! Not every recipe is perfect the first time but I am so happy to finally share it because you will LOVE these burgers! I found that the oat flour is the most necessary ingredient to hold this burger together. Don’t try using a flax “egg” like I did! It will fall apart. Marty ate the burger on the left and I ate the burger on the right! He certainly enjoyed it because he went back for seconds, so this is boyfriend approved ? I added my Perfectly Simple Guacamole on top of my burger, which is now my new fave combo! This was my first time ever eating lentils (I don’t know why, its a great source of vegan protein!) so I bought them pre-cooked from Trader Joe’s, but you can certainly cook them yourself. I normally don’t buy pre-cooked anything but there were no added ingredients so I gave in this time 🙂 I have to try cooking them myself now because they are delicious! This recipe makes 6 burgers, I love to have leftovers! You can freeze them as well if you want.

I have a special surprise today too!! I teamed up with my new blogger friend Kristi from www.discoverglowlife.com and shared one of my favorite vegan recipes on her website! My Mediterranean Veggie Quinoa Dish. She has inspired me so much and I am beyond honored to be guest posting on her blog! Check it out for yourself to see some of my tips for Transitioning to a Vegan Lifestyle and for the yummy recipe along with her delicious recipes as well. She also has a Vegan Challenge if you’re up to it! Check out her instagram too!

Chickpea & Lentil Veggie Burger

Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 45
Yield: 6 1x

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Ingredients

Scale

3/4 cup oat flour
1 15oz. can chickpeas
1 cup cooked lentils
1 large carrot stick, chopped into large chunks
1/2 of a zucchini, chopped in large chunks (if small, use whole zucchini)
1/2 red onion, chopped in large chunks
1/2 of a jalapeño (optional)
2 minced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons ketchup
1.5 tablespoon dijon mustard
1.5 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

If you have to make your own oat flour, add oats to food processor and mix until it becomes a flour-like consistency. Transfer to large mixing bowl. If you have oat flour on hand, add to large mixing bowl.
In food processor, combine chickpeas and lentils. Don’t over process, it’s good if it still has some chunks. Transfer mixture to the large bowl with the oat flour.
In food processor, combine carrot, zucchini, onion and jalapeño until chopped small. Again, don’t over process or it will become soupy! Add mixture to the large bowl.
Mix all ingredients together with spoon or by hand.
In a small mixing bowl, combine garlic, ketchup, dijon mustard, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Mix well and pour over the mixture in the large bowl.
Mix until all ingredients are well combined with spoon or by hand!
Heat grill pan over medium-high heat with olive oil.
Form mixture into about 6 burgers and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until slightly browned/crispy.
Serve on a burger bun or on a large piece of lettuce with your favorite toppings!
Enjoy!!

Notes

My food processor was too small to handle all ingredients at once, if you have a larger food processor, you do not have to mix this recipe by hand!

Nutrition

Serving Size: 6

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Perfectly Simple Guacamole

It’s Friday! A new documentary comes out tonight in select cities, called FED UP. Watch the trailer below:

http://www.fedupmovie.com

Let me know how FED UP is if you see it!!

Buying guacamole from the store is something I will never do! I always have to make it fresh, and it tastes way better that way too! My guacamole recipe is so simple and you can whip it up in no time! Store-bought guacamole usually has added unnecessary ingredients and chemicals that I refuse to put in my body. We have to worry about additives in guacamole too?!!! I know, its crazy! Since becoming vegan, I have had to look at the ingredient lists way more than I ever have before. Companies are so sneaky with their labels! One thing I have learned and heard in more ways than one is to to focus on the ingredient list, not the nutrition facts label (unless its full of sugar, that’s a different story). People are beginning to look at nutrition labels more but they should be focusing on the ingredient list to make sure they are buying real, whole food and not highly processed, fake food. The nutrition facts can be very misleading. I am thinking of doing a whole blog post on this topic!

I don’t believe in counting calories, especially if you are on the plant-based vegan diet, unless you are trying to gain weight. You should not have to worry about the scale at all when your diet is filled with veggies, fruits, nuts/seeds and REAL, living food. Know what ingredients are in the food you eat and your body will thank you 🙂 If you can’t pronounce an ingredient, it’s probably not real, and it’s not a good idea to put that ingredient into your system. That ingredient will not be recognized by your body, which then leads to a mess of health issues. So lets be more mindful of what we consume and get to know the ingredient lists!

This Perfectly Simple Guacamole would taste even better with my Watermelon Freeze-a-Rita!

Perfectly Simple Guacamole

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Ingredients

Scale

2 large ripe avocados
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
1/2 of a jalapeño, finely chopped ( optional, I removed half of the seeds so it wasn’t as spicy)
Freshly-squeezed juice from 1 lime
Dash of sea salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Spoon out the avocados into a small bowl and mash.
Chop the tomato, onion, jalapeño and cilantro and add to bowl with avocado.
Mix well. Add lime juice, sea salt and pepper.
Mix well and enjoy!

