The Smoothie Vegetarians

As I have mentioned before, we live in a mixed-diet household with my husband being a pretty firm omnivore (for now). I've been adding more and more vegan ingredients and recipes to our lives and we basically manage to get by with only a bit of occasional conflict. Sort of. Sometimes. Oddly enough, our main point of contention isn't the rather obvious meat or dairy versus a plant-based alternative, it's more about whole food versus processed food. And I have to admit, I'm getting a little stuck at times trying to maintain my side of the argument. In our specific case, my hubbie is more interested in eating healthier than dealing with animal welfare so I work with that as best I can so that we make vegan choices that are agreeable to both of us. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out well. Let's use butter for an example. Real butter has cream/milk and maybe salt in it. And besides the issue of whether it is natural for us to be consuming c...

In the new year, a lot of people put health as their priority and set new years resolutions to be healthier. For some people, they tend to fall out of their habits as time goes on, and then they rest their resolution the following new year. To stay with these habits, it can be helpful to find recipes that are delicious and healthy.  To maintain better health, try finding recipes that you already love and lookup healthier versions of them. It can be helpful to replace things with healthier ingredients or try to cut back on how often you have them.  One of the easiest ways to stay healthy and full through the day is having a smoothie bowl. If you are on the go, you can also take this in a mason jar wherever you need to. This is a quick way to eat healthy for those who do not have a lot of time on their hands.  (photos by Danielle) For the first health snack, I have a smoothie bowl. I have some almond milk blended with banana and mango. This is one of...

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...

Raw veganism as a Lifestyle is in my opinion the easiest and most simple to undertake as well as most beneficial. Here, I shall outline why. First, I will clarify that I am referring to a simple whole food, natural plant based, uncooked dietary intake with a 90 -95% fresh fruit and vegetable composition. Improved Health: Studies have shown a major reduction of occurrence in and reversal of all main diseases, from cancer to diabetes to heart disease to IBS, ADHD and more, with a raw vegan lifestyle over a specific period of time and often coupled with other known health promoting protocols. This is not only a healthy diet; it is a sustainable one as well. Many diseases of the modern day thought incurable are healed or at the least significantly reduced by simply eating this way. Hereditary diseases have been shown to have lowered to nil relevance in these cases also. Look out for the improved skin and digestion ! Reduction of Carbon Footprint – Environmentally Fr...

Most vegans ‘slip up‘ due to the lack of knowledge of how to effectively and efficiently maintain a healthy raw vegan lifestyle. As a Civil Engineer, projects not only take me away from home A LOT, they often take me out of town, living in the tropics can present its own set of challenges as well as advantages. These in mind, let me share some of the things I do to overcome a few of the hurdles I encounter whilst juggling various tasks and professional obligations. Fruits Are Always Available: Being in the Caribbean makes it that much easier to have access to in season, ripe, local fruits, these are often available anywhere from a nearby market or vendor set up on the sidewalk, even adjacent to restaurant locations. With time it is easy to know their source as well as to place orders with them for bulk produce. This is what I generally do, with local trustworthy farmers. Invest in a cooler: When on the move, it is paramount to take with you ...

          Easy Raw Purple Potato Passion         *From Jan’s Raw Kitchen Kreations* Does this recipe contain passion fruit? No, it does not, but the word expresses how I feel about raw purple potatoes and is indicative of the yumminess I experience whilst having it. Here is one really simple way to enjoy raw purple potatoes, which by the way, reminds me of cooked sweet potato as far as flavor goes. I made a snack out of this recipe and added my favorite greens, Purslane and some of my green sweet and tart sauce. I hope you give this dish a try. Servings 2 Persons 1 Cup Purple potatoes shredded or food processed to small pieces, peel first if desired. 2 Cups pure water, 1.5 – 3 Tsp Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV). - Bragg brand. Directions Soak  shredded potatoes in water and ACV for 1.5 - 3 hours Strain off the water, Paper towel dry potato shreds...

