The Smoothie Vegetarians

(photos by Danielle) Pizza is not something that you have to cut out on a plant-based lifestyle! Good news! There are so many amazing alternatives out in stores that are so amazing and that I enjoy using in many of my recipes. I have found so many recipes recently and there are still so many out there that I have not yet tried. I love doing pizza, especially when friends are over. Pizza seems to be a common food at casual gatherings, however, it can create a problem for people like myself who are unable to consume dairy. If you are the type of person who gets stomach pains from dairy, are allergic, or cut it out for ethical reasons, do not worry about it! There are so many new vegan cheeses that will not complicate your health for consuming. Also, if you are trying to stay away from the more processed ingredients, there are also so many recipes that you can make it homemade. I find a lot of recipes on youtube and Pinterest that are really helpful in finding delicious veg...

(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...

(photos by Danielle) Many people think that if you transition to a healthier, more ethical lifestyle that it means that you also have to give up certain foods and sacrifice taste. However, for a lot of the excuse that people give...there are just as many easy solutions that can be solved in a matter of seconds. When a lot of people hear “pizza” one of the first things people usually think of is cheese. However, you do not actually have to give that up because there are so many alternatives. Many places are starting to offer dairy free options and stores are starting to get plant based options that taste like cheese. There is no sacrifice whatsoever to this lifestyle and it will just continue to become easier and easier as it goes on. So many people are lactose intolerant, have allergies, or choose to cut our dairy for health or ethical reasons. Fortunately, you can still have cheese without it coming from a cow, and yes, it tastes just fine and usually exactly the same. ...

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. I hope November is faring well for all of you, and Happy Thanksgiving! This is another spur of the moment recipe. It came together super quick, and is another very "spoonie-friendly" recipe. It also would be great for those nights where you just don't want to stand at the stove for forever. This would be a great recipe for your kids to get involved in, too!  This would go well with salad, soup, or with some roasted vegetables, or some other side dish that you cook in the oven. You could start your other food, and then add the grilled cheeses to the oven during the last bit of cooking. These sandwiches turn out super well in the oven! The bread has such a light and fluffy inner texture; compared to the "traditional" way of making a grilled cheese. Meanwhile, the outside has the typical crispy and savory deliciousness.  It's a twist on pizza, and instead of the sauce being incorporated in the sandwich, you dip pieces of it into the...

I have a confession to make. Before my transition to veganism opened my eyes, I worked for a local pizzeria as a full-time delivery driver and part-time manager. It was such a fun job, and at first I didn’t see any negatives. My boyfriend, Gavin, would stay at home with our children, and I could drive around all day, smoking cigarettes and collecting money. Added bonus: as a franchise rule, I could make myself a free large pizza to take home if I worked an 8 hour (or more) shift. The house would remain a mess, but this meant free dinner 6 nights a week, and who doesn’t love pizza? Well, after a few years, I didn’t love pizza. I didn’t even like it. I couldn’t stand that I was directly involved in delivering meaty, cheesy, heavy dinners to families around my hometown. The world felt like it was crashing down on me, because I was promoting morals that I didn’t believe in, just for an easy way to make a quick buck. I couldn’t see that there were other ways to live at the time. Th...

Fully RAW No Bake Vegan Pizza – Low fat, Low sodium, gluten free. *Jan’s Raw Kitchen Kreations* RAW No Bake Vegan Pizza  *serves two-three Ingredients 2 Cups chopped cauliflower 1 cup soaked( overnight) Chia seeds 2 Cups Almond nuts soaked overnight - Truly raw (not standard pasteurized) and organic. ½ teaspoon unparched organic turmeric ½ teaspoon (or to taste) unparched organic cayenne pepper 1 cup freshly  chopped mushrooms of choice – *Shitake, Portobello, Crimini are good and can be marinated if preferred. This version keeps them fresh. ½ cup soaked Sundried tomatoes ½ cup fresh grape tomatoes 4 soaked dates 1 medium zucchini   1 large tomato – chopped 1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves. 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar Directions Make ‘almond meal’ – (use Macadamia or Brazil nut if preferred) Drain and allow to dry, the pre soaked almonds. When dry, place in a high speed blender (Vitamix or Blendtec) and ...