The Smoothie Vegetarians

Breakfast is commonly considered the most important meal of the day. Having a morning routine is something many people do, and breakfast isn't always part of it. However, breaking your fast from the night before is incredibly important, not just for your health, but for your beauty as well. Being incredibly hydrated all day long helps to improve your skin so much. Keeping water by your bedside will help you to stay hydrated in the morning. Packing a reusable water bottle and putting it in the fridge to keep it cold, and then grabbing it before you head to work or school will also remind you to drink water all day long! Here are some easy recipes to start off you day! Monday: Overnight Oats Overnight oats are commonly considered one of the easiest things to make in the morning. Here is a winter inspired overnight oats recipe: Ingredients:  1/2 cup nondairy milk 1/2 cup oats glass container with a lid, like a mason jar reusable bag 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/...

Well, I did it. My first Christmas as a vegan. The most difficult part? The chocolate orange my mother gets for all of us every year since time began has “milk ingredients” in it even though it's dark chocolate (which is often “safe”). So I had a very sad moment when I read that on the box. My partner, however, gave me lots of vegan chocolate in my stocking, so all is not lost. It's interesting how the mindset towards veganism takes place. Some of my family members had steak for Christmas dinner (none of them are turkey fans). Eons ago I loved a nice, rare steak – it was one of my favourite meals; even after many years of being a vegetarian, steak still looked soooo good, and I would sometimes have a small bite of someone else's (so I wasn't a very good vegetarian!). When I first went vegan, I felt like I was really missing out. No more bites of steak – ever. No more cheese (this one was particularly difficult). I had to give up yogurt, sour cream, cr...

Over the holidays, people struggle with many things. One of them being staying healthy with so much buffet style food at gatherings. Other people may deal with challenges as well. For myself, I sometimes take for granted having such a supportive family when others do not. I want to extend my love and positivity to those who need that, especially over the time of the holidays. A lot of people in my family know that the choices I am making are helping and have reversed what I was dealing with health wise. I feel amazing now and the other people in my life notice how much better they feel when they try my cooking. I do not mind sharing because I am so open to showing people anything if they have any questions and I love helping others. I also love hearing about how much better people feel when they tell me they try a recipe or food that I have recommended. A lot of people in my family are open to trying these dishes even if they do not plan on making a transition to a vegan, veg...

I've been vegan for almost a year now, but this time last year I was still a vegetarian which left me lots of options for meals and, in particular, all the chocolate and baking that's floating around this time of year. I'm finding it to be quite a challenge, and I have to admit to taking a bite or two of my mother's baking and justifying it by telling myself it doesn't matter because she was baking it anyway! So. I've figured out that the best thing to do is have lots of stuff on hand. I'm not above eating a handful of semi-sweet (and therefore usually vegan) chocolate chips when I'm in the middle of a sugar craving. I'm not all that interested in cooking or baking. I used to bake a lot, but the older I get the more effort it seems to take. So I've gone to my local grocery store and purchased a few pre-made things – vegan cupcakes for Christmas day, and some vegan cookies just because. The other day my daughter asked for fud...

With the holidays coming up, the semester that recently ended, and my job being on holiday break, I have had more time to make delicious and healthy recipes. I have been enjoying such a wide range of meals and have been also discovering some new foods and meals that I love. I have really enjoyed cooking and finding new foods or recipes to prepare. These could also be good for holiday parties as well.  The first recipe I have loved making recently is a sandwich and I usually have a side with this. I have been switching up what I have as my side. I usually have quinoa, couscous, fries, tater tots, roasted veggies, or riced veggies on the side when I eat this and I usually switch it up for variety.  (photos by Danielle) For this picture, I have a ciabatta roll by the brand Schar, which is gluten free. I do not personally eat a gluten free diet, but I have been seeing these in the stores and wanted to check them out. I enjoy these with Gardein chicken scallopi...

This week, I’m going to talk about something very important in my life. Deep. Dish. Pizza. *inhales* *exhales* “What is that?” the unenlightened ask. That, my friend, is the wrong question. Deep dish pizza is so much more than a what. It is a where, a why, a how. While pizza has its roots in Italy, deep dish pizza comes straight from the ovens of Chicago. Contrived by descendants of Italian immigrants in the heart of the Windy City, deep dish might be described as a “pizza layer cake,” with all of the fixings a thin-crust love could dream of – tomatoes, cheese, vegetables, meat, olive oil, and a buttery, flaky crust that leaves little to be desired. The depressing part of all of this is that your classic deep dish pizza consists of an eggy or milky crust, half a pig’s worth of pepperoni and sausage, and enough hot, bubbly cow goop to clog a wall pipe. And I ain’t about that, fam. If something’s going to kill me, it’s not going to be the fragmented g...

