The Smoothie Vegetarians

(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. ...

If you find eating out to be expensive, you may want to prepare more meals at home. These recipes are great for college because some of these can be made in a microwave. Sometimes I like to try to find ways to recreate items off the menu that I have had and spin them into my own twist based on the ingredients I have in my house. When I want a certain food but do not have the time to go out, I can try to make those at home for cheaper. Some of my favorite meals can be made in just a matter of minutes. I love making versions of sandwiches, pizzas, and burgers that I have ordered out at restaurants. These are not always the healthiest option and not what I eat when I am by myself. However, these are what most of the junk food loving people in my life want to eat. I'm not always eating vegan junk food, but when I do it is with guests or family to show other people how much these brands usually taste exactly the same as the other options they currently consume. I make a ...

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 ...