The Smoothie Vegetarians

(photos by Danielle) I have recently found so many new recipes that I have been a huge fan of. It helps to search up any new recipes and the internet has hundreds of each. I find that if I look for versions of recipes for meals that I loved and ate it in the past, it is beyond easy to do this lifestyle. It is all about the mindset. As a lot of people close to me know, I am a huge fan of spicy food and tacos. I am always looking for new recipes and just making a quick search on youtube, instagram, or pinterest can make finding new recipes so easy. My family is a huge fan of taco night and we tried these jackfruit tacos. I had been hearing about these food such a long time and I decided to go down to Trader Joe's and get some! I was pleasantly surprised.  (photos by Danielle) I was always hearing about how similar jackfruit was to pulled pork and how it tasted exactly the same after cooking ti and putting on the sauce. I looked up so many recipes to decide wh...

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...

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 ...

(photo by Danielle) One of my favorite tortilla chip brands is Late July and Beanitos because of all the flavors they offer like Sriracha Fresca and Jalapeno Lime. They are their very best when paired with chipotle flavored salsa from Que Pasa. Chips and salsa are one of my favorite snacks because it is quick, easy, and delicious. I have never been disappointed by either of these products! (photo by Danielle) Another one of the snacks that I have been loving lately is the Earth Balance Cheddar Squares. These are wonderful for people who want that cheesy flavor but are unable to have dairy as a result of medical, health, or ethical reasons. The only challenge that I have come across with these is they are a bit hard to find in stores. Luckily, they are available on Amazon Prime, you can buy them HERE ! (photos by Danielle) (photos by Danielle) Another food that is great for achieving a yummy cheesy flavor, without the dairy would be n...

OK, OK, so bean's are not a fruit; it's technically a seed...but boy, oh boy, are they magical! Seriously! I'm not kidding! Here let me prove it to you. Today we will be focusing on beans, and particularly how they stack up against beef. Take notes, so the next time you are asked, "but how do you get your protein," you will have a whole arsenal in your back pocket.  Let's start with all the amazing things beans in general have, and can do. Beans are complex carbohydrates, like sweet potatoes, which means they will make you feel full for longer - a bonus if you are trying to lose weight. This is credited to them being high in fiber, which will not only prevent constipation, but reduce your risk of colon cancer and digestive health disorders. Many American's do not get enough fiber, yet 1 cup of beans gives you half of your daily recommended dose; which is 21 - 25 grams in case you were wondering. Because it is a complex carbohydrate with h...

By now I am sure you have heard of the Beyond Burger, produced by Beyond Meat, seeing as the whole plant-based world is going bananas for it! On its packaging it claims to be, 'A new breed of burger - Made from plants. The Beyond Burger is juicy, meaty and delicious; offering all the upsides of a plant-based meal'. It is advertised to be so like beef patties that they are carried in the meat section of the grocery store!  But how realistic is it?           I set out to find out. First I had to find where they were even being sold. Using the store locator conveniently on Beyond Meat's website I quickly learned there weren't any in my area; so far only 3000 stores in the United States even carry them! Luckily I found the patties on a trip to visit my family in the bay area, wrapped them in ice, and headed back home to prepare them.          Now the patties were not an exact match to the physica...