Notes

Adding the avocado nut into the bowl of guacamole will keep it from turning brown!

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Key Lime Coconut Raw Vegan Cheesecake Cups

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, I have been in the kitchen whipping up some fun desserts and am ready to share a truly delectable and sweet treat you can make for a special lady in your life! These are made specifically for my mom, she loves anything key lime so this is right up her alley. And I have been dying to come up with a raw cheesecake recipe! These mini cheesecakes are super easy and simple to make! Baking is so comforting to me, I used to help my mom bake while growing up, and while these are raw (no baking required), we can still pretend, right?!

My mom is always down to try a new, healthier version of anything! My parents have totally changed their diet for the better and while they are not vegan (yet…!) I am happy they have taken their overall health into consideration and truly want to feel their best. Another reason I started this blog was to have my recipes readily available for family & friends to try! I think there is a slight curiosity people have when they hear you are vegan, especially with regards to what you can’t eat. But I love to remind them to think about the wonderfully vibrant and colorful foods I am adding in to benefit my body, instead of focusing on what I can’t eat anymore. When I told my parents I was going vegan, they were totally supportive and embraced my decision, which was such a relief! What was your experience like when you told your family you were going vegan?

There is something else I have been wanting to share lately! We added a new little addition to our house, a PUPPY, named Taz! His personality is so unlike the Tasmanian Devil though, he is the perfect angel with so many sweet kisses to give. I call him a wiggle worm because he is so tiny (only 4 pounds), his whole body wiggles when he wags his tail, and he is constantly wagging his tail. Cutest. Thing. Ever. About 9 months ago, we rescued a small dog named Chuy, who was found in a forest with no tags or collar, and he has stolen my heart. Chuy came into our life unexpectedly, but everyday I am beyond thankful for him. Animals add so much laughter and joy to life, I can’t imagine my life without Chuy or Taz now. (I may or may not be sobbing a little while writing this!) We nurtured Chuy back to life because he had been abused by a previous owner and now he is healthy, happy and oh so lovable. He was my first little angel to appear in my life and now I have added another. My boyfriend and I talk about opening a dog rescue someday, we are both obsessed with dogs and would rescue all of them if we could. It’s so important to rescue and save a life instead of buying an animal! There are so many pets out there that need a loving home. I added some pics of my pups below.

My boyfriend, Marty, with our first angel, Chuy!

Me with Taz, our second angel!

Chuy and Taz love to sunbathe!

And now, onto the Key Lime Coconut Cheesecake Cups! These are super simple and easy to make!

Key Lime Coconut Cheesecake Cups

Yield: 12 1x

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Description

Raw, Vegan

Ingredients

Scale

FOR CRUST

1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw walnuts
2 tsp. coconut sugar
1 tsp. pink himalayan sea salt (any sea salt is fine)
2 tbsp. shredded coconut flakes (I used unsweetened)
2 tbsp. maple syrup (or honey or agave)
1 cup pitted medjool dates, chopped (about 5 dates)

FOR FILLING

1 can coconut milk (refrigerated overnight, I used full-fat)
1 cup cashews (soaked in water for at least 1–2 hours, preferably overnight)
2 tbsp. shredded coconut flakes
2 tbsp. coconut sugar
2 tbsp. raw, pure virgin coconut oil
1 tbsp. lime zest
Freshly squeezed lime juice from 2 large limes

Instructions

*You will need to refrigerate coconut milk overnight and soak cashews preferably overnight or for 1-2 hours

FOR CRUST

Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners and set aside.
In a food processor, combine almonds and walnuts. Process until finely grated.
Add in coconut sugar, sea salt, and coconut flakes. Process until fully mixed.
Add dates and maple syrup and process until well mixed and sticky. You may need to scape down the sides a few times with a spatula to make sure all ingredients are well mixed.
Spoon out crust from food processor into cupcake liners. Place in freezer while preparing the filling.

FOR FILLING

Open can of coconut milk. The milk has separated into two parts. You want to spoon out the top white part that looks like cool whip and place in blender or food processor. The coconut water left over in the can is not needed for this recipe. Use in a juice or smoothie!
Drain and rinse off cashews that have been soaking, place in blender.
Add coconut flakes, coconut sugar, coconut oil, lime zest and lime juice.
Blend until smooth and creamy.
Remove cupcake pan from freezer and pour filling on top of crust. I added extra coconut flakes and lime zest on top but thats totally optional!
Put back in freezer for 2-3 hours until firm.
Remove for about about 5 minutes to slightly thaw, not too long or they will become too soft. Enjoy!!

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Watermelon Margarita

Happy Cinco de Mayo! This day was much celebrated in college.

Every single year.