Hi Everyone! Happy Holiday Season to all of you, no matter what you celebrate. If you don't celebrate anything, Happy Winter Solstice! I have a friend who is trying to go vegan, but he travels often for his work. In the interest of helping him, I'm writing this post. I know a lot of people travel a lot for work these days, so hopefully some others may find my suggestions useful as well. Even if you're not traveling for work, you could use some of these tips for vacations. Thankfully many hotels these days have mini kitchens in the rooms. You can do more with a microwave, coffee pot, and mini-fridge than you might think!  Depending on if you're traveling via car, plane, train; you may be able to bring a lot with you, or you may need to shop a bit once you arrive at your destination. If you're going by car, you could bring cold items in a cooler; or via train/plane, you can bring some non-perishables in your luggage. Just figure out what works best for y...

Some of the best gifts I have ever given or been gifted are from some amazing ethical stores in the world. Some of the best things you can give a loved one come from the heart. This year for the holidays I wanted to leave less of an impact on the planet. I was inspired by the YouTuber Ellen Fisher. She has an amazing youtube channel and is just an amazing inspiration in general! Some of the things she suggested are as follows: second hand items, homemade gifts, nature found treasures, and experiences. However, if you do not have the time to make a gift, some of the stores she recommends are: 31 Bits , Earthling Beauty , In the Soul Shine , The Small Folk , and Goose Grease (an etsy shop)! However, here are some gift ideas that are easy to make and give! Knitted Elephant with Herbs: One of the gifts one of my friends is going to make for a mutual friend of ours is a knitted elephant. She found a pattern for free online and already has the materials just around the house. ...

A few days ago I had to go to a neighboring (larger) city for a medical appointment. While I was there I stopped at Whole Foods. I always do this as we don't have one in my small city. I spent about an hour wandering the aisles in amazement, looking at all the vegan food, and all the gluten-free food (my daughter is a celiac). I'm like a kid in a candy store when I go there. There should be angelic music playing and white light while I stare up at all the shelves. I have to speak sternly to myself and make a concerted effort not to spend every penny that I have. I finished this particular excursion with a piece of vegan kale/artichoke pizza and a chocolate chip vegan scone – they are seriously to die for. I've daydreamed about moving just so I can have them regularly. In the car on the way home, I was feeling sorry for myself. Why doesn't my city have Whole Foods? How come I have to drive almost two hours to get a piece of freaking kale pizza? Oh, the in...

I have always been such a huge fan of incredibly spicy food and my love for it has grown since I have started cooking. I love making nachos and other meals that are foods similar to that. Since I have been off between college semesters, I have had some extra time in my day to cook before or after work. Another thing that a lot of people have commented on in the past is that that cannot handle spicy food, so if you want something milder, you can use a less spicy version of the ingredients. For example, if you get a can of chili, you can get mild instead of medium or spicy. This first picture I have tortilla chips topped with the beefless ground from Gardein. I have had ground walnut with spices as well at a restaurant and that is wonderful as well if you want a healthier spin on the meal. I have some veggies I have on there as well. Usually, I top my nachos with tomato salsa, bell peppers of any color, and onions. If you want beans for extra nutrients, you can also add those. For the ...

If there is one thing I truly love, it is a gooey brownie. I absolutely love brownies and I’ve been on the hunt to find the perfect vegan brownie recipe. When I couldn’t find one I loved I decided to create my own. Brownies are one of my favorite desserts to enjoy. I like to top it with powdered sugar or vegan ice cream and whipped topping. I am not really a fan of hard or crunchy brownies. No, I love a nice and soft brownie. One that, when warm, almost melts into the ice cream. Great, now I’m hungry. Brownies are actually quite easy to make and to veganize. A lot of vegan bloggers, YouTubers and recipe websites have them. This recipe was adapted from one I found in an old recipe book my mother gave me. It’s simple to make, takes ingredients you probably have in your pantry and is sure to please everyone. Vegan Brownies 2 Cups Flour 2 Cups Sugar 3/4 Cup Cocoa Powder 1 tsp. Baking Powder 1 tsp. Salt 1/4-1/2 tsp. Cinnamon 1 Cup Water 1 Cup...

In Part 1 of this post , I discussed my experience as a vegan in an evangelical* Christian community.                In this next part, I will discuss the alternate: being evangelical Christian in vegan/vegetarian communities.                To start out, I am going to throw out a disclaimer: I do not speak for all evangelical Christian vegans; this is a reflection based off my own observations of the vegetarian/vegan movement, encompassing it’s literature, films, and events, and conversations with other evangelical Christians vegetarians/vegans.                Nor is this meant to list the ways I feel evangelical Christians are in any way “marginalized” within vegan movements - at least, not in the U.S. Nonetheless, I think that it is important to initia...

I will be the first to admit that I am the world’s worst stress eater. When it comes to exam week, I have to have food around me at all times. I constantly need snacks to focus while I am writing essays, creating PowerPoints, and studying for tests. Not all study snacks are created equal; they must be easy to eat while studying, not too messy so they won’t ruin your notes, and they need to help keep your brain powered up! Since I consider myself a professional stress eater, I want to share my knowledge with you all so we can get through finals week together. 1)     Walnuts: New research from the  David Geffen School of Medicine at The University of California, Los Angeles found that people who ate more walnuts had improved cognitive function. They may help boost concentration, memory, and the speed at which your brain processes information. Perhaps this is due to the high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids and selenium that walnuts contain, which ar...