The Smoothie Vegetarians

Raise your hand if you meditate. First off,  what is mediation and what does this have to do with being a vegetarian?  Actually, these two things complement each other and are very closely related. Meditation has many different meanings. It can mean thinking or contemplating, it can be part of a religious activity or just as a way of becoming calm and relaxed. It can be practiced in a variety of ways as well. Some people choose to make it part of their morning ritual and have a designated space for it, others practice it at various times throughout the day or when they just need a moment of tranquility. I even know someone who meditates when she is ironing. There is no right or wrong way to meditate. Some people repeat mantras or words while meditating, others meditate in silence and focus on their breathing. One of my favorite way to meditate is to cook. I love to chop my vegetables, grind my spices and just put a lot of love into my dishes. Some say vega...

Things are changing in the world of vegan food, and I think we are finally seeing a shift that pushes plant-based food products out there into the world of mainstream consumers. We no longer have to skulk around in the back corners of health food stores to find a non-dairy cheese, or sit in a restaurant with a sad bowl of iceberg lettuce for lunch. Product choices are absolutely exploding, and can now be found on all kinds of supermarket shelves, not just gourmet shops anymore. Personally, I shop at our bargain grocery store chain called No Frills. Nothing fancy, and not too cutting edge. A couple of weeks ago, I found one entire cooler section now dedicated to So Delicious non-dairy ice cream products, and one whole section filled with Daiya pizzas, more Yves products and a range of vegan Amy's entrees. There was some crazy dancing in the aisles that day. Latest hits from our No Frills store. So many more choices, and these 2 are favs in our house now.  ...

            Call me crazy, but mornings are my favorite part of the day. I love that every day is a fresh start and full of possibilities. It does not matter what happened the day before, a new day is a chance to do something completely new. I also love mornings because I adore my morning routine. Personally, I wake up early enough (most days) to enjoy at least an hour by myself to do my routine before I have to actually start doing productive life things and talking to people, haha! If I don’t spend enough time in the morning to myself I end up being a bit cranky during the day. I thought I would share some elements of my routine that I feel like everyone should try out because it really can put you in a better mood for your whole day! Having a morning routine that you look forward to also makes it a bit easier to get out of bed ;) 1.      Meditate I was always skeptical of meditation a...

I'm not a fan of New Year's Resolutions – I think they rather set one up for failure. However, this past couple of years have been chock full of new things for me; being off work, a major career shift, going sober, going vegan, really embracing yoga and meditation, writing these articles, taking online nutrition courses. It's funny, I complain about being busy and I complain about all the learning I'm doing and how tired I am; but really it's been fabulous and so mind opening, and eye opening and life opening. Many of us get into our routine, our way of doing things, and it's comfortable – boring but comfortable. Often the older we get the more we shy from major changes, from taking a leap and embracing something new. Fear gets hold of people and it can be such a difficult thing to conquer. It's easier to take a step back into the familiar, into the routine, into the rut and just continue along on the journey of life. Rather than mak...

(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...

"keto" friendly eggplant serving suggestion I was hanging out with a friend the other night and she looked absolutely fantastic, I had to ask what she was doing and she told me that she was following the keto diet. Now just to let everyone know up front, she is not vegan or a vegetarian, I immediately thought of having to eat lots of heavy, fatty foods. When most people (including me) think of the keto diet, since it is high fat, they automatically think of  cheeses, meats, cold cuts and alike, but ladies and gentleman don't be fooled, the keto diet can work for everyone whether you eat meat or not. First off, I am not condoning or endorsing this diet but wanted to share some of the information that I found interesting. This particular diet turns your body into a fat burning machine, carbs are limited and  about 70-80% of your food intake is made of healthy fats. Very simply, here is how it works, the human body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, whi...

Mushrooms are so wonderful because they have a great flavor on their own but still take on any seasonings and tastes you add to the recipe. Their chewy texture is almost meat-like and has been known to fool people. Our recipe for sticky mushrooms features crispy mushrooms and a really zesty sweet and sour sauce. Maybe zesty isn't the right word. It's not spicy but the flavors are really strong and a perfect blend of sweet brown sugar and sour red wine vinegar. And soy sauce is amazing in everything. 1/4 cup canola oil 2 1/2 cups mushrooms, chopped into chunks 1/4 cup cornstarch 1 tbs sesame oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 inch chunk fresh ginger, minced 2 tbs brown sugar 1 tbs red wine vinegar 1/4 cup soy sauce 1 tsp cornstarch 1 tsp water In a wok or large skillet, start heating up the oil. While that's going on, sprinkle a little water on your mushrooms to dampen them and mix in the 1/4 cup of cornstarch so that they are well coated. When the oil ...