The Smoothie Vegetarians

When life gets busy, it can be helpful to have some quick recipes and meal ideas to help with getting through the day. Here are some good ideas for when you want some delicious foods. These recipes can be helpful if you want to snack or you can make larger portions for a full meal. The first idea is a chicken alternative with an Asian themed side dish. Trader Joes seems to have a lot of good frozen options that can go well with this. Gardein can also be bought at a lot of grocery stores and it comes with a lot of good meat alternatives. I like to use either Gardein or one of the Trader Joes meat alternatives to make dishes like these. There is also Kung Pao cauliflower which is also really good. If you cook it for a bit longer than what the package says it will also ake the cauliflower more crispy if that is your preference. On the side I sometimes like to have some veggie spring rolls dipped in a spicy sauce. I will either pair this with rice or no...

(photos by Danielle) A lot of people feel like transitioning to a healthier lifestyle will make it more difficult to be in situations like eating out. Going on to eat does not have to be difficult and there are so many articles and youtube videos showing you how to eat healthier/vegan/vegetarian when going to chain restaurants, even when there are not a lot of options. For a while, when I was going out to eat I was eating plant based at home, but struggled to stay that way when I went out. However, this does not have to be the case. You can still go out with friends and family and join in while still staying true to your morals and personal health goals.  I will be naming some restaurants that I frequently go to and also tell you what I got along with some pictures. I will let you guys know how I navigate the menu when I go out to eat. First of all, I am unable to eat dairy to begin with and get very sick if I happen to have it. To combat this issue, many restauran...

(photo by Danielle) When shopping at Whole Foods, I find some delicious foods. Sometimes it can be expensive but I combat that by buying things on sale and coming prepared with coupons. However, don't forget to treat yourself when you go in! Late July tortilla chips and salsa are one of the foods I usually pick up since it is usually a good deal. I also got some 365 chips for my family since I am not big on foods like these but I like to try them on occasion.  I picked up some milk alternatives and a creamer. I love picking up a variety of alternatives because it switches it up. I picked up some SO Delicious Coconut milk and some vanilla cashew milk by the brand Pacific. I also got a vegan cheese sauce/dip from the Brand Heidi Ho. I used this on some nachos and it was absolutely delicious.  I bought some delicious store brand food like the potato and pea samosas and pearled couscous.  I also got some chocolate and berry flavored Made G...

If anyone loves going to Trader Joes as much as I do, they know that there are so many wonderful products there that you can find so much cheaper compared to other stores. I find so many new products that I love and my family has also been a fan of when I have prepared meals for them. We love going to Trader Joes and finding new products. It is a great store to find vegan products in as well and they are also mostly all clearly labeled.  (photos by Danielle) One of my all time favorite products is the tomato basil hummus dip. This has so much flavor and I love putting it in wraps, on crackers, and in pasta recipes. Let me know in the comments what you guys like using your hummus for? I have been using it in my recipes and not just as a dip and it adds so much flavor.  (photos by Danielle) I love all of the hummus dips that I have tried from Trader Joes and because of how wonderful the prices are, I will always load up on multiple types of hummus each ...

I cooked a lot for Easter with my family and we had a lot of different things at the table. Of course I got some Gardein, some Daiya cheesecake, and some snacks. I also made a pasta salad and I will be glad to share with you everything I put into my recipe and it was wonderful for my family. Everyone enjoyed everything that was there.  For snacks, we had crackers, Chao cheese, and grapes. I made a Gardein Turkey and it comes with gravy packages so that you do not have to buy extra. I love making the Gardein Turkey cutlets because they are so crispy and they taste amazing.  Also, at the table, we had some veggies like sweet potatoes and corn. We had dinner rolls that went great with everything we had as well. I had some mango pineapple juice that I also blended.  I made a pasta salad in the morning as well that was a hit. First I roasted some bell peppers in the oven and then got the skin off to have some roasted red pepper to shop up for this...

(photos by Danielle) Planning for meals during the week can be a challenge but since the internet has so many recipes, it becomes so easy. I find so many recipes on social media including websites like Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. I also love following food blogs and getting their monthly list of posts in my email inbox. I always save recipes that I enjoy. I also just recently got a recipe book to write down recipes that have worked out for me or ones that I want to try in the future.  A lot of my favorite recipes have zucchini in them. The first recipe was inspired by a time when I had a lot of zucchini in the house. I also had leftover sauce from spaghetti night earlier in the week, so I was trying to make something out of leftovers and create a delicious, but still healthy meal. I made some zucchini boats and they were great.  How do you make these??? Start by cutting the ends off of the zucchini. Then slice the zucchini down the middle like...

Kombucha can be a delicious treat that can be an alternative to a lot of sugary drinks like juices and coffees, but certainly does not skimp on the outstanding taste and flavors!!! A lot of these are delicious and I would recommend it. Some of these can have a vinegar aftertaste so it may take a while to find one you like a lot. I have tried a few flavors from brand and have tried them out that do not have that taste. I do not drink this often at all, but it can be a treat for special occasions. The ones that I have tried so far have been amazing and other people who have tried them with me liked them as well.  (photos by Danielle) (photos by Danielle) (photos by Danielle) I have tried a few of the flowers from the brand GTS Synergy and they have been good if you do not find the vinegar taste. I have tried Trilogy, Guava Goddess, and Gingerberry. I liked all of them and I would want to try some of the other flavors. They are great and I would recommend...

(photos by Danielle) Starting your personal health journey can be intimidating for some, but with support, this can become easier. A lot of people sometimes will not even know where to start. It can be good to start this journey with a positive mindset and start shifting your habits to better ones. Some people prefer to do this overnight and some do this as a gradual shift over time. My journey was gradual and I started incorporating better habits into my life. I now feel so much better since I have started this.  I have felt so much better lately and have had so many more productive days. I have been changing my life by curbing my eating habits and exercising. I feel amazing on days where I do four miles a day because it gets me so energetic and motivated to continue the rest of my day. I got so much more done in the day since switching to a healthier lifestyle and weel as thinking more positive. One thing that I want to stress is that you do not have to b...

(photos by Danielle) Breakfast is such an important aspect of the day and it is essential for energy through the day. If you are like me, I am usually running around so breakfasts can be a bit challenging. I usually alternate between a few things, but having a large breakfast can help for fuel for the rest of the day. I notice on the days that I pack a lot of nutrients into breakfast, I feel so much more energetic through the day. This can help me be more productive and happier when I am working and then have classes at night. There are so many recipes out there that are great for starting out the day with.  (photos by Danielle) A delicious recipe you can make in the morning are banana pancakes. I make my oat flour first by blending up a packet or two of oatmeal. Then I add my wet ingredients.  2 packets of oatmeal 1 banana ¼ or ½ cup of milk alternative depending on how creamy you want the pancakes  Optional: if you want fruit in your pan...