It’s funny because I can’t seem to recollect much from the Cinco de Mayo celebrations!? Too much tequila, maybe?! Probably… yes. We celebrated every single holiday in college. Times have changed and my vegan body hurts if I have more than a glass of wine nowadays! I like to think that’s a good thing because my system is clean, but it also makes me feel a little pathetic when I think back to a few years ago. I would much rather have a clean and pure body though! I try to limit my alcohol intake now. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good glass of red wine with dinner but I rarely drink hard liquor anymore. Sure I will while on vacation or for a birthday but nothing like I used to! We still have to live and enjoy life, right?!

I did my research and I am here to provide you with a Vegan-Friendly list of Tequila for all you party people. Maybe some of you will make good use of this list. I know I just mentioned I try to limit hard liquor, but then I thought summer is coming, and tequila sure is wonderful in the summer months. And I am sure I will have a celebration or two 😉 While I will not be adding tequila to my Watermelon Freeze-a-Rita tonight (recipe below), you are welcome to. Enjoy a Vegan-Style Cinco De Mayo! Don’t forget to pin the picture beneath the list so you have this list on hand!

VEGAN – FRIENDLY LIST OF TEQUILA

Aristocrat Tequila

Azul Tequila

Campari Espolon Tequila

Coraz?n Tequila

Don Julio Tequila

El Tesoro Tequila

Gran Centenario Tequila

Heaven Hill Tequila

Herradurra Tequila

Hornitos Tequila

Jose Cuervo Tequila

La Certeza Tequila

Lunazul Tequila

Maestro Dobel Tequila

Patr?n Tequila

Republic Tequila

Sauza – Blue, Gold, Silver, Hornitos, Reposado, Tres Glen

Skinnygirl Margarita

VeeV VitaFrute Organic Margarita

Thank you to barnivore.com

And now, on to my Watermelon Margarita!!

This is a simple slushie-like drink that has only three ingredients, no added sweeteners (because the watermelon is sweet enough!) and its oh-so-refreshing. The mix of watermelon and lime complement each other perfectly, especially on a hot & sweaty summer day.

Tequila is included in the recipe but you could do just watermelon and lime for an alcohol-free version.

It’s my go-to drink and I’m obsessed!!!

Watermelon Margarita

Prep Time: 5
Total Time: 5

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Ingredients

Scale

5 cups frozen watermelon (cubed and frozen for at least 5 hours)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (approximately 2–3 limes)
1 cup tequila (optional)

Instructions

Blend until it reaches a slushie-like consistency!

Nutrition

Serving Size: 3

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Luscious Peach Parfait Smoothie

Good morning and cheers to the weekend! I don’t know where this week went. Or where April went! Time has been flying by lately and I have summer on my mind, which hopefully will arrive before we know it. My brother has been on my mind too, he is graduating college in a couple weeks. I feel like I haven’t seen him in ages, I miss him dearly! Having him back here permanently will certainly make for a fun summer. In preparation for summer, I have the perfect spring breakfast recipe for you! I added a special ingredient and if you checked out instagram yesterday you might have seen my little hint! Skinny & Co. Coconut Oil! Well, its no secret at all, really. I have seen this one all over and I needed to get my hands on it!

Here’s the skinny on Skinny & Co. Coconut Oil: this stuff is the best coconut oil available! It’s the only kind that is 100% raw in the entire world. This oil is never extracted using heat which makes it a cold-pressed superfood. Let me tell you it smells amaaazing. I have tried many coconut oils but this one is unique because of the luscious, coconutty, buttery sweet smell. Not only is it 100% raw, it’s pure virgin coconut oil, pesticide-free, wild harvested, vegan, gluten-free, and has a pH of 7.3-7.8. Coconut oil is the only kind of healthy oil recommended for vegans and raw foodies! Start slowly adding this into your diet to prevent hair damage, moisturize your skin from the inside out, kill off bacteria and/or infections due to the Lauric Acid, aid in weight loss and much more. Add it to smoothies, baking recipes or as an oil replacement in your cooking. I even tried it as a deep conditioning hair mask! The uses are endless. The newest craze is oil pulling, would you guys be interested in a post about this? Leave me a comment if you are! Have you tried this coconut oil before? I would love to hear from you.

Luscious Peach Parfait Smoothie

Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 2
Total Time: 12
Yield: 1 1x

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Description

Vegan and Raw

Ingredients

Scale

6–8 fresh strawberries
1 small chunk of a red beet
1 banana
2 tbsp. raw virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
Handful of ice cubes (around 8 cubes)
1 6oz. container of soy yogurt (I used Vanilla)
1/3 cup oats
1 peach – cut into slices

Instructions

Add strawberries, beet, banana, almond milk, coconut oil and ice to blender
Blend until smooth.
Grab a large mason jar or large cup and add whole container of yogurt.
Add oats on top, then add the peach slices.
Slowly pour in smoothie mixture.
I added some extra oats on top

Notes

I used plain oats for this recipe but feel free to replace with oatmeal, granola or overnight oats for extra sweetness. Also, you can use any yogurt of your choice! Coconut and almond yogurt are delicious.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1

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FOR CRUST

FOR FILLING

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FOR FILLING

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shannon.leparski

MENSTRUAL PHASE RECIPES