Raw Peanut Banana Porridge *From Jan’s Raw Kitchen Kreations* Peanut trash (skin)  the outer red coating of the legume peanut is quite edible and packed with nutrients. I started experimenting with them some years ago after being introduced to them by a local herbalist. The fiber content is pretty high. Below is a recipe for a porridge I make with them often. - Jan P. López Easy Raw Peanut Banana Porridge Makes 1 serving Ingredients 1 Cup  Raw peanut skin 1/2 Teaspoon Raw Apple Cider Vinegar 2 Cups Fresh Ripe Gros Michel Bananas ½- 1 Cup Chopped Fresh fruit ½ Cup pure water 1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper – Optional. Directions Blend water, peanut skin, a cup of bananas, and cayenne to desired consistency. Pour in a bowl, Have as is (photo a) or, Top with fresh fruit (photo b) or, Fill in and pile on fresh fruit (photo c). Most importantly, Enjoy!

Raw Vegan Stir Fry *From Jan’s Raw Kitchen Kreations* Ingredients Servings:  2-3. 1 Cup Button or Shitake Mushrooms chopped in ¼ inch sizes 1 Cup sun-dried tomatoes soaked overnight 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar (raw) - ACV 1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper 1 Tablespoon Himalayan Salt. Directions Sprinkle salt over mushrooms in a bowl, mix in well ensuring each piece is covered Mix well the ACV and Cayenne pepper Blend cayenne & ACV in with soaked sundried tomatoes until sauce consistency. Pour over chopped mushrooms and mix in well, ensuring each piece is covered. Set mushroom mix to marinade for 8 - 12 or more hours. Serve with fresh greens and enjoy! Jan P. López

High Omega 3, Purslane Dinner  Dish Recipe *From Jan’s Raw Kitchen Kreations* Purslane  ("Portulaca oleracea") is one of the healthiest plants to eat, a succulent, edible green, high in Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Some people opt to cook this food, but I prefer it in its most natural form, ie. Raw. Here is one way I like to have it: Ingredients. Serves 2-3 1 Cup Purslane chopped into bite sized pieces, 1 Cup cauliflower – food processed to rice grain size. 1 Cup Chopped Cherry tomatoes. ½ Cup Diced white  onion ½ Cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked overnight. 1tsp cayenne pepper 1tsp black pepper  Directions Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix in well, Allow to marinade for 12 hrs refrigerated, Set at room temperature for 45 mins. Serve with avocado slices, mixed greens and enjoy! Jan P. López 

Serving-3-4 Cups Ingredients - 2 cups raw/live oat groats -4 cups of pure water  Directions: -Soak 2 cups oat groats (raw/live) oats in 4 cups of pure water -fully immersed,  ( distilled, reverse osmosis, spring water )  for 8 – 12 hours. Rinsing every 2 hours where possible.  -After 12 hours, place all seeds ( some may start sprouting) on a flat surface to dry in the sun for  another 8-12 hours. -Collect dried/sprouted seeds and place in an airtight jar until ready to make flour. -Place dried seeds in a high-speed blender and blend for 2 minutes or until fully powdered. Increase ingredient for a larger yield.  -Store flour in an airtight container in the refrigerator. -Use in any raw recipe (or not raw) of your choice & enjoy! Jan P. López

Why I do not Recommend  A High Protein Diet. *The views shared here are that of the author, and should not be used in a medical context *   The human body was designed to thrive on live plant foods. Anything short of this is placing it at a disadvantage. The most healing mode of eating is described as  A 'High Carbohydrate,  Low Fat' Diet. This can be further broken down into numbers such as: 80/10/10  or  even   90/5/5 . These numbers make reference to: 80% of daily  caloric consumption being  Carbohydrates, 10% Protein, 10%  fats Or likewise: 90% of caloric consumption of  carbohydrates, 5% protein and 5% fats. See: http://www.thesmoothievegetarians.com/2017/03/how-to-ensure-adequate-protein-levels.html  for more explanation on protein as a food source. This is the case for many reasons, s ome of the things experienced whilst on a diet high in protein are: 1.